CHAPTER THIRTEEN
It was still daylight when they reached the valley, even though it was eight p.m. “I like the mountains,” John said with his customary smile back on his face. “Now I see why you called the mountains in Arkansas ‘hills’.”
“The ridges around the valley are all over five thousand feet, and the valley is barely at four thousand,” Nathan chuckled, taking his helmet off. “Our valley is higher than those hills we moved around in Arkansas.”
Seeing Nathan take his helmet off, John took his off. “That dam is where the hydroelectric is, right?” John asked, hanging his helmet from the saddle horn.
“One turbine, the others are further down. There’re pipes buried ten feet under the ground, piping water to them from the base of the pool behind the dam,” Nathan told him as they rode down into the valley.
Turning back to the large stream running along the valley floor, “Why so deep?” John asked.
“John, up here, you have to bury waterlines deep or they’ll freeze. That pool is almost twenty feet deep and nearly froze up a few years ago.”
Giving a shiver at the implications, “It gets that cold up here?” he hesitantly asked.
“Twenty below isn’t that uncommon in a bad winter. Forty below in a harsh winter,” Nathan grinned.
“Shit,” John gasped softly. Looking down at the tactical gear he was wearing, John asked, “Um, you think I can find something warm to wear before then?”
“You’re covered, Big John,” Nathan chuckled. “I can’t let you turn into a popsicle.”
Riding across the meadow, they passed Heath and Joan’s cabin. It was the only building not buried completely into the side of the mountain, and didn’t look like the many solitary cabins in the mountains. Reaching the trees on the other side of the valley, John turned to look at the closed-up house just past Nathan’s. It belonged to Jeremey and Vicki, the couple who didn’t make it to the compound.
He looked at the second-floor balcony over the deck that led to the door. “Man, that place looks big,” he mumbled.
“Yeah, I almost built mine that size, but couldn’t justify spending that much,” Nathan told him. “Jeremey gave me a set of keys. I can show you around inside,” he offered.
“That would be neat,” John grinned. Then dropped his grin and asked, “Why did they give you a key?”
“Jeremey and Vicki lived in Utah and only came up for meetings and scheduled compound working days. They wanted me to keep an eye on the place for them, especially during the winter. Lucky too, because a year ago their furnace went out, but as luck would have it, Tim, Sherry, and I were up here.”
“Furnace?” John asked, clearly confused.
“Yeah, we all have propane tanks, just to heat the places during the winter when we’re not here. We can’t ask Heath and Joan to keep everyone’s fireplaces going.”
“Um, why didn’t Jeremey just give a key to them, since they live here?” John asked, looking at the shipping containers near a garage dug in beside the house like Nathan’s.
Taking a deep breath, “Joan is the only person here who you could say is a friend to Anita,” Nathan answered.
“The slut?”
Blowing snot out his nose when he laughed, “Yeah,” Nathan laughed, wiping his face off. “When I say Vicki hated Anita, I’m being nice. Jeremey is rich, rich like I wish I was. Anita all but threw Jeremey down and raped him. Hell, at the Christmas party last year, Anita took her shirt off and put her tits in Jeremey’s face,” Nathan chuckled. “I mean, she pressed his face between her tits, just to be clear.”
“Whoa,” John gasped with wide eyes.
The chuckle died on Nathan’s face. “No, the ‘whoa’ was Vicki was sitting right beside Jeremey when Anita did it,” Nathan said. “Holy shit, did a cat fight ensue.”
Hearing laughing and snorting behind him, John turned to see Bill, Aiden, Tim, and Rusty all red in the face and laughing. “Man, Anita is a slut,” John mumbled, turning back around in his saddle.
“John, I picked the closest ‘PG-13’ action Anita’s tried to pull on Jeremey,” Nathan grunted.
Turning to Nathan, “Has the slut tried something like that with you?” John asked, and Tom and Natalie kicked their horses to get closer.
“John, there aren’t many here the slut hasn’t tried to sleep with,” Nathan sighed.
“Nathan, you’re not being fair,” Tim chuckled. “Wh-.”
“Shut up!” Nathan snapped, cutting him off. “I threw the bitch out, so don’t bring it up!”
“Anita could suck the chrome off a trailer hitch standing flatfooted twenty feet away,” Aiden cackled.
“Why are they still members?” John asked.
