Story Over the River and Through the Woods
- Thread starter PacNorWest
- Start date
stjwelding
Veteran Member
Wow!! Pac thank you, love you story.
Wayne
Wayne
Thank you Pac for your continuing story!
I will speak from personal experience, as a teenager I got involved in parapsychology. Anyone that has been involved in parapsychology or the occult and made it out will have to deal with periods of depression the rest of their lives. The month of October is the worst. Friends and family, even some of the Christian ones, won't understand why you don't enjoy the 'fun' of hallowween. Why you won't watch the scary shows on TV. Why you won't give out candy to trick or treaters. Anything to do with magic, not illusionist, is very bad to be around. If you know the basis and origin of much of this and it still doesn't bother you, the more power to you, but don't expect me and others like me to enjoy it with you.
I will speak from personal experience, as a teenager I got involved in parapsychology. Anyone that has been involved in parapsychology or the occult and made it out will have to deal with periods of depression the rest of their lives. The month of October is the worst. Friends and family, even some of the Christian ones, won't understand why you don't enjoy the 'fun' of hallowween. Why you won't watch the scary shows on TV. Why you won't give out candy to trick or treaters. Anything to do with magic, not illusionist, is very bad to be around. If you know the basis and origin of much of this and it still doesn't bother you, the more power to you, but don't expect me and others like me to enjoy it with you.
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#43d
The question and answer time continued, as Rennie was thinking about the future.
"Toby could you tell I had been drugged, how did you come to that conclusion?"
"Mostly by association, they work on the people closest to them, so they're not seen walking down the halls. I still haven't figured out how they move someone my size, or the size of Bruce. A lot of it I haven't put together, but I'm thinking, that's the unusual grinding noise you hear." he teased.
While he was in the sunshine, Toby took his shirt off and let the sunlight disinfect his wound. He figured she'd already seen it, so it was what it was. Rennie was looking off in the distance, but in reality she was looking at Toby. "You have a very nice physique," she complimented.
"That's Dad's influence, he keeps us all in top shape. Seriously, if I hadn't had the muscle resistance, the shot gun blast would have killed me. How about you? What do those scars on your belly mean?"
"They mean no more children. I was so depressed over that, that's the reason I was crying so hard in the office that day. I always had this vision that I'd have a house full of children, like this one. Your Mom and Dad are really special to open their hearts and home to such a variety of people. I sure am thankful they allowed me to come."
Toby and Rennie were very comfortable with each other, talking and listening as Toby told about all the missing brothers away at school, Robert and Chilly and Vic in the Marines.
Rennie was quiet for a moment and Toby looked up to see an awful wanting on her face.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked, "you look like a heartbroken little girl."
"That's a good way to put it, I am mourning that which can never happen. I applied for guardianship of Duncan, and now my parents are contesting it. I don't know why they want Duncan, they raised five children and all I wanted was one little boy. Well maybe two, I'd take TJ in a heartbeat to go along with Duncan." Rennie said slowly.
"Rennie, I'm going to ask you some questions that I honestly don't deserve the answers to, but they might help us figure things out." Toby tried to set up the situation.
"First of all, how long have your folks had that town house?"
"Well I'm thirty, so as long as I can remember."
"How often do they use it, and I'm looking for a pattern of use. More when you kids were little, or more now?"
"Umm, this is going to sound strange; but I think now. There have been times that I had no idea they were in the states. They don't call me, I married Eldon and they didn't approve of him, especially since we moved around a lot. The eight months we were in Yellowstone, I didn't hear a word from them, so I actually don't know."
"OK, lets make a stretch here. You were there three months and were compromised, how likely in percentage points would it be, that they hadn't been drawn in to the witchcraft some time within the thirty years, given the approximate closeness to the source"
"When you present it that way, not bloody likely. I'm thinking on this Toby, I never considered that might be a truth. If it is, it does explain some flashbacks I've had over the years. Some of the unusual people that have visited and that strange time we all had to dress up like brides and parade around...oh my God, Toby was that what I think it might have been?"
"Possibly, did any of the girls disappear?"
"Yes, two sisters with long black hair. They were six, maybe seven and had as much makeup on as any woman. Their hair was carefully done, fingernail polish, stylish dresses. I remember getting in a lot of trouble during that time. I had been out playing and got the dress dirty and tore a part of it. My hair had come undone, etc., etc.."
"It probably saved your life. Did anything like that happen again?"
"How about if I say, I think so. It's one of those nebulous, wispy cloud impressions that has no substance that I can point to. I'm sure there were several of us that were examined, if you understand what I'm saying."
"Umm huh, I get the drift. Now Rennie I'm going to ask you a very difficult question. Have their been any children in your family disappear?"
Rennie opened her mouth to automatically refute that idea and then she stopped.
"Think on it, but don't force it," Toby's voice was almost hypnotic, "there must be something, I see you reaching way back and feeling disturbed about something."
"I think there was. A baby not very old, looked a lot like Duncan...oh no. Dear God Toby, not Duncan." Rennie was choking on the bile rising in her throat, looking around in terror. Hugging Duncan to her fiercely.
"Rennie, I'm not a hundred percent sure, but Duncan was being drugged for some reason. As was TJ." Toby added a couple more facts. "Eric had already been tattooed, so Meg had offered him up. But TJ, I think that's the reason he is so interested in breasts. He seems to know if you pat, it stimulates things, and that's ...different in the degree he wants to take it too."
"Good absolute heavens, I'm so astonished I can hardly breathe. I mean.....Toby, how much danger are TJ and Duncan in?"
"Probably moderate danger. I'm guessing it depends on the degree or level, or I don't know exactly the word I'm looking for, that they have been promised to."
Rennie looked stunned, her responses assuring Toby she wasn't hiding any ulterior motives. "Is this really this prevalent?" she asked, hunched over and guarding Duncan with her body. That was more telling to Toby than a thousand words. Rennie was not involved.
"What I've researched so far, yes."
"How can we tell?" Rennie was flipping through questions in her mind at the speed of light. "How do you know when you meet some one, if they do this kind of thing or not?"
"Some of the articles I've read say if you cross yourself in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, that makes you immune, but I personally don't want to try it that close."
"Your very good Toby, that was a skillful way you drew the answers out of me." Rennie congratulated the strong man lounging in the sunshine. Toby looked like he hadn't even broke a sweat. He grinned his thanks.
"I'm floored, thinking my family might be involved. OK, how about this...was Gordon's death an accident, of the type you mentioned. Did it go haywire? were the girls involved? What about those two brothers, are they some kind of devil hit squad?" Rennie was ticking off the ideas as they came to her.
"Haven't got that far," Toby said in a lazy way. "You might want to button your shirt, the kids are coming home from school."
"You let me do all this hollering and yelling with my shirt undone, shame on you." Rennie scolded.
Toby looked like he was ashamed of himself alright.
Tricia and Luce were riding the bus from Wisconsin to Raleigh, on their way to Mississippi and a new job in a Pediatrics Cancer center. If Bruce would have opened the mail, he would have known they were coming. Clora knew, she had carefully kept Tricia in the loop about everything but this last fiasco. There hadn't been time to get a letter to her.
Clora was sad that Bruce was so weak in character and that it would be out in the open for Tricia to see. But perhaps better now, than later.
It turned out to be old home week down on the old retreat grounds. Every one was there except the kids away at school and in the military.
The question and answer time continued, as Rennie was thinking about the future.
"Toby could you tell I had been drugged, how did you come to that conclusion?"
"Mostly by association, they work on the people closest to them, so they're not seen walking down the halls. I still haven't figured out how they move someone my size, or the size of Bruce. A lot of it I haven't put together, but I'm thinking, that's the unusual grinding noise you hear." he teased.
While he was in the sunshine, Toby took his shirt off and let the sunlight disinfect his wound. He figured she'd already seen it, so it was what it was. Rennie was looking off in the distance, but in reality she was looking at Toby. "You have a very nice physique," she complimented.
"That's Dad's influence, he keeps us all in top shape. Seriously, if I hadn't had the muscle resistance, the shot gun blast would have killed me. How about you? What do those scars on your belly mean?"
"They mean no more children. I was so depressed over that, that's the reason I was crying so hard in the office that day. I always had this vision that I'd have a house full of children, like this one. Your Mom and Dad are really special to open their hearts and home to such a variety of people. I sure am thankful they allowed me to come."
