The normal disclaimers apply, anyone having sex is 18 or older.
This is a three part story which begins as a first time and evolves into a romance.
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Apple Cove CH1
I am the fourth of six children, the first was a boy, known to us others as *the Golden One* since he seems to do no wrong in our parent's eyes, followed by two girls and then me. A four year interval ended when mother had another boy and then our baby sister. The oldest was the golden boy and the youngest was their *baby*, which left the rest of us in limbo. We were loved and shown love as much as parents of six can divide themselves, I held my own, but was not an academic genius or sports minded like the others, I sort of existed somewhere in the middle.
Therefore, when I was asked at the age of ten if I'd like to spend the summer with my Aunt Clara and Uncle Ted at their apple orchard in Wisconsin I didn't hesitate to say yes. We lived in New England and were what I came to find out later in life as an upper middle class family, I don't recall going without, but I also understood the concept of hand me downs. My mother was the hand me down queen, everything from dresses to underwear, it was all fair game if it was still in decent shape, the only girl who didn't live this way was the very youngest, we older girls were simply too far apart from her in age.
Mother was originally from Wisconsin, had gone to college in Boston , met father, married and set up a home life in New England. Aunt Clara was mothers sister, at the age of 31 she was the youngest of three girls, though we'd only met her a half dozen times my sisters and I agreed she was the *cool* one. She wore makeup, nylons and strappy shoes that looked like they should be in a movie.
I found it interesting that my parents were so willing to send me off before my eleventh birthday at the end of June, which put me in a bit of a snit you might say. With my little suitcase packed I said my goodbyes, jumped in the car with golden boy and headed for the halfway point, Cincinnati, where we would meet Aunt Clara. After meeting Aunt Clara golden boy decided he was heading back home, Clara and I went for some supper, found a room for the night and hit the hay. I had apparently gone to sleep immediately because the next thing I remember was her dressed and ready to go standing at the side of my bed repeating my name.
"Claudette, wake up, Claudette, come on time to get up."
Jeepers, I couldn't recall the last time I'd been awakened so nicely, usually it was Fran or Sarah yelling *everybody up, let's go*, and since we girls shared two rooms side by side there was no such thing as sleeping in. Tossing our bags in the truck we found a diner for breakfast and left for her place around eight, the landscape varied considerably from the upper New England area, I spent much of the first few hours looking out the window. Around ten o'clock Clara announced, "I gotta pee, how bout you squirt?"
How that name came to be I'll never know, no one but she and Uncle Ted ever called me squirt. She grabbed another large coffee to go, I got a Snapple along with a candy bar and we hit the road, chit chatting a little here and there during the morning drive, it was after lunch she became more serious and focused in our conversation.
"So squirt, how do you feel about having your birthday with us? Will you miss your family?"
My answer surprised me, but not her. "Yeah, about as much as they'll miss me."
That never affected her, she went right into the next question. "Your sisters started their cycles around eleven, have you started yet?"
I was flush, my cheeks felt like they were on fire and I was fidgeting on the seat.
"No need to be embarrassed squirt, it's just us girls, no guys around. I'm asking because if you haven't, we should probably get a few things just in case you do. Better to be prepared, the closest store is almost ten miles from the farm."
We pulled into the long drive just after four in the afternoon, the orchard lined the drive on both sides as well as up the hillsides, I'd only been there twice before and remembered very little, it was all new and exciting. As we turned the corner into the parking area I saw a small shop with a huge sign, *Vegetables, Fruit, and Fresh Baked Goods* getting out of the truck I could see people milling around inside. I tugged on Aunt Clara's arm and pointed toward the little shop.
"We built it about four years ago, we sell what apples are still available, vegetables in season and there's a small state inspected kitchen where I make baked goods. If you're willing to help, I'll put you to work, I think Uncle Ted has some things he'd like to hire you for as well."
Did she say *hire*, my world got much brighter hearing her say that word. I had my own room and the hall bath was basically mine, Aunt Clara was doing laundry on a Monday and held up a pair of my hand me down ugly undies. With a frown on her face she spoke.
"Is your mom still making you wear your older sister's underwear? I thought they were buying their own more modern stuff."
I hung my head in embarrassment, "They do, but mom saved all their old stuff and I have to wear it, I hate them, all the girls laugh at me."
"Tell you what, when I'm in town Friday I'm going to buy some different underwear, at least something with a little color."
