A Family Affair Ch. 01

Chapter 1

Their bodies were slick with sweat. What they were doing was forbidden and they both knew it. If anyone found out about their stolen hour once a week they could lose so much. But to be together they would have risked much more. To them it was more than sex though that's what started their meetings. It was love that bound then to each other, the kind of love that many people only dream about.

Together they lay with still tangled limbs in her bed. The sun was casting shadows around the room as it shone hotly through the window. It was mid-day and sweltering with the usual July heat of Kentucky. However most locals would smirk and say it's not hot, it's humid. Despite the wet heat neither moved away from the embrace. In a few minutes he would have to get up and go to work.

Cathryn sighed as she rubbed her cheek against her lover's chest. It was hard and lean. There was a fine sprinkling of golden hair that tapered down over his tanned torso to the junction between his thighs.

Smiling she let her hand drift up from where it rested on his leg to that junction the squeeze playfully. Her face still tingled from the coarse whiskers on his face. He had forgotten to shave but it didn't matter. She preferred when he didn't. It wasn't anything a little lotion wouldn't fix.

When her clever fingers closed over him Sam groaned. He knew that she was just teasing him. There wouldn't be time for another round. He had been staring at the bedroom. It was a beautiful room, decorated in sage, russet, and gold. They lay in the center of the queen size cherry four post bed.

A bed that should have been his, Sam thought to himself. He felt no guilt for loving another man's wife. His upbringing demanded that he did. But his heart was ruling his emotions and it wasn't letting him feel any remorse.

Slowly Sam pulled his arm from under Cathryn's neck and sat up. "I need to get ready for work."

"Yeah, I'll go down and fix you a sandwich." Cathryn swung around to her side of the bed and bent to gather her discarded garments.

Sam watched her dress, no matter how many times he saw her he could never get over how beautiful she was. Her warm brown hair was streaked with blonde from the sun. There has been a time when she colored it red or golden blonde but those shades were never as beautiful as her own.

A warm summer's tan graced her arms, shoulders, and legs. Days outside in tank tops and shorts had left Cathryn's body a beautiful golden color and added a sprinkling of freckles across the bridge of her nose and shoulders. The skin that was kept concealed by her clothing was pale in contrast.

Her body was slightly rounded, full in the breasts and hips. There was some fat on her body carried around her middle and in her hips and thighs. But she never obsessed about it. Her motto was that she was happy the way she was and those who didn't like it didn't have to look at her.

Cathryn knew he was watching her and when she finished dressing she looked over at him with a smile. "You better get dressed or you'll be late for work."

"I love you." He said simply and started getting dressed.

Cathryn walked over and touched his cheek. "I love you too."

Downstairs Cathryn deftly build Sam's sandwich. Though the years she learned all of his tastes. True much of that time she spent being his friend, then his family. Humming she stacked bologna on top of bread followed by cheese, then tomato, then pickles, and finally as slice of bread with mayonnaise smeared on it. Next she fixed her own minus the tomato, pickle, and mayo. Cathryn preferred potato chips and mustard on her bologna and cheese.

Cathryn hated housework so there were always a few crumbs on the counters and a couple dishes in the sink waiting to go into the dishwasher. Quietly she padded barefoot to the table nestled in front of the French doors at the rear of the kitchen. The gray tabby was staring in at her so Cathryn left the doors closed despite the heat.

Turning she took two glasses from the honey colored cupboard and went to the refrigerator for the iced tea. Looking up she could her Sam's feet hitting the steps on his way down. He weighed only one hundred and twenty pounds, the stairs were carpeted, and he had on socks but he still sounded like a herd of elephants when he came down.

"You're gorgeous." Sam said as he stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

The kitchen was green too, but it was a deep hunter. Sam loved it, more because it was completely Cathryn's. She designed it from the ground up so to speak. It had been her dream to have a house built since she was a little girl and last year she saw her dreams come true.

"Stop hugging me and eat." Cathryn tapped the back of his hand with a finger. "You'll be late and it's not going to be my fault."

Picking up his sandwich with one hand he turned the other over so he could hold hers across the table. "What are you going to do with the rest of your day?"

"Clean house, do laundry. I need to wash the bed sheets, towels, and my work clothes." Scowling she started at her sandwich and ran her fingers absently against his wrist. "And I don't even want to think about the dust and the cob webs."

Sam finished off his sandwich and downed his tea. "I better go." He stood up and kissed her good-bye. When she started to get up he put his hand on her shoulder. "No stay and finish your sandwich. I'll make it out the door. I love you. Bye."

"Love you too hon."

