Chapter 5

Sarah called, "I see you made the news in the paper."

"Yes, I made the news. I'm hoping the wire services don't pick it up. What's up?"

"I just wanted to tell you that I braved the diner where we had trouble. They treated me like a celebrity. I wouldn't have stopped, but there is a little swinging sign on the lawn in front that says, 'Sarah Bernhardt dines here.' I guess when we were here before we called attention to the place and it is packed now. It is mostly locals. They've hired a new cook to speed up their service and spruced up the place too. They want to know if you are ever coming back. It would mean a free meal."

"I have never dined with a celebrity before, so I will have to make an appearance. Oh, I had my first job yesterday. I think this is going to work. I'm really excited about it. Who knows after ten years or so, I will be able to afford to start looking for a wife."

"Oh, I hope it doesn't take that long."

"I hope not either. Just think of all the likely prospects I would have to pass up in ten years. Anything new going on with the cabin?"

"Yes there is. The contractor hired a demolition crew to go in and knock down that mess I tried to build. God how stupid I was to try to build something myself. There is an excavating crew coming in to dig a cellar hole and put in a good foundation. He convinced me that I would be smart to build it down as well as up. I have some bad news for you though. Did you know that Ruth Baker who was married to Jason Thibadeau was pregnant two times and had three children by him before they were married?"

"What do you mean?"

"Quite the story, if I make it out right. It seems that Ruth's three brothers liked their rum and cider of a Saturday night. They would walk the length of the field up to the tavern and drink. Jason would see that they got home, half carrying them when he closed the place. Ruth, waiting at home, would see that they got into bed. After awhile she got so she would give him coffee (he supplied the beans) and they would sit and talk. Ruth was sixteen and no beauty, but Jason at thirty-five, was attracted to her. After their first kiss things progressed very fast. Her words: When he first mounted me, I knew how a heifer felt when we led her to be serviced by the bull. She became pregnant and bore him a child, a red-haired girl named Sarah. No one knew who the child's father was as Ruth never left the farm. It was her choice according to the journal not to name the father of her bastard child. The Saturday nights never deviated and he was always there for her and encouraged his young lover to learn how to read and write.

"She bore him two more children before things changed. Tom and Harry, the twins, came two years later. Ezekial Baker, the middle brother, became enamored with a widow and married her. This widow would have nothing to do with her unmarried sister-in-law with three bastard children. Hating to see the woman he had come to love, and the mother of his children scorned, Jason took it upon himself to marry his sweetheart and make an honest woman of her. These were good years for both, from what I can tell from the journal. They had more children, but the three she had when she came to Jason were the ones she talked about most. Jason, did you note that Ruth named her daughter, Sarah?"

"I did. Do you suppose this is all leading up to something? I mean Jason married a red-haired girl and she had a daughter named Sarah and you are a red-haired girl named Sarah."

"There is a big difference between them and us, though. You're not nineteen years older than I am."

"Minor detail, wouldn't you say? Maybe even for the better. There is one other thing that is different."

"What difference?"

"You said that Ruth was unattractive. That is not the case with you. You are beautiful." There was a long silence and if the phone wasn't dead I thought she had hung up. "Sarah, are you still there?"

"Yes."

"Did what I say upset you? I hope not for I do see you as beautiful."

"No it didn't upset me. I was just replaying you saying that I was beautiful in my mind. Look I think we better end this conversation for now. Sweet dreams tonight, Jase." The phone clicked.

Damn! I wanted to ask her to the dance. I rang her back. "Hello, Sarah, here."

"Sarah, I wanted to ask you to the dance again. I should have asked you earlier, but forgot. I don't see how I could have, you are in my mind so much."

"Jason, I won't be able to. I'm going to Connecticut to see my folks for the weekend."

"Okay, if you have other plans, that's fine. I'll see you next week. I assume you will be back by then?" I made it a question.

"I think so. I'll call you when I'm back in town. I want to see the cellar hole before they start construction."

"Good, I'll see you sometime, then. Bye." I was missing her already, I guess because I was so attracted to her. I was disappointed, but hell she was a rich young thing, and what would she want with me anyway?

"So Mom, ready for the dance with your favorite escort tomorrow night?"

"Jason, I've accepted a date with another person, but I certainly will dance with you."

"That's great! Is it anyone I know?"

