Healed after a car crash but still shaken from losing his job as an attorney, although well compensated financially for the dismissal, Andre Vallier locked up his apartment and headed west. His disgrace was being convicted for drunken driving and destroying an 1889 statue in Northcote City's civic square,
Andre traveled to Bedford by bus because he couldn't reapply for a driver license for another four months. That was inconvenient and added to his humiliation but he regarded it as an extension of well-deserved punishment. At least he'd escaped jail, the judge sentencing him to eighteen hour's community work and fining him $10,000. According to the best legal advice available it was unlikely his legal practicing certificate would be withdrawn because he'd escaped jail, no one else had been injured and a drunken escapade like that could happen to anyone, even a Judge or District Attorney.
As the bus rolled out of town Andre viewed the replica replacement statute, mindful of the letters in the city's morning newspaper running twelve to one stating the replacement was a pathetic piece of restitution.
More guilt had flowed through Andre when reading those letters, knowing his reputation was in tatters and there would be townspeople who'd now always disrespect him. He knew he ought to be saying in his mind to such people 'Get fucked' but when you're down you're down. Yes leaving town for a while to distance him from the incident was the way to go to get his mind back into shape and then reclaim his legal heritage. The guy who'd fired him was his father and Andre's great-grandfather had founded the law firm.
Andre had called ahead and his widowed maternal father-in-law Richard (Dick) Fenton was waiting at the bus station. They shook hands and smacked each other on the shoulder.
"Shall we get a beer," Dick asked soberly and then grinned at the horrified look on Andre's face.
Only then did Andre get the 'joke' and smile weakly: Dick had given up drinking five years ago during a pancreas cancer scare.
The 57-year-old with a good stack of graying hair looked at the 33-year-old and said, "Alice won't talk to me about it, just saying she'd divorcing you and that's that."
"Yeah, proceedings are underway. The house and my car have been sold and there was enough money in the split for me to buy a good apartment. Thank god there were no kids to traumatize."
"Where is she now?"
"I don't know. We aren't communicating."
Dick handed Andre the keys to the three-year-old F150 pick-up but when Andre didn't raise his hand for them Dick said, "Oh crap, sorry. I'd forgotten. But you'll be able to drive it off-road on the ranch."
"I'm still hurting Dick. My parents are having difficulty speaking to me and people I know and meet on the streets turn and look the other way."
"Yeah I can guess but normality will return for most of them. That's what time does."
They drove leisurely the thirty miles to Baden Valley, named after the original settler who at one time farmed all 272,000 acres of the valley with a mix of cattle and sheep. It now supported thirty-three ranches of varying size, some only small life-style holdings for owners who worked in the city.
Andre tugged an ear below his curly straw-colored hair, his pale blue eyes looking directly at Dick: "I appreciate you allowing me to come and stay for a few days."
"Son you need to stay for weeks, not days and I insist. We will be comfortable because I have taken up with the plump Italian woman who's run away from her abusive husband. She cooks like a dream."
"And is okay in bed?"
Dick grinned and asked, "What's fucking?"
"I'm pleased for you Dick. Put me out in the barn."
"No the guest room is for your. One of Maria's daughters knows she's hiding out here and visits about once a fortnight. You might get lucky with her."
"Dick I really don't think..."
Dick slowed the vehicle and said, "Now look here Andre. You have paid the price for your misadventure and even in your despair you must know it was an offence on the lower end of the scale. You are here to get back your confidence and the way from here is only in one direction, upwards."
Andre grinned and punched a bony shoulder. "I hear what you say pal."
The hugely smiling Maria ran out to meet them, her tits swaying.
"God she's only in her forties you dirty man," Andre whispered and Dick glowered with pleasure at that remark.
"Oh my boy, my poor boy," Maria said, slamming into Andre and plastering his face with kisses.
Dick said dryly, "Andre this is Maria Barolini who isn't house trained yet."
"Oh you have such a lovely body," Maria said, drawing back. "But my cooking needs to fatten it up a bit."
"Hi Maria," Andre said, sounding a little shy because he was still rather taken back. God she was so sexy; he hadn't realized women in their mid-forties could be so, er, appealing. But the big discovery was accepting this was exactly the perfect environment for his mental rehabilitation. If this trend continued he'd be in for a perfect summer. Maria had almost an aura about her: she oozed sex, life, kindness and probably love and he knew with Maria around he'd be living surrounded by a constant buzz.
Maria was now arm-in-arm with Dick. Eyeing Andre she practically licked her lips and said, "Oh boy, is my Lucinda going to admire you."
Andre raised an eyebrow at Dick who said, "Lucinda was the fortnightly visitor I was telling you about, Maria's daughter... Maria's married daughter with two small children."
Maria just smiled and Andre thought perhaps all was not lost yet in getting something going with this Lucinda. God if she were anything like her mother.... He shook his head and snapped out of it.
Andre was almost reduced to tears when Maria led him into the guestroom and pointing to two piles of clothes on the bed, one pile topped by a black Stetson, she said: Dick wants you to have a clean start so bought you these ranch clothes. He is such a very kind man."
