Building A Perfect Life

While Don was climbing the stairs to her door he heard a female voice say, "Oh, you must be Don." I'm Molly's mother Evelyn. We have been so anxious to meet you. She has told me so much about you and of course her aunt Amanda has had a thing or two to say also. Of course we heard about your injury and read about you in the papers but that isn't the same as actually meeting someone. We're all in the back if you'd like to come on over. I told Molly I would try to intercept you if she wasn't ready when you got here.

Evelyn pushed past Don on the stairs and opened Molly's door. She said, "Molly Honey. Don's here and I'm taking him to the back yard. Why don't you come on down when you're ready?"

Don watched as Evelyn moved past him once more then followed her slowly to the back yard. When he turned the corner of the house he could see two other women and three men sitting around with beer while a BBQ grill smoked away.

The only people he recognized was the Veterinarian Charlie Fielding and his wife Amanda who worked in the office of the Store and Vet Clinic. He went to them first and shook hands then was introduced to Molly's uncle and Aunt Jeffery and Abby Fielding then her father Zachary.

Zachary looked at Don and said, "Have a chair son and a beer if you want. Too bad you're going to The Bistro or you could just join us for supper. We're doing a couple racks of ribs. I'd ask you to cancel and stay but Molly would kill me. She has wanted to go to The Bistro for some time now and is really excited about it. Maybe if you get home in time we can get in some 12 ounce curls though."

As he was finishing his sentence Molly came around the corner and said, "Daddy don't you dare try to talk him into staying here. He's my date and we're going out. If he doesn't want to go to The Bistro then we'll go somewhere else but I'm not sharing him with you so you can all put him through the third degree."

Don turned when he heard Molly talking and stood speechless. Molly was a vision of loveliness. Her slightly reddish tinted hair was freshly permed and framed her beautiful face perfectly. She was in the proverbial little blue dress that ended mid thigh and had a low cut bodice. The way her breasts jiggled he was sure there was no bra under. In fact there couldn't be as it was an off the shoulder dress and he saw no bra straps. Don felt his cock twitch and he stammered out, "Molly you look fantastic. We have to go to The Bistro now with you looking like that."

When they arrived at the restaurant they were greeted effusively and taken to their table immediately. Like most superb restaurants the lighting was low, the music just faintly noticeable and the tables covered with linen. As they dined and between courses they learned more about each other. It was so pleasant to find they held many of the same beliefs and liked most of the same things. Already Don felt like he had known Molly for years and years. He faintly remembered hearing her name and seeing her when she was much younger before he went into the service. He had never talked to her much until he went into the store earlier in the summer because she was so much younger than he was. Now he was very happy he had decided to pay that bill personally.

When they got back to Molly's home they sat and visited in the truck for a short time. Finally after leaning into Molly for a short kiss Don got out and helped her from the truck. They started for her stairs when Molly grinned and said, "If you're not too tired we could sit on the patio for a while. I don't think anyone's there now and I just want to sit and relax. I'm really not ready for this evening to end."

Don smiled and took Molly's hand then turned toward the back of her parent's house. The two young people sat in a covered glider swing and gently rocked it back and forth. Molly sighed and leaned against Don then rested her head upon his shoulder. She turned her head up to look at him and said, "Thank you for a wonderful evening Don. I enjoyed the meal immensely and I enjoyed being with you even more."

They sat for several minutes silently for the most part, content to just be in each other's presence. Don turned to look down at Molly and said, "You know Molly I'm happy with you. I feel comfortable and I'm so happy to just be with you. I don't feel the need to fill every minute with conversation or action and I'm happy you feel like that too. Most of the other women I have been with always had to be talking or doing something. We never seemed to have time to just be with one another and to enjoy each other's presence or the evening or whatever."

Molly smiled up at him and just said, "Ummmm. Me too."

Finally Don looked at his watch and grimaced. He leaned down and gave Molly a gentle kiss on the forehead and said, "I hate for this evening to end but I really have to go. I need to combine more corn tomorrow and it's already after 230."

