Date: Mon, 27 Apr 2009 09:14:15 -0700 (PDT)
From: Joe Parker <jjptex@yahoo.com>
Subject: I think I'm in trouble Part 1 Chapter 16

Chapter 16

(This chapter is dedicated to Preston, whose
knowledge of ITIIT is truly frightening)

(Felix)

It fascinates me the way people react to Jake
when they see him for the first time, and then
how they interact with him.  My Jake and I are
Christmas shoppin tonight in Charleston and
it's just been an entertainment all on its own
watchin the crowds starin at my baby. I am
feelin kinda proud and kinda  threatened by it all
actually.  We go up to a counter to purchase
somin, (Jake loooves to shop) - and the sales
assistants are all gaga over him!

Guy assistants wanna be him or shoot the
breeze with him, the obviously gay guy
assistants drool all over him and walk slightly
behind him to view his hot, hot butt.  The gals
race to be the first to greet him and ask him all
sorts of questions about where he's from, what
awesome eyes he has, what's he up to later etc
etc.  They touch him with their fingers,
proposition him with their eyes and openly scan
his lengthy toned body over and over again.

Folks back home are by and large used to
Jake, although he always gets a second look.
Out here he's gettin all the action and he sure
does like it - the lil attention hound!  Nobody
notices lil ole me traipsing along dutifully
behind, an unseen shadow cast into
insignificance by the sheer magnificence of my
boyfriends long, loooong shadow.

Eventually we return to his Ferrari where we
stow some of the gifts we have bought today.
Yes he decided to drive to town in this amazin
red 1991 Ferrari Testarossa. .  I felt so cool
riding along in this awesome super car having
folks starin and pointin at us.  Everywhere we
went folks was lookin and some waved out
even!  We never actually got to race along at top
speed but it really didn't matter to me.  The
feeling of being pressed back into the plush tan
leather bucket seats every time Jake accelerated
was thrilling enough!


Once we arrived at the mall we split up for a
while and went our separate ways to shop for
our family and each other.  I was kinda relieved
coz I did not want Jake to see how much money
I had, or should
I say 'didn't have'.  In fact Uncle Gary gave me
$500 to spend just this morning which blew my
mind!  I have never had more than $50 to spend
on gifts let alone $500!  He just winked and told
me not to tell:)
Momma.  So now I have $542.70 to spend YAY
I'm rich!  Jake resets the alarm and we head on
back inside the mall to eat and maybe do a lil
more shoppin.


Watchin Jake wolf down plate loads of food is
an experience.  I've tried to tell him to calm
down, his food is not alive and it ain't gonna run
off!  He just looks at me with a 'Huh?'
expression, shrugs and carries on 'feeding'.  I
don't call it eating when it comes to Jake, I call it
'feeding'.  Jake doesn't have a meal.., he has
'feeding time'.  I am impressed though because
he NEVER gets food on himself, ever.

He rushes off to the mens room for to floss and
brush his teeth.  Yes he carries a lil dental
hygiene case around with him everywhere
(PSYCHO!)...
He returns and retrieves his bulky Swiss army
knife which is on a chain in his pocket, and pulls
out a long thin metal toothpick.  I look away and
hear him laugh, you know how people laugh
when they got somin in their mouth?  This is not
to say that I don't put on lil OCD displays of my
own but spending time with someone slowly
reveals to you who they really are doesn't it?
But you know what?, I love it all.  He's so cute
and kissing him sure has it's advantages - he's
so fresh and minty all the time!  I have
somewhat increased my own dental hygiene
routine in response.


He's now gulping from a large bottle of water,
purified water he carts around with him
everywhere.  It's from the Eyrie.  He drinks
mainly pineapple juice at home and this water
away from home.  The only other thang he will
drink is milk and he drinks all these liquids in
vast quantities.  I am so amused by him and so
interested by his cute and intriguing lil ways.  I
can happily spend hours studying my quirky
baby.  He's totally uncaring about people
watchin him.  He says he's used to it and unless
they get too up close and personal he doesn't
really care.  In fact he even said that he kinda
likes it!


I think my baby is an exhibitionist hehehe, his
daddy is the reverse.  Ryan does not like to be
singled out from the crowd and although I've
only really seen him around town a few times..,
it's always clear that he cannot wait to be away
from the public gaze as soon as possible.  My
baby extracts a medicated wipe from a little
case in his jacket pocket and cleans his
toothpick before inspecting it and returning it to
his pocket knife. He slides the red plated knife
back into the pocket of his sexy A&F cobalt
chinos. He gives me a picture perfect smile and
then begins checking his little blackberry for
messages.  I go back to my chocolate thick
shake only to find myself immediately distracted
by a very accusing sounding little voice.


"Hey Mister, you think you're the big cheese
don'tchya!" A pint sized little boy is standing
before Jake scowling up at him.  His over sized
blue baseball cap covers his red hair and
freckled face.
He looks to be about 7 or 8 and I would really
like to know how come he has a super sized
chocolate thick shake?  He has to use both
hands to even hold it.  Jake leans back in his
seat and crosses his arms, violet eyes bright
with mischief.

"Says who little buddy?"  Jake raises an
eyebrow and I chuckle at the lil boys indignant
reaction to Jake's question.
"Says me and I ain't your little buddy Mister!" -
he places his monster shake on our table and
puts his hands on his hips, looking Jake over,
sizing him up and down suspiciously.

"Well then I ain't your Mister then either!" - Jake
puts his monster bottle of water down and leans
forward sizing the little pocket battleship up.

"Who says!" - demands the little boy, this is all
getting quite inane and silly but the lil mite is
deadly serious and even though I can tell Jake
wants to laugh.., he manages to refrain from
doing so.

"Says Jake"  my honey replies, his smile rich
with amusement.

"Well Mikey says you gotta stay away from my
sister and tell her not to look at you silly or say
those stupid things bout you!"

I shake my head and laugh, Jake's not allowed
to look at his sister but he must also TELL her
to quit talkin bout him and lookin at him
herself?   kids logic is one of the true
enigma's of life.  The little boy is now kicking at
Jake's brown Doc Marten Oxfords with his cute
lil sparkly spider man shoes.

Jake grins, "Well what kind of stupid things has
she been saying little buddy? - and remember,
she's a giiiiiirrl and girls will say really stupid
things -- they can't help it"

Little Mikey looks behind him and points across
to a far table where a dark haired girl with
braces is cowering behind her friend and giving
him evil looks.

"That's my sister Mary and that's her friend
Caitlin and they said you cast a spell on them!"
Jake gives me a knowing look, and stands up,
"Let's go see if I can un-cast the spell huh?"

"Well okay but I'm watching you! - and I seen
Harry Potter too"  warns the boy cryptically,
totally expecting us to understand what he's
getting at.

Jake brushes against me just enough to convey
he won't be long and to sit tight.  He takes lil
Mikey's' hand and together they amble over
t'wards the table of two mortified looking 8th
grade gals.., well they look like 8th graders to
me.  I lean back and smile at how easily my baby
relates to kids.

He's gonna be an awesome daddy someday but
how can he do that if he's with me?  I wanna be
a daddy too, but I can't do that if I'm all hooked
up with Jake.  I sigh and try not to think bout it.
I scan the food court and there is my baby
schmoozin those poor gals.  They are clearly
starstruck to have the attention of this hot
senior and he certainly doesn't mind the
attention.

