Forces of Nature

"Okay... TMI...!" Cheryl shuddered.

"From what I hear, she wants to give him babies... lots of babies." Stella said putting another round in front of the ladies. "She's had the hots for him since she was a little girl. With him still missing Brandy... he loved her like no tomorrow." They all sighed at the loss of their friend. "She took her best shot. She's hoping she's pregnant so they can be together. She also said his will be the only cock to ever get inside her. There's a girl who knows what she wants and is willing to go for it."

"Yeah well she needed to wait another month." Pat huffed. "Seventeen is seventeen even if by a day."

"Does he want to get married again?" Lynn asked, not knowing the history.

"She has him wrapped..." Pat took a drink. "He was almost back to his old self, before they were caught. I mean I knew something was going on, but until it all came out... It wasn't my business and he deserves to be happy." She shrugged.

"Well, if she isn't pregnant, it isn't for the lack of her trying." Judy came up and joined the group. "I personally hope she is, and they get married. She of age now and it will go a long way in helping him keep his job."

"Didn't she think of protection?" Lynn asked. "I mean, she is young, she might want to do something else and if she's trapped by having kids so young."

"Lora has never been young." Pat told Lynn. "She grew up hard and fast."

"She knew what she wanted, and planned for it. She wants nothing more than to be the best wife and mommy on the planet. She's had her eye on Willis every since she helped with Brandy while she was so sick. I think she was afraid he would think of her only as a friend if she didn't... well anyway. No matter what they say, he's a great Sherriff and she'll make him a great wife." Judy wiped her eyes and tried to smile.

"Here's to love finding a way." Cheryl toasted with the girls.

"To Love...." They drank and slowly separated.

*****

A few days later, Lynn saw Cheryl standing outside of her work and she walked by. "How's life treating you?" Lynn smiled.

"Better if you ever decided to loosen your morals enough to let me seduce you." Cheryl teased.

"Sorry, you'll just have to pine away until you're ready for a real commitment." Lynn smiled and tugged her shirt away from her breasts, so the other woman wouldn't notice her hard nipples.

"Sorry, but I know where that leads, and I'll never go there willingly." Cheryl said and looked over her shoulder to see if Ida was finished with her private phone call.

"I'd hoped, since you toasted to love the other night." Lynn looked at her friend and wondered.

"Yeah and when he cheats on her or she cheats on him... the kids will have to live with the mess. By the way, Lora got her wish... she's knocked up and ecstatic about it. Since Willis is on paid leave, they're planning a trip to Vegas or some where to make it official. She's bragging how he broke her cherry and made her his woman."

"I hope they know what they're doing... one day you're going to have to tell me who made you so bitter." She brushed her hand down Cheryl's arm. "Well I have to go and Miss Ida is waving for you." She went to pull away but Cheryl stopped her.

"And someday you're going to have to tell me why you're so stubborn. I know you're interested." She kissed Lynn's cheek and spun to go back inside.

Lynn sighed watching her walk away. "Because, I have to trust who I give myself to." She walked back to the library with her bag lunch and hoped that her boss didn't hear of their kiss.

"Yes Ida..." Cheryl asked as she sat at her desk.

"Careful with that one... She's one of them all or nothing types." Ida's eyes followed the sway of Lynn's hips. "She just might be enough to settle you down." She smiled wistfully. "Anyway, I was thinking about hiring another girl. Look at the applications and see if you find anyone worth the effort. And make sure she's straight. I hate to make that a condition, but she has to be above reproach."

"Married or single?" Cheryl took notes.

"Married preferably, but that's not a major consideration. I want someone we both can work with, that doesn't have any negative vices. Do full background checks." She sighed and looked at Cheryl.

"What else?" Cheryl knew something was up.

"I hate to ask, but can you please be a bit more discrete? I mean I don't want to listen to Mr. Tambour complain about the noise you and his tenant make at all hours of the night."

"Hey, we don't make that much noise and I'm not the only one." Cheryl complained.

"He thinks you're having orgies up there. Or making porn... Either way, we both have to be more careful until this thing is settled."

"What thing?" She looked at her boss. "What Bunny does when I'm not there isn't my business.... Did you finally break down and talk to Deloris?"

