Frost on the Pumpkin

"There you are. You ungrateful little child. I sent you to Boston to stay there, not come back here. What, did that tramp of a so-called sister lure you back with the promise of sex?"

She spoke with more venom in her voice than usual, and I could see that it was affecting my grandmother.

Nineteen years of pent up hurt and anger exploded from me.

"You are no fit mother, wife or daughter. You get your pleasure out of making everyone else's life more miserable than yours."

"Tim, that's enough," My grandmother barked at me with what strength she had.

I went to her side, "I'm sorry Grandma, I didn't mean to upset you."

My mother interrupted. "Out of my way, child."

She pushed me aside and stood leering down at her mother. For my grandmother's sake, I didn't respond as I would have liked to.

"I am getting everything, aren't I? After all I am your flesh and blood daughter."

My grandmother spoke, "Tim, leave us alone for a minute."

"Stay here," my mother commanded. "He should know all about that little tramp who has been masquerading as my sister.

"So tell me mother, do I get everything or do I take this to court and expose that little fraud of yours. Oh and MOTHER, If I don't get everything," once again there was venom in her voice. "I'll burn this place to the ground."

She spun around and walked out of the house, leaving the front door open.

"Lilly," my grandmother called out, to no avail.

I had never seen a tear in her eye till this very moment.

"Grandma, what is she saying," I asked in a panic.

She sighed before beginning. "My best laid plans are not working. I had hoped that Lilly and Mariah would be forced to work together in order to run the farm."

"What did my mother, that bitch mean about..."

I never got to finish before she slapped my face, not hard, but it was a slap.

"Don't ever say that about your mother. She is my daughter. Good or bad I can not help but love her."

"I'm sorry Grandma, but what did she mean about Mariah."

She closed her eyes in thought, before speaking. "Tim, before I tell you anything, I need you to answer me honestly, from your heart, even if the answer would embarrass you. I need your complete honesty."

"Grandma, except for the time I lied about breaking your bone china tea cup, I have always been honest with you."

"How do you feel about Mariah? Woe, don't answer yet, hear me out. I need to know if you feel love for her, in a stronger way than brother and sister or nephew and aunt."

"Of course I love her. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for her."

"Tim, you're not making this easy. Do you feel sexually attracted to her, would you bed her?"

"What?" There was shock on my face and a nervous twitch in my stomach, because I knew the answer was yes.

"I can see in your face and eyes, the answer is yes."

I sputtered, "I could never..."

"Tim, I asked for honesty."

I paused and looked down at my feet. "Yes Grandma, I have had urges for her of a sexual nature."

"Boy, you have been in Boston way too long. If I tell you that she has sexual thoughts about you, would that loosen your tongue?"

"She does," I asked in an excited voice.

"I don't know," she said slyly, "But your reaction tells me everything I want to know.

"Now I can tell you that Mariah is not your blood aunt."

I was confused over my mother's words, now I was shocked over what my grandmother just revealed to me, and it was taking me a moment to grasp all the ramifications of my aunt not being a true blood aunt.

Then, in a snap, all my thoughts turned to Mariah, "She doesn't know, does she Grandma."

"No, Tim. I never told her. My reasoning at the time seemed sound. She was borne on the res. Her mother died in childbirth and she was left, a bastard child of mix blood, not Indian, not white. She was just like me. Because of that, my heart went out to her. If things were difficult for me, a mix, born in wedlock, her shame would be doubled.

"Once I had her in my home, I planted seeds in people's heads. Little things, like why I hadn't been seen much, because I had been pregnant. The area people were quick to believe that the strange old Holt woman played around with men and wound up paying the price.

"I even thought your mother believed it, though how she found out, I don't know and now it doesn't matter."

"For that reason, I can't tell her. But Tim, she needs to know. After I am gone, I need you to tell her. She has to be told and warned. I am not going to change my will. And I fear that your mother may do something and strike out at Mariah, before I can try and help your mother."

Her last words confused me completely.

"How are you going to help my mother," the puzzlement clear on my face.

She began to speak when we heard Mariah's voice, "I'm back."

-----

Mariah and I sat at Grandma's bedside. Mostly we listened to her tell stories of her youth and stories that her mother had told her. Both Mariah and I could see that the story telling was taking a toll on her strength and we urged her to stop until tomorrow.