A strange sharp pain lances from my gut
through to my heart.  Deep down inside of me I
don't like this flirty side of Jake.  I know that he
ostensibly went over there to return little Mikey
to his rightful caretakers but I jez wish he could
be a lil less circumspect...

The little boy is now totally okay with Jake and
it's obvious that he has decided to throw his lot
in with MY boyfriend as well.  A case of hero
worship is definitely developing fast, and I smile
at the lil fireplug who has adopted the same lazy
'lion at rest' stance of Jake.  I chuckle as he rubs
himself up against is 'hero', preening himself in
the presence of his new idol.  Both of them
stand there relaxed, arms casually crossed, one
foot placed slightly forward of the other,
regarding their female quarrels speculatively.  I
figure it's probably a sub-conscious action.


After about 5 more minutes of posturing,
posing, pointing and gesticulating, Jake finally
starts to make his way back to me and he's not
alone.  The two gals, Mary and Caitlin are with
him and so is little Mikey.  They arrive at my
table and I stand up before the ladies coz it's
good manners an all.

"Baby the gals don't believe that you're my
boyfriend" says Jake.

I'm quite surprised and also very pleased at how
forthright he was about him and me to these
two strangers.

"Uh hi there, I'm Felix" I reply, not seeing any
point in actually telling them that Jake's my
boyfriend.

"Wow! - so it's real? -- like WOW!" says the
redheaded girl who must be Mary since she
looks so much like Mikey.  She turns to her
friend and they giggle and repeat the word
'Wow' again.

Little Mikey has come up to me and is
inspecting me closely.  I kinda almost feel
compelled to cover my nuts because I feel like
he may send a low blow in that direction at any
moment.

"Are you a bad wizard and have you cast a spell
on my friend Jake?" his little voice trumpets
much louder than you would imagine for one so
small.  I think this kid is gonna have a very big
personality
one day, he already knows how to command
center-stage.

"I only cast a spell of love Mister" I plead,
looking my sweetheart straight in the eye.
The little boy face takes a distasteful expression
and he screws his eyes shut shaking his head
as if to remove some awful thought.

"You are silly! - and you better not kiss my
friend Jake or I'm gonna box your ears in" he
makes as if to attack me and I mock cringe.
"Oh please Mister Mikey, Jake is too yucky
and icky to kiss!"

The girls giggle and Jake can't decide whether
to be amused or offended and so he decides to
be a mixture of both.

Little Mikey still looks leery of me but has
decided that I am no threat for the time being.

"Okay well you can come shopping with Mister
Jake and me but if you act like a girl or
something I will have to blanquish you!"  I
guess he means 'vanquish'...
This latest shopping adventure is news to me
but I am happy to roll with it.

"Lead on lil knight" I stand and bow and the boy
nods to himself, happy that he been addressed
as befits his due.

"Ohhh thank you, thank you, thank you Jake
and Felix!"  gushes Mary..,

"Now Caitlin and I can buy Mikey's gift and he
can buy mine!" she giggles and looks at her
friend and then they both giggle again.

Little Mikey stomps his foot - "I'm sick of this
shhh--aaaaht!" - he never finished because Jake
has covered his mouth and scooped him up and
has settled him on top of his shoulders.

"Come on boys lets go shopping!" he declares
and we're off.  The girls watch us go, still
giggling and whispering.  I'm glad to be away
from there.

So for the next hour or so we track and trail
throughout the Charleston Town Center Mall,
playing along with little Mikey as he rides atop
'Jake the Dragon'.  I am 'Squire Felix' roll eyes...
Jake's ducks into stores so 'Sir Mikey' doesn't
donk his head and as soon as we have secured
a gift for his sister with his $10 spending
money, it's off to Build-a-Bear where we rather
quickly assemble bears.  Mikey's new bear will
be for himself, Jake's will be for 'Princess Abby'
and mine will be for 'Prince Shaun'.

I'm anticipating that Jake is gonna start splashin
out on the wee tyke and sure enough he does.
We go through Macy's, Sears, Hot Topic and
Dakota Watch like a hurricane and by time we
get the text from the gals to 'return to base' Jake
has spent a scary amount on his new lil buddy...
I say nothin, I'm not really sure what to say and
not really sure whether to be concerned or
philosophical.  The girls are shocked when we
return and even question the 6 or 7 shopping
bags of merchandise Jake hands over to them
for Mikey who still sits astride his shoulders
but now his head is obscured by a knights helm.

He also has a flowing cape and a red star wars
light saber.  I am carrying his shield, that is to
say - I am his nominated shield bearer...

"Okay my little buddy, it's time to come down
now and go home" Jake slides him down and
cuddles his new little friend to him before removing
his helmet and giving him a kiss before handing
him over to his sister.

"I'm gonna invite you and your family to the
Forkridge Children's Christmas Party in a few
weeks time okay Mikey?  And then we can play
knights and dragons again!"  Jake promises.

Jake must have told the girls about the Kids
Party and has invited their family and friends to
come to the Christmas Extravaganza.

Every year C&E Maxsonite sponsor a huge early
Christmas Party for the children of Charleston
at the Civic Center's Grand Hall.  Jake's been
talkin bout it a lot lately and I'm lookin forward
to takin Abby and lil Shaun along, they'll love it.
Jake's gonna send an invitation to Mikey's folks.

Jacob Maxson is a very complex guy.
Sometimes he's ultra methodical and seems
hellbent on sticking to whatever predictable
scheme or structure he has dreamed up for
himself.  And at other times he seems like a very
impulsive character.  Like today, out of the blue,
meeting these new kids and befriending them.

Taking this lil kid Mikey here and spoiling him
rotten - what are his folks gonna think?  I gotta
admit, lil Mikey certainly grows on you.


Suddenly Caitlin announces that her mother is
waitin in the car park to take them all home and
we say our goodbyes.  The kid doesn't wanna
go and he clings on to his 'dragon'.


"I want to come home with you!"  he whines.
"I promise little buddy, you will see me soon
okay?"
"I don't care about this soon, I want to keep
playing!" Jake is dragging little Mikey along as
we head t'wards the elevators.

Finally Jake manages to convince the boy to let
go and get in the car.  We get all his bags of
gifts loaded and after one last cuddle for the kid,
he even gave me a hug - we wave them
goodbye.

"What a cool kid huh?" says Jake.

"Ummm yeah but Jake what was that all
about?" I question.

"Whaddya mean? - I just thought he was a cool
kid and decided to befriend him"

"I guess but do you unleash shopping sprees
on every kid you befriend?"

"Felix, I didn't notice the money, only the
enjoyment of making friends with a neat little
kid" he smiles enigmatically.

"You know, we come from different worlds don't
we bro"  I don't like him calling me 'bro' - to me
it's like being demoted to the level of one of his
everyday buddies so I frown.
We reach the car, he stops - puts his hand on
my shoulder and squeezes gently.

"Do you disagree with anything I did back there
baby?  Do you think I tried to buy that kid?"

"I ain't sure to tell the truth, I just ain't never
seen somin like that before and I guess it threw
me to see you spend hundreds of dollars on a
unknown kid like that"  I frown and wave my
hands about...

"I'm sure his folks are gonna demand you take
all that stuff back"

He releases his hand from my shoulder and
looks at me steadily for a few moments.
"Then they have missed the whole point Felix"
He's the one frowning now.

"I don't impose any social restrictions on others
because they don't have as much money as me.

