Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:59:29 -0700 (PDT) From: Joe Parker Subject: I think I'm in trouble, Part I Chapter IV ***WARNING*** This story contains references to themes surrounding two distant cousins and their sexual attractions towards each other. If you find this offensive, please desist now. I THINK I'M IN TROUBLE (Carol) Miss Carol gazes out upon the scene from her favorite sunning spot in the solarium on the 4th floor. The motion of her rocking chair suspended for just this moment. She raises her ever present 'ladies sized' binoculars to her aged eyes and espies the scene developing below her~ Oh yes good Lord this be a day of reckonin. The cah jez turn up and by the look of that boy he knowin somin that caught his pants-on-hell-fire fo-sho. Young Alicia sure do look mighty perplexed and I'm-a-thinkin that pretty soon young Maser Ryan gonna be quick-steppin the hot taters as he try to do some splainin to that precious boy of ours. I jez knowed this day were-a-comin, yessirree I could feel it in me waters. Mayhap they can set bout gettin thangs right and Miss Carol can lay herself down and go onto glory as promised. Mighty God please strike a bolt righteous lightnin right up Maser Ryan's lily white ass (forgive me Lord), and show him and our lil boy Jake the way that leadeth home fo-sho! Land sakes! AMEN! ***************************************** Ryan Maxson~ I attempt to sip my coffee, but for some reason I just can't and my mind begins to wander from the financial reviews I am meant to be reading. I have had butterflies in my stomach all day today, just that constant unsettled feeling - not from indigestion but from a inkling of dread. Last night I dreamed of Shonta, but it wasn't the dream I usually have. This time I dreamed of the first time we met. My pal John Phillips and I had been working hard all semester and we decided we deserved to treat ourselves to a Friday night out on the town. Somehow we wound up at this honky tonk bar, it was about 11:00 in the evening. We fake ID'ed our way in (I was only 17 at the time) and started drinking ourselves into oblivion. The plan was to do the rounds of the various bars, check out the local wildlife and perhaps take some of it home for a wild sex safari. Well you know what they say about the best laid plans. By Midnight we were well on the way, actually I was totally plastered from Tequila shots. Suddenly the jukebox went dead and I looked around, annoyed because I kinda liked that old Ry Cooder song, 'Little Sister'. I was about to drunkenly voice my disatisfaction to the whole world. My voice can get extremely loud, I can really raise the roof when I yell it up! - And then I heard it.., a guitar being played by a beautifully skilled hand. It was only now that I noticed how full the bar had become, people were virtually 'hanging from the rafters'. And then for the first time in my life I heard the voice of an angel, and I knew.., I knew that I had found the one. Impossible as it is to believe, I sobered up immediately - just like that. And like a zombie I began to walk, somehow the crowd opened like the Red Sea. "You are a miracle, but you are not mine You are Chateau Rothschild, I'm just moonshine..." And she sang to me, not to them but to me. I could hear faint voices in the background, people telling me to sit down, get out of the way etc. At one stage John was there trying to get my attention, he failed utterly. Up on the stage was this strange otherworldly creature and her voice was like a distant siren, calling me to arms. Mesmerizing me and stirring emotions deep in the heart and soul of me.., every chord she played, every word she sang was just plain KILLING me. I would do anything to be close to her. I stood there like a dumbfounded idiot for the next 40 minutes or so while she sang her way into my life, into my whole being. Her hair tumbled down her back like a golden fall of light. Her skin was alabaster and her body was lithe, fragile and tiny. I just wanted to hold her, protect her and hide her away from all these hungry men with their starving eyes. I wanted to do the most desperate thing I could think of to prove my love to her. I wanted to die for her. Her eyes were violet, no trick of the light.., they were violet and glowing. They just nailed me to the floor each time they fell upon me. In my young life I had always guffawed at the tv shows and movies portraying the 'Love at first sight' phenomenom.., and now it was happening to me. The crowd was in raptures when she finished her set and I had to wait out 7 ovations and encores before I could storm the stage. The bouncers came to remove me but she let me stay. I asked her, her name. She smiled and gave me the gift of the most beautiful