Toby and Rennie were very comfortable with each other, talking and listening as Toby told about all the missing brothers away at school, Robert and Chilly and Vic in the Marines.
Rennie was quiet for a moment and Toby looked up to see an awful wanting on her face.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked, "you look like a heartbroken little girl."
"That's a good way to put it, I am mourning that which can never happen. I applied for guardianship of Duncan, and now my parents are contesting it. I don't know why they want Duncan, they raised five children and all I wanted was one little boy. Well maybe two, I'd take TJ in a heartbeat to go along with Duncan." Rennie said slowly.
"Rennie, I'm going to ask you some questions that I honestly don't deserve the answers to, but they might help us figure things out." Toby tried to set up the situation.
"First of all, how long have your folks had that town house?"
"Well I'm thirty, so as long as I can remember."
"How often do they use it, and I'm looking for a pattern of use. More when you kids were little, or more now?"
"Umm, this is going to sound strange; but I think now. There have been times that I had no idea they were in the states. They don't call me, I married Eldon and they didn't approve of him, especially since we moved around a lot. The eight months we were in Yellowstone, I didn't hear a word from them, so I actually don't know."
"OK, lets make a stretch here. You were there three months and were compromised, how likely in percentage points would it be, that they hadn't been drawn in to the witchcraft some time within the thirty years, given the approximate closeness to the source"
"When you present it that way, not bloody likely. I'm thinking on this Toby, I never considered that might be a truth. If it is, it does explain some flashbacks I've had over the years. Some of the unusual people that have visited and that strange time we all had to dress up like brides and parade around...oh my God, Toby was that what I think it might have been?"
"Possibly, did any of the girls disappear?"
"Yes, two sisters with long black hair. They were six, maybe seven and had as much makeup on as any woman. Their hair was carefully done, fingernail polish, stylish dresses. I remember getting in a lot of trouble during that time. I had been out playing and got the dress dirty and tore a part of it. My hair had come undone, etc., etc.."
"It probably saved your life. Did anything like that happen again?"
"How about if I say, I think so. It's one of those nebulous, wispy cloud impressions that has no substance that I can point to. I'm sure there were several of us that were examined, if you understand what I'm saying."
"Umm huh, I get the drift. Now Rennie I'm going to ask you a very difficult question. Have their been any children in your family disappear?"
Rennie opened her mouth to automatically refute that idea and then she stopped.
"Think on it, but don't force it," Toby's voice was almost hypnotic, "there must be something, I see you reaching way back and feeling disturbed about something."
"I think there was. A baby not very old, looked a lot like Duncan...oh no. Dear God Toby, not Duncan." Rennie was choking on the bile rising in her throat, looking around in terror. Hugging Duncan to her fiercely.
"Rennie, I'm not a hundred percent sure, but Duncan was being drugged for some reason. As was TJ." Toby added a couple more facts. "Eric had already been tattooed, so Meg had offered him up. But TJ, I think that's the reason he is so interested in breasts. He seems to know if you pat, it stimulates things, and that's ...different in the degree he wants to take it too."
"Good absolute heavens, I'm so astonished I can hardly breathe. I mean.....Toby, how much danger are TJ and Duncan in?"
"Probably moderate danger. I'm guessing it depends on the degree or level, or I don't know exactly the word I'm looking for, that they have been promised to."
Rennie looked stunned, her responses assuring Toby she wasn't hiding any ulterior motives. "Is this really this prevalent?" she asked, hunched over and guarding Duncan with her body. That was more telling to Toby than a thousand words. Rennie was not involved.
"What I've researched so far, yes."
"How can we tell?" Rennie was flipping through questions in her mind at the speed of light. "How do you know when you meet some one, if they do this kind of thing or not?"
"Some of the articles I've read say if you cross yourself in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, that makes you immune, but I personally don't want to try it that close."
"Your very good Toby, that was a skillful way you drew the answers out of me." Rennie congratulated the strong man lounging in the sunshine. Toby looked like he hadn't even broke a sweat. He grinned his thanks.
"I'm floored, thinking my family might be involved. OK, how about this...was Gordon's death an accident, of the type you mentioned. Did it go haywire? were the girls involved? What about those two brothers, are they some kind of devil hit squad?" Rennie was ticking off the ideas as they came to her.
"Haven't got that far," Toby said in a lazy way. "You might want to button your shirt, the kids are coming home from school."
"You let me do all this hollering and yelling with my shirt undone, shame on you." Rennie scolded.
Toby looked like he was ashamed of himself alright.
Tricia and Luce were riding the bus from Wisconsin to Raleigh, on their way to Mississippi and a new job in a Pediatrics Cancer center. If Bruce would have opened the mail, he would have known they were coming. Clora knew, she had carefully kept Tricia in the loop about everything but this last fiasco. There hadn't been time to get a letter to her.
Clora was sad that Bruce was so weak in character and that it would be out in the open for Tricia to see. But perhaps better now, than later.
It turned out to be old home week down on the old retreat grounds. Every one was there except the kids away at school and in the military.
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sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
I always love finding another chapter 
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#43e
Mark was at the bus station to pick up Tricia and Luce. The ladies looked absolutely drug out and bone weary tired, thankful for a friendly face. Luce wiped her forehead with a tissue, "Thank you," she said haltingly in English.
"Your welcome," Mark boomed. He was ready to get out of the crush of smelly, unwashed bodies. Every person rode the bus unless you were one of the fortunate few with a car. That's why Benny was riding shotgun with a shotgun. The ladies each had a small overnight case with them and their purses. The rest of their small allotment was coming by railway express, due to arrive in Mississippi sometime in the next month and a half.
On the way home, Mark filled Tricia in on the sad and depressing news about Bruce. "You are welcome to see him, we exercise him twice a day but you may not be alone with him. Think carefully about what I'm saying. He is a man not in charge of himself. He is perhaps half over the effects of the drugs, but make no mistake Tricia, he is dangerous. You don't have to see him, that is entirely up to you. But it's not a good last memory to carry away."
There were a few silent tears and then Tricia said, "I want to pray on it tonight. Would that be acceptable?"
"Yes it is. Tricia, we have tried to do this without involving anyone from the hospital. But I can tell you that Bruce can't handle the pressures like was heaped on him. He worked longer hours than he did in Greenville, and I honestly think he got to believing his own hype. That made him ripe for the enemy to open the door and come right in."
"He was really bad this time Miss Tricia, you gotta believe he has changed." Benny added his two cents.
"Your scaring me," Tricia commented quietly, "I don't know what to do."
"Tell you what, why don't you ask Clora if it will be of any value to you or Bruce, before you make up your mind, one way or the other."
"Alright, that is something I can do." Tricia was wringing her hands in the darkness, and Luce put a comforting hand on her daughter's ice cold fingers.
Supper at the retreat was a magnificent stew with biscuits. Nine dozen pans of fluffy, tender in the mouth biscuits that slid down one after the other with the rich brown gravy of the stew. They were almost finished eating when Mark's phone rang. Warren wanted in, he could smell the biscuits all the way down town and was coming to get his share.
Luce worked hard in the kitchen with a smile on her face, until the dogs started barking and then she evaporated. Tricia looked at her mother's retreating back and said a small prayer. Clora was watching and she patted Tricia's arm.
"Is that the reason Warren's an idiot?" Clora questioned as they made up another pan of hot biscuits for the late comer. It was obvious the minute he hit the kitchen door, he was looking for Luce, but he said nothing and no one enlightened him.
Clora thought she wouldn't mind doing a little enlightening on several people hanging around the kitchen, but then that usually made another mess to clean up.
Clora made a big tray of food for Bruce and when Tricia looked at her, Clora shook her head no. Bruce hadn't had a good day, and seeing Tricia seemed more harmful than good.
Tricia cried all the way down the hall to the room she shared with Luce. Of all the hurts Bruce had caused, this one was the final tear in Tricia's heart. She knew each time she saw him, she said it would be the last, she couldn't take any more. This time she convinced herself.
Tricia was in the bathroom crying when there was a knock on the door. Luce stood up and went to answer the heartache she knew was waiting on the other side. It was Warren, and he picked up Luce's hand and kissed the back and then turned it over and put a small nosegay of violets in her palm. He bowed, and backed out the door.
Luce shut the door and sat on the side of the bed and cried.
Somehow, Bruce just knew Tricia was in the house, maybe he had heard someone speak her name or his heart told him. He told Mark to please not let her see him. He couldn't take rejection from the only hope he had. "Is she well, does she look OK," he had asked anxiously, "I miss her so much," and he sat in the chair and cried, his supper forgotten.
