A Wee in the Mountains

Passion in James County XIV: A Week In The Mountains

"Kay, Frankie! Where are you?" At the sound of Gloria Bobar's voice, both Frankie and Kay sat bolt upright in bed.

"My God! It's your mother!" Kay whispered, "Get dressed, Frankie! We...we can't let her catch us like this!"

Frankie was off the bed, tugging on his jean shorts before she finished speaking. While he made himself presentable, Kay got up and straightened her clothing, too, but she found it hard because fear had turned her fingers to jelly.

"We're upstairs, looking around, Mom," Frankie called, "We...we'll be right down."

A few minutes later, with their clothing straightened out and looking as presentable as they could, Frankie and Kay descended the stairs. They found Gloria Bobar and Sue Ervins waiting in the living room of the cabin Kay was considering buying.

"I told you this place was lovely, didn't I, Kay?" Gloria said. "Are you going to buy it?"

Kay nodded. "I...I think so," she replied. "It's everything you said it was, Gloria, and more. I can't believe how wonderful it is, and what a good price they're asking."

Gloria turned to Sue Ervins. "You know, Sue, you and Mike ought to look into buying a cabin up here, too," she said.

"Are there any other cabins on the market?" Sue asked. "We might just do that if there are."

Gloria nodded. "Actually, I think I heard the Lewis's have been talking about selling their place," she said, "They want to build a bigger place. They have four kids and there's no room on their lot to expand their cabin."

"I'll have to talk with Mike and see if he thinks we can swing it," Sue said. She continued to study Kay and Frankie. She thought her friend and the young man looked a little flushed. "Kay and Frankie were upstairs when we got here..." she thought, "...and the bedrooms are up there. They've been spending an awful lot of time alone together this week. Is it possible...?" Her mind began forming a picture of what might have been happening upstairs, and as it did, warmth began to spread through her. "If Frankie and Kay are doing what I think they are, maybe he'd consider doing it with me, too!" she mused and felt herself getting warm inside.

Neither of her friends knew it, but, during the entire time she'd been married to her husband, Sue had enjoyed a series of lovers. Her husband was a nice man, a good provider, and an attentive, but unspectacular lover. Almost from the start of their marriage, Sue hadn't been satisfied sexually. She was also quite attractive so it wasn't hard for her to find men who were only too happy to satisfy the needs her husband wasn't satisfying. She had been discreet about her affairs. Her husband, who was a trusting soul, had no idea what she'd been doing, nor did her friends.

Sue was a little on edge because several weeks before the trip to visit to the Bobars, her most recent lover ended their affair because his wife was becoming suspicious. Sue, used to the vigorous and very satisfying sex she shared with him, missed him. The idea that Frankie and Kay might be having an affair both titillated and aroused her. She'd never had a lover as young as Frankie. If the young man was sleeping with Kay, she was sure he'd offer the same service to her!

Kay turned to Frankie. "Frankie," she said, "I need to have you drive me back to the real estate office. We need to give the key back and I want to give the realtor a deposit before somebody buys this place out from under me."

"OK, Kay," the young man replied. He turned and walked out the door.

The three women started for the door. Gloria went out and Kay was right behind her. When she reached the porch, she dropped her hand to her side and realized something. "My purse," she said, "I...I left my purse up...upstairs." She went back up the stairs to get it.

Sue Ervins was standing at the back door, wearing a knowing smile, when Kay came out after retrieving her purse from the master bedroom, where she'd dropped it when Frankie began making love to her. "You and Frankie have been spending a lot of time along together the last couple of days, Kay," Sue observed. "A lot of time."

Kay felt her insides go cold. Although she was terrified, she fought to keep a calm look on her face. "So?" she asked, "Frankie's just doing what Gloria asked him so do. She...she asked him to keep me, ah, occupied because Stu had to go back home. What's the matter with that?" She started for the steps that led down off the porch.

Sue followed Kay down the steps. "I guess it depends on how he's keeping you occupied, doesn't it?" she commented.

Kay resisted the impulse to respond to her friend's comment and continued walking toward where Frankie and his mother were waiting by the car.

"I'm not saying anything's happening," Sue continued as they walked toward the Bobar's car. "Actually, I wouldn't blame you if you were doing something. Frankie's a good-looking young man. I bet he'd be a very satisfying lover. Probably lots better than a middle-aged man like Stu."

Kay was tempted to respond, but she decided that would only make things worse, so she bit her lip and kept silent. She was afraid that if she did reply, it would just confirm Sue's suspicions.

