Every Way The Wind Blows

It stunned him out of his reverie, but it also shook the cobwebs away.

"Yes Maam," he replied.

"You just gave me everything...you submitted to what I wanted and didn't hold anything back. Isn't that right?"

"Yes Maam." His response was crisp.

"And that is precisely what you should do...must do...every time...if you're going to be true to yourself and be true to a woman like me...a woman who will excite you in ways a normal woman never could. But before you ever give everything to a woman like me who would dominate you as I just did...you must first know her heart. You need to know that she is going to give you everything she has in return and not hold anything back. Do you understand...does that make sense?"

At that moment he was not consumed with the spice of lust, the haze lifting away.

"Yes Maam," he answered.

"Then that woman must never be afraid of the smell and taste of her own juices on your face or any other part of you...that's the first true test. If she is going to demand all of your lust, then she must give all of hers. When you truly understand this lesson, you will have the secret to knowing who you can trust with this part of your life. And when you know that you must always trust the instinct that comes with it."

That was logical. It made perfect sense. Was it like this for mother and father? Was he true to her, and was she true to him?

Probably not.

"Good Boy." She kissed him again, released his face and stood up, then stepped around him and swept away. "Bring my boots and panties...and your pillow."

"Should I bring my clothes?"

"You won't need them until Monday Morning," she replied over her shoulder.

He shook his head for a moment, glanced at his clothes, and then followed her as instructed. In her room he helped her to undress and put on her bikini. Her body was not as perfect as Nova's was - her breast a little smaller, her bottom a little fatter - but her presence would not allow him to dwell on any of her imperfections. She was perfection for him in his mind. She took control of his senses and soul in a way that made him feel so content and complete. He could become like her puppy-dog if she wanted it, commanded it.

For the rest of the day he was by her side or serving her and Nova, always naked and usually hard at her request. He slept at her feet on the bed. Her lessons on Sunday were constant and fascinating, her demands embarrassing and frustrating and humiliating and so exciting that he felt ready to burst with anticipation. He was in a heavenly state of calm and arousal, as though her will was connected to his heart and to his loins. She could and did make him orgasm on demand, and he learned to please her in so many ways that he marveled and wondered if he could ever remember them all. Monday morning she was up with him as he got ready for work, tying a pink ribbon around the base of his scrotum as a reminder of her all day long.

He wondered if the sexual training would interfere with his work, but the truth was a remarkable surprise. He was more at peace, more relaxed and focused on his projects. He found that even difficult conversations were easier and more successful. It seemed that everyone was more agreeable to his ideas, more willing to accept his suggestions. He was able to have productive conversations with people that were usually difficult, and his ideas seemed to have more focus and purpose. Even issues that were dark and confusing seemed to have possible solutions as though a light of logic and calm was laid over them. He wore the pink ribbon each day that week, disrobed at the back door and presented his naked body to Barbara each evening when he got home. Each time after removing the ribbon he was commanded to service her sexual desires and then he was given release.

Barbara and Nova took the opportunity to spend days at the beach and toured the Pacific Coast Highway. They went south to Yachats, Florence, and Coos Bay and North to Newport and Depoe Bay, but were always home and waiting for AJ when he got off work. Nova gave them as much space as she could and managed to keep her girls away for the most part, but slowly Barbara made her an integral part of his training. She seemed to take joy and pleasure for her part, to watch and to advise. Her music and her singing filled the house, and she seemed happier than she had in months. They were like sisters on Holiday, sharing this moment in time through the next week-end. For AJ there was also constant instruction on how to please a woman. He knew to open the door, to hold the chair, but he also learned how to discover her needs and blind desires, what to try, what to say, what to touch and how and when. There was pain and the most erotic pleasure. They took him in and out of the calm and submissive state so many times that he could see and feel it coming, that he could control it and choose and decide how the sensations came over him. Nova's girls all came over on Sunday for a picnic, a final day of teasing and testing him, and as the day wore to a close it became obvious that Barbara felt her job was finished. With a final kiss, and with his embarrassed tears, she left his life with a confirmation of her promise that he would never see her again even as he would always remember and cherish her.