Back in the kitchen, Warren looked distinctly old. Like he had aged many years in the space of an hour. He decided to go to bed and took his heartache with him. Supper was over and the dishes done when the red and blue lights started flashing at the gate. The deputy and a matron had come to pick up Duncan with a court order. Rennie was in her room feeding Duncan when the matron walked right in.
"Where is the baby called Duncan," she demanded, wrongly assuming the baby Rennie was feeding was hers.
"They picked him up yesterday morning," Rennie out and out lied. "Poor little guy, he was crying his heart out and they scared him so bad."
The woman spun around and stalked out, muttering about the right and the left hand. The pair left and Toby was standing there with an amused look on his face. "Now what are you going to do?"
"I'm going down the hall and buy your Grandfathers car from him and Duncan and I will just vanish." And that's what Rennie did. She bought, packed up and vanished with the money Warren slipped her, with the money Toby slipped her and the money Mark slipped her.
Warren's old Mercedes car was full of fuel and Rennie headed for Kansas. She got a job in Hutchinson waiting tables and cut her beautiful strawberry blonde hair and died it black. Duncan, now renamed Toby, went to the daycare a block down from the restaurant. Rennie signed on work as CeCe Morton, deliberately wrote down the wrong social security number and promised she would get her food handlers card tomorrow. They spent the night in the motel and the next morning CeCe had four hours to find an apartment, before she needed to be at work. That and a trip to the drug store and they spent time in living as Mom and Toby, before the real Toby was able to catch up with them.
Watching Rennie drive away, the house was silent. Never before had any of them done such a act of disobedience, or at least the young children hadn't. TJ cried for a week. When Toby tried to explain, TJ patted his chest and motioned away, he wanted to go with Rennie.
Toby went in to work, and commenced a search to find the gal that captured their hearts. Rennie wasn't stupid, she took the plates off the Mercedes and they went in the dumpster. The old tan machine sat with out plates, like all the rest of the cars in town that wouldn't run.
With the help available, Luce, Tricia, Mandy, Tess, Lemmie and herself, Clora cleaned house and erased any traces of baby.
Mark took Warren home the day he had to take Tricia and Luce to the bus station to continue their journey. Warren had pressed his business card in Luce's hand and asked if she would please write him, he needed to hear from her.
Luce's dark eyes had carefully searched Warren's face and she nodded. He got a kiss on the lips for being a gentleman.
Tricia didn't see Bruce, she had heard his plea to Mark that he needed to have her hope, and she honored his request.
Toby and Mark were sitting in the atrium having early morning coffee three days later and Toby said, "I shoulda gone with her Dad, I didn't think I'd miss her this much. Me and TJ we're a pitiful pair."
"I was surprised you didn't," was all Mark said.
Mark was at the bus station to pick up Tricia and Luce. The ladies looked absolutely drug out and bone weary tired, thankful for a friendly face. Luce wiped her forehead with a tissue, "Thank you," she said haltingly in English.
"Your welcome," Mark boomed. He was ready to get out of the crush of smelly, unwashed bodies. Every person rode the bus unless you were one of the fortunate few with a car. That's why Benny was riding shotgun with a shotgun. The ladies each had a small overnight case with them and their purses. The rest of their small allotment was coming by railway express, due to arrive in Mississippi sometime in the next month and a half.
On the way home, Mark filled Tricia in on the sad and depressing news about Bruce. "You are welcome to see him, we exercise him twice a day but you may not be alone with him. Think carefully about what I'm saying. He is a man not in charge of himself. He is perhaps half over the effects of the drugs, but make no mistake Tricia, he is dangerous. You don't have to see him, that is entirely up to you. But it's not a good last memory to carry away."
There were a few silent tears and then Tricia said, "I want to pray on it tonight. Would that be acceptable?"
"Yes it is. Tricia, we have tried to do this without involving anyone from the hospital. But I can tell you that Bruce can't handle the pressures like was heaped on him. He worked longer hours than he did in Greenville, and I honestly think he got to believing his own hype. That made him ripe for the enemy to open the door and come right in."
"He was really bad this time Miss Tricia, you gotta believe he has changed." Benny added his two cents.
"Your scaring me," Tricia commented quietly, "I don't know what to do."
"Tell you what, why don't you ask Clora if it will be of any value to you or Bruce, before you make up your mind, one way or the other."
"Alright, that is something I can do." Tricia was wringing her hands in the darkness, and Luce put a comforting hand on her daughter's ice cold fingers.
Supper at the retreat was a magnificent stew with biscuits. Nine dozen pans of fluffy, tender in the mouth biscuits that slid down one after the other with the rich brown gravy of the stew. They were almost finished eating when Mark's phone rang. Warren wanted in, he could smell the biscuits all the way down town and was coming to get his share.
Luce worked hard in the kitchen with a smile on her face, until the dogs started barking and then she evaporated. Tricia looked at her mother's retreating back and said a small prayer. Clora was watching and she patted Tricia's arm.
"Is that the reason Warren's an idiot?" Clora questioned as they made up another pan of hot biscuits for the late comer. It was obvious the minute he hit the kitchen door, he was looking for Luce, but he said nothing and no one enlightened him.
Clora thought she wouldn't mind doing a little enlightening on several people hanging around the kitchen, but then that usually made another mess to clean up.
Clora made a big tray of food for Bruce and when Tricia looked at her, Clora shook her head no. Bruce hadn't had a good day, and seeing Tricia seemed more harmful than good.
Tricia cried all the way down the hall to the room she shared with Luce. Of all the hurts Bruce had caused, this one was the final tear in Tricia's heart. She knew each time she saw him, she said it would be the last, she couldn't take any more. This time she convinced herself.
Tricia was in the bathroom crying when there was a knock on the door. Luce stood up and went to answer the heartache she knew was waiting on the other side. It was Warren, and he picked up Luce's hand and kissed the back and then turned it over and put a small nosegay of violets in her palm. He bowed, and backed out the door.
Luce shut the door and sat on the side of the bed and cried.
Somehow, Bruce just knew Tricia was in the house, maybe he had heard someone speak her name or his heart told him. He told Mark to please not let her see him. He couldn't take rejection from the only hope he had. "Is she well, does she look OK," he had asked anxiously, "I miss her so much," and he sat in the chair and cried, his supper forgotten.
Back in the kitchen, Warren looked distinctly old. Like he had aged many years in the space of an hour. He decided to go to bed and took his heartache with him. Supper was over and the dishes done when the red and blue lights started flashing at the gate. The deputy and a matron had come to pick up Duncan with a court order. Rennie was in her room feeding Duncan when the matron walked right in.
"Where is the baby called Duncan," she demanded, wrongly assuming the baby Rennie was feeding was hers.
"They picked him up yesterday morning," Rennie out and out lied. "Poor little guy, he was crying his heart out and they scared him so bad."
The woman spun around and stalked out, muttering about the right and the left hand. The pair left and Toby was standing there with an amused look on his face. "Now what are you going to do?"
"I'm going down the hall and buy your Grandfathers car from him and Duncan and I will just vanish." And that's what Rennie did. She bought, packed up and vanished with the money Warren slipped her, with the money Toby slipped her and the money Mark slipped her.
Warren's old Mercedes car was full of fuel and Rennie headed for Kansas. She got a job in Hutchinson waiting tables and cut her beautiful strawberry blonde hair and died it black. Duncan, now renamed Toby, went to the daycare a block down from the restaurant. Rennie signed on work as CeCe Morton, deliberately wrote down the wrong social security number and promised she would get her food handlers card tomorrow. They spent the night in the motel and the next morning CeCe had four hours to find an apartment, before she needed to be at work. That and a trip to the drug store and they spent time in living as Mom and Toby, before the real Toby was able to catch up with them.
Watching Rennie drive away, the house was silent. Never before had any of them done such a act of disobedience, or at least the young children hadn't. TJ cried for a week. When Toby tried to explain, TJ patted his chest and motioned away, he wanted to go with Rennie.
Toby went in to work, and commenced a search to find the gal that captured their hearts. Rennie wasn't stupid, she took the plates off the Mercedes and they went in the dumpster. The old tan machine sat with out plates, like all the rest of the cars in town that wouldn't run.
With the help available, Luce, Tricia, Mandy, Tess, Lemmie and herself, Clora cleaned house and erased any traces of baby.
