The Hundred Year Storm

The cash from the pot paid for my tuition, books, and fees for two semesters. It was a game I should have never been in, and I got extremely lucky.

Pizza was at the 'good' Pizza Hut. In small-town Texas, I guess there aren't that many choices. That they had two and considered one of them the 'good' one made me laugh. I mean, I was heading home to Chicago and Chicago knows how to make pizza.

The pizza was actually very good, and the conversation was better. Danny and I just seemed to click. We shared stories about growing up. I found out a few things about Belle she might not have wanted me to know. Evidently, she wasn't always the little miss perfect she complained about. I told story after story about my antics, worrying a time or two, that I might tell Danny more than I wanted to. He never seemed to pick up on the clues that the stories seemed to be about a guy, not a girl.

He told me about his family, and I told him about mine. He thought my mom literally running off to join the circus was hilarious. After all these years, I agreed.

"Danny, Chrissy, funny running into you here." Rick glared at me as he walked up to our table. "I thought you were busy tonight." I could see the red moving up his neck to his face, and he wasn't embarrassed.

"I am. Rick. Danny asked me out a few days ago. I told you I'd call you tomorrow and maybe we can plan something, but right now, I'm with someone and you are not helping your chances."

That was the wrong thing to say. I could tell what he was about to say by the way he formed the first word with his mouth. The letter 'F' is distinctive and the look on his face strongly implied the letters that would come after it. The second word, well, that was totally my guess, but I was pretty sure it had something to do with female dogs. I guess Danny could too, because he stood up and, for the second time, faced off with Rick over me. This time, I wasn't as inclined to stop him as I had been at the bonfire.

His eyes darting back and forth between Danny and me, Rick swallowed his words, letting out an exasperated "FINE!" before storming back across the restaurant to whomever he was with.

"I don't think mommy and daddy tell him no enough." I chuckled and shook my head as Danny sat back down.

"Not many people do. Small town football hero syndrome, I guess. His brother was like that, too."

Rick had spoiled the mood, so Danny and I decided to just leave. I could see Rick watching us as we walked across the restaurant, and Danny helped me with my snowman coat. I could feel him watching as we walked across the parking lot to Danny's truck. Partly because I knew it would piss Rick off, and mostly because I wanted to; I leaned into Danny's arm and rested my head on his shoulder when he took my hand.

When we got to his truck, Danny stopped and turned me to face him. "Chrissy, I know we are just getting to know each other, but I'd really like to kiss you right now."

I could see it in his eyes, the want to, the desire. I could feel it in my stomach, too. I wasn't ready for this. It was too soon. He deserved to know the truth before... Fuck it. It's just another adventure. I closed my eyes and lifted my lips to his. Sweet, soft, gentle, and so electric I didn't want it to stop. My mind was raging, but my soul was soaring. It was so wrong and so right, both at the same time.

My eyes fluttered as our lips parted. Looking up into his chocolate eyes, I let out a massive sigh before reaching back up and stealing another peck as a huge smile covered my face. Danny only opened the driver's side door. I slipped into the middle seat and smiled as he slid in next to me. Once more, my head found his shoulder. The kiss we shared when he dropped me off was even more intense than the first, but that first one, so simple and sweet, would be the one I remembered.

"I am in so much trouble." I climbed into bed with Belle. "Rick showed up and made a scene. Danny shut him down, and then, when we got to the truck, I let him kiss me."

"And?" She was grinning at me in the darkness, I could tell.

"And? And I've never kissed a guy before, and I liked it. I like him."

"But..."

"No buts. I never kissed Xander. That was just sex. This is different. Kisses are feelings, they're relationships. Belle, what do I do? What happens when he finds out about me?"

"I know how you feel. Caitlyn, remember? Maybe it's something. Maybe it's not. Maybe you're reading too much into this. Maybe it was just a kiss. Don't overthink it. Just enjoy the moment and go to sleep. We have a lot of decorating to do tomorrow." She kissed me on my forehead and cuddled next to me.

Of course, feeding the horses the next morning took forever as I had to repeat the details of 'the kiss' and how I felt and how he reacted. After breakfast, the decorating began. It was a tradition in Maggie's family to save decorating for Christmas Eve. Ben, Belle, and I got the decorations out of the barn while Maggie sorted and organized them. We broke for lunch, and to my surprise, Danny showed up to help put them up.

