Slices Of Small Town Life Ch. 04

She and Faith had healed their rift, to the point that she still took the annual shopping trips with each other. It wasn't quite as much fun, because Faith was really conservative until it came to lingerie, and then she had a really vivid imagination. Rose looked at some and wished things like that had been around when she and Charley were young. He may not have grown old! She knew Faith was buying them for her Charley. She made one comment on a selection. "That's beautiful, but it can't be comfortable for very long."

"Mom!" giggled Faith, "these things aren't meant to be worn for long periods of time. They're meant to be admired, and removed as quickly as possible. If my Charley leaves anything like this on me more than five minutes, I throw it away!"

Rose smiled, remembering a few of her choices that weren't removed, but torn off, and never offered another opinion.

Rose woke from a light sleep, reliving the dream she'd just had, of her and Charley in a hayloft. Making a spur of the moment decision, she slipped quietly out of bed, put on the raciest thing she brought with her, and quietly left the house.

Soon she was at the entrance to Charley's drive, surprised the gate was still open. As tired as everyone was, and with Charley having four beers, Connie had drove and forgotten to push the button. She parked on the backside of the barn, trying to work out a plan as she walked to the door. Halfway there she stopped. What was that sound? Then she heard voices.

"Charley! You horny old goat, pull out! I'm not on the pill, I could get pregnant. Charley, Pleaaaase!" The last word was a wail, as she felt Charley explode, and had another orgasm.

Rose heard the heavy breathing as they recovered from their passion. "Damn it Charley, if I'm pregnant, I'll..." She heard Charley laugh. "If you're pregnant we're naming him Junior, and we'll dote on him the same way we do all our children, for the rest of our lives. I hope you are pregnant. As a matter of fact, I think we should do it again, just to make sure. Are you in?"

Connie reached for him, laughing. "What if it's a girl?"

"It's a boy. I can feel it. If, on the stray chance it is a girl, do you think Faith the third is redundant?"

"Oh, Charley! That feels good, baby. Let's talk about na...AHHHH!"

Rose turned, almost blinded by tears, her dream broken, and drove home. She left the next morning without explanation.

Two years later she met Freddie, six years her senior, but in good health and very attractive for his age. They clicked, and spent time together. She still played, but kept it away from them. When he asked her to marry him she said no, and told him of her past and present, being brutally honest. She was surprised by his answer.

"I'm impotent, Rose. Have been for five years. There isn't a pill or procedure out there that would help, and I've checked everything. So if we marry, it will be for love and companionship.. I'll allow you to play to satisfy your urges, as long as it's discreet and far from our home, if you promise to always come back to me."

Rose was stunned, then accepted. She introduced her to Faith and her now son-in-law Charley, relieved when they accepted him. They attended the small wedding, wishing her the best. Charley sent a gift, a cruise of European rivers and towns, first class tickets, the honeymoon suite. It was one of the things she and Charley talked about when they were young that they never got around to.

For two more years Rose played, no more than twice a year, until she finally lost the taste for sex. She and Fred, fueled by the cruise Charley gave them, took a world cruise, and had many small excursions until Fred started having health problems. He died when Rose was seventy.

She had sold her business when she married, putting half in a trust fund for Faith.

Faith was astounded at the number, and thought briefly about refusing it, until her baby kicked, a little girl this time. She'd keep it for her and her son, and the ones that would surely follow. When Rose passed at seventy-five, Faith inherited the rest, plus the estate Fred left, twice the size of the one Rose had. He left Faith a letter.

"I never had children, but I've often wished I could shake your father's hand, for raising such a child. He taught you well, and the way you accepted me, even introducing me as your child's other grandfather, made me realize what I'd missed by being unable to father children. So take the money, daughter, for all the love you gave me."

Suddenly Charley T.Y. was married to the richest woman in the state. "Does this mean we can afford more kids?" They ended up with five.

...

Charley looked at his bride, breathtakingly beautiful and laughed inwardly at the people in attendance, having been here just five weeks before for another wedding.

Faith had gotten them alone for a few minutes at the fish fry. She seemed nervous. "Dad, remember when we were talking about the new memories of the patio, the part where I talked about watching your grandchild take his or her first steps? Well, in seven months, we'll know if it's a boy or a girl. so figure eighteen to twenty months from now and we'll see that very thing."

