Erika

I grew up on a farm/ranch on the northern edge of the Permian Basin in Texas. We were far enough north that we had adequate water for some truck farming, and good feed for horses and cattle. We were also just south enough to benefit from the oil booms.

Mom's great grandfather was an engineer and land speculator who made a fortune off the oil boom of the twenties. He used much of his fortune to buy out farmers who were going to lose their farms during the Depression. He picked some of the choicest acreage for our family to farm.

They didn't always have any money, but they always had food and a roof over their heads.

In the 1950s, he began selling off some of the extra land: acreage he bought for twenty-five cents and acre, he sold for ten dollars. In the 1990's, my father began selling off more land for seven hundred to a thousand dollars an acre! He kept about seven hundred acres for light ranching and to give me as an inheritance.

Mom and Dad sent me off to college, where I earned an engineering degree. I came home in 2000 to help Mom after Dad passed away.

I had a decent job with the State, and along with my inheritance, lived a very comfortable life. I didn't owe anything, so I could splurge whenever I wanted. Living on the ranch was nice: I'd inherited my parents' love for the place, and raised a few dozen head of cattle, and a couple of horses.

I didn't date much: I discovered quickly, most of the girls I knew also knew about my ranch and assumed I had more money than I really had! And none of them wanted to live on a ranch away from town. Mom said I would eventually find someone.

Mom passed away a couple of years later, and the house felt incredibly lonely. I was contemplating selling everything and moving away, but I never could quite find the time to get rid of my livestock. As soon as I started working the cattle, I would forget my cares and loneliness.

Most Saturday mornings, I'd go into town for coffee and breakfast. I'd joke around with the waitress, Martha, then go by the feed store, before returning home. A typical Saturday: a couple of hours, then home. Martha, who was a few years older than I, had a "friends with benefits" relationship. Occasionally, we'd make plans for Saturday night.

This Saturday was different. The Greyhound bus usually stopped here to let passengers have a break. When it left, a young woman stayed behind. She was dressed Goth style, with jet black hair, tattoos and nose piercings.

I heard her asking how far it was to the old Henry farm. I looked up and gave her a closer look: she was slender, almost boyish in build. She was also very quiet.

When she realized the farm was twenty miles outside of town, she asked about transportation. A few vulgar remarks from some of the younger men about how she could pay for a ride, drew some angry, and quite vulgar responses. The boys only laughed.

The girl said something about walking, but the waitress told her the walk would take four to five hours, which would be dangerous in the August sun. She slumped and sat in a booth and ordered some food while she thought about her options.

Martha pointed my way and told her something. She looked closely at me before coming over. I motioned her to sit and Martha brought their food over. She had ordered a bowl of soup and a glass of tea.

"Martha, bring her a sandwich, and put it on my bill," I said quietly.

The girl looked at me suspiciously.

I raised my hands and said, "I saw how you inhaled that soup: I figured you might still be hungry. Now, tell me...why did you come to talk to me?"

Looking over at Martha, the girl said, "She said you might give me a ride to the farm, that you live out that way. And she said you would be safe."

Safe...I'm in my mid-forties! I'm not THAT old!

"Why would you want to go there?"

"My father lives there. I couldn't call him to let him know I was coming: I don't have a phone number. I have directions, though."

"I suppose I could drop you there, if you don't mind riding in my old truck."

I waved Martha over.

"I'm Tom. I have to go to the feed store first. If you want anything else, ask Martha."

"I'm Erika. Thank you."

She looked back towards the boys at the counter, then asked, "May I go to the feed store with you? Those guys at the counter make nervous."

I agreed, and we threw her belongings in the back. Erika shrieked when she saw Riley, my Golden Retriever, in the front seat.

"Riley! Get in the back!" I ordered.

He whined and looked at the girl imploringly. Soon Erika was scratching behind his ears and smiling brightly.

I watched her as I loaded feed and supplements. She was short, maybe 5-1, 5-2: it was hard to tell with the platform knee high boots she wore. She might weigh one hundred pounds wet. She was slender almost to the point of being thin. Her black hair was tucked up under a wool watch cap. (That had to be hot!). She spent most of her time petting Riley. I could tell he really liked her, which is a good sign: Riley is a good judge of character!