“Being a slut isn’t grounds for removal from the compound. But Anita needs to watch herself because the women here now can just cap her ass. It’s not like someone can call the cops,” Nathan huffed.
“If someone kills her, they won’t be kicked out?!” John cried out more in shock that death wasn’t a punishable ban.
Shrugging, “If they admitted to it, the group has grounds to throw them out, but I would ask for leniency,” Nathan offered. “John, there are sluts, and then there’s Anita. She’s a class unto herself.”
Pulling his horse to a stop, John turned to Nathan who stopped with him. “Nathan, I’m telling you now,” John said, taking a deep breath, “if Anita tries anything on you with Jasmine around, we’re going to have to bury a body. If Anita tries that in front of Amanda, we’re in trouble because Amanda will cap her in the mess hall in front of everyone. Jasmine would at least be more formal, doing it without witnesses.”
The posse laughed until John got to Amanda, and they all stopped laughing instantly. “Amanda would shank her,” Natalie shrugged.
“Really?” Rusty asked.
“Yeah,” John said, rolling his eyes. “Amanda was ready to fight Jasmine once, and Amanda loves Jasmine with all her heart. With Anita, Amanda won’t even think twice about going all gangsta.”
Holding his chin high, “That’s my firecracker,” Nathan said proudly.
Letting out a groan, “Great, we have a female version of Nathan to look forward to,” Bill said.
“You wish,” Nathan scoffed. “Amanda’s going to be ten times smarter than me by the time she’s twenty.”
“All right, that’s a very scary thought,” Tim mumbled.
Bill, Aiden, and Tim all turned to Rusty. “What?!” Rusty cried out.
“You’re over security. You tell Anita, if she acts slutty with anyone in Nathan’s group, she’s going to die,” Bill said flatly. “I’m here to tell you, if it comes to it, the posse will take over this compound before any of us are kicked out.” There was much truth in the bravado statement. The posse was the only real shooters in the compound. All could shoot, but the others were white-collar workers. Only the posse could be called blue-collar, and Nathan only because he wanted to be.
Kicking his horse back into a walk, “Guys, you don’t have to worry. Everyone loves us more than Anita or Floyd,” Nathan said.
Turning to Tim, “So, that’s why Jeremey gave Nathan keys to his house? Because Joan is friends with Anita?” Tom asked.
“Yep,” Tim nodded as his horse followed Nathan’s. “Heath and Joan have been here since the compound got started. They used to have keys to everyone’s cabin, but that stopped when Anita inherited her dad’s place. Heath’s the only man Anita hasn’t tried to fu-,” Tim stopped, realizing what he was about to say. “Um, Heath’s really the only one she hasn’t tried to be a slut with.”
“She’s tried with you?” Natalie gasped.
“No, I’m not a member or rich enough,” Tim laughed. “She’s only flirted once or twice, but when Sherry grabbed a handful of hair a few years back, Anita lost all interest in me.”
Seeing the wives with Jasmine on the deck, “Wonder if that’s good or bad?” Nathan mumbled, slowing his horse and climbing off.
“I got him,” John sai
d, taking the reins from Nathan. With Tom and Natalie following, John headed to the fenced-off area across the road in front of Nathan’s house where his horses were corralled.
Jasmine got up and Nathan glanced around, not seeing Emma or Chip. “You threw the kids away?” he asked.
“No, they’re taking a nap,” Jasmine laughed and then became serious, making Nathan take a step back. “I had the talk with two of our girls.”
“I talk to them all the time,” Nathan responded.
“No, the talk,” Jasmine corrected, and cut her eyes to Natalie leading her horse away. “Our other daughter will get hers tonight.”
A look of reverent bliss overcame Nathan’s face and he knelt on the first step. Bowing his head, Nathan kissed Jasmine’s boots. “You are a Goddess sent to walk among us mortals,” Nathan sang out. “Whatever you want, I’ll never be able to repay this.”
Everyone stared in shock at the spectacle of Nathan bowing, and Jasmine was at a total loss for words. “Um,” Jasmine blushed, then remembered what she wanted to say. “There’s a condition to this.”
“Name it. Who do you want killed? I’ll get you a moon rock,” Nathan offered, laying his head on her boots.
Laughing, Jasmine bent down to pull Nathan off her boots. “No, you must promise me, if any of our girls ask questions, you’ll send them to me.”