In the weeks that followed, as he had times alone to reflect, he came to understand that his reluctance to any romantic interest in any local girls was his problem rather than theirs. None of them had ever appealed to him because he was secretly looking for something that none of them could possibly possess. He still was not interested in any of them, but there was at least some calm in the understanding. There was also a long journey to get over his broken heart that Barbara was gone and he would never see her again. It was hard not to feel sorry for himself that she was older and had no real interest in him.

July gave way to August, and AJ began to give serious consideration to his limited educational options. Thomas Buckhold had returned from Hawaii, apologized, and fixed his transcripts, but nothing could be done about entering the State University until January. Even then he would not have had enough money for the university without the Trask scholarship. Eva and Edith had discovered that they could not put any pressure on Bev Schtupp until her term of office was up in two years, without risking a lawsuit and possible department of revenue intervention.

Why had he been so wasteful with his money over the years? If he had money in his pockets, and he always had money in his pockets, then he made sure all of his friends also had money in their pockets. He was a good guy. His father was wealthy. What was the worry? Now the ownership of TLC was struggling to raise more than a million dollars to buy Angela's share out. For the first time he could ever remember in his life, everybody named Trask or Schtupp acted like they were poor. And he was at the bottom of the list.

Then finally, as September neared, there was some good news. Night classes were available at the Junior College in Albany - some of the same classes he would be taking at the university. Mr. Buckhold pulled some strings and his acceptance came within a week. Tuition at the community college was less than half of what he would be paying at the University, but he still needed a job to afford the cost. There were no dorm rooms at the community college, and he simply could not afford to live in Corvallis or Albany. Who was going to hire a college student? It was an hour and a half drive each way to school four nights a week, but he could keep his job and the company would pay for his gas just in case he needed to bring parts back with him each night. It was not easy, but Eva reminded him that God had never promised an easy path. Why did she always have an answer that reminded him how much he resented God?

Was he going to hell for resenting God? Was he going to hell for being the way he was?

The classes in Math and English were painfully simple. Accounting required more attention to detail than he had ever given to anything in his life. Political Science was an exercise in trying to read the teachers mind. The freedom riders were current and topical. The Bay of Pigs fiasco was definitely current. Kennedy had his hands full, and he was no Eisenhower. It was easy and hard and impossible and everything and nothing of what he expected. It was the first best time of his life. By October he was maintaining all A's, but working more and less than he ever had before. It was not the university, but it was not bad. There was really only one problem, and on the long drives he began to seriously consider that one constant in his life. He could not say that he had a single friend at school. There was never any time. There was work. There was school. There was the long drive.

Each night after class he would drive a prescribed circuit through town, past three businesses, looking for a yellow flag on the loading dock of each. A coil of cables, a bundle of chokers, a box of circle saws, a crate of band saws, a carton of grinding wheels, bearings, motors, air tools, power tools, anything that could fit in the back of his pickup that some part of the company needed. There was always a note to tell him where it went and always help waiting to unload it when he got home. A few trips over the winding mountain road were slow and frightening, and always the trips at night were long. Coffee and Copenhagen helped to keep him awake.

Thanksgiving came and he still had an A in all of his classes, but Political Science threatened to be his first B since the seventh grade Home Economics when he could not learn to make a cake that did not fall. Eva and Edith planned a large family dinner, but despite Nova's insistence AJ chose not to attend. It was the first time he ever said no and stuck to his guns. He studied the entire time, practically memorizing his political science text books word for word. As Christmas break neared, the pressure of his first college finals began to bear down on him. He stayed late to study with several other students each night after class until he was convinced there was no trick question he was not ready for. The trip home was difficult on those nights, and more than once he had to stop and take a nap along the way.

