Jack Johnson - Montana Wilderness

My name is Jack Johnson. I'm a traditional 45 year old divorced male. I was married years ago, to a lovely woman named Caroline. Our marriage was picture perfect; we had a daughter Hailey back in '89. Fifteen years later, Caroline and I knew we were in trouble; Marriage wise. I worked too much, she spent too much and soon we fought about money all the time. So after a stint we decided to divorce. Hailey was devastated, as were we all. She stayed with her mother in our marital home in Atlanta and I being the bigger man walked away so to speak.

Now days, I live in a little town in Montana, the winters are awful but the summers are serene and peaceful. I work as a writer for various magazines and sell produce from the garden I tend. I got lucky really, back in the day I worked as a day trader for a big named company and a buddy of mine Robert Rosenthal, hooked me up with Arlin Jeffrey's who had a bunch of rental properties and time shares in various states.

Arlin was a great guy. As country as they come but a genuinely nice guy none the less. I started meeting Arlin once a month, we'd play golf and talk and I'd give him free stock advice. Well as it turned out when Caroline and I divorced, it rippled through all our social friends and our families. Everyone knew and funny thing was, nobody chose sides which is all too common in divorces.

Our friends were still our friends and our families accepted the fact that Caroline and I just couldn't make it work. I didn't hate Caroline, I hated her spending habits, but she was who she was and I couldn't change that. I knew these things coming into the marriage and I was the one, who was ultimately guilty for letting it go unchecked so long, but those bridges were burned now and I moved on without fear or regret.

My relationship with Hailey was not what I had planned. She and I never really were close except for when she was little, but not at eighteen she was a woman with her own mind and I'm sure she'd inherited her mother's spending habits. I only hoped she found a rich man who would love and take care of her.

I stood up and walked out on the front porch of my rented log cabin and looked across the plain in either direction. As far as I could see was flat land and sunshine. No houses, cars, or people and I loved it that way.

I've always been a solitary man, it's not that I'm stuck up or have some mental defect, I just genuinely enjoy being by myself. I can do what I want when I want, and that's all there is to it. Now before I go any further, let me answer the driving question on all your minds. "What about my sex life?" Well to be honest the only sex life I've had for several years now is with myself, if you know what I mean.

I'd taken to self pleasure like a thirteen year old to a playboy magazine, only these days the internet provided the content for my carnal pleasures. I wasn't ashamed of it, in fact I was outright proud to be able to satisfy myself at a moments notice and not have to go through the fear of rejection, the cuddling, the begging and then the every present lack of interest after a few encounters. Thanks to the internet, I could envision being with a different woman every night. I was happy, healthy and that's all there was to it.

I stepped off the porch, my bare feet onto the dry grass. It was crunchy under foot. It was July and rain was scarce in these parts. The bright sunlight made me squint as I walked to the mailbox and got the post. I never got much, maybe an electric bill and cable bill. Arlin came by once a month like clockwork at 8 am on the 1st day of the month. I'd greet him, we'd have coffee and I'd hand him a check and in turn he'd give me a receipt. After the usual hour of chit chat, he'd always slap his knee and say, "Well, I gotta be getting along." He'd stand and shake my hand and make a bee line for his truck.

He's the only visitor I'd ever had here and that suited me just fine. I stood at the mailbox and wrote out checks to pay my two bills I had received and placed them into the prepaid envelopes, liked them and sealed them and closed the box and raised the flag in completion of my tasks.

I turned back to face the house, and decided it was time to check on the garden, but alas the phone rang. It was probably the wrong number again, but who knows it might be important.

I hurried back to the house and grabbed the phone, "Hello?" The voice on the other end bought back a flood of memories, it was Caroline.

"Jack, listen Hailey has gotten into a spot of trouble and I need her to stay with you for a while. It seems she's been dating a boy in a gang and she's really getting wild and out of hand, just this morning the police showed up here at seven AM and questioned her about her boyfriend's whereabouts last night. I'm afraid she's in over her head and I want to cut this off before we get started."

I barley had time to think about it before Caroline demanded an answer. I shot back,

"Caroline, I can't afford another mouth to feed. I'm barely getting by. What about your new husband Denton, can't he do anything?"

