Chapter 16: Crisis

It was late evening when Dallas and I returned to the ranch and went our separate ways, calling good-nights while already moving apart. We don’t linger, satisfied with having said it all during the long drives there and back. The trip was worthwhile just for the talking.

Outbound, Dallas shares how he wants to build a concrete boat launching ramp at the river terminus of his private road. Since I’m nearly full time on premises, I can keep an eye on it, too. He suggests we bulldoze an access road crossing my six acres, to get to his acreage behind mine. He plans creating lots. To rent to DIY boat repairers. We can buy or build an extra-wide boat trailer that seldom or never goes on the highway. It’s just to haul out boats and relaunch them. He has the dozer for the motive force and traction needed for hauling boats. He offers me a partnership in the enterprise, in return for my managing it. I agree to be junior partner and manager.

About occasional therapeutic sex with Elaine. Dallas explains during the trip home ... She fancies herself a homeopathic witch doctor using healing herbs, potions, incantations, aromatherapy, hands laying on, and massages.

Only infrequently, does she prescribe actual sex. She believes in the power of Yin and Yang. Historically in many cultures, young virgins were prized most by old men, for rejuvenatory benefits to health. Elaine’s daughter Cassandra, manufactures a marketable very high priced essence. Cassie is highly stimulated by Dallas’ presence.

The increase in her productivity is substantial when Dallas assists. Dallas swears he isn’t paid, only volunteer help. Every night? The process is comparable to making butter creme icing. Licking the bowl clean afterwards is the fun part. It’s also libidinous stressful. Elaine discounts coitus therapy for Dallas, since he’s such a help.

It was unfortunate we had this intense conversation during the return trip. It was thought provoking and undid the good accomplished. Apparently, Dallas is also anxious. Late for third shift? He raced away to Elaine’s the moment we parked. I’m reliving memories of the masseuse I enjoyed only a few hours earlier. But my mind has a generosity bent of it’s own. It would behoove me to take inspiration from Dallas and volunteer my services to Cassie and Elaine also.

There were lights on in Dalisay’s shack. Somebody was still awake waiting on me. Surprise! I wasn’t greeted as enthusiastically as I expected. No joyful fur ball puppies rushed me when I entered the door. Instead, I faced three hostile eyed, grim faced women.

“Where are my pups? What have you three done with my dogs?”

“Never mind that, where have you been, and don’t lie.”

“Jump back, I demanded an answer first. Besides, why are you here, Dakota? You know that tone of voice is never safe to use with me.”

“Answer my question, damn you.”

“Shove it up your gaping hole, Dakota. Gail? Where are my dogs?”

“Georgia and Virginia took them home with them.”

“I warned you they weren’t to be trusted, not to let them leave with my pups. Now it’s going to get quite uncomfortable for everyone.”

“We were powerless to stop them, Joey. Dakota told them to go home and take the pups with them. Somebody was bound to get hurt in the brawl, eminently about to start, if we physically resisted.

“I don’t care to know your reasons for starting this brouhaha, Dakota, but you better get on the phone, right now, with your daughters and have my dogs returned here without any more delay.”

“What are you going to do when I don’t? Ha! Because I won’t!”

Why waste words when they fall on stubbornly deaf ears? I grabbed Dakota, dragged her flailing, twisting, stumbling form from the shack, and flung her screeching into the cold dark river. It is only a bit more than a foott deep where she landed, sits soaked. Spluttering.

“Damn you, I’ll ... ptui, ptui”

Mouthful of river mud, dribbling down her chin. Looks like diarrhea.

“Shut up or I’ll hold your stupid head under water and shut you up. Call your daughters, Dakota. That’s all I want to hear from you.”

“I’ll have you locked up, you bastard.”

“GAIL? Dalisay? Did you just witness a hysterical Dakota stumble and fall in the river in a fit of apoplexy?”

They stare cold eyed at me. No sympathy there. It’s bloody mutiny.

“What are the two of you so heated up at me about?”

“Were you visiting a prostitute? Did you waste our money on public toilet pussy?”

Something warns me they already know everything, and denying it will only deteriorate my position further. I’m in a pretty deep hole already, don’t dig it deeper.

“I was feeling desperate, and I sought relief and found it. But I didn’t spend a penny for it. What’s wrong with that?”

“Was the reason you were suddenly so desperate, because your were stoked propositioning those children? Since you didn’t immediately get you what you craved, you went to town for something like it?”

“What? This is nuts! What are you talking about?”

“Do you deny telling Virginia and Georgia you would PLAY with them and in return, they could play with the puppies? They were very upset you weren’t waiting here to initiate them as promised. You did a good job of seducing those kids. They knew you are attracted to them and they were excited and willing to explore and be explored. Want to learn all you can teach them. They’re old enough. Disappointment was a heavy ego blow to their tender teen psyches.”

Dakota is back on dry land and circling well out of reach, trying to reach her truck. I got my eye on her.

“Stop! Stay where you are Dakota. Where did this nonsense originate? Obviously some warped version of it must of come from the twins, but the interpretation you’re applying to it is entirely inaccurate. Somebody start reciting verbatim who said what!”

“You can’t deny it, can you! You’re disgusting! They’re only thirteen.”

“We all need to hear what was actually said by whom. Get your daughters back down here, Dakota. They have some tall explaining to do. They managed to confuse the hell out of you three, and we are going to get unconfused. And tell them to bring my dogs back.”

“I will not call the twins! I’m calling the police to arrest you.”

“Stop and listen to me, Dakota, I am not begging, I’m telling you the truth like it really is. Your life depends upon the twins coming down here and helping straighten this mess out!