name I have ever heard.., Shonta. She told me it was old french for shiny pebble - glistening stone. I thought it was very appropriate, just like her gorgeous eyes. She was my little shining pebble and I was crazy in love.., totally freaking gone. After that night we would not spend more than a single day apart until the very end. I would abandon my studies by and large, attempting to finish them off part time over the next few years. Shonta and I would be married in Vegas just one month later as soon as I turned 18, Shonta was 19. I did attempt to explain everything to my family, and they were naturally horrified. Dad was incredulous and I have never seen my Mother speechless before. They tried everything to stop me from marrying her. They even went as far as accepting a relationship between us but marriage? -- Never! In the end I was cast out but I didn't care, I had Shonta and with her by my side, I was as content as a bear in a honey pot. The only one who supported me was Old Carol, and boy did she have words for my Father... it would take him years to lower her ire after he disinherited me. Even though Mother disapproved of Shonta and I, she slipped me an AMEX card and begged me to call her every week. I did. My love and I travelled far and wide like free spirits, it was a whole new world to me. Coming from my background of privilege and order, it was a totally new experience to have to actually worry about mundane things like earning money for food, lodging and travel. I rarely used the AMEX preferring to not to let Mother know exactly where I was. I would learn much later that she always knew exactly where I was anyway... I don't wish to know HOW she did that. I never told Shonta about the card, I don't know why. I used the strong, lean body God had given me working construction jobs as casual labor by day, and acted as a doorman at the Nashville clubs where Shonta performed most every night. That's where she got her big break.., we had been married for only 2 months. They cut an album of 12 songs, 7 of which were written by her. Within the year it had acheived 9 number one country singles and 4 crossover number one singles on the billboard charts. The album would sit atop the country charts for most of the year and it would choke the main billboard charts top position for nearly 5 months. My baby was just about the biggest star in the whole world, nobody was prouder than me. Even Mother was impressed. By the time I lost her, Shonta would rack up nearly 90 million in record sales from 4 albums, including 17 number one country singles and 9 number one crossover 'main chart' singles. She was living the dream and as with everything, she did it with grace and beauty. I had come to enjoy the periods of time we spent visiting her own family the Jarrows. She quickly began using her new found wealth to help them out without going overboard. I was never jealous of her success and as long as it did not threaten our marriage I was totally in support of her career. Coming from an old Eastern dynasty consisting of more than 14 multi-billionaires, my father being the principal heir -- I was not overwhelmed by the sudden upward trend in our finances, and thus we avoided the usual pitfalls that accompany such circumstances. In fact I used my inherent financial nous to magnify and increase our wealth. My darling Shonta was also not bedazzled by all the money and fame, she just drifted along happily and placidly.., giving me love, and being loved by me. About 2 and a half years after we were married something else happened. We were in L.A. and shortly after the Grammys I was offerred a part in a movie... It was a leading actor role and to me the movie was just a lightweight teen-flick kinda thing, nothing serious. I turned it down of course, after chuckling about it with Shonta. She thought it was a great idea however and kept cajoling me into 'breaking free of my boundaries and trying new challenges. Funnily enough I had actually taken acting classes all the way through junior and senior high because I had a stutter and apparently drama classes helped develop confidence. Well it worked for me.., but that was about the extent of my acting experience and I had NEVER considered acting as a possible career path. High finance was the plan. But then again I would never have thought I would be married to a best selling country singer at 18 either.., but I already said what I think of 'Best laid plans'. Ok so I go and make this movie and get paid like quarter of a million for it, I'm quite stoked about it actually... I was kinda worried how Shonta would react to the kissing scenes, there were three. She clearly did not think carefully enough before urging me into the world of Hollywood because she