Sniffing and looking away Andre said he thought Maria was the perfect match for his father-in-law.
Maria said almost too quietly to be heard, "You are sure right about him being the perfect man for me."
Left alone Andre thought everything seemed so perfect. So was it too perfect?
He scowled.
LUCINDA
On his second day at the ranch Dick had left Andre tightening wires on a boundary fence and replacing broken or rotted stays between posts.
Andre had grown up on a ranch until he shifted into the city with his parents when he was seventeen. Dick and his late wife had purchased the 28,000 acre ranch not long after Andre had begun dating Dick's daughter Alice nine years ago when they were in their final year at law school. Andre had spent his vacations over two years helping Dick re-fence some of the almost fifty miles of boundary fencing. That experience had bonded the two men.
Around midday Andre had his earplugs in and music up loud and hadn't hear a vehicle approach until he heard the horn toot. It was the F150 and he expected Dick to step out with some sandwiches and coffee. But lo, out stepped a slender woman looking straight out of a fashion magazine.
"Hi, I'm Lucinda Raymond."
Andre gaped, pulling out his earplugs.
She said dryly, "Mom hadn't told me you were mute."
Andre unthinkingly scratched his nuts wondering how a woman could have two kids and still look like this babe.
"Oh I'm sorry, you continue scratching while coping with the difficult decision of whether or not to say hi. Raise your free hand and wave instead if you wish."
Andre's face burnt as he jerked his hand away and blurted, "Oh god Lucinda, I'm sorry. I was thinking how the hell could you pump out two kids and still look like you do?"
She eyed him a little sternly and said, "Well they are space sixteen months apart and when pumped out as you say, babies are a lot smaller than kids. Are you sure you know anything about women and their reproductive capabilities and ability to mainly restore their pre-birth appearance if they work hard enough at it? I am not yet twenty-three."
"Er no."
"Well that's a talkative response but at least it sounds honest. I suspect you know something about women because you have a use for them but have little idea about motherhood."
"Um yes. That's about it."
"God you are sweaty. How am I supposed to kiss you?"
"Don't."
Lucinda looked at him speculatively. "Mom usually is right about these things. She told me you looked sexy and ought to be a good fuck."
"What!"
"Oh, got your interest and fired you up, have I?"
"Fencing is tedious work and I was in a dream listening to classical music and..."
"I can understand. Think of me as a big tease and think about the fact that I'm happily married with two children and so only would consider having sex with a stranger if he placed me under a spell?"
"Eh?"
"Oh god and there's my mother claiming you'd been a brilliant young attorney before you stained your character. Come over here. I won't bite. I have brought water and soap and a towel for you because Dick warned me you'd be sweaty and I haven't spent my time making you a delicious chicken salad to have you dripping sweat on to it and mom's best table napkins."
"Eh?"
"For goodness sake Andre, come down to earth. Wash your face and I'll kiss you and then you can pour the wine."
"I have banned myself from drinking."
"What were you drinking during your evening of wanton excess that has cost you your reputation, your job and your marriage?"
"Beers with bourbon chasers."
"Well thankfully this doesn't count, it's only light white wine."
"It's still alcohol."
"So? Think before you answer me my handsome man."
"I suppose I can have one glass."
"Good boy. Make sure I have three and then you might get lucky. My defenses crumble a bit when I get happy on alcohol."
"Eh?
"Oh fuck, this is a dead loss. I'm heading back to the homestead."
"No wait, your mom would kick my ass if you do that. God she's such a character. I'm half in love with her. But you... you are so gorgeous. Never in my wildest dreams could I imagine a woman of your magnificence being out here in this valley. I'm er blessed?"
"Ohmigod, how sweet. It talks. Well thank you handsome man; here clean up. For your information I already know quite a number of people in this valley because mom is the kind of woman that attracts visitors because she projects fully and people go away feeling they truly have been well entertained. She is a failed opera singer and so was trained to project."
"I think your mom is wonderful."
"And so do I," Lucinda said dryly. She picked up the towel and began padding the washed face with it and then kissed Andre unhurriedly and he thought he felt suppressed passion when her hands and lips touched him.
"Wash your hands while I spread out the rug and open the wine."
"Men open wine."
"Just do as you are told, thank you."
"Bitch."
"Oooh, my handsome man is feeling his oats."
Andre's response was confined to a huge smile and Lucinda giggled.
He watched Lucinda moving about and felt more than his oats rising. The adrenalin flow also made him feel bolder and clinking glasses before taking his first drink of alcohol in three months he said, "Would it be a good idea if you removed that lovely dress to avoid creasing it when sitting down here?"
"We're on a rug."
"But the ground beneath is uneven."
"I'm not wearing a bra; this dress has a shelf bra."
"I'm sure I don't know what you are talking about but know you'll eventually run out of excuses."
"If I remove it can you assure me you won't rush at me?"
"Yes."
"And you'll remove your shirt."
"You'll see sweat."
"It should be dry by now and a little fresh air around you will improve your appeal."