It's possible what I did today may make
Michael's parents life more difficult, maybe he
will come to expect more now because I
indulged him for just over an hour of his life
today...

And I don't see him as an 'unknown boy' either.
He reminds me a lot of myself actually - when I
was his age"

I cringe wishing I could have recalled those
words, but Jake doesn't notice...

"I think that he will look back on this day as one
of the best experiences he's ever had.  And if he
doesn't, then it won't be because of me...

It'll be because of those who did not allow him
to dream, to receive gifts and to be indulged for
one moment in time"

He sets his jaw and takes a deep breath whilst
fishing for his keys.  He fixes a searing gaze on
me and I cannot look away.

"I don't feel guilty for indulging him, and I just
hope nobody else will make him feel guilty for
being indulged"

He doesn't say another word to me all the way
home.

You know how I said we never hit top speed on
the way here?  Well I think we hit it several
times on the way home...

***

When we returned to my house I wanted to say
something but jez didn't know where to start.  I
felt sad about everything and I also realized that
I had hurt Jake's feelings.

I realized somin else too.  My response to Jake's
actions was a programed response.  It was a
stereotyped reaction to a situation.  I felt that
was the way I had to react and so I did it.  I did
not necessarily analyze the situation based on
it's own merits.  I did not examine the
circumstances using what I know about Jake as
a person.  I judged it from what I know about
people in general.

In short I mistook an act of kindness for an
attempt to buy the affection of a kid.  Truth is,
he already had that kids affection almost from
the start.  I've got so much to learn, Jake is as
mysterious as a deep forest pool.  Jake is an
education.

I guess he's just waiting for me to get out but I
can't let a wonderful day end like this.  I don't
know Jake well enough to be sure that there
won't be another two week 'lay-over' if this isn't
cleared up right now.

And even if I did feel that I knew him adequately
enough to risk leaving things the way they are --
I'm just not inclined to do so.  I sigh heavily and
turn to address him.  He's drumming his fingers
on the steering wheel.  One thing I DO know
bout him, when he drums his fingers on
anything - he is very agitated and impatient
to leave the scene.

It's not really the right time to mention this but I
love watching Jake's hands when he drives.
Okay maybe I have a hand fetish but it's true,
watchin Jake drive is one of the most erotic
experiences I've ever had! - Does that make me
weird?  Even when he was driving much too
fast my eyes were riveted to his surprisingly
slender, most capable hands.
As he changed gear, I was compelled by the
sight of his long tapered fingers firmly taking
ownership of the stick shift with the other hand
on the steering column.  I notice that there is the
lightest dusting of blond hairs at the joint
where each finger extends from his hand.
Strange that they're blond especially since he
has jet black hair, it's possibly a begrudging nod
from his onyx Maxson heritage to the blond
genes of his Jarrow ancestry.  I realize that I am
only delaying my original intentions.


"Jake? - I am sorry for misreading the situation
today and most of all I am sorry for  judging
you.  I know it's not right to judge..."

He turns to me, his exquisite eyes blazing
purple fire yet also reflecting my own sadness,
expressing my own regret.

"I have no problem with you making judgement
calls Felix, we're weighing and analyzing stuff
all the time.

I just think that you judged me a little wrong
back there.  I realize that I mess up often but not
always Felix"
His voice quavers at the end and my heart jolts
with sudden pain.
"Oh Jake please forgive me, I am sorry please?"

Quicker than a flash of lightning he is out the
door and racing around the car to my side, the
door of which is already open.

He pulls me out of the car and we land in a soft
heap on the ground.  He holds me to him, on top
of him.., nuzzling me and purring - making no
real coherent sounds.  They're not the kind of
sounds that have intelligible words, but
everyone would understand them nevertheless.

"Oh Felix I love you!  I was feeling so bad and
was worried we were gonna have problems
tonight but I didn't know what to say"
We kiss, we reaffirm..,
"I was scared I might say something in defense
of myself and just make things worse.  You
know me and my temper..."

I lay my head to the side and listen to the
up-tempo beat of his strong heart.  I hope his
heart never quits beating, I hope his heart will
always beat to the sound of my love.

I turn a little and we kiss again, tenderly, slowly
and with the awareness that is borne of one part
desperation and one part fascination.  His hand
is on the back of my neck and he is combing
those wonderful digits up into my hair.  It sends
tingles down my spine.

It's still very difficult for me to understand how it
is that I have come to possess the answer to all
my wildest dreams.  I never saw it coming but
here it is, here HE is.  Like I said I never saw it
coming - I never saw HIM coming.

In my life I have become used to not getting
what I want, and even when I did, it was only
through vast compromise on my part.  On those
few occasions - the final result often bore no
resemblance whatsoever to whatever it was I
had been pursuing in the first place.  Do you get
me?
As I kiss this boy laying below me, as I press
into him, squeeze out of him and wrap myself
around him I am profoundly aware of the reality
that in him I have for once in my life received
something I desired in the fullest measure.  All
6'8" and a bit of him.

I send myself a mental note not to do those little
push-pull thangs Momma spoke about.  Those
little mixed signals that could lose me the best
thing that's ever happened to me.

Our canoodling is broken up by the familiar rich
feminine laughter of Lenore.

"A ha ha, got room for one more down there
boys?  Or perhaps a few dozen more
considering half the neighborhood could look
out their windows at any moment and get to see
the hottest sex in town"
I turn red and quickly scramble up off Jake,
patting myself down as if I was on fire.  I don't
know what to do with myself.  Lenore's
continued laughter jez makes me act even more
doofus-like.  As for Jake he jez lays there,
unrepentant, unconcerned and emotionally
unmoved by Lenore's presence.  His pants doing
a poor job of covering up the all too obvious
evidence of his desire.

"What!?!?"  he scoffs,
"They wouldn't recognize sex if it slapped them
in the face.  Everybody knows there is no sex on
Cross Street haha!"

Lenore giggles as Jake slowly sits up but he
does not stand.  He just stretches one long leg
out and bends the knee of the other one foot
tapping on the ground to a rhythm only he can
hear.  Hands extended back on the ground
behind him, supporting his weight.  He lazily
examines Lenore and laughs.
"Must suck to be car-less huh?"

She smirks and replies..,
"Not tonight since you are gonna be my ride
home, Junior is over 30 minutes late again.

Besides, I've always wanted to ride in a Ferrari,
you gonna let me drive fly boy?" she already
knows the answer.

"Like hell" he snorts,
"But gimme 5 minutes to get my boy unpacked
and inside"

"Uh huh" she says - "And thanks for the hot sex
display!"
"Oh anytime Lenore, just for you" Jake replies,
nonchalantly.

I can't let her think we was havin wild sex!

"Actually Lenore we wasn't havin, I mean that
wasn't really... s-s-s-sssss..."
"I believe the word is SEX honey" she giggles.
"Liberate yourself and just say it SEX! S.E.X!
SEEEX!" she laughs at my tongue tied stasis
and turns to an amused Jake.

"Does your boy have a problem with sex
honey?"
"Not that I've noticed" he responds in a
sardonic tone.

"Then maybe he just doesn't like audiences,
perhaps you gonna need a little more practice
out in public huh?"

"Oh hell yeah!" Jake enthuses.
I shake my head, this is a battle I just can't win,
they are both perverts and I tell them so.

"You are both PERVERTS..,"

I begin to spell the word out..,
"P.E.R.V. -- umm, ahh... and whatever the hell
goes next - Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!"

