This is part three of a multi-chapter story. There is little sex. To get some background read my slave camp series. I introduce characters who appeared there. My goal is not to provide jerk off material and many will find my story bland. I want to simple tell a story.
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"I'm going home to get one of my big rifles." I told Joanne when we got back to the house. She and Robin were sitting in the kitchen talking to Caroline and a few of the other women while food was being prepared.
'What for?" Joanne asked. I grinned and said, "To shoot, of course." Derek laughed and agreed. She protested we had been drinking, looking a little perturbed. "Only one beer, so I can drive safely. And we aren't going to shoot until this evening. I'm going to hunt with Derek and try to get a deer." I announced. "I'll bring back my car so you and Robin can go home by yourselves when you are ready." Robin was frowning as well. "I'll need to grab a jacket. We'll stop for me to get a hunting license on the way." I could tell from their expression both Robin and Joanne were angry I was not falling in line with letting them dictate my activities. I ignored them. I was glad we had brought Joanne's car even though I drove.
Derek and I arrived back at the Hacienda just as the food was ready to be served. We took a little longer than we had planned looking over some of my firearms and my reloading shop. We put my things into his out building and then went inside to get cleaned up. Joanne took me to one side.
"Daddy, you should have asked permission before you made the decision to get that rifle OR stay to hunt." Joanne said. "Robin is not happy. You heard what she said when you went to get those boxes." I looked at her, trying to keep my face expressionless. "She is not going to confront you and embarrass you here in front of everybody." I did not want a confrontation either, at any time. I suspected one was inevitable.
I thoroughly enjoyed the flavor of venison. Derek explained to everybody his plans for a little 'butchering party' the next day to process the two bucks hanging in his shed. "Hopefully, we'll have another few to do in a couple days after tonight's hunt. Bas, y'all are gonna have a full freezer before long. I have a friend in town who hunts out here too. We hunt and process the deer together and share what we get. You can join in. He has been busy with work and has not been able to hunt this past week. Later in the season after we get our limit, we'll start harvesting some pork. I don't keep all the pig parts myself, though. I just like the big cuts. Although I do have a guy who makes some great sausage. I really want to use some of those big rounds you made for me this week and get rid of some of those devils. I'm talkin' the really big ones."
While his girls started the cleanup, he said he wanted to show me the hoist we would hopefully put to use. While we were hooking the hoist up to the four-wheeler, a woman came outside.
"Derek, I'd like to have a little conversation with Bas if that is okay." she said. He nodded and introduced me to Lou, his lawyer. "You can listen if he agrees, but it might get a little personal." She looked at me for permission. I told her to ask away. I had no secrets.
"Are you in some kind of trouble, Bas?" Lou asked. "I heard some comments earlier that gave me that impression. I understand you are a little strapped for cash and that is why you are selling your re-loaded ammunition." I nodded and began to explain how I was a little impulsive. I had overspent my budget. That lead to a quick explanation of my history and the trust. "I gathered some of that history from Joanne and Caroline discussing your late wife. What got me concerned was something the other girl, Robin, said when you left with Derek earlier. She said "Bas is going to find out what the Program entails the hard way." I keyed on that word 'program'. Is she referring to the 'alternative to conservatorship program'?"
I told her how I got behind before and Joanne had set up a budget for me to get out of debt and how I had failed to follow through. "I'm a little ashamed I could not stay on course. I am on the autism spectrum. That is well known. I've read comments in some of those articles that were written about me and my success with computers." I said. "I am also a little OCD and tend to not do things I dislike no matter how important. It's a problem. Joanne is pushing me to enter this program thing after hearing about it from Robin's father Gary Atwell. She thinks I need supervision."
"ATWELL?" Lou exclaimed. "I know the guy. I've heard he has been pushing this program thing. It is essentially a self-imposed conservatorship. How did you get associated with that jerk?"
I almost laughed. There was no love lost here. I told them about Brenda and Richard. I trusted Lou enough to tell her what Brenda confessed this morning. How she was intimidated and let Atwell and his wife molest her. "We can and WILL deal with her problem later. Let me ask you a series of questions." After a few minutes she stopped me and said, "Yeah, Joanne might be able to get a ruling to become your guardian based on what you just told me. But it is not the slam dunk proposition Atwell suggests. And now you have a legal advocate. I will represent you, Okay?" I happily agreed. "As of right now, do not sign a thing. You said you have verbally agreed but that is not binding. It is an effort to condition you to accept the idea you have no power to make decisions for yourself."
"We'll be seeing a lot of Bas over the next few days." Derek said. "Between evening and morning hunts and processing the meat, he will be out here a lot. Bas, we'll help you out. Trust us. I know you just met us, but people like this Gary Atwell character need to to be taken down a peg or three. How do you feel about Robin personally?"
I told him I was actually intrigued and liked the girl. We'd had sex which was something special. I had not had sex since my wife died. I realized this type of honesty was unusual. I apologized for my social gaffe as I called it. Lou grinned and told me it was not a problem and sex was a common topic of discussion at the Hacienda. She actually found my honesty a novelty. I went on to say Joanne has agreed to let Robin stay in the house while going to school. I knew she needed a place to live and I liked having her around. I would hate to throw her out. Lou grinned. "We can work around that. I think she has a very dominant personality and expects to always be in charge. But do not sign a thing. Not a single document. If by chance they present you with a copy of anything, just say you need to review it and then bring it to me." I was very relieved. I felt better right now than I had all week.
We walked back to the house. I told Joanne I was not sure what time I would be home tonight. "It all depends if we get anything. We'll need to dress it and hang it up." I said. "Plus Derek invited us to come and help butcher the deer he has hanging now, so I'll be coming back early in the morning. I know you guys have studying to do so it'll be okay if you stay home." Neither young woman seemed happy with my announcement. But with Derek and Lou to back me up, I felt confident and happy.