“Well.” She paused trying to think then raised her hands palms up in resignation. “I guess I’m asking for the impossible aren’t I?” she asked finally. Ben nodded his head slowly affirming her fear.
How many of our relatives are still in the area? Ben asked then took a sip of his coffee.
None here in town but I have two cousins in Atlanta, two or three down in Columbus and one in Montgomery. The older members of the family moved to Virginia and Louisiana. I don’t remember if I told any of my friends much about you over the years. Certainly not since that Christmas or when grandma passed away. Come to think of it, I don’t have any pictures out in view of you since you were little. She was beginning to look hopeful.
Ben looked at the table thoughtfully for a minute. “Well, we can’t fix the world right now and maybe things can turn over in our favor. I do recall however, you mentioned last week you’ve got to look in on the cabin down by the creek this weekend. What do you say we get a move on and think on this later?” He said. She looked brighter at the mention of the trip to the cabin.
That’s right! And I still owe you a tour of the house too! She said then blushed as she thought a moment. “Well, on second thought,” she paused and reached for his hand. “I think I’ve shown you every nook and closet of this place.” He looked up and saw her blushing as she bit her bottom lip. Indeed they had seen every nook and closet. Vertically, horizontally, upside-down, sideways, jiggly and bouncy on nearly every surface and with all sorts of noises from grunts to screams of pleasure.
I think we took the scenic route. He said grinning. “Besides, now we have a chance to break in the love shack.” He said and winked at her. She looked down then dropped her head a little and looked up at him through her lashes and smiled a little wicked smile. He loved it when she did that. It made her look sexy and mischievous at the same time sometimes. This was one of those times.
It’ll be a hot one today honey. Let’s get packed and enjoy the day there. He said and kissed her. Their lips meeting and massaging the other. She pulled back and her eyes sparkled. He stood and held out a hand to her. She took it and rose from her chair and headed for the rear stairs.
Leave the dishes. She said over her shoulder. “It’s Friday and Petra comes today to clean.” He took a last gulp of coffee and followed her up the stairs to get ready.
Does she know about me? Ben asked.
Yes, of course. She thinks you’re my boyfriend. She said. Ben missed a step and stumbled but didn’t fall. He looked up to see her beautiful hypnotic hips sway as her bottom did its little dance without so much as a look back at him.
Jean went into her bedroom while Ben to his. Both cleaned up and did their morning rituals with a quick shower and dressed. She dressed in khaki shorts a tank top and short sleeve safari-like shirt with grey socks with red trim and trail boots. Ben dressed in Cargo shorts a t-shirt and a tan short sleeve collared shirt with white socks and his favorite Wolverine boots.
Ben was finished packing first and carried his stuff to set on the floor next to the big sliding glass door just off the kitchen. While he waited for Jean, he poured himself a glass of juice to take his vitamins and meds with. Just as he was opening the bottle, Jean rounded the corner with some of her stuff into the kitchen. She stopped suddenly when she spotted the familiar orange color of a prescription bottle. Then she looked up at him with concern almost to the point of alarm.
What’s wrong? Why do you have that prescription bottle? Are you ill? Are you okay? Don’t just stand there, tell me! she said dropping her stuff and hurrying over to him as her voice rose in pitch. He wanted to answer but had to wait for her to stop asking questions. She put her hands on her hips and gave him that look she gave when in her criticizing mode.
Ben raised his index finger indicating he was about to explain an important point. “First, I’m borderline type two diabetic. Second, these are the meds I have to take to help me with it. No, I’m not ill. Yes, I’m okay.” He said then looked at her for her reaction. She relaxed then hugged him tightly.
I’m sorry. I saw the bottle and panicked. Forgive me? she asked in her tiny voice and looked at him with those beautiful green eyes. He nodded as if hypnotized. He didn’t think he could ever deny her anything when she looked at him that way. Her eyes were his Achilles heel. When she turned to the sink then, he felt the spell break and somewhat dazed and remembered he was about to take his meds.
That action completed, Jean and Ben headed out the back door and toward the barn. The sky was beginning to lighten up some as sunrise was about an hour away. The path wasn’t very visible through the trees without a flashlight. Jean led the way and in a few minutes arrived at its door.
A whinny was heard from around the other side of the barn and a horse wandered into view.
