We are all guided in one way or another by our environment and daily decisions. Others around us can affect both and offer guidance, but not solace after the guidance they offer fails. Here are two people, mother and son who although connected in a way that cannot be any closer, have both traveled life's path unsure of how to live life both by choice and their environment.
This story ultimately involves an incestuous relationship. However, the stories background provides a glimpse of how others can so completely determine life's path for us. Only a bold and seemly remarkable decision makes years of fear and doubt come full circle, and real love, peace and happiness for both.
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The story begins in a very normal way. A young couple recently married, both of religious upbringing, living in a small town. Jon and Amy are very much in love with each other and follow the church their faith is anchored by. They are busy creating a new life that includes jobs, home, family and regular worship.
A year goes by and Amy has the wonderful news that she is pregnant. Jon and Amy are both overjoyed about starting their new family. Months later Sara comes into the world, a baby girl perfect in every way. However during her birth her mother has complications that will ensure that Sara will be their only child.
The family although sad about not being able to have more children, are overjoyed at Sara and what she brings to her parents and grandparents.
At six, she starts in a private church school. She is happy and content. Her upbringing to this point and for the next many years of her life are guided by her family and a heavy, almost overreaching influence of the church.
The years go by doing well in school, yet there are many times something seems to be missing. Her parents and religious mentors discourage much if any social contact with boys. There is a right way and a wrong way and, the right way comes much later in life.
The high school years begin with new promise and a touch of greater freedom. Her third year, Sara finds herself for the first time attracted to a boy...Tommy. Tommy is from the same background as Sara. Semi-strict upbringing rooted in the same church. They begin to form a bond, studying together, taking walks, talking and an occasional hamburger together at a popular place not far from school.
Tommy who has some reservations about all of the school and churches teaching about character and the like, he wants to be much closer to Sara. The perfect opportunity avails itself. A coming soon school church picnic will be the perfect place for him and his plan.
After waiting two weeks the picnic day has finally arrived. Buses are loaded with students and teachers for the trip to a beautiful retreat park that will host the picnic.
The retreat park is a wonderful place to enjoy a day. Many walking trials, a stream that flows at a gentle pace and the sounds of the flowing water that calm the soul.
All the kids and school staff arrive at 9:30am. There is a huge pavilion for everyone to check in and see what's in store for the day. The first two hours will be free time to explore and have fun with classmates.
Tommy and Sara rode out on the same bus and already talked about taking a walk once they got to the park. Some of the trails are busier than others. Tommy suggested that they take a lesser traveled one. Sara and tommy were off on their adventure. About twenty minutes into their walk they came to a grassy area with a shady tree by a brook.
They sat down on the soft grass and continued to talk. Within minutes Tommy was sitting next to Sara. He looked her deeply into her eyes and offered her a kiss. She turned her head. Tommy we are not supposed to do this. Tommy, very persuasive painted a picture for Sara that her first kiss would not change her or what god thinks of her. She thought he might be right. Tommy moved to kiss her again, this time she met him and they kissed.
Her first kiss ever came at a beautiful place, by a boy she had feelings for. They kissed again and again. Tommy took a chance with Sara because he wanted more. He held her close while they kissed again and again. The time was now if his plan were to succeed. He reached over to Sara's arm and brushed her breast. It seem harmless. Sara said nothing. Tommy this time place his hand on her breast and began to fondle it. Sara almost in shock, said nothing.
The kissing and foundling continued for many minutes with Tommy finally placing his hand on Sara's groin. This time she asked Tommy what are you doing. He said to her, haven't we waited long enough. In a very persuasive moment, Sara allowed Tommy to slide his hand into her panties. They both had no idea what to do. Tommy fumbled around in Sara's underwear enough to somewhat stimulate her and of course arouse himself.
One minute later Sara's patties got pushed aside and Tommy penetrated her with his penis. Being a virgin, the pain was intense for her. Tommy oblivious to what he was doing to her pumped and stroked his penis hard and deep into her. Less than two minutes later, Tommy empty himself into her vagina.
Surprised by how quickly he ejaculated, he pull his penis from Sara abruptly. This caused more pain. Tommy stood up, zip up his pants and asked "Sara are you coming back to the pavilion."
Sara crying, bleeding with Tommy's seed oozing out of her shook her head no. Tommy left her there. She sat there for over an hour trying to understand what had happened to her. She cleaned herself up the best she could and made the long walk by herself back to the pavilion. Lunch had already been served and Tommy was over with his friends laughing.
Sara was shattered.
She went into the pavilion restroom and tried to wipe what Tommy had put in her out, but there was so much. She was still bleeding and everything under her dress was a mess.
She went back outside and sat by herself until it was time to go back to the school.
Once back at the school, her mom was there to pick her up. When getting into the car Sara sat on her jacket she had taken with her. She did not want to bleed onto the car seat.
Once home she went to her room, stripped all of her clothes off and took them straight to the washing machine and started the wash cycle. She then went to the bathroom and took a very hot shower hoping to ease the pain and somehow calm her mind. Sara stayed in her room until dinner time, still stunned by what had happened to her.
Sara was asked at the dinner table how her day was and without much fanfare, she said "OK." Her mother thought otherwise. She knew something was not right with her only daughter, but now was not the time to probe. Her mother would ask her again in a few days, but never did.
The next day at school Tommy walked right by Sara not saying a word. They never spoke again.
The school year was two months away from coming to an end. One month later Sara discovered she was pregnant.
Sara's parents did not know what to do. There were no good options. They ultimately turned to the pastor of their church for advice. That advice was, have Sara leave town during the summer school break. Have the baby out of town and once the baby is born, give it up for adoption.
Sara did leave the small town she knew her whole life and had her baby in a church home for unwed mothers. However, Sara brought her baby boy back home to much chatter behind her back. Many speculated who the father was, but Sara would never say. Her honor and character remained intact. She was seventeen years old.
Sara moved back into her parents' home with all of the shame a small town can muster.
She finished her high school education and started the journey raising her baby boy.
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After many years of working different jobs in a town that looked down on her, she decided to open a small bakery.
Although, not having gone to school for baking, she had a real talent for it. The bakery for years was just her working alone, long hours with the occasional help from her son.
Years had passed, seems like the blink of an eye but her son Peter is off to college. For the collage students those four years take forever. For the parents they seem to be over just like that.
After those four years Peter graduated with honors and an engineering degree. After school, Peter's path in to the future is clear. He is moving back to the now not so small town where he grew up and where his mother's bakery still is.
At first Peter rents a small apartment not far from his mother's house. The time away at school did not offer much opportunity to talk and connect son to mother. They made up for the lost time and Peter in his spare time helped his mother in the bakery.