wasn't too happy that I kissed another girl. It secretly pleased me greatly, my woman was as territorial as a junkyard dog. The film turned out to be of a much higher standard than we thought it would be. The director Jared Friedreische was a young visionary who had a penchant for taking artistic 'no-hopers' and turning them into genuine masterpieces. It worked obviously because I won an Oscar for best actor out of it the very next year! Of course many of the celluloid elite were in uproar but to me it was music to my ears. He asked me to sign on with his small independent studio that was under the wing of one of the major production houses. I ignored all the offers from the other big studio's and remained loyal to Jared. I was on an extremely steep learning curve. I had to learn how to interview, take more acting classes, all sorts of grooming classes and personal training workout sessions to turn me into this hot and handsome Hollywood super hunk. Let me tell you I felt like such a fraud lol. I had facials, manicures, pedicures, waxing, got my teeth capped and all sorts of touch ups. I am ashamed to say that I even had my nose re-straightened from an old football injury I used to be so proud of. My wardrobe expanded to the point it even exceeded Shonta's! Two years later we would premiere what was to be my final film.., though I didn't know it at the time. It was a War film fortunately with no sex or kissing scenes for me. A comedy/tragedy, and I acted the part of a young cowboy soldier who starts a rodeo circuit in Iraq. Well anyway it all ends when I end up getting killed after I try to do an 8 second ride on a wild bull camel which breaks loose and runs off into a minefield. I manage to stay on for 14 seconds... alas. Needless to say I get my second Oscar.., two films down, and two Oscars hehehe not bad for a West Virginian college drop out with rudimentary high school acting experience. Both Shonta and I were definite over-achievers. We often talked about how it all seemed just too good to be true. How prophetic those conversations would turn out to be. Within months she would be dead and I would be left picking up the pieces of a shattered life full of broken dreams that were actually coming true. My reverie is broken when I register the sound of my Mother's high heeled shoes purposefully clip clopping down across the onyx tiled corridoor that leads to my office. I frown, not because I can hear my Mother, but because of the fact that she's not alone. Who could it be? - It can't be Jake because it's too early for him to be home. But it is Jake, and as Mother opens the door wide, from behind her my son comes rushing into the room in a dead rush and half tackles me into my chair sobbing something awful! Now at 6'4" I am a tall, large man, I am stronger than I have ever been from gym and stable work. And I don't weigh a pound more now than I did at 18. But at 220 lbs Jake outweighs me by nearly 50 lbs all of it pure muscle and he's only 17. He has nearly 4 inches over me as well. He's my 'Little Monster'. Suffice to say we both go flying over the back of heirloom leather chair and onto the floor. But I'm not feeling no pain, my mind is spinning and adrenalin is racing through my body. He cries out... "Dad I done wrong! I done somin terrible Daddy, at school and I ran off, I hit him and I..." "Woah woah woah boy!" I shout, grabbing him by his shoulders and shaking him before hugging him into myself. I have never seen him this upset, what the hell happened? "Dad I have shamed our family I have done wrong and and and I hurt that boy when you told me to go easy on smaller kids!" "Jake quit shouting boy!" (I shout) -- you gotta calm down coz your'e making no sense!" But he doesn't calm down, if anything he becomes even more agitated and his voice noise increases another couple of decibels... my ears are ringing. "Will I go to jail Dad!?!? He's gonna call the cops and I deserve it!!!" he collapses into me and we both sit down hard on the floor, tears are streaming from his beautiful eyes and my own eyes instantly well up because my child is hurting. He starts crying loudly and heaving, beginning to hyperventilate. I'm starting to become very afraid.., has he murdered someone? Did he kill Jessica Thomas maybe? "Dad I I I, I'm sorry I'll go away I'll admit I did it just please forgive me!!!" he shouts. "Believe me I'm so s s s, sorry!!!" He's about to say/shout more but he never gets there.., "Young man, that's enough" Says a calm quiet voice.., a voice we have both heard all our lives and never have we heard it raised in anger. Mother has had enough and clearly since my own parenting skill-set flunked the hysterical kid test.., she has decided to intervene. I am profoundly grateful. Jake