I was ecstatic, thinking to myself that by the time I went home after the summer I might be like the other girls at school. I worked with Aunt Clara in the kitchen and learned how to run the cash register. Uncle Ted had me helping with small things in the barn and would let me sit in front of him on the tractor seat, he took care of the footfeet and controls, I got to steer. When mid-August rolled around I was sad to go, Aunt Clara sent all the new underwear with me, she wasn't sure how mother would accept the colors, she'd cross that bridge if mom had an issue with it.
It was my oldest sister Fran who met us halfway this time, golden boy was getting ready for college. Whoopee, who cared. I told her all about my summer, all the things I did to help and had earned over one hundred dollars of my own money. When we got home, mom was unpacking my case and wanted to know where my underwear was, I pointed to the different colored panties and she damned near flipped out. She was on the phone with Aunt Clara in a flash, I could hear her asking why she would let a little girl wear anything but white panties. I have no idea exactly what Clara said, but it shut mother up and the topic never arose again.
The following June I was on the way to the farm again, excited about spending the summer with Clara and Ted. Following a hello wave from Uncle Ted on the tractor I trudged down the hall to my room, on the top dresser drawer was a note, *look in the underwear drawer*, signed *Auntie*. I nearly jumped out of my skin, in front of me were a half dozen more pair of panties in assorted colors and patterns.
I squealed all the way to the kitchen thanking her profusely for the wonderful surprise, she smiled and told me to set the table. Over supper Ted told me he was going to start me cultivating the sweet corn at the end of the week, he had a 1947 Farmall B tractor he only used for cultivating corn. Friday morning after breakfast I was on the tractor driving around the barn yard getting the feel of things, from there he took me to the corn field where I rode the hitch as he made the first pass through the corn rows, at the end we switched places, me driving with him on the hitch. He had me turn around and begin the next pass back from the way we'd come, by the time I'd cultivated two more rows without ripping up the corn he was ready to jump off.
"Okay squirt, your on your own, there's water in the tool box and some toilet paper if you need it. Just hide behind the rear wheel, nobody will see you way out here."
At noon Aunt Clara came out with a light lunch and an insulated jug of fresh cold water, she told me to knock off about three, when the sun was just over the barn and come in. That would give me time to shower and wash away the days grime. I cultivated over twenty acres of sweet corn over the next week and loved every dirty, grimy, sweaty minute of it. Talking with mom one evening I let it slip that I'd been driving the tractor by myself, all I remember is her yelling, "Put your aunt on the phone young lady."
After fifteen minutes of Clara calming mother and reassuring her all was okay, she handed the phone back to me, we talked another fifteen minutes before hanging up. With cultivating done I was helping Clara in the kitchen baking pies, fried apples and apple bread which never seemed to last even one day. Most days I was cheerful and raring to go, one morning my tummy was hurting badly and I was mopey.
It was Aunt Clara who saw me through my first period and by the end of July I was beginning to develop in other areas. Just before it was time to go back home Aunt Clara surprised me when she bought my first ever training bra the next time she was in town. I felt like I owned the world, I was now like most of the other girls in my class, at least I wouldn't be wearing under shirts any longer. Mother did another back flip when I got home after that summer, she was on the phone instantly, only to say nothing more about it after her conversation with Clara.
Spending the summer with my aunt and uncle became a part of my existence, I looked forward to it, I helped with farm chores, tending the veggie stand and my most fun time ... sweet corn. Ted and I would drive into town, the back loaded with corn and sell until it was all gone. Day after day we'd do that, I loved meeting the different folks who stopped. On the night of my arrival the year I turned seventeen we had a BBQ and big bonfire, neighbors had been invited, when Tobias Enderval walked across the driveway toward the bonfire my heart stopped. I was next to Clara who shook me a bit and whispered, "breathe."
He was a handsome full bodied farm boy from across the valley, as Auntie gestured for him to come meet me I sensed he was a bit embarrassed. I extended my hand to shake his, he fidgeted a moment then extended his arm, I was expecting a strong hurtful grip, what I got was a strong sensitive grip with just enough pressure to embrace my hand in his. I had absolutely no idea what to say or do beyond the handshake. Thankfully Clara saved the day.
"Toby, this is the niece I've been telling you about, the one from out east. Her name is Claudette, I call her squirt, you might want to ask what she'd like to be called."
Before he could speak I blurted out, "Claude, you can call me Claude." I then turned a crimson red, thank God the sun was setting and my face was shadowed.
He smiled, "Claudette, I like that. A pretty name for a pretty girl."