Caroline shot back just as quickly as I, "Don't' bring Denton into this Jack. You know he's not her real father and besides it's time you got off your ass and helped me with your daughter. Listen, I'll pay her expenses if the money's that important to you."

I muddled the idea and decided what the hell, milk her for all she was worth.

"Well, Caroline, I'll do it. It won't be cheap but I'll do it. Now this money is for Hailey, I know that but it'll help me out as well Caroline, how much can you spare, and how long will I have her?"

Caroline covered the mouthpiece of the phone and I could here Denton and her mumbling in the background. I couldn't make out what they were saying but they were eagerly exchanging quips.

She returned to the phone and said, "Denton's bringing her to you with the money Jack. Now where would you like to meet him?"

I thought for a minute and said,

"Missoula International Airport, it's only about fifty miles from Elk Creek Road. "

The line was silent and then she spoke, "Fine, she'll be there tomorrow, her flight will arrive at nine am. Thank you Jack."

That was the last thing she said before the line went silent? I hung up the receiver and looked around my cabin. Where in the hell was I going to put her?

This was a one bedroom cabin and not quite up to a city girls expectations but what the hell. I cleaned all afternoon and did a few loads of laundry and took a trip to town and bought some groceries and supplies and headed back home. I pulled in the driveway at about six pm. It was starting to get dark. I eased into the cabin carrying my bags and sat them on the wooden table. I kicked off my shoes and turned on the TV and began making dinner for myself. I made a quick TV dinner that night and fell asleep watching Nightline as usual.

I awoke at five AM. I showered and dressed and ate breakfast before watering the garden. I knew it was close to eight AM now and I needed fuel before I drove to MIA. I stopped at the little Chevron station up the road and filled up and headed out. The closer I got to MIA the more people I became surrounded with.

I hated them. They were like cockroaches, all scurrying here and there when the lights come on. I put my road rage fury aside and found short term parking and headed inside the terminal. I was early but that's not always a bad thing. I watched people going by, watched the arrival and departure signs change and looked for Hailey but I didn't see her. Caroline hadn't bothered giving me the flight number or carrier, only the time. So here I was, but she was not.

After waiting fifteen more minutes I saw her coming down the escalator with him. Denton Whitcobber, self made millionaire. British, stuck up and an all around ass, but I had the last laugh, because I knew it was a matter of time before Caroline bankrupted him and send that smooth gigolo back to London or wherever it was he came from.

I greeted them at the bottom of the escalator and we walked a few paces to the side. Hailey hugged and kissed m y cheek and said, "Daddy! It's so good to see you. I've missed you!" We hugged for long minutes; I could see Denton acting as bored as he could be. As Hailey wouldn't relinquish her hug, he handed me an envelope and said, "This is for you. Goodbye Hailey, if you need anything at all, just call." With that he turned and found the nearest ticket counter and made his return trip to his lady in waiting in Atlanta.

Hailey finally let me go and got her bags off the carousel and I soon found myself carrying three or four bags, just like she. We exited the terminal and found the Cherokee pretty easily. She didn't frown upon the dirty old Jeep like I expected her to she got right inside, kicking a coke can out of the floor board onto the parking lot and shoving the rest of the trash under the seat with her feet.

We left the airport and soon found interstate 200 once again and had a good hour of conversation about anything and everything you could imagine. She had became quiet a conversationalists. She was witty and charming at best, apparently she had developed some manners. I was proud of that. Not that I had anything to do with it, but I was proud of her for making the effort. After the divorce it would've been so easy for Hailey to turn on me and begin loathing everything I am and stand for much like Caroline did.

The time passed quickly and we soon pulled into my driveway.

"Here we are." I announced.

She leaned forward and peered beneath the dust and dirt of the windshield and said nothing. She got out and stared at the cabin for a few minutes before grabbing her bags.

I already had an armload headed for the front door. I tapped it open with the toe of my boot and sat the bags down beside the couch.

She came inside and said, "So this is where you live?"

I somewhat ashamedly said,

"Yup."

I waited for the Caroline in her to come out, but she only said, "Cool."

She straighted up and said, "Where's my room?"

I stopped and continued wiping my hands on a hand towel and said, "Hailey we have a problem."

