Chapter 2

The folks were in the Kennedy station wagon coming home from the hospital, so I went straight to the Kennedy's to give 'Jeannie the Junior' my completed homework and to pick up the new assignments.

It didn't take me long to do my chores and then sit with Shelly while I told her that doing the classes away from school wasn't bad. She could write notes if she needed some help with math.

We hadn't been in bed long when I head the Kennedy ring on the phone. Our phone rang a minute later. I answered, and Clint told me, "You better come with Bev and me. Janet's taken a turn for the worse."

It didn't take but a minute to put my clothes on and be outside when Clint came for me. Mom and Dad were standing with me and asked Janet's condition. Bev could only say the doctor wanted them to come in. I prayed hoping Janet would be okay all the way to the hospital.

The doctor and a nurse were with her and both had a concerned look on their faces. They left the room with Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy to talk to them, so I went to Janet and held her hand. There was barely a squeeze. I kissed her and said, "I love you, Janet, you have to get better for our lives to be complete."

There was a slight smile, a flutter of the eyelids, and then a large exhale. She didn't inhale so I looked out of the room as I panicked. I waved at the doctor and he came in with his stethoscope and listened for her heart. He couldn't give her the new method of CPR because her chest had been crushed so badly. The man stood up and looked at the three of us and said, "She was hurt too bad to overcome all the bones that poked her lungs and heart."

The three of us stood there stunned. I was overcome with anger, but there was no one to take it out on. The two boys who were responsible were dead. I wanted to go to the funeral home and beat their faces to a pulp, but they wouldn't feel it. I needed to lash out, but I couldn't. Clint was holding Bev, giving her comfort and I sat down in the bedside chair and held Janet's hand. It was already cooling. I placed it on the bed and leaned over her to kiss her lips one last time. I whispered "I love you" while the tears were flowing down my cheeks.

Clint said, "Let's go home. Tomorrow might be busy."

My loss was my future, but Clint and Bev had lost their second daughter to a senseless act. I needed to pray for them to receive the comfort they needed.

Mom and Dad tried to comfort me, but there was no way for me to sleep that night. I paced in my room, I went to the kitchen for a cookie and milk, I went outside and looked up at the stars, and then went back to bed and pulled the covers over my head. I still didn't sleep, but was out doing chores when I should be there.

Dad didn't go away from the house all day, although I know he should be checking and fixing fence. I had to gingerly hold Shelly while she cried for her friend. We talked with the Kennedys about how to handle the funeral that night. It was decided that Janet's service would be held at our church on Saturday. Janet was to be buried in the local Deer Park Cemetery.

We didn't want any overlap with the two boys who were going to be buried Friday. Their funerals would be at the funeral home in Melbourne, and their graves were going to be in Melbourne as well.

I went to school with all the homework I owed on Friday. The teachers were all understanding and told me I could ask for additional help if I needed it. You could always ask for additional help, so that wasn't anything different.

There wasn't any visitation because Janet had been so badly injured. Saturday was difficult, because we all went to church where people expected the Kennedys to sit up front. Shelly was in a wheelchair and was on the outside of the pew we were in. Clint and Bev wanted us to sit the way we usually did, but Janet wasn't there. Jeannie sat holding her dad's hand and slid hers into mine. I almost began crying as it felt like Janet's. I knew I couldn't just shake her hand loose. I had to sit there and think how Janet and I had held hands in this church for fifteen years.

There must have been the entire town and area in the church. I know almost every kid in our high school was there. I had heard that the two boys whose funerals yesterday hardly had anyone there, especially classmates. I suppose that was punishment for the parents.

The preacher said the graveside prayer was for the living and to also pray for God to welcome Janet to his kingdom. I stayed there a long time talking to Janet or to no one actually. The cemetery workers filled the grave in, set the small stone, and left. I realized I needed to do chores when the sky became dusk.

