Unbroken Promises

by Dianne Stevens

  “Jesse, last night when you walked in my bedroom and told me Susan was expecting, it was the most wonderful moment in my life, something that I had dreamed of forever,” Beth said with hidden meaning. “But, to answer your question more directly, it is an amazing feeling knowing I’m going to become an aunt,” Beth said in a happy voice so as not to cause Susan and Jordon to suspect anything was wrong. She had no intention of dampening their breathtaking news and high spirits.

  However, as soon as Susan and Jordon walked ahead of them to go into the kitchen and they couldn’t hear what she was saying, she turned to Jesse.

  “You know, Jesse, maybe it won’t be too long and I will give the baby a cousin to play with.

  What do you think? Hmm?” Beth said with a knowing, self-satisfied smile.

  “I think, Beth, that that will happen only over my dead body; that is, unless it’s my baby you’re talking about giving as a cousin,” Jesse answered in his own arrogant tone.

  “Not in this lifetime, big boy,” Beth returned as she followed Susan and Jordon into the kitchen leaving Jesse behind.

  Jesse wanted to ram his fist in the wall or, better yet, put his hands around that pretty little neck. He raged inside but controlled his anger as he walked in the kitchen to join everyone for breakfast.

  Later that day Jesse told Cody not to let Beth out of his sight. He told him to find out what her plans were and report to him as soon as possible.

  Cody looked at Jesse with an, “Aren’t you going to tell me why?” look. Since he received no explanation, Cody just shrugged his shoulders and agreed to do as he was told.

  There were several old school friends meeting at Crystal Beach. A few of the ones who were there already were setting up tents to stay the whole weekend. Overhead, the seagulls were steadily squawking as they hovered then dove for food. The wind blew at an easy pace off the Gulf to where it was pleasurable and not too hot. Some guy in the group brought his grill and the smell of barbequed burgers drifted in the evening air. Beth and Cody were playing volleyball with a group when she spotted Becky. Beth stopped what she was doing, narrowed her eyes, and stared her down.

  If that girl got anywhere near her tonight, Beth was going to do her best to put her fist down her throat, but Becky just turned and went the other way.

  Beth tried hard not to think about Becky and Jesse together. She knew she would break down eventually but right now anger held the hurt at bay. Beth had already been there awhile and it was getting late in the evening when everyone else showed up. She liked everyone there with the exception of Becky.

  When she went back to playing ball, Cody walked up and warned her that Clay had driven up. Beth had mixed emotions about seeing him. She was still mad at him for what he did to her at the pond, but a part of her that loved him as a friend missed him. She hadn’t seen or spoken to him since that day. Many of the people at the beach knew him because he’d met them through his cousins who lived here. Everyone liked him; he was “Mister Too Cool.” Beth didn’t turn around but she could hear people greeting him as he came closer. She even heard Becky’s voice as she spoke to him. Beth knew he was standing right behind her so, when she turned, it was with a closed fist right on his jaw. She went crazy hitting him on his arms, chest, and stomach. She was still mad at him, but it was all the anger bottled up inside her that she unleashed on him.

  Some of Clay’s friends started to drag her off.

  “Leave her alone!” Clay shouted.

  Clay just stood there, not even trying to block her punches. He stood like that until she ran out of steam. Then finally she just collapsed and Clay caught her in his arms. He picked her up, carried her over to a shaded chair, and sat down with her. He just sat there and held her until she stopped crying.

  “Was all that about what happened at the pond? Jeez, Beth, you must have hated me. I called you hundreds of times to tell you how sorry I was, but you never answered or returned a message,” Clay said compassionately.

  “Clay, did you know I could have died and I almost lost my arm where you clawed me? I had to stay in the hospital almost two weeks. My infection was so bad that it affected my fingers in a way that I’ll never be able to play the piano as well as I did.”

  “No, baby, I didn’t know any of this. No one told me and apparently not many people knew because the family I have here tried to keep up with you for me. Will you forgive me, Beth?”

  “Yes, Clay. I forgive you.” Beth was crying and hugging him now.