She threw her hands down in frustration. "Don't tell me I'm out in the middle of nowhere and I don't even have a room to put my stuff in?"

I said in my defense, "Honey I had no way of knowing you'd ever come to stay with me when I rented this place. I was only planning for a party of one."

She grimaced and growled a bit before accepting the inevitable. She said, "Fine, where do I sleep then?" I pointed at the couch.

She retorted, "where do you sleep?"

Again I pointed to the couch and said, "It folds out."

She stopped her fussing about that, she moved to the kitchen and took a look around, I knew what was coming and prepared myself as best I could.

"Wait a minute! Don't tell me that you don't even have running water out here! Dad, what the hell?"

There it was, just like that. Caroline had arisen and I was on the receiving end of an ass chewing. For the first time since she'd gotten in, I really took a good look at her. She was adorable. She stood a meager five foot three and weighed about one twenty. Her brown hair as straight as mine, and she had in my absence filled out so to speak. I watched her every move and subtle nuance as she vented her frustrations, her words fell silent to me as I visually took in the body of perfection she possessed. I snapped out of my lust induced coma and felt bad for staring at my own daughter that way.

She walked out the front door and slammed it behind her. I felt a lump in my pocket, I reach for it, it was the envelope that douche bag had given me at the airport. It was neatly sealed and folded. I opened it up and almost passed out. It was money ten thousand dollars to be exact with a letter from Caroline. It read,

"Jack, take this money and help me with Hailey. I know you need it far worse than we do. Use it for whatever you feel is necessary and if by chance you need more, just send me a message via email and I'll wire it to your account, just don't let Hailey or Denton know." Caroline

I put the letter away along with the money. I walked to the phone and gave old' Arlin the shock of his life. I called him up.

"Hello?" I said, "Arlin, this is Jack."

Arlin replied, "How the hell are you. What can I do you for?"

I said, "Arlin, this cabin, what is the least amount you'd sell it to me for?"

Arlin thought for a minute and said, "Well Jack, seeing' as you and me are friends, I'll tell you what I'll do, you upkeep the place and take care of my horses and I'll sell it to ya for five thousand dollars."

I swallowed hard with excitement and readily agreed. I asked, "Well, how long till we make it official?"

Arlin said, "I'm already en route to your place now with the deed!" He laughed a hysterical laugh and hung up.

I thought to myself, "That crazy ol' coot."

Some minutes later I heard a rumble coming down the road, I knew it was Arlin. He stopped in front of the house, I had already taken five thousand dolls and put it in an envelope and made for the door. I opened it to find Hailey had greeted him and they were talking coming up the walkway.

Arlin laughed and shook my hand and said, "Jack you rascal! You didn't tell me you had a daughter. She's wonderful!"

I smiled as we shook hands, "Well Arlin, I like my privacy. You know that."

He took off his hat and sat on the step and said as he held Hailey's hand. "Honey, are you going to be living here with old daddy Jack?"

Hailey simply nodded an angelic nod and batted her eyes at him and said, "My mom and step dad wanted me to get to know my daddy better so here I am. I just hope everyone really wants me here."

Arlin said, "Nonsense child. You and Daddy Jack are like family to me. In fact I want the both of ya to come up to the house for dinner tonight."

Hailey still smiling gave me the "You owe me one" look as she continued cheesing it out with Arlin. The old man stood and said, "Jack, listen you and me will square up this evening. I gotta go."

With that I tucked the envelope back in my pocket as Hailey came up on the porch and stood beside and placed her arm around my waist and I hers. We watched Arlin drive away and we turned and went inside.

We sat down on the couch and she said, "So dad how's all this going to work?"

I thought for a minute and said, "Well your eighteen now Hailey and we can do this one of two ways. One way would be for me to spend the next few months sleeping on the floor, or we can accept our situation and simply share a bed together to sleep."

She said, "Well, I guess that'd be alright dad, but what about bathing?"

I pointed to the wash tub over behind the couch. "It's like this, it's not a fancy Atlanta shower, but heat you some hot water, fill the basin and get in. Takes all of fifteen minutes besides Hailey it is what it is, a means to an end. It doesn't matter if it's a Jacuzzi spa or a wash tub, as long as you get the dirt off your body its all the same."

She said, "But I'll be naked?"