Dad had already done my chores, so I changed to regular clothes and ate with Mom, Dad, and Shelly. Shelly asked, "Can you take me to school so I can attend class? I can continue to do this from home, but I'd do better if I was there. I'm not as smart as you in math. You can still help me with homework, but I want to go to class."

"Sure, Shelly. I don't work at the telephone company any longer, so I can do it."

Sunday found the two families sitting in our usual seats, except that Jeannie was sitting between Clint and me. She slid her hand into mine once again, and asked me, "Do this with me, Tommy. If makes me feel closer to Janet." What do you say to that?

School was easy, Shelly did well, and continued when she began to walk again. Her arm had healed and the small scars she had on her face were almost gone. Graduation found the usual fairly high percentage of female graduates with baby bumps. The church was booked for weddings from Memorial Day until July 4^th. I went to some and neglected some others. I know I heard how Morris Betterman, Sr. was in the hospital for wrecking his car while drunk. I suppose it was similar to Janet's injuries, and he died.

Mrs. Burk called a week after Mr. Betterman's funeral, and asked me if I wanted my job back. I told her that I was helping Dad on the farm since I was out of school, and working at the grain elevator about thirty hours a week during non-harvest periods. Mrs. Burk said the family wanted to offer you the job back because you have been a faithful employee. Come see us if you want a lineman job, Tommy. We miss you being around."

Valentine's Day came and went without Shelly bugging me about getting a date. She asked me, and I said, "I'll feel like going out with a girl again, but it may be a while. Janet's only been gone a year."

I was making good money from the elevator and during harvest. The sixty plus hours a week really piled in the savings. I was finally settling down and not fretting over Janet. She was still in my mind and heart every day, but not as strong. Shelly had graduated and was able to get a town job. Jeannie, who graduated at the same time, wasn't that interested in finding a job in the city. I noticed how she was at our house when I returned home almost daily. Mom said she was learning some of her recipes.

Jeannie stayed for supper one evening after a twelve hour day unloading soybeans and corn. I don't remember what it was, but it was good. Mom made the comment that Jeannie had made it all, including the peach pie. That part was easy to remember. I had showered and had clean clothes on when Mom told me to take Jeannie home unless I either want to give up my bed or share it with her.

Yeah, sure, share a bed with a Janet and Bev look-a-like?

I was driving a pickup I had found that had been dirt cheap. It didn't have many miles, but the body hadn't missed many hard objects. What do you want for a hundred dollars? Jeannie slid over to the center of the seat and sat with her leg cocked facing me. She reached for the key and turned the truck off when we reached her lane road. She sat there looking at me, and finally said, "When are you going to notice me. Janet and I used to talk about you almost every night. You know we shared a bedroom and bed all our lives. We used to talk about all the sexy things she wanted to do with you. I know this is strange, Tommy, but I'm the same as Janet in so many ways. Just looking alike doesn't make us the same, but look at me as someone who wants your love the same as Janet did."

"Janet would say to me when we talked a few times, 'You have to take care of Tommy if something ever happens to me. I know that sounds self-serving, but think about it and think of us together, Tom. I have all these wonderful feelings inside me and I want to share them with you. Please think of us being together."

I guess I knew this was coming as we did hold hands in church every Sunday and the two families often had dinner with each other. I held Jeanie's hands to my lips and kissed them. "I'll try, Jeannie. I really like you, but do we know enough of each other to continue this line of thought?"

"Come talk to my mother. She knows my feelings for you and how they were that way long before we lost Janet. I know this is the busy time for you at the elevator, but keep me in mind while you work. I'll still be there when you look for me." The redheaded beauty kissed me on the lips, surprising me, but my eyes closed thinking of Janet. Jeannie said, "Take me home before I act very unladylike."

I patted her knee and jumped out and ran around to open her door instead of just stopping and letting her jump out. I walked her to the door and smiled as I said, "Goodnight".

I was dizzy from the intensity of the feelings and emotions Jeannie had put me through. Could I do this? Did I even want to do this? Mom and Dad were still in the kitchen when I came in at home. Dad smiled and asked, "Did Jeannie put you on the same page as she is?"

Mom said, "Don't be crude like your dad. We both want you to have a life of your own and that little girl has poured her heart out to me for over a year. Think about it, Tom, but don't let your old feelings influence you."

I needed some more air so I went out to my pickup and drove to my comfort place. I parked right next to Janet's grave and thought of those intimate moments we shared. There were too few, but most of that was my doing. I kept asking, 'Will you be hurt if Jeannie and I get together? Will you still bless our home if we have kids? I wish we could talk, but that's not to be. I don't know whether I really like her, but there's time and there is a spark. What I want is some kind of sign that says you're good with this.'

I know you can't talk to the dead, but they can visit you to tell you things. I could feel her hovering over me to tell me how much she wanted to be with me. It seemed as if she was saying how much she wanted Jeannie to be with me.

I needed to get to bed so I would be of value tomorrow. I drove home and was in bed within minutes. I was up and quickly did the chores the next morning. I needed to be at the elevator at seven, and would probably work until eight with what was supposed to be an hour off for lunch. The only time we got an hour for lunch is if someone brought something.

Today I was dumping a pickup full of soy beans when I saw a vision in the distance. A redhead had parked an old Ford coupe out at the beginning of the line for trucks waiting to unload. I could see her asking questions and then driving her car up next to where my pickup was. She had a huge basket that was obviously heavy and was walking toward where there was a cloud of dust from dumping the beans. I hollered at the other man and told him I'd be right back. I ran to Jeannie and told her, "We'll knock off for lunch, so go back to your car to stay out of the dust."

She did what I asked and I waved to cut the conveyor so we could get a break when we finished that pickup. The three of us stood around the grill where we dumped the grain and stripped the face masks off we used to keep from breathing the dust. I told the guys, "Let me see if there's enough food for all of us. I know I'm hungry."

I waved at the other guys when I checked in the hamper. We settled on the picnic table in the shade under a tree. We ate ravenously, thanking Jeannie the whole time. She had two gallons of tea that was cool to wash down the chicken and turkey sandwiches. We finished and the other two men lit cigarettes. I helped Jeannie put the hamper back into the car and asked where she got it.

"Dad got it for me from Harold's grandfather. It doesn't have a lot of miles, but they must have all been hard miles. It's perfect for running around. If you can believe it, I think it was moonshiner's car. They usually run good but are nearly worn out early. Dad said he really didn't give but twenty-five for it. I'll get the twenty-five out of it."

I told her I wouldn't be home until about eight, and she just nodded. She smiled and said, "I'll be waiting." She stabbed at me for a quick kiss with that, and drove off down the road.

There was a lot of hooting and hollering about smooching on company time. The realism was that we had only stopped the conveyor less than thirty minutes ago. The conveyor was started up and we positioned the next wagon to lift and dump. There were only two trucks left when eight o'clock came around, so we quickly dumped them. It seemed there were always a couple of farmers who pushed us past eight.

I rushed home to clean up. You have to brush your boots and clothes off with a broom so the dust doesn't spill all over the porch. I had my clothes off and into the shower fast enough that I barely had time to say hi to a lot of people in the kitchen. I didn't have time to dawdle as I was starved. Jeannie came in and gathered my filthy clothes while I was putting clean clothes on. She put them into a basket and hauled them out to the washer on the side porch. I guessed Mom was getting a helper.

I slid into my usual place and a plate of meat loaf, a pile of mashed potatoes, green beans, and lots of gravy appeared. There were some delicious rolls to soak the gravy up. This was a great treat. The iced tea had ice in it, which always makes it good. Dad and Clint were drinking some dark amber liquid with ice while they watched me stuff myself. Bev and Mom were watching me with smaller glasses of that same liquid. This must be some of Clint's own instead of something he bought.

I sat back, rubbing my stomach, knowing how good the meal was. Mom said, "You know that Jeannie made that whole meal, including the rolls?"