Mark took Warren home the day he had to take Tricia and Luce to the bus station to continue their journey. Warren had pressed his business card in Luce's hand and asked if she would please write him, he needed to hear from her.
Luce's dark eyes had carefully searched Warren's face and she nodded. He got a kiss on the lips for being a gentleman.
Tricia didn't see Bruce, she had heard his plea to Mark that he needed to have her hope, and she honored his request.
Toby and Mark were sitting in the atrium having early morning coffee three days later and Toby said, "I shoulda gone with her Dad, I didn't think I'd miss her this much. Me and TJ we're a pitiful pair."
"I was surprised you didn't," was all Mark said.
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PacNorWest
Veteran Member
Freebirde;
You are so absolutely correct. I don't know the basis of the occult, I was throwing in the Devil for a little shock value. Then I happened to be looking up another piece of information and came across information about the Devil, devil worship and the amount of people involved. I was flabbergasted.
The best thing for me to do because I cannot edit out so much, is just let it die. I here by apologize to all for including the devil in the story.
It became very obvious to me, that you do not dabble with the devil. He is waiting for the slightest chance to wiggle in. I'm sorry. Pac.
You are so absolutely correct. I don't know the basis of the occult, I was throwing in the Devil for a little shock value. Then I happened to be looking up another piece of information and came across information about the Devil, devil worship and the amount of people involved. I was flabbergasted.
The best thing for me to do because I cannot edit out so much, is just let it die. I here by apologize to all for including the devil in the story.
It became very obvious to me, that you do not dabble with the devil. He is waiting for the slightest chance to wiggle in. I'm sorry. Pac.
223shootersc
Veteran Member
Pac,
Thanks so much for your change of heart. Your writings are beautiful and Satan has no part in them. he is the ultimate destroyer of faith. We all need to be aware of his abilities to fool us and get us to follow. may GOD bless you and your work!!
223shootersc
Thanks so much for your change of heart. Your writings are beautiful and Satan has no part in them. he is the ultimate destroyer of faith. We all need to be aware of his abilities to fool us and get us to follow. may GOD bless you and your work!!
223shootersc
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Thank you Pac. So many have fallen into the trap. so sad but it does add a different element that too many have fooled with and wish they never had.
Siskiyoumom
Veteran Member
I appreciate your stance dear Pac.
Having known folks who more than dabbled in that stuff, one must be on guard against the oppressor.
Hope Toby and his dear new gal reunite and have a good long and blessed life.
Having known folks who more than dabbled in that stuff, one must be on guard against the oppressor.
Hope Toby and his dear new gal reunite and have a good long and blessed life.
Thank you PAC for writing the devil out of your script. That was becoming very uncomfortable for me. I do not know much about the black arts and do not want to know much about them. God will use what you have written as a warning for someone who is about to take that treacherous step. It needed to be told at just this time to get someone's attention and you were chosen to write it out. You are a very good person, this I know without a shadow of a doubt, and your story is so inspiring to many of us. But glad to see you changing tack and heading off in a new direction. Looking forward to the next chapter.
RememberGoliad
Veteran Member
Pac, if it was all there to lead up to your previous post, it was worth it and very instructive. That which is not brought out into the light cannot be estimated as to its value. You did an excellent job of showcasing the 'worst of the worst' and offering your and the Lindermans' estimate of it, and your most-recent post was the perfect "and if you didn't get it, let me spell it out for you" post. No apologies needed from my vantage point. Thank you for your courage and way with words!
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#44
The mild weather lasted for the next month. Fall days warm and nighttime temperatures cooling so that hardworking people slept hard and recharged well with energy.
The next day was the first of October and the Linderman family was in full out squirrel mode. The feeling Clora laughingly described as 'get it while you can' accumulation of food and supplies for the coming winter.
Without Clora's uncanny and accurate ability, Toby wouldn't have found Rennie as quickly as he did. He had a folder of papers that any claim to Duncan was relinquished by Cameron and Delva Cooper. As shockingly aggressive as they became in the fight for the tiny baby; within a week they had completely backed off and returned to Australia.
Toby didn't understand why he felt so nervous. He and TJ had arrived in town, slicked up, like any good wife hunting man and son would do and went to the café with their hearts in one hand and flowers in the other.
Rennie watched them walk in the door and Toby's eyes flared with emotion as he spotted her. She put the coffee pot on the table for the crew from the road Department and walked straight into the arms Toby held out for her. At the last minute, Toby scooped up TJ and the three of them hugged and Toby looked Rennie in the eyes and gave her the most deliberate, earth shaking kiss ever witnessed in that café.
The cranky cook was banging on the bell for plate pick up, and three of the wives of the social gathering seated in the corner, got up and distributed the food.
Toby and Rennie were standing so close together that TJ was patting the top of Rennie's head. "Mama," he said, and Toby smiled. For the first time in months, he knew things were going to be right.
"Rennie Cooper will you marry us?" His husky voice wrapped Rennie in love and the promise of the years to come. Toby and TJ came as a package, but so did Rennie and Duncan.
"Yes we will. Today, this morning or in the next hour, which ever is quicker." she whispered to his satisfaction.
Toby moved them to the door and Rennie remembered to call out "Thank you," as Toby growled a little at the delay. "Now that I have my hands on you, I'm never letting go, do you understand the depth of what I mean?"
Toby had to kiss her again in the parking lot and close his eyes against the enormity of what he felt. Rennie kissed him back, promising her participation in the uniting.
They picked up Duncan and went to the apartment. The timeline of events as they should have happened, got a little out of order, but these were two healthy, hungry adults that needed to get their hands on one another.
The real true winners were two little boys. One wouldn't talk and the other couldn't talk yet; but they were surrounded by love and the protection of a strong papa and loving mama. Just as Toby had been when he came to Mark and Clora's.
It was no accident he passed on a secure growing up to TJ and Duncan, it was the way he had been taught by example. And it was right.
Bruce was sitting at the kitchen table with the family eating breakfast. Clear eyed, shaky and trembling with the effort to become normal, he looked nothing like the Bruce of old. The drugs in his system had been increased as a way for the large man to have his 'accident' and there had been enough tainted powder in him to kill two lesser men.
Bruce could feel that at times his heart would go on a racing charge, the effects of long lasting and slow clearing drugs that might take up to a year to completely flush from his body. That gave him a year to get himself back together, and go find the one person in this world that meant more to him than his own life.
Bruce wrote a letter to Tricia, spilling his heart to a piece of paper he prayed would somehow convey how he felt.
Clora addressed the envelope with the address they weren't ready for Bruce to know yet, and the two pages went to Jackson, Mississippi.
Tricia read that letter five times an hour for the first week it was in her possession. The inescapable truth was, she loved Bruce, would always love him, had loved him from the first time she laid eyes on him, and that he'd better get used to the idea because Tricia never, never, never ever gave up.
She wrote those words to him, and many more. They had a lot of ground work to cover before Bruce would be totally trustworthy to her heart, but he was willing to do the work and so was she.
It took Bruce two days to work up the courage to open the letter when it came. He spent a lot of time in the atrium, sitting with closed eyes and the unopened letter in his lap. Mark watched him carefully. They had no idea what Tricia might have written, other than Clora's feeling it wasn't bad.
Mark was afraid if Tricia had finally rejected Bruce, the man would finally go around the bend and become incapable of returning to normal life.
That very thought was the paralyzing factor for Bruce, the reason he couldn't open that envelope.
With more patience than he deserved, Clora taught Bruce to pray, brought one of God's maimed and broken humans to the foot of the cross and let him feel the cool rushing waters that would forgive and heal him if he would only ask.
It was apparent the very second Bruce accepted the Lord. God opened that flawed man's heart and let the sunshine of his eternal love shine in.
Bruce sat in the glass enclosure filled with plants and sunshine and wept. He had a lot of forgiving to do, mostly himself for wasting almost forty years of God's reason he had been put on earth. There was a lot of work for Bruce to do, and he felt the compelling urge to get started. The letter was the first step.
Tricia had put her feelings right in the first line, so he didn't have to hunt through the entire letter to know.
'I love you Bruce,' she had written. 'I love you so much that if you cannot commit all of your heart to me, I will set you free from my love." The whole letter was filled with her love and what she expected in return, Bruce's heart with no strings or reservations and doubts.
