Chapter 6: question time
Beth did not sleep well. She spent most of the night tossing and turning. Wondering what she was doing wrong in her life.
She really wanted to talk with Lonnie. Lonnie had a way of making sense out of what Beth did in her life. Even thou Beth did the sensible thing she loved talking it through with Lonnie. Beth decided to give her a call today. Lonnie would be home being Saturday.
Everyone was gone when Beth got up. She felt a relief after last night's trip. She dialed Lonnie's number.
"Hi Lonnie, it me." Beth said.
"Hey Baby how's the family life treating you these day? I miss you here."
"OK I guess. I have hit some new problems down her."
"What have you done now?" teased Lonnie.
"No laughing, Remember when I told you Mom and Dad rented out a room to a local teacher."
"Yes, I remember something about that."
"Well he is hot! No beyond hot. I did a dumb thing and fell for him."
"Becky, you have only been divorced for a few weeks. What are you thinking?" Lonnie was using her mother tone.
"I know, I know. Also Becky is dead here. They call me Beth now."
"What?"
"That's a longer story for another time. What I need your advice on is this…" Beth took a deep breath.
"Spit is it out girl I can help if you don't tell me."
"I kissed him and then later that night he told me he was sorry it should not have happened. I got so upset that I went for a walk and everyone came looking for me."
Lonnie paused for a moment, "Well girlfriend, Sounds like you got a real pickle. You got me floored. What were you thinking? "
"I wasn't, that's the problem. He makes me feel safe. I don't know I have never felt this way near a person. We talked for hours about our lives something that took me a while to do with you. When I see him he actually takes by breath away." Beth took a deep breath.
"Girl you got it bad. What you need to do is get yourself laid" Lonnie laughed.
"Be serious Lonnie. Help me." Beth was pleading.
"I know this is not easy for you to hear but I stand by the sex thing. If after sleeping with him you still want to be around him then its love. If you sleep with him and the feeling goes away, its lust. Other than that, I don't know what to tell you."
"Well guess I am on my own with this one. Mom said that Jake is in love with me she can see it in his eyes. She also said that I should be patient and in time things will work out." Beth sighed again.
"That sounds like a good plan too. Your Mom is one smart cookie. I hope to meet her sometime. I still plan on coming up at Christmas time."Lonnie said.
"Oh by the way when did you call my mom and dad and tell them about Lance and me." Beth asked.
"Oh you found out about that. It was after you broke your arm. Lance said the next time he would kill you before he would let you take a trip home. He sounded like he meant it and I could not let that happen. You were not listening to me so I thought they might help."
"Thanks Lonnie, you are my best friend. Because of that Dad was able to forgive me and I got to come home."
"You're welcome. During your talks with Jake did you tell him about Lance?"
"No, the only ones that know about the abuse are you and my parents. There is no way I want him to know that Lance hit me and once even broke my arm. I hope it stays that way."
"Well he won't hear it from me. Sorry Babe I have to run. Jon is picking me up in 5. Please call me later and tell me how thing work out."
"OK bye, Love and miss you." Beth hung up the phone.
Talking to Lonnie did not make her feel any better. 'Now what?' she said to herself.
* * *
Jake had been in the kitchen when Beth got on the phone. He could hear her talking to Lonnie but wanted to know what it was that Lonnie said on the other end.
'So she fell for me and thinks I'm beyond hot.' He smiled at the thought.
'Mary was right he was in love with her, but did he have a right too? He had only known her for a few days now.' He took a sip from the drink he made. 'I was right about Lance. She said he use to abuse her. That's why she thought he was going to hit Kayla. But she still has the guts to stand up to an attacker. Most women who had been beaten would of coward down. She stood toe to toe with him. She was stronger then she thinks.'
He heard Beth walk down the hall and back to her room. Jake walked back out quietly to the yard. He sat down in the swing. What could he do about the situation? He just sat there thinking.
* * *
Beth was no closer to knowing what she should do about her feeling for the man next door. Should she do like Lonnie said or just wait it out like her mom said?
As she thought she decided to go out at sit in the yard awhile. It might help her clear her mind. As she walked out the back door she saw Jake sitting in the swing. She was not all alone like she thought. She turned to go back in when he spotted her.
"Don't go. I think we need to talk." Jake smiled at her.
"I guess we do, but I was hoping for some more thinking time before we talked." Beth hung her head. What would she say to him now? She still did not know what to do.
" Let me start by telling you I am sorry, I know that my thoughts were mixed up and that a girl like me should not think of being with a guy like you. I will try hard to keep my distant from you. I thought I had feeling but now I don't know what I was thinking."
He started shacking his head."Stop please and listen and I'll talk." Beth sat down in a chair near the swing and he continued.
"Things here are a little confusing. I really like your parents and respect them. They are like my own parents. Your sister lived here when I first moved in and your father made it very clear that his daughter is off limits. This was OK because she was like a little sister to me anyway."
"I know you've been through a lot I don't mean I understand because I don't, you have to live through the same things to understand. What I do understand is from the first time I saw you something hit me. Something I've never experienced before and to be honest its scares me."
"You are one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. I don't know how to act when you are around. You are family by Henry's terms but on the other hand you make me feel like a man that is not a brother type at all. Understand". He looked deep into Beth's eyes.
Beth tried to understand. In some ways she did and others she was still confused.
How much did he really know and what should she tell him. She took a deep breath.
"Tell me what you know of Lance and California."
"Not much, but what I do know is, that he abused you. I overheard you talking to someone this morning on the phone. How he could hit a women any women let alone his wife. I don't understand." He did not bring up breaking her arm because that seemed important for him not knowing to her and it was her story to tell.
"I told you why I married him. The first time he hit me I should have left but he has a way with words. Then when I wanted to come home for a visit he broke my arm said if I ever defined him again. He would kill me and I believe him. Growing up I was only 10 months younger then my brother. So we were always in the same grade. He was over protective so much that guys stayed away from me. Jenny was 4 years younger so she did not have to put up with the imitating older brother. She was safe and started dating at 14. She turned guys head. Me I went through high school with only one date and it was short thanks to my bother. Lance did not go to our school we met right before I graduated. He was the first guy to defy my family and still come around. So you see why I fell for him. I had to get away and find out who I was. I did not want to be Jason's little sister or Henry's daughter anymore. In a way I have to thank Lance because I would not have discovered me and I love the fact that I am a teacher."
"That is one of the things that make me want you. You have the same passion about teaching that I do. I have never met anyone like you before."
"I also see that you are treated like a family member here. To have the kind of respect my farther gives you is rare. I don't want to make it uneasy for you to talk to him. That is why I went for the walk last night. I was trying to figure out what to do."
"Well what are we going to do? I don't think I can keep pushing you away. It is not only hurting you but is kills me." He smiled at her.
He was asking her and not deciding for her. She liked that.
"I'm not sure." She looked back into his eyes.
"What did your friend suggest?" He asked.
"You don't want to know. She has crazy ideas anyway." Beth laughed and the thought of telling him she suggested sex.
"I guess the first thing is to talk is to your dad and ask permission to date his daughter." He said standing up and walking over to Beth. He reached down and pulled Beth to his arms and placing his lips on hers. Once again they felt the fire that burned between them. For the first time she really felt glad about Coming Home.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone