" Not a problem here, lad, not a bit. We got more'n four hundred acres of prime timber left here and rights to twice that much just to the north of th... creek. We've already cut 'most a thousand acres." When d'you start making charcoal?" Matt stepped up onto the back of the heavy sled."In the spring, once the rains're past, late April usually; we work on 'til the trees shed their leaves. Then we go back to cutting cord wood. And we cut everything here, hard wood and soft, large and small 'cept. Behn.I swam a bit. Ann waded and basked. We herded the kids and apparatus into the car. I perjured myself to Eric's mother concerning his behavior. We got home, showered and changed and chugged off to The Rancherita, where Ann and I downed a pitcher of wine margaritas and Hilda had her usual grilled cheese sandwich. I'm sure we also ate something. We drove home, got Hilda to bed and read ourselves to sleep.Ann and Hilda left about 8:30 on Sunday morning -- bound for a day of delights at Knott's. Slowly, he lowered his head towards hers and kissed her delicately and deliberately on the forehead and then on the tip of her nose.The girl slid her arms around him, standing up onto her toes as their lips came together for their first kiss.Their lips fused and Dave kissed her passionately whilst running his hand up and down her back, tracing the shape of her shoulder blades through the thick material of the denim. The moment was magical, his whole being thrilled whilst holding her. He moved. “You’re my first love, Douglas. Of course I still love you.” There is silence for a few moments. “Please, give me another chance,” he begs as tears fall from his eyes and runs down his face. “I’m sorry. I can’t.” Douglas slides off the bench and kneels down on the ground next to me. His eyes pleading. His tears falling. And my heart is breaking. “Please Jenny. I don’t know how to go another day without you,” he sobs. My hand itches to touch his face and wipe his tears away. I curl my hand.