Why Did She Hate Me?

As he drove he replayed the events over and over in his head. Trying to find fault in his actions and coming up empty. He only wanted to protect her but it seemed that just enraged her even more, he gave his thoughts a mental shake and prepared him self for the next few weeks of being home. It had been 4 years since he had left his childhood home. The next few weeks were going to be hell. Slowly he pulled into the drive way of his parent's house. A nice two story that looked to have recently been repainted, the porch had an old rocking chair that a squeaked when you sit in it.

As James opened the door on his beat up old pickup the squeak it made reminded him of the chair. James picked up his duffle bag and lugged it up to the house. He had managed to stay away for 4 years and now his best efforts couldn't keep him from having to come home. The thought of facing her was almost two much he just wanted to get back in his truck and go back to his apartment. As he shut his door he shuddered not from the cold weather that seemed to be content on dumping snow on the ground. The snow storm having followed him seemed to be laughing at him wanting him to stay at his parent's house. The interstate had closed due to the storm.

As James shut his door at he saw the door to his parent's house open and his mom and rush out to greet him. As they closed the distance he saw that his mom had tears of joy and a relived look on her face and his dad was all smiles. James forced a smile trying to hide the fact that this is the last place I wanted to be. As his mom closed in to give him a hug he realized how long he had been gone he didn't remember towering over her. At 5"10 185 lbs he was the perfect picture of a college football player. His mom being 5"5 and 95 lbs looked just the same as she did the day he had left. His dad closer to height looked to have put on a few pounds. James made a mental note that he would have to crack a few jokes at his dad's expense. As James embraced his mom his new habit got him in trouble.

"I see you haven't changed much in the past 4 years Grace. Frank you seem to have enjoyed moms cooking a lot more since I left." Grace looked up at her son with a scow on her face

"James call me mom why did you ever start using our first names I never understood that."

"Sorry mom it's a habit I picked up at my job and it's hard to break."

"Well you better break it right now mister if we have to listen to you for 3 weeks calling us by our first names I swear that I just might have to contact your boss and give him a peace of my mind."

James shuddered he hadn't been at home for more than 3 minuets and he was already being scolded like he was a little boy again. James just smiled and remembered that was how his mother was. As his mom released him from her embrace it was his dads turn to give him a fatherly hug. Not as long and with a few claps on his back. James was impressed even though Frank seemed to have put on a few more pounds he was as strong as he remembered. "We were worried about you the news said the interstate had been closed due to the number of accidents have been happing. We hoped that you were ok and not one of those poor people stuck due to the snow."

"No everything went fine the storm followed me. I stayed ahead of most of the snow." As Grace ushered him inside Frank followed behind, as they approached the door he saw her in the doorway. Her face was almost unchanged since the last 4 years that he saw her. Her red hair cascaded off her shoulders; her face was a blank mask except a hint of a smile he wasn't sure why. The last time he saw her she was so angry at him at he had stayed away from her for 4 years. He shuddered mentally at the thought of there last fight. As he walked to the door she just turned around and walked in the house without a word to him. It seems she was still upset with him. He only hoped that she could wait till mom and dad were gone at work before she chose to pick a fight with him.

As James turned to get his bag from his dad, frank told him to go try out some of mom's special rum cookies that he would take the bag to his room. James not wanting to get into another scolding just followed the directions. As James turned to the kitchen he saw her sitting in what was his favorite chair when he was there. She had a smile on her face now but it wasn't directed at him. James entered the kitchen seeing that dinner was still being cooked. Grace offered him everything from rum cookies to home made peanut caramel crunch. James asked his mom if she had any eggnog and she said that there hadn't been time to pick it up that they would go tomorrow to get the ingredients for it.

James wanting to eat more but decided that he couldn't have too many sweets or he would look like his father and would require him to have to spend more of his fleeting time at the gym. As it was being a senior in college he had tried to show that he wasn't a dumb jock riding out a foot ball scholarship and had taken as many extra courses as possible. So what time wasn't spent practicing he had his nose buried in books.

Finally his coach approached him worried about his performance on the field. When James explained the coach smiled and told him that he understood James way of thinking and encouraged James to not be afraid to ask for help from his professors that when he had approached them about grades they were all impressed with his commitment to his school work off the field.

What James didn't tell the coach was that he had a reason he was taking those extra curses was to prove a point to his cousin. Of course James couldn't admit that to himself he just held to that he didn't want to look like some dumb jock.

As James entered the living room Frank came down and told him that his bag was sitting on his bed. Just then Grace entered the living room and announced that dinner was still atleast an hour away so she suggested that James unpack. As James headed to go up the stairs to his room Frank told him that once he was unpacked and settled in to come out to the garage he wanted to show him some of the new improvements. Absently James said he would be there as soon as he unpacked. As James ascended the stairs he unconsciousnessley held his breath. After he reached the top of the stairs he realized that his lungs starting to tingle with the need of air. Slowly he exhaled and continued to his room. He walked in and saw that things were the same as when he left the posters of his sports idols on the wall. As he looked at the floor he saw that his rug was never straightened.