"Why do you worry about two old biddies talking so much?" Ida blushed. "The city council is having a hearing on the application of another title company's permits. Fair trade, monopoly, and equal competition. All that prattle. I can garner some sympathy, not that I want it... but there are a lot of people talking about loose morals and all that rubbish."

"Okay..." Cheryl scratched her head. "What are our clients saying?"

"The long term ones are fine, but we need a few more new ones to pay for the new hire. It was Deloris's idea." Ida blushed again.

"To bad you couldn't hire her..." She smiled at her boss. "Has she seduced you yet?"

"I'd never... I um, won't be a cheat... I um... ohhh you... Never you mind." Ida was blushing like a school girl with her first crush. "Why are you so concerned about what Deloris and I do?"

"Because, she makes you happy. When you're happy, I'm happy... and we don't get all bitchy with each other. You deserve to be happy after putting up with his shit for so long." She was going to say more, but stopped herself. She knew if she finished her thought, it would make her just as bad as her parents.

"What... are you okay? You got a look of pain on your face." Ida was concerned.

"Naw, I was just going to say... maybe he could find his little blue pills, get with his favorite hooker, and stroke out or something... but that's just mean." Cheryl covered her real thoughts.

"Tempting as that sounds... and I have thought about it... it would be tantamount to murder. He's already about ready to blow a gasket." Ida smiled sadly.

"And still on the none plan!" She grinned evilly.

"Yeah, the porn he looks at doesn't get him there without his little helper. He's been doing a lot of begging, but I will not get a disease because he refuses to use protection!"

"Why did you marry him? Didn't you know he was like this before you said I do?" Cheryl logged into her computer to look at any new postings and her email.

"Sweetie, you have to remember that things were different when we got married. I mean he was going towards the hippy culture, but still we had appearances to keep up. My dad thought it was a fine match, the best he could do for me." Ida looked off into space.

"You're not that old." Cheryl read her mail without looking up. "We'll have two bank repos and one clearance letter coming up tomorrow."

"Oh joy." Ida sighed.

"So, why did you do what your father dictated?" Cheryl went back to their conversation.

"Because he didn't have a son and my mother couldn't carry another child to term. He needed me settled so he could either train me to take over the business or give it to my husband. Lucky for me Walter can't add two plus two and get four. But, at least I was married and doing what a good daughter is supposed to do. My father wasn't a bad man, just a product of his time. Back then what daughters wanted really didn't come up in the conversation."

"Why didn't you divorce him when you caught him the first time?"

"I couldn't... and can't. In my church, the woman isn't allowed to get a divorce. He's the man. I'm supposed to forgive his weakness and be a dutiful wife. You have to remember that over half of my business comes from people in my church."

"That's totally not fair." Cheryl looked at her boss with a new understanding.

"But it's the facts of life. I have to eat crow and put up with his... whatever you want to call it. Until death do us part, my tryst with Deloris notwithstanding." Ida looked her stunned employee. "I trust you will never confirm what only has been rumored for many years?"

"Like I have room to talk. My lips are sealed!" Cheryl crossed her heart. "Not that I can see why people are so catty about it. Isn't Deloris a war widow?"

"Yeah and never remarried when everyone thought she should. Remember in my day you didn't have to earn your reputation. If you didn't follow the party line, they filled in the blanks themselves." She reached for the phone. "Brownville Title..."

*****

"So, have you gone on any dates?" Judy asked, while Stella set the table.

"Nope, not yet, I'm still settling in. No rush on my part." Lynn handed her the dessert she made for the evening. "How is the town council thing going?"

"Daddy is having stress attacks and momma is worried. They're calling special session to see if they are going to repeal the last election or just go after Willis and Maynard. Of the two, I think Maynard should be shot. He took a lot of the retirement fund and either lost it or shipped it overseas. The DA has turned it over to the Federal people and it's just a mess." Judy sighed.

"Don is making an ass of himself, trying to keep the morality thing out there. He's sponsoring Jerry Dawson... like that old coot can find his own glasses most days." Stella said as she pulled the rolls out of the oven.

"Well I have that young reporter looking at some of Don's activities. He's young and eager. He's trying to make his mark and get some work." Judy answered.

"As long as he doesn't step over the bounds of good taste. We don't need any more trash reporting in this town." Stella argued with her lover.