They both laugh and Jake manages to leap up
and land one kiss on my frustrated, flushed face
before I rush off t'wards the door in a huff.

"Bring my shoppin in please Jake you big perv!"
"Sure thing baby" his voice calls out from
behind me.

Grrrrrrr, they are so unwholesome! - the last
words I hear come from Lenore as I slam open
the front door are..,
"I guess they never used the word 'pervert' in
the Kentucky Spelling Bee's darlin?"

I flip her the bird as I storm inside, tryin not to
get all ornery and strangely enough, tryin not to
laugh actually.  Lord I can be such a prude
sometimes!  That evil Lenore jez knows all the
right buttons to push.  I can hear Jake tellin
Junior's answer phone not to pick up Lenore
after all.  Those two can be so ruuuuude and
icky!

But I love them.  He comes up behind me and
bumps his body into mine kissing me on the
neck just behind me ear.  It evokes memories of
our first kiss and I melt back into him all over
again.

"Are you okay baby?" he asks
"Yes darlin, you know how Lenore can rile
me"...

"Yeah and you know she can do it to me too -
but if you just ignore her it's all good after that"

"Yeah I know hehe - you better not let her
seduce you on the way home!"
"Ha! - in her dreams buddy, I've already been
seduced, once and for all and besides - she's
missing certain parts that I find absolutely
necessary!"

We quit right there because the sound of little
feet signal the end to our intimate encounter.
Princess Abigail has come to bid us goodnight
before she gets tucked in by her daddy.
Jake scoops her up, kisses her and then tosses
her in the air to a very surprised me..., luckily I
manage to catch her, unlike the keys to my
other 'princess'.

He mouths an 'I love you' and then makes the
telephone signal with his fingers for later on
before slipping out the door to drive the
dreaded Lenore home.

"Ummmm, I saw thats! - hims said he loves you
don't he!"
Abigail is much too observant for her own good.

"Naw I'm sure he said 'I glove you'".., lame I
know.
"Naw he said he loves y alls!"
"Maybe he said it to you my lil observant
princess" I kiss her lil button nose.

"Okay" she responds, happy with the thought.
I only find myself partially happy with that
thought.

I shrug and carry my shopping and my niece
along the hall, missin my baby already.


***


(Jake)
It's Friday night and the gang are all together at
Fast Eddies Burger Bar, the closest thing we've
got to a pizza or fast food joint in Forkridge.
It's not that we're too small to get a McDonald's
or Burger King, the council just don't want
those franchises in town.  I kinda like it this way
anyway and besides, the pizza and burgers here
are fine.  I sip my chocolate thick shake and
smile.

It's unusual for me to drink anything other than
water when I'm away from home but this
thick shake reminds of my new little buddy
Mikey.  What an awesome kid and I got a text
from his sister saying that they will be at the
Charleston Children's Christmas Party in a
couple of Saturdays time.  That's just awesome!

Something else that will be awesome is the fact
that Dad is gonna be this years Santa Claus!
Yeah I know - like can you believe it?  I guess
nobody will be able to tell it's him anyway, and
he is gonna be all made up with prosthetic
wrinkly skin and all.  He even called an old
director friend of his in Hollywood to send out
somebody to organize it all for him.  He sure is
changing for the better.

I am really enjoying the company of all the guys
tonight.  There is Clarke and Sue, Junior and
Beth, Mark and Kim (that's a surprise - let me
tell you!).., Elroy and his girl Tina, Felix and the
'Blam' (haha), and Jessica and me (yeah
hmmmm)...

It was prickly at first being together like this
again with Jess but it did not take long before
she and I were chattering away quite civilly.  It
will never be like it used to be but it's pretty
good.  Honestly I think she's rather more
interested or should that be distracted by the
appearance of Mark and Kim, who have caught
most of us on the hop.

I really thought Mark was after Jess, but he's
changed his mind by the looks of it and has set
his sights on Kim instead.  Maybe he just
realizes there's no hope for him with Jess and
he's going after more realistic targets.
Interesting then that Jess keeps glancing over
at Mark who appears to be studiously avoiding
looking her way.  There are no little games
between Mark and I tonight since I am seated
next to Jessica and he doesn't wanna risk an
'eyeball to eyeball' with her.


Clarke's predatory eyes are as usual focused on
everyone else but his own girlfriend Sue.  He's
noticed Lenore who is across the restaurant
with Builder Brad.  He's also noticed the little
game of footsie they have goin on and he's not
too happy about it.  Sue's not too happy about it
either and she slaps him ha ha!

"Owww what the hell was that for!"
"Quit lookin over at Le-whore - I know you
lookin at her!"

All us guys except Clarke and Felix laugh at her
description.  The other girls either did not hear
or are busy rolling their eyes.  Jessica looks on
disapprovingly...

"I wasn't even lookin at her!  Damn I was just
lookin in that direction and she just happened to
be over there!"

Well at least I guess Clarke is convinced by his
own lame reasoning, nobody else is.

"I noticed you ain't looked in any other direction
since realizing Lenore was over in that
particular corner" says Mark.

"Well you ain't been lookin in Jessica's direction
all night!" Clarke retorts tartly and Junior howls
with mirth.

"Damn" Mark mutters and sends a quick guilty
glance Jess-wards but she's above this kind of
banter and totally ignores us as she continues to
discuss the upcoming 'Aimee Khol' sessions
with Elroy and Tina.

Felix meanwhile is all tied up with trying not to
get too close to Blam (Betsy-Lee-Meredith Lee)
who is all too interested in getting all tied up in
him.  Too bad for her she won't be adding his
name into her little black book.  I'm surprised
she and Clarke haven't hooked up yet, it's
probably only a matter of time.  Besides, if Sue
found out she'd kill her and after all.., they are
meant to be cousins.


I'm not concerned about her and Felix getting it
on.  I know that I can trust him and I just hope
that he shares the same confidence in me.
There is a sour taste in my mouth at the thought
that I cheated on Jess in order to express my
feelings for Felix.  I used hold to the opinion of
'Once a cheater, always a cheater' but now I find
myself singing a different tune.  I now believe
that even cheaters can be reformed.  I still can't
quite shake that little voice in the back of my
head though.  The voice that calls me a
hypocrite every time I look into Jess' cold blue
eyes.

Betsy-Lee-Meredith-Lee is busy living up to her
nickname as she 'blams' away at my boy with
smoldering looks, numerous feathery touches,
hair tossing and ridiculous kitten
impersonations.  Felix keeps throwing
murderous looks my way and I'm like..,

'What did I do?!? -- It wasn't me who hooked
you up with the human octopus?'

Betsy-Lee-Meredith-Lee whispers something
into Felix' ear and he sprays lemonade all over
himself.  If she has her way he'll be spraying
something else all over himself later on
tonight...  I bet she just told him that she can
deep throat him to multiple orgasms all night
long or something to that effect.

It never fails to get a guy going, I look around
the table and all the guys are momentarily silent
- all looking at Felix and Blam, all knowing
exactly what caused Felix's rather fizzy reaction.

Well that answers that question, I now know
who of my buddies has heard that particular line
from Blam or it's likes.  Or perhaps they just
heard through the grapevine?  Nah, I bet they've
all been personally informed haha.  I remember
when she tried it on me...