He started to get tears in his eyes as the memory came flooding back. He was 18 and had graduated top 10 in his class. He was awarded a football scholarship to a university and had just finished packing to head to college and get checked in. It was a 4 hour drive. He wanted to show up early to find his dorm that he was assigned to and then to get his class schedule. As he did a last check around his room James picked up the duffle bags and walked out of his room heading down stairs, when he reached the living room he remembered that he had left something he couldn't remember what it was now. As James climbed the stairs he heard a muffled squeal coming from his cousin's room. He stopped dead in his tracks trying to make sure he did actually hear something.

Due to a misfortune and just pain bad luck his cousin had lost her parents in a car crash. When Grace heard of her sister's death she offered instantly to take her daughter in. Rachael was only 12 years old at the time of her parent's death and James was 14. James saw her as the sister that he wanted and Rachael saw him as a big brother. And like most they fought and made up like most kids while growing up James was protective of Rachael and Rachael just like most little girls seemed enjoy having her big brother look after her.

But soon the friendship became strained, James always was secretly attracted to Rachael but he knew nothing could come of them. He kept a respectful distance from her when she had brought home her first boyfriend. James didn't like the kid personally and didn't understand why Rachael did. Eventually James had a talk with the kid and soon after he had dumped Rachael. At age 13 that started the tear in the friendship between the two of them. That fight lead to others and others, James hearing the squeal again coming from the other side of her door was worried.

He was supposed to leave to go to school but he was worried what was happing in his cousin's room. But he didn't want to barge in to her room to find that nothing was wrong. As he sit there for a moment trying to decide what to do he heard the voice of one of the high schools junior football players in her room. James breathe stopped dead he held his breath trying to place a name with the voice he just heard. But James didn't have to wait but a few seconds before Rachael answered the question for him.

"Rickey what are you doing, I told you I don't want to go that far please stop."

At that point James lost it his vision started to turn red. His hands clenched to make fist over and over again. He walked the short distance to Rachael's door and threw it open seeing Ricky on top of his cousin kissing her neck while trying to remove his pants at the same time. She was under him trying to push him off of her, her pants on the floor and her shirt in a wrinkled heap in the floor. Rickey so caught up with trying to get his pants off didn't even hear her door being thrown open. James practically leaped to the bed covering the short distance in 2 strides. He grabbed Rickey by the hair on the back of his head and yanked him off of Rachael.

Rachael had a terrified look on her face that soon turned to shock. As she watched her older cousin pick up her would be lover by the throat and carried him out of her room. As James got to the stairwell he had to restrain himself to keep from throwing Rickey down the stairs.

As James carried Rickey by his throat down the stairs James started telling Rickey that his football life was over. And those if he even heard his name mentioned by his parents saying that Rachael was dateing him that he would be back and cut his dick and balls off and ram them down his throat. As James reached the door Rickey's face was turning a deep purple and his pants still down around his ankles just wanted to get the hell out of there. James had a reputation about defending his cousin which he considered his little sister. And from what Rickey was seeing he knew the reputation was right. James threw open the door and tossed Rickey as hard as he could out the door onto the porch. Rickey not waiting around to see what James might do got up and took off pulling his pants up and yelling at Rachael that it was through between them.

Rickey heard the last and final word from James telling him not to comeback. James turned around and slammed the door. His cousin was at the base of the stairs just looking at him. She hadn't put on her pants or shirt she had followed them downstairs watching her cousin throw the boy she thought she wanted out of her life for good. Rachael started crying and crying hard she wants upset by Rickey's persistence at trying to get into her pants hell she was planning on letting him in the next couple of days but she was so angry at her cousin all she could do was cry.

"What the hell do you think you were doing? Do you know what he dose to the girls he fucks? I can tell you he calls them a day or two later he puts them on speaker phone and tells them how he loved how they fucked but that he doesn't feel like its going anywhere and dumps them with the whole football team there listing. And as soon as he finishes they all laugh at her so she knows what has happened. Do you want that to happen to you?"

Rachael sit there and let him continue and let his verbal punishment fuel her rage. Finally she exploded she stormed up the stars with James hot on her tracks still yelling at her. She didn't hear anything now all she knew was that she wanted him gone out of her life forever. At the top of the stairs she headed to the bathroom which was across from his room as he continued to follow her yelling she finally snapped.

She turned on him with a look hate and anger that stopped his mouth dead in its tracks. The look in her eyes said it all to him she hated him and then she started yelling back at him telling him that she could have handled her self with Rickey that she felt something for him and then the big dumb jock James had to scare him away. Her face transformed with a look that he had never seen before, one that scared him.

"James I want you to get out of fucking life and never comeback. I know the only reason your going to college is because of your football scholarship and that if it wasn't for that you would be home. I don't even know why your university is going to take another big dumb jock like you. Just another scholarship that could have gone to someone that would actually study and work for it wasted on someone that only cares about the size of his muscles. And don't think I don't know that's the truth I have heard mom and dad talking thanking god for this scholarship hoping that you don't blow it. Personally I think you should just stay home and let them accept someone that deserves it."