Hello Gypsy! Jean greeted the animal with warmth and love. Ben reached over and let the horse sniff his hand then pulled the other out and gave her a half an apple. Gypsy took the apple and munched on it then nuzzled her nose at him for more when she finished. He gave her the other half from his other hand now and she took it without being greedy about it this time. She grunted and snorted a little. He reached up to pet her nose then her blaze and finally he was smoothing her neck with long gentle strokes of his hand.
Jean shook her head. “It still beats me how you two made friends so fast. She never gets friendly easily. She isn’t friendly on most visits by strangers come to think of it.”
“I gave her what she wanted and now we’re friends. If she doesn’t make friends, she must have been abused.” Ben said.
Yeah. She’s a rescue case. I couldn’t let the hospital put her down just because she was onerous. She just needed love and attention and a field she could roam in all to herself.”” She said.”
Ben looked at the animal. Gypsy’s coat shined in the dim light. She looked taken care of and loved. “She seems happy here. Mind if I ask how much land you devoted to her?”
About nine acres. Three quarter’s pasture and the rest is wooded over there. She said pointing around the barn. “She likes the woods and prefers it to her stall. She can get to her stall anytime from the field but she never uses it. I usually find her in the woods. When it’s time for a bath, she’ll come in the barn now but she doesn’t like it much.
I think that’s where she had been mistreated in her old place.” Jean explained. She turned to the small door in the side of the barn and went inside and Ben followed. Gypsy wandered over to the opening to her stall and looked in to see what the two were up to through the opening but didn’t enter. When the lights came on Gypsy turned and sauntered off.
Ben looked around after the lights came on and saw the inside of a barn. Inside was a garage, a built-in storage room and four stalls. Not a large barn but the garage held his interest the most. He walked up to a large all-terrain vehicle that looked more like an old dune racer than an ATV. It had a yellow tube frame and chassis with a raked back windshield in front and a spare tire and rack bolted at an angle behind the cockpit. The body panels were basically non-existent save for the doors, belly or floor pan, hood and roof.
They were painted white with a large wedge shape painted flat black on the hood to control glare. The vehicle looked as if it was supposed to ride low like a race car but rode higher for ground clearance. Not quite as tall as his Jeep but with a wide stance like this, it would be a bit more difficult to roll over at most any speed.
He inspected the long-arm type front suspension and snapped his fingers realizing it must have been an old Baja racer! He imagined that maybe this one raced in a Baja 500 or even the 1000 in its prime. He looked under the front end and found the skid plates were missing and could see the steering gear and the meaty front differential mounted to the chassis with its solid steel drive axle shafts. It connected to the wheels via long axle shafts with double U-joints like the rear one on old Corvettes had. He tried to see where the drive shaft that transferred power from the transfer case but it was too dark see make out anything.
He stood up and opened the driver’s door. The cockpit had all the gauges where they should be and a bank of toggle switches in the center of the dash panel. He assumed most were for the lights mounted all over it. He noticed the high-mounted ignition switch and looked at it curiously. It only had two positions. OFF and ON. Scratching his head Ben then looked at the rear of the vehicle.
It was wider than his Jeep but the tires made it even more wide. He looked at the cover panel that covered the engine and thought it looked a bit odd. Just as he was about to lean down and look underneath it, Jean came over and hoisted two packs onto the roof rack and tied them down. He took his cue and did the same with his packs and duffle bag.
He was about to ask about the ATV when she turned around and went into the storage closet. He waited and a minute later she came out with two boxes of “410” shells and two shotguns. She tossed a box to him as he stared with surprise at her. She simply smiled.
Here’s yours. Know anything about guns? she asked as she handed it over. He took it without hesitation and laying the box of shells down in the driver’s seat, started looking it over.
Hmmm. Mossberg 500 if I’m not mistaken. This one must be their classic model with a 24 barrel and a four shell mag. Nice.” He said.
I’m impressed. Here, take a look at mine. She said handing hers over. He handed her his shotgun back and she went over the passenger’s side of the old racer.
Hmmm. Newer design. The stock looks shorter. The barrel is shorter too but I don’t recognize it. What make is it? he asked looking over to her. She fitted his to a rack on the passenger side of the ATV and came back around to him.
Leave a Reply