I hadn't heard of any Henry place: neither had Martha. I talked to a few old timers at the feed store, but most didn't recognize the name. One thought he knew the place, but couldn't place who the current owners were.

Riley kept sticking his head in the opening sliding window on the back of the truck cab. Erika giggled and laughed as he licked her ear. Riley liking her told me as much about her as the words she spoke. I knew she was a decent kid.

"What's your father's name? That would help me find his place."

"Gillespie. Charlie Gillespie," she said with a smile.

Charlie Gillespie.

My blood ran cold. He was the meanest man I'd ever met. A drunk. A bully who got into fights whenever he came into town: often over minor things. Anything could be an insult, could trigger his rage. I'd heard his wife kicked him out years ago after he'd beat her and his kid.

I looked over at Erika. Why would this sweet young girl want to go live with him?

I also knew she wouldn't be able: Charlie was killed in a bar fight in Juarez a couple of years earlier. His place was close to mine. It had been foreclosed upon earlier this year, but no one had bought it.

I pulled over to the side of the road. I told her about her father's death, but nothing about his personality.

Erika began crying and screaming at me, "YOU'RE LYING! YOU'RE LIKE ALL THE OTHER MEN! YOU JUST PRETEND TO CARE ABOUT ME SO YOU CAN FUCK ME! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!"

She got out of the truck and began walking back to town. Riley whined, then jumped out after her. They walked a couple of hundred yards up the highway. Erika slumped to the grass: Riley lay next to her. I stayed where I was and watched her.

After a few minutes, I noticed she was hugging Riley and crying. Thirty minutes later, she stood and walked back to the truck.

"Would you like me to take you back to town? We can stop by the Sheriff's office: he can fill you in, and give you Charlie's effects. We didn't know who to contact."

"I'M NOT A RUNAWAY! I'M NINETEEN!"

I waited a moment and let her calm down.

"Can you take me to his place? I want to see where he lived: where I would have lived."

We pulled into the drive and I could tell no one had lived here in quite a while. The front door was off its hinges, and there were no power lines leading to the house: that meant the well wouldn't work, assuming the pump did work. There would be no one waiting for her.

"I haven't seen him in several years. He sent me a letter when I was thirteen telling me I could come live with him, if I wanted."

I was quiet as we looked through the house. You could tell Charlie lived here: There were pictures of him with a trophy buck, pictures of him with a large bass, pictures of him with his buddies. What was missing were pictures of him with his little girl. There were no pictures of Erika anywhere!

Erika ran back to my truck: she was biting back the tears. She wrapped her arms around me and sobbed.

"He never meant for me to come live with him! It was just a lie! He didn't even have a picture of me!"

By now, it was getting dark. I asked where she planned to stay the night.

"I dunno...maybe under a picnic table. I'm out of money. I can't even buy bus fare home, even if I wanted to go home!"

She began sobbing harder.

"I'm so stupid! What am I going to do now?"

"I have an extra room: stay tonight, and tomorrow we can figure things out."

"I'm not going to bed with you!" she glared.

"I wasn't planning on it," I replied. "Although, Riley might hop up into bed with you if you're not careful."

She smiled, then let Riley in the front seat, and crawled in next to him. She hugged him the ride back to my place.

Erika almost made it onto the porch before Ben and Sally, my two cattle dogs, came rushing up to greet her. She was on the ground with three big dogs eagerly licking her face. I would have pulled them off, but she was laughing and eating up all the affection pouring from my dogs.

"Enough!" I roared. "Heel!"

All three obediently stood to my side, though I could tell Riley was struggling.

"Erika, when I release him, call Riley and tell him to heel. It seems he wants to be with you."

"Riley, at ease!"

"Riley, heel!" she called.

Riley immediately ran to her side. Erika was highly pleased. She already loved Riley, and it seemed he loved her.

I dismissed Ben and Sally, and they ran back to the barn. I walked inside and called Erika in. Of course, Riley came in behind her.

"You can put your things upstairs, the door to your right, and clean up. The room has its own bathroom. And it locks from the inside only."

"Uh...I don't have any clean clothes," she replied sheepishly.

"Some of my mother's old clothes are still in the dresser: some jeans and tops. Nothing fancy, just plain stuff she wore around the farm. She was small, like you. They might fit."

"Are she sure she won't mind?"

