In the Woods, Bears

Chapter 55 - Dandelions and Turtle Clouds

When Jeremiah's mother reached out toward her, Kennedy clasped her hands. "You're people, I'm glad of that. My boys took so long to find partners I'd about given up hope that they would bring someone home. Oh..." Her mouth shaped into a surprised circle and she brought Kennedy's hands up to her face. She broke into a smile as lovely as a rainbow. "So... my son. Is there something else you two have to tell me?" She searched Kennedy's fingers for a ring.

"I keep his ring in my wallet."

"So he hasn't upgraded you from a sweet grass one?"

"No mam, I haven't. I thought I'd wait for a paycheck or two." Jeremiah stepped up behind Kennedy and placed a hand on her waist.

"Smart boy." Her smile was downright mischievous. "And what else do you have to tell me?"

Jeremiah brought his arms around Kennedy and drew his mother's hands to her belly. "Well, Grandma, the spark is strong. We've already had to sleep in a mother's room. And this little light hasn't reached the end of its second month yet."

She gave a low whistle. "So you're not on suppression?"

"No mam. The pregnancy started when I was accidentally taking the wrong herbs. The doctor told me that jumping back onto them would be hard on the baby."

"Come sit. Tell me how you met my boy." She tugged her toward a worn floral couch. "Has she met Red?"

"You could say that."

"Are there other fathers? Good men? Son, go get the picture album."

*

Kennedy laughed. She couldn't help it. Only two years apart, the boys were dressed up like professional wrestlers in homemade costumes.

Shoulder brushing hers, Jeremiah pointed at the masks they wore. "Red made those. When we were kids, he was the best at making up good games."

His mom said, "They were convinced that when they grew up, they were going to make their fortunes as famous wrestlers." She touched the edge of the photo album on the coffee table, even though she couldn't see the specific images. "The two of you broke two of my lawn chairs."

"And one arm." He pointed to a faint scar below his wrist. "I jumped off of the roof, attempting to make a grand entrance."

His mother shook her head. "You always were the one to take the risks. I had to work a month of extra shifts to pay for that. Your Pa should have paid more attention to you boys when I wasn't home."

"I preferred it when he focused on his bottle. When he was passed out, we had fewer bruises and black eyes."

"Talking about the dead is bad luck and poor manners. Please forgive us, Kennedy. I don't get much company out this way anymore."

Jeremiah pointed to a beat-up tangerine-colored hatchback. "We started that thing with a bent coat hanger. Red bought it with earnings from his first job. We drove it all over the mountain and took it as far as Buck's gap to go camping."

*

Wind sweeping her hair wildly, Kennedy placed her bare feet on the dash. His mother had invited her to come back, anytime. That was a good sign. She was the first mother Kennedy had ever been invited to meet. Ms. Triggs.

"She liked you."

"I liked her."

"Red takes her groceries twice a week." He turned onto the road back to town. "I should visit more. There is plenty of stuff around the house I could do."

"Why doesn't she live with one of you?"

"Well, first off, Red and I live together in a crappy apartment above the shop with the other two mechanics. And second, she takes pride in being independent. I wouldn't take that from her unless I had to."

"She is proud of you."

His smile widened. "She always has been, no matter what Red and I got ourselves into, she had faith that we would grow up and become decent folk."

"Is that what you are, decent?" She reached over and slid her hand between his legs, causing him to jump.

"Careful now, there are plenty of places I could pull off into the trees and accept whatever you are offering."

"I dare you." Kennedy burst into laughter when he took the very next side road.

*

Naked in a field of spring flowers, she stared up into a cornflower blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds. They were lying on their clothes as their bodies cooled off, the scent of crushed grass fragrant in the air. "Do you know whose field this is?"

"Not exactly. But what we are doing rarely gets a person shot." He winked at her. "Unless you are rolling around with the owner's daughter." He tucked a bright yellow dandelion bloom in her hair. "Do you make wishes?" Reaching over, he plucked a fluffy dandelion seed head.

"Not often. My dad was the one who believed in wishes."

He dabbed the delicate edge to the tip of her nose. "I think I might have one." Shifting his big body lower, he brushed her belly with the fragile plant. He kissed her right above her pubic bone, low on her belly. Against her skin, he whispered, "Make a wish, Little Bear." He breathed across the seed head, causing the blowball to come apart and scatter across her skin.

Stroking her fingers lazily through his hair, she pointed up at the sky. "Does that look like a turtle to you?"

Rolling onto his back, he followed the line of her arm. "Maybe. What about that one? It looks like a sandwich."

"Worked up an appetite, did you?"

"Absolutely." He nodded toward his thickening cock. "How about another round? Then I'll buy you lunch before we go shopping."

Playfully, she rolled onto him and pinned his hands against the warm, soft earth. "I'll have my way with you now."