"What is your dad saying about the Sherriff and his situation?" Lynn sat down and watched the couple work together even as they had different points of view.

"Daddy is trying to stay out of that one. It helped that Lora wrote into the paper and admitted that she claimed she was older, so she could get to things she had been dreaming about. He's still trying to wrap his head around her going from town pariah to the wife of the sheriff so fast."

"What's her story?" Lynn asked and helped set the table.

"Her momma was a tramp and her papa a drunk. They died when their trailer burned down after a drunken fight. She stayed with her uncle, but that wasn't much better. Everyone was surprised when Brandy took her in when she got sick. They were like two peas in a pod until...." Judy sniffed back tears.

"I guess that's when she set her eyes on Willis. She's been there and helped more than most. She disappeared for awhile, but no one was surprised when she showed back up at his door." Stella added.

"She got her GED and was looking for work they say... It's hard to separate rumor from fact, since neither are talking other than to say that they love each other and are willing to pay the price for doing what they did." Judy finished. "Let's eat... I'm starved."

"You know Pat is interested..." Stella set her famous Chicken bake next to the large tossed salad.

"She's nice, but not really my type. If I wanted what she's offering, I'd date a man." Lynn laughed. "She's a good friend, but nothing more than that."

"Anyone we know in the running?" Judy asked as she sat down. "You mind if we say grace?" After the blessing of the food, she pressed on. "Well?"

"Not really. I mean Cheryl is nice and makes me feel... things, but with her commitment problem... I just don't know."

"Yeah, she's a good friend, but has broken more hearts than Casanova." Stella put her hand over Judy's and served. They chatted through dinner and dessert. Lynn was happy she found people she could relax with.

*****

Across town, another couple was dealing with information they had no idea what to do with. "I can't just publish these... You know what I feel about tabloid publishing." The young man told his companion.

"I know darling, but you can't let him get away with living a lie either." They looked at the sharp pictures. "Not using protection is a big no, no too. He has a family."

"But we can't just out him. What would that make us look like?" He sighed, flipping through picture after picture.

"Honey, we have to do something. I mean he is making life miserable for everyone." They pulled out an image and turned over the rest. "I bet that was when he was screaming to be taken to heaven. I wonder if his wife knows?"

"I will not blackmail a gay man, no matter how far in the closet he is. What if they did that to us? I refuse to stoop to that level."

"I don't see it that way dear... we're just letting the truth be known and maybe...."

"No... I feel dirty just looking at these!"

"Sweetie, that's not what you said in the car... he's a hypocrite... could be a gay porn star too, but still." A hand reached over and rubbed the throbbing member trapped in snug pants. "Oh, this head likes what it sees."

"Thomas, stop that... still tender from before." He moved his lover's hand from his sensitive member. "I didn't say it didn't excite me, but what if someone crept up and took pictures of us?"

"You're the reporter... I'm just the flunky and sexual relief." He sighed and stopped teasing his partner. "I say give him a chance to come clean. I say, give him enough rope to hang himself with. Let him bow out gracefully. If he does, then we can give him and his lover the pictures to do with what they want."

"And if he doesn't?" He adjusted himself.

"Then send a copy of that one to his wife. She should know what he does so she can protect herself. She has kids. She can't afford to get AIDS because he likes getting it bareback. And you thought I was a cum-slut when I'm horny." He flipped over the picture and leaned back into their couch and rubbed his lover's back. "Men like him give all of us a bad name."

"I still feel like a perv, for taking those. I was just looking for something I could use for a good story. I don't want to destroy anyone. I know what I had to live though in college because my roommate outed me."

"I know darling... but still, you don't have to out him, just let him know that someone knows what he does." He gathered up all the pictures and put them into a protective sleeve. "Give him the choice. It's more than you were given."

"But how, without it looking like blackmail?" He leaned back and sighed.

"Go to the library and send the ever anonymous email. If he doesn't respond, send him one of the clean pictures. If he still is stubborn, send his wife one of the dirty ones. If he still won't do what's right, then send his wife a copy of all of the pictures. If she wants them published, she can do it and our hands are clean. When it's all said and done, we'll burn the camera card."

"If that what you think is best... I still hate doing this."

