Sean's Next Adventure Ch. 05

Dear Reader,

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, events and incidents are the products of the author's imagination.

This story is part of the ongoing adventures and misadventures of Sean. Every story I have submitted to this point leads to this moment. I invite you to take some time and catch up if you are able.

Constructive criticism, and feedback is truly appreciated. I would like this to be an interactive journey as much as this medium allows. Please feel free to send suggestions, ideas for future characters etc. I welcome the input.

Keep Soaring,

Pelican

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Sean and Courtney pulled into his grandparents farm. Courtney's eyes almost popped out of her head. "Sean, when you said a farm, I was thinking of a cute little farmhouse and some chickens. Not a large barn and a beautiful log cabin."

Sean smiled, "It's where I feel most alive." Sean parked the jeep and he and Courtney made their way inside. His grandmother was waiting for them. The bruises had mostly healed, but weren't completely gone. She looked at Sean concerned and Sean nodded that he knew.

It took about two seconds for his grandmother to sweep Courtney up and start moving around the house showing her around. She was chattering away when she looked over her shoulder at her grandson and said, "Have you told her?"

Sean shook his head and his grandmother went on, "Sean's getting a second major and is coming back to take the farm over when he graduates, we are going to build two smaller houses for Dave and me and for his mom."

Sean's grandfather came down the stairs, "Martha, that was not yours to tell. Plus, when he gets drafted to the NFL there may be a delay."

Martha looked back at Dave, "That boy communicates like you do, he would have gotten around to telling her about the time they are walking down the aisle."

Courtney and Sean blushed as Dave produced his now famous retort, "Have some patience, woman." That was enough to break the ice and everyone could laugh a bit.

Martha looked at her grandson and her husband. She shook her head, "You two look like you were cut from the same rock. Now, go clear the snow while I show Courtney around and tell her about the horse."

Courtney lit up, "Horse?"

Martha looked at Sean and Dave again, "See what I mean? Now, go make yourselves useful."

Sean and his grandfather looked at one another and shook their heads, Dave said as he was walking outside, "Better change all of our passwords while we are out here bub. Grandma will have told all of our secrets before we are back inside."

Sean went into the pole barn and started up the new Farmall Utility Tractor. He had pulled on a Carhart jacket and some leather gloves. He moved snow away from the house and down the lane to the road. Martha and Courtney made some Cocoa and waited for the guys to get finished. As Courtney looked out the large window she had to agree with what Sean had said, he truly looked more happy than she had ever seen him out on the small tractor.

They sat around the small kitchen table and talked. They moved to the den and Courtney sat on the hearth of the large stone fireplace. She noticed a glass curio cabinet, inside were a few gold buckles and two footballs. She stood up and walked over.

Martha smiled as she said, "He may not look it now, but back in the day Dave was a real cowboy. Those buckles are ones he won at various rodeo's. The two footballs of course are Sean's, one I'm sure you recognize, that's the ball that won the state title and the other, that's his first made field goal at Tech."

Courtney smiled and moved to Sean's side at the hearth and put her head on his shoulder. She was at peace. They all chatted a little while longer when Dave stood up and started collecting mugs. Courtney asked to help, but Dave refused. Just gathered the cocoa mugs and walked to the kitchen and rinsed them in the sink before putting them in the dishwasher.

Sean looked at the clock, "I need to get you back to town Cort, folks will wonder why your car has been at the diner all day."

Courtney stood, smiled at Dave and said, "Nice to meet you, Sir."

Dave shook his head, "No ma'am. No Sirring me, I feel old enough. Dave is fine."

She hugged Martha, "Thank you. This was a perfect morning."

Martha hugged her back and whispered, "There is a key under the rock to the left of the steps. If you ever need a place to go, you come here. Grandpa and I will take good care of you."

Courtney leaned back with tears in her eyes, "I promise, I will never forget that."

Sean led Courtney back to the Jeep and opened her door. She stopped and looked up at him, "Thank you. I have always lived in a house. Now I know what a home is." She melted into his arms as she cried. He stroked her long blonde hair as he kissed the top of her head, "I'm right here Cort, you are safe."

They drove back into town. "Cort," Sean sighed, "This evening is not going to be pleasant with Mark. You are going to see that dark side of me. With all you've been through, if you don't want to be there I understand."