is leaning into me, heaving and hiccupping, his tear stained face trying to burrow itself into my chest. I'm gonna have a sore back tonight, this I know. "Stand up boys and come over here to the couch, there you can sit together like gentlemen" Obediently we both make our way over to the couch. My boy still clinging to me like white on rice. He has always been a touchy feely kid and to tell you the truth I love it. Always lots of cuddles and kisses, hugs and embraces. When he turned 14 he decided he was too cool for all of that. He lasted all of two nights... Even now at 17 he likes to come and cuddle up to me when I'm on the couch or whatever. He doesn't care who sees either, He tells me his friends are envious that he can still snuggle up to the old man. We sit there and wait for Mother to bring some semblance of order to this fracas. She settles herself on a nearby settee and so we begin. "Jacob, start at the beginning and tell us EVERYTHING please" ***************************************** (Jake) They listen carefully as I incriminate myself with my own testimony. I can't look Dad in the eye I'm so ashamed. After I'm done my Grandmother stands up and looks straight at my father, her pale grey eyes are hard and deadly serious. "Ryan William Maxson, I am going to leave this room now and I will not see either of you until dinner at seven. When I do, you will have told my grandson why he does not know his own Mother's family, his own relatives. If you do not comply, I will tell him myself" Dad hangs his head.., Personally I was waiting for the axe to fall on my own head but it hasn't happened, no one has said nothing. Grandma is now speaking to me. "Jacob, when you have heard your father speak, I want you to learn the lesson he is trying to teach you, and himself" She glides over to me kisses my head and Daddy's too.., then she silently leaves. I am just gonna say this in the plainest way possible and as I can best understand it... It was December the 23rd and Dad and Mom were at their villa in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles. They were preparing to fly first class back East to Kentucky for Christmas the next day. Earlier that day Dad had received a call from Grandma asking him to head back home for Christmas as Grandad had relented and wanted to reconcilliate with Dad. Grandfather after several years of steadfast bitching (my words yes) and insistence from both Grandmother and Old Carol had caved in and was requesting their presence at Maxson Eyrie. Mom wanted to go ahead with their original plan of spending Christmas in Kentucky and then they could spend New Years in West Virginia. For the first time they had a real big fight which went all day and all night long and the argument caused them to miss their intended 5 AM flight to Kentucky the next morning. The argument was so bad that they headed seperate ways, Dad booking on the next flight to West Virginia that day. And Mom on the late morning flight out to Kentucky. They were both miserable. Just minutes after Mom's flight has left and 10 minutes before his own flight is scheduled to leave, Dad has a change of heart and calls Grandmother in West Virginia apologizing before begging her to organize a company jet to fly him from LA to Louisville immediately. She complies. Mom arrives in Louisville and hires a rental car and has just enough time to do a little extra Christmas shopping before full nightfall. Dad knows that Mom isn't confident driving in the dark and Dad wants to be there to drive for her. Dad arrives and he drives round in his own rental car trying to call Mom but the worst snow conditions in years have interrupted all local cellular networks. Dad has already used a landline phone to call the Jarrow Homeplace but they haven't seen Momma yet. Finally he dejectedly heads on out to the Jarrow Homeplace, he was hoping to make up with Mom before she got home. Next thing he knows he's driven into the frenzy of an accident scene.., into the specter of the most horrific reality he can imagine. I have instant cognizance of the way that awful night has affected Dad's life ever since. The G-word... Guilt, He asks me to forgive him for ostracizing the Jarrows and cutting them out of our lives. He said he panicked and thought they would try to take me away. He just did so many stupid things and made so many grievious errors of judgement at that time that his head is still spinning from the horror of it all. He tells me that it took him two years to face up to the reality of the mistake he had made in shutting Mom's folks out. They had attempted to reach out to him several times and then later had used all their money in an attempt to get visiting rights to me. Dads lawyers destroyed theirs, ultimately