'You will have to be the one to tell me, when you are ready Bruce. Only you know the secrets of your heart and if you can stand up to the force of the love I have waiting for you.' Tricia was once again wise, Bruce had to do the work, if he thought it was worth her love.
Bruce read the first line and bowed his head. She had written love and hope. He could do this, he needed to be loved by this woman. He needed to love this woman. And he thanked God for her courage and strength.
Mark and Clora turned around to put their arms around one another and look at the world from the kitchen sink window. Mark's arm around her shoulder as he held her close; and Clora's arm around his waist drawing him close to her. Many, many years ago standing at Grandma's sink and looking out over the pasture as God sent a new day to earth, Clora had prayed that God would send her a man to love. One that understood the significance of loving arms holding one another and looking out the window. God had rewarded her so richly.
The mild weather lasted for the next month. Fall days warm and nighttime temperatures cooling so that hardworking people slept hard and recharged well with energy.
The next day was the first of October and the Linderman family was in full out squirrel mode. The feeling Clora laughingly described as 'get it while you can' accumulation of food and supplies for the coming winter.
Without Clora's uncanny and accurate ability, Toby wouldn't have found Rennie as quickly as he did. He had a folder of papers that any claim to Duncan was relinquished by Cameron and Delva Cooper. As shockingly aggressive as they became in the fight for the tiny baby; within a week they had completely backed off and returned to Australia.
Toby didn't understand why he felt so nervous. He and TJ had arrived in town, slicked up, like any good wife hunting man and son would do and went to the café with their hearts in one hand and flowers in the other.
Rennie watched them walk in the door and Toby's eyes flared with emotion as he spotted her. She put the coffee pot on the table for the crew from the road Department and walked straight into the arms Toby held out for her. At the last minute, Toby scooped up TJ and the three of them hugged and Toby looked Rennie in the eyes and gave her the most deliberate, earth shaking kiss ever witnessed in that café.
The cranky cook was banging on the bell for plate pick up, and three of the wives of the social gathering seated in the corner, got up and distributed the food.
Toby and Rennie were standing so close together that TJ was patting the top of Rennie's head. "Mama," he said, and Toby smiled. For the first time in months, he knew things were going to be right.
"Rennie Cooper will you marry us?" His husky voice wrapped Rennie in love and the promise of the years to come. Toby and TJ came as a package, but so did Rennie and Duncan.
"Yes we will. Today, this morning or in the next hour, which ever is quicker." she whispered to his satisfaction.
Toby moved them to the door and Rennie remembered to call out "Thank you," as Toby growled a little at the delay. "Now that I have my hands on you, I'm never letting go, do you understand the depth of what I mean?"
Toby had to kiss her again in the parking lot and close his eyes against the enormity of what he felt. Rennie kissed him back, promising her participation in the uniting.
They picked up Duncan and went to the apartment. The timeline of events as they should have happened, got a little out of order, but these were two healthy, hungry adults that needed to get their hands on one another.
The real true winners were two little boys. One wouldn't talk and the other couldn't talk yet; but they were surrounded by love and the protection of a strong papa and loving mama. Just as Toby had been when he came to Mark and Clora's.
It was no accident he passed on a secure growing up to TJ and Duncan, it was the way he had been taught by example. And it was right.
Bruce was sitting at the kitchen table with the family eating breakfast. Clear eyed, shaky and trembling with the effort to become normal, he looked nothing like the Bruce of old. The drugs in his system had been increased as a way for the large man to have his 'accident' and there had been enough tainted powder in him to kill two lesser men.
Bruce could feel that at times his heart would go on a racing charge, the effects of long lasting and slow clearing drugs that might take up to a year to completely flush from his body. That gave him a year to get himself back together, and go find the one person in this world that meant more to him than his own life.
Bruce wrote a letter to Tricia, spilling his heart to a piece of paper he prayed would somehow convey how he felt.
Clora addressed the envelope with the address they weren't ready for Bruce to know yet, and the two pages went to Jackson, Mississippi.
Tricia read that letter five times an hour for the first week it was in her possession. The inescapable truth was, she loved Bruce, would always love him, had loved him from the first time she laid eyes on him, and that he'd better get used to the idea because Tricia never, never, never ever gave up.
She wrote those words to him, and many more. They had a lot of ground work to cover before Bruce would be totally trustworthy to her heart, but he was willing to do the work and so was she.
It took Bruce two days to work up the courage to open the letter when it came. He spent a lot of time in the atrium, sitting with closed eyes and the unopened letter in his lap. Mark watched him carefully. They had no idea what Tricia might have written, other than Clora's feeling it wasn't bad.
Mark was afraid if Tricia had finally rejected Bruce, the man would finally go around the bend and become incapable of returning to normal life.
That very thought was the paralyzing factor for Bruce, the reason he couldn't open that envelope.
With more patience than he deserved, Clora taught Bruce to pray, brought one of God's maimed and broken humans to the foot of the cross and let him feel the cool rushing waters that would forgive and heal him if he would only ask.
It was apparent the very second Bruce accepted the Lord. God opened that flawed man's heart and let the sunshine of his eternal love shine in.
Bruce sat in the glass enclosure filled with plants and sunshine and wept. He had a lot of forgiving to do, mostly himself for wasting almost forty years of God's reason he had been put on earth. There was a lot of work for Bruce to do, and he felt the compelling urge to get started. The letter was the first step.
Tricia had put her feelings right in the first line, so he didn't have to hunt through the entire letter to know.
'I love you Bruce,' she had written. 'I love you so much that if you cannot commit all of your heart to me, I will set you free from my love." The whole letter was filled with her love and what she expected in return, Bruce's heart with no strings or reservations and doubts.
'You will have to be the one to tell me, when you are ready Bruce. Only you know the secrets of your heart and if you can stand up to the force of the love I have waiting for you.' Tricia was once again wise, Bruce had to do the work, if he thought it was worth her love.
Bruce read the first line and bowed his head. She had written love and hope. He could do this, he needed to be loved by this woman. He needed to love this woman. And he thanked God for her courage and strength.
Mark and Clora turned around to put their arms around one another and look at the world from the kitchen sink window. Mark's arm around her shoulder as he held her close; and Clora's arm around his waist drawing him close to her. Many, many years ago standing at Grandma's sink and looking out over the pasture as God sent a new day to earth, Clora had prayed that God would send her a man to love. One that understood the significance of loving arms holding one another and looking out the window. God had rewarded her so richly.
stjwelding
Veteran Member
Wow Pac my thanks to you for sharing your story with us. I pray Gods Will for you and yours.
Again Thank you
Wayne
Again Thank you
Wayne
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PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#44b
Clora had been out to dig a few hills of potatoes for supper. Mark had not been very understanding about her need to do this, fussing up like a vicious thundercloud coming over the mountain. "It's five months now, and I have to start doing something," Clora had kissed his cheek and tugged on a lock of his hair as it curled around his ear.
Mark whispered in her ear, and Clora's face crinkled with love and the pleasure a person gets from being attractive to their loved one. She laughed and whispered back. "We will still need to eat. Come with me, you can be my guard while I'm out in the field."
Mark raised an eyebrow in a haughty expression, "well if that's all I'm good for," he teased, understanding that whatever they were able to do together was more satisfying than being apart.
"Besides, I still need you to carry the pail of potatoes," Clora added impishly.
Together they went to the end of the closest potato row, and Mark ceremoniously handed the shovel to Clora. She couldn't even dig one plant. "I can see I need more Cod liver oil," she said angry at herself for being so out of stamina. Mark pointed to the chair he had brought along for this very reason, and he dug into the hills for the brown treasures hiding in the dirt.
Somehow, and it was one of life's mystery's, the potatoes got dug and the two of them were standing in the potato patch sharing a very important kiss. But then, every kiss to Mark and Clora was important.
That was the moment Toby and Rennie drove in the driveway with the old car on a trailer behind the Carry all.
"Stop, stop," Rennie urged and when he did, she unbuckled and dove at him with a kiss that curled every last hair on his head. "That's what I want," she gestured toward the gardens. "A man that knows how important a kiss in a potato patch is."
"My dear," Toby had a twinkle in his eye, "I will make it my mission to kiss you all over this farm, for another one of those." With his foot on the brake and kids hollering from the back seat, Toby puckered up and pointed to his lips, wanting and needing her touch.
Rennie did a big sigh and said, "if you insist," and went in for the second touch of lips that shocked them both with it's intensity. "Just right," Toby said with a shaky voice. Rennie made a purring sound deep in her throat.
