Sexual Awakening of Inverness

The big log fire on the riverbank illuminated the night. Inverness could see the bodies of her parents and brother strewn on the sand and she could see and hear the four drunken voices of the men who'd shot them and commandeered the family's Jeep.

The Starke Family's possessions of any value from the vehicle were being shared. The captive seventeen-year old waited sullenly, simmering in terror, to learn her fate. She was tied to a tree and was unable to move her body, just her head.

She heard a rustle behind her and then a soothing voice.

"Don't be afraid of me. I'm here to help. Stay looking straight ahead and don't talk above a loud whisper otherwise that would place us both in grave danger. I need to know what happened."

"W-who are you?"

"Alan Coleman. Please, tell me what happened?"

"We were driving to Marlin City. Daddy stopped because that big man waved him down, pointing to the man at his feet who looked injured. Both mommy and daddy got out to help and two men appeared on other side of the highway with rifles. I heard shots. I saw blood and mommy and daddy fell to the ground. I screamed. My brother Jimmy who is fourteen picked up daddy's rifle and went out and said to leave mommy and daddy alone or he'd shoot. Two men, laughing, shot him. They then drove the Jeep down here to the beach, which is when they found me on the back seat, speechless. They tied me up. They dragged mommy, daddy and Jimmy down here, away from anyone seeing them I think. It was so sad. The men lit the fire and opened our bags and boxes and took stuff. They found mommy's jewelry box and then found daddy's big tin of money. They counted it, laughing. That's all I know. I fell asleep sometimes. They are now very noisy."

"They are very bad men. How many cars do they have?"

"Just that blue one under those trees over there," she said, pointing.

"You have been a very brave girl. I'm going to hurt those men for what they did to you and your family. First I'll set fire to their car. Keep your eyes closed. Although you will hear noises and them shouting, just keep your eyes closed. You have seen enough bad things."

"You should run away. You might get hurt."

"I'll be okay. When I have finished I will untie you and ask you to choose the things you want to take with you. I will take you to live with my parents."

"I want mommy and daddy and Jimmy with me."

"I know you do. Dad will speak to people in charge of these things, asking that your family be buried on the ranch."

"I'd like that. They're dead, aren't they?"

"Sadly, I think so. I saw the pools of blood they'd lain in up on the highway. Now keep your eyes closed."

Fortunately for Alan Coleman, Inverness disobeyed that request. As the twenty-two-year old ranch hand went off she saw him slip into the jalopy and then saw flames begin in the front and back of it and then saw the young guy slip out and hide behind a tree, watching in the direction of the campfire.

Then, as she would later tell the Coroner's Court, she heard shouting and saw the four men running to their vehicle. The big fat leader was trailing the other three and when he was passing the tree the young guy who'd identified himself to her as Alan Coleman jumped him and there was a brief fight, Alan spun away holding the rifle. The big guy gained his feet first and drew a knife, shouting and swearing and lunged towards Alan, lying on his back on the ground. Alan shot him (through the throat) and Inverness said she thought he died horribly.

The other guys turned to come back just as there was a roar of flames inside their burning car as the front seat fabric caught alight. Alan jumped to his feet and when they turned again and began shooting at him he walked towards them unafraid and shot each one of them through the belly and they dropped screaming until they died.

Inverness told how Alan freed her and she hugged him crying and he then drove her in her family Jeep to the road when he tied his horse to the back of the vehicle and drove home at the pace of a walking horse. She fell asleep.

It was stated in evidence Alan handed Inverness to his mom, told his parents what had happened, and then called Sheriff Thompson and related what had happened. The Sheriff said it was a very sad affair and he already had deputies on their way to the ranch. He told Alan he would be held pending an investigation and a decision by the DA's department and even higher authority whether the matter would end with the finding of the Coroner's Court or whether Alan would have to face trial by jury.

Sheriff Thompson told the Coroner's Court: "Our remarkable young man said, 'Is that right Stanley?' and I said, 'I'm warning you Alan stay put. Attempt to disappear and we'll hunt you down like a mad dog.' Of course when our investigations showed the four dead men had embarked on a trail of mayhem since escaping from jail across the border we knew our wanted man was a hero and we lost our incentive to track him down."