I held my palm to her cautiously, "I won't look. Scouts honor."

She was dealing better than I thought she would until the inevitable question came about, "What about the bathroom dad?"

I said, "Come on."

We walked out back to the outhouse and fifty feet from it, you could smell the ominous smell coming from it. She looked at me and said a furious but firm, "Oh Hell No." and turned around and went back inside.

I followed her inside and said, "Make you a deal, you make dinner and I'm going into town for some lumber and plumbing materials, I'll be back in a little while ok?"

She knew she'd won and said, "Sure, I'll whip up something."

I begged her not to burn down the house before I got back and she scurried me off on my errand. Four hours later I arrived home with lumber filling the back of the Cherokee and a new American standard toilet attached to the roof. I unloaded everything and laid out the lumber in the order I'd be using it.

Hailey came out on the porch and said, "Arlin called Dad, he said, "Come on."

We loaded up and headed up the road ten or so miles to Arlin's place. It wasn't much different from mine, but it was bigger with everything mine didn't have. Arlin was a widower who much like myself preferred to live alone. He had a big fried chicken dinner fixed with rolls and gravy. We all sat down and ate. I noticed he took the head of the table while Hailey and I sat across from one another at the small but adequate table.

After dinner we talked and talked for hours, all laughing and having a good time. I stood and thanked Arlin for dinner and in the most unusual manner, Hailey hugged and kissed the old man on the cheek and thanked him for dinner in her best girly voice. He blushed and watched her leave the house and head to the car.

I produced the envelope from my pocket and proceeded to try to hand it to Arlin.

He shoved it back at me and said, "Ol' salt, you've got a beautiful young daughter to raise now, you take that money and make some improvements on that ol homestead and we'll call it even."

I asked if he was serious but he insisted. I was both amazed and astounded when he handed me the folded blue legal document I knew was the deed to that cabin.

I wanted to hug him but knew it would be awkward, so I settled for a heart felt handshake and turned and left. One the way home, Hailey was silent for a long while; she said

"So, did you get it?"

"Get what?" I inquired.

"The deed to the house?" I said,

"How'd you know about that?"

Hailey said, "Let's just say Arlin and I had a good conversation while you were gone to town. Also didn't you notice how easily he gave in?"

I said, "Hailey what'd you tell him?"

She smiled and said, "Nothing Dad, we just talked, he's a sweet, horny old man."

I said, "Horny?" She said, "Uh, Yhea, he played with my leg all though dinner."

Suddenly I was furious, cursing and threatening to turn around and go back and give him a piece of my mind, but Hailey assured me it was fine, no harm done, after all she'd learned from her mother how to manipulate a man anyway she wanted.

We got home, it was about ten pm. I was tired and so was Hailey. We pulled out the couch and stared at one another. We hadn't realized that we would also have to watch each other undress.

I said, "I guess I'll go first."

Hailey stopped me and said, "What do you sleep in dad?"

I hadn't thought about that until now, I embarrassed said, "Nothing."

I half expected another blow up but she said, "Cool! Me too."

I unbuttoned my jeans and slid my T-Shirt up and over my head and kicked my boots off and quickly removed my socks. I slid my jeans down to my ankles and stepped out of them and then in a quick flash my underwear was at my ankles. I didn't know whether or not to expect snickering, but I was prepared for it none the less. I proceeded to fill my washtub and heat water. Soon my bath was ready and I did bathe and washed my hair. I dried off and came to bed. I said,

"Your turn."

She pulled her top up and over her head as well and reach back and unclasped her bra and shrugged her shoulders and freed it from her chest. Her breasts swung free. She had the largest brown nipples I'd ever seen. She slithered out of her jeans to reveal she wore no panties at all. She walked past the foot of the bed to the washtub where I watched her ass cheeks bobble up and down. She was the first nude woman I'd seen in years and my blood was boiling. I wanted so badly to take care of business so to speak but after all she's endured today, seeing dad rub one out may not be the best course of action, so I tried vainly to go to sleep before she climbed in bed.

I lay there noticing during the time I was gone, all the womanly touches she'd done to the place. She'd apparently dusted and straightened the pictures of her on the walls. As I lay there listening to the splashing water behind me, soon I drifted off to sleep.