Ben and Danny did most of the outside stuff while the girls were working inside. We made quick work of it. Just as Belle and I got back from taking the boxes to the barn, Danny walked up to me. "You can ride with me."

"To where? We still have decorating to do. We haven't even started on the tree."

"That's where we're going. I picked out a nice one for Ben and Maggie. We're all going to cut it down and bring it back to decorate. We have a small stand of Christmas trees on our place that we let our friends harvest. So, you coming?"

"I guess I am." I smiled at him, looking just past him at Belle and her parents as they climbed into Ben's truck. They hadn't missed what was going on and I was sure I was going to hear about it. Once again, I climbed in the driver's side and took what I guess was my spot in the middle, letting Danny slide in next to me.

"Hey." I gave him a wry smile.

"Yes?" Danny looked at me out of the corner of his eye.

"I think you forgot something."

"Really, what?" He turned to face me, and I took his face in my hands, kissing him hard.

"I had a good time last night."

"Me, too." He smiled all the way to the tree farm. I did, too.

I spent the time thinking back to how I met Xander and Sophie, how I had just gone with the flow. They had played me like a Stradivarius, Sophie hitting on me at the bar and taking me home, inviting me to her bed, Xander walking in on us by 'surprise', me freaking out, scrambling to explain and failing miserably.

"It's OK." Sophie had whispered in my ear as she softly kissed my cheek. Xander smiled at me as he undressed and joined Sophie and me in the bed. Xander and I taking turns sharing Sophie's pleasures, me buried between Sophie's luscious legs, sucking and teasing her with my tongue and lips, listening to her deep moans, feeling her body respond to my ministrations with subtle shifts and gentle shudders. The shock of Xander taking me from behind, the pain; I should have protested.

I should have complained, screamed and run as far and fast as I could, but I didn't. The fullness and that intense feeling that grew and grew deep inside me betrayed me, betrayed my innermost desires. The realization that I liked it followed it. It was wonderful. Sophie had climaxed, spraying her juices all over my face. A few moments later, I soiled the sheets beneath me with the most intense orgasm I had ever experienced. Xander kept going, my voice crying out to whatever gods cared to allow him to never stop, to 'fuck me harder,' to fill me with his seed. When he did, we all collapsed into a heap of carnal bliss. It had been the beginning of three days of debauchery that would change me in ways I never imagined.

I wondered if it had anything to do with the choices I was making now. I wondered if this, me and Danny, could be like that? Who knows what could happen? Worst case, Danny beats me to a pulp for tricking him, but everything in me told me he wasn't that kind of man. Rick, maybe, but not Danny. My gut just wouldn't let me believe it. Besides, the best case could be pretty amazing. Combining what Xander had done to me with the way I felt when I kissed Danny, well, that was a risk. The question was, was I willing to take it?

Maggie supervised while Ben and Danny cut the tree and got it loaded in the back of Ben's truck. Belle and I did our best to keep warm.

"I'm taking your advice." I smiled at Belle. "Just going with it, enjoying it while I can, and hoping for the best."

"Good plan, because I seem to remember he's an excellent kisser." She shoved me and laughed. I just blushed, deciding not to tell her what I had been thinking about on the trip out to the tree farm.

"What are you two laughing about?" Danny came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me.

"We," I turned in his arms, smiling and looking up into his big brown eyes, "are comparing notes on your kissing skills."

"And what are the results?" He smiled down at me.

"Don't know yet. I think more research is in order." I slid my arms around his neck, and lifting myself on my toes, pulled his lips to mine.

We got the tree decorated and Danny finally left, but not before I embarrassed both of us when I walked him out to his truck. I was getting into this whole thing way too much. Sure, I had been with Xander, and with Sophie and several other women. I had had girlfriends, one or two I thought were serious. But this; I was feeling things for Danny I had never felt before. He had no clue what I was hiding. I had no clue how to tell him, or how I was going to deal with the fallout when I did.

Ben found me in the barn, revving the engine on my bike. "A little late for a ride, don't you think?"

"Just keeping the battery charged. It's been a week since I started her." I smiled weakly.

"Been some week, too."

"You could say that."

"A lot of changes. How are you holding up?"

"Good, not so good, depending on how you look at it."

