Chapter 12

In the following weeks the two lovers busied themselves with making a new life. The store was sold to Julie who got financial backing from her parents for the purchase. Jessica and Kenny decided to make as total a break as possible so there would be little chance of their past catching up with them. They discussed the Northeast but decided they could more easily lose themselves in the vast stretches of the Northwest. With fond goodbyes and promises to keep in touch with Donna, Marge and Allen, the two set out in the eight year old Toyota with a few meager possessions. Three days later they entered Casper, Wyoming and although they had originally planned on going even further west, both liked the feel of the town and the friendliness of the townsfolk. A meal, a ride around town and a few inquiries and they both decided this would be their new home.

Jessica found them a small but cozy apartment while Kenny scouted out a small store front where they could begin their music business anew. The first night was spent christening the new apartment. Every position, in every room, using every techniques known to either of them was used that night, the two deeply in love and in lust.

In a creative bit of paperwork, Jessica, before they left, had signed a consent form for Kenny to marry. Citing the fact that Kenny was quite advanced, had recently taken and passed his GED and had gotten a somewhat older woman pregnant and that both now wished to marry, Jessica had signed the document as J. Marie Stewart, using her middle instead of first name. Three days after arriving in Casper, the two had made application for a marriage license. While Kenny used his real name, Jessica used Jessica M. Hollowell, her maiden name on the application. Since Kenny was underage, even for parental consent (Wyoming does make exceptions in rare cases), they appeared before a judge who eyed the two questioningly. When it was revealed that Jessica was forty-one and Kenny only fifteen, the judge's eyebrows were raised even further. However, Jessica fabricated (to a degree) a story that she had been recently widowed (true enough) and that her depression, loneliness and a round of drinking (not so true) had led her to accept the advances of a healthy, virile teenage boy for whom she had had feelings for some time, with the result that she was now going to have his baby. She, however, professed her love for the young man and her desire to not only have his baby but to make a life with him. Kenny impressed the judge with his intelligence and sincerity. He confessed to being in love with Jessica for some time and while his taking advantage of her while she was in a drunken state was certainly improper, he was glad she was now pregnant with his child because, he too, wanted to make a life and raise a family with this woman who he adored. The story was convincing and although the judge was still somewhat taken aback by the twenty-six year difference in their ages, he (quite correctly) sensed their sincerity when each professed his/her love for the other. In the end, with expressed reservations and weighing the boy's mother's approval (little did he know) he granted the application.