She leaned across the truck and rested her head on his shoulder as he drove. "I think I will be okay. You've asked a couple of favors, may I have one too?"

He nodded as he briefly looked at her as fresh snow started to fall. "Yes, babygirl."

"I want to stay at the cabin with you afterwards," she said.

Sean nodded, "Of course, but it still belongs to grandma and grandpa, not sure how they will feel about us sharing a bed so you can have the bed and I will sleep in the den."

She wrinkled her nose and winked at him, "I think it will be okay. Grandma said so."

Sean laughed, "Oh, did she?"

Courtney grinned, "She did, when we went up to your room she said that this was Sean's room, and no hussy would ever be there with him. At first I thought she was putting me in my place, then she turned and hugged me and said, 'This may be his old room, but now it belongs to you both'."

Sean shook her head as Courtney took out her phone, she said, "I had to get a picture of this." She showed Sean the phone in the bathroom he used. Next to his toothbrush was a pink toothbrush. "She even put a toothbrush out for me."

Sean muttered as he drove into town, "That woman."

Courtney got serious, "She loves you more than you will ever know Sean, your grandpa does too. They have Sean-Vision on their TV." Sean looked puzzled, "Did you notice the new TV in the den, hanging above the fireplace?" Sean nodded, "They had it installed and paid to have fiber installed so they could stream everyone of your games. Sean, they've not missed one game since you've been at Tech. Even that game every year on the west coast that doesn't kick off until 10 or so back here. Your grandfather has a spreadsheet of every kick you've taken, kickoff, extra point, field goal, and punt on the shop computer."

It was now Sean's turn for his eyes to fill up with tears. They held hands and drove quietly as the snow fell. When they got into town Sean got out of the truck and brushed the snow off of Courtney's window. "I'll see you around supper," he said as she got in her car. "I'll be in town, text me when Mark gets there. The lock code is still1069?"

She nodded, he leaned in and kissed her before she drove away. When he stood up a car pulled up, "Hey asshole, that's Chad's bitch."

Sean walked over to the car, "I don't think so, but do me a favor, tell Chadwick that a day will come when I will be there and he has a high price to pay. Tell him to look everywhere because I am not the monster under the bed, or in his closet, but I will find him and he will answer for his crimes."

The kid screamed "Fuck you" as he fishtailed down the snowy road. Sean got in the truck and headed back to the farm. Sean spent the afternoon helping with chores around the farm, around 5 after he had showered he headed into town. He parked at the old high school as he reflected on the past couple of years. Shortly after 6 he got the text from Courtney.

Sean drove the familiar drive to the Thomas house, parked his truck, walked up to the door, punched in the code and walked in. Mark had moved back to the seat at the head of the table, he wore that same smug look that he had the day at the country club.

He stood up, "What the fuck are you doing walking into my house?"

Sean kept walking, "Sit down, you prick, or trust me I will sit you down."

Mark tried to regain control. "Hannah, Courtney, please excuse us," he coughed as he sat down and adjusted his tie.

Sean barked, "Stay, you need to hear this. His eyes drilled holes into Mark, because I am done playing." He looked at Mark as he leaned against the wall, "What, no skirt, no butt plug, you thought because I had gone you could grow your balls again. Well, I'm back."

Mark furrowed his brow trying to look tough, "What... do... you... want? You are interrupting our dinner."

Sean tossed paper in front of him, "Does the name Will Hendrick ring a bell?"

Mark lost his color but recovered, "No should it?"

Courtney said, "Sean, isn't that the kid who injured you last year?"

Sean nodded, "Funny thing about that is his coach discovered he was paid $25,000 to do exactly what he did. So far he hasn't rolled over and told the investigators where the money came from, but he will because you see it's not just the conference or the NCAA he has to worry about. That injury cost a lot of people a lot of money because it moved the betting line on the bowl game." Sean laughed, "Once those people find out, and they will, I am sure that Mr. Hendrick will get a visit or two from a couple of guys who would do anything to be 'made'."

Hannah looked at Mark as did Courtney. Sean leaned against the door jam with his arms still folded. Hannah spoke, "Mark?"

Mark cleared his throat, "Ummm. I don't, ummm, know what you are talking about. You have no proof."