My little bud excuses himself to the mens-room
to tidy up and every girl at the table decides to
do likewise.  What's with that? - how do they all
synchronize themselves like that?  I'm not the
only dude here wondering that same thought.
All the other guys have similar mystified looks
as well.  All that is except for Junior who is
blissfully unaware of the situation dynamics and
other undercurrents.  He's currently busy
staring daggers at his sister who has just been
warned by Mrs Cartwright to tone it down or
they're out.  'This is a family restaurant' and all
that jazz.

Mrs C' is the granddaughter of the original Fast
Eddie after whom this joint is named.  Yep in
this town everything gets passed down.  I start
to read the dessert menu, I don't know why, it
hasn't changed since 1950 something but my
attention is grabbed quickly when I hear Mark
say..,

"Uh-oh, this is gonna be interesting"

I look up and there goes Lenore, flouncing her
way towards the ladies room.  The same ladies
room that houses her bitter rival, Sue.

"Oh hell no"  hisses Clarke, he tries to get
Lenore's attention but it's too late, she's too far
away and right now she's just gone through the
doors of the ladies powderoom.

"Oh god," whispers Junior and he takes a gulp
of his coke clearly wishing for something
stronger.

"Gentleman I give it 20 seconds" says Elroy,
himself finishing off his coke but he's all excited
- waiting for the fun to begin.

"I give it 10.." laughs Mark who has turned in his
chair to so he can see all the action.

"Okay deal says Elroy"...
He was about to say something else but the
sound of high pitched raised voices and
squealing cut him off.  I snicker to myself
wishing I could be a girl for once in my life, or at
least a fly, so I could be on the wall in the ladies
room.  Actually I have often fantasized about
being a girl just so I could check out all the
naked chicks in their change-room.  But I
haven't thought those thoughts once since a
certain someone came into my life just over
three weeks ago.


All of a sudden we hear a smashing sound and
the ladies door bursts open as a scrabbling Sue
and Lenore come hurtling through, their faces
contorted and their fingers locked in tufts of one
another's hair.

"You bitch! - you been f---cking my boyfriend all
this time and you think I'm gonna just let you
walk in there and powder your slutty nose!"

Sue shrieks and my can she shriek - the whole
restaurant is in uproar, everybody standing up
to watch, strangely nobody wanting to intervene
too soon.  There wouldn't be enough to gossip
about if they broke it up too early.


All the other girls have come out of the
bathroom as well, wide eyed and in Beth's case
rather disheveled.  Beth has a red hand mark
on her cheek, a gift from Lenore I'm sure.
Junior sees this and makes a move to get to his
baby but she stills him with a single look.

"Sit down and stay there..." she mouths.
He obeys...
"It's your boyfriend who's got the problem
honey, not me!" snarls Lenore...

"And his problem is his so-called girlfriend
doesn't want to suck his cock!"

A gasp of shock rings out from the riveted
patrons and I laugh - they act as if they've never
heard of sucking dick before - haha!
Clarke looks mortified but he's getting no
support from any of us, more likely he's being
ridiculed than anything else.  Brad the Builder
looks all excited, his eyes bright with some dirty
minded kind of glee as if he's getting off on this
somehow.  I have to admit, girls fighting always
has kinda turned me on...

"You filthy whore!" Sue is saying,
"I have sucked that cock plenty of times!" - Lord
preserve her...
Lenore is laughing now having entrapped Sue
exactly where she wanted her.

"That's not what he told me last night dear, right
Clarke?" the whole restaurant follow her
molten gaze to one Clarke Griersen, only son of
the County Planner, who also happens to be the
chairman of the school PTA.
"My word Clarke, I think I'm gonna take out an
insurance policy on you buddy" says Mark and I
bark out with laughter, he says the funniest
things!
"You utter slut!" Sue screams and dives at
Lenore, her smaller body colliding with Lenore's
voluptuous one bringing them both crashing to
the floor.  Pandemonium ensues and finally
people attempt to do something.  None of us
guys move of course, we're too useless or maybe
the word is calculating to want to get involved.

That is until Builder Brad wades into the mess
and appears to shove aside Beth who has
joined the roiling scrimmage of arms and legs..,
and hair that is Lenore and Sue.  This breach of
protocol (a male acquaintance involving himself
in a female mash up) signals open season and
there goes Junior into the fray torn between
trying to defend his girlfriend AND his sister but
definitely intent on dealing with his sisters latest
squeeze who to my mind is only trying to break
up a major cat fight.


Blam has also decided that 'Ain't nobody gonna
beat on her home girl and idol Miss Lenore' and
she careens straight into the morass of flying
female fisticuffs and foul utterances - adding
plenty invectives of her own!

Before you know it, Junior and Brad are trading
blows and a somewhat schmalky lookin - that is
to say guilt-ridden Clarke finally joins that party.

Clarke is trying to protect his girlfriend, her best
friend, his best buddy and his best buddies
sister who just happens to be his - I'm not sure
what to call it -- his mistress? - Are you all
keeping up with me here?

Trying to work out the dynamics is almost as
fun as watching the fight unfold.  Tina, Kim and
Jessica have wisely slid along the wall, Elroy is
there to take his girl to safety and I note that
Mark is there also but it's not Kim who he wraps
his arms protectively around.., it's Jessica...
Kim and Mark wink at each other
conspirationally, and Mark quickly whisks a
shocked looking Jessica out the door and into
the night.  Kim nods to herself and smiles..,
hmmm maybe she's not as ditzy as she seems?
Hmmmph - what game is she and Mark playing?

And with his astounding penchant for worst
ever timing here comes my baby, out through the
door still inspecting the shirt that he's probably
been trying to dry on the hand blower.  He's
absolutely clueless to the debacle he's just
wandered into - too late.

Blam, who was just about to slap Beth ends up
slapping Felix instead due to Beth's' tidy
execution of a perfect sidestep.  It wouldn't have
looked out of place on the basketball court the
other day and Felix probably would have
admired it had it not been the cause of him
seeing stars right now.

I chuckle ruefully to myself as I stand and crack
my knuckles.  Several people are trying to get
them off one another but they've revved
themselves up into a frenzy and only drastic
action will bring this show to a close.  It's time
to end this.

I chuckle again as I see my honey crawling out
the side of the melee as quick as he can, still
smarting from the red hand mark that adorns his
face.  With two hands I yank both Junior and
Clarke out of the brawl.  Junior cracks me up -
he's such a great fighter - NOT!  He is like a
windmill, he closes his eyes.., starts
'windmilling' his arms and hopes for the best.
He's still doing it as I extricate him from the
violence.

Clarke's a different story, the boy can fight
actually, and he will use anything if it will give
him an advantage.  Some would call him dirty, I
just call him resourceful.  Not to mention the
fact that I myself have resorted to some rather
dirty tricks in recent times haven't I?...

But he knows not to oppose me once he
realizes it's me who has reached in and plucked
him out.  I set both him and Junior behind me
and move in on Brad.

Builder Brad is not a bad kind of guy, he used to
be a fine linebacker and since school he has
taken up the family business of what else but
building - of course.  He's moved out of home
and is living alone so he can have a bit of
freedom from his overbearing folks.  I think that
was a smart move considering he likes to drink
it up, smoke it up and I guess - 'sex' it up a lot.

He makes a real smart move when he sees me
coming towards him.  He weighs me up, thinks
about it.., and then he stands down - raising his
hands..,

"Peace bro" he says...
"Yeah peace man" I completely agree with him.
We give each other daps and he steps away
giving me full and unenvied access to the
ongoing struggle of grunting groaning bitches
that can only be Sue, Beth, Blam and Lenore...

