by R. Casteel
Finally, Charles sat back in his chair and rested his chin on folded hands glaring at her. This is crazy, the dumbest thing I ever heard.
“If that is what you want to do,” he relented, “if you’re this damn determined, I’ll not stop you.” Charles picked up his coffee and took a drink. The aftereffects of the argument caused his hands to lightly shake.
“You don’t want the chair or your injuries to stand in the way. Fine. Go talk to Karen and see what you will need. You can stay in the site trailer. After that, if things go well, you can stay on. You can handle the phones, scheduling and office management. You can also handle all the PR work, news releases, reporters and anything else that might be needed.”
Charles got up and walked around the desk. “Welcome to Randall Construction, Sis.”
They shook hands and Charles gave her a hug. I hope to hell I know what I’m doing.
“You’re getting soft brother. You never used to let me win that easy,” she chided.
Charles laughed, “Must be getting older. Now get out of here and let me get to work.”
Kristina floated into Karen’s office. “I was ready to call Nine-One-One for a moment or two. By the look on your face, it is obvious that he gave in. The pre-con crew is hooking up the trailer today and the phone company will be there sometime Tuesday. I’ll call the crew and they can install a ramp for the chair.” Karen motioned to a spot beside her desk. “Pull up over here and we can get started.”
Two hours later, they sat back with fresh cups of coffee and reviewed the afternoon’s progress. “Newspaper ads will hit the street on Wednesday, which should give you two days to set up and be ready.”
Kristina mused, “Two days is fine. I have the employment applications. Web page applications are already on-line. I am ready,” she announced confidently.
Karen looked over the top of her cup at Kristina. Call it apprehensive concern or a nagging doubt, whatever the conflict was it affected her voice. “What about the….”
Setting her cup down Kristina bristled. “Don’t you start in about the damn chair.”
“Sorry,” Karen apologized. “I know Charles gave you the devil’s own a few minutes ago, but it’s because we care. You’re going to be there by yourself a lot.”
“I realize you all care. I have been on my own for so many years that there are some adjustments I have too deal with,” she looked at Karen pleading, “I want this.” She swept her arm around the room.
“I never knew what I had, ‘til it wasn’t there anymore. By that time, my damn pride kept me from looking back. I was reluctant to admit I was wrong,” she confessed as tears caressed her cheeks.
“The life of a flight attendant is always in an upheaval. No place to call home, no family and if you need a shoulder to cry on…seldom is the same one available from one week to the next. Yeah, it’s a life of glamour and travel, exotic far off places all right. The plane is seldom on the ground long enough to establish a relationship with anyone longer than a one or two night affair. I got real tired of those in a hurry. All they ever wanted was the quick slam of another conquest to notch their bedpost.”
Karen walked around the desk, knelt down and hugged her. “Take a few minutes to get yourself together. I’ve got to run down to the wizard room and see how they are doing on the materials list.”
Karen came back and found Kristina asleep in the chair. Backing out, she softly closed the door.
“Tiff, find me listings for concrete companies near Rising Star,” she instructed. “When you find them, I want letters drafted to each, requesting delivery cost and quantity per hour ability delivered to site.
“I’m going back down to the floor. Kris is asleep in my office.”
The day was finally over and everyone was outside getting ready to leave.
“You ah, lose something big brother? Staring at your watch won’t get your car here any faster,” Steven grinned. About that time, a blur of red came sliding around the corner. Smoke rolled from tires that sought traction. Seconds later the tires were once again screaming in protest, this time from a power brake and slide. The car whipped around and came to a stop pointed in the opposite direction.
Cynthia felt free since the cast had been removed. Her arm was still sore but she had full use of it again.
She jumped out of the car and ran, throwing herself into his arms. Charles had no choice but to catch her. That’s when she noticed the tension in his arms, the stiffness in his posture. She looked into his eyes and saw the barely contained anger. Her feeling of joy diminished as he slowly lowered her to the ground.