"Is my story-telling so dire that you two are looking for an excuse to get me to stop?"

"No Mother, it's just that we are concerned for your health. You need to conserve your strength."

"My wonderful, caring child," my grandmother crooned, as she reached her hand out to take Mariah's. "The end of my life's road is quickly approaching and soon the new road of my spirit, my soul, will be upon me. I am asking both of you to indulge me and hear the stories of my life. I will tell you when I must stop.

"When I am gone, cry and grieve for your personal loss but do not fret over my fate. Know that I am at peace and content with what lies before me. Now, where was I? Ahh yes, World War Two. We counted ourselves lucky..."

She continued with her stories for more than another hour, before stopping and saying. "I'm very tired now. Please, let me rest."

We kissed her good night, left her room as she settled back, and closed her eyes. Mariah and I moved to the living room, where we sat together on the old spring cushioned sofa.

We sat side by side, while she curled her legs under her and took my arm, hugging it to her as she rested her head on my shoulder. My mind was racing as I felt the softness of her breasts as she pulled my arm against her chest, my hand resting on her thigh. The warn work cloths she wore could not mask her bodies pulse or the heat emanating from her. My new knowledge of her true relationship to me made my blood race as her closeness pulled my suppressed desires for her to the surface.

I let my hand move further back until it rested on her denim covered mound. My thoughts of lust for her fanned hotter as I felt her push her hips forward against my hand. I turned my head and kissed her forehead, holding my lips against it while I felt her squeeze my arm tighter.

"Hold me Tim," she whispered in a weak voice. "Please hold me."

I regrettably withdrew my hand from her crotch and wrapped my arms around her as she softly spoke again.

"Don't let go of me Tim, I've needed you. Don't ever let go of me," she said as her body began to shake with sobs and tears.

This was the first time that I ever sensed fear in Mariah or that I had ever seen or felt that she needed someone to comfort her. So it was that I held her that night, as her sobs subsided and her breathing slowed as she drifted off into the sleep of exhaustion.

I dozed off and on while holding Mariah in my arms. A cushion spring sticking into my left buttock, my back aching slightly and my neck very stiff. If my discomfort had been three times this, I would have considered it a small price to pay for the chance to comfort her and to feel her woman's body against mine.

-----

The false dawn had just begun when I felt Mariah give a slight lurch in my arms and in a panicked voice say, "Mom! -- Tim hurry."

We were at my grandmother's side in seconds. When I first saw her, I thought she had left us, but as Mariah took her hand and held it to her cheek, her eyes opened.

"There you are," she said. "I knew you'd come to say good bye. I love you both and do not worry. I promise to keep you both safe."

Tears spread from Mariah's eyes to her mothers hand as she softly kissed it. "I love you Mom. You are the best mother any child could have."

She patted Mariah's cheek as a week smile came to her lips. When her eyes shifted to look at me as I stood behind Mariah, I said. "I love you so very much Grandma. I need you..."

She cut my words off. "I will always be there to protect you. This is now your time. To both of you I say, the frost is on the pumpkin."

With her last words, a bright spark filled her eyes, the same spark that I remembered seeing in them when she was at her happiest.

Her eyes closed and her body seemed to deflate as if she had just exhaled and I found myself waiting, hoping to see her chest rise as she drew in a breath.

A mournful wail from Mariah put an end to my waiting and the sadness at our loss over took me, causing me to keen along with her.

As I noticed true dawns first light, I felt Mariah next to me as we knelt side by side. Each of us holding the same lifeless hand. The since of her made me gain control over my grief as I realized that Mariah needed to be comforted.

Releasing my grasp on her now cool hand, I stood. The words of comfort that I knew I must share with Mariah, rushed into my head. It was as if my grandmother had put them there.

I pulled Mariah to her feet, making her let go of her mother's hand. She struggled to regain the lost contact, even as I began to speak.

"Let go Mariah. Your mother's spirit has moved on. You and I will grieve for our loss. We will cherish our memories, tell stories and we will fulfill her wishes.

"I love you Mariah. It is time to let go and for us to do what must be done."

She looked at me oddly for only a moment, and then threw her arms around me as I encircled her with mine.