With that he thought she was done but she had one more thing planned for him she looked him in the eye and yelled get out of my life and then slapped him. He recognized the look as one of finality one that she meant every word that she had said with 100% of her being. So shocked was he that when she slapped him the stumbled back and slipped on his rug he kept at the entrance of his room. She turned went into the bathroom and slammed the door.

James was crushed his cousin who he loved more than his life hated him and wanted him out of her life. And from what she said his parents didn't have a lot of faith in him as well. At that moment James made a mental vow he would show her he wasn't just some big dumb jock. And that he wouldn't comeback unless he had to. He would stay out of her life and let her do whatever she wanted.

James blinked a few times brought back to the present; he felt a few tears roll down his cheeks. He wiped them away; he had hoped he wouldn't remember everything his cousin had told him. But he did, he remembered how he left he didn't bye to his mom or dad and his entire 4 hour drive he cried most of the way. But hat was in the past, James just hoped the past wouldn't repeat it's self. As James finished unpacking he remembered that he told his dad he would go out to the garage.

As James descended the stairs he noticed that Rachel wasn't in his chair. She was most likely helping mom in the kitchen. As James headed for the door that lead to the garage he heard his dad out there swearing like a sailor he couldn't make out most of it but something about stumping his toe on the bench he didn't remember leaving there. James got a big smile on his face as he walked out the door.

"So I see not only are you starting to put on a few pounds but now you're starting to lose your memory." James smiled at the jab he had just sent to his dad and was sure it wouldn't be the last. Frank frowned as he looked at his son shaking his head and mumbling something about damn kids under his breath.

"Just wait son I might not remember putting this bench here but I know where I can put it if you keep it up. You might be a college football player but I can still take you any day of the week and don't you forget it either or do I have to prove it again like last time you decided to give me a jab."

"That was no fair I was only 15 at the time and you cheated I remember it I was doing pretty good till Rachael started tickling me." Frank stopped for a moment chucking at the memory "she could always sneak up on you and get you like that and all you could do was laugh."

"So pops I see you got the garage insulated and heated like you always talked about. I also see that you put in a new work bench, and is that a new welder I see?"

As James got closer to his dad he started to inspect the work bench his dad had put in. At one end however looked to have a small extension about the size of a light switch when James taped it he heard it was hollow. With a questioning glance at his father "dad whats this compartment you have here in the bench." "Noticed it did you well that didn't take you long. I added that in specifically for this reason."

Frank reached up and ran one of his fingers down the center of the compartment. Noticing the exposed bottom of the compartment moving James saw something small drop into franks palm. Frank brought the object from under the bench and held it out in his palm for James to take. James carefully picked up the object he now recognized as a jewelers box. With a questioning glance at his father in which Frank nodded James opened the box. As James opened the box he was astonished to see a diamond ring. Not just any diamond ring this ring had a golden band it had a set of 4 diamonds. Two small diamonds set between two larger diamonds. The ring its self must have cost atleast $5000 if not more.

"It's the ring your mother wanted when I purposed to her. At the time we couldn't afford it hell we could barely afford the single diamond ring I got her. It's taken me 6 years to save up for this ring. Baring the weather making it possible to go to work tomorrow we will have our work Christmas party I plan on asking her to married me again to renew our vows. It's been 20 years since the day we said I do. And I have never forgotten the look in your moms eyes when I gave her the ring I bought she was sad. Now it has a double meaning. The two big diamonds represent your mom and me and the smaller ones you and Rachael even though she isn't our daughter we think of her as one. Now you need to keep quite about this I haven't told anyone about it especially that sister of yours if she was to find out then it won't stay a surprise."

Won't be hard there James thought we haven't spoken in 4 years and it's not like that's going to change anytime soon. James closed the little black box and handed it back to his father who returned it to its hiding spot. Just as Frank had closed the hidden compartment the garage door opened and Rachel stuck her head in telling them they had about 10 minuets till dinner was done. Frank said they would be right in as he started to push his son to the garage door. James had a sneaking suspicion that something was going on but no one wanted to tell him just yet, but instead of trying to get his dad to tell him what was going on he just decided that he would let it be revealed when it was.

James entered the kitchen and found that the table was still setup as he remembered with his mom and dad on one side and Rachael and himself on the other. James moved his chair down a bit more to keep a healthy distance away from his cousin. They said grace and dished out the dinner that his mom had been cooking for a most of the day. Rachael would occasionally look over at him but was silent through most of the meal. Most of the conversation came from Grace and Frank updating James on what was going on around town and with their jobs.

As dinner was finish James started to clear the table and his mom told him to sit back down that she would get the dishes and asked Rachael to help. When Grace collected all the plates from the table Rachel passed out smaller desert plates and Grace went to the icebox and pulled out the desert. As James and Frank was talking about football Grace brought the desert to the table.

As Grace sit at the table having placed the desert in the center where the ham had just been James noticed that it was his favorite. A pineapple upside down cake covered with pineapples on the top and a cherry in the center of each pineapple slice. Just as James looked up at his mom to voice that this looked delicious he noticed that Rachael was standing behind Grace. James also noticed that her face had changed no longer did it have that small smirk or a small smile. Her facial features had a small hint of fear in them, James also noticed that to his discomfort that she was staring at him intendedley.