*****

"Hey, Cheryl, how is Ida doing?" Pat walked up and took the offered cigarette.

"She's holding it together." Cheryl stepped back. "You need to slow down on our smoking. The smell is horrid."

"Yeah, I know." Pat snuffed the butt. "You'll never guess who showed up at work today?"

"Um, with the look on your face, the Sheriff and his bulging bride?" She smiled at the look on Pat's face. "So, what happened?"

"He's insisting on being reinstated since everything is legal now. He slapped his marriage license on the desk and had his lawyer behind him with a lawsuit ready to file. It was fun to watch the look on their faces... they're holding a special meeting next week on a referendum."

"Is it open to the public? I'd like to see that." Cheryl smiled evilly.

"Nope... closed door, but I'll be there as security, so I'll let you know what happens. When are you going to ask Lynn out? I see the way she looks at you."

"She still has a hang-up about my life-style. She's all about waiting for the one." She shrugged impotently. "She's driving me crazy. How did you fair?"

"She's not my type... besides I might have something in the works... don't want to jinx it." Pat held up a finger as her radio squawked into her ear. "Well, I have to go. I'll see you in the Rose Friday." She got into her cruiser and headed off to the call.

"If I don't wear out Bunny by then." She sighed and headed back into work. She wondered what Misty wanted... it was rare for her FWB to call her.

That night, while Lynn was walking to the Rose, she saw Cheryl coming out of the posh condo's on the corner. She also saw the woman they called Bunny. She was mid wave, when she saw them kiss. Lynn's stomach lurched as her eyes caught Cheryl's. She felt like a fool. She bit her lip and walked faster.

Cheryl took her talk with Misty philosophically. She was happy for her. She was also sad that she would be losing her benefits. But if Bunny wanted to try this whole relationship thing with her new girlfriend, she wouldn't stand in the way of their pain. She kissed her friend as they exited Bunny's complex. Once she broke the kiss, she caught the movement in the corner of her eye. She saw Lynn waving. She also saw the look on her face and felt like shit.

"What the hell is that all about?" She grumbled under her breath.

"That woman is half in love with you and just saw us kissing. Don't be such a stupid bitch! She's still a virgin for god's sake." Misty sighed dramatically. "Just because your parents are perverted assholes, doesn't mean everyone is." Bunny huffed and walked away.

Cheryl shook her head and started walking to the Rose. "It's not like I'm lying about anything." She mumbled. "I've never lied to her, or done anything but be honest with her." She figured that if she was ever going to get anywhere with the stubborn Lynn, they'd have to have it out.

Lynn was quietly sipping her drink, when she felt Cheryl come in. She didn't have to look when the door chime sounded; she knew... she always knew. She felt it in her chest. But... she wasn't about to let her standards slip because some pretty woman made her heart go pitter-patter. Besides, she looked more than comfortable with the other sex-bomb of the town.

"Hey kid, how's tricks?" Cheryl tried for light hearted.

"Where's your girlfriend?" Lynn couldn't make eye contact or keep the bitterness out of her voice. She didn't want to make a bigger fool of herself.

"Who... Bunny...? We're just friends." Cheryl shrugged it off.

"Looked like more than friends to me..." Lynn bit her lip to silence what she wanted to say.

"What's your deal anyway? Look at me will you...." Cheryl huffed and touched Lynn's chin to turn her head.

"No deal... I don't have a hold on you. You're free to do whatever with whoever!" Lynn got angry. Didn't she know how much it hurt to care for someone and not have it returned?

"Bullshit...! What's with you? Why are you holding out like some idiot out of the dark ages?" Cheryl was churned up already and wanted nothing more than to let herself get lost in Lynn's embrace.

"Who messed you up? Who broke your heart so bad you refuse to even look at a real chance at love?" She motioned Stella for another drink. "Don't you know what you're doing to your soul? Don't you care?" Lynn was also wound up.

"Are you bothering her?" Stella came up with the drink and scowled at Cheryl.

"No, I'm just trying to get some answers... give me a double and put her tab with mine... we need to clear the air about some things is all." Cheryl didn't look at Stella as she made her order. "Why don't we go get the booth... a bit more private for this?"

"Why...? Why even bother?" Lynn asked, her heart breaking in her chest.