Molly stood and reached her hand out to help Don up. She moved to him and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips then said, "Me too. I mean I hate for the night to be over but I have to go to the store tomorrow and work. Thanks again for a fun time."

Don sat in his truck and watched until Molly closed her door then feeling better than he had felt in years he started his truck and returned to his home. Don was so pumped he had trouble going to sleep when he got home. Finally about 330 sleep took him. He didn't wake until after 9 the next morning but that was ok. By the time he greased the combine it was just barely dry enough to begin picking the corn.

Don worked all day, taking time off for a quick lunch and supper. He picked corn until nearly 530 that evening. Normally he would have worked longer but his truck was full of grain and he had to quit until he emptied it. From the way the fields were yielding he still had a couple more days to go before he had all the corn harvested. He decided to take the load to the elevator that evening so he could have the early morning free.

When Don arrived at the elevator beside the Farm Store he saw a line of other trucks backed up across the parking lot. Obviously other farmers had the same idea as he did. He got into line and sat waiting his turn to weigh and unload. As he was sitting in the cab of his truck he looked up and saw Molly and Tammy coming out of the store. It was just after six p.m. and they had closed for the day.

Without thinking Don laid on the horn and rolled the window down. "Hey Molly," he said and waved.

Molly smiled and began moving toward his truck. Tammy stood and watched with a sad look on her face. When she got to the truck Molly jumped up on the running board and leaned in to give Don a gentle kiss through the open window. Tammy clenched her jaws and moved off toward her car, tears trickling down her cheeks.

Molly stood on the running board for a moment talking to Don then she smiled and jumped down without saying anything. Don was surprised and started to ask her where she was going but she had already moved to the front of the truck. He watched as she came to the passenger side, opened the door and slid into the seat beside him.

Molly turned to face Don and said, "There, that's better. You can roll up the window and we'll be cooler in here now. The thermometer said it was still 101 before I locked up."

Molly stayed in the cab of the truck talking to Don until after he had weighed and unloaded. He drove his truck back into the Farm Store parking lot and they visited some more. Don's stomach growled and Molly giggled. Almost before she quit giggling her stomach growled also. Don smiled and said, "I'm really too tired to go home and cook. I think I'm going down to the café for supper. Do you want to come too?"

"Oh, I couldn't," Molly said. I can go home and fix some left overs or grab a bite at Mom's. besides you fed me last night and you surely don't want to spend more on me tonight."

"Molly I wouldn't have asked you if I hadn't wanted you to go with me. If you have something to do or...OH! I'm sorry. I bet you have another date. I'm sorry I kept you so long!"

Molly giggled once more and said, "Oh, you. NO I don't have another date." Molly looked down at her hands in her lap and blushed a little then continued, "I...I don't date much Don. Until you I had dated everyone in town I had any interest in and, well, none of them were the one. A lot of the guys are really great guys but there was just something missing. You know what I mean?"

Don smiled and without a word he just started the big diesel engine and put the truck in gear. It was only about three blocks to the café so he moved the semi to an out of the way spot and opened the door, leaving it running. He walked around the cab and met Molly as she climbed down from her seat. When she jumped to the ground Don reached up and placed his hands at her waist to assist. She felt Don's grip tighten then she was lifted slightly and pulled toward him. Her arms went out and she braced herself against his shoulders. His face came toward hers and she was awarded a gentle kiss. Don sat her on the ground then very gently and took her hand in his.

Don turned toward the street and they walked hand in hand the three blocks to the café. As they entered Doris, the operator yelled across the room, "Hi you two. Be right with ya."

When she walked up to the table with their water and the menus Doris said, "Hi Don, Molly. Do you need anything else to drink?

Once again as they ate Don and Molly talked but mostly they enjoyed each other's company. They were comfortable together and once again they felt no need to fill every moment with conversation. They would raise their eyes quite often to look at the other and many times they did it at the same time. Molly would always smile and her eyes were sparkling each time.