She sat back, nervous, waiting for his reaction.

Charley sat back stunned, He felt like he was on information overload. First, that he finally found a new mate, and second that one of his fondest dreams was coming true. He couldn't help it and broke down, the first time in his life he'd ever cried in happiness.

He was instantly surrounded by his blended family. Junior and Grace were on his lap instantly. The rest right down to the boys were crying too, scared. When the truth came out, smiles broke out like sunshine, and everyone hugged Faith.

The two Charlies got together. "You know it's gonna be a big wedding, right?"

T.Y. sighed. "I know, but it'll just be a ceremony. We got married in a civil ceremony as soon as we found out. It was the right thing to do."

Charley senior smiled at the excellent choice his daughter had made. "Just telling you. Her mother has been planning this since she saw the sonogram and realized it was a girl."

Rose was over the moon, but the timeline got her to tone it down a little. Nonetheless, five weeks later the little Baptist church overflowed as Charley and Faith renewed their recent vows. The reception had to be held in the civic auditorium because of the number of guests.

Rose was proud of Charley for his answer when the preacher asked, "Who gives this woman in matrimony?," and Charley said loudly "Her mother and I do."

Connie and her brood kept to the background, but she saw the interactions between her and Charley and the kids, and smiled a bittersweet smile. Looked liked Charley got the large family they'd always wanted. Too bad it was with someone else.

Putting it behind her, she mingled. The sins of the past were forgotten, and people she hadn't spoke to in years sought her out. She found it telling that while Sheriff Andy's daughter was a bridesmaid, Andy didn't attend. Her mother was there, and Rose made sure they were never in close

proximity. She also frowned when she saw that Amanda Williams and Carla Bishop were going to be bridesmaids, but apparently they didn't know.

Four weeks later Connie came screaming into the living room, holding a strip of paper. The kids came rushing as Charley laughed and Connie unloaded on him.

"You horny old goat! I told you this would happen. You asshole! Forty and pregnant! What are we gonna do?"

She collapsed into his arms, crying her heart out.

He raised her head and kissed her.

"It means we're going to do what we said out in the barn. We're going to raise this child in love, treating HIM with the same love we have for the rest of our kids, okay? Of course, now I have to marry you. The crosses I bear." He gave a big dramatic sigh.

"When SHE comes along, you're taking your turn with the diapers and the teething and the colic. And you're gonna be a sports dad, but don't worry, the ones we got now will have you pretty well trained by then. And how do you know I'll marry you? I think I'll put it to a family vote, and you're excluded. Kids, how many of you think it would be a good idea for me to marry this old goat? Could you put up with him while you grow up? I know, he's pretty old, but he's in good condition. If we watch him like a hawk, keep him away from bad things, he might last a while. What do you think?"

She counted hands. "Well it looks unanimous. So, old goat, your stuck with us. No backing out now."

"WAIT!," cried Faith. It isn't official yet. He hasn't actually asked yet. And I don't see a ring. Really, Dad, this is how you want to start out?"

Hope giggled, mimicking Faith. "Yeah, really Dad?"

Grace, not understanding, copied her sisters. "Weawwy, Dad?"

Charley laughed, long and hard, standing up and dumping Connie in the floor.

"Boys, help you poor old pregnant mother up. The daughters and I have a shopping trip to make."

Soon Charley and the girls, including Grace, were headed to the jewelry shop. The owner, of course, knew Charley, and was surprised to see him come in with children, all girls. He was even more surprised when he told him the purpose of the visit.

"Jack, what you got in the way of engagement and wedding rings?"

"I got a pretty fair selection, Charley. Who they for?"

Charley looked surprised at the question. "Why, they're for me, Jack. Or more correctly, they're for the woman I'm asking to marry. Now, what you got?" They looked at every high end set and solitaires he had. The girls even tried a few on, seems Faith was the same size as Connie. They finally picked a nice set, nearly the most expensive thing they had. Then Charley surprised the jeweler once again.