"Very good, Jeannie. To what do I owe this great pleasure?"

Jeanie just smiled, but Bev said, "I think she's trying to tell you something. You two have been dodging around each other for over a year and she thinks it's time for something more."

Clint said, "Well, Kid, it's like this. It's time to get started when you meet up with someone who obviously is crazy about you and you're going nuts trying to find the answer. What's it going to take to get you to show some more interest in my little girl? You're holding up progress. June wants to get married, but is waiting until Jeannie gets what she wants. June and Harold will set the date as soon as you two come to an agreement."

I know this wasn't entirely true because Harold told me he wanted to finish saving for his own farm to add to the two he was working. I don't know how he would have the time for a wife. I was sort of in the same boat. The elevator was working six days a week and would on Sundays, but everyone felt we should rest at least one day.

My answer to this was, "We're right at the end of soybeans and before corn. How about Jeannie and I take a ride down toward Vero and play in the water for a couple of days. We'll be good and not start any babies, but it will give us a chance to see if we trust each other and get to know each other better."

Jeannie surprised the heck out of me and got up next to me before sliding into my lap. The little vixen said, "Why can't we start a baby. We're both of age and want what that's all about. You've hardly kissed me and held me enough to help me be satisfied. I promise to be good, but we're going to have to make up our minds pretty soon. I'm tired of waiting."

That was enough to pacify the situation at that moment, and I had lunch – that was often chicken and turkey because both farms had too many chickens and turkeys – catered from then on. There was always a chicken or turkey roasting in the oven. The roast beef sandwiches always hit the spot after there was a beef roast for supper.

We did our week in Vero and played in the water and with each other until we were on the edge of doing everything. I did everything Mom and Dad taught me, and Jeannie did everything her mom taught her. I learned a lot about the female anatomy that week. Jeannie assured everyone back home she still technically was a virgin.

I kept talking about how the bigger elevators had grinders and mixers when harvest ended and we were down to only needing two part timers. A farmer could have his own corn ground up and could mix other grains to have it all blended together. That required an additional building, but it would hold supplements and sorghum to mix into the feeds. The building was built fairly fast and another full time position was added to the elevator.

Christmas was fun as June got married and Shelly announced her engagement to a city guy who seemed nice. He had a good job as Assistant Store Manager at a grocery store. That was hard work, but that's what made the world go round.

It was during January that I bought a wedding ring. I didn't buy an engagement ring, since when would a farmer's wife wear it? I asked Jeannie, "Can we get married on Valentine's Day?" when I proposed.

Jeannie said, "Get the almanac. It always has a bunch of years in it. Let's see when Valentine's Day is."

Valentine's Day was going to be on Friday, so the dance would in all likelihood be Friday too. I thought it would be good to get married and then hold our reception at the Valentine's Day dance. We went to the VFW and spoke with the guy in charge of everything and explained what we wanted. The man said, "Why not have the wedding here? We'll have the wedding at six and the dance starts at eight. You kids can have your cake and food and continue right through the dance. The preacher is a member, so he'll be agreeable. You know, you're due for your draft notice. You best be getting one in the oven, or you'll soon be in the Army."

I wondered about that.

It was a plan, so we worked on getting everything set. Valentine's Day arrived and the gala wedding went off perfectly. The dance seemed to have some special significance that year because Jeannie and I were getting married. We planned on going to Miami Beach for a honeymoon, and made arrangements for me to be off work for a week.

We drove to the cemetery and talked to Janet the night of our wedding. Jeannie thanked Janet for the best man any woman could have. I told Janet that we would think of her often this coming week. With that done, we drove south until we were tired and checked into a cabin. We had what could only be described as an orgy while learning how to really pleasure each other.

Let me tell you that all that stuff about two people giving each other pleasure was right on the button. The two of us played at everything. We had to keep taking a break to go to the big hotel room for some more of what we enjoyed.