It was after one of those naps that he woke up to discover the front of his pickup resting inside the front door of someone's fishing cabin along the Alsea River. He remembered the icy conditions. He remembered knowing that he should stop and remembered trying to find a safe place to park alongside where the narrow winding road followed the river. The pickup was drivable, despite some significant sheet metal damage to the front end. The cabin was probably beyond repair as two walls and the roof trusses were buckled. He was lucky that he had not died. Later he would wonder if it would not have been better if had. A Lincoln County Sheriff deputy gave him a sobriety test, even though he had not touched any alcohol in months. The Deputy cited him for failure to maintain proper control of his vehicle, and then set about informing the owners of the cabin that their summer getaway was in major disrepair and who was to blame.

Merry Christmas.

It got worse. The pickup, like all Trask Lumber Company vehicles, was self insured. The repairs were deductible as legitimate business expenses, but the company was financially responsible for everything. The final repair bill for the pickup was more than six hundred dollars. The insurance company for the couple from Eugene who owned the cabin wanted two thousand dollars to make the repairs on a cabin that was probably only worth fifteen hundred. Eathan offered to supply the lumber and pay one thousand dollars if AJ supplied the labor. They offered twelve-fifty if the repairs could be done before the steelhead runs started in January, but it was obvious the repairs to the cabin were going to take longer than two weeks, even if he knew what he was doing. He offered one thousand and the use of the watchman's cabin and his father's drift boat until all repairs were complete, however long that took. Thankfully they accepted. Eathan let him use the old company shop pickup to drive to school for the last three days of finals. He managed to squeak by with all A's despite all the distractions, then returned the pickup to the shop and walked home.

On the morning of Christmas Eve he got his final present.

Eathan stomped into the kitchen from the mudroom as AJ was pouring his first cup of coffee for the day. Nova was still in bed, having come home very late the night before. The collar of Eathan's red flannel coat was pulled up against the cold morning. A storm front from out of the North had brought a dusting of snow to the Coast Range Mountains and an unusual winter chill settled in along the river town. It was early; too early for Eathan to be out and about. He had a grim look of determination in his eyes.

"Good Morning Unc," AJ said. "Coffee? Kind of early for you isn't it?"

"Morning Ansel. Please. And yes it is." The older man shucked the coat off of his broad shoulders and hung it on the back of one of the country kitchen chairs, but never really looked at him.

"Want anything in it?" AJ asked as he poured.

"Well...yes...Crown...if you got it," Eathan replied as he eased into the chair.

AJ considered him cautiously as he set the coffee cup on the table in front of him. He sometimes had cream, but seldom whiskey, especially this early in the morning. What to make of this? He reached above the refrigerator and pulled down the small blue cotton bag with the bottle in it. It might have been half full. He placed it on the table, still sizing his uncle up

"So what's up Unc?" he asked as he retrieved his coffee cup from the kitchen counter.

Eathan took a big gulp of coffee before adding a healthy splash of whiskey. He pushed the bottle to a spot half way between them without replacing the cap, then took a sip and shivered as he set the cup back down. He tugged a thick legal envelope from his shirt pocket and tossed it on the table next to the bottle, then nudged it toward AJ with his fingers.

"Merry Christmas Ansel," he said to the floor.

The seal flap was tucked inside, and AJ stuck a finger inside enough to see that it was filled with hundred dollar bills.

"Thanks Eathan...you didn't have to do this."

"Yes I did." His eyes looked small and tired when he raised his head. "Because I also have to fire you."

The statement stunned AJ. Fired? First, he was family. Second, he was one of the most skilled employees the company had. There were dozens of jobs he could do better than the regular employees.

"If the analysis job isn't working out, I can do something else. I can do anything...you know that."

Then the obvious occurred to him.

"Or is this because of the accident?"

Eathan closed his eyes and slowly shook his head as he looked at the floor again.

"You know it's not because of your work, AJ."