Jack, you got matching bands to fit the girls? I'm not just marrying her, I'm marrying the whole family." He turned to the girls. "Would you like that? You can wear them on your pinky, look down, and know you're part of a loving family."

The cheers woke Grace up, and a saleswoman helped him pick out a tiny ring just for her. She cooed as she looked at it on her tiny finger. He tried to get it off but she refused, closing her chubby little fist tightly. They walked out, the sized rings on their pinkies, with a brightly wrapped box. The jeweler watched them go into the local steakhouse before flipping the CLOSED sign over. it was eleven thirty.

He looked at the surprised saleswoman.

"Well, come on, which do you want, the diner or the sub shop? Do you want someone else to announce that the old silver fox finally got caught?" She grabbed her purse on the way out. "I'll take the sub shop, you take the diner. And I probably won't be back until one thirty."

Jack nodded. "good idea. See you then." They went out the door in different directions, almost running. By the close of business that day almost everybody on that side of the county knew about the engagement.

Charley and the girls enjoyed the meal and the stares. Seems someone bolted out of the sub shop and ran in, whispering tot he hostess. Soon the whole place was abuzz. Finally one of the oldest ladies in the restaurant approached him. This woman had been his babysitter, had taught him to play the piano. He still played.

"Is it true, Charley?"

He started to tease her but stopped. Give her her little victory. "Yes it is Mabel. Let me present my new daughters, this is Faith, this is Hope, and this little one is Grace. They'll all be needing lessons, do you think you might have a spot for them? Got a couple of boys, too, but I don't know if they're interested. I'll give you a call. Now, Mabel, it's time for me to take my girls home. See you later." Charley thought it was the fastest he'd ever seen a seventy six year old woman who was supposed to have arthritis move as she made a beeline to her cronies.

One thing became clear as they were rolling down the highway. In all the excitement, no one thought to ask who he was marrying. Bet that would drive them crazy!

Connie and the boys were waiting on the porch. Connie lit in to him as soon as he stopped rolling. "Listen here, old goat, just because you buy a ring doesn't mean I'm going to like it. I might not want...Oh my, that is so pretty!"

Charley dropped to his knee. "It's yours little girl, or it will be as soon as you say yes. Connie, will you marry me?"

"YES!" The scream was so loud horses two farms over shied at the noise. Then she was in his lap, sobbing.

When she calmed down, the girls showed her their rings, and she started crying all over again.

So they walked down the aisle. Grace was the flower girl, grinning in her satin dress, strewing blossoms at random. Faith stood for Connie, while Junior and Hope looked stunning. He got a twinge as he looked at them, remembering Faith's words on the patio. T.Y. stood for him, with the twins beside them, looking uncomfortable in their suits. Things went according to plan until he got to kiss the bride. As they broke he felt a tug on his pants.

"Kiss me too, Daddy!," said Grace.

The crowd broke into laughter as he picked her up and shared a kiss with her mother.

They honeymooned on a beach, soft sand and romantic nights. They made love as often as they wanted, tried snorkeling and loved it, parasailing not so much. They came home a week later, picking up their brood from Faith, showing the kids pictures of where they were, and promised them a family vacation the week before school started.

The sonogram showed it was a boy, and Charley smirked. Connie, of course, called him an egocentric old goat. he called her little girl and rubbed her bottom, while made the nurse giggle and Connie madder. She chewed his ear all the way to the truck, then felt bad and nibbled on it on the way home. They both decided nibbling was much better than chewing.

Charley junior arrived with no trouble, completely healthy. They had been a little worried because of their age, but decided they would love him however he came out.

Over the years, Faith got a charge out of introducing them. "Hi. I'm Faith, this is my little sister Faith, this is my husband Charley, my father Charley, and my brother Charley. We don't have a lot of imagination when it comes to names."

Faith senior had two girls and named one Rose for her mother, and the other Constance, for her stepmother. That helped the name confusion tremendously.

As Charley sat and thought about his children near the end of his life, he had to admit to himself that Faith junior was the closest to him. She worked one season for her sister, before deciding she didn't like blood and sick animals. She liked the clinic cat, a dowager with the apt name Lady Gray. She only had three legs, but still moved with grace. Faith senior said there was a story behind her, but she wasn't old enough to hear it yet.

