Unbroken Promises (19 page)

“Havin fun at other people’s expense is cruel. The woman you just hurt is a precious, sweet lady. She didn’t deserve this.” Cody said slowly shaking his head back and forth. “And, as far as I can see, beautiful or not, the two of you just got turned down at this house.”

“That may all be true. We didn’t intentionally set out to hurt this woman you’re speaking about,” Lacy said a little guiltily. “We sat in the car a long time before we walked over to the cowboys and we didn’t see anyone else except those in the pool.” Then Lacy switched back to her seductive voice. “So, how about you, country boy? Would you like to party with the two of us? Do you want to take a walk on the wild side? Have you ever even been with a woman before?”

“Ma’am, I’m not even gonna’ dignify that with an answer,” Cody replied to Lacy, but the next time he spoke he looked at her sister, Stacy, the one who had teased Jesse. “But I will say I’m a one-woman-man. Two at a time does not interest me in the least.” At that moment the sister he was looking at walked up to him. “Well, Mr. Straight-and-Narrow, what’s your opinion on used merchandise?”

“Well, ma’am, now that would depend on if the merchandise wanted to continue to be used by multiple consumers or just one.”

“You’re a little young to be so proper, aren’t you? What’s wrong with a little fun? What are you? A preacher or something?”

“Why, ma’am, I don’t consider takin’ turns with everyone else much fun. Don’t know about the preacher part yet, but I doubt it. And, what you refer to as proper, I call morals. And I don’t believe bein’ young has anything to do with a person havin’ a few morals or not.” The beautiful young girl just looked at Cody for the longest time trying to figure out if he was serious or not. She had to admit she’d never met anyone quite like him. She thought he was handsome with his dark brownish red hair and deep copper colored eyes. He was a tall boy, not fat, and but not skinny either. He was built kind of like a boxer. Yes, he was definitely different from any guy she had ever met. “Well, Country, how about you take a lady out to dinner sometime?”

Cody knew he could have been mean by saying, “When I find a lady, I just might do that,” but something about this twin intrigued him. She seemed different from her sister, and she sure was beautiful. She was much prettier than her sister was even though they were twins. There was a difference in the shape and color of the eyes. He knew the odds that she was only playing with a young redheaded country boy like him was no doubt high.

Plus, after what they had just done to his family, he knew he shouldn’t have anything to do with her, but he couldn’t stop himself.

“Why, ma’am, I just might take you up on a dinner. But, since you did the invitin’, I guess that means you’re gonna have to do the payin’, don’t it?” Cody drawled.

Again, she looked at him as if he were an alien then finally answered, “Okay, Country, you got a deal. Next Friday at seven o’clock. I guess you want me to come pick you up, too, don’t you?”

Cody didn’t want to see what Susan or Beth would do if this woman pulled up and he climbed in her car. “No, ma’am, I’ll come get you at seven next Friday. Here’s my number,” Cody said as he pulled out an old card to write on and a pen he had in his shirt pocket. “Call me later and tell me how to get to your house. And, ma’am, the name’s Cody, not Country.” Cody had his doubts that he would ever hear from this beauty again.

“Okay, Country, I’ll see you Friday.” Then she kissed him lightly on the lips and got in the car.

As they drove away, Lacy looked at Stacy. “Are you crazy? What were you thinking making a date with that young boy? He’s probably only 21 or at the most 22.”

“I don’t care; I like him. To me, Cody seems more mature than most of the 25-year old men I’ve dated. I think that’s the man I’m going to marry.”

“You have got to be kidding! Daddy would never allow you to marry him. Even though the Bately’s are wealthy, Cody is only a cousin. He’ll probably never have any money. And you know how our father is about money. Besides, you know absolutely nothing about him.”

“I know I don’t, but neither do you. And money isn’t everything. Besides, I’m of legal age and father can’t decide my life for me. I will see and I will marry whoever I want.”

“That may be true, but as the saying goes, ‘you can love a rich man as easily as a poor one,’

easier. I think you need to let up some and carry through with these situations we set up.”

