Dry Valley Ch. 01

Tom shook his head, his shoulders just now starting to feel as a weight was lifting from them, "I bent down, and yes my pants were undone, but it was from Becky's administrations, not from Jessie's. What you saw was me trying to calm her. She begged me not to tell you, said it was her fault; she had flirted with him while you in the bathroom and she hadn't screamed at him to not take her from the bar; something about not wanting to cause a scene. Shit, you know how she was, she was beautiful and she didn't like the attention it brought to her. She just drank to much that night and was more flirtatious than normal."

Mitch sat there trying to absorb it all in. He had saw what he had expected to see. "Becky had come in to the bar and told me that you and Jess were in the barn and I needed to get there. She never mentioned anything else, did she know that Jess was with someone else?"

"I asked her about that Mitch. She looked right at me and told me she had heard Jess's voice. She only realized she wasn't with you when she had heard yours, but when I had pulled her from my cock, she was pissed. So she decided to enjoy hinting that we were doing something else. I didn't tell her the truth about Jess either, by then you weren't talking to me, Jess was hiding out at the O'Grady's, Jonis wasn't saying nothing. Fuck, I told her we were done, that was a given. Then I looked for Jessica, found her and begged her to tell you, she wouldn't though."

Mitch stood, "I need some time to think, I've been carrying around a different picture entirely. I just don't know, Christ, I hate this."

"Don't take to long, she's a beautiful woman, and well there are a lot of men who would be happy to keep her here in Dry Valley."

"Are you one of them?"

Tom looked at his brother, "Mitch, I've never traded women on you, but yes, brother, I'm one of them. Until she tells me there isn't a snow balls chance in hell that she could love me, then yes, I'm your competition, for the first time ever." He grabbed his trash went inside, collected his tools, and headed back out to his truck. Pausing he looked back, "Mitch, don't take to long, because I'm not going to wait on you to try and heal her, I'd like to do that."

Mitch watched as his brother got in his truck and drove off. His eyes looked up to the window that sheltered the heart he had ignored for so long. He gathered his things, dumped them in the trash, and got his tools. Walking to the bottom of the stairs, Mitch put one foot on the bottom step. He looked up, wanting to take that first step towards her, but he stopped. "Not, yet," he thought, "I've someone to find."

Mitch left Jessica's place and headed out to Old Mill Road, he wondered if anyone knew where Jonis Owens lived now or even if the son of a bitch was alive. A lot of Gary's buddies had left town. He hoped Jonis wasn't one of them. He wanted to find him and deal with him the way trash was meant to be dealt with, disposed of and not thought of anymore.

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Tom rolled down his window as he headed out of town and over to his parents' place. He let the heat blow by and with it came a cool breeze. The afternoon ahead would be a long and hot one. Thoughts of Jess and Mitch filled his mind and he wondered what they were doing now. Was Mitch upstairs right now working on a future with her? Were they together right now realizing that they still loved each other?

Tom pulled into his parents' drive and after meandering through the various farm pets he parked the truck and leapt out. Jeb, jumped up and scratched at his legs. "Hey, bud, looks like you jumped about 2 inches that time." He leaned down and scratched the Bassett Hound's head. He stood back up and waved over to Seth and Shelly, both busy working on the chicken wire.

He kicked the dust off his feet before heading into the house. "Take your hat off," the voice called from the kitchen. Tom laughed, and pulled his hat from his head, "I don't know how you do that, hell you can't see through walls."

The little woman came out from the kitchen, stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. "I've had 24 years of knowing you, and don't use that language in my house. Now how's Miss Jessica?"

He followed his mother into the kitchen, and snitched a cookie from the cooling rack. "Oh, she's all right. She's planing on selling the place and having a big garage sale this week, then heading back to Atlanta."

Shaylynn, Sissy to everyone at Dry Valley, continued washing the dishes she'd been doing when her son came in. "Doesn't surprise me, she's probably got a life out there."

"Yep, that's what she said."

"What's your brother say about that?"

"Don't know."

"Well, whatever it is, in the end it is all up to Jessica and no one else."

"Yep."

She turned and looked at her youngest son, youngest only by 5 minutes of his older brother Mitch. The two men looked so much alike, that for many, if they didn't look close enough, they couldn't tell them apart. The only thing that separated them besides the small flecks of silver that showed in Tom's grey pupils, was the small crook to his nose. He had broken it one morning when he and his brother had been riding on one of the wild ponies that they had rounded up.

