Chapter 4

Later that morning, I walked to the repair shop and got the car then we hit the road after breakfast. Sandy invited me to sit up front with her. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a tight sweater that softly outlined her firm breasts. I saw, with some embarrassment, that there was a large suck mark on her neck. I assumed that she didn't mind the mark because the sweater she chose was cut low, leaving the mark obvious to me and, unfortunately, Jessica.

Jessica was wearing another pair of hip hugging pants and a flowery blouse. She had a bandanna wrapped around her head.

We had driven for several hours up into the mountains when we passed a sign that indicated that there was a historic park a few miles away.

"You want to stop there for a break," Sandy asked.

"Sure, sounds great to me," I answered.

"Okay with you Jessica?" Sandy asked.

"Sure, I need a break and Justin is getting wild back here."

That was the most I'd heard Jessica say since I had joined them.

We found the park and pulled into a concession stand. There was a place to get lunch so we picked up some food and sat at a picnic table near the woods to eat. After lunch, I could see that Justin needed a little exercise so I asked if I could take him to the swings. Sandy said yes immediately.

I took the little guys hand and hurried to the play area. He was giggling as he tried to keep up with my rapid pace, his little feet barely touching the ground. As I put him on a swing, I noticed that Jessica had followed us. She wasn't letting her nephew get out of her site. I couldn't blame her.

Jessica sat on a swing next to us silently.

"You don't like me do you?" I said as I began to push Justin.

Jessica didn't respond for some time. Finally, she said, "I don't trust you."

"Why?"

"Because I don't know who you are and I think you're taking advantage of my sister's emotional state!" Jessica said without looking at me. "Besides, I don't like what you... you... what's happening over there," Jessica added, referring to the war. "You might be a great guy," Jessica continued, softening her tone a bit. "But you're just some stranger that my nutty sister has picked up off the road. You could be an ax murderer for all I know."

"I understand what you're saying. Truthfully, I would feel the same way as you do if I were in your position. I don't mean to take advantage of your sister," I said as I continued to push Justin on the swing. "I think Sandy and I are both lonely and need something right now."

"Maybe you should find what you need with somebody else," she said, obviously protective of her sister but also maybe a little jealous.

The truth was that I admired her protectiveness. I could understand loyalty and I knew how important it was in life. My life had depended on it many times. I had no desire to complicate things between the two sisters. "Alright, I'll leave tomorrow after we get out of these mountains to a main road," I said.

Jessica turned and looked at me with surprise, as if she didn't believe me. Maybe she was just surprised that I had feelings.

"Don't worry, I'll go. And I've never killed any babies," I added with some sarcasm. I had already heard what some protesters were calling Vietnam vets.

I took Justin over to the sliding board, put him between my legs, and slid down several times. He kept grabbing my hand and pulling me to the ladder to go down again. I was getting a little tired when I saw Sandy walking toward us.

"Hi sweety," Sandy called out to her son. When Justin saw her, he ran to her open arms. "Jess, can you take Justin for a little while, I want to take a walk with Gary?"

"Fine," Jessica said reluctantly, but not, I didn't believe, because she didn't want Justin. I was becoming increasingly convinced that she was jealous.

Sandy took my hand and led me to a trail that wound up the mountain. We walked up the hill and through the woods, holding hands.

On the top of the hill, a stone watchtower was the centerpiece of the park. It was a tall structure, maybe a hundred and fifty years old, which was apparently built by the Calvary to watch the Indian movement in the valley below.

The two of us walked up the dark, damp stairs inside the tower to the outlook. From the top, there was an incredible view of the valley below.

Sandy and I stood side by side and watched several hawks floating on the September breeze, looking for their prey in the forest below. The trees in the valley had just begun to change colors, the wind causing them to rustle gently.

I felt Sandy move close to me. I put my arm around her and held her to my side.

"It's beautiful up here," I said.

"Yes it is," Sandy said and turned her face to mine.

I brought my lips to hers and kissed her. I could feel her soft breasts press to my chest, bringing that familiar excitement to my groin. When Sandy felt it, she pulled back and smiled up at me like I was a naughty little boy. I smiled back and shrugged as my eyes moved down and saw that her nipples had hardened under her sweater. I wasn't the only one getting excited.

Sandy looked around the tower then smiled at me with a twinkle in her eyes and said, "Looks like the park is pretty deserted today."

I turned to look at the area around the tower. When I turned back to Sandy, I saw a mischievous grin and she started to pull her sweater from her jeans.