Charles couldn’t believe what he had seen. When Cynthia slid around the corner, his heart had stood still. When she had turned the car around on a dime, his body forgot how to breathe. Even now, his heart was pounding. Taking a slow deep breath, he forced his anger down while trying to gain control over his emotions. “If you ever…drive like that again…I swear if the cops don’t arrest you for reckless driving, I’ll….” Charles took another slow deep breath. “Don’t you realize that if something happened to you, my life wouldn’t be worth living?” He drew her close in a tight embrace and kissed her.
“I’m sorry. It won’t happen again,” she apologized. At least, not on a city street. She realized that in his anger he had revealed his heart to her.
“Do you have any plans for New Years?” she tentatively asked. “If not, I was wondering if we could go see Howard’s girls perform in a junior rodeo Monday?” Cynthia had waited until they were home relaxing together in the hot tub before she asked the question. Her hands had been busy under the water taking his mind off her earlier driving stunt.
Charles half-heard her. Her hand stroking him was driving him close to oblivion. “That sounds fine,” he murmured.
And just as quickly, forgot the question.
Chapter 13
Cynthia woke early as the sun was bringing light to a new day. She smiled at the feeling of protection and comfort that surrounded her as surely as his arms did. Memories of last night and the taste of his hot fluid in her mouth were as fresh as the birds’ morning medleys. Warmth and tingling sensations between her legs aroused fresh needful desire deep inside her.
Taking his hand, she placed it over her breast and snuggled closer until she could feel his pliant cock nestled against her.
Waking up with his hand resting against her hardened nipple, his response was automatic.
Cynthia shifted ever so slightly and he felt the electrifying sensation of tightly curled hair rub against him.
Reaching between his legs, she stroked his hardened flesh. She felt the shudder that racked his body, the groan that escaped from within. With her hand, she guided him inside, past the silky moist folds to sheath him completely within. This was a new and wildly erotic pleasure, touching and stroking him while he was inside her.
Slowly he filled her only to withdraw and fill her again. Spiraling out of control Cynthia’s body responded when she felt his release deep inside her.
* * * * *
Charles was fixing breakfast when Cynthia came into the kitchen. The spicy smell of frying sausage hit her like a kick from a horse, almost doubling her over. Cynthia turned and ran for the bathroom.
Charles came to the door and knocked.
“Go away,” came the reply.
“Cynthia let me in.”
“No, I’ll be fine.” In about eight months.
“My stomach is upset for some reason. Probably close to my period,” she lied. “Just bring me a glass of juice and a slice of toast to settle it.”
As they were eating breakfast, he questioned, “What would you care to do this last weekend of the year?”
“The girls have this Junior Rodeo on Monday here in Dallas. This is their first year in the senior age bracket. They’re not seeded very high in the ranking but in a couple of years they could be,” she remarked. “I would like to go down and encourage them, maybe give a few last minute tips and help get their gear re
ady. I know they will be driving up tomorrow but the last minute details are important when going before the judges.”
“Then I suggest we get in gear and go. I’ll just throw a change of clothes together and we’re off.”
Three hours later, they pulled into the ranch and a beehive of activity. David was cleaning the horse trailer and pickup. Howard, Jr. was going over the extra set of tack they would take with them. Elizabeth and Suzan were out in the practice area, their horses kicking up dust going around the barrels.
Charles and Cynthia walked over to the corral fence to watch. Suzan started a run, she started into the turn and hit the barrel with her foot, the next barrel was better; she took the last barrel wide and hit it coming out.
Cynthia motioned her to come over.
Suzan’s shoulders slumped, she knew they were watching and had tensed up.
“You want to tell me what you did wrong, or do you want me to tell you?” Cynthia asked.
“I wasn’t in the pocket when I started my turns,” she replied looking down at her boots.