“You mean, the situations you set up. You know I’m not like you, Lace. I only do this playing around because you talk me into it and find it so amusing. You’re the one who always ends up alone with the man or men while I always make up an excuse to go home. No one would believe that I am sill a virgin with all of the frolics you’ve talked me into.”

“You’re most likely right. I don’t know why you get out of every situation. You have to admit there have been some good looking studs who have taken us up on the offer. I don’t understand why none of them has intrigued you enough for you to sleep with them. What are you saving it for anyway? That red headed country boy?”

“Maybe. Who knows? I will confess it has been fun seeing the looks on the faces of the men when we pull this on them. I also will admit that these last two gorgeous men might have tempted me into going through with everything; but, more than likely, I would have pulled out anyway—even if they wouldn’t have turned us down.” Stacy sighed “I don’t know, Lace, but I don’t think I want to do this anymore. When we were just flirting with single guys, it seemed harmless; but, then you changed it to boyfriends and husbands, and I don’t think that’s right.

You heard what Cody said; we hurt that innocent lady for no reason.”

“I didn’t know the woman could see us,” Lacy said in defense. “And she didn’t look so innocent to me; she looked more like a hellion! Look at my swollen nose.”

“You would have done the same thing if you would have walked outside and seen some woman fondling your husband.”

“Maybe so.”

The twins left by the time Beth walked back outside, but everyone else was still there. Beth told them she was sorry about everything but it might be better if they left. Everyone was nice about it and said they understood.

Before they left, one of the guys told her he’d seen the twins do almost the same exact thing at another friend’s house but it was with two husbands and their wives were sitting right beside them. He said that’s the way they get their kicks— trying to take someone else’s husband or boyfriend. He said it was all a game to them.

Beth was madder than she was before because now she knew it was premeditated, probably before they even got here. She thought, if they ever came back, she would do more than Susan did.

Beth sat on the back porch steps and started thinking about all that had just happened. She had been having fun with her friends while she waited and watched for Jesse to come home. She hoped that he would have wanted to play volleyball with them. Now Beth was not only mad at the twins for ruining her party, but she was also mad at Jordon and Jesse because they didn’t immediately get rid of the girls.

Beth was used to seeing Jesse with other women. Good grief, if she felt like this, there was no telling what Susan was thinking or what she was going to do. Beth still remembered the last time Susan got jealous over Jordon. That time he was only watching an X-rated movie. There’s no limit to what she’d do now that she seen another woman caressing his crotch and him just standing there letting her.

Her sister always had a sweet and mild nature with strong morals; but, when it came to her man and another woman, she turned into a she-cat. Beth knew her sister was capable of losing all self-constraint. If this incident turned out like the last one, Beth was afraid Susan was going to do things she would regret and be ashamed of later. And the way she marched up the stairs and threw Jordon’s things out led Beth to believe that a storm was on its way. She just prayed it would soon blow over. Beth still couldn’t believe they just stood there and let the twins rub all over them. Her dad, for goodness sake! It was as if he were in a state of shock.

Beth contemplated the idea a little more…maybe that was it. The whole incident had shocked him in such a way that it delayed his reaction. She would have to tell Susan what she thought; that is, if she would listen to anything anyone said. Right now Beth doubted anyone would be able to get through to her as mad as she was.

When Beth reflected on Jesse’s part in the incident, she couldn’t give an excuse for him if she tried. He simply was too much of a playboy to be caught off guard or stunned by women coming on to him.

Then Beth thought about what Jesse said to the twins. He made it sound as if he wasn’t so tired and that he would have been happy to ‘ride’ them. Then the jerk insinuated he would like to do it another time by saying he’d have to take a “rain check.” Beth didn’t think she could have taken it if Jesse would have outright agreed to have sex with one of them. He always led her to believe his main reason for not wanting her was because she was too young. The twins were only a year older than she was. Just when she thought they might be making progress, something else always happened. Beth wiped away the tear that rolled down her cheek and got up and went to her bedroom because she knew more were about to follow.

Jesse and Jordon looked at each other and shook their heads. They worked hard all day long in a 100-degree heat checking and fixing fences. They both were grimy and drenched with sweat.

“10 minutes! We haven’t been home 10 minutes and all hell breaks loose,” Jordon said throwing both hand in the air.