"I'm sure."

Riley came down to supper wearing some jeans and an old tee. The clothes were a little baggy, but Mom's shoes seemed to fit well enough. She looked stunningly different: she left her shoulder length hair down and removed her nose ring and most of her earrings. I saw fewer tattoos than expected!

"Supper smells wonderful!"

I'd reheated some leftover chicken and dumplings and made a pan of cornbread. I cut up an apple and a banana to go along with it. Erika devoured it like it was the best meal she'd ever had!

I could tell she was exhausted: she fell asleep watching TV while I cleaned the kitchen. I carried her up to her room, removed the shoes, and then covered her a blanket.

I poured a glass of whiskey and thought about what to do about Erika. All three of my dogs were strays I'd adopted. It seemed another stray was at my door!

Just after dawn the next morning, I was sitting on my back porch, drinking a cup of coffee. Erika, appeared with a cup of her own.

"Sleep well?" I asked.

"Well enough," she replied. "Although, Riley snores!"

We both laughed: Riley does snore, and kick, and chase rabbits in his sleep.

"Thank you," she said softly. "Thank you for not...I would have let you if you'd wanted."

I didn't have a good answer for that, so I kept quiet.

"Would you like me to fix breakfast?' she asked.

"I need to check on my livestock, first: I didn't do it yesterday."

"Well...okay...Can I come with you?"

"There are boots in the closet that should fit. Hurry back."

Erika returned a couple of minutes later and jumped in the truck. I loaded the dogs in the back, and headed down the highway to the pastures. We drove down a county road until we reached my gate. I gave Erika the lock combination and she eagerly jumped out to open the gate.

We parked on a low rise and I honked the horn: the cows would soon appear. I sent Ben and Sally to hurry them on. I only had twenty head, so tending them wouldn't take long. I showed Erika how to feed them range cubes from the palm of her hand. She laughed excitedly once she overcame her fear. I dusted the cattle for flies and then we went back to the house.

Erika followed me to the barn. We waited a few minutes, then my two horse trotted over. Badger, the stallion, was a cantankerous beast, and tried to bite us, but I swatted his nose and he behaved. Amy, Mom's horse, was a gentle older mare. She let Erika feed her some carrots and pet her. Of, course, the dogs were under foot demanding attention, too.

By then, it was after ten. We decide to have an early lunch. Erika fried up bacon and eggs for sandwiches while I took care of some household chores.

We took our plates outside and sat at an old picnic table under the trees. While hot outside, a gentle breeze kept everything comfortable. We sat back as Erika told me why she really came.

---

I knew my father was a jerk when he lived with us, but I thought maybe he'd changed enough to want me around. And things were getting bad at home.

Mom and I moved in with her latest boyfriend. He was domineering and abusive to Mom, but she just took it. It was nothing for him to demand she give him a blowjob in front of me and his friends. Sometimes he'd have her give his friends blowjobs.

She'd be dressed to go to work, and he'd pull her back in and fuck her. Several times she was late to work!

If either of us displeased him, he would pull down our panties and take his belt to us. If I was the one who made him angry, he'd beat me first, then beat her for not teaching me to behave better!

Mom would just make excuses for him: he'd had a hard life, he'd had a bad day at work, or he was having to take care of us! We needed to remember we owed him! Mom already handed her paychecks to him!

It only got worse when I turned eighteen. I knew he wanted me, but he wouldn't risk raping a minor charges. I came in from my part time job and he cornered me in the living room.

"It's about time you earned your keep if you want to keep living here, and I know just the way to earn it!"

I was already giving him half my paycheck as rent as it was!

He ordered me to kneel. While Mom watched, he forced me to suck him off.

"I know you like doing this: I've seen you with your boyfriends!"

He was right, I love sucking cock: I usually ended a date by giving my boyfriend a blowjob in the bushes. I never let any of them fuck me, though.

I only had a few more weeks of high school. I could give him head till I graduated, then, I would leave. I would suck him two or three times a week. Fortunately, I was usually working when his friends came by.

Then I heard something that frightened me deeply!

He'd planned a special graduation party for me: he was going to fuck me, then let his friends use me and my mom any way they saw fit!