He'd been lucky. The pony had just thrown him and then ran off; he'd been spared more damage and for that she was thankful.

Sissy sat down beside her son and looked at him, "You know he still loves her." She watched him tense. "What are you going to do?"

Turning back to her, he stared into the eyes that were identical to his. "I figure she's free for the pickin' and until she tells me otherwise she isn't Mitch's girl any more."

She patted his thigh, and pointed toward the door, "You get to work on the fencing, and you just let Jessica be Jessica. If she wants your brother you'll not stand in the way, and if she finds something," rolling her eyes, "something... good in ya, you tell her to come and find me, cause I'll set her straight."

Tom laughed, swept the tiny woman into his arm and kissed her cheek hard, "I'm sure I won't! Dad all ready out there?"

"Yes, now get."

She watched her son leave, her heart heavy in her chest. Two brothers loving the same woman never was a good idea. She moved to the phone and called up Wanda O'Grady. When she heard her best friend's voice on the phone she asked, "Wanda, you still got that niece?" Then she set to work on arranging a few pieces of her two sons' lives.

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Jessica heard the sounds of the twins leaving. Pulling herself from her bed, she ran her fingers through her hair and twisted her neck back and forth, easing the sore muscles. The repairs were finished, the food stocked, and she really didn't have much more she needed to do.

Picking up the phone by the bed, she called her best friend Deb and checked in. After a quick conversation with her and then a call to work, she hung up the phone and wandered around the house.

Stepping into her mom and Gary's old bedroom, she saw the room as she had when she had watched her mother die in it. The cancer had eaten away at her very quickly and she had chosen not to fight it, so she had died in her home with her daughter by her side. Gary had been dead to the world passed out on the couch with some girl on his lap.

Shivering Jessica ran her hands up and down her arms. She opened the window and the breeze soon began clearing the smell of furniture polish from its corners. Sitting on the bed she thought of what her mother would think of her now.

She was a successful photographer, an overall good person, had her own apartment and now thanks to Gary, she thought, she had her own house. No boyfriend, but at 23 she really didn't need one. She thought of Mitch and his face immediately came back to her. Shaking her head no she decided she didn't need to hash out the past.

Rising up, she headed downstairs, and out the door. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, and she wanted to escape. She headed to Mallet's Used Cars, to see if he had something she could rent for the next several days. Once she got there, she ran into a few other locals from her past, and she thanked them for their condolences concerning Gary's death, trying hard not to ram her finger down her own throat to ease the bile that was threatening to spill.

Mallet walked out from his office and greeted her warmly. Jessie smiled back once the too familiar hug was released. His breath smelled of mint, so she was sure he'd been tipping the bottle a little in his office. She told him what she was looking for and he hooked her up with a little Ford Taurus. She grinned knowing how well the Walker brothers would take to her driving a Ford and not a Chevy.

She waved goodbye and headed out of town. Her first stop was the creek, where she and her friends would often meet. She parked the car and looked down over the bridge. The creek was deep and she soon found herself with an unexpected urge to swim. Taking the path from the road to the bank of the creek, Jessie stood and placed her foot in the water.

Quickly she discarded her blouse and shorts. They rested in a pile on top of her shoes. Grabbing the rope that hung from the tall tree, she walked back, then ran forward. Letting go of the rope, Jessica hit the water and soon found her body freezing as she was completely submerged. She came up and pushed her hair from her face. Her bra and panties now were like a second layer of skin. Her nipples were hard from the water temperature. She dived back down and swam a few laps when she heard a voice above her.

"Now that is something I could sit here and watch all day."

Turning her head to the voice, Jessica looked up. "Hey there Tom, what are you doing up there get down here and join me for a swim."

Tom grinned, all thoughts of helping his dad forgotten. "You know your trespassing," he grinned as he pulled his own clothes off, and then moved to take off his boxers.

"Don't you dare!"

He laughed, "Awww... you never would let us skinny dip would you?"

Jessica laughed, "Nope and your not starting now, as far as trespassing goes, as long as I don't swim on the other side of the bridge, I'm still on public property."

Tom climbed onto the side of the bridge, stood up and leaped off. His body hit the water, then he wasn't seen again. Jessica rolled her eyes; she knew this trick. He'd stay under until she'd get worried and then pop up in front of her. She waited for the gag to end. Her eyes skimmed the surface of the water and she tried to peer into it. Jessica kept telling herself to not worry, that he was doing it again. Soon though just like old times she grew concerned.

