Something... Talk About in Tx Ch. 02

"You don't know?" Jonathan asked, concern on his face.

"Know what?"

"Rich is dead. Suicide. Sleeping pill overdose."

Susan heard the words, fighting hard not to believe them. Deep down she knew it was true. Without her, he would have slipped back into his depression. She remembered how he was after she left him the first time. It wasn't her fault. She tried to talk to him. See him. He's the one that cut her off. She'd tried. She went to see him. She did. She never wanted to end it like they had, going silent like that. Oh, God! Was he dead, even then? How long? Why? Was it just her leaving? Did he get the treatment she had? Oh no, he couldn't have survived that. Not in a million years. He wasn't strong enough. Not without her by his side. Maybe it was a lie. That was it, Jonathan was lying to her, trying to hurt her, like she'd hurt him. It had to be a lie, didn't it? He couldn't be dead. Not Rich...

Jonathan held her, waiting for the shakes to stop. The glazed look in her eye, the unresponsiveness. "Susan," he kept repeating softly. "Susan."

Eventually her breathing calmed, and he felt her lean into him. She started crying, softly, then harder. He pulled her close, holding her.

"He is dead, isn't he?" she finally breathed.

"Five days now. I'm sorry, I thought you knew."

"What am I going to do now?" she whined pitifully.

"I imagine your parents will take you in, at least temporarily. You have your job; you're still a beautiful woman. You'll find somebody, someone who ca accept what I couldn't. You can see the kids all you want."

"I want them with me," she said.

"I know. Your parents don't have the space. I don't know how you're going to afford a big enough house for the four of you. You don't want them living three to a room, do you?"

She shook her head.

"Grandpa has plenty of space. Miguel's niece will take care of the house and watch the kids when I'm not around. Grandpa's not happy with you, but he's agreed to allow you free access to the house, and the kids."

"You... you could help me. Child support and alimony will make it possible."

"I earn less than twenty grand a year now. I could pay maybe, maybe $500. It won't be enough. They have the run of a huge house, ten thousand acres of back yard. They won't want for anything. Grandpa has a lot of money. He's crazy about them. What can you offer them?"

"They're my children," she sobbed.

"Yes they are, and they still will be."

"Why can't we go back to the way things were, Jonathan? We love each other. Things have been so good the last couple of months. I made a mistake. Don't punish me forever. I never meant for it to happen."

"I'm sorry. I could never trust you again. I'd always be wondering when you were going to fall into someone else's bed. Come home to me, stinking of sex, another man's seed filling you. I can't do it. I don't want to. I'm moving on now, and it's time for you to, as well."

"I can't. I know I can't. I'll die without my family. No reason to live."

"I hope you don't. It would be hard on the children."

"The children? Don't you care?"

"Of course I do. Unfortunately that's not enough. Your betrayal was too thorough. Too complete. You destroyed me."

She shook, hearing the condemnation in his words. "And now you're going to destroy me."

"Yes."

* * *

She tried to fight it, but she didn't have the heart for it. She was broken. Her parents sided with her, angry at Jonathan for denying her the children. Over a long, painful dinner, he managed to make it clear to them they could see the kids whenever they wanted. Susan could have unlimited access to them. When she pulled herself together, if she had the space for them, they would work out shared custody.

Dinner was at his grandfather's house, and it was obvious the kids were happy there. Three new puppies kept them entertained. Cindy was riding every day, and insisted in showing her grandparents her new horse. Joey was proud as could be, wearing what the ranch hands wore, his boots dusty, his small Stetson dirty and curled on the sides of the brim. Nancy sat in her great-grandfather's lap, happy as a clam while he read to her, giving them time to talk. She had him wrapped around her little finger, and everybody knew it. The crotchety old man had finally met his match.

They were home. Happy. She couldn't take that from them. She signed the papers, and moved forward with her sad, squalid life.

There was no alimony. She made as much money as he did. On paper. He didn't ask for child support, and offered joint custody, with him as the primary caregiver. They had virtually nothing to split, except for a few pieces of furniture that Jonathan kept in back, for whenever she wanted them. At the end, he gave her a check for half of their equity, $1120. Eleven years, $112 a year.

Susan lost her job at Jenkins Hardware, the week after the divorce was final. Times were tight, she was told, and she was one of the newest hires. She laid at home in her childhood bed, wondering at what had happened to her life. She had it all. Now she had nothing. Absolutely nothing.

* * *

Jonathan looked down at the beautiful red hair, cascading over his crotch. Aideen wasn't the most talented, he'd have to credit Gina with that, but you had to give her an 'A' for effort. She certainly was willing.

He was more than hard enough, as he lifted her bodily into the air, giving her a quick kiss on the lips, and laying her down on the bed. He opened her legs and went in for another quick taste. His previous effort had yielded two pretty spectacular orgasms, but he wasn't done with the little fire crotch yet.

"Fuck me, already, you beast," she laughed, squirming, trying to pull him up the bed.

God, she was tight. Deliciously so. Twenty-three friggin' years old, and tight as a middle-schooler. He continued working his way in, until he was fully sheathed, stretching her.