I sigh and wade on in.., The first one I get to is
Lenore and it's best to start with her evidently.
I unstick her from Sue - ewww girl sweat... I
used to think it was hot but certainly not now.
She flails around wildly as I lift her out and over
to Brad.

The next one I get to is Sue who gives up
straight away, now that Lenore is out of
commission.  Clarke is there to collect her but
she slaps him and storms toward the door, she
heads outside and I can see her crying in Tina's
and Kim's embrace next to Elroy's big explorer
truck.  Jessica has just been over there
comforting her too.  I think Clarke's really
done it this time...

Blam and Beth have already quit fighting, they
were only there trying to protect their friends -
and their friends have now exited the scene.
After a few choice words and snarled threats
they go their separate ways, Beth to a relieved
Junior and Betsy-Lee-Meredith-Lee to Lenore
and Brad who are headed for the door.  I'm just
glad she did not go looking for Felix.  I also can't
help but wonder how things are gonna be
between her and Sue.., after all, they are cousins.
Even if they just spent the last 5 minutes trying
to pull each others hair out.

I make to slip past Beth and go collect my baby
but as soon as I get within range of her she
strikes.  Her little hand slaps my face hard and I
am stunned into incredulous silence for a
couple of seconds.

"Owww what the hell was that for! - that hurt!"
I imagine my left cheek is now turning an
appropriate shade of red.  My own personal red
badge of honor.  Beth looks on satisfied,
surveying her 'handiwork'.

"Ouch Beth I didn't do nothing!" I whine.

"Serves you right 'Mr High & Mighty'  Jake
Maxson!
You could have stepped in and stopped this
earlier but you just stood there like a
dumbstruck fool!"
"Yeah well I saw you give Junior the signal to
stay the hell out if it - I did the same as
him so what gives Beth?"

"Oh shut up!" she considers slapping me again
and I cringe hehe.  I got no problem dealing to any
male who wants to try it on but girls are able
beat up on me coz for some reason I don't fight
back...  I think it's because I can't seem to take
them seriously enough in 'fighting situations'.

I sure don't wanna be slapped by Beth again
though - that really did hurt.  I'm surprised she
actually managed to reach my face since she's
pretty short.

Her decision on whether or not to attack me
again is made for her by the arrival of Sheriff
Rivera... Uh-oh here we go.  It seems like longer
but it's only taken him three or four minutes to
get here.

Mrs Cartwright comes waddling over from
wherever it was she was hiding out.  Poor Mrs
Cartwright, I do feel sorry for her.  She angles in
on Juniors dad, whaling on him about the
'Violence and wanton destruction wreaked upon
her venerable establishment by these no-good
local hoodlums and their girlfriends'.

Like excuse me? - It was the girls who started
this!
She also singles out the Sheriff's own two kids
and gives them 'what for' - for a good two or
three minutes, waving her hands about,
itemizing the damage done to her restaurant.

I can see a couple of his deputies outside have
rounded up all the others before they had a
chance to leave.  It's at this very moment that I
get a call from my father telling me not to say a
word to ANYONE until my lawyer can arrive...

Typical Maxson overkill - but I have had it
drummed into me to keep my trap shut and
await legal representation if anything involving
the law ever happens to me.

I guess it's because of lawsuits that could be
filed against us and the potential gain that could
conceivably be made out of us.  I have noticed
Mrs Cartwright giving me a few speculative
looks already and so I follow Dad's instructions
and keep my mouth firmly closed until Mr
Thomas arrives.  I don't know how Dad found
out about tonight and I don't really want to.  I'll
just do what I'm told to do and make sure my
Felix is kept safe as well.

Mr Thomas is Jessica's dad and he represents
the Maxson's here in Forkridge.  He's a cool guy
and for a while I wanted to be a lawyer like him.

He and Daddy like to go fishing together with
Clarke's dad, Mark's dad and the Sheriff  They
are all buddies just like we, their sons are today
(not including Jessica of course).  The other
member of their little group is John Phillips who
is now one of Grandpa's senior lawyers in
Pittsburgh.  He was with Dad the night he met
my Mom.  Next time I see 'Uncle John' - I really
wanna talk to him about what it was like that
night.., about how everything happened.

But back to Mr Thomas -- He arrives in quick
order, I watch him go over to his daughter first
and check if she is okay, they are outside in the
car park.  He greets Mark warmly and from
Mark's gestures appears to give him permission
to take his daughter home.

He then enters the restaurant, nods to me
and then goes over to greet the Sheriff
and Mrs Cartwright.

For the next five minutes she itemizes to Mr
Thomas all the damages done to her
restaurant and other relative information.

The broken mirror in the ladies room.., (Beth
threw a chair at Lenore and missed)...  The
disruption to the nightly dinner service and
upset customers... (They looked more excited
than anything and sure had no intentions of
breaking things up)...  Psychological damage
done to her personally... (Yeah hmmm)... and
the physical stress to her heart... (Okay)

I walk over to my baby who is sitting quietly in
the corner.  My heart is completely taken..,
just the mere sight of him is enough to melt me.

He has been given an ice pack and he is
gingerly holding it to his cheek.  I point out Jess'
dad to him and explain why he is here.

He smiles wanly, nods and yawns, causing me
to yawn too.  We both snicker at one another.
Man I love him so much!  I wanna kiss his pain
away and I cannot wait to get back to his house
so I can cuddle with him all the rest of the night.
I also feel the urge to brush my teeth but it can
wait for now.

I really want to take him into my arms but even I
know how counter-productive that could prove.
He actually looks rather cute standing there,
looking up into my eyes imploringly - wanting,
needing.

Mr Thomas manages to stop Mrs Cartwright for
a moment and he steps over to us for a moment.
"Hello boys", he shakes Felix' hand and
introduces himself.

"I know from Jessica that you really were not
involved but your father thought it prudent that I
should come on down to take care of you both"

My ears perk up at the words 'You both'...

"There really is no reason for you two to remain
here so I'll let you go for the night and help tie
things up here alright? - how does that sound?

"Thanks so much Sir, we really appreciate it"
I am grateful and I am also relieved he isn't
treating me any different even though he has to
know that his daughter and I aren't together
anymore.

We three shake hands and he returns to the
Sheriff and Mrs Cartwright who tells us not to
come back anytime soon...

So finally we are allowed to leave but we don't.
That is to say, we leave the restaurant having
been summarily dismissed and warned not to
go back for 6 months.  A letter will be arriving in
the mail about it shortly... I'm like so devastated
- NOT.

We just shrug and head out to check if our
friends are all okay.  That includes Lenore, Brad
and Blam which garners us some dirty looks
from some of the others.  Over the next 10
minutes the guys start to leave and when only
Lenore, Matthew and Beth are left we decide to
make tracks ourselves.  I don't envy the Rivera
kids, I think their Dad is at his wits end and no
doubt some dire consequences are to follow.
Not that it's necessarily their fault.  Beth's
mother shows up and takes her home.
There's no way she's gonna travel in Juniors
truck with Lenore there.  Sheriff Rivera has
made it clear that Lenore must go home with
Junior and not Brad.

Deputy Johnson spent quite a few minutes
getting right up in the face of Sue and I think
she deserved that too.  Clarke deserves
whatever is coming to him as well.
He's been a total asshole to Sue and doesn't
deserve her.  But it's not for me to be saying
anything about it considering I am really
no better than Clarke.
Isn't it ironic how you can never really get
leverage over other people?