Toby had stopped at the courthouse and he and Rennie were bringing home their marriage license. "It would mean a awful lot to Ma, if we would marry at home tomorrow." Toby had explained, hoping Rennie would understand and share her loving commitment with the family. Rennie smiled and the minister agreed to a Saturday afternoon wedding.
Clora had tears in her eyes as she looked at the two of them and hugged Rennie her welcome into the family. Touching Toby on the arm, she hugged her adult son, the first time she had felt free to do so. Before, there had always been an invisible wall that kept her from coming close, today it was gone. Clora hugged Toby and brushed her hand along his cheek. "Welcome to life," she had whispered, and then stood back to beam with pride at the picture the family made.
Duncan started hollering, he was hungry and enough of all this touchy feely business, he had work to attend to. TJ stood tightly between Toby and Rennie, gesturing to Clora.
He patted his chest and pointed to Rennie. "Mama," he said and then couldn't understand why it made Grandma cry.
"Oh, Praise the Lord, how wonderful," Clora sniffed and had to blow her nose. "How very, very wonderful."
Clora had been out to dig a few hills of potatoes for supper. Mark had not been very understanding about her need to do this, fussing up like a vicious thundercloud coming over the mountain. "It's five months now, and I have to start doing something," Clora had kissed his cheek and tugged on a lock of his hair as it curled around his ear.
Mark whispered in her ear, and Clora's face crinkled with love and the pleasure a person gets from being attractive to their loved one. She laughed and whispered back. "We will still need to eat. Come with me, you can be my guard while I'm out in the field."
Mark raised an eyebrow in a haughty expression, "well if that's all I'm good for," he teased, understanding that whatever they were able to do together was more satisfying than being apart.
"Besides, I still need you to carry the pail of potatoes," Clora added impishly.
Together they went to the end of the closest potato row, and Mark ceremoniously handed the shovel to Clora. She couldn't even dig one plant. "I can see I need more Cod liver oil," she said angry at herself for being so out of stamina. Mark pointed to the chair he had brought along for this very reason, and he dug into the hills for the brown treasures hiding in the dirt.
Somehow, and it was one of life's mystery's, the potatoes got dug and the two of them were standing in the potato patch sharing a very important kiss. But then, every kiss to Mark and Clora was important.
That was the moment Toby and Rennie drove in the driveway with the old car on a trailer behind the Carry all.
"Stop, stop," Rennie urged and when he did, she unbuckled and dove at him with a kiss that curled every last hair on his head. "That's what I want," she gestured toward the gardens. "A man that knows how important a kiss in a potato patch is."
"My dear," Toby had a twinkle in his eye, "I will make it my mission to kiss you all over this farm, for another one of those." With his foot on the brake and kids hollering from the back seat, Toby puckered up and pointed to his lips, wanting and needing her touch.
Rennie did a big sigh and said, "if you insist," and went in for the second touch of lips that shocked them both with it's intensity. "Just right," Toby said with a shaky voice. Rennie made a purring sound deep in her throat.
Toby had stopped at the courthouse and he and Rennie were bringing home their marriage license. "It would mean a awful lot to Ma, if we would marry at home tomorrow." Toby had explained, hoping Rennie would understand and share her loving commitment with the family. Rennie smiled and the minister agreed to a Saturday afternoon wedding.
Clora had tears in her eyes as she looked at the two of them and hugged Rennie her welcome into the family. Touching Toby on the arm, she hugged her adult son, the first time she had felt free to do so. Before, there had always been an invisible wall that kept her from coming close, today it was gone. Clora hugged Toby and brushed her hand along his cheek. "Welcome to life," she had whispered, and then stood back to beam with pride at the picture the family made.
Duncan started hollering, he was hungry and enough of all this touchy feely business, he had work to attend to. TJ stood tightly between Toby and Rennie, gesturing to Clora.
He patted his chest and pointed to Rennie. "Mama," he said and then couldn't understand why it made Grandma cry.
"Oh, Praise the Lord, how wonderful," Clora sniffed and had to blow her nose. "How very, very wonderful."
stjwelding
Veteran Member
Amazing story Pac
Thank you ever so much.
Wayne
Thank you ever so much.
Wayne
Sammy55
Veteran Member
That's all right, Pac! We all need to be reminded that the devil is alive and well and working in people's lives, and that we need to stand firm in our faith and help other's to find their faith in God and to stand firm against that old devil!! You are writing (extremely well and interesting, I might add) about life, and life includes the devil, whether we want him in the story or not.
Love your story. The last two chapters this morning have brought tears to my eyes. Now I have to go kiss my dh and get out into our potato patch. For potatoes and kisses! LOL!
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
Sammy55
More power to ya Sammy, go gettum both!
More power to ya Sammy, go gettum both!
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
A long time ago, in a land far away where it was hard work or don't eat; Mr. Pac used to play tricks on me. I would be out in the garden, digging potatoes in a hot, sweaty, dirty state of mind and affairs. He would make sure he had an audience,(the cowhands) and come give me a kiss that would kink my eyelashes.
So everyone, I hope you have someone to kiss in your potato patch that will kink your eyelashes. It's worth it!
I'm digging potatoes, (big sigh).
So everyone, I hope you have someone to kiss in your potato patch that will kink your eyelashes. It's worth it!
I'm digging potatoes, (big sigh).
Pac, I should have made myself clearer, in no way was I criticizing you or your story. It is something Toby and Bruce will face the rest of their lives. Covens such as you described have a tendency to self destruct or come to the attention of law enforcement. And the devil has been in this story, not by name, from the beginning. Every attack on Clora and the clan has been started and fueled by the darkness. Every attack God's children face, whether the consequences of our own choices or of others, has the hand of darkness in it. What to do about the darkness? Just spread the Light.
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#44c
In case there might be one person unaware, PLANS for the Saturday afternoon wedding were being made. Rennie picked the spot; in front of the atrium glass when the afternoon sun set everything inside aglow. Rennie wanted it simple, she and Toby were going to come down the aisle together. Toby would be carrying TJ and she would carry Duncan.
Toby had a good pair of jeans, a white shirt and a black string tie. Rennie had clothes that she hadn't retrieved from the town house because her parents were there and because of the two goons from Georgia who were still hanging around.
She had the perfect dress, one she especially wanted to wear, so she and the kids and Toby set off for the city; early Saturday morning.
Mark and Bruce were drinking coffee and chasing crumbs in the now empty pan of cinnamon rolls.
"I've been invited to spend Christmas with Tricia and Luce," the relaxed doctor asked for Mark's thoughts.
"Do you want to go?"
"Oh hell yes, I want to get my lips on that woman, these letters are nice, but they're not cutting it for me anymore."
Mark sort of harrumped in his coffee cup and Hank chuckled. Lemmie looked up from the sink and said, "now that was soundin kinda like a man should talk." and poor Hank nearly sprayed his coffee. "Lemmie," he lightly scolded. "Please."
"Rabbit snot," she said and winked at Hank. "Do you want me to tell them what you said?"
"No dear," he said very firmly, "I do not." Lemmie laughed. "I'll tell ya what, you'd better take that addlepated old man with ya, he ain't gonna last much longer with the strain he's carryin around."
"Louella Constance, that is enough of that kind of talk." Hank put his foot down. "Clean up your mouth."
Lemmie laughed and came over to whisper in Hank's ear. The older man coughed and sputtered without coffee in his mouth.
"Don't tell me," Mark held up his hand, "I'm an innocent boy. That sounds rough and damaging."
"Innocent boy, that's a load of donkey snot, I saw that kiss in the garden yesterday. I was wonderin if the two of you were gonna make it to the house."
They all laughed. "Evidently I missed something huh?" Bruce fixed a questioning eye on Mark. "What is this getting frisky in the garden business?"
"It's where and when you can catch your woman." Mark laughed. Hank and Bruce laughed and Lemmie ignored them.
"Or your man," Clora came from behind Mark and tweaked his moustache. She and Lemmie laughed.
"That's funny, I never thought I was that hard to catch for that kind of work," Mark deadpanned. They all laughed.
"Maybe inviting Warren might be a good way to get there and back. He can be my chaperone," Bruce perked up when he had a plan.
"Ahh Bruce, have you ever seen my old man in action? He has a singleminded devotion to the task at hand. He'll never even know your around." Mark finished his coffee.
"Good." Bruce said.
Warren came early to get in on lunch and he and Bruce went to the patio to do some serious talking.