It was April when Jeannie came to me in the morning and told me, "You're going to be a father around Thanksgiving. We must have done it the first week we were married. Your boss said you wouldn't be drafted now because you would be the sole provider for the family. I don't want you going off to the Army. They are fighting over there in Asia."

Mom and Dad wanted Jeannie and me to stay at the house, and me to continue to work at the elevator and work the farm. Dad said that the experience at the elevator would even better prepare me for being a farmer.

The elevator owner and operator, Mason Burks, got me aside the first day of May and told me something really special. "My wife really liked the way you worked at the telephone company, Tom. She told me to hire you part time and I wouldn't regret it. She was right. I have some pull with the local draft board and kept knocking you back because I knew you were going to get married. Well, you did, and you're going to be a dad now, so you'll be getting a deferment. I have another reason. I'm getting up there in years and need someone to take over here. You're a smart kid and have been working as Manager for almost a year and seem to be able to run all parts of the mill. "I propose to make you my partner, with a 10% ownership share of the business. You'll take your 10% of the profits as your pay. That's just for the first year. Each year for the next 10 years your share will go up 10% and mine will go down 10% until you own the business outright. That will let me retire now with a steady income over the next few years. Give what you've been saying about ways to grow the business, you might even manage to increase my net income despite the decline in my share, at least at first. I'll still be around for advice, but you'll be the working boss. What do you think of the deal?"

Holy smokes, could this be real?

"Let me talk it over tonight and we'll make a deal tomorrow. It should be peaceful tomorrow, but there will be a line of trucks in the morning as soon as we say it."

I first spoke to Jeannie about the opportunity at home that night. She wanted to know if I had said yes. I told her I needed to talk to her first. We then went down to supper where I told Mom and Dad the same story. Dad asked me what I told Mason Burk.

"I told Mason that I would talk to my wife and you two about it. I think this is a great opportunity, but it's going to take me away from ever being a farmer."

Dad said, "I'm not ready to quit yet and our neighbor has boys growing up. You could have a boy in the oven right now who would be about the right age to help out on the farm and eventually take it over. Clint has a couple of boys who will be field ready soon. I'm sure he'll lend me a kid. Take this opportunity, Tom, but make sure Mason uses a good lawyer to make the deal work. Take a copy of the contract to our lawyer in Melbourne when you get it. He'll read it and know whether or not it's a good deal right away. You still don't have the money for your car, and the other lawyers are pulling every delay technique possible. I don't think they understand that a farmer won't go broke waiting for a settlement. Clint and I are going to be in court at the same time. Shelly's due for a big payoff that will help her and her new husband. You'll get your car money and the Kennedys will get some money to send some of the kids to college."

I asked Dad, "What kind of time limit is there for this suit to be settled."

"There is no time limit now that both Clint and I filed suit. You will have to settle with your insurance company soon. There is a time limit to accept a payment of a claim. The lawyer can tell you what it is when he looks over your agreement with Mason. He's familiar with your case."

All this lawyer stuff makes me nervous. Jeannie and I settled in our new queen-size bed that night and enjoyed hugging and loving each other. You never have to sleep in a wet spot with a big bed. Jeannie always wanted to hug my back because she said the baby relaxed and let her sleep. I went to sleep every night thinking of Janet and how proud she would be of her sister. I loved this year younger version of Janet.

I told Mason to get me a copy of the contract so I could read it the next day. He said, "You're in luck. I have it right here, ready to sign. Come sign this thing so I can be thinking about retiring."

That's not the way he explained it all to me yesterday.

Mason said, "Come into the office and spend all the time necessary reading this thing. It isn't that big, but it will make you a rich man in years to come."

I told Mason, "Dad thinks I should run this by our attorney so that he can look at it. Let me take it to the man and I'll be back in a couple of hours. There isn't anything happening."

Mason acted almost angry, "I don't know why you have to have someone look at it. Don't you think I'm honest?"

"Don't fret over it, Mason. This contract will commit the rest of my life to right here in this elevator and mill. I'll have it looked at if Dad says to have it looked at. I'll be back in a couple of hours."