resulting in the loss of their Home place through legal debts. Mom's beloved home which had been sanctuary to generations of Jarrows was lost. Even after coming to the realization of the fact that he had grossly overreacted, Dad was now so emotionally defective that he could not get himself to resolve the situation in-as-much as he was able. Unbearable guilt... He tells me he understands if I hate him. He understands if I feel he betrayed Mom and me also He understands if I call him a failure for totally screwing up the best thing that had ever happened to him. He's sorry that he has denied me even asking questions about Mom, hidden all his home movies of them and her, no photos, no memento's -- nothing all my life. Tears of hurt and excruciating pain spring to my eyes. I have NEVER cried so much in my whole life! Dad looks like he has been crying for all his life... But I don't hate him.., I'm not mad at him, You see.., I have already lost one parent -- I don't want to lose the other one. And he has the been just the best Dad ever - EVER! I tell him so. "Dad I love you and I always will love you. I forgive you and I think Mommy does too" I can see a sea-change taking place in his eyes, that dim film of deadness and hopelessness that I have noticed all my life is lifting before my very eyes. It's is not until a little later that I would myself learn the meaning of the word redemption. When Jake William Maxson would be redeemed by Felix Drake Jarrow. ***************************************** (Ryan) We have been sitting here hugging each other for the last 20 minutes, it's wonderful and it's new. My son is still my son and I am becoming a whole brand new me. He still loves me! With the benefit of her incredible knack for perfect timing, Miss Carol hobbles into the room, leading a Room service cart pushed by two very frightened looking servants. The cart is loaded with English Afternoon Tea. Various sandwiches with the edges cut off, hot meat pastries and cornish rolls, butterfly cakes with whipped cream and the essential scones with home made Devonshire jam and clotted cream. There is steeped Earl Grey tea (which only Miss Carol will drink) and steaming hot coffee for me. And last but not least there is pineapple juice for Jake, his favorite. These delights are just the ticket for two emotionally exhausted men like us. I grin as I watch Jakes eyes light up.., ahhh to be young again. We dig in with shameless abandon. On my desk, my previous coffee remains untouched and cold. A symbol of my past life, an example of what my new life will not be. Go me! ***************************************** (Felix) Jessica is right on time, I roll my eyes - of course she is, she's perfect! If it's possible she's even more stunning than yesterday. Today she's dressed all in white, she even has white sunglasses on. I hop into the convertible without using the door and she laughs, "Hehe that's what Jake does!" We both freeze and she quickly covers her glossy lips and then I hear a muffled "I'm sorry" type murmur from behind her hands. "So anyway..." I say suddenly nervous. "Whats up Jessica?" "Oh you know, this and that, here and there.., every now and then..." She smiles, grateful for the subject change. I just laugh and she continues, "Hmmm well last night, I called Jake and we talked okay. I think everythings going to be alright Felix. He was really different last night, he even seemed excited about seeing you! He said he's very sorry and he says he is going to prove to both of us how sorry he is. Like can you believe it Felix!" I'm still sceptical.., "Well lets just see what he does when we get there, and by the way - does he know I'm riding with you?" "Yes he knows but he's in no position to be making demands on me" she responds huffily. Yep I'm still real worried I'm gonna get my ass kicked again. We arrive at school and I look around but Jessica tells me he will be a few more minutes yet as he has to drive down the mountain or something. I leap out of her car so as not to look to much like I'm taking advantage. Straight away I can hear the annoying screams of two girls and Sue and Beth come rushing over to greet us. Jessica squeals and they all hug and air kiss. Well it's a relief to know that Jessica is not THAT perfect! I am greeted by Sue and Beth and inspected as they both oooh and aaaah over my cut ear and the hairline bruise to the left side of my face. You can't really see it unless you are looking right at it because it's mostly on my scalp. I am wary coz their two boyfriends Clarke and lets call him 'Clarke Junior' are standing behind their girlfriends watching me with dead eyes. I reckon I could take them one on one, but guys like them never fight fair. I notice that all the other kids