"How are you looking at it?"

"Confused. Ben, what do I do? I feel things for Danny, but he doesn't know the truth about me. I'm not even sure I know the truth about me anymore. I like this, but it scares the hell out of me. I keep thinking about my dad, how he's going to react if I go home like this. And Danny; I don't want to hurt him either."

Ben walked over and sat on a bale of hay, patting the one next to him. I turned off my bike and went to sit next to him. We just talked, or I talked, and he just listened. My mom. My dad. Moving all the time. All my crazy dares and adventures. All my insecurities and fears. I let it all out, and he just listened.

"It's like I've been running away from something my whole life."

"Or searching for something. Are you happy here?"

I just nodded. "That day I met her, and we went for a ride. I asked Belle how she could ever leave this place. I look at you and Maggie, Belle, Danny, even Rick, and I..."

I swallowed and took a deep breath. "That night at the bonfire, there was just something about it all. I missed so much the way I grew up. I don't have any friends from high school or grade school. The people here all know each other so well. It's like the whole town is one enormous family. All I've ever had was my dad. I love my dad. I love him so much, and it scares me when I think about telling him about all this."

"Can I tell you a secret about dads?"

"Sure."

"I've known Belle is probably a lesbian since she was in middle school. Maggie knows, too. It's just things Belle would do and say, the way she looked at the other girls on her team and tried not to get caught. The way she's adopted you and what you're going through. We've just been waiting for her to tell us, so we can support her. She's my daughter. There is nothing she could do to stop me from loving her. It's just the way it is for fathers and their kids. We may not like something. We may need to figure out how to deal with it, but we never stop loving them. Maybe your dad already knows you're special. From what you've told me, he seems like he's pretty open to things. Danny's that way, too. I'll bet he has things he hasn't told you he's afraid you won't react well to. Caring about people is a risk. Putting your heart out there is like getting on an Argentinian freighter and just trusting that things are going to be ok. Worst case is you make a mistake and learn from it. Best case is you have an adventure that changes you forever. Most of life is just somewhere in the middle."

"So, my dad loves me and will be fine with whatever I do? That seems a little simplistic."

"I didn't say he would be fine with whatever you do. I said he won't stop loving you. Unless he's a psychopath, it's just not possible. I'm trying to tell you to get out of your head. Stop worrying about problems that don't exist. You're a beautiful young lady, if that's what you want to be. So be that. Fall in love. Get your heart broken. Maybe find the love of your life. If they can't accept all of you, move on to the next one. You've been a girl less than a week and you have two boys practically fighting over you."

"My friend Lexie told me the same thing." I leaned over and let Ben engulf me in a massive hug. I felt better. I just needed to talk to my dad.

"Now come on. You need to get to bed. Santa won't come if you're still awake." We both laughed.

And Santa did come. After taking care of the horses and eating breakfast, we all went to see what he had left by the tree. I don't know how 'he' did it, but Belle and I had a dozen presents each, girly stuff like perfume and jewelry, some new panties and a few bras, (it would be nice to actually have my own), and my favorite, a western belt. One of those tooled leather ones with my name, CHRISSY, in big block letters across the back.

We got everything cleaned up and went to get dressed. Naturally, I pulled on a pair of jeans and slipped my new belt through the loops.

"Just one more thing." Ben smiled at me when I reached the bottom of the stairs. "This is from all of us, me, Maggie, and Belle." Dangling from his fingers was a simple gold necklace with a single gold charm, a block M inside a five-point star.

"Star M is our family brand. Only a Marshall can have one of these. Turn around." He undid the clasp, and I felt my knees go weak as he fastened it around my neck. "Welcome to the family."

I was crying. I was pretty sure Belle was, and most likely Maggie, too. Ben wrapped all three of us in his protective arms. I just sobbed and sobbed as my fingers caressed the simple little medallion hanging from my neck. It was more than them calling me family; it was an anchor, a spot on the map that was immutable, that would always be there. It was a rock, a port in any storm.

My dad and I had been in Chicago for four years, which meant when I got to Chicago, we would probably talk about where he was going next, but this, this farm in East Texas with its hay and cattle and horses, with Ben and Maggie, and Belle, and its sense of community; for the first time since my mom left, I had a home.

When the hug-fest ended and all the tears had dried, I went out on the porch to watch the snow, and to call my dad.

