A Discouraging Word

I was looking for Mom and Wally to come in when Alan and Nessa came walking in with Uncle Horace, still wearing the cast, going behind carrying his buffalo head cane. I spoke with them for a bit, telling them about my vacation and introducing them to Aaron.

"Ah, you remembered my advice and took it to heart," said Uncle Horace, wagging a finger sticking out of the cast at me. "Smiling, no regrets, and a fine-looking hunk to boot."

Alan, Nessa, and I grinned and Aaron tinged red again before smiling, too.

I was about to get back to work when I thought to ask Nessa about any arrangements for a baby shower; I'd be coming home for that. She promised she'd send me a couple of dates before they decided so I'd be able to attend.

More hugs and introductions followed when Mom and Wally came in a short time later. After that, it settled down and I was counting down the minutes until I got off at 9. Around 7, I sent Aaron off with my house key. We kissed right there by the front door, pressing together so tightly I was afraid the girls were going to spill out of my all-too-abbreviated top. Mr. Perkins saw, of course, and gave me a frown, so I sent Aaron packing and got back to work.

A few minutes later, I ran into Mr. P. for the first time since my PDA. He gave me an even worse version of his frown and crooked and index finger at me.

"I'm in trouble now," I whispered to Carol as we passed each other and I made my way to him.

"Sophie, I saw the way you were looking at that young man earlier and that little display the two of you put on out front."

"Sorry, sir, I didn't mean to go overboard. I'll be sure it won't happen again," I said. While I'd already given my notice, I couldn't afford to be without work for several weeks until my upcoming move.

"Sophie, you've been our best employee for years, so I've got a different idea. Why don't you take the rest of the evening off, with pay, and go home to that young man so you can do as much private displaying of affection as you want. Now, scram."

I thanked him and practically ran, seeing Carol grinning as she said, "Have fun!"

Mr. P. had made sure she could cover before sending me home. I kissed her cheek and was out the door seconds later.

***

Aaron was thrilled when I arrived home early, and equally or even more thrilled when I modeled several different versions of the Barbecutie Pit outfit for him: the regular version with the padded push up bra, tied-off halter top, and short shorts that I wore home; the no bra version of that; the similar no-bra-no-panty version, and, finally, the no-bra-no-panty-no-outfit version. He loved them all, but I think he liked that last one best, particularly when I relaxed the "look, don't touch" rule after modeling all sides of that one.

"You're bringing that outfit to Wichita when you move, right?" he asked as he stood, still fully clothed, holding me, all of me, and kissing as many parts as he could easily reach.

"Emmm, I'll think about it," I teased, tilting his face toward me and kissing him back. I pushed him back, seated on the couch once more where he'd been watching my little show just moments earlier. It was, I decided, time for a different show.

I climbed right on top facing him, buried his face in my breasts, and gave him a little lap dance as he kissed, caressed, and suckled me, and I did what I could to get him out of his clothes. With us seated as we were, that wasn't much so I moved to the side and helped strip him in seconds flat.

I'd been tested for any of Mom's "nasties" and was using birth control pills so we skipped the condoms; I was back on top of him then, in the same position as moments earlier, sinking down and taking him inside and making love to him like I wanted nothing more in the world.

And, to be quite honest, there wasn't, any of the times that evening or any of the times since.

***

Wichita State's fall semester classes started the other day and Mom called tonight to check on how things were going. We spoke about school, Aaron and me, his kids, Ronny, our rooming arrangement, and even little Twinkles for a bit but I sensed something was off.

"Mom, what's going on? Is it Deke? Did Deke call home homesick?" I could see him missing Mom and Wally. Despite the fifteen months between them, those two boys had always been almost like twins, doing most everything together. With him now away in college at Kansas State for the first time, he had her standard instruction to check in every night.

"No, he's actually been calling most nights but he sent me a text tonight and said he was busy and not to worry about him. I think I miss him more than he misses me or this place. Even Wally."

"I doubt that, Mom. He's probably just busy, like he said."

"Maybe, but I've been expecting this night would come ever since he left for school. He's growing up just like you did."

"Oh, Mom, don't put that on me and don't sentence him to the convoluted path I've followed," I said with a chuckle.

Mom laughed, too. "I knew you'd eventually figure it all out, Sweetheart. And I think you have."

I smiled, thinking of that word, "eventually," and how I'd always looked on it as a curse for its discouraging aspect rather than the hope with which I'm sure she'd intended it. While I'm not certain how things will turn out with Aaron, I think I can make a good guess—he told me he loved me last week!—and now I have hope, something I've missed for far too long. Yes, from now on when I hear Mom or anyone else say "eventually," it will be a discouraging word no more.

"Thanks, Mom. It took me a while but I think I have."

The End

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Endnotes:

Thanks again for reading and for your votes and for any follows, favorites, and comments.

While each stands alone, this is the third entry in my "Home on the Range" series, where each story is written rather loosely based on a line in the song and has some ties to the fictional Bettleys Corners, Creek City, and Ashantie County on the Great Plains of western Kansas. Sophie appears as an unnamed minor character in the first and as a secondary character in the second before taking the lead in this. And for those who might wonder, a fourth story is in the preliminary planning stages.

All of the places named in Galveston are real, as is the discussion about the Kansas license plates (except for the fictional Ashantie County part, of course). The unnamed resort is a composite of several resorts in the area, and the riding stable where one can ride on the beach isn't named, but there is such a place that may have some passing resemblance to that pictured herein. The average number of deaths in the U.S. from falling trees is true, too; a falling limb in my yard inspired that research and aspect of the story.

One thing that isn't real is the reference to the newest novel by Allison Daniela Brady. She's a character and romantic suspense author in my story "Mentor" and my upcoming story "Mentee" (if I can ever finish writing it!).