Sean smirked, "So, when I hack your records again I won't find a transfer of funds?"

Mark bluffed, "I have changed all of the firewalls, you won't get through them."

Sean laughed, "Well, that's a challenge I may have to accept, however, that still doesn't answer the accusation. The 'you can't prove it' is a shitty defense, it may hold up in court but I don't think that those guys whose last name ends in a vowel will accept it when they are breaking your kneecaps."

Hannah looked at her husband, "Mark, did you pay to have Sean injured?"

Mark stood up, "What was I supposed to do after what he did to me and to our family? Stand back and take it. He ruined Scott, he turned you into a slut, and what about what he did to me?"

Hannah stood and went nose to nose with her husband. "The only fucking thing he did to you was point out what you were all along. Maybe that's the only thing he did to me too. Scott and Tiffani seem to have found a happy place even if it doesn't look traditional to you. Hell, he's not having to pay some Oriental whore domme him like you."

Mark backed down and tried to back away, it was then that the rage that Courtney had been holding since the event with Chad came roaring out. She stood up and walked up to Mark and slapped him across the face. "You fucking piece of shit, how could you?"

Mark turned to Courtney, "You, you should be the one thanking me after he walked out on you the way he did!"

Courtney slapped him again, "Just like you to twist a fucking truth into what you want. It was me, I cheated on Sean, I lost a stupid bet about college acceptance with Chad and I was even more stupid to pay off."

Sean still stood, his right leg in front of his left, leaning against the door with his arms folded. His cowboy hat was pulled down in front of his eyes as the smirk crossed his face. Hannah looked at him, "What are you going to do Sean?"

Sean shrugged, "Well, if I tell my AD who did it, there will be an investigation by the NCAA, and perhaps even the FBI. What I do isn't a sport, it's a business backed by very powerful and wealthy entities. The idea of "athletes" being injured intentionally messes with the business plan that makes people very rich. They frown at that."

Sean went on, "My guess is that if I say anything it will be a race between the government and the mob as to who gets to Mark first. If he's smart he would plead guilty and hope for a nice federal minimum security prison. If he fights, then he runs the risk of getting his kneecaps broken or worse."

Mark convulsed and began to dry heave. Sean chuckled, "Guess you didn't think the plan all the way through, did you, sport? I need to be honest, I do not give two shits about what happens to him. I just don't want you and Courtney caught up in his mess. The problem is Hannah, if he used business money then he's in even deeper trouble, that's a conspiracy within the insurance industry and they will be investigating and everything will come out, the women he's paid off, everything. That's a federal crime as well. If he used money from personal funds, well, 'I didn't know' your honor doesn't play and you will be implicated as well."

Hannah seethed, "Mark..."

Mark was hyperventilating, "I never meant..." he managed to spit out.

Sean took advantage of that moment, "Hannah, did you know that he started a development company?"

Hannah nodded

Sean nodded and said, "Did you know that the property he was trying to get condemned so he could buy cheap included my mother's house?"

Mark was on his hands and knees, Hannah walked over and kicked him in the ribs, "You vindictive son of a bitch."

Mark groaned as Courtney pulled her mother away. Courtney looked at Sean who just shrugged. Hannah was livid she screamed, "Stand up you gutless prick, I am going to beat your ass!"

Sean moved off the door jam and moved between Hannah and Mark. He looked at Hannah, his eyes were stormy, "Hannah, sit down. Now!" Hannah didn't really sit, she threw herself into the chair." Sean looked at Courtney, "You too, Cort." Sean picked Mark up and put him back in his chair.

Sean sat down as well. "Mark, you have some decisions to make, do I call my AD and start a formal investigation or do you spend the rest of your life looking over your shoulder for the mob? I can not answer those questions for you, neither can Hannah or Courtney. I do not care about you or your son, however these two are coming with me. You are going to rent an apartment for the three of us and they are coming with me. That is non negotiable at this point."

Courtney said, "What about school?"

Sean smiled, "I will figure that out, this way you are away from Chad too. It's a win/win Cort."

