Chapter Twenty-Six

Sam

Waking up slightly groggy with a horrible case of cotton mouth, I rubbed a hand over my face to sort myself out.

What the hell happened last night?

Brief flashes of memory began to come back in a dizzying display of recognition.

Betty Jo basically threw herself at me right in front of her comatose husband.  I kissed Leandra in the hallway.  I calmly explained that nothing was going to happen between us.  I had a couple beers, punched a few assholes, and received the most mind-blowing oral sex of my entire fucking life.

Shit.

How I wished I was one of those idiots who got so drunk they blacked out and didn’t remember entire portions of their night.

Nope.

Not me.

I remembered every fucking second of it, from the intense rage I got after seeing that jackass try and grab Lee to the phenomenal feel of her hot mouth wrapped around my cock.

Fuck.

There’s no going back from that.  You can’t have your boss suck your dick and then politely smile at her the next day and say, “Boy, it sure is hot out today, isn’t it?”  How do I go from coming in her mouth to basic small talk and pleasantries?

That’s fucking impossible!

What the hell am I going to do?  Why was I so weak?  Had I been in my right mind, I never would have allowed things to go that far.

Would I?

Maybe everything has been leading up to that moment for the last six months.  It was only a matter of time before I caved in to the urges I’d been long denying.  Leandra was so beautiful and intelligent and fierce.  Maybe it was easier back in New York because I only saw the ruthless side of her.  Now that we were far away from all that, I finally let my guard down and realized her true magnificence.  The woman was a fucking dynamo.  So protective, so loyal, and so good with her mouth.

No.

I can’t think with my cock or with my heart.  That will end in misery.  I have to think with my brain.

I need this job.  The only way to make the kind of money I’m making now is to keep working for Leandra.  I can’t jeopardize my professional relationship with her.  As soon as my boss gets what she wants, she’ll be on to the next guy and I’ll be kicked to the curb.  Just like Shorty.  She even said it herself.  Leandra doesn’t want a commitment.  She’s a business woman running an empire.  The headstrong independent whirlwind does not want to get hitched and end up as someone’s docile wife.  Being tied down won’t make her happy.  I can’t make her happy.  All I can do is try to keep my nose clean, do my job protecting her, and earn as much money as possible.  I’ll kill myself trying to save every penny no matter how miserable I become, pay off the medical debt and mortgage, and then just disappear where no one can ever find me.

Not even Leandra.

Fuck.

I rolled over in bed, instantly snapping out of my pity party, and realized I was all alone.

Where the hell was my fake wife?

Sitting up and gazing around the room for any clues, my eyes fixed upon a large folded sheet of paper at the foot of the bed.

‘Thanks for last night.  You were amazing.’

Shit.

There was no signature, but it did have a cartoon heart with an arrow drawn through it.  At least she didn’t write ‘love Leandra’ or any cheesy crap like that.  I swear I would have jumped out the damn window.

But…where is she now?

Slipping on a pair of jeans and t-shirt, I found myself running down the stairs two at a time.  I don’t know what my parents might have heard last night, but I intended to do damage control sooner rather than later.  After the way my mom thought she could threaten Lee, we were way past due for a serious conversation about respect, trust, and boundaries.  Namely, I was to be trusted, respected, and not have anyone trying to cause trouble behind my back.

Once I hit the kitchen, I stopped dead in my tracks.

“Sit down,” my father growled, pointing at the empty chair across from him and my mom.  “It’s time for a candid discussion about your behavior, Samuel.”

Not content to sit along the sidelines, my mother chimed in.

“You will keep quiet and listen to everything we have to say without argument.  Your recent actions are nothing short of appalling and have brought deep shame to this entire family.”

My father sat stoically in his wheelchair while my mom held his hand in a show of unity.  This was the most I’d seen them get along and agree on something in quite a while.  I felt rage simmer beneath my surface, threatening to boil over, but I held it in check.  It might be wise to let this play out and hear what they have to say. 

“Ever since you rolled into town, it’s like you’re a different person,” my father complained, scowling.  “I’ve raised my children to be hard-working, God fearing Christians that respect their elders and value family above all else.”

“We figured you left to sow your wild oats when you went to Alaska,” my mom added, as though they were taking turns tag-teaming with their lecture.  “We always assumed you would come home, marry a nice young lady, and work the farm…just like the many generations before you, Sam.  This isn’t just dirt and crops.  This is your legacy.  I don’t understand why you’re throwing it all away for her.”

“Frankly son, we’re extremely disappointed,” my father admitted with a slow shake of his head.  “After my accident, we were forced to rely on you to step up and be a man.  Yet did you stay and take care of your family?  No.  You ran off to God knows where at the first opportunity, never even saying goodbye, never checking in to see how we were managing, and not caring one damn bit about those you left behind.  Your sister cried every single night overcome with grief and worry.”

That hit me hard.  I knew Chrissie would be upset, but I couldn’t tell her I was leaving or she would try to talk me out of it. 

“I—”

“Did I say we were done?” my mother grumbled in disgust, gearing up to spew even more venom in my direction.  “As if we weren’t shocked enough by your sudden departure, you have the nerve to show up out of the blue and return with some immoral, piece of trash as your new wife?”

