A Family Affair Ch. 02

In the darkness he stared at her outline. She had turned him down, again. Sex was a sore subject in their marriage. They had barely been married two and a half years. Sighing Kent realized that the frequency of their sex life had tapered off almost a week after the wedding. Still he could at least count on it once or twice a month. Cathryn was always too tired, not feeling well, or on her period.

Kent rolled over and faced the wall. It had been a month and eight days since they last made love. And the last time she wasn't interested. He tried to make it good for her but she pushed his hands away and told him to get it over with.

She acted like sex was a punishment and living with him was a chore that she hated but did anyway. Perhaps the next day, before the tractor pull, before she got home from work, he would ask Sam if he saw a difference in her lately. He was with her about as often as Kent so maybe she said something.

Cathryn punched the time clock at eight o'clock at Kincaid Lake State Park. Still part way asleep she staggered in the office to pick up the money bag and keys for the Boat Dock. It was her third year down there, second as supervisor.

Even though she was teaching now she held on to the summer job. It was a fun job and the time she put in went towards her retirement. Experience told her that there would be a crowd waiting on her at the bottom of the hill lined up on the wooden dock.

"Hey Carrie, nice morning." She addressed the secretary who happened to also be her sister-in-law.

Carrie looked up from the money bags in front of her. "Morning. Did Bub get up this morning?"

"No, he was still in bed when I left. You know how it works, I wake him, he says 'I'm getting up', and then he goes back to sleep." She picked up her bag and keys. "Well I better get to work. They'll be waiting."

Sure enough there were about ten people waiting on her to open on that bright, sunny morning. It was still cool enough to be bearable. But she knew that it wouldn't take much before it got hot. By the time she got out two pontoons and eight motor boats she was soaked with sweat.

David and Josh didn't get there until noon. For the life of her Cathryn couldn't figure out why one person had to get all the boats out on Saturday mornings but Herald, the park manager, scheduled two people to bring them in at night.

To her left at the counter the phone rang in her ear. Automatically he snagged it from the base. "Good Morning. Thank you for calling Kincaid Lake Boat Dock. This is Cathryn. How may I help you?"

"Hey baby."

Cathryn smiled at the voice. "Sam. What are you doing today?"

"Missing you."

"You'll see me tonight at the pull." 'But Kent will be there' hung in the air between them and went unsaid. "Where are you?"

"In my truck, heading out to load up some square bales, somebody called Kent and wanted some."

"Do they want a lot?"

"He didn't say, just had be meet him at the barn." Cathryn could hear him sigh and waited for him to say more. There seemed to be something on his mind that he wasn't sharing with her. But he didn't continue.

After waiting a minute she asked. "Is everything okay, hon? You sound distracted or upset."

"No just tired." He lied to her.

Cathryn sat down in the ragged blue rolling chair and put her head down on the counter. "Oh, okay. You be careful hon. I love you."

"I love you too. Be good today. I'll see you tonight." Sam pushed the button to disconnect the line. Eyes closed, he put his head against the back of the seat. He had called to tell her the Kent said he wanted to talk to him about her. It was probably nothing so there wasn't any need to worry her.

When he heard Kent's diesel pull up he opened the door and swung out of the truck. Kent was pulling the twenty-four foot gooseneck behind his blue Dodge truck so Sam reached in for his leather gloves. It was going to be a big load then, one that would take the two of them most of the morning to load, deliver, and unload. Maybe Kent would forget that he wanted to talk about Cathryn.

Kent climbed out of his truck and looked at Sam. "You get in the loft and throw 'em down. I'll stack 'em on the trailer."

They worked in silence. The occasional groan and the thud of hay hitting the wooden floor of the gooseneck combined with the chirping birds. Sam scratched the back of his neck. The loft was already sweltering and he was covered in hay dust.

Stopping he looked down to see how Kent was coming along. He was behind so Sam decided on a short break. Tipping his green John Deere hat back he wiped his face with the collar of his shirt. There was hay down the back of his shirt. He could feel it starting to itch between his shoulder blades.

Whoever thought rolling in the hay was fun, he thought to him self, was crazy. He absently rubbed his back against the barn post to relieve some of the itchiness before getting back to work.

Some time later Kent finally yelled up to him, "Two more and that's it. Step out on top the load and I'll throw the straps up to you."

Sam had already jumped out of the loft onto the bales. He stood to the center and waited for the strap to come up. The metal hooks on the ends smarted if you go hit with one. When it was finally tied down, Sam shimmied down the side and climbed in the passenger side of the truck. The air conditioner was like a blessing when Kent fired up the diesel engine. The windows were down with the air wide open. It was an odd but common habit in that part of Kentucky.

They drove by Maybelle Brown's house and waved at her watering her porch planters of impatients. She waved back with a smile that wasn't so much friendly as curious. She found it delightful the handsome lover and the cuckolded husband working together happy as you please.

She wondered if young Sam thought about sticking it to Kent's pretty little wife while he was riding around talking to his cousin. Or maybe the wife thought of the cousin when she was in bed with her husband. And she cries out the lovers name in the throws of passion. Maybelle trembled with excitement causing her many fat rolls to jiggle. The porch groaned under her girth as she crossed to go back into her air conditioning.