* * *

Five years later willowy blonde Inverness Starke, a first year teacher with a Grade 2 room, was in the staff room having lunch when a guy appeared at the doorway. She took no notice thinking it would be a guy delivering something – flowers probably to a birthday girl, when suddenly her chest went tight at the sound of a voice.

"May I see Miss Inverness Hope please?"

Her heart seemed to stop as she recognized the voice she would never forget and then heard the visitor add, "I'm Alan Coleman."

School principal Sarah Callan, who'd known Alan from the time he progressed through her school yelled excitedly, "Oh Alan, oh Alan. Inverness is here. Please come in. Everyone this is Alan Coleman who saved Inverness from a horrible fate in tragic circumstances when her family was taken from her five years ago."

Inverness stood.

Alan saw her and smiled and she ran around the table and embraced and kissed him and everyone who'd remembered his gallantry laughed and clapped and even others unaware of the tragedy joined in.

"Oh it's amazing to see you again," Inverness cried, tears flowing. "I'd given up thinking you were lost to me forever."

Alan shrugged. "I've been working out in the gulf building production platforms. I heard months after I'd fled there'd be no warrant out on me because evidence given in court had cleared me. I've just been to see Sheriff Thompson who confirmed that and told me you now worked here. I'm on my way home."

Inverness turned and looked at Mrs Callan and before she had time to ask the question the principal said, "Yes Inverness, you may skip school now. This is a joyous occasion for you"

"Oh thank you Mrs Callan. Everyone, Alan saved me from a fate worse than death after four escaped prisoners murdered my parents and little brother only twenty miles from here. By chance Alan came across the scene when looking for a missing horse. He shot and killed all four when they were attempting to kill him and then rescued me and took me to his parents who acted as my guardians until I went to college. Sheriff Thompson had said Alan might have to go to court and face murder charges to prove his innocence but the case unraveled and it was established he was a hero not a villain. Oh it's so lovely seeing you again."

"Take her home to your parents Alan," Mrs Callan smiled. "She's beside herself in excitement."

Driving to the ranch Inverness wanted to know everything about what Alan had been doing and he told her.

"Mom and dad, when they told you I was okay they really knew I was okay. They came to see me twice a year in Houston."

"But why didn't I go with them? Why wasn't I told?"

"Because it was at my request initially. I knew if you saw me that would bring up those ugly memories and you were still grieving, and a little unstable. You came out of that, of course, and we just left the way things were. Now I'm home for your twenty-third birthday this weekend. Dad also wants to talk about me taking over running the ranch."

"Well at least I knew you were okay. I can't say I disagreed with your earlier assessment. I could have been told after six months."

"But there was no big thing between us apart from the rescue and you thanked me for that, many times that day."

Inverness said angrily, "Why don't you think I've never had a steady boyfriend."

"I have no idea. You tell me."

"Because I've been waiting for you to come back to get me. God men can be so thick."

"B-but there must have been guys; you are so attractive? Mom told me about some of them."

"Yes but pals, not boy friends and no I'm not a virgin in case you are wondering. But I share a house with another teacher and a young doctor who have boyfriends and I often go out with friends of those guys but never more than four times because that's my rule."

Alan sniffed and shook his head as if trying to clear it. "But what say I don't like you?"

"I have thought about that, many times and my reply to myself can be summed up in just one word: "Impossible."

Alan grinned. So I'm responsible for stuffing up your sex life?'"

"No but change that to love life and the answer is yes. But I don't know. I suppose I have to accept you did what you believed was the right thing."

"Thank you."

"Oh crap. I'm been mean. I accept you did what you thought was right."

"Thanks."

"May we have sex tonight?"

"Hey, hey. Slow down. We've just met. Actually the truth is we've never been formally introduced."

"Well we know why, don't we?"

"Let's not go back there."

"Yes, I want you to come to their graves as so as your folk have greeted you. At the gravesite I want to cry in your arms and don't you dare say I'm not allow to do that."

"I think that will be a lovely thing to do."

"Oh Alan, you are going to be so good for me."