You see flaws in another persons character and
behavior that you could pick apart if you so
choose.  But for every finger you point at
others, they can just as easily point a finger
right back at you.  In my minds eye I can see
dozens of digits doing just that.

Felix shivers a little and moves right up close to
me as we watch Mark's truck disappear into the
night.
The red tail lights glow like tiny diminishing
cigarette butts drifting off into the pitch black
Appalachian night.

I look at my baby, his cheeks not so red now
and damn but he looks so sweet.  He's cold,
tired, bitch-slapped and I love him.

"Come on baby let's get out of here?"
"Yeah lets go..."

Getting into his car is almost an act of
contortion for me it's ridiculously small.  I can't
help but smile as I think back to the first time I
saw it..,

***

"Don't peek you promised!"...
"Okay, oooo-kay I'm not peeking dammit!"  Felix
has his hands over my eyes and he's up on
tippy toes of course which makes us look
silly as we shimmy and jimmy around the
back of his house to where he has hidden his
new wheels.

Every time I see this yard it reminds me of that
wonderful scene nearly 4 weeks ago when I
followed the sound of sweet music and
discovered my baby and the two little terrors.  It
was warm and sunny that day and there was
still late Summer color in the plants and trees.
But it's bleak now, stuck in that time period
between the end of Fall and the first signs of
Winter.

"Okay we're here now you can look now Jakey!"
 I can sense Felix jumping up and down in
anticipation.

I open my eyes and blink.., where's his damn
truck?  Is this is joke?

"Da-daaaah!" he cries and like some 1950's
Cadillac Hostess he walks over to his... 'car'
swishing his hands around favoring me with
a winning smile.

I'm shocked, I don't know what to say... all the
guys will laugh, what the hell was Felix thinking
when he bought this abomination!  How the hell
am I gonna fit in it???

"Ummmm gee umm wow!"  I say, stumbling
over my words and giving away the fact that I'm
horrified.

He stops immediately and sends me a confused
and then hurt look.

"Ummm wow Felix, it's, it's, it's -- Japanese..."
His shoulders slump, "You don't like it do you?"
He hangs his head.

I curse myself for being a jerk and rush over to
him and push his chin up and straight into a
very apologetic Jake kiss.

"Baby I don't care what kind of car you bought,
it's yours and that's what counts to me"

His eyes look unsure and shy and I take his
golden head between my hands and press our
lips together.  Joining us, reigniting us.  Our
bodies slide next to one another and suddenly
the cold goes away and I can almost hear the
wonderful music again.

"Do you like this car Felix?"
"I love this car Jake"
"Then that's all that matters baby, if you love
this car then so do I"

We kiss again and he proudly shows me all
many the features of 'Princess Echo'.

"Jake, Jake?.., JAKE!"
Felix breaks me out of my wool headed mental
moment and I quickly stalk over to the car red
faced at being caught visiting dreamland.
Luckily Felix doesn't say anything, although
the smirk look on his face kinda says it for him.

"Shuddap" I sniff dismissively and he releases
that dick charging laugh of his that gets my
blood rushing way more than Lenore's laugh
ever could.

I shift the passenger seat back as far as it
can go and carefully climb inside careful not to
hit or knock anything. I click my safety belt on
and shuffle around a bit trying to get
comfortable.... yes trying to.

"Okay I'm ready now - lets hit the road baby, it's
been a long night"
I try not to notice the fact that with me in it, his
car has a decided tilt in my favor.  I feel like an
overweight cricket in a matchbox, my knees
crammed in all too little space and my frame
cramped into the inadequately sized seat.  I
glance at Felix and I can see he fits snugly but
perfectly, this car suits him because he loves it
so much, I'm sure of it.  If he didn't like this car it
would soon begin to encroach on him too.

"Jake I'm sorry my car is too small for y alls"
Felix feels bad but we went over this the other
day.

"Baby like I said before, this is YOUR car and
it's your choice.  I have my own truck and that
was my choice"

"But I don't like that you can't fit proper!" he's
pouting now, the little car shudders a little as we
go over a bump.  It makes his voice quaver and
we both scoff at the sound.

"I meant what I said the other day baby, if you
love this car then so do I" his smile just put
stars into the previously starless night.

"Just as long as you don't love her more than
you love me"

He gives me a certain look but he doesn't say a
word.  He doesn't need to.  It's all there in his
eyes.

We drive along happily in silence, him steering
and me changing the gears.
Teamwork can diminish a big obstacle, and
expand a confined area.

***

(Mark Fisher)

We are parked outside Jessica's house...

"Umm thanks for taking care of me and bringing
me home" she says...
I nod stupidly and continue staring at her
dumbly.

"Ummm is everything okay there Mark?" she
smiles that special smile that used to be
reserved for Jake.
WOW! - maybe I'm dreaming...

She reaches over and straightens my collar, and
then suddenly stops half way through the
action, realizing that she's just touched me.  I
shiver with delight and electricity.

"Anyway as I was saying thank you Mark for the
ride"

I finally find my brains and my voice...
"It's a pleasure - anytime Jessica,  I mean that..."
She arches her eyebrow and laughs cryptically.
"I'm sure" she replies.

"Ummm Jessica, can I.., may I, could I umm..."
Brain = 0% capacity, fatal mental shut down
occurring...
"Uummmm well Jessica would you mind if I, if if
if I just for one time in my life..."
She saves me...
"Yes okay then, but what about Kim?"
"What about Kim?" I retort... a little
too defensively.

"Well after tonights performance from Clarke
and Sue, I certainly do not want to come
between you and Kim...
And besides, I've already had the misfortune of
being 'the other woman'... as I am sure you well
know Mark"
"I begged Kim to help me try and make you
jealous"
She sniffs and smiles..,
"Why you sneaky boy! - I have clearly
underestimated you ha ha ha!"
I laugh shakily, unsure where this is all going.
"You just wait till I get my hands on Kim
Martin!" she laughs.
"Please forgive me Jessica, I just really admire
you and..."
"Admire me? - ADMIRE me!?!"
I've never heard her voice raised and I wince...
I've probably blown any chance I had by now.

"Mark I do not want to be 'admired' - forget that!
I want to be adored, I want passion, I want a guy
who thinks the sun rises and sets in my eyes!"
She cries out vehemently, tears springing to her
eyes.

I am shocked but I am also crystal clear about
what to say next.
"Jessica Thomas, my name is Mark Fisher, and
as far as I am concerned... I am that man"
Her immensely beautiful eternal eyes shine into
mine and finally, yes finally she allows me to
connect into the biosphere of her soul.  I feel
like I have come home.

"Ohhh Jessica" I murmur..,
"Shut up and kiss me" she says.

And I do.


***

(Georgia Lewis)

She sways drunkenly, dropping the near empty
whiskey bottle as she exits the room.  She
closes the reinforced door with a satisfied
grunt.  She begins having an animated
conversation with herself.

"Excellent, now all we need is the appropriate
animals to go into our cage.  I'd prefer to get
them both, that would be most preferable but if
it's only one then that's okay"

She laughs hysterically at the thought and then
stops on a dime perking her ear as the voice
talks to her from beyond the darkness lurking at
the end of the hall.  The hairs on the back of her
neck rise and a shiver of dread and ecstasy
races up and down her spine.  She feels so
empowered and blessed that she is a chosen
one.  She has heard the voice for years and it
has guided her successfully without fail all this
time.