She kissed my neck softly, then she whispered. "Your words were exactly what Mom would have said."

-----

Two days later, in accordance with her wishes, she was cremated. Aside from Mariah and me, the only other people in attendance were my mother and father.

I was standing out side the crematorium after the ceremony. Mariah was still talking to the director of the facility, when my father came up to me. It was an unexpected shock to hear him say more than I had ever heard come out of his mouth before. "Son, I am so very sorry. Your grandmother was a rear breed of woman, with her honesty, hard work, a loving heart and her beauty. I know how much she meant to you and I am so happy that you had her there to give you the things that I did not.

"Son, I hope some day you can forgive me. I do love you son. It's sad that it takes the loss of someone's life to make you realize how little time we really have on this earth..."

His words were cut short by my mother. "Very touching Harold. However, my dear Tim, he would have no idea of when your birthday is if I didn't tell him. I doubt he realizes that you have graduated from High School."

Her cutting words made my father shrink in stature as he stepped back to stand behind her. My mother had not yet finished spraying her venom.

"I see that my hormone driven son is staying at the farm with his aunt. I trust that she is keeping you warm at night Tim. No matter, after the reading of my mothers will, the little tart will find herself homeless."

She paused for a moment before continuing, a smile on her face and a sharper edge to her voice.

"Tim. You of all people should know that I make good on my promises, all my promises. Come Harold, we have things to do."

My temper rose to unexpected heights. I could feel the heat in my neck and face as I restrained myself from physically lashing out against my own mother.

When Mariah came out, she saw the anger still etched into my face. She knew instantly what must have happened, and without a pause said, "Your grandmother would expect you to always be respectful to your mother."

Her words made me recall the weak slap she delivered to me when I verbally lashed out against her. My hand now went reflexively to my cheek. Not to sooth any pain but in an effort to recapture one of her last touches.

"Tim."

Mariah's' voice brought me out of my reverie and reminded me that I had a responsibility to perform. My mind now tried to work thru possibilities of how to best tell my aunt that she wasn't a blood aunt.

"We have to go to Mom's attorney tomorrow morning. After that, we can pick up her ashes. - She told me how she wants them disposed of. - Tim, Tim. Are you listening to me?"

"Sorry Mariah, I was..." She didn't let me finish.

"I know Tim. I feel the pain of our loss too. -- Tim, we need to go home. I want to talk about Mom and us."

"Mariah," I called out to her. "There is something..."

Once again, she cut me off.

"This is not the place Tim. It's best we talk and grieve at home."

-----

We arrived back at my grandmother's home. Tomorrow, it and half the farm would belong to Mariah. My thoughts of my grandmother and the request she made of me filled my mind. How would I tell this woman that she was not the birth daughter of my grandmother and not my aunt. How would she accept it? Would she feel wronged because she had been lied to all these years?

"I Love you Tim. I think I always have."

Her words were unexpected and the embrace from her even more so.

"Mariah," I said as my heart raced. "I Love you too, but I must tell you something."

I stepped back from her slightly so I could look into her eyes. They were so deep brown they almost looked black.

"This may be hard for you to hear, but you must. I just want you to know that my grandmother was a mother to you in every way that a woman could be, except that she did not give birth to you. She was afraid to tell you. When you left to get the medicine for her, she asked me to tell you after she died. Mariah, until then I did not know. To me you were my blood aunt."

I tried to hurry my words.

"She loved you Mariah. No daughter could have been wanted or loved more."

"Tim. Tim, stop. I know. I've known for almost three years. I never wanted Mom to know that I found out. - You see your mother was the one that made me curious, by constantly calling me her bastard sister. One day I went to a tribal meeting and asked if I had been adopted. Several women were more than willing to tell the story, as they knew it.

"To me, she was my real mother whither she gave birth to me or not. The knowledge that I was not your true aunt was a comfort to me as well. I had deep feelings for you. Feelings that use to worry me, because as your aunt, I wasn't suppose to get tingles when I was near you or when I would have certain dreams about you."

"Mariah," my arms reached out and encircled her. "Ever since I found out I wanted to hold you, and, and kiss you."