"There anything you need from town, Gloria?" Kay asked before she got in the car.

Gloria Bobar shook her head. "I don't think so," she replied.

Frankie got in the car, started the motor, and the drove off.

"Frankie, we're really going to have to be careful now. I...I think Sue suspects something," Kay said as they drove down the road behind the other cabins on the lake.

"Mrs. Ervins?" Frankie said. "What makes you think she suspects we're doing something?"

"Just now, when we were alone in the house, she commented on how much time you and I have been spending together," Kay replied. "She didn't really come right out and say she thought we were...you know, but the tone of voice she used and the things she did say make me think she suspects something."

"So? Mom asked me to spend time with you, and that's what I'm doing," Frankie replied. "What's the big deal? I don't care what Mrs. Ervins thinks we're doing. It's none of her business."

"I agree with you," Kay said. "But when we were leaving the house, she asked me exactly how you and I were spending all this time together. She...she even said she wouldn't be surprised if I was having an affair with you."

"Oh, Jesus," Frankie said. "If you're right and she does suspect something, do you think she'll tell my Mom she suspects we're fooling around?"

"I don't know what she'll do," Kay said. She thought about what Sue had said and an idea of what Sue might want flashed through her mind. The realization made her go cold inside. "Frankie...what...what if she wants you?" she asked.

"What?" Frankie replied. "What...what do you mean?"

"Suppose Sue...suppose she wants to...to sleep with you, then...then what?" Kay said. She took a deep breath and waited, wondering what the young man's reaction would be. After all, Sue was quite attractive. Having another adult woman interested in having an affair with him would be quite a temptation for any young man.

"I...I don't want to sleep with Mrs. Ervins," Frankie replied firmly. "Why should I? I...I only want you."

"That's sweet, my darling," Kay said. She was relieved and deeply touched by his response, but it did little to allay her fears. "But suppose she gets you aside and says, 'Frankie, either you sleep with me or I'm going to tell your mother you're sleeping with Kay,' then what will you do?"

Frankie glanced over at her and made a sour face. "People don't really do stuff like that, do they?" he replied. "Mrs. Ervins wouldn't do something like that, would she?"

"Given the things I've been doing this week, I'm in no position to be quoting the Bible," Kay said, "but do you remember the story of Joseph?"

Frankie nodded. "Yeah, we read the play 'Joseph and The Technicolor Dream Coat' in one of my English classes last year," he said. "Why?"

"What did Potiphar's wife do when Joseph refused to sleep with her?" Kay asked.

"She claimed he tried to rape her and Joseph wound up in prison," Frankie replied. The point she was trying to make hit him. "Oh, shit! You mean...?"

"Exactly," Kay said. "Women can be very nasty when we want to be. And believe me, I know Sue Ervins. She's a good enough friend, but she's merciless when she makes up her mind she wants something." She took a deep breath. "And I'm afraid it's possible she might want you."

"God, what are we gonna do?" Frankie asked. "I don't want to have to sleep with her."

"Would it be that bad?" Kay asked. "Sue is very attractive, and she's kept herself in pretty good shape." "And Sue has a fuller, more curvaceous body than I do," she found herself thinking. "Maybe Frankie would like someone who isn't so skinny?"

Frankie looked over at her. "Do you want me to go to bed with her?" he asked. "Is that what you're saying?"

Kay shook her head. "No, of course not," she said. "Not unless...unless you...you want to."

"Heck no, I don't want to go to bed with her," Frankie said, "I don't care what she looks like. Why should I have sex with someone I don't want to have sex with?"

"What are you going to do if she asks you to?" Kay inquired. "How are you going to deal with that situation when it happens...and I think it very well might?"

"Jesus, I don't know," Frankie said. "Maybe I could tell her I'm gay or something."

Kay couldn't help herself. She chuckled. "I'm not sure she'd believe that, Frankie," she replied.

A sporty-looking car passed them going in the other direction. The driver blew the horn and waved at Frankie, who waved back.

"Who was that?" Kay asked. "Was it a friend of yours?"

"That was Ronny Amos," Frankie replied, frowning. "His folks have a place up at the lake, too. He goes to school down in Victorville so he's up here a lot, usually with a different girl every time. He sure as heck isn't any friend of mine."

"It doesn't sound like he's one of your favorite people," Kay commented.