I secretly packed some clothes and what cash I had saved. I hid my stuff in the school restroom. After the ceremony, I quickly changed and stuffed my robes in the trash. I snuck out of the school before Mom's boyfriend could find me. I caught the first bus out of town.

For the past year, I worked where I could and turned tricks and lived on the street when I had to. I remembered my father's letter, and decided to find him. And look how that turned out!

---

I held Erika as she cried. Finally, she wiped her eyes and smiled.

"I guess I need to find a job and a place to stay!"

"Erika, you can stay with me. I will take you into town in the mornings and pick you up when I get off work. You can eat at the diner: Martha will put it on my tab, and you can repay me later. You can stay here until you find a place. If you can use any of the clothes, you are more than welcome to them."

She hugged me and thanked me, swearing to repay me when she could.

"First thing tomorrow morning, we need to stop by the Sherriff's office."

"I already told you I'm nineteen! I'm not runaway! You can't send me back!"

"I'm going to vouch for you: that way he won't think you are homeless, or worse, a prostitute," I replied quietly. "He needs to know you are staying with me. And he needs to know you are Charlie's daughter!"

"Oh..." she replied sheepishly. "I'm sorry."

'Erika, I'm not trying to take advantage of you."

"I know...it's just strange meeting someone nice like you."

That evening, I grilled steaks and potatoes while Erika made a salad. We ate outside again. She slipped little bites under the table to Riley. Afterwards, we sipped on a beer and watched the sun set.

"Tom, it's beautiful here! I never imagined living in the country could be so nice! And so romantic!"

Erika reached over and fondled my cock through my pants. She was smiling as she looked up into my eyes.

"I want to thank you for everything you've done," she said.

"Erika, you don't have to do this!"

"I know! That's why I want to!"

"I need a shower!"

"No...you need a blowjob. I told you earlier, I love sucking cock!"

She unzipped me and pulled me free. She kissed the head, then slid her warm, moist mouth down my shaft. It had been a few weeks since Martha and I had been together. I came almost immediately.

Erika gave me a pout, then resumed sucking. She slid down my length, then dragged her tongue underneath and sucked as she pulled back. She ran her tongue all over the head and teased my balls with her finger tips. I pulled her head down as I came: I could feel her swallowing as she continued sucking away every last drop. This was, by far, the best blowjob I'd ever received.

She leaned over and kissed me goodnight, before heading off to her room, Riley close behind. I sat outside a while longer. What had just happened?

Erika was way too young for me! What would she do when the gratitude wore off? Would she leave? Was I falling for her? After all, one good blowjob did not a relationship make!

We ate breakfast at the diner the next morning. Martha looked at me, hundreds of questions on the tip of her tongue. As we left, I whispered I'd call her later.

Next stop was the Sheriff's office. The deputy, Pat, was an old friend of mine: he took in all I said and pulled me aside.

"Tom, Charlie didn't have a daughter: he only had one son. He lives somewhere in Alaska!"

He looked at Erika and asked, "Would you care to explain?"

"My father was married when he met Mom: he never told her he was already married. One day, when I was little, he just upped and left. I received a few letters until I was thirteen."

She handed the deputy the letters.

"Yep, that's Charlies' handwriting. I recognize it from all the bad checks he wrote."

Pat went to make some calls. In a few moments, he returned with a box of her father's belongings: nothing of real value.

"Okay, Miss Gillespie, you're all set. Good luck in your job hunt!"

He handed her a list of potential employers as we walked out the door. We went back to the diner so Erika could look them over. I gave her time to herself and went to fill Martha in. My office wasn't expecting me any set time: I'd called in earlier.

"Another stray?" she asked. "This one could be trouble!"

I slipped her a quick kiss and made plans to see her Saturday night.

Charlie's possessions didn't amount to much: a pocket knife, a cheap watch, and his billfold. Nothing to give Erika a picture of her father.

I kissed the top of her head and said, "I'll meet you at the diner around 4:30. Then, we need to swing by the grocery store."

Erika smiled gratefully as I left.

I thought about Martha's 'stray' comment: I needed to talk to Erika about her plans.

I met Erika at the diner and asked if she wanted to eat there or at the ranch.

"The ranch, I guess," she replied quietly.

Erika didn't have much to say while we shopped for groceries. Questions or comments only elicited sullen one-word replies.

"How'd your day go?"

"Okay."

"Any luck?"