Jumping up, Nathan engulfed Jasmine in a hug. As Jasmine struggled to breathe, Bill shook his head standing behind Nathan. “That’s a mistake,” he mumbled. “I had Robin convinced boys would give her an alien until Janice spoiled it.”
“Nathan, can’t breathe!” Jasmine croaked out with her face turning blue. Loosening his hug, Nathan kept Jasmine pulled to his chest.
“I agree with everything I have,” Nathan vowed. “I’ll have the talk with all the boys.”
Leaning over to Bill, “Yeah, that’s a mistake,” Aiden agreed. “As many girls as Nathan has, it would’ve worked on one of them.”
Pulling Jasmine back, Nathan locked his lips on hers. Breaking the kiss, Nathan stared into her eyes. “I love you.”
“Holy shit,” Sherry mumbled with a grin.
Looking over at Sherry, “I’ve told Jasmine I love her,” Nathan snapped.
“But you said it in front of everyone!” Sherry cheered, throwing her arms up.
The front door opened, and Amanda and Casey walked out. “You don’t have to demonstrate!” Amanda declared, holding up one hand. “We understood the talk very well, thank you.”
“Amanda!” Jasmine gasped.
Nathan pulled Jasmine to his left side, wrapping his arm around her. “Come here, girls,” Nathan told them with a smile. They came over and he hugged both of them. “Any questions, go to Jasmine,” he told them with relief.
“Like I would ask you!” Amanda cried out with her face buried in his chest.
Looking at Jasmine, “Have any of you eaten?” Nathan asked.
Shaking her head, “No, we were waiting on you,” Jasmine answered.
“Go put the horse up, so we can eat,” Penny told Aiden.
Opening his mouth to reply, Aiden’s mouth snapped shut as Bill yanked him so hard Aiden almost fell. “If you piss Penny off, it’ll spread to all the wives, so drop it,” Bill warned, leading his horse away.
“Yeah, you mess up cheerleader night, and your body goes in a deep mine shaft,” Rusty huffed, and Libby dropped her head down as her cheeks turned red.
As the others headed to the dining hall, Nathan headed inside with Jasmine and dropped most of his gear. “Super hottie,” Nathan said, walking into their bedroom. “I’m going out with Tom and John to watch the only major road that leads to us. I want to see how much we have to worry about people moving near us.”
When Nathan finished, he gave a cringe as he moved to the bed to wake up Emma. Expecting a torrent to start from Jasmine at any minute, Nathan gently woke up Emma. “That’s a good idea,” Jasmine said, walking around the bed to wake up Chip.
Jerking upright, “Huh?” Nathan mumbled in shock.
“I said, that’s a good idea,” Jasmine repeated, picking Chip up. “I trust you to do it, and not sugarcoat what you find. But when you get back, I want a few days with you.”
Glancing down at Emma still sleeping, “Your spurs handy?” Nathan asked. “Your cheap bicycle won’t pass out this time.”
“In my nightstand,” Jasmine laughed. “That’s why you’re taking some time off.”
Wiggling his eyebrows, Nathan bent down picking up Emma. “I got a hottie for my woman,” Nathan sang out.
Jasmine busted out laughing as Emma lifted her head up in Nathan’s arms, looking around. Realizing she wasn’t on the bed, Emma looked up in Nathan’s face and let out a squeal, throwing her arms around his neck. “Hey, doodlebug,” Nathan said, hugging her back.
“Nphan,” Emma said, then babbled.
Heading for the door, Nathan let out a groan. “Emma, I don’t like watching Sponge Bob.”
“I feel that one will give me a headful of gray hair,” Jasmine mumbled, following them out and Chip looked up at her with a smile.
“Loove ew,” Chip said.
Jasmine froze with her eyes going wide. Pulling Chip tight to her chest, “I love you, Chip!” Jasmine cried, hugging him tight.
“Was that Chip?” Nathan asked, turning around as Emma continued to babble. “Emma, hush,” Nathan whispered.
“He said I love you,” Jasmine wailed, hugging Chip.
Stepping over, Nathan wrapped his arm around them. “Today just couldn’t get any better,” Nathan sighed with tears in his eyes.
They walked out with Nathan’s arm around Jasmine while she held Chip tight. Finally, Jasmine started wiping tears off her face when they neared the reception hall, and Emma leaned over in Nathan’s arms, talking to Chip who just smiled at her. “What happened?” Sherry asked, waiting at the door with Tim and Nolan.