  Jesse sat with Beaux in his new jeep. The windows were heavily tinted. No one would recognize it. He’d just witnessed everything. He watched when Clay first got out of his truck.

  Jesse saw Becky run up and throw her arms around him while Clay threw them off and looked at her as if she was scum then kept walking.

  It made Jesse a little leery to see that. He had a sick feeling that Clay knew about what had happened between him and Becky; and, if he did, it would be easy for him to maneuver back into Beth’s good graces.

  Then he was shocked and pleased at the same time when Beth started hitting Clay. He was ready to jump out to kill the man if he hit her back; but, what Clay did was just as bad in another way because, when he just stood there and allowed Beth to punch him, it took all the steam out of her. It was after that that Beth allowed Clay to hold her.

  Jesse knew that move was the best thing Clay could have ever done because Jesse knew in that instant Beth forgave him. It made him literally sick to watch Clay hold Beth on his lap and comfort her.

  Jesse wasn’t worried; he was determined. Clay or no man was going to have what was his.

  He was going to make sure of it one way or another. He wished so many times he could turn back the clock and never have left her bedroom that night. She wanted to give herself to him then, but he wanted to wait until they were married. Now look where he was—plotting to take the woman who was willing to give everything she had only a few days ago. One thing was certain; that ‘stud’ who was holding her now was not going to take his woman; no man was for that matter.

  It was getting dark when Clay finished setting up his heavy canvas tent. Beth helped him as much as she could. They both laughed like old times as they put it together. Then they walked across the gritty sand that still held the heat of the day to join the others by the big bonfire that was spitting sparks high in the air. The heat from it was calming as they sat far enough away from it.

  Cody walked up to the jeep. “What ‘cha want me do, Jess? They’re just startin’ to drink some homemade punch Cody’s cousin made and, if it’s anything like it was the last time he made it, ain’t no one around here gonna’ be able to, umm, walk.” Cody’s face heated a vivid red—“much less anything else within 40 minutes of drinking it.”

  “Is that so?” Jesse’s eyes narrowed in speculation. “Okay, just watch ‘um close. Don’t let Beth do anything stupid.”

  “You know I won’t. I’ve been watchin’ her since I was two years old.” Jesse smiled and tilted his head in a nod. “I know you have, bud.” Seeing Clay cradling Beth made Jesse want to wrap his hands around his handsome neck and squeeze tight—very tight. He sure hoped Clay drank enough tonight to have a ‘long, good night’s rest’. If not, Jesse would assist him in doing so.

  Cody went up to Beth and Clay and watched them drink the punch Clay’s cousin had made.

  Cody had drunk some after a rodeo one night about two months ago. He woke up in Ronnie’s house, lying on the floor not far from his front door, having no idea how he got there. Ronnie, who hadn’t drunk anything because he was bullriding that night, told him he’d found him passed out stone cold on the tailgate of his truck. Ronnie said he just shoved him over, shut the tailgate, and brought him home. When Cody had complained about not being put in the guest bedroom or at least on the couch, Ronnie just laughed and told him he was too heavy. He was lucky he got him in the front door. He then cocked a grin and said “I did cover you with a blanket in case you didn’t notice.”

 
; Cody watched Clay and Beth from across the fire. He was worried about Beth drinking too much, afraid she was going to get sick if she didn’t slow down. He got up and sauntered over to her.

  “Hey, Beth, you might want to go easy with that stuff, it’s pretty strong,” Cody whispered in her ear after he sat down beside her.

  “Oh, Cody, you’re always so protective. It doesn’t taste strong at all.”

  “Okay, well promise me this, back off for 15 minutes and, if you still want to drink when that time is up, I won’t say anything else.”

  “Okay, Cody. I’ll wait your 15 minutes.”

  Beth kept her promise about not drinking for 15 minutes; but, when she looked at her watch and the 15 minutes were up, she asked for another glass. This time she just sipped it as she talked with Clay. Clay, however, drank the stuff as if he was dying of thirst.