"Sweet heaven, we have to wait for Christmas; what's wrong with Thanksgiving?" Warren wanted to know. "I'm seriously considering tomorrow, I'm an old man with not much time left." he complained.
There was a burst of laughter from the kitchen that Bruce and Warren ignored.
"Can you leave?" Warren asked.
"I think so," Bruce said, "you're supposed to be my chaperone."
"Well let me tell you something young feller. You just stand back out of my way; I'm not providing a babysitting service, you sink or swim on your own." Warren gave his analysis of the situation. "I'm all for going early Monday morning. I'm in a hurry."
"Just the way I like it," Bruce rubbed the back of his neck, the sooner the better.
In case there might be one person unaware, PLANS for the Saturday afternoon wedding were being made. Rennie picked the spot; in front of the atrium glass when the afternoon sun set everything inside aglow. Rennie wanted it simple, she and Toby were going to come down the aisle together. Toby would be carrying TJ and she would carry Duncan.
Toby had a good pair of jeans, a white shirt and a black string tie. Rennie had clothes that she hadn't retrieved from the town house because her parents were there and because of the two goons from Georgia who were still hanging around.
She had the perfect dress, one she especially wanted to wear, so she and the kids and Toby set off for the city; early Saturday morning.
Mark and Bruce were drinking coffee and chasing crumbs in the now empty pan of cinnamon rolls.
"I've been invited to spend Christmas with Tricia and Luce," the relaxed doctor asked for Mark's thoughts.
"Do you want to go?"
"Oh hell yes, I want to get my lips on that woman, these letters are nice, but they're not cutting it for me anymore."
Mark sort of harrumped in his coffee cup and Hank chuckled. Lemmie looked up from the sink and said, "now that was soundin kinda like a man should talk." and poor Hank nearly sprayed his coffee. "Lemmie," he lightly scolded. "Please."
"Rabbit snot," she said and winked at Hank. "Do you want me to tell them what you said?"
"No dear," he said very firmly, "I do not." Lemmie laughed. "I'll tell ya what, you'd better take that addlepated old man with ya, he ain't gonna last much longer with the strain he's carryin around."
"Louella Constance, that is enough of that kind of talk." Hank put his foot down. "Clean up your mouth."
Lemmie laughed and came over to whisper in Hank's ear. The older man coughed and sputtered without coffee in his mouth.
"Don't tell me," Mark held up his hand, "I'm an innocent boy. That sounds rough and damaging."
"Innocent boy, that's a load of donkey snot, I saw that kiss in the garden yesterday. I was wonderin if the two of you were gonna make it to the house."
They all laughed. "Evidently I missed something huh?" Bruce fixed a questioning eye on Mark. "What is this getting frisky in the garden business?"
"It's where and when you can catch your woman." Mark laughed. Hank and Bruce laughed and Lemmie ignored them.
"Or your man," Clora came from behind Mark and tweaked his moustache. She and Lemmie laughed.
"That's funny, I never thought I was that hard to catch for that kind of work," Mark deadpanned. They all laughed.
"Maybe inviting Warren might be a good way to get there and back. He can be my chaperone," Bruce perked up when he had a plan.
"Ahh Bruce, have you ever seen my old man in action? He has a singleminded devotion to the task at hand. He'll never even know your around." Mark finished his coffee.
"Good." Bruce said.
Warren came early to get in on lunch and he and Bruce went to the patio to do some serious talking.
"Sweet heaven, we have to wait for Christmas; what's wrong with Thanksgiving?" Warren wanted to know. "I'm seriously considering tomorrow, I'm an old man with not much time left." he complained.
There was a burst of laughter from the kitchen that Bruce and Warren ignored.
"Can you leave?" Warren asked.
"I think so," Bruce said, "you're supposed to be my chaperone."
"Well let me tell you something young feller. You just stand back out of my way; I'm not providing a babysitting service, you sink or swim on your own." Warren gave his analysis of the situation. "I'm all for going early Monday morning. I'm in a hurry."
"Just the way I like it," Bruce rubbed the back of his neck, the sooner the better.
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#44d
Mark and Clora were in the bedroom getting ready for the ceremony, Clora had loosened her hair to brush it and repin it into order. Mark was standing behind her, watching.
Clora smiled at him. "You watch that glint in your eye Buster," she shook her hairbrush at him. Mark grinned that devilish, wolfy grin that usually meant he was going to try a trick or two.
Mark sat on the end of the bed, leaned over and brushed aside Clora's flannel shirt and began kissing her lower back.
"Oh, you'd better stop that," her voice was a little weak. Mark ignored her.
Three times she had to ask him to stop, before he did. Coming around to look at her face, he was happily satisfied to see the bright red roses on her cheeks. "That's the look I wanted," he teased, giving her a steady look and a promise.
"You have the mind of a teenager," Clora scolded.
"Oh I hope so." he countered. "Will the two gents headed to Mississippi find more than they bargained for if they get there early?"
Clora laughed. "No, Trish and I have a bet. She wrote they'd leave Monday morning and I said after church tomorrow."
"They are talking about Monday morning," Mark looked in the mirror and rearranged his string tie.
"The day's not over," Clora laughed again. "Have you noticed how weddings affect everybody, jokes get a little more off color, husbands do naughty things and that makes wives want to do naughty things." And Clora deliberately did.
"They don't do that if they want to see the ceremony," Mark warned. He enjoyed Clora's teasing and enjoyed teasing her, but sometimes she was a handful of woman to control.
"You'd better believe it," Clora grinned at Mark and made a dash for the door before anything else happened.
All was ready. Toby and Rennie came through the family clustered around them, glowing like the sun behind the Minister. The familiar words were said, rings were given and the vows sealed with a kiss.
During the ceremony, which he supposed was nice, the only thing Mark was thinking about was Clora's flannel shirt and denim skirt. Lordy, he'd love to see that woman in something with a little lace and a real thin strap over her shoulders. His eyes sought out hers, and Clora was puzzled by the look on his face. Mark decided he needed to go to town tomorrow. He winked at Clora and she shook her finger at the next expression. Mark was definitely up to something.
There was a beautiful cake, tea and lemonade, well wishes and presents. Mark and Clora gave them the key to the largest cabin in the circle. Toby and Rennie were a family now, they needed their own space and life. Liz and Luke played music as their present, Teresa had fixed Rennie's hair as her gift, and Benny, Mandy, Gary and Lou had cleaned the cabin and were available to help move the new Mister and Mrs. as soon as they were ready. Warren wished them well and slipped Toby an envelope. Bruce shook hands with them both with hearty congratulations.
Lemmie and Hank gave a dish set and utensils, and Clora and Mark presented the new family with one of the Confederate Griswold cast iron pans.
The minister celebrated with them, approving of the fact the party wasn't awash in liquor. Close to dark, he left and Benny went to milk, so Hank could enjoy the festivities. Teresa went with Benny, and once they were in the barn, he had to have a kiss.
"We need to marry," Ben rubbed his face. "I don't know about you, but I'm a weak man, I can't go another year." Teresa kissed him for her answer.
"New Years, Christmas, Thanksgiving, tomorrow?" Ben was giving her a choice, and hoped she wouldn't make him wait long.
"Don't you graduate from mechanic's school right before Thanksgiving? And you already have a job, let's marry at Thanksgiving. I will have a lot to be thankful for." Teresa's eyes sparkled in the dim light of evening.
"I've got to get to work here, we're loosing light," Ben whispered and took time for another kiss.
Eventually the cow got milked, and the pail down to the house. The family was waiting supper and Gary and Lou clapped, until Ben gave them the eye of retribution.
The only one quiet and moody through the ceremony and celebration was Tess. Tess had a special love hidden in her heart, one that made her sad instead of happy. Clora watched her daughter and felt Tess's sadness and wanted to weep with the futility of it all.
Toby and Rennie and the kids were moved to their cabin for the night, food was set on the counter for breakfast and the clan let them have privacy.
Ben asked to speak to Mark and they disappeared into the office for a long talk. Usually quiet and reserved, Ben knew his mind and he told Mark they would rather marry with his blessing, but marry they would at Thanksgiving.
"I can't keep my hands off her," Ben looked at Mark with steady eyes. "I need to protect her with my name and legal paper before this gets so far out of hand it blows up in our face. Vic and Chilly will be here on leave, and I intend to ask them for permission to marry Teresa."