Mason's attitude scared me and I almost turned around to tell him no deal. I needed to find out about the car anyway, so I rolled up to my attorney's office in less than thirty minutes. I was in luck and didn't have to wait for him. He said he had time for me and took me into his office.

I handed him the contract when he asked what he could do for me, and I briefly described what I thought it was. He called his secretary and asked for two copies of the contract.

He asked if there was something else while were waiting, and I explained that I was concerned about the time to accept the claim on my car. He smiled and said that the time limit was stopped when the people you filed suit against accepted the suit and made their first offer. Although the offer has increased with each offer, we are still a long way from a good number. I have asked the court to force a jury trial so that you folks don't have to keep racking up billable hours.

The secretary came back with two copies of the contract that looked as good as the original. The secretary said, "This is from our new copier," when she saw my amazement. "No more wet copies and they all turn out this good if I do it right."

Our attorney said, "Modern technology is a wonderful thing."

The attorney took a copy and began highlighting some phrases, and then whole paragraphs. He was just about done when he took a deep breath in and said, "Land mine."

I said, "Huh?"

"This clause, in a roundabout way, says that this contract becomes null and void with all monies paid to Mason Burk to date to be kept by him if your family or the Kennedy family don't accept the next offers made to them in their lawsuits. Um, I have to go to Tallahassee to defend a Florida Supreme Court case Wednesday. I'll only be in front of the judges for about a half hour unless they have a lot of questions. The case is too simple for there to be too many. I'll check in with the bar association and have them look at this contract while I'm there because this looks unethical to me. I think this may be worth a lot of money to you and to Mr. Burk as his attorney may have slipped this in on him."

"I don't think so, Sir. Mason Burk was being very nervous about me not signing the contract right away. It's his step-brother who had almost a hundred percent interest in the telephone company. That Burk died after an accident while driving drunk, so there are some squabbles going on about who is going to get what from that estate."

Our lawyer smiled and said he would research this before presenting it to the bar. He said, "What do you want to do?"

"I thought it would be good security for me and my family when I heard the original deal. But I don't want that security if it means the Kennedy family loses out."

He said, "What else does this man hold over you?"

"If that isn't enough, he told me he was on the draft board and had me kicked back until I was married with a baby in the hopper. Can he do something to mess that up? I didn't know he did that and I would have gone if I had received a notice. I have obligations now, so I'm less patriotic."

"He can do it if he wants, but you have the perfect case for a deferment. Let me work on that too. I don't think he can work on it that fast. Go to work and just tell him your attorney was busy and couldn't review the contract, but it didn't look bad so far."

I busted ass the rest of the week waiting for the attorney to call. He called and asked me, "Would you be willing to serve in the National Guard? I think he can skate being selective as a draft board member and justify your past deferment."

"I don't know what all this means, but I'll volunteer for the Florida National Guard if you say I should do it."

The attorney said, "This will give you time to have your baby while I work this case through the Federal Courts. I think you'll come out without having to ship out overseas, but you'll have to go through basic training. Let me work this and I'll be truthful, I'm going to crucify this guy for letting family influence him. He'll probably be sanctioned by the courts for manipulating the draft to accommodate his preferences. Those who he let slide will immediately be called up unless they can prove their deferment. False statements on that federal form are grounds for some jail time."

I groaned and then said, "This is terrible. All this is from a couple of guys getting mad about getting caught trying to rape a girl. I still haven't heard what happened to the other guys involved."

The attorney said, "All are serving ten years to life because their actions led to the deaths of their friends and Janet. We're using all those convictions to get our civil case advanced."

I sadly said, "This is still all terrible. This is four years later and people are still suffering and will suffer more in the future."

I told Mason on Monday, "I felt guilty about skating the draft and decided to sign up for the Florida National Guard. I'll probably leave this Friday. Go find someone else for your deal. I don't think my attorney liked the contract."