"Merry Christmas, daddy." I blurted it out before he could even answer the phone, chuckling to myself that I had called him daddy. I hadn't done that since I was maybe seven.

"Merry Christmas, sport. Are you behaving for the Marshalls?" My hand immediately went to the necklace. Wait a minute, how did he know Ben and Maggie's last name? I was sure I hadn't mentioned it when I called him to tell him I wouldn't make it for Christmas.

"Yes, sir. Horses fed, stalls mucked, all my chores done." I let out a small laugh. "They're nice people. You'd like it here. I know I do."

"Any idea when you might make it back up here?"

"It's still snowing. I don't know what my options are right now."

"Well, we have some things to talk about."

"Let me guess, you took a contract in Timbuktu?"

"Actually Boise, but there are other things we need to discuss, too. Just do what you can to get here. I don't start the new gig until the middle of January, but, well, you know how much work it is to get all our crap packed." It was his turn to laugh.

Normally, a new adventure like moving to a city I'd never lived in before would excite me, but this time, all I felt was a strange melancholy. I looked out over the farm, watching the snow get heavier and heavier, my mind drifting to whether Ben and I would need to take hay to the cattle or not.

"Chris, Chris, are you still there?" My dad's voice finally brought me out of my trance.

"Sorry dad, I was just thinking about something. Yeah, I'll see what I can do to get back up there." I couldn't bring myself to call Chicago home anymore. In a few weeks, when he moved to Boise, it wouldn't be, anyway.

"Well, I'll let you go, and Chris, I love you, no matter what. I always will. Remember that."

Something was off.

"Dad, what's going on? I mean, I love you, too, but you're sounding a bit dramatic."

"Like I said, we just have things to talk about. Things that are probably best discussed in person. Just remember, I love you." He hung up before I could press for more information.

"Ben!" I shouted, heading back inside.

"What's the matter, Chrissy?"

"I don't know. Something with my dad. He just sounds different. I need to get there, and fast."

We talked about me borrowing a truck. We looked at the weather forecast and the road conditions between here and Chicago. It wasn't looking good. The storm hadn't been the devastating blizzard we expected, but it was hanging around, dumping an inch or two of snow every day from here to St. Louis. I could fly, but last-minute airline tickets were exorbitant. What we knew for sure was my bike wasn't an option.

It was Belle that inadvertently had the answer. "Ok, my train leaves Dallas the day after tomorrow. I need to be at the station at about 10:30." She walked into the room, completely oblivious to the conversation Ben and I were having.

I got up and kissed her full on the lips.

"Well, thanks." She laughed. "What was that for?"

"My dad is acting weird. I need to get to Chicago and you, my favorite sister, just gave me the answer. Show me how to book a ticket on the train."

Thirty minutes later, I had a seat on the Texas Eagle, leaving Dallas at 3:40 the next day.

Danny was next. I went up to my room to make the call. I told him what was going on and he understood. He even offered to take me to the train station. "I'd like that. I'll let Ben know."

"Hey baby girl. Merry Christmas." Lexie was as effervescent as ever.

"You, too. Listen, I'm going to talk to my dad. I'm taking the train tomorrow. How do I do this?"

"Well, you could talk around it for a while and try to get a feel for how you think he's going to react, or you can rip the band aid off like I did when I told my parents. I just showed up all dressed up and said something like, 'Look, I love you guys and I'm tired of lying to you. I'm gay as fuck.'"

"I can so see that." I laughed. "So, you think I should just show up as Chrissy and let the chips fall?"

"I'm sorry, baby girl. I can't really answer that. It's up to you to decide what will work best for you and your dad. My parents and I always had an open relationship, and my dad, well, he's a pretty gruff biker guy, so I knew he could take it. And my mom was just excited to see Lexie again. I don't think she ever cared who I fucked."

It turned out that my call to Danny wasn't necessary. He showed up with his parents a few hours later. His dad knew Ben, and his mom and Maggie were besties, so I guess it's just a small-town thing. Maggie had been busy in the kitchen all afternoon and we all sat down to supper, which is an enormous meal that happens in the afternoon between when lunch and dinner should be, evidently for special occasions or something. Danny's mom brought stuff and, when added to what Maggie had made, we were all going to be stuffed.