Alan pulled out his phone. "Hi mom, we're just minutes away. Inverness is with me. You failed to adequately describe just how beautiful she is. Now don't go crying on me mom. Mom! Oh fuck!"

He snapped his phone shut and threw it into the coin tray.

"Women are allowed to express themselves emotionally."

He shot a hot glance at Inverness for saying that. And then it began... a deep rumble that became a laugh and she looked much happier.

"I really think I'm going to like you," Alan said, and Inverness beamed, reaching to hold his hand because they were driving slowly, having just turned into the two-mile access track to the ranch house.

* * *

Coral Coleman had wanted to tell Inverness Alan was coming home as soon as Alan had called telling her that. He'd said Glen wanted to talk to him about working the ranch because he was ready to slow down and she had told him that Inverness' birthday was two Saturdays away. He said then he wanted be there for the birthday party.

The two women talked on the phone every night so Coral had ample opportunity to break Alan's arrival news to Inverness but thought she would go in into town and tell her face to face but after a couple of days thought she'd wait until Alan arrived and then invited Inverness to dinner that night. But then this had happened. Ah well, she mused, perhaps that was the way it was meant to be – Alan finding Inverness again, but this time in colossally better circumstances.

She watched the dust billowing behind the late model black pickup and smiling called, "They're arriving."

Glen, showered and in clean clothes, came on to the porch beside her and put a hand over Coral's shoulder. "Well because of the tragedy we lost a son for five years but gained a daughter, sort of, and I'd hope she'll become a daughter-in-law."

"I don't like our chance of that happening love. She'll be too intense and too complicated for him. Alan always has been a bit girl shy."

Glen scratched behind his ear. "You know I think she's evened out a bit since she's been teaching, surrounding by those little kids who depend on her bringing them on."

"You've put it down to that? Perhaps there is something in it. I thought it might have been the Archer boy who has been really keen on her."

"Until she pushed him away."

"Yes they don't like it when she does that to them, do they? It's a wonder we didn't have trouble with that over the years."

Coral smoothed down her dress. "She's good a handling people. Sarah Callan told me at church a couple of Sundays ago Inverness is showing signs she'll become a great teacher."

"Hah!"

"What does that mean?

Responding to the sharp rebuke Glen said, "I was thinking Sarah Callan was unreliable at school, but I'm saying what she said is good."

They saw Inverness wave and waved back, becoming visibly excited of having their son back home.

* * *

Inverness and Alan were standing hand-in-hand at graves when a TV news team burst through the trees and began filming the couple.

Inverness turned, face contorting, and screamed, "Go away, I don't want you here."

The reporter called, "The sheriff prevented us from filming you last time at the time of the massacre young lady and Alan the hero skipped town. We have you this time. Now cooperate and there'll be no trouble."

Alan advanced and said, "You heard Inverness. Please leave. This is sacred land to her. Go back to the house. We'll return there soon."

"Alan why did you run five years ago when you'd done nothing wrong?"

"Get out of here or I'll take your camera and belt you guys with it until you leave. You are trespassing."

"We're not. Your father said you guys were through here. That implied permission. Inverness, how often do you come to this shrine?"

"Go away," Inverness screamed and crumpled to the ground sobbing.

"Right Fuck-face, you're asked for it," Alan said and lunged, grabbing for the camera. The guy carrying portable lighting on a pole and the aggressive reported attempted to get between Alan and the cameraman but were ineffectual against the muscular brawler schooled in bars in oil towns were oil rig and platform crews came ashore for recreation. Alan was filmed firing two punches and they went down. The cameraman cried 'Fuck off' and the camera tilted... and that was the end of filming.

The lighting technician was speaking on his phone when Alan walked by hugging the sobbing Inverness.

His father said innocently, "What's wrong, what happened?" as the upset couple walked inside.

"Ohmigod," Coral screamed, rushing to comfort Inverness.

Alan and his father were each on their third bottle of beer when two deputies from the Sheriff's Department arrived to take Alan in for questioning.

"You'll need witnesses, you best get them to come in."

"Are you guys holding the camera?" Alan asked and the deputy said the three guys were being interviewed.