in the parking lot are keeping a respectful distance from us. Although several come up to say 'What's up?' -- they don't stay long. I am getting alot of curious glances, some girls I can tell are checking me out, others seem to be envious of the new boy kicking it with the big guns. And right on cue, here's the biggest gun himself! Jake's unnecessarily grunty and noisy 2008 SUV roars into the parking lot and skids to a sudden smoke producing halt. Burning rubber assails our noses. Before he can get out.., a teacher rushes over to his truck and gives him a piece of her mind about his 'Inappropriate driving'. I can't hear much but I do notice that she quickly goes from being agitated to listening to him intently and then she is beaming at him all happy an all. Worst of all I hear her simper and look at him with 'that look' that women give.., gross! Yep he's definitely a schmooze of the first order, probably gets it from his loser of a dad. Just like that I'm all steamed up and regardless of his promises to 'Make it up to me' - I am getting riled as the memory of what he done to me returns. Even so I can't help but check him out and MY GOD, he is smokin! His truck tyres ain't got nothin on their master. I can't believe I'm thinking this but I ain't gonna worry bout it. There's just no time.., and I kinda don't even want to. Yes it's really gay but if there was just one guy a straight man would wanna give it up to, Jake Maxson.., Thou art the man! He unfolds his long lean body from his truck and stands up tall straightening himself arrogantly knowing that all eyes are on him. Currently my eyes are on his butt and I ain't the only one checking it out. Generous, full and begging to be worshipped, touched, oh man I'm losing my marbles here! I look around and discover that nope, I ain't the only one. He is just so heart stoppingly good looking, and so muscular.., honestly, what do they feed him up on that Maxson mountain place - kryptonite? He is just so ridiculously blessed with perfect 10-type attributes, it's just insane. I gulp and shiver a little as he gazes slowly around the car park, nodding his head at several jock buddies of his and then finally his indigo eyes locate mine. Not Jessica's, not our group's - mine. He blinks, I can actually handle his eyes, I have the same eyes and many in my family have them too of course. It sure ain't the Jarrow part of him that has my throat dry and my senses addled.., it's that damn Maxson blood! Our gazes are still locked nevertheless and he walks lazily towards me like he's got all the time in the world. He quickly glances at another buddy who has called out to him. This gives me a chance to disengage but what do I do? Stupid retard that I am, I decide to scope out the rest of his amazing body, honestly it's all that! He's wearing khaki chino's, just a little too tight, his strong thighs brought out in stark relief against the thin material. They accentuate the length of his powerful legs ending in smart reddish brown leather dress shoes. His package oh me oh my... Yeah his package, it's sinful that he gets away with it, its just so like, it's just so right, so - I don't know, I just don't know. I wanna touch it I wanna lay my head in in his lap. I wanna stand behind him, hump him and put my hands down his pants and.., and.... stroooooke... Somewhere in my mind a little voice is screaming out DANGER DANGER, ALERT ALERT! But I'm not listening.., coz he is now in front of me and he's smiling at me with this gorgeous, perfect smile.., his hands on his lean hips He's wearing a white vaguely see through long sleeved shirt with tiny dark gray pinstripes. It's thin and it's buttoned with the sleeves rolled up. And over that he's wearing a navy blue GAP sweater vest with red and white piping. I'm just so lost, I'm blown away and I'm hard... He's so close and he's so very hot and he's smiling right at me. It's like there's some damn Vegas casino sign flashing in his mouth. His tongue suddenly darts out and he licks his sensuous puffy, born to kiss lips, my heart jolts. That tongue and those lips should be registered lethal weapons. And then that gravelly sex machine voice seizes my attention.., "Hi Felix Jarrow, I'm Jake Maxson. Welcome to Garfield High" "Go to Hell!" I reply and run all the way home... ***************************************** (Jake) So I'm standing outside his front door, I hope I've got the right house.., Jess said it was the only yellow house on Cross Street... It's been one really long day and I haven't been able to concentrate one iota. As soon as school was out I made tracks for La maison de Felix. I knock and ring the bell again but nobody answers. I'm about to turn away when I hear distant voices and music coming from round the