Finally after they had been there an hour Don once again said, "I really need to go Molly. We didn't get much sleep last night and I have about 400 more acres of corn to get in as soon as I can."

They walked back to Don's truck hand in hand once more; waving occasionally to someone they knew. Many of the old timers who saw them would smile to themselves. It was already getting around town that Don and Molly were dating and everyone seemed to be happy for them. Well everyone except Tammy and her family.

After the morning break at the feed store Tammy came storming into Molly's office. She was crying and began talking immediately through her tears. "Molly how could you do that to me? I thought we were friends. How could you go out with him? And then when I went to the café just now I found out you had dinner with him there last night. You know how I feel about Don. How could you do that?"

Amanda heard Tammy crying and talking to Molly so she came from her office to investigate. She walked into the room and saw Molly sitting with a blank look on her face while Tammy cried. She wrapped her arm around Tammy and led her to the couch where they sat. she looked at the two young women and asked, "What's the matter here?"

Tammy cried harder and said, "She has been going out with Don and I found out last night she even went to the café with him last night after work. How can I get him back if"

Amanda placed a finger on Tammy's lips and said, "Shhh Tammy. Since he's been home has Don ever told you he might get back with you? It seems like I remember him refusing to even talk to you honey. I've heard what happened between you two and I even heard Molly and you talking several months ago. Honey Molly was right then and she is right now. I took the phone call from Don when he asked her for the first date. She didn't call him Tam. He called her. He called her here at work. I know it's hard honey but if he had wanted to call you he would have."

Tammy you made a mistake, a huge mistake and like Molly told you a mistake that most men can never forgive. You were engaged and were supposed to be a one man woman then you gave what you had promised only to Don for the rest of your lives to other men. You need to let it go now Tammy and move on. If you and Don are meant to be it will still happen but if not you need to move on. You know if you really love something or someone, sometimes you have to set it or them free. Honey, this is one of those times."

By now Tammy was crying so hard her whole body was shaking. Molly rose from her desk and moved to the other side of Tammy. The two Fielding women held the crying Tammy until she stopped. She sat looking down at her clenched hands and said, "I know you are both right but I still love him so much and it hurts so badly when I see him with you or when he won't even talk to me."

Tammy looked over at Molly and said, "I'm sorry Molly. I know it's not your fault and I understand why you go out with him. He is so special. I don't blame you for wanting him too. If he is yours now please treat him right. He deserves so much more than I gave him."

Tammy got fire in her eyes then and glared at Molly. She said, "But I'm warning you right now you Bitch. If you hurt him I guarantee, I promise on all I hold dear that I will make you suffer. I caused more than enough pain to last him for the rest of his life."

Tammy rose from the couch and walked out of the room. She looked into the day care room at her child and smiled then, still sniffling she returned to her cash register.

Amanda and Molly looked at each other a moment then Amanda said, "Molly I know you haven't been dating long. Hell, I guess if you count last night you've only had two dates but I've seen how that man looks at you. He's got it bad and if I'm any judge you do too. I knew about Charlie after I had been with him for three weeks and I understand about these things but she's right. He deserves the best just as you do so if it's not going to work, set him free with as little pain as possible."

Molly looked at her aunt and smiled. "Mandy I've already decided. If he'll have me, he's the one. I'm just waiting now for him to realize that. Oh, Mandy, we don't even have to talk. It's so wonderful to just be in the same room with him and to just sit or look at each other or hold hands or touch. I'm so empty already when he's not here with me."

Amanda smiled and rose. Before she left the office she touched Molly's shoulder and said, "I know Honey. That's what true love is. It just completes you to just be in their presence."

Two days later, just before lunch time Don came back into the store. This time he didn't even stand around, he walked to Molly's door and knocked on the jamb. When Molly looked up her face broke out into a glow and a big smile. Don smiled back and said, "Hey Mol. I had to bring in another load. Ya wanna catch some lunch down at the café with me?"