"Right, Alan said jumping into the vehicle. "Let's rush there before they leave. That camera contains all the evidence I need."

"There is no need to rush," said the deputy, pulling out his phone and walking off to speak. He returned and said the camera and the complainants were being held and Sheriff Thompson was on his way in from home.

"He's already seen what happened because it was broadcast live on TV and was watching – that van those guys rode in had OB facilities with satellite transmission dish."

The TV team looked around as Alan walked in with the deputies.

"That's the bastard, he hit me," yelled the reporter, one side of his jaw swollen.

"Shut up Max, I'm running this inquiry into possible unprovoked assault by the accused on you three guys alleging going about your business legitimately. Okay, here's your boss with an attorney. We are ready to go."

As the two new arrivals were entering Sheriff Thompson said, "Okay Steve, connect your camera to this TV set and let's roll that film."

"Sorry Sheriff, the lead for that connection is back in the city."

"You have one minute to go out to your van and fetch it Steve, otherwise you'll spend the night behind bars on a charge of obstructing me in the course of my duties."

Steve shot out of the room followed by a deputy.

The clip was screened.

"Well?" said the Sheriff. "Who will make a statement on behalf of the film crew?"

The attorney threw up his hands and said, "Well what can I say? Our film crew overstepped the mark, ignoring the situation that had been explained to them and a legitimate request by the son of the property owner to withdraw but that was refused. On behalf of their employer I offer our unreserved apologies and state emphatically that their irresponsible action in laying a complaint against Mr Coleman of unjustified assault is unreservedly withdrawn. Further I invite Mr Coleman to suggest how the TV station can offer a reasonable level of compensation to Miss Starke."

"Alan, do you feel you can accept on behalf of Inverness that offered apology."

"Yes Sheriff. The last thing she'd want is any more upset over this in having to be a witness in defense of my actions."

"And the question of reasonable compensation?"

"Um, complimentary air travel and quality accommodation for five nights in Colorado Springs."

"We would be pleased to make that accommodation and travel for four Sheriff to include the three Coleman's who have supported Inverness for the five years since that terrible day, our two conditions being that this whole matter receives no publicity and the offer if not taken up expires in three months from today."

"Alan?"

"Accepted Sheriff, including the two conditions."

The Sheriff stood from leaning on a desk and said, "Well that's a wrap unless someone has anything else to bring up?"

"No one? Then that ends this enquiry and no further action will be taken provided the terms of settlement are adhered too on both sides.

The TV crew gathered around Alan and shook his hand.

"Christ, who taught you how to punch?" asked the reporter.

"Circumstances," Alan grinned.

Inverness was in bed asleep when two deputies delivered Alan home. He'd already called his parents with the news no action was being taken.

As they ate his mother reassured Alan Inverness would be okay. "She's sedated but before she fell asleep with me stroking her back like I used to do she said she was okay and I know she means that. I believe she realizes she was hit mostly by shock and anger, not a return of trauma."

Coral looked at Glen and he nodded. "I haven't told you this son but your father and I went through forty-eights of hell with Inverness screaming until she dropped into exhausted sleep. She wanted you back beside her, saying you were the only person on earth she trusted. By then we were wrecks and admitted her to hospital where she was kept sedated for days as part of the recovery process for days. She received intensive care by psychologists and that continued on a daily basis for a month and then she began attending school for mornings only. That was supposed to last for a month but after two days she asked to attend fully because the girls in her grade were so lovely to her and from then on she recovered remarkable swiftly."

"You guys were great," said Alan.

His mom continued. "We were told she'd accepted her fate and the need to rebuild her life. Burying her family here helped – she went out to them every evening. We bought her a car and she began driving herself to high school and was soon bringing home friends to stay the weekend with her. She completed in the honors stream, won a sports award as the highest scorer in senior soccer, won a scholarship to college and also took out the President's Award for Education Achievement. We were so proud of her and she went on to perform with distinction at college in gaining her MA in Education."

"We are all very proud of her," Alan said, and his mom kissed him and smiled hugely. "I think we should leave it for Inverness to decide who she wishes to accompany her to Colorado."

"Yes fine, but she'll pick we three. Sylvester Nash will manage the ranch while we are away."