Her lips were on mine and as my initial shock ebbed, I began to kiss her back as my arms pulled her closer into me. I could feel the warmth of her body, the pressure of her breasts against my chest and I felt her push her hips against me.

There was no controlling my reaction. My manhood burst to life, straining against my pants as it pressed against her belly.

Mariah's hands moved down to my ass and pulled it into her as her tongue worked its way between my lips. Until that moment, I had never French kissed a girl before. The thrill made me thrust my hips forward, now pushing my cock harder into her.

A moan escaped her lips as she stopped our kiss. Her breathing was heavy and her voice husky with want as she spoke.

"Tim, come with me to the barn. Just like Mom said, 'The Frost is on the Pumpkin' and it's our time. - Mom told me of her first time. Tim, I want my first time to be like hers. Quick Tim, before I loose my nerve while Mom's words are still fresh in my mind. I have no shame, no shame Tim."

Her words reminded me of my grandmother's words to Mariah that night with the fire blazing and Mariah's tits were exposed to me. My mind filled with the image of them illuminated in the flickering fire light, as her nipples grew hard as I watched. That thought made me feel the first drop of clear lubricant leak from the tiny opening at my cocks head.

"Are you sure you want to do this Mariah?"

She paused and looked into my eyes, as I saw sadness and fear fill hers.

"I'm asking, because I want you Mariah, I've wanted you since we started high school. I need to make sure that you are all right with this."

Her eyes brightened. "Tim I want you. I want to feel you in me, to feel your body on top of mine. Yes Tim, I even want to feel the hay against my bare flesh. Now, come with me.

The two of us loped out the door ad toward the small barn. The sun was low on the horizon and a chill was now creeping into the small valley. Mariah dragged me to the back of the barn and a thick pile of loose hay. Normally the hay was kept in small bails neatly stacked for winter use. It wasn't hard to tell that Mariah had set the stage for a reenactment of my grandmother's first sexual experience.

My pondering was cut short when Mariah pushed me back into the deeply piled hay. As I fell, I reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her down with me.

We lay there, side by side, looking at each other, knowing what was about to happen and wanting it to happen.

"Tim, you know that I have never been with a man before, not this way, not having, having gone all the way."

"Mariah," I said, excitement filling my voice. "I want more from you than just this one time. I know I'm young, we're both young, but even before we do this, I want this, us, to be forever."

She looked into my eyes as she undid the buttons on her blouse. My gaze was fastened to her white bra covered breasts.

"Reach around me and unfasten my bra."

I reached around and felt the clasp. I had seen movies where with a small twist the bra would pop off. It didn't happen for me. Very unromantically, I had to roll her over and raise the back of her shirt to unhook a clasp that must have been made by the same guy who made chastity belts. With help from Mariah, the romantic first time could finally begin.

I rolled her on to her back; the bra still covered her breasts. Mariah sensing that I was about to screw things up again, sat up and removed her shirt and bra.

The sight of her firm light tan breasts with their dark tan areolas and protruding buds made me dive for them. I pushed her back into the straw as my lips latched on to her right breast and my fingers captured the nipple on her other tit.

Her hands flew to the back of my head and began caressing it and my neck as moans of pleasure flowed from her.

"Oh God, Tim, I love it. Please, suck more in. Yes Tim, Yes."

Her moan and words of encouragement made me feel like an experienced lover. Giving me the confidence I needed, along with a desire to make every thing good for her.

After only a few minutes had passed, she spoke again. "Enough Tim. Strip me. Make me naked so you can look at my whole body. I want you to like it. To look at it the same way you did when you saw my breasts on the night you left."

I didn't want to give up sucking on her beautiful tit. It felt so good in my mouth as my tongue caressed her swollen nipple. However, the thought of seeing her most secret parts was a temptation to big to ignore.

I fumbled with her small belt and got the buckle undone. Next was the clasp and zipper on her side. I began to push her pants down from her waist.

"Tim, please, pull from the bottom of the legs, I'll do the rest."

With my ego a little dented, I moved to her feet, removed her flats. Then, with a steady pull, her pants came off. Like a true man, I folded them, kind of, and put them out of the way, on top of her discarded shoes. It was difficult to do because my eyes couldn't leave the crotch area of her pink panties. I could see the mound in front and black hair patch that darkened the area.