Kent was also thinking about his wife but not in the same way as Miss Maybelle. "Sam, can I ask you something?"

Sam cast him a sidelong glance and dug the can of Kodiak out of his pocket and packed it with a few practiced shakes. The sound of his index finger hitting the plastic can was drowned out by the engine noise. "Sure."

Kent sat quiet for a few moments before going on. "You have lunch with Cathryn every week right?"

"Yeah." His hand shook slightly when he put the pinch of wintergreen flavored tobacco between his lower lip and gum. He glanced at Kent and hoped he didn't notice.

"You notice anything different about her? Maybe she said if something was wrong." Kent stared out the truck's windshield. It was humiliating to admit there was something wrong with his marriage.

Relief settled over Sam and he released the breath of air he didn't realize he was holding in. "She never mentioned anything wrong. How is she acting different?"

"Distant. Its like she couldn't give a damn whether I'm there or not." Pausing Kent picked up the Coke bottle they have been spitting their tobacco juice in. He spat before continuing. "We haven't had sex in over a month."

"Man, she probably tired. Doesn't she say that she's worn out all the time? Hell she was working two jobs for the last month until school ended." Sam pushed back the memory of Cathryn on top of him, riding him. Beads of sweat running down her body between her rose tipped breasts just a few days ago. "Besides what was your sex life like before?"

"At least once, maybe twice a month." Kent grumbled. It was even more humiliating to admit that his wife rarely ever wanted to have sex with him.

Sam sat back against the seat. He wanted to know more. Cathryn refused to talk about her sex life with Kent. She said it wouldn't be right. "Was she into it or did she act like she was doing it because you wanted to?"

"I don't know. She was into I guess. You know Cathryn she not much on kissing or anything. I did a lot of the work."

"Oh, I don't know. I don't have much experience in this sort of thing. Hang in there I'm sure it will work out for you."

"Yeah." Kent shook his head and smiled at Sam. "Sorry I dropped all this on you. Here I am bitching because I haven't gotten a piece in a month and you've never gotten a piece."

Sam shifted in his seat and shrugged. The cab got quiet as both men retreated in their own thoughts. In his mind Sam could clearly remember that warm day in the middle of May when he lost his virginity to the women he loved...

...He had just finished tightening the second strand of barbed wire with his cell rang. Grumbling he pulled it off his belt clip and checked the number. It was Kent and Cathryn's house. Must be Cathryn, he thought to him self and answered the phone.

"Hey hon." She always called him hon and it made his heart skip a beat. "I'm going to put on some burgers and fries if you want to come up for lunch."

Sam checked the time on his phone. It was eleven thirty. "Yeah, I'll be up in a bit."

"Great, see you then."

He glanced at the time again and decided to tighten up the last strand before loading up. When he was done he loaded up and drove the dirty, red four-wheeler up over the hill. He was almost to his truck before deciding to change into a clean shirt. The one he had on was stained with dirt, grime, and sweat. After changing he jumped into the old blue Chevy.

He didn't knock when he got there just came in through the garage and slipped his boots off by the door. The house was like a second home to him. Kent and Cathryn's was always a welcome place. Music was blaring from the kitchen so he followed the sound down the tiled hallway.

One of the French doors was open and he could see her standing in front of the grill her mouth and hips moving to the music. The gray tabby was lying contentedly under the table were it had slipped in and opened its yellow-green eyes when he came into the room.

Quietly he stepped out on the wide wrap around porch and tapped on her shoulder. Cathryn jumped, fumbled the spatula, and then dropped it on the floor.

She picked it up off the wooden floor boards and turned on him. "Don't do that. You'll give me a heart attack."

"At twenty-five, I don't think so." Leaning against the railing he watched her. She added the cheese and shut the lid again.

"Go get me a plate. Make yourself useful." She teased.

Stepping back into the kitchen, Sam knew exactly what cabinet to look in even though the whole kitchen was surrounded by them. The everyday dishes were kept on the right side was the stove were they would be handy. The good dishes were stored in the cabinet in the dining room.

When the food was ready she evicted the cat and sat down at the table to eat. They chatted about work and family caught up on what was going on in their lives. Since he went to second shift they rarely got to talk much. Cathryn was excited to be out of school for the summer. It was her first year teaching and was just as ready for a break as the kids. Of course she had started at the park almost a month before she was out.

Sam was finished eating and figured if he left now he could get some more work done before he had to get ready to go to Weber Drives. Cathryn always walked him to the door and watched him put on his boots and to chat some more. He stood up and waited for her to lean in with the kiss she always gave him before he left her house. As expected she leaned forward to kiss his cheek.

He didn't remember why he did it but he turned his head and the kiss landed square on his lips. He had kissed her on the mouth before, when she turned twenty-one and the heat spread to this toes like a wildfire. This time was no different.

Instead of pulling back they both moved forward. His hands settled at her waist, hers fisted in his thick sandy hair. The kiss deepened and their tongues met and mated.