“Suzan, whenever you’re tense the horse senses that. You kept a tight rein on Lightening, when you do that he’s not sure what he’s supposed to do. You weren’t concentrating. Nothing else must interfere, not the crowd, the noise, or your last run…nothing. Lightening knows what to do but he can’t do it by himself. You two are a team. Now go out and do it again the way I know you can.”
Suzan climbed back on after giving Lightening a rub on the nose and an apology. Her next run was near perfect. She came back to the fence with a big smile.
Elizabeth started her run, the turn around the first barrel was perfect from there on she looked awkward. She came over to Cynthia with a look of confusion on her face.
“First barrel was perfect Beth, but you forgot something after that. When Demon came around that first barrel you lost the rhythm. Remember the adage,” they both spoke at the same time, “you rise and fall with the leg on the wall.”
Beth went back out with a look of determination and corrected her mistake making a clean run around all three barrels.
Cynthia walked up to both girls and put her arms around their shoulders. “You both ride like that and you will have the champion looking over her shoulder, wondering if she can keep her lead.”
Charles watched the girls strip the saddles and bridles off the horses. With a rope halter, they led them over to the hose and started washing off the dirt and grime of the exercise. Howard finished checking the other set of tack as David loaded the feed for the next two days into the trailer. Charles looked over at the girls and wondered who was getting the wettest them or the horses.
Cynthia grabbed his hand, “Let’s head up to the house, coffee pot should be on and if I know Mom she will have fresh baked goodies around.”
The coffee was indeed ready and, true to her word, there were fresh baked double chocolate brownies just out of the oven.
“Hello you two,” she stated as she gave Cynthia a hug. “Well don’t just stand there. If I don’t get a hug, you don’t get a brownie.” She got a hug that lifted her off the floor.
Lunch was a simple affair; sandwiches, chips with some good Mexican salsa and an ice-cold bottle of beer. The girls went out to rub down the horses.
Charles and Cynthia went out to check on the new colt. Star Dust was out in the pasture and the colt was kicking up his heals running around enjoying being outside on a beautiful day. Howard, Sr. came up to stand beside them.
“Mighty fine colt there, know what that granddaughter of mine wants to name him? Thunder…I guess it’s as good a name as any. How’s Kristina doing now that she’s home? Think she will miss flying all around the world?”
“Well,” Charles pondered, “it’s sort of surprising, really. She starts Tuesday at the site office taking applications and setting up local contractors. I don’t know how long it will last. This is the first time she has shown a desire in ten years to be involved with the company business. She worked long and hard to achieve her position with the Airlines.
“I’ll be bringing her down Tuesday and get the office set up. The phones will be installed by Wednesday morning. Our survey crew will be here the following Monday and start laying out the markers for elevation. That way, as soon as we’re ready, we’ll know exactly how much dirt needs to be moved and where.
“I’ll have to drop by sometime to see her.” Howard chuckled, “I am sure Linda will be a pest, what with Ronald’s airstrip bordering the property.” Howard turned to walk away, “Well, I’ve got to go fix some fence before tomorrow. Could use some help.”
Charles gave Cynthia a quick kiss and followed.
Charles softly whistled as he set materials on the ground. “What happened here?”
“Had a mare go into heat, before we could get a rope on the stallion this was the result,” Howard explained with a shrug of the shoulder and a smile. “Normally they just run up and down the fence.”
The stallion had broken several boards along the length of the pasture. It had been a long time since he had used a handsaw.
Cynthia came out carrying a bucket of paint. As soon as one board was up, she was painting it to match the rest.
They worked through the afternoon, a country station playing softly on the truck radio. By late afternoon, the fence was repaired, painted and the tools put away.
They walked back towards the house. Sherry came out carrying two cold beers and a soda for Cynthia.
“Now you two go get cleaned up for supper and don’t be late.”
Elizabeth and Suzan were excited about the upcoming rodeo. They didn’t go to very many so this was a special treat. Time and expense were limiting factors in the number of competitions that they both realized and accepted. Ronald and Linda showed up after supper, Linda heading at a dead run straight to the pasture where Thunder was having his own supper.
