Chapter 1

That all I had ever heard from Great Grandpa was about how wonderful Frank, Cole and Jesse had been and to make me promise to play Dixie and salute once a year on Bill Quantrill's day of dying. Oh and to always remember that the South will rise again. I guess he did not remember what Atlanta and Richmond were like back then. He died when I was 5 and Grandpa, while cognizant the War Of Northern Aggression was over still stood whenever Dixie was played. So did I, that was something we all grew up with.

Despite some hard feelings about what the 'Blue Bellies' had done to our lands, if you could not lick em, join em, made sense. Cents too as Langley was paying a lot more than Mc Donalds.

My last 'contract' though had turned pretty ugly. I knew leaving the Agency 'alive' was not much of an option. They too knew though that something had to be done for me or to me maybe but worried the fallout would not help any increase in funding. I made certain they had a pretty good idea what exactly the photo shots might cause. We reached a compromise, of sorts. I stayed alive and they did not have any photos to worry about, while I stayed that way.

I asked to take a vacation. Back when I was growing up there had been some land I had gone to, often just to think. It, in my mind, was a peaceful valley. That peace was something I needed now.

I drove up near that same area and just started walking.

When I saw two girls (later I found out they were Carrie and Lu Ann) together, for me, I could not help to think back to when I was at their age. I also found out later, Carrie was going on near 18 and Lu Ann was 18 months younger. They had a younger sister who was 14; she was home with Grandpa. Their parents had just up and left. First their mother, then their father. They were not even sure if they had legally been married. That was just the way things were in the hills.

It was heart-wrenching then to watch Carrie and Lu Ann comfort each other. It might be easy to think they were too close or went beyond what most people would consider a 'normal' relationship, but you have to remember this was so remote a place that it seemed each other was all they had.(Our Organisation just loved being remote) To me, seeing them caress, hug, and kiss each other was beautiful and just a natural act of love

Here were two teens now holding, groping, fondling and kissing each other. I swear, if it became any more 'physical' and somebody else was actually watching they would have thought they were having an orgy or something perverse. That was not really what was happening. This was a release that often isolated families just share with each other or anyone on hand.

I guess the fact that their clothes sort of got opened, blouses, pants, shorts, whatever, seemed to have someone's, anyone's hands or mouth fondling and kissing anything that got exposed was not your ordinary venue.

Nothing happened really but I found they were all laying back, hands stroking, holding, or gently rubbing each other, more like lovers rather than family. What was surprising was that there was no guilt or panic on anyone's face when they saw me. In fact, huge smiles then the start of laughing came out. Carrie was the first, she shed all her clothes, Lu Ann followed suit. Then their hugging and kissing me began again.

I saw the smoldering look in Carrie's eyes as she came up to me; her fingers started tracing down my chest. She started removing my clothes.

"I ain't never seen a man except my Grandpa. Can I hold and touch you all over, Please?"

What do you say to a naked woman at a time like that.

The girls must have felt something since both of them ended up in my arms, just wanting to be held. It was late, getting near evening and I wanted to see the girls home then talk about what almost happened. We did not quite make it to their cabin before a 'ball of fire' rushed out crying and hurled herself at the girls.

"I thought you left me too. I was so scared. Please don't leave me, please." then she started sobbing. Neither of the girls were fully dressed, blouses un buttoned. Little hands automatically found breasts and nipples to hold and comfort, much like a child suckling from a mother. She calmly said, "I'm Sue Ann", all the time holding on to her sisters.

That would have gotten my response until the door opened again and a old man hobbled out. "What in tarnation is going on. You girls get inside and fix some tea or coffee, where are your manners, we got guests. From the looks of you I don't guess you need to worry about clothes either. Best all get inside while I talk to this man. From the looks on your faces I need to find out if I need my shotgun or not or if I'm 'a goin' to be a great grandpa soon. Zeke, Zeke Miller, and you be?" as he held out his hand in greeting.

"Bobby, Sir!" I sort of just took Carrie and Lu Ann over as part of my life. I am sorry.

"Ha, I been waiting for the day somebody got attached to them, their sister too. Three Hellions getting ready to be women need to make a family, with any man even. A 'grandpa' don't count and around here they all have long been ready for kids. Trouble is, there 'aint' nobody around here much, and at 78, I'm not about to go sparking my own grand daughters, if I get your drift about taking these two."

"No Sir, I just meant they, the valley over there, and something I seemed to be missing just clicked. I took no advantage of your grand daughters, but, truly, it might have come to that, I fell in-love with them."