“He’d be upset I was here alone with you.”“Your mom knows, right? You didn’t lie to her?”“No way! She’s cool. I mean, she knows how mu...h I like you and stuff, but she trusts me, too.”I chuckled, “Should she?”“No!” Emmy said, laughing. “But I think who she really trusts is YOU not to take advantage of me.”“Is that what it would be?” I asked.“No way! You know what I want. I’d do it with you right now in your bed if you asked me to, but after what happened with Liz, I don’t think that’s a good. . because that’s where their children, and probably ours, will be born ... it really screws things up.”I was shaking my head. “I still don’t see how this helps. I’m not married to them.”Elroy grinned. “What am I, son?”I blinked, at his tone. “You’re a devious bastard, is what you are. What’ve you come up with?”“Thank you for the compliment. I appreciate it. Remember how you were fired up, that California would have to recognize Kansas law regarding age of consent? Guess what? California also. I stayed home and guarded the Defender ... all that gold.Mr. Burt, the landowner, called and thanked me for the information about the sale; he bought two. His girls asked after me but that stopped when school started and the boys flocked. Farm girls ... blooming, busty, beautiful ... they’re supposed to look like that ... it’s the mating game. Then they begin to be comfortable ... then they begin to look like mother.Abby was having the dream nightly ... until she told the cowfaces that she got. We’d drunk how many beers that night. She’d bought Kilkenneys and I’d exclaimed ‘You wonderful woman’ and gave her a kiss on the cheek and she had laughed. Now the mood was sombre, the night long, the TV a soporific bore. My heart was aching with loneliness and insecurity. I desperately wanted to kiss her, to fuck her, to be accepted by her, for her very essence to testify in thunderous waves my worthiness, my lovableness, my desirability. I needed her tonight, that was all that mattered, and.