“Howdy Charles, Sis.” Ronald bent to give Cynthia a kiss on the cheek. “What brings you down this way?”
About that time, the door opened and the girls came running out to question Ron. “Are you coming to Dallas Monday to watch us?” their excitement coming forth like the spray from a warm can of soda.
Ron cuffed Suzan affectionately. “Wouldn’t miss it.” Both girls gave their uncle a quick kiss on the cheek and ran off to where Linda was standing with her arms around Thunder’s neck.
“Cynthia wanted to check on the girls, make sure they were ready,” Charles finally managed to answer.
“Charles tells me that Kristina will be taking care of the office in town starting Tuesday,” Howard informed Ron.
Ron looked to Charles as if to say, You can’t be serious. She’s in a wheel chair and has a broken arm.
Charles held up his hand, “Before you say anything let me say I agree completely. I was against it and I’m still not sure it’ll work out. She got so worked up over my objections I caved in and said she could try it.”
“Linda and I are right across the field from the trailer. We can keep an eye on her.”
“Well,” Charles said with a slight smirk, “the family appreciates that very much.”
Howard stood up. “If I know those granddaughters of mine they will be up and ready to go at first light. I think I am going to call it a day.” Everyone said good night and they left. That started the exodus. Ron called to Linda that it was time to leave. Elizabeth and Suzan made a final check of the barn were they had stabled the horses. Charles and Cynthia left to go to her place located behind the house.
Breakfast the next morning was a hurried affair. At daylight, the kitchen was already a frenzy of activity.
Cynthia immediately left the kitchen for the bathroom. Sherry looked worried for a minute and then smiled. She held up the bacon and sausage frying in the pan, nodded and smiled. “Never could stand this smell when I was expecting. Take her a glass of juice and a warm biscuit with a little honey spread on it. It always worked for me.”
“Expecting?” Charles looked
at Sherry. “Expecting what?” Shock rolled through him sledgehammer. “You mean she’s, she’s…”
Chapter 14
“Pregnant,” Sherry finished for him. “You didn’t know?”
Charles sat down, his legs refusing to hold him up.
“You two have been sleeping together,” Sherry raised an eyebrow accusingly.
“But I, I thought that, she, I mean,” Charles faltered.
“That she was on the pill?” she snapped. “Did you bother to ask?”
Charles lowered his head into his hands and groaned.
“What’s wrong with Cyn?” both girls asked at once.
“Morning sickness,” she smiled wearily.
Both girls looked at each other and giggled. “What’s with Charles?”
“I think,” she wisely reflected, “that Charles has a rather severe headache. Why don’t you girls run out to the barn and see if you can help Dad?”
When Cynthia came back several minutes later, Sherry asked, “Feel better?”
“Cynthia, why didn’t you tell me? How long were you going to keep this a secret?” The shock of the discovery was being replaced by anger. He directed that anger at Cynthia for allowing this to happen, at himself for being such an idiot. Charles resigned himself to his responsibilities.
“We will get married immediately,” he asserted.
That’s it. No declaration of love. No ‘will you marry me cause I love you’. His statement was like a red flag waved in front of a bull. “I don’t remember you asking!” Each word clipped with the resonance of barely controlled rage.
“It’s not a question of asking now. You’re pregnant! I’ll naturally do the right thing and marry you.”
“So that’s what this all comes down to!” she bristled.
“The great Charles Randall, doing his duty! Well! Do I have news for you! This is the twenty-first century! Women have babies by themselves all the time!” Cynthia turned and stormed out the door, slamming it behind her.
Charles sat there wondering what had just happened. He looked at Sherry. She shook her head and turned back to the stove. Charles looked back at the door Cynthia had slammed. The ear splitting noise of an engine with no exhaust pipes rolled across the yard. He looked out the window in time to see a race car go flying down the drive.