Mark leaned back in his chair and said quietly, "you have my blessing." Father looked at son. "Years ago, when I asked Ma to marry me, my father hesitated and then refused when I asked for his blessing and I knew then, he was out of my life. She was far more important to me, than he was. I see that in your eyes Ben."
"Thank you Dad. Because we are not twenty one, we will need you and Ma to sign for us, I've already checked on the requirements. We would like to marry Thanksgiving Day, that holds significance for us both," Ben replied as he sat comfortably in the chair.
Mark looked at Ben's body language and demeanor. This wasn't a randy teenager testing the waters. This was a man taking his life in hand and making decisions for that life. Mark smiled, "Congratulations son, Teresa will be a fine woman to bring into the family."
Later that night, Mandy wrote her every other night letter to Robert, and asked what he thought of Ben and Teresa marrying on Thanksgiving day.
Robert wrote back that he wanted to marry Mandy at the same time. Let me write Ben and see if they would share their day, he wrote. I'm going crazy here alone.
So it was set, that Thanksgiving Day would be Ben and Teresa's wedding and Robert and Mandy's wedding.
Sunday morning, Toby was up at the main house bright and early. "Dad, Grandpa gave us a thirty five percent ownership in the law firm. That is very, very generous and I think that it's too generous."
"Nonsense," Warren came to the table. "It's mine and I can do whatever I want with it, say thank you like a good man and pass the coffee."
"Rennie and I thank you very much, that's exceptional Grandpa. Just exceptional."
"You're a good lawyer Toby. Tom and I have watched your cases, your investigations and conclusions. You will do well."
"Thank you for the confidence Grandfather," Toby said formally, getting one of Mark's looks sent his way from 'Grandfather,'
They all laughed and drank coffee and listened to the happy sounds of the house waking up for the day. Clora was a little late getting to the kitchen and she still had roses in her cheeks, and Mark looked...aristocratic as he dared any of the serf's to make a comment.
Mark and Clora were in the bedroom getting ready for the ceremony, Clora had loosened her hair to brush it and repin it into order. Mark was standing behind her, watching.
Clora smiled at him. "You watch that glint in your eye Buster," she shook her hairbrush at him. Mark grinned that devilish, wolfy grin that usually meant he was going to try a trick or two.
Mark sat on the end of the bed, leaned over and brushed aside Clora's flannel shirt and began kissing her lower back.
"Oh, you'd better stop that," her voice was a little weak. Mark ignored her.
Three times she had to ask him to stop, before he did. Coming around to look at her face, he was happily satisfied to see the bright red roses on her cheeks. "That's the look I wanted," he teased, giving her a steady look and a promise.
"You have the mind of a teenager," Clora scolded.
"Oh I hope so." he countered. "Will the two gents headed to Mississippi find more than they bargained for if they get there early?"
Clora laughed. "No, Trish and I have a bet. She wrote they'd leave Monday morning and I said after church tomorrow."
"They are talking about Monday morning," Mark looked in the mirror and rearranged his string tie.
"The day's not over," Clora laughed again. "Have you noticed how weddings affect everybody, jokes get a little more off color, husbands do naughty things and that makes wives want to do naughty things." And Clora deliberately did.
"They don't do that if they want to see the ceremony," Mark warned. He enjoyed Clora's teasing and enjoyed teasing her, but sometimes she was a handful of woman to control.
"You'd better believe it," Clora grinned at Mark and made a dash for the door before anything else happened.
All was ready. Toby and Rennie came through the family clustered around them, glowing like the sun behind the Minister. The familiar words were said, rings were given and the vows sealed with a kiss.
During the ceremony, which he supposed was nice, the only thing Mark was thinking about was Clora's flannel shirt and denim skirt. Lordy, he'd love to see that woman in something with a little lace and a real thin strap over her shoulders. His eyes sought out hers, and Clora was puzzled by the look on his face. Mark decided he needed to go to town tomorrow. He winked at Clora and she shook her finger at the next expression. Mark was definitely up to something.
There was a beautiful cake, tea and lemonade, well wishes and presents. Mark and Clora gave them the key to the largest cabin in the circle. Toby and Rennie were a family now, they needed their own space and life. Liz and Luke played music as their present, Teresa had fixed Rennie's hair as her gift, and Benny, Mandy, Gary and Lou had cleaned the cabin and were available to help move the new Mister and Mrs. as soon as they were ready. Warren wished them well and slipped Toby an envelope. Bruce shook hands with them both with hearty congratulations.
Lemmie and Hank gave a dish set and utensils, and Clora and Mark presented the new family with one of the Confederate Griswold cast iron pans.
The minister celebrated with them, approving of the fact the party wasn't awash in liquor. Close to dark, he left and Benny went to milk, so Hank could enjoy the festivities. Teresa went with Benny, and once they were in the barn, he had to have a kiss.
"We need to marry," Ben rubbed his face. "I don't know about you, but I'm a weak man, I can't go another year." Teresa kissed him for her answer.
"New Years, Christmas, Thanksgiving, tomorrow?" Ben was giving her a choice, and hoped she wouldn't make him wait long.
"Don't you graduate from mechanic's school right before Thanksgiving? And you already have a job, let's marry at Thanksgiving. I will have a lot to be thankful for." Teresa's eyes sparkled in the dim light of evening.
"I've got to get to work here, we're loosing light," Ben whispered and took time for another kiss.
Eventually the cow got milked, and the pail down to the house. The family was waiting supper and Gary and Lou clapped, until Ben gave them the eye of retribution.
The only one quiet and moody through the ceremony and celebration was Tess. Tess had a special love hidden in her heart, one that made her sad instead of happy. Clora watched her daughter and felt Tess's sadness and wanted to weep with the futility of it all.
Toby and Rennie and the kids were moved to their cabin for the night, food was set on the counter for breakfast and the clan let them have privacy.
Ben asked to speak to Mark and they disappeared into the office for a long talk. Usually quiet and reserved, Ben knew his mind and he told Mark they would rather marry with his blessing, but marry they would at Thanksgiving.
"I can't keep my hands off her," Ben looked at Mark with steady eyes. "I need to protect her with my name and legal paper before this gets so far out of hand it blows up in our face. Vic and Chilly will be here on leave, and I intend to ask them for permission to marry Teresa."
Mark leaned back in his chair and said quietly, "you have my blessing." Father looked at son. "Years ago, when I asked Ma to marry me, my father hesitated and then refused when I asked for his blessing and I knew then, he was out of my life. She was far more important to me, than he was. I see that in your eyes Ben."
"Thank you Dad. Because we are not twenty one, we will need you and Ma to sign for us, I've already checked on the requirements. We would like to marry Thanksgiving Day, that holds significance for us both," Ben replied as he sat comfortably in the chair.
Mark looked at Ben's body language and demeanor. This wasn't a randy teenager testing the waters. This was a man taking his life in hand and making decisions for that life. Mark smiled, "Congratulations son, Teresa will be a fine woman to bring into the family."
Later that night, Mandy wrote her every other night letter to Robert, and asked what he thought of Ben and Teresa marrying on Thanksgiving day.
Robert wrote back that he wanted to marry Mandy at the same time. Let me write Ben and see if they would share their day, he wrote. I'm going crazy here alone.
So it was set, that Thanksgiving Day would be Ben and Teresa's wedding and Robert and Mandy's wedding.
Sunday morning, Toby was up at the main house bright and early. "Dad, Grandpa gave us a thirty five percent ownership in the law firm. That is very, very generous and I think that it's too generous."
"Nonsense," Warren came to the table. "It's mine and I can do whatever I want with it, say thank you like a good man and pass the coffee."
"Rennie and I thank you very much, that's exceptional Grandpa. Just exceptional."
"You're a good lawyer Toby. Tom and I have watched your cases, your investigations and conclusions. You will do well."
"Thank you for the confidence Grandfather," Toby said formally, getting one of Mark's looks sent his way from 'Grandfather,'
They all laughed and drank coffee and listened to the happy sounds of the house waking up for the day. Clora was a little late getting to the kitchen and she still had roses in her cheeks, and Mark looked...aristocratic as he dared any of the serf's to make a comment.
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RememberGoliad
Veteran Member
>>Teresa went with Toby, and once they were in the barn, he had to have a kiss.
Pac, I really, REALLY, *REALLY* hope you meant Benny!
Pac, I really, REALLY, *REALLY* hope you meant Benny!
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Got home to some very good chapters, thank you.