  After he finished his eighth glass, he licked his lips and he hollered at his cousin who was adding some logs to the bonfire. “Hey, that’s pretty good stuff! What all do you have in there?” His cousin yelled back, “I’ll never tell.”

  It wasn’t long after they finished their drinks that Clay asked Beth if she was ready to go to the tent. He told her he wanted to get away from everyone else.

  When Clay first asked Beth to stay in his tent with him, she told him no, that she couldn’t, but Clay told Beth he only wanted to hold her tonight. After a lot of reassurance he would do no more than that, she agreed.

  Clay asked Beth earlier about what was going on between her and Jesse. Her eyes teared up, but she only told him that Jesse had hurt her. Clay didn’t push the matter further. He already heard what was going around about Jesse and Becky. When Clay first got here and Becky ran up and put her arms around him, he just wanted to sling her off.

  Clay was mad at both of them for hurting Beth like that. But who was he to judge anyone?

  He had hurt her also. Clay did not intend to pressure Beth into doing anything she wasn’t ready to do. She had already been hurt enough and she really was one of his best friends.

  Beth remembered what she told Jesse about giving her virginity to Clay. She was still crushed about that night, but she wasn’t going to make love with Clay out of spite. She thought too much of herself to do that, but it did sound nice to have someone hold her during the night.

  Even with the things Clay had done to her at the pond, she trusted him. She blamed the way he acted that day on whatever drug he’d taken. She forgave him and she wasn’t going to talk about anything having to do with that day again.

  Nor did she want to discuss with Clay what happened with Jesse, although she heard Becky already told several people. Someone told Beth that Becky was going around saying how she took Jesse from her and he was the best lay she ever had.

  Hearing what Becky was saying was like reliving it all over again. The pain was so intense her whole being felt like an open wound. Although her mind and soul ached, it was her heart that was the lesion.

  Beth felt betrayed by both of them. How she could have been so stupid to trust Becky to be a friend all these years? She had gone partying with her only once since Beth left home in the 10th grade. Several times when Beth had come home, Becky had called and asked her to go shopping and out to eat.

  Now that Beth thought about it, Becky would always ask questions about Jesse. She even asked how much money he made, which Beth didn’t really know. She knew it was quite a bit because he and Jordon were partners in everything including the huge ranch. Beth always thought her curiosity was out of concern for a friend, but now she wasn’t so sure.

  Beth had pointed Jesse out to Becky a couple of times when they were out riding around, but she never introduced them because they were always drinking when they saw him. At the time, Beth didn’t want to get close enough for him to know it.

  She should have expected it of Jesse to screw around since he had been doing it all his life; but, when Jesse didn’t turn away when she walked out of the bathroom, it made Beth believe that things were going to be different between them. Surely, she didn’t see things that weren’t there.

  She could have sworn she saw desire in his eyes for her. Beth knew Jesse would have never allowed himself to feel or think lustful thoughts toward her if he didn’t see her as a woman. She truly believed that night was going to be the beginning of a new relationship between them.

  The part of the old verse that asked if the Ethiopian can change his skin or a leopard his spots led her to question whether Jesse would ever change his ways. He loved women. He may always be a womanizer. Heck, he’d probably screw a snake if he could find a way to hold its head down. As for as Beth was concerned, Becky was as close to a snake as it gets.

  “Oh well,” she was tired of thinking about everything. She could tell the drink Cody brought her was making her feel lightheaded. It had a soothing effect, one she welcomed. Maybe it would help her frazzled nerves.

  Clay stood up and offered her his hand. She took it and he pulled her up for a long hug.

  They pulled apart when they heard clapping all around them. Beth blushed as she looked up at Clay. He looked about the same as she felt, all dreamy looking.

  He just grinned and said, “Let’s get away from all these eyes.” Beth couldn’t help but wonder what everyone was going to think when they walked into the tent together. For a brief moment, she wished Jesse were here to watch her walk in there with Clay—just to make him jealous. Beth hoped the threats Jesse made her meant he was worried about losing her. She hoped it wasn’t just because he thought he was losing his little admirer and it hurt his ego.

