Mary had just finished tenth grade when the fire happened and she lost both her parents. It was devastating to lose them β and almost as horrifying to think of what she would have to do to live without them. The only option she seemed to have would be moving across the state to live in the big city with her elderly great-aunt, Aunt Goody, who had always shown so much disdain for Mary's hard-working, country parents. The few times she had come to visit, she had barely concealed her view of them as white trash.
For this reason, Mary was exceptionally grateful when her father's best friend, Jack, had offered to take her in. Mary could come live on Jack's farm, only a few miles away. Jack and his wife would take care of Mary and help her until she could finish high school and get a start in college. They would try to give back some of the family Mary had lost, and Mary's aunt β after much hesitation β finally consented.
It was supposed to be a new start, the friendly couple opening their doors and helping Mary to heal from her grief. Unfortunately, only more grief came. Jack's wife died within the year from a stroke, and Jack was pitched into a mourning as deep and consuming as Mary's. It had been a childless marriage, and so Jack was now just as alone in the world as poor Mary.
As the years went by, the two lived with their grief daily, acting out the day's routines with grim determination: Mary rose early, made coffee for Jack and oatmeal for herself, got ready each morning on her own and drove her dad's old truck to high school. Jack would drink his coffee in stern silence while Mary ate her oatmeal, then he would set out on his tasks at the farm. In the evenings, Mary did as many chores as she could, finished her homework and Jack watched the news on TV before going to bed early. Every night. On the weekends, Mary might go to a movie with friends, but always came back before dark so she didn't make Jack worried.
She was grateful to him for taking her in, and she felt somehow responsible for the loss of his wife. She tried to be as little of a burden as possible. Initially she had tried to help him around the farm, like her father had taught her, but Jack was very traditional and urged her to look after the chores in the house. He was grateful when she cooked, did the laundry and ironing, cleaned up the dust, and kept things cozy. "This house needs a woman's touch," he would say wistfully, in the rare times when he spoke much to Mary.
At the time of Mary's graduation from high school, the mood at the farm lifted slightly. Mary was excited about college, although sad to leave the last vestiges of her family by leaving Jack and life at the farm. She had enjoyed working on the school yearbook and was planning to go to the state university and possibly study journalism. She thought she might like being a reporter. She thought that maybe by reporting on agriculture or issues in the rural areas, she could still feel close to the land.
Even with her college acceptance and state scholarship in hand, Mary still felt scared to leave the only hometown she had ever known. More than that, she felt worried about what would happen to Jack without her β a widower, a farmer living in solitude, now he would truly be completely alone. Her heart quailed to think of him eating dinner by himself β dinner he would have to make, so probably a warmed-over TV dinner or can of beans β and then having no one to say good night to him each night. Mary had never told Jack how grateful she was to him, but she knew he was her benefactor. She felt that she owed him something for all of his generosity over the years.
One night that summer, over the usual silent dinner, Mary cleared her throat and flipped her long natural blonde hair over her shoulder. "Jack, I've been thinking, " she started. He looked up at her. His grey eyes were set in a finely lined, deeply tanned, lean face β the face of a man who lived and worked outdoors. He spoke slowly. "Yes, Mary? What's on your mind?" He looked scared of what she might be about to say.
"Well," she paused uncomfortably and looked on the verge of tears. She was just about to turn 19 that fall, and had not quite lost the baby fat in her face. She had large brown eyes, soft cheeks, and very full and pouting lips. Her face was the only babyish thing about her, though. Under Jack's very eyes, she had grown from a tow-headed country tomboy into a very voluptuous young woman. She attracted plenty of male attention, even if her clothes were ill-fitting and not very fashionable, coming from the cheap department store two towns away. Her breasts had grown fully in only the last part of high school, and all of her tops were now too tight in the chest. Similarly, her hips were somewhat wide for her build. She was no thin city fashion model, but was a healthy size for her height. As a result, her clothes were tight in the hips and rear also. She felt a little embarrassed that she had developed too quickly for her wardrobe, and had tried to do extra chores to earn some money for new clothes before college, but it had not been a good year on the farm and clothes had to take a backseat so they could have food on the table.
"Yes, Mary?" Jack asked again patiently. He was slowly weighing her with his eyes. He knew that when she left for college, he would experience a yawning emptiness. But he was also proud of her, and hoped to help her realize her dreams.
"Jack, I don't feel quite ready for college," she said a little too quickly. "I'm worried about you here, and I think maybe I should just do online courses for the first year until I feel ready to move. I just don't know about going so far away!" Her voice quivered a little.
Jack kept his eye on her. She had edged up close to the table, and her large breasts her straining against her blouse as she choked back a sob. Her beauty was not lost on Jack, who had been with no woman since his wife died. He tried not to look at the beautiful, heaving bosom in front of him.
"This isn't about some boy, is it?" he demanded sternly. "I won't have you throwing your future away over some fool country boy. You're too good, Mary. You'll make a fine wife to some lucky man, but no one within 100 miles of here deserves you."
Mary blushed. Jack rarely paid her any compliments. "No Jack," she said softly. "I had one boyfriend before Mom and Dad died, but that was just puppy love. It meant nothing after I lost them." Her tears started flowing more freely now. "I just feel like you're my only family. I...I just can't lose you too, Jack." She closed her eyes and her words dissolved in sobs.
Jack had never seen Mary this upset. He thought she was like him, stoic, with a stiff upper lip. She had not cried over her parents or when she came to live at the farm. She had always done her duty without asking questions. Jack was moved and upset by her tears.
He got out of his chair and knelt down beside her, wrapping his arm around her. He brushed his hand up and down her upper arm, as if to warm her. "Mary, Mary, there's nothing to cry about," he soothed awkwardly. "Please stop crying or you'll make me cry."
She laughed a wet giggle. His arms were still around her, an unfamiliar feeling. They had never spent this long in physical contact. His face was close to hers, and from his position, he could smell the fragrance of her hair, and could just see down her top, where the full round breasts made a deep line of cleavage against her too-small shirt.
Jack felt himself getting hard as he breathed her in, held her in his arms, and gazed at the unfamiliarity of her womanly endowments. Mary, meanwhile, was intoxicated by the muscular strength she could feel in Jack's grasp of her. The strong hand on her arm was deeply veined and masculine. She could feel his strength, and had never had him grasp her so tightly, so βintimately β before. His face was near to hers, and she could almost feel the scrape of his five o'clock shadow against her forehead. She blinked back her tears and turned her face up to his to thank him for being so strong and caring.
As she did, Jack acted instinctually and lowered his mouth to hers in a kiss. He was so overcome by her youth, beauty and vitality β those big, luscious breasts β that he completely forgot himself. His mouth descended on hers with a passion he had restrained for untold years. His lips met hers and he wetly kissed her, aggressively parting her lips, finding her tongue, and licking deeply into her gorgeous, pouty little mouth.
Mary had hardly kissed a boy, and never like this before. She was so taken by surprise, she couldn't think to resist. She parted her lips with abandon and felt herself swooning as Jack's warm mouth filled her with a wet, delicious feeling like none she had ever experienced. She felt warm all over, and she could feel her nipples starting to poke out against the fabric of her blouse. Her insides seemed to melt and she knew she was wet between her legs as Jack extended the kiss and let his tongue lap against hers with great purpose.