55
Monday, November 4
.
Lisa looked around as she came into the kitchen. Julie was busy making pancakes, little Jessica standing almost underfoot, her arm around her mother s leg. Lisa got to work setting the table.
“Tank ya,” Julie said, looking up before returning to flipping pancakes. “I don’t know what time everyone will be up dis mornin’ after da disturbance last night, eh. Are ya okay?”
“Yes,” Lisa replied, trying not to dwell on the near-death encounters during the night. She couldn’t get the unconscious form of Barb out of her mind. Lisa was still not completely sure whether Barb had simply fainted or whether Garth had tried to strangle her as he raped her. Steve had said he hadn’t managed it, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t tried. Why else would someone wrap the sweats around her neck?!
“Ya deserve dis!” Keith had told her last night. “I’m gonna have ya again – den yer helpin’ us wid our rose garden!”
He had ripped her pajama bottoms trying to get them off her before the gun shots had split the night. At least she had retained her decency, unlike poor Barb.
“Ya look like yer still in shock, eh,” Julie observed.
“It’s not every day you find out that your boyfriend wants to kill you and turn you into plant fertilizer!”
“I’m sorry – it must be a bit of a shock.”
“Yeah.”
“Da sheriff is gonna be here soon, eh. Steve invited her fer breakfast before youse go on yer mission today.”
“You guys are always so generous!” Lisa said, barely noticing playful laughter outside. “How can you be?”
Julie shrugged and smiled. “Many people have helped me ta be here today, eh. I tink Steve would say da same. We are jis’ returnin’ a bit of what was given us. Not everyone would be friends wid da sheriff when we grow what we do, but she knows dat we’re only helpin’ oders. We aren’t potheads, ya know.”
“My mother said once that people need God to be good people. You don’t strike me as church-goers, but you’re obviously good people.”
Julie shrugged again. “My moder would have disagreed wid yers. Common decency requires no religion or wealth. It jis’ requires love fer yer neighbor. We believe in God, but maybe a bit differently dan most. We don’ believe ya need church ta know God, eh.”
Lisa nodded, then added, “Most people with large families are church people.”
Julie laughed. “I blame Steve fer bein’ too handsome,” she laughed again. “I didn’ feel right limitin’ what God wanted ta give us, eh. I love all my children an’ look forward ta seein’ who might join us next.”
“You’re very brave,” Lisa said. She remembered something told her before and decided to make the point. “Barb said you didn’t have much right to scold her on her age.”
Julie blushed slightly. “Dat would be because I lied ta Steve at first. I told him I was sixteen – old enough… I was only fourteen, but I knew what I wanted – him.”
“You would have put him in jail?!”
“Nah… I knew my parents would approve of me marryin’ him, eh. Not like Barb… who chose badly an’ nearly paid fer it wid her life. I tink she will be more careful in da future, eh.” She finished filling a plate with pancakes. “Would ya grab dese?”
Lisa did. “And Barb’s baby?”
“Will be welcome here – jis’ like Deborah was… jis’ like Zenna’s will be welcome. We may have ta build an extension.” She grinned. “My firs’ grandchildren!”
Barb came in. “Someone’s talkin’ about me?”
“Are ya okay, darlin’?” Julie asked.
“Is der coffee?” she grumped.
“Where it normally is. Seriously, dough. Are ya okay?”
“I will be once I see dat Garth is safely in jail!”
“Ya don’ have ta go today, if ya don’ want, eh?”
“Yah, I do! Mom, ya must see! I have ta see dat he’s never gonna do it again – not ta me… not ta anyone! An’ his broder… an’ their fader… an’ dat stupid John! Don’ ya agree, Zenna!”
Zenna came in. “Yes, of course, Barb. What are we talking about?”
“Our trip today, of course!” Barb replied too quickly. Lisa knew she was evading some of the reality of last night. She’d have to get her to open up more, somehow. Before this whole thing with the Cowan brothers, they’d only been notionally related – Lisa’s mother was the aunt of Barb’s half-brother. Now, they would also be sisters-in-law, their children first cousins… and probably born within a week or two of each other. Keith had often been forceful with his lovemaking and Lisa would bet that Garth had been forceful with Barb as well – not even including the previous night where he’d not even pretended, but raped her where everyone could see… even in the moonless night, the dome light was more than enough. She reckoned that Keith and John had enjoyed the show, waiting for Lisa and Zenna to stumble onto the scene.
Had Steve and Sheriff Clay not arrived when they had… Lisa shuddered. There was no doubt that there would have been three rapes and maybe three murders as well.
“Youse ready ta go?” Sheriff Clay asked, cheerfully, coming into the kitchen.
“Not before ya sit down and have yer fill, Sid!” Julie replied, filling another plate with pancakes. “Barb, can you grab Jess, please?”
Barb grabbed the three-year-old and put her naturally on her hip, obviously experienced. Lisa hoped motherhood would hit her just as easily – Barb wouldn’t have any trouble, despite her age.
The sheriff sat down and filled her plate with pancakes, dowsing them generously with maple syrup.
“Do you have your own syrup trees?” Lisa asked.
“It was one of da first tings Steve did when we took dis place over – was ta plant some sugar maple saplings an’ tap our own syrup, eh. Ya’ll have ta help us dis year, Lisa.”
“Did someone say ‘syrup?!’” Steve asked as he joined them. “I can’t tink of a bedder way ta git up in da mornin’ dan ta Julie’s pancakes, eh! Isn’t dat right, Jess?” he asked, tickling the child, sitting next to Barb. “Ya love bein’ a sticky mess, eh?!”
Lisa exchanged glances with the sheriff, who seemed equally amused by the family love which oozed as surely as the syrup did!
♥♥♥
Back to chapter 1
Character Info and Notes
Available to purchase (in print) at Amazon. Ebook version coming soon. (As soon as Draft2Digital formulates the link.)
Image Credits
Matthew Nygaard
Genesis 8 by DAZ 3D Studio
Myles Beard by AprilYSH (sold through DAZ)
Adrian Hair by yitao0526 (sold through DAZ)
Hunt Pants by DragonBreath
Native American top by Pusey Designs
.
Zenna Williams
Genesis 8
Mitzy hair
Basic Wear by DAZ
Set
willow trees by Stonemason
fallen tree by Hivewire
grass by Erock 3D
background image from Pixabay
Previous Stories:
Catch up on LBRY.
Location:
Ash Creek is a fictitious town in the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I've attempted to keep the spirit of the people as well as make liberal use of the Yooper accent/dialect. Yes, I've heard it spoken, but it's an inexact science, so please forgive me any errors and enjoy this work in the spirit with which I write... with deep love and affection for the area.
Please read my note on romance, teenage intimate relationships and underage sex. I apologize if my understanding conflicts with your sense of morality, but I'm only looking at things realistically, not ideologically. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing!
Writing and artwork copyright myself 2005-2105 – all rights reserved.
If you are interested in helping me publish these works, please contact me on Facebook or Discord, viking-ventures#2883.
Lori Svensen
author/designer at A'mara Books
photographer/graphic artist for Viking Visual
(Buy my work at RedBubble, TeePublic, PicFair and DeviantArt.)
verified author on Goodreads
(Buy my books at Books2Read and at LBRY)
find me on Twitter
Join The Best Natural Health Community on Hive