I opened my mouth to protest, but she was having none of it.

“I have no idea where I went wrong as a mother, but I’ve failed completely if you think that is the kind of woman that anyone wants her son to marry.  She’s sassy, ungrateful, arrogant, rude, and dresses like a prostitute.  Clearly your brain was clouded by the fast paced lifestyle of whatever place you ended up, not to mention hypnotized by the lure of that woman’s wicked and corrupt sexual deviations.  We heard you last night and it was one of the most unpleasant situations I’ve ever been faced with.  Never have I had such shame and embarrassment over one of my children.  It’s all I can do to look you in the eyes right now.”

She hung her head and my father took over where she left off.

“The fact that you would behave so poorly and despicably under my own roof, is absolutely irreprehensible, Samuel.  However, you are our sole remaining son and rightful heir to this land.  I don’t want to have to sell everything to your cousin Todd, but I will do exactly that if things don’t take a drastic turn.  Beginning immediately, you are to explain everything to that woman, break it off, annul the marriage, and send her back where she came from.  Somehow, we will find it in our hearts to forgive you, but trust won’t be earned overnight.  It will take a lot of hard work and apologizing on your end, and then maybe things can go back to the way they’re meant to be.  Your mother will find you a decent wife, and you can live the life you were intended to…working the land and making an honest living.”

My mother nodded her head in approval of this plan and said, “Now that everything is all settled, we can---”

“Do I get a chance to speak?” I asked, hands shaking with bottled up anger, barely controlling myself not to erupt, all self-control completely gone at this point.

“I suggest you start by using your voice to call Todd and apologize for the fist-fight you caused last night.  His mother was beside herself with concern over the violence among family members.  He got pretty banged up!”

“No broken bones?” I questioned.

“I don’t believe so.”

“That’s a shame.  I must be losing my touch.”

My father’s eyes grew wide and my mother stood up and clutched her chest in alarm.

“Sit down,” I demanded.  “I’ve put up with your accusations and general lack of appreciation for anything done to help out around here, and now it’s my turn to talk.  I have no desire to be a farmer my whole life.  Do you realize how much stress it puts on a child when their future is planned out the day they’re born?  What if I wanted to be a doctor, a lawyer, or an astronaut?  I have no say in the matter!  Nothing is wrong with growing crops, being out in nature, and living off the land.  But it’s not my dream.  Just because one of my great grandfathers purchased farm acreage a hundred years ago doesn’t mean I should be forced to follow in his footsteps.  All I ever wanted was the freedom to choose my own destiny.  But was I allowed to?  Hell no!”

I paused to take a breath and my mom held up a hand for me to stop.

“No,” I insisted.  “You got to have your chance, now it’s mine.  I’m a grown man.  I’m allowed to go where I want, do what I want, and marry who I want.  The only reason I left Kansas was out of desperation to make some fast money in order to pay off dad’s medical debt and the mounting mortgage payments.  I’m not an idiot.  I know his medicals bills were staggering and we got behind with the payments to the bank, too.  All I wanted was a chance to chip away the debt.  There was no way in hell I was going to do it by working myself to the bone and farming the land.  I took another way out.  Have you even been paying attention to the bank statements?”

My father looked away and my mom began to stutter.

“At…At first we thought it was some kind of mistake…”

“It wasn’t a bank error and it sure as hell wasn’t Santa Claus.  Who the fuck did you think it was?”

“We knew it was you!” my father bellowed.  “Watch your language!”

“No, I will not.  If you knew it was me, then why are you being so selfish right now?  I don’t expect a ‘thank you’ or any bowing down and kissing my feet, but some small show of gratitude would have been nice.  A hug, a kind word, a warm welcome home.  Did I get any of that?  No!  I got lectured over my lifestyle choices, my wife, and my aversion to toiling away for the rest of my days by working the fields like a slave for you people.  Guess what?  I’m tired!”

“Samuel---” my mother began, most likely shocked by my sudden disobedience.

“No.  You will listen.  I’m tired of doing what’s expected of me.  I’m tired of letting other people make decisions for me and going along with whatever they think is best.  I’m done being a doormat.  I’m taking control of my life.  If you want to sell the farm to Todd, go right ahead.  I don’t care anymore.  You’re not guilting me into living the life you want.  Starting now, no one tells me what to do.  I’m my own boss.  I will marry who I want, live where I want, and do what I want.  You’ve already lost one son due to your stubbornness.  Don’t lose another one.”

I got up and walked out of the room without bothering to wait for their reaction.  As far as I was concerned, I’d said my peace and there was nothing more that could be done.

It felt good to get a decade of pent up frustration off my chest.  Floating along through the backyard, I had nary a care in the world.  I was flying high on life after unburdening so much pain and resentment.  The world was my fucking oyster.

Then I laid eyes upon Leandra and Chrissie picking vegetables in the garden and everything crashed in on me again.

Once my boss saw me, she broke into a devilish grin and waved me over.

Shit.

Out of the frying pan and into the fire.