back. My immediate motivation is to take the easy way out and leave but the music draws me like the proverbial moth to the flame. Somebody is lightly running his fingers over the strings of a guitar, that classic blue grass sound .., - A jing-a-jing-a-jing-a-jing... It's light and airy and beautiful, and although I don't like country.., it sounds fantastic - I think it's Felix playing. I walk around the side and sneak up on a wonderful scene. Felix is sitting on a tree stump in the yard playing a 12 string guitar. A pretty little girl with honeyed pigtails and pink overalls is standing next to him and a little toddler is holding her hand as he totters about clearly only having just learned to walk. Felix fixes a silly mooncalf expression on his face and howls which makes me snicker to myself, he's a real goof. He begins to sing and play... "Well I'm proud to be a coal miners -- hound dawg!?!?" The little girls delighted squeals of laughter fill the air.., and the toddler gurgles happily in the background. "No! - not that one!" "Hmmm well maybe it's this... Well I'm proud to be a coal miners -- hand bag!?!?!" "Naw unca Feelick you know it ain't that you so sillys!", the little girl folds her arms and nods. The little boy whoops and calls -- "Feelick!", we all grin, yes me too. "Peese do it proper like!" the little girl whines, "Ok then, a one, a two, a one, two, three..," and together they sing in perfect harmony. "Well I'm proud to be a coal miners daughter!..." Something in my heart makes me want to join them. I have always loved singing but in recent years I just hum to things coz it's kinda uncool to sing right? There are no good singers in my family anyway. Grandpa's too grumpy, Grandma likes classical, Daddy couldn't sing his way out of a wet paper bag - thank the Lord.., and even though Miss Carol can sing.., she sings songs that are like a zillion years old. Besides she has the voice of a freight train and even with my volume she's hard to compete with lol. "Hello, what's your name - anyways?" a curious little voice asks, Busted by the little girl in pink. She's standing right in front of me. I should have noticed the music had quit playing. Three pairs of eyes are staring at me. Actually two pairs of eyes are staring at me and one pair of eyes is glaring at me. "Ummmm hiya" I wince and say to her... "I'm uh Jake, call me Jake" I hear another whoop from behind her and the little boy cries out "Nake!" And then Felix enters the fray, "That's right, Jake the Snake!" "Yeah real mature Feeeelix" I respond. "Mine names is Abigails and this is lil Shaun and this is Unca Feelick, do you wanna sing with us Jakes?" -- she places 's' sounds on the end of nearly everything. She grabs my hand and drags me towards Felix who looks like he's about to abandon ship but is in two minds.., Hot damn he's cute... "Ummm -- like what the ffff..., I mean what on EARTH are you doing here Jake?!?" (He was about to say wtf lol) he sounds pretty exasperated. Another whoop and then "Erf!!!" rings out from lil Shaun who breaks the tension and we all smile in spite of ourselves. I give Felix one of my trademark sideways looks and say, "I came to talk, I tried to start off on the right foot with you this morning but..., I been talking to Jess and she made me come here to apologize bout yesterday" I'm starting to whine... "Oh so she maaaade you come here to apologize did she?" "No I came coz I wanted to Felix, I need to tell you how sorry I am. I got so many things to discuss with you" The little boy wobbles over to me and raises his arms, and without hesitation I pick him up and cuddle him and he cooo's with delight. "Give me my nephew and GET OUT!" Felix yells without trying to actually yell. He fails miserably and Abigail does the 'Shhhhhh' thing.., too many fingers to her lips. I smile at him broadly, I can't help it he just has that affect on me. He kinda looks at me, eyes wide all of a sudden, wow do I have that much effect on him? Then from behind me I hear a quiet and gentle voice... "Now Felix is that any way to treat the new baby sitter?" she smiles at me and tickles lil Shaun under the chin. thinking quickly I agree.., "Uh - yeah Felix is that an yway to treat your new baby sitter?" -- huge smirk on my face. "You gotta be kidding me here!" Felix groans, But then I feel a light touch to my face, Mrs Felix has reached up and is looking directly into my purple eyes... "Honey maybe you ain't the babysitter after all.., but I think y'all better come on inside never-the-less" Busted twice in 5 minutes.., I'm losing my touch.., ouch lil Shaun just bit me.., Damn Jarrows... ***************************************** Please join me again for the next chapter~ Contact the author -- joejoeparkertex@yahoo.com