The closed doorway to the garage and the hallway walls offered all the privacy they needed. His hands shook with a tremor of excitement as they made their way under her white t-shirt to find her bare breasts. In an instant they found themselves rolling on the floor wrestling with each other's clothes.

It relieved Sam to see Cathryn's hands shaking as hard as his. She fought desperately with his clothes as her mouth feasted on his mouth, ear, jaw, and neck. Never once seeming to mind that he was filthy with sweat and dirt she feasted on his skin. Finally she had freed his from his tight blue jeans.

When her hand closed over him he almost came undone. The feline purr sounded in her throat as she stroked him. He had to stop her to keep from embarrassing himself. It was difficult to pull her clothes off with her hands and mouth driving him crazy.

There wasn't much finesse in their lovemaking just raw animal need. She was more than ready for him when he entered with a single thrust. She held him there with her legs around this waist and arms around his neck. After a moment Sam felt calm enough to continue. He tried to keep the pace slow to make it last but his body was in control of the action not is mind.

With her back slamming against the cold time floor in time with his thrusts, Cathryn dug her nails into his back. Her eyes were locked with his and she moaned, "Oh god Sam. More. Harder. This is amazing."

He crushed his mouth over hers as he emptied him self inside her. Vaguely he could feel her nails dig deeper into his flesh. Collapsing on top of her, Sam buried his face into her neck. She was panting for air as hard as he was.

Neither spoke as they lay still in the shadowed hall like two fallen soldiers. As the fog of sex eased back from his mind Sam wondered if he did alright by her, if she was satisfied with his fumbling attempts at love making. After all is was over so quickly. He hadn't been that graceful.

Slowly he rose up on his elbows and looked down at her face. Her blue-gray eyes were shining up at him and her lips were spread in a satisfied smile. Without thinking he smiled and whispered, "I love you."

Cathryn took his face in her hands and whispered back, "I love you too. I have for a long time."

There should have been awkwardness between then when they stood up to gather their clothes but there wasn't. Before Sam stepped out the door into the garage Cathryn kissed him good-bye once again.

Sam told himself as he climbed into his truck, next time would be better, next time wouldn't be on the floor, next time he would take time to do the job right.

Then he stopped himself. There couldn't be a next time. She was his cousin's wife. He wanted to beat himself up over the thought. He had betrayed someone he loved. There should be remorse, shame, anything. But there wasn't he loved her. And had for a long time. Still there couldn't be a next time. But there was a next time and a time after that. It kept happening again and again...

...Sam was startled out of his memory by Kent's voice. "Hey we're here. You getting out or are you staying in the truck?"

"I'm coming." He picked up his gloves from the seat beside him and jumped from the truck. The tight denim ground into his erection causing him to wince slightly. Sam hoped Kent didn't notice as they released the straps holding the bales in place. Fortunately he was able to school his thoughts and calm down before he had to make the climb to the top of the hay.

By the time they returned for their delivery it was well past lunch. They headed out to T & S Market in the small town of Berlin. Berlin was one of those towns that if you blink you miss it. It boasted one store that also made pizzas, hoagies, and other foods. It also had a mechanic and small time saw mill. This was also where Kent's parents lived with Kent and Cathryn's place only three minutes away.

They walked into the cool store and went to the back to order waving at Shirley, the S in T & S, on their way past the check out counter. Shirley waved back and watched them walk away. Maybelle had a direct line to Shirley's ear too and had spent the morning telling her about her suspicions.

As the owner of the only local store she felt it was her business to keep up with what was what. A shrewd woman, she ran the store with her husband and an iron fist. Many people preferred to deal directly with her husband Tom rather than her. But she was honest and wasn't about to spread this juicy story any further unless it was true.

There were a few people sitting around at the small tables in the dining area that was added two years before. Most of the customers were old farmers, retired from their fields sitting around, drinking pop, and taking it easy. In the air there was a fine haze of smoke that drifted up from the cigarettes dangling from their lips and from between their fingers.

"Hello Mr. Berry, Mr. Flaugher." Kent spoke to two of them as he sat down. "Think we're going to get any rain?"

"Nope, it's a dry year and gonna stay a dry year," said the man in the beat up cap with some sort of feed logo on it. Mr. Berry was eighty-two if a day and his skin was tanned and wrinkled like old leather. Though his voice was graveled from years of a two pack a day habit he drew in more of the Virginia tobacco. "I haven't seen it this dry since '52."

"It was '51, 'cause I damn near lost my tobacco crop that year." Mr. Flaugher put in. He was a few years younger than his cohort. He sent a toothless superior grin at Berry and scratched his white whiskers on his chin in smug satisfaction.

At the two men started to debate a drought that happened over fifty years ago the boys' food arrived. They smirked at each other and dug into their food. Shirley moved to the back under the pretence of helping clean up after the lunch rush. But she was more interested in the relationship between the cousins. If Sam really was sleeping with Kent's wife like Maybelle thought then he should be acting funny around Kent.

She watched them closely while they ate. There seemed to be no strain or tension between the two men. Sam would look his cousin right in the eye and talk to him like he always did. After they left she picked up the phone.