The driveway was a long path guarded by rows of lush green maple trees. Sam drove his maroon truck down the drive smiling from the after glow of being with the love of his life. Before turning on to the road he caught sight of Maybelle Brown and nodded in greeting to her before turning onto the narrow county road and heading to work.

After he was gone she stood and dumped the plates and glasses in the sink with the other dishes. Switching on the radio, Cathryn sang along with Faith Hill before making her way up stairs.

She stopped at the jewelry box and took out her half carat diamond engagement ring and her wedding band with a quarter carat of diamonds circling the top. She slipped the rings on her left ring finger and closed the lid with a snap. Then she turned to strip the sheets of the bed where she had just made love to her husband's best friend and cousin.

Like always she waited for the shame but like before it never came.

Kent James was eager to get home. It was his wife's day off, which means she probably cooked. Right now he imagined she was sitting on that pretty plaid couch she picked out for the formal living room. She would be reading a book while she waited for the dryer to buzz. When it did she would scowl in its direction and ignore it for a couple more minutes just on principle.

In Kent's mind he imagined the smell of roast beef and gravy with mashed potatoes and green beans. Cathryn would be in the utility room taking clothes out of the dryer. In his mind's eye he would come in the door leading from the garage and she would turn and smile, excited to see him. Then she would come over and give him a kiss hello.

But that wasn't right. Kent shook his head. His wife wasn't the type to greet him with smiles and kisses. She would just continue taking the clothes out and folding them. He knew the routine well.

He pulled into the driveway a few short minutes later and parked his service truck behind the house then walked around to go in the garage. He came in the door and sure enough she was folding clothes. "I'm home."

Hmm, was her only response without even looking up at him. Kent knew the answer to his question before he even asked but he asked anyway. "How are you?"

"Fine." Kent thought the word as she said it.

Sighing to himself Kent bent and took off his shoes. When the house was built Cathryn strictly enforced the 'no shoes past the doorway' rule. "So did Sam come over for lunch today?"

"Yep, he always comes on Wednesdays." She stated simply and placed another towel on the growing pile in the basket.

He stood in the doorway towering over a foot taller than her five foot four inch frame. With a smirk he said. "Maybe I should get jealous."

Cathryn hefted the basket and settled it against her hip and stared up at him wryly before going on to the hallway. "Why? He's been coming on Wednesdays for lunch all summer and a few before that."

Kent stared at his wife's back. He loved her, of that there was no doubt but sometimes he just didn't understand her. It didn't bother him that Sam came over for lunch. He was glad that his wife and his cousin were so close. Family was important to him. If his chosen mate and his favorite family member could be friends he just saw it as a benefit for him.

Walking down the creamy tile hall he paused at the kitchen to sniff. She did cook but not roast like he was hoping but tacos. He sucked in the aroma of spicy beef before he went on to the stair case to change shirts.

He could hear her rattling dishes in the kitchen when he came out of the bedroom so he figured he better go down and eat. There wouldn't be time to do any farm work before she called for supper. "We're having tacos tonight, huh?"

"No this is for the dog. We're having bologna." She quipped as she put the skillet on the table.

"Ha-ha." Kent crossed the room and sat at the table. In the same place that Sam occupied earlier that day. "It's hot in here. Is the air working all right?"

Cathryn looked down at his wide face and pale brown eyes so very unlike his cousin. "No, I was airing out the house earlier and just turned it back on."

"Picked a great day to do it, it's hotter than three hells out there." He stated, not criticizing she knew. It was just his way to state the obvious. "So what did you do today?"

"Can't you tell?" Cathryn looked up with her brows drawn together. When he shrugged she rolled her eyes towards the ceiling. Leave it to her husband not to notice that she had put in a full day on house work. "I fixed lunch for Sam, washed clothes, unloaded the dishwasher, chased dust, swept floors, and fixed your supper. Not that you noticed. Not that you ever notice."

Holding his hands up in surrender, Kent looked stricken. "Okay, sorry. I wasn't paying attention that's all. It looks nice though. And supper is great."

"Thanks." She cringed inwardly as he wolfed down tacos as fast as he could make them.

Sure she never claimed to be skinny or overly health conscience but a person needs limits. Kent was six foot six inches but he was also three hundred pounds or better. Most of his weight was carried around his stomach or was his stomach would be a better description. His pants were fastened below his gut. He was even one of those men that had small fatty breasts.

"Well I'm done." He pushed back from the table. "I'm going out to tear into that tractor."

"Fine." When she heard the door slam behind him Cathryn put her head in her hands and wept like she had done so many times before.