Mark didn't have the energy to lift his head. Sean went on, "About MT Development, again you have decisions. You can keep the company and stay the fuck away from my family, you do not know what kind of hell you have unleashed in this county. You can make the company go away, or you can sell it to Hannah for $1. She can run it from Virginia. The old guard power you have pissed off in this county need someone to fight FOR them and not AGAINST them. I can put Hannah in touch with the right folks for that. Those folks who won't give to all of those projects that hurt our farms and farmers. The other choice there is that you go to prison and everything crashes down with you."

Mark started to cry. Hannah stood up and looked at Courtney, "We need to pack, baby."

Mark looked up at Sean, "You have ruined my life." He lunged at Sean, he swung with all the fight he had in him, his punch connected with Sean's cheek, staggering him. Sean returned the action with a hard punch to Mark's ribs, leaving the man once again on his hands and knees gasping for breath.

Sean looked down at him, "You have 36 hours to make your decisions. If I have not heard from you by the time Hannah, Courtney and I leave town then I will call the AD. If I were you I would be hoping that Hendrick is willing to take the fall on his own. They know he was paid, Mark. Do you trust him with your life?"

Hannah and Courtney came downstairs with more than enough luggage to fill Sean's truck. Between his truck, Hannah's Yukon, and Courtney's GMC Terrain they managed to fit everything in. On the way out with the last load Hannah looked at Mark, "Make your decisions, my attorney will be in touch."

Mark sat in stunned silence as the last set of headlights backed out of the driveway and the light snow continued to drift to the ground. He had to find a way to fix this mess.

Meanwhile, Sean called his grandparents and asked for a huge favor and both Courtney and Hannah stayed the night. They would all leave in the morning after breakfast to head back to school. His grandfather sighed, "Mark's shenanigans finally got the best of Mrs. Thomas?" Sean confirmed his grandfather's suspicions but did not add to his thoughts.

The three vehicles pulled into the farm. Sean's grandparents welcomed everyone inside. His grandmother had made more of her cocoa. She asked Courtney to help her fill mugs as Sean showed Hannah to her room. Upstairs Hannah relaxed and began to sob. Sean pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. After a few moments she looked up at him, "It's not fair of me to say, but I want you to fuck me."

Sean smiled, "It is fair, but not tonight. Once we figure things out when we get back to school, there will be time for that."

She nodded and lowered her gaze, he tilted her chin up and kissed her. A gentle, loving kiss. She got lost as his tongue danced with hers. When the kiss broke she looked up at the young man, "I'm not sure if that helped or hurt the situation, but it was nice."

Sean ushered her out the door and lightly slapped her ass on the way out the door. They walked downstairs to the den as Sean's grandparents hosted for another time during the weekend. After Sean and Courtney cleaned up the mugs his grandparents said their goodnights and headed up to bed.

Hannah asked, "What now?"

Sean sighed, "Well, we get you away from Mark. However it ends, it's not going to be good. We will get you two settled into an apartment or townhouse and go from there." It was then Sean confessed, "Cort, I had you provisionally accepted into school closer to me when I," he stopped. "In the summer. I'm not sure if my friends can get you into school late, but maybe given the circumstances you can finish your semester online. I mean no school wants a front page assault to be the reason a student can't go to school." He looked at Hannah, "You need to call the dean on Monday and 15 minutes later have your attorney call. Double down the pressure."

Hannah nodded, "I can't believe we are leaving here."

Courtney nodded and then threw everyone for a loop as she stood up and walked over to her mother and hugged her. "We will be okay, Sean will make sure of that." She then said, "I want to meet my father."

Hannah looked at her daughter, "Honey, he and I haven't spoken for years."

Cort looked at Sean, "Can you find him for me?"

Sean nodded and then said, "We have a long drive tomorrow, probably with some snow through the mountains, we need to get some rest."

Finally Hannah noticed, "When did you become a cowboy, Sean?"

Sean didn't say anything, Courtney took her mom's hand and walked her to the curio cabinet with the buckles and footballs. "Mom, he always has been, it's in his blood. You should have seen him earlier on the tractor moving snow. I've never seen him that content and happy," she laughed, "and we have seen him pretty damn happy with three of us begging for his cock."

Both of them laughed quietly, it was then Sean knew he had to speak. "I need to be up front with both of you," he began. He told them about Mika and Anne. Both of the Thomas women nodded. Sean was clear that just because they were moving closer didn't mean that he would change who he was. He explained that he had changed to fit in and that never worked out and he would not do it again.