"I think he's a creep," Frankie replied. "He's good-looking, he's in really good shape, and girls really like him. Vicky and I were getting close a couple of summers ago...until Ronny saw what was happening. He'd never even knew Vicky existed until he saw us together, then he started coming on to her. The minute Ronny started paying attention to her, Vicky couldn't be bothered with me. I know he does dope. I think he gives her pot, and maybe coke, too."

"I see," Kay said. When she was younger, she'd known a lot of guys who acted like it sounded Ronny Amos did. There was one in particular she'd rather not remember at all. She fell silent and stared out the windshield, pondering the problem she and Frankie faced. What she found confusing was that she wasn't sure whether she was more upset because it looked like they had been caught, or because Frankie might wind up having sex with Sue.

They drove along in silence. Frankie's face reflected the fact that he was lost in thought. Kay didn't say anything because she was lost in thought, too. Was there any way they could avoid a confrontation with Sue Ervins? She couldn't think of any. Some of her worst fears were coming true, it seemed. It was quite possible she was going to have to face the consequences of her behavior after all. And she didn't know what she'd do if Frankie and Sue slept together. Just thinking about it caused her intense pain.

"Damn..." Frankie said after he'd driven a way in silence, "...if you're right, and Mrs. Ervins does hit on me, I don't know what I'm going to do..."

"Frankie, I don't, either" Kay replied glumly. This whole mess was her fault. If she'd never allowed herself to get out of control with the young man, neither of them would be in the predicament they were in now. "I hate the thought of you even have to consider being coerced into sleeping with Sue."

"You know, it's funny," Frankie said. "I never dreamed there would be a day I'd say I didn't want to sleep with an attractive older woman." He glanced over at Kay. "But I'm already making love to the only attractive woman I want to make love with."

Kay laid her hand on the young man's leg and caressed it with her fingers. "That's sweet, Frankie," she murmured. "He's getting entirely too attached to you," she thought, "And even worse, I'm getting way too attached to him, too. I knew when this started it could be dangerous, and now we've just found out how dangerous. If we don't think of something to do, and Sue gets angry, both of us could be in big, big trouble." She continued to struggle to come up with a way out of their dilemma, but without success.

They arrived at the real estate office. Frankie stayed in the car while Kay went inside to talk with the real estate agent. She told him she wanted to purchase the cabin and also explained to the stunned man that she would be paying cash. "Once you tell me the exact amount I need," she said, "I'll arrange for my bank to have it transferred to your accounts by electronic fund transfer. Since we both know the Williston's are anxious to get this sale completed, I don't see why we can't have it done by the end of the week, do you?"

"Ah...I...I guess not," the realtor replied, "Will...will your husband be coming up to...to sign the papers?"

"I'm buying the cabin with my money," Kay replied. "I'll be the sole owner. There's no need for my husband to be involved in the purchase at all."

"I see," the realtor said. He grinned at Kay. "Perhaps once the papers are signed, you might like to join me for dinner to celebrate your purchase," he said hopefully.

"I'll tell you what, Mr. Dumas," Kay said, pronouncing the man's name more like "dumb ass" than she should have, "Once we're settled, my husband and I would be delighted to have you and your wife over for dinner some night." She made her comment innocently then, fighting the urge to smile, she got up.

Red-faced, the broker stood up. "Um...ah...I'll, ah, I'll call you when the paperwork is ready, Mrs. Tobin," he stammered.

Kay turned and walked out of the office. "Take me home, Frankie," she said when she got in the car. "After dealing with that man, I think I need a shower."

"So," the young man asked, "did you buy the house?"

Kay nodded. "If everything goes right, it should be mine by the end of the week," she said.

"Neat," Frankie commented.

"I'd feel a lot better about it if we didn't have this business with Sue hanging over us," Kay said. "Frankie, I'm really worried about that."

"Look," the young man said, glancing at her as he drove, "if she really does come on to me, I'll just turn her down. If she tells my Mom what she suspects, we can both deny it, can't we? I mean, it isn't like she's got proof or anything. You know what I mean?"

"I...I guess so, Frankie," Kay said. "Frankie, I...I'm sorry I got you into this mess." He was probably right, she thought. If Sue did tell Gloria about her suspicions, and Gloria confronted them, denial might work. But then it might not. Why had she allowed both of them to get in this mess anyhow?

"You didn't get me in any mess," Frankie replied. "If Mrs. Ervins had minded her own business, we wouldn't even be talking about this."

"Frankie, it isn't Sue's fault that we have a problem," Kay reminded him. "It's ours. We're the ones who are doing something wrong."

"Maybe some people would say what we're doing is wrong," Frankie said. "But I don't think so."