*****

At seven Sam was more that ready for a supper break. Second shift was okay, he didn't hate it like he thought he would when the factory switched him over a year ago. Grant McAllister was waiting for him at the door. "Took you long enough, Jackson, I'm going to starve to death."

Sam looked at him. "It just did turn seven. You cut out early."

Grant started at Weber Drives five months before. It pleased him to find a fast friend in Sam. They were about the same age, both single, and had plenty in common. "So are you coming with me to the Auto Club after work Friday?"

"Why do I want to cross the river and look at strippers? More importantly why do I want to look at strippers period?" Sam said for about the hundredth time to Grant. "I'm just not interested in women I can't touch."

Grant swung his truck into the Burger King parking lot. "Okay I've got a date on Saturday. I'll ask her if she had a friend. A hot friend that's easy."

Sam closed the truck door and followed Grant in the restaurant. Since it was Maysville, there weren't too many places to choose from to eat that were affordable on a day to day basis so the girl behind the counter knew them by name. Every Wednesday night it was Burger King. They had favored spots for every other day of the week too. They ordered and got their food.

When they sat down Grant just stared at him. "So?"

"So what?"

"So what about the date?" Grant smeared ketchup over his fries. "We'll double but drive separately just in case."

"Grant I've told you I don't want fixed up." Sam took a bite out of his flame grilled burger. "I'm involved with someone."

"Ah, the mystery woman, so bring her. I would like to meet her." He knew he wouldn't go for it. He rarely even spoke of her, wouldn't even tell him her name.

"I can't bring her. It's just not possible." Sam knew Grant was dieing to know about his mystery woman. "We don't go out a lot."

"What is she, a recluse? Or maybe you're afraid that she'll get a good look at me and ditch you." He teased trying to pry information.

Sam stared at him from for moment. Maybe it would be good to talk about it, just a little. He wouldn't have to divulge all the details. "She married."

"Married!" Grant sat back in shock. Sam was so straight and narrow he never imagined that him having an affair with a married woman. "Do you realize what you're getting into? If you get caught her husband could kill you?"

"I love her." They were done eating and were just sipping on their sodas.

Shaking his head, Grant was still trying to absorb what his friend was telling him. "You love her? What about her? Does she love you or her husband?"

"Me. We've been together all summer, some even before. Her husband thinks we are just friends. He really has no idea." There wasn't any remorse in his voice just longing. "It's very complicated."

"Man, women are always complicated."

They didn't talk about it any more on their way back to the factory. Instead Grant changed the subject to the up coming NASCAR race. Both settled into the conversation like what was said before was never spoken. When Sam was back at his machine he let his mind wander.

In his head he knew it couldn't go on like it was. Bracken County was a small rural community. People see things you don't want them to, they gossip, and secrets were rarely safe. In the end he knew the affair or the marriage must end. One would leave his heart shattered. The other would tear apart his family.

Like his cousin, family was also important to him. Even though he was long past the age most people move out of their parents house Sam stayed. From there he was able to help out with the farm work during the day. They way it wasn't heaped on his parents shoulders in the evening when they got home from work.

He also like being close by. There was a time when his home life wasn't much to brag about. But things had changed in the last few years. He felt the need to stay near and reconnect with his parents. And since there wasn't a farm for sale anywhere near by Sam just lived at home.

Sam was right about gossips. They were already twittering, sniffing out scandal like a hound on a coon track. In her faded rose armchair Maybelle Brown was talking to her best friend and fiercest rival in the rose garden competition Janice Van Horn. "I tell you Janice, it never fails. Every Wednesday his truck is at her house for an hour or better in broad daylight."

"He goes there for lunch Maybelle." Janice went on. "Sam is Kent's cousin. He's not going to mess with his wife."

Maybelle took a drink from the two liter of Pepsi beside her chair and talked around the Ho-Ho she was cramming in her mouth. "Please Janice, open your eyes. He's there for an hour or more."

"They are friends. They probably sit and talk. I'm telling you you're letting your imagination get the better of you." Janice didn't like to think bad things about people. Even though she had been put on this Earth some forty-seven years before, Janice never stopped looking for the good in people.

Maybelle laughed to herself, her double and triple chins swinging in tandem, Janice was just being to naïve. Just wait she thought to herself, eventually everyone messes up and the truth comes out.

Maybe there would be a baby. Gleeful at the very idea she let Janice change the subject. With half ear she listened for anything she didn't already know. She felt it was her duty to keep abreast of all the latest community news. Right now her mind kept wandering to the love triangle in her own back yard.