Molly didn't even answer. She just stood, picked up her purse and walked to where Don was standing. As she passed through her door she took his hand and then she said, "Sure, let's go."

Tammy stood and watched as they walked past her register and out the door. Once again tears slid down her cheeks.

After Don and Molly had ordered their lunch Molly reached for Don's hands. She held both of them across the table top and looked into his eyes. She bit her lower lip and said, "Don we need to talk." Well, like most men when he heard those words from a female his stomach clenched and he became worried.

Molly saw the worry and almost fear run across his face. His eyes looked haunted as he sat and waited for her to continue. She gave him a small smile and continued. "I don't know how you feel about me but I'm afraid I already care more for you than may be good for me. A couple of mornings ago Tammy came into my office crying. She had found out about our date and about me having supper with you the night before."

Molly looked up at Don's face and saw his jaws were clenched and it was reddening in anger. Before he could explode she continued, "I know about you and Tammy, hell the whole town knows I suspect and that's partly what I want to talk about. Don Tammy still thinks, or at least hopes you will take her back. I know you don't want to talk to her but if there's any chance of that happening I need to know and if there's not, could you please talk with her. I have to work with her and she is hurting inside from what she did to you. Even if we don't make it Don you need to get some closure with Tammy. We live in a small town and as long as we are all here we will run across one another from time to time."

"I NEVER," Don said, and then lowered his voice, "I never gave her any indication I would take her back. I can't trust her and I am still so angry with her I can't stand to see her. She lied to me; she hid her trip from me so she could go off with her lover, her lovers I suppose, because she told me the father of that child could be any one of six or seven men. How do I know the next time she got angry with me she wouldn't do something like that again? NO. There is no chance in hell we will ever become a couple again with or without you in the picture."

Molly gasped when Don said that. She tightened her grip on his hands and said, "Oh my! I don't think anyone realizes she did something like that. All I ever knew was she had cheated on you. OH, my! But that still...Honey you need some closure on this and I still think you should talk to her. Even if you move on to someone else after me you need to get things finished once and for all with Tammy."

"Damn it, I thought I had finished things once and for all with that skank. I...Never mind. I'll think about it."

About that time their meals arrived. It was a very somber meal this time, not nearly as enjoyable for either of them as the ones previous had been. They finished and walked back to the store side by side but this time they did not hold hands. Don did not enter the store. He just looked at Molly and said, "I'll see ya later."

Molly felt her heart break when Don just walked away from her. She knew she was right in what she told him but she was afraid. She was afraid that even though it needed saying, that Don needed the closure as did Tammy, that she had hurt Don's feelings enough he would think less of her.

Amanda had seen the two walk up to the door and she saw the tension between them. She followed Molly into her office and asked, "Is something wrong Molly?"

Molly looked up at Amanda and she saw the moisture in Molly's eyes. "Yes. NO. Oh, I don't know. I told Don he really needed to get things straight with Tammy and I just don't know. He seemed so angry and when he left me at the door he was so abrupt I just..."

Amanda sighed and said, "You were right Honey. Those two need to settle this thing once and for all. If the two of you are meant to be this will only be a little bump in the road and if not, it's the best time to find that out you know."

Molly didn't hear from or see Don the rest of the week. She was beginning to believe she had screwed up royally but Amanda was right. Don and Tammy needed to finish their relationship and bury it before...before what?

It was Friday evening and Molly didn't have to work the next day. She went home at her normal time feeling so lonesome she didn't know what to do. She and Don had only been seeing each other for about four months and she missed him so much...

About 830 Molly's phone rang. When she picked it up Don was on the other end. He said, "Molly? I know it's short notice but could you either come over to my house or could I come see you for a moment?"

"What? Now? Why, what's so important..." Molly felt the bottom fall out of her stomach. She thought 'oh, GOD, it's over and...' Molly decided if he was dumping her she wanted to do it in his house so she could get away and go home for a nice cry without worrying about getting him out of her house. She said, "I'll be right over. I'm not sure I want you in my house!"