So she started spending after school and summers following her new Dad around. She worked in the garden centers part time, learned the hardware business from the ground up. She was in accelerated classes in school, and would graduate at seventeen, already accepted into four schools with excellent business programs. She was his heir apparent, and would be taking over from him when he stepped down.

Hope, it turned out, had a knack with plants. At thirteen she had talked Charley into buying her a tiller and giving her a plot of ground, and much of the family food came off it. Soon she had talked him into buying a breed of almost extinct sheep, part of a conservancy effort. She followed that with the threatened Marsh Pony, which brought the boys into the fold. Between them, the have one of the most respected breeding programs in the country. Seems Hope may follow Faith somewhat in her career choices. I bought her a small tractor and implements, and got one of the cousins to teach her the basis of operation and safety. I had to stop letting the cousins store hay in my barn, because she stored hers there now. She was seventeen now, and grinned at me as I helped her stack it in the loft, the boys putting it on the conveyor below. Seems she liked bales instead of those big rounds.

"Now, Dad, I'm going to feed this to my animals, so no breaking in the bales, understand?"

I just grinned, knowing when the mood hit us we'b be up the ladder.

Little Grace wasn't so little anymore. Ten years old now, she was turning into a carbon copy of her mother. I cringed, barely putting up with Hope and Junior dating. I needed to buy more shotguns. Grace was a piano prodigy, playing complex pieces far above anyone in the area. One four states away wanted her to board there while she learned, but she refused, compromising by spending half her summers there. I knew as she grew and became more comfortable, it would only be another year or two before she made the move. I hated it, but wouldn't begrudge her talent.

That left Junior, barely past toddling. I'd have kids around until I passed, and enjoy every one of them.

With the money I'd accrued, they would all be set for life, but I put it all in trust funds for them, with conditions, They had to graduate college, if they didn't it added five years to the terms of the trust. And they all had to hold jobs and live within their means for two years before the trust became available.

I apologized to Faith senior for depleting her inheritance. She laughed, saying her mother would make up any shortfall, and who was she to deprive her brothers and sisters of their share.

...

The truth finally came out a few years after Sheriff Andy lost his reelection bid, and his wife left him. He was working for a private investigator two states away, making good money until he had to start paying alimony. He remarried several years later. It lasted about four years when he discovered her cheating by accident, while investigating someone for suspected infidelity. He was screwing around, with Andy's wife. They divorced, and he never remarried.

When Amanda found out, she divorced him, not just for that, but for another affair she'd just caught him in. It was with an A.D.A, and when a case went south because of the relationship, the new sheriff fired him. Oddly, a year later, Amanda started dating John. He was twelve years older than Amanda, but she caught Charley at lunch one day, told him about it, and grinned. "Apparently older guys are a lot more trustworthy." They married when she was thirty eight and he was fifty.

Carla and her husband lived together until death took him forty-eight years later. She never remarried, retiring as Chief Detective for the county, and coming out of retirement two years later for Sheriff, after John retired. She won, and served two terms before retiring for good.

Charley passed away two months after his seventy-ninth birthday, four weeks after watching his youngest son graduate from high school. Cindy never remarried, and joined him fifteen years later, laid to rest beside in the Baptist cemetery. Rose had chosen to be cremated, her ashes mixed with Fred's, and poured into the ocean off one of their favorite vacation spots.

When Charley passed, they had to hold the funeral in the local high school football stadium. Eight hundred Bartonians vied to carry his casket, and they had to have a lottery to decide the matter. The rest walked ahead as a self appointed honor guard. He was carried to the burial site in a horse drawn hearse, pulled by Marsh Ponies Hope had raised. Sheriff Carla led the procession.

There was an unofficial registry, and as far as can be determined, Charley had funded close to a thousand kids deserving college educations. That wasn't counting the numerous Bartonians he'd funded. In attendance at his funeral were seven members of Congress, two governors, multiple state and all local office holders, five agents of the FBI, twenty-nine police officers of different districts, and an assortment of teachers, lawyers, scientists, and business people who owed almost everything to his generosity. There were also several movie and television stars, all because of Charley.