"You've met him. It is Detective Fisher. He came to interview me about Aunt Nellie. We got to talking and I eventually offered him coffee. When I said I loved to dance and went every Friday night, he asked me if he could take me. You don't mind, do you? After all you have Sarah."

"I don't mind at all. I probably won't be going as Sarah is out of town."

"Oh Jase, that's terrible. Of course there is horny Sheila with the big tits."

"Not interested. You go and have a good time. I'll be fine."

I did go. I had an unexpected visitor. Prissy Adams, friend of my former girlfriend Katie, arrived at the house just after Mom and Mark Fisher left for happy hour and dinner at the country club. I have to tell you she climbed all over me, she was so glad to see me.

"Jason, I came up to see you. Now that Katie is out of the picture, I'm hoping you will look at me--look at me as more than just a friend of Katie's."

"I'm sorry Prissy, I've already found someone I'm interested in. We are collaborating on a project of mine."

"No chance for me?"

"I don't think so."

"Well that blows that dream. It is good to see you anyway. I have to find a room and I might as well head back to Boston tomorrow."

"Hey, don't leave so fast. You're still a friend. How about going to dinner and then I'll take you out dancing. My mother will be at the dance and I'll ask her if she will put you up tonight. We will be two friends out having a good time."

"You mean it?"

"Sure. Let me take a quick shower and put a shirt on. Twenty minutes tops."

"What should I wear?"

"What have you got?"

"A little black number I was hoping to turn you on with."

"That'll be just fine, but I warn you I'm already taken."

"Yes, but I'm here and she isn't. Oh hell Jase, I'll behave. You are just as nice as ever. Whoever she is, she is one lucky person."

The entrance we made was every bit as startling as the one I made the week before with Sarah. Prissy had chic short black hair and white alabaster skin. She had a diamond studded tiara that adorned her locks. The dress was short, exposing the top of her breasts and then it came only to her mid-thigh. It was constructed mostly of lace from what I could tell. There was a matching bracelet to the tiara on her wrist.

Tonight there wasn't room at the table with Mom and Mark Fisher and all of mother's friends. We were given a two-person table along one side of the room. I took Prissy over and introduced her to Mom, Mark and the women sitting there. Sheila, outspoken as ever, said, "Jesus Christ Jason, where do you get all these beautiful women? How can we old bags compete? You aren't going to forget to dance with us are you?"

"No, I promise I'll dance with you the same as ever. May we sit with you all when the dancing begins?"

"Certainly."

I had to explain to Prissy about my dancing with Mom's friends. "They are feeling a little put out. This is the first time Mom has brought a date. Mark seems like a very nice person and I'm really tickled that they are together. They are all happy for her, but it just makes them all a little more lonely, seeing her with a man and they don't have one."

"I can relate to that feeling. That is the way I felt when I was around you and Katie."

"Prissy, don't give up. You are extraordinarily beautiful. There has to be someone for you. You wouldn't want me to trifle with your affections just because I could, would you?"

"Maybe, just a little bit." Prissy was pensive and thinking over what she had just said. "No, you are right. I wouldn't want that."

Mom and I exchanged partners early in the evening and I asked if Prissy could sleep over in the spare room. "What about Sarah? I thought you had found your love?"

"I have, Mom. Prissy is an old friend and I've known her for as long as I knew Katie. She came up here looking to see if maybe there was a chance for the two of us together. I explained I had found someone already. I couldn't see why she had to return home immediately."

"You better be careful. Sarah might not understand."

"So you think she better not stay at the house?"

"No I didn't say that. Of course she can stay and be welcome. It's just that you may have a hard time explaining to Sarah when she finds out."

"How would she find out?"

"Well I can think of about six ways if you ever bring Sarah to this dance again. Women can be so catty when they are jealous."

"Would horny Sheila with the big tits be one of those that would tell on me?"

"What do you think?"

Later on in the evening, Prissy said to me, "You're quite the stud. I thought I was the only one affected by you. Christ, the woman with the big breasts squeezes you so tight you must have trouble dancing. She must be seventy if she is a day."

"Actually she is and jokingly propositions me every two or three weeks. She is just lonely. The whole gang of Mom's friends are. I feel sorry for them, but I don't show it. None of them want pity so I flirt with them and let them sneak a kiss from me sometimes. They will miss me if I stop coming to these dances. Oh, Mom said you could stay over at the house. Why don't you stay tomorrow night too, and go back on Sunday?"

"Okay, I'd enjoy staying on. I like your Mom, she is nice just like you."