“Looks like you’re in the dog house again, big brother.”

“I’ll be damned if I stay in it as long as I did the last time she threw my pillow out! Do you remember that time? It was a few weeks before you turned 18 and you’re the one,” Jordon pointed his finger at Jesse, “who talked me into watchin’ that stupid X-rated movie to begin with.”

“I remember,” Jesse said with a sigh.

“Jesse, I ain’t watching that mess and you don’t need to be watching it either. Besides, you are too young. You’re not even 18 yet,” Jordon scolded.

“Jordon, I hate to bust your bubble, but I have been doing a lot more than watchin’ for years. Besides, in a few weeks I will be 18,” Jesse countered. “More to the point, you are not my dad, you are my brother. I’m no longer a kid in need of your discipline. I’ve already finished high school and started college. I need you as a brother now,” Jesse said, then added

“and you know you’ve done the same things when you were my age. From what I’ve heard, you were much worse.”

Jordon sighed. As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t disagree. Besides, he felt good about the man Jesse was becoming and was proud he had a little part in it. Jordon kind of liked the idea of turning over the role of guardian to that of brother. He would always be Jesse’s big brother and that in itself required respect and obedience.

“Jesse, you’re right, I did. But let me tell you one thing, if you are doing more than watchin’, you better not be doing it here under this roof. I attached that apartment to the house in case momma and daddy wanted to stay in it when they came to visit. If I catch you screwin’

around, you’re movin’ right back to your old bedroom so I can keep an eye on you. And if you are screwin’ around somewhere else, you best be wearing protection! Do you hear me, boy?”

“Yessir, loud and clear,” Jesse said grinning.

He and Jordon hadn’t been watching long when Susan, Beth, and Cody came home early from church. They didn’t even hear Susan walk up behind them; but, what made it worse, of all the times, Jordon had to choose that moment to say, “My goodness, Jess, would you look at the beautiful tits on her!”

Susan heard what he said and then jerked her head up to see what they were watching. She yelled at Jordon and hit him on the head. She walked over to the VCR, took the tape out, and tore it up. She placed the abused tape in Jordon’s lap before she marched upstairs to her bedroom, threw Jordon’s pillow out and slammed and locked the door.

Cody and Beth had run out of their bedrooms scared and wide eyed. Jesse looked shamefaced and Jordon bewildered. Jesse looked at Jordon trying to lighten the mood. “Well, I guess we won’t be watchin’ the end of that movie.” Jordon turned and glared at him.

Jordon knew Susan was devastated. He quietly walked up the stairs and put his ear to the door to see if she was crying. He heard her ranting to herself. “I can’t believe Jordon would enjoy looking at another woman’s naked body.” He heard the slamming and shutting of drawers as she most likely rambled for her old faded nightgown. “What is wrong with me that he wants to look at someone else? Maybe I’m too boring, too timid, maybe he isn’t even attracted to me anymore.”

Jordon’s heart wept when he heard her crying, as much as he wanted to comfort her and take the hurt away, he knew her well enough to know that now was not the time to confront her.

Then his heart almost stopped when he heard her say sarcastically, “Well, I’ll just have to see what I can do to change all of that.”

The next few days led into weeks and things around the ranch didn’t get any better.

Everytime he tried to start a conversation with her, she would turn her back and ignore him.

She wouldn’t cook for him, and she sure wouldn’t let him in her bedroom. Susan stayed mainly behind the locked doors of their bedroom sewing and sometimes she would leave to go shopping.

Then Susan took her pouting to a different level—one Jordon would never believe existed.

Susan had always worn modest dresses; and, with the exception of their wedding night, she even wore long modest gowns to sleep in. Of course, Jordon would take them off to make love, but then she’d always put them back on before she fell asleep saying she felt more comfortable.

One day Susan came out of her room wearing a low cut shirt, and short skirt. Jordon could have sworn he’d seen the material before but on a much longer skirt.

Jordon sat with his elbows on the kitchen table and his hands folded under his chin.

“Sue, don’t you think that outfit is a little…little?” Her only reply was a beady-eyed, cold stare, and then she left the house.