"Angela?"

"Yup...she's demanding I fire you."

His tone was harsh and matter of fact. The moment felt unreal as the implication sunk in, and AJ just stared at him. Why would she do that? Did she have so much against him? She had promised this would not be fun, and she was certainly true to her word. It made perfect sense as the reality sunk in. He should not be surprised.

"Her attorney is threatening to file a suit for inappropriate use of company property."

That did not make any sense. What company property had been use inappropriately? AJ slowly reached to pour a small splash of whiskey in his coffee cup and took a deep long drink.

"And she demanded that we take your company pickup away immediately."

AJ felt his jaw drop open as the next shock wave hit him. He managed to pull his mouth closed as he vigorously shook his head.

"But that was my birthday present last year...Dad gave me that pickup."

"You know that, and I know that...but EJ never put it in your name...title and registration are still listed on the company books."

"God damn." AJ pounded his cup on the table, the last remains of his coffee splashing on the envelope of cash.

"I wish there was something I could do about this, but her attorney has his nose in everything. He's really making Martha's life hell digging through the books. I'd borrow the money and buy her out now tomorrow, but we're near our credit limit already what with on all of the Forest Service and O&C timber sales we have active and payment is slow right now out of the Chicago exchange. It's going to take a couple of years to get her out of my hair, so until then I just can't afford have her causing any more waves than she already is."

"I don't suppose it would do any good for me to talk to her would it?"

Eathan just looked at him blankly, and then took a large swallow of his coffee.

"She's pretty damned adamant that she does not want you around the mill at all. I found you a part-time job and a place to live in Philomath if you want them. It's not much, but the price is right. Maybe Charley's got a used car we can get you."

"Never mind Brother," Nova said, catching both of them by surprise and each of them turned abruptly to look up at her. She was standing in the wide doorway to the formal dining room, wearing her housecoat and slippers, arms crossed tight around her. She was staring at Eathan defiantly.

"You've done enough. No point in letting your sow bitch chew your balls off. I can get him a better deal on a car than you can anyway... and there's nothing your dark haired whore can do about it."

Eathan flinched at each of Nova's vulgar words to describe Angela. Their love affair had been going on since before he was born, and it was not over. Eathan looked at the floor dejectedly and shook his head again. He put his right hand to his forehead, then ran it over the top of his head to the back of his scalp to massage his neck. Suddenly he slapped his knee twice and bolted out of his chair.

"Let me know if you want that job." He plucked the coat from the back of his chair and swung it open to put it on, all without looking at her.

"See you, Sis," he muttered as he turned the corner and was out through the mudroom door in a half dozen long strides.

AJ could not help but feel a certain sense of pity for his uncle. Was he a good man at heart, struggling with the circumstances of his past? Or was he just another foolish Trask man being manipulated by Angela? He watched his uncle disappear into the garage and turned to look up at his Aunt. There was no compassion in her eyes, just that grim Trask look of determination as she watched Eathan leave.

"It will be okay, honey," she said, still looking out through the window of the mudroom door.

"I know Sis...I've got a little saved...and whatever Eathan gave me here." He nudged the envelope with his finger. "Charles has a couple of pickups on his lot downtown. Or maybe we could drive to Eugene...lots of used car lots there."

She turned her defiant stare at him. "You'll really need to watch your pennies and nickels now."

There was no point in arguing with her when she looked like that. What did she have in mind? He decided then and there that he would call Charles Schtupp the day after Christmas as see what kind of a deal he could get on one of the used pickups on his lot. He might even settle for car if he had to.

"You're right," he said, trying to act like he was going to let the subject drop.

He replaced the cap on the bottle, pulling the drawstring tight as he strode past her into the kitchen. She was watching him, but he made a point to not meet her gaze. He placed the bottle back in the cupboard above the refrigerator, stepped to the sink to rinse his cup out, then strode past her again as he made his way to the mudroom.