"Damn you! Tom!" Her pulse moved faster, then she squealed as she felt his arms on her hips, as he pulled her against his chest.

"You were worried?" he chuckled.

"Nope, was just hoping you'd finally drowned!" she said as she scooted away and splashed him.

Tom wiped the water from his face and grinned. "Oh, babe's you don't want that. I'd have to take you with me."

She and Tom spent the rest of the afternoon together, between swimming and hunting for shells and just talking on the small sandy beach. "You got plans tonight Jess?"

Jessica cocked her head to one side. "Nope, you?"

Tom grinned, "I do now. Pick you up at 7:00 okay?"

"I could just meet you?"

"No, I don't want any one to see me talking to a girl that drives a Ford."

The two friends got dressed and said their goodbyes. Tom headed out to the fencing that needed fixed expecting to catch hell from his dad, but thinking it was worth it. Jessica went back to her place to shower and get ready to enjoy a nice evening out with a friend, the whole time telling herself she wasn't planning on staying in Dry Valley.

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Mitch opened the door and walked inside his small home. He headed back to the shower to wash off the sweat of the day. After he found out from Sally that Jonis had left town right after Gary's death, he knew he'd not be able to do anything to him. His head was aching from the pent up rage that was consuming him, so he had gone home, and started working.

He was adding onto his barn, wanting to make more room for the Arabians he wanted to breed. Right now he had a stallion that his mom and dad were keeping for him. He paid them storage costs, even though he knew they put the money right back into his bank account. Mitch had given up telling the bank owner to not let his parents put money in his account, so he often found himself looking for ways to improve their lives.

Now as the water was cascading down his back his mind drifted to Jessica and that night long ago. He had walked into the barn, and had seen his brother over her. His pants had been undone, but now Mitch knew it was because of his earlier play with Becky. As he washed his hair, he saw Jessica's long legs and porcelain skin. His cock began to respond from the image of her body, it always had, even that night he had gotten hard. Jess and him had made out hot and heavy, but not once they'd gone the whole round of bases. That night all he saw was her spread open for his brother. A small streak of red grazed over her thighs and he knew that his brother had taken her. The truth though was even more ugly. Her body had been ravished by someone else.

The next day at graduation he hadn't seen Jessica, he figured she was to embarrassed and ashamed at having been caught, but the truth was out and nothing was worse then knowing she had been raped. He pushed the soap from his body, rinsing the suds away. As he dried, he saw the woman that was pulling up on a nailed down window.

She had only changed a little. No longer was she a beautiful teenager with a checkered family life. A woman that was confident and sure of herself stood before him. She was just as beautiful, if not more so than she was when he fell in love with her.

Mitch pulled on a clean pair of briefs, jeans and a light, long sleeved shirt. He looked at himself in the mirror and combed out his hair. The plans for the evening weighed on his mind and he tried to shake them off. He had made the date with the woman from the bar last week and now with Jessica in town he almost felt like he was cheating on her. Sighing he shook his head, pulled on socks and then his boots. He had a few hours to kill so he headed over to his parents to see how his mom and dad were doing.

When he pulled in the yard and saw Tom's truck, he took a deep breath and tried not to think of Tom making a play for Jessica. He saw his mom at the fence talking with one of the horses. As he approached he heard her gentle voice and watched her soft hands caress the mare's nose.

"Hey sexy lady, can I take you away, and make all your troubles disappear?" He pulled her back to him and kissed her upturned cheek.

Sissy laughed, "Hi, handsome son of mine. What brings you over to my neck of the woods."

"Would you believe me if I said, 'your neck'?"

She laughed again and hooked her arm through his. "Walk with me you silly goose."

He strolled around the yard and listened to her description of the newest flower bulbs she planted, and how they would pop up and she'd be sure to bring him some when they did. Then the real talk began and he kept his opinions to himself.

"Tom's in the barn with your father. They repaired some fencing and then he's finishing up in there." "Do they need help?"

"No, I don't think so. He'll be leaving in a bit."

Mitch nodded, "Yeah, I can't stay long, I have a date with this lady I met down at Henry's place last week." He pictured the tiny redhead and tried not to feel like an ass for seeing her while Jess was around.

"Where you two heading?"

"I don't know for sure, thought about playing pool or bowling, haven't done that in a while."

She smiled up at him. "That sounds like fun."

He shook his head in agreement. "So...."

"So what?" she asked.

"What are you going to say about Jessica?" He knew she would eventually so he figured he might as well open the floor himself.