Nothing is real except for what the voice says,
the last remnants of her common sense washed
away for the night by that last long swig of Jack
Daniels whiskey.  She listens intently to the
voice as it instructs her through her next
actions.  It won't be long now, the pieces are
falling into place well and when Aimee arrives
the pace will quicken.
"Oh Ryan my love, my luff!" she slur-rs, trying
to focus and refocus her eyes as she calls
plaintively into the silence.

"It's all your fault Ryan, it's aaaaall yoooour
fault!"...

"More whiskey" she whispers to herself and
stumbles away into the darkness to open her
second bottle of Jack Daniels, the last not yet
empty bottle lying forgotten in the darkness.

Accompanied only by the sinister shadow of
something only she can see.


*********************************************************

Two streets over on Maple Avenue the Griersen
house is in uproar.  Jebediah Griersen has
finally had to face the fact that his golden boy is
not the perfect son he always thought he was.

Ignoring the warnings from his wife for years
has finally resulted in the circus that has now
pitched tent in their home tonight.

His son Clarke sits in the farthest corner of their
spacious family room, trying to sink into the
cream leather couch.

"What were you thinking Clarke?  My God boy
can't you act with your brain and not your -
..."

"That will do Jed!"  Dina Griersen warns.
"If you had only thought to pay a little more
notice to your son over the past few years he
wouldn't be running around trying to get your
attention like this now would he!"

It's the old argument again, an argument he and
his wife have been having quite a lot lately..,
"Oh ho so now all of a sudden it's all somehow
MY fault?!?"

Jebediah cries out indignantly, but inwardly he
tries to hide the guilt.

He knows that he could have done more, much
more to show his son how much he loves him.
To be there for him and support him.  He thinks
of his good buddy Ryan Maxson and the
fantastic relationship he has with his son Jake.

He grudgingly admits that yes.., he could have,
should have tried harder.

"Alright, alright.., son I know I can't change the
past.  But you gotta do things right for the
future.  We gotta make sure that you don't keep
making the same mistakes over and over again.

Clarke just shrugs, too ashamed and too
embarrassed to respond.  But also, he really
doesn't know how to respond to his father
anymore.  He loves him, but does not feel any
real connection to him - and to be honest - he
hasn't for years.  He considers Mr Maxson more
of a dad than his own father.

Jed Griersen is still talking...,

"From this point on you are grounded"
"WHAT?!?" - Clarke jumps up out of his seat
like it was on fire.

"You can't do that, I'm 18!  Like hell am I gonna
let you ground me"
Dina tries to calm things down but neither of the
hot headed Griersen males pay her any mind,
their steel blue eyes drilling into one another.

"If you don't like the rules of this house boy, and
if you think you are too old to listen to me.., then
I suggest you go pack your bags.  And go find
yourself a new home"

Jebediah stands and folds his arms.  Dina is too
shocked to comment her eyes filled with sudden
stinging tears, her shocked hands having flown
to her silenced mouth.

Clarke stands shakily and makes for his room
but not before sending a hate filled look his
fathers way.

"What I have always hated the most about you
DAD is how you are so even handed towards
everyone else but so heavy handed on me!
I'm gonna pack and I won't be back"

He turns his back and heads for his room but
his fathers next words cause him to miss a step.

"When you leave you will return the keys to the
truck I pay for and also your house key" says
Clarke's father in a low, hard voice.

Clarke's mother begins to weep, keening with
long soul deep anguished shudders.  Both men
feel an arrow to their heart at the way their
actions have affected their beloved wife and
mother.

Clarke rips his keys out of his pocket -
house-keys attached to his truck keys and hurls
them on the ground.

"F--ck you Dad! -- just fu--k you!"
He screams, tears stinging his eyes

He races out the door pulling his mobile phone
out of his pocket at the same time.  Luckily his
father did not ask for the phone back Clarke
sighs with relief, but he will probably cancel the
line of credit anyway.

He thinks about calling Jake, that's where he
will go but not tonight.  Jake is staying over the
night at Felix' house.  He cannot call Junior of
course.  He's not exactly flavor of the month
over at the Rivera house.  For obvious reasons.

Clarke speed dials his girlfriend Sue, he was
hoping to call her earlier and go into damage
control.  But his father never let him get the
chance.

"Baby it's me, Clarke - I need your - ..." he is cut
off by the voice at the other end of the line.

"I am only gonna say this once Clarke Griersen
so you better listen real carefully" says an
emotionless voice on the other end of the line.

"You stay away from me and don't talk to me
again.  I'm done with you!  Don't bother calling
this number again... you will be blocked.
Bye Clarke, too bad you could not live up to the
same standard you expected of me.
Like I said, don't call this number again..."

The line goes dead, almost as dead as his
heart.
He has ruined his life with his selfish, cheating
ways.

Clarke Griersen begins to cry.  The sound he
makes is remarkable for its resemblance to the
keening of his mother.

So he runs.., he runs into the cold, callous,
uncaring night, warm jacket forgotten, no idea
where he's going.  No place to go, nowhere to
return to.

He runs and he runs until he's out on the
highway running past Fast Eddies, the scene of
the 'crime' - silent and dark now.  But it still
seems to accuse and condemn him as he
passes by.

Sometime later his healthy lungs finally give out
and he is forced to stop.  He leans over and dry
retches, but nothing comes up.  He sits down on
the side of the old, cold highway and tries to
recover his breathing.

And then the lights appear, the car drives past
and then slowly turns around stopping just a
few feet from the runaway boy.

The electric window of the black sedan winds
down and the voice says..,
"You look like you could use a ride there?  I'm
heading out to the motel a mile down the road.
Wanna come and keep a stranger company
tonight?  I promise I won't bite.., at least not
TOO hard... besides - they've got a well
stocked liquor fridge!"

'What the hell' - he thinks to himself.., 'I've got
nowhere else to go, my choices are severely
limited so why not?'

"Ummm yeah okay sure whatever... so what's
your name?" he asks hopping into the strangely
cold unheated car.

The figure makes an introduction and
together they drive off into God only knows
what.


***

(Miss Carol)

The withered hand moves the magnifying glass
over the pages of the yearbook.  It's Ryan's
yearbook from his Senior Year.
Miss Carol tries her best to recognize the grainy
black and white images but apart from the
familiar sight of her beautiful Ryan she cannot
make any sense of the pictures.  Her eyes no
longer obey her commands.  She leans back in
resignation and begins to rock...

"Well there's more an one way to skin a cat
de answer and I intend on smokin it out.  Well
I'm just gonna have to call on down to the
school and get de arr-riginal photographs"
Somewhere in these here pages is de devil.
And somewhere out there runs the other one.

A sudden chill runs through her.., something
very wrong is happening out there right now.
One of the children lies helpless in the arms of
the devil.
"Oh Lord, deliver us from evil - keep us safe
from the devil." she begins to pray.

An awful whirring groaning sound blows
through mountains from the North.
A multi-voiced high and low pitched wind
possessing the unearthly qualities of a
mass discordant screaming choir.

'Vvvvvvvvvvvvv..,  Vvvvvvvvvvvvv..,
Vvvvvvvvvv..,'  the sound groans across the
valleys unwelcome, invasive and wrong.
Somewhere out there a boy is fighting for his
life...

"Help us Lord!"  Miss Carol screams..,
"Please help us!"


*********************************************************