  Beth grabbed Clay’s hand as they walked across the gritty sand and into the illuminated tent.

  Clay had left a lantern lit for them so it wouldn’t be dark when they came back. Beth had been afraid it would burn the tent down, but he assured her it would be fine.

  He held out his arms and she went into them willingly. He kissed her lips softly and then her forehead before he hugged her again.

  “For months I’ve fantasized about having you in my bed and now all I want to do is go to sleep,” Clay joked.

  Beth started giggling. “I know; I’m sleepy, too. Cody said that drink would knock our lights out. There’s no telling what was put in them.”

  Clay turned out the lantern. Then he gently pulled Beth down beside him on the sleeping bags and cuddled up next to her from behind as they both fell into a deep sleep.

  When Jesse saw them get up and hug each other while everyone watched, he wanted to go over and tear them apart. He couldn’t stand Clay’s hands on Beth much longer.

  After he saw that they were heading toward the tent, he went ahead and got out of the jeep and walked barefooted across the still warm sand to the place where he had made a slit in the green canvas tent earlier. A strong breeze from the ocean dried the sweat that had formed on his forehead and thankfully blew away the pesky mosquitoes that were using him for dinner. He would give Clay and Beth a few minutes to go into a deep sleep. But, if he saw Clay fondle her, he was going in ahead of time. If he had to, he’d carry her out over his shoulder, screaming and crying but he wasn’t going to let that jerk fondle her.

  Jesse didn’t have to wait or witness too much before the doctored punch took over and they cuddled up and went to sleep.

  Jesse slipped inside then. It was dark but the light from the campfire made it possible for him to see the different shapes within the tent. He quietly and carefully felt his way to the pallet.

  Jesse grabbed Clay’s arm and rolled him away from Beth. He didn’t want to waste any time because anything could go wrong. One of their friends could decide to sleep inside with them.

  He had dreamed of being with Beth so many times and so many ways, but this was definitely not one of them. Desperate means called for desperate measures. He hated to acknowledge he was a desperate man, but the fact remained he wouldn’t be here now if that weren’t so.

  Beth had on her bikini under a long T-shirt that went down to
her knees. All he had on was a pair of swimming shorts, which he quickly pushed off. After he removed them, he laid them where he could easily find them.

  Jesse got between Beth and Clay and started pulling up her shirt very slowly. When he got it past her hips, he rolled halfway on top of her. Beth started mumbling as if she was trying to wake up, so he picked up the pace. He was lucky because her bathing suit bottom tied, so he gently pulled one side lose and then the other. Then he rolled all the way on top but held his upper body up on his elbows.

  “Sstop, Clay, you said we’d only cud-dle,” Beth murmured haltingly. At the same time she was trying to twist away from him, she pulled her knee up to put some space between them. She was also doing her best to tug her shirt back down with her clumsy hands.

  Her knee was now between his legs as she continued to struggle, and twist from side to side.

  Her moaning was getting louder and louder. “Getoff, get-offf. I’lll scream,” she slurred loudly.

  Jesse was afraid she was about to holler out, so he bent his head and started kissing her mouth thoroughly. He gradually moved to her cheek and then on to her neck.

  Slowly all the fighting stopped and in the end Beth sighed, “Okay, Clay, I’m tired of fightin’, I givein, make love to me. I want youto.”

  Beth’s words were still slurred and indistinct but Jesse understood each word she said and it ripped his heart out of his chest. He could hardly breathe because her words took the breath right out of him. He didn’t know if he could go on, but anger took over and he started kissing her more demandingly. All thoughts of pleasuring her disintegrated.

  He loved to please women; was an expert at pleasing them. He had especially wanted to give pleasure to this one, his future wife, but not any more. Hell, she thought he was someone else.

  He knew this is what he expected she would believe; but, to hear her verbally say it, killed him.

  He knew she was weak from the punch, but she was kissing him back and allowing him full access. She allowed her knee to fall back down from between his legs. When he lifted his body up slightly, she slid her legs apart for him to lie between without him even trying to nudge them open.