"Jesus, Jonathan, how did she ever give this up," the young beauty asked.

He put the thought out of his mind. The first 6 months, that would have had him wilting and feeling sorry for himself. Not any longer.

She was a talker, urging him on, telling him what she needed, begging him to do it harder whenever she got close. He loved the way she responded, the way her perky little nipples on her tiny tits stood tall. The way her body trembled as she came for him.

"Just like that, lover," she crooned, thrusting back against his long steady strokes. "So good," she moaned a few moments later.

She was getting close, and he lifted her hips, slamming into her.

"Ride me, cowboy," she begged. "Hard, ride me hard."

He knew he had her then, and pounded that sweet tight hole, until she gave him her beautiful release. He was content. He always tried to make sure he got his girls off at least once, before he went for his own pleasure.

He leaned over her, letting his weight come down on her, feeling her arms clinging. His hips drove in and out, corkscrewing, stretching out her insides. She whimpered, her fingers digging into this flesh. She'd probably give him another nice little orgasm. She usually did. But that didn't matter now, this one was his. He'd earned it.

She came for him, grunting, but he rode right through it, nearing his finish. Pumping fast, his breath ragged, thighs feeling the strain. He groaned, and slammed his cock home, exploding inside her.

They lay together, catching their breath. "You need to leave anytime soon?" Jonathan asked.

"No. I can stay as long as you want," she said cautiously.

He knew she was offering to stay over, but he wasn't ready for that. She was a great little fuck, pretty as a picture, but she drank too much, and didn't seem like the nurturing type. And that temper! Not the best mother material. Not like Katy, sweet Katy, the most loving of all of them so far. If only she could have kept her trap shut every once in a while, that, and learned to suck cock. Did she really think she was too good for a blowjob? She was happy enough to have him go down on her. And her laugh? Like fingernails on a chalkboard.

He rolled over and sucked Aideen's cute little nipple into his mouth. "Round two?"

* * *

Susan met with her grandmother. They sat in the parlor, and had tea together.

"You look terrible, dear," Grandma Bridget said.

"I know," Susan answered softly, unable to meet her grandmother's eyes. She remembered the harsh words, condemning, insulting her. Her grandfather still wouldn't acknowledge she was alive.

"It's been over a year, Susan. You've got to let it go. Move on with your life. You're still young, barely 30."

"Thirty-five, Grandma."

The old woman laughed. "A baby. God, what I wouldn't give to be 35 again."

"Want to trade places?"

"No dear. Not in a million years. I could never do that to your grandfather. He deserves better."

"Am I that terrible?"

"No honey. You did a terrible thing. You can get past that." She took a sip of her tea. "Did you just come over for a visit, or did you want something."

Susan looked up at the older woman. Fifty-six years of marriage. She might have the answers.

"I want him back, Grandma. I know he's lonely. He dates, but never for long. I see the way he looks at me at Sunday dinner. We were perfect together. I was an idiot. I threw it all away. I want him back. I want my family back."

"That's a lot to ask, sweetie. You done him wrong. Very wrong. A man has his pride, and you did your best to destroy his."

"I know. I'll do whatever I have to. Do you think it's possible? Am I just dreaming?"

The older woman sat back, looking at her daughter's child. Broken. She was broken, not even a shadow of the happy girl she was once. Still, 35 years old, pretty if she wanted to be, nice figure. She'd made him love her once. She'd paid the price, and maybe she'd learned. Just maybe.

"It's going to be difficult you know. Getting him to fall back in love with you."

Susan perked up at the words. Difficult, but not impossible. "Whatever it takes Grandma. I swear. There's nothing I won't do. Just tell me what I have to do. Anything! Please!"

Bridget looked up at the mantle, at the picture of her with her four best friends. Cheerleaders, all those years ago. The most popular girls in school. The original Fab Five. All married now, Emma celebrating her 50th anniversary last month. Josephine on her second husband, ten years now. May Darren rest in peace. Her Jimmy was a good man, but that Darren, he'd been special. Amazing. Thank God, he'd gone to the grave keeping her secret. She still felt shame for that lost weekend, shame and excitement.

Fifty-five years after high-school, and the five of them were still the best of friends. Still turned heads. What they didn't know about men wouldn't fill a teacup.

"Let me make a few calls, we have a lot of work ahead of us, you understand?"

==========================

Sorry. I'll leave it to you the reader to decide. Has she paid enough? Will she be able to win him back? Has Jonathan moved on? Like his Grandfather told him, finding a new woman was the easiest thing in the world. Right? Was it as easy to find the right one?

Me, I'm a hopeless romantic. It's true. I bear the stigma with shame. It would be expensive, but in the end, she'd probably manage it. It's the kids, you know. The bond that will never break. Without them, she'd be so much dog-meat. I'd like to think with the Gray Brigade backing her this time, she'd have a chance.

I'm not the only romantic.

I'd love to hear what you think of my version of the ending to Nici's warped little tale. Comments and votes are always appreciated.