“Chip said I love you!” Jasmine cried out, and the waterworks started up again.
“Ahh,” Sherry screeched, throwing up her hand holding Nolan in the crook of her arm as she charged over to wrap her arm around Jasmine and Chip, pushing them out of Nathan’s arm. Holding Emma to his chest, Nathan stepped back to see Sherry crying just as hard as Jasmine, and Tim taking Nolan.
“I didn’t cry that hard,” Nathan mumbled as Tim came over carrying Nolan.
“I was getting worried about him,” Tim said, nodding toward Chip as he wiped tears out of his eyes. “I’ve seen the pictures he draws, and they scare me, a full grown man.”
Shaking his head, “I knew Chip would come around,” Nathan said as Sherry let Jasmine go and used her shirt to wipe her face, then leaned over using her shirt to wipe the tears off Jasmine’s face. Waiting for the waterworks to cease, they finally walked in.
Staring around the room, Nathan could see tension on everyone’s face. “Don’t care, it’s a good day,” he mumbled as Jasmine ran over to their table, announcing the good news. The entire table stood up cheering, along with several in the room, but Nathan could tell it was subdued.
When everyone sat down, Nathan saw the food line wasn’t open yet and took his seat. Looking down the table, he saw Amanda with a rather evil smirk looking across the room. Following her gaze, Nathan found Anita glaring back at Amanda. “John,” Nathan moaned, turning to John.
“I’m not talking,” John mumbled. “But I’m glad Chip finally did. I always knew it would be Jasmine he would speak to first.”
At the other end of the table, Amanda jumped up while throwing her hands out in mock gang signs. “Whatcha gotta say, ‘hoe? You dissin’ me?! Get your face out my grill! I got my gat and I’ll crank that bitch up on your punk ass!”
Letting out a sigh, Nathan shook his head looking around the table. “I’m sorry, but a skinny little white girl just can’t pull off the gangsta,” he told everyone. Bill, Aiden, and Rusty were all turning red as they fought not to laugh. Their wives were failing miserably as they all snorted and bit
their lips, shaking in their chairs. It was funny, but they didn’t notice none in Nathan’s family were laughing.
“Yeah, I called you a hoe!” Amanda sang out, wobbling her head side to side. “Come get you sum, biiitttccch!” Many in the reception hall were fighting not to laugh at Amanda trying to be gangsta, and at the target of her wrath.
“Nathan,” Vince snapped, almost storming over. He stopped beside Nathan, staring down at him. “Children aren’t allowed to show disrespect to adults! You have got to be the parent here!”
Slowly, Nathan turned and lifted his gaze up to Vince with a forced smile. Jasmine started getting nervous seeing the forced smile, then saw Nathan’s left eye twitch. Across from her, Bill, Rusty, and Aiden all stopped laughing. “Oh, shit,” all three said in unison, and Jasmine knew that wasn’t good.
Pushing Emma into John’s arms, Nathan stood up slowly. “Vince, you are absolutely right!” Nathan declared in a thunderous voice. “That was very disrespectful!” Jasmine froze, thinking Nathan was carrying Amanda’s little outburst toward Anita a little too far. Jasmine hated the bitch, so she really didn’t see a problem.
Turning away from Vince, Nathan locked his eyes on Amanda, who just returned his stare with a ‘I don’t give a shit’ look. “Amanda, that was rude! A whore is a respectable member of society!” Nathan shouted. “They get paid to give out the pussy! Men and sometimes women come from near and far to pay for that pussy! Whores work hard selling that pussy! Anita is a skanky slut who can’t give or pay people to take her pussy! You have disrespected all whores by grouping Anita with them! You are punished! I have taught you better than that, young lady!”
Unable to hold it any longer, Sherry slid out of her chair and hit the floor laughing. “Amanda, for the next week, you will be second player on all Xbox games, do I make myself clear?!” Nathan shouted. Folding his arms, Aiden dropped his head down on his arms as he busted out laughing. Not even smiling, Jasmine was getting worried as she stared at Nathan’s face. There wasn’t any joy in his expression and she could see how taut his posture was. She couldn’t understand why the posse had started laughing, but had to admit, the laughing coming from them sounded forced.
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