Unbroken Promises (13 page)

“You asked if I wanted to talk about it and I said ‘no’. You then picked me up and carried me to the swing and held me.”

“I remember, baby,” was all Jordon was able to say because he was still so upset.

“You know how, on special occasions, we sometimes bring each other breakfast in bed.

Well, when Jesse turned 18, I decided to surprise him by serving him breakfast in bed. I had gotten up early, cooked for him, and made coffee. I know I should have knocked on his door, but I didn’t because I wanted it to be a surprise. So I opened it quietly and walked on in. When I was halfway between the door and the bed, I saw Trish duck down under the covers. I didn’t know what to do then. I stood in the middle of the room with a tray of food in my hands looking like an idiot.

“I decided to brave it on through. I walked over and placed the tray on the table. I was so embarrassed and nervous that I shook and stuttered horribly. I told Jesse ‘Happy Birthday’ and that I brought him breakfast. Then I turned to leave. Before I left, I asked Jesse if his friend would like something to eat or a cup of coffee.” Beth paused a minute reliving her memories.

“After Jesse told me no, that he would share, I left. Before I had a chance to shut the door, Trish started laughing at me and mocking the way I stuttered. I was so humiliated I wanted to die.”

When Beth finished she looked at each of them. “I know y’all probably don’t understand why I made such a big deal out of it after all these years because I don’t understand it myself.

You know, I guess part of the reason it hurt so bad was because it was done in front of Jesse. It’s kinda’ funny now since I’m older; but, for years when I would have a nightmare, I would hear Trish’s cackling laugh.”

Beth looked again at Susan and Jordon and smiled timidly. “So now you know my silly childhood horror story. But you know what? I feel as if a weight has been lifted. I can’t honestly say if it is from confronting Trish or telling you both my story.”

“We’re glad you told us, baby. We just wish you would have told us years ago,” Susan said.

“I know this obsession I have with Jesse is driving everyone crazy, me included. I realize you both want me to date respectable young men my own age. In a way, I would like to do that, too. I don’t particularly like being 18 and never having gone on a date. I hate the fact all my friends have boyfriends and go out while I stay home alone because of my own choosing. Every guy who has asked me out, I compare them to Jesse, and they always come up short. When I go back to school, I’m going to do my best to at least find boy/friends to go do things with.

Jordon leaned over and hugged her tightly. “I’m so sorry baby.”

“It’s okay, daddy,” Beth said hugging him back.

“Just make sure he’s respectable and no going out partying,” Susan said, referring to the last statement Beth made, and then they all laughed.

“I’ll try, my dear,” Beth teased.

Jesse had been listening outside the door. It tore him up to know how much Beth suffered because of him. Part of him wanted her to find someone to have fun with; but, if he was honest with himself, a larger part did not. He would also have to admit that he always took pleasure in her adoration of him. But he knew he was being selfish.

Here she was, not enjoying any of her teenage years because she loved him and he was out having a good time just about every weekend. He had to let her go; it was as simple as that.

Beth was miserable, and it was entirely his fault. Therefore, he decided that he would do his best to push her away; and, like Susan and Jordon, he would encourage her to see other guys.

When Jordon and Susan stepped out of the door and saw Jesse pacing, they both tore into him.

“Don’t you ever bring that woman back into this house again. If you weren’t 25, I’d beat you for bringing her into your apartment and bed all those years ago. There’s no telling what all you did behind my back. I can tell now I was way too slack on you,” Jordon fumed.

“Not only don’t bring her back into this house but don’t even bring that evil woman on this property,” Susan added. “And I agree with Jordon, he was too lenient with you, Jesse Bately.”

“You both are absolutely right, and I already told Trish I wouldn’t see her anymore,” Jesse said.

Beth stayed home the whole summer. Nothing was ever mentioned about the dinner incident with Trish; for that, Beth was grateful. Jesse did speak to her a little about the subject Susan and Jordon had already spoken to her about. Jesse told her he agreed with them that she needed to socialize when she got back to school. He told her that was what being young was all about—not staying shut up inside some building doing schoolwork day in and day out. She should get out, meet new friends, and start living the life a teenager should; and, if she happened to meet a nice young man, she should go out to eat with him or to a movie.

Jesse left a few days later saying he wanted to stay at their lake cabin and do a little fishing, but Beth felt it was really because of her. She didn’t think he left because he was mad at her or anything. She suspected it was his way to ease any tension that had built up. He came back every four or five days, though, stay a couple of nights, get more supplies and would leave again.

Cody went with him a few times but she knew it was out of the question for her to be able to go, although she would have loved to. She always loved it when they all went to the lake for a few days.

Beth was outside washing her car when Jesse and a male friend of his pulled up in Jesse’s truck. Jesse jumped out, left the motor running, and ran into the house. Beth figured he had forgotten something because he hadn’t been gone long. After Jesse went inside, she walked over to the truck. As Beth got closer, a tall, tanned, good-lookin’, dark headed man stepped out. He smiled a beautiful smile.

Beth held out her hand “Hello, I’m Elizabeth Barrow, but everyone calls me Beth. I’m not used to Jesse bringing home a male friend. Up until now he has only brought women home,” Beth said with laughter in her voice.

Laughing, the man shook Beth’s hand, “Ma chérie, hello, I’m Beaux. What a pleasant surprise to meet such a beautiful lady. I’ve heard about you for years but until now, I’ve never had de opportunity to meet you. Now I know why Jesse has never axed me over. If I had such a beautiful flower at home, I wouldn’t want to share its beauty either.”

“Oh, please, Jesse still thinks of me as a runty kid. I doubt he’ll ever see me any other way.”

“Mais, non, chérie, I beg to differ; I have known Jesse since I moved here from Lafayette and we were both 12. I have always wondered why Jesse, like myself,” Beaux gave a devastating smile and wiggled his eyebrows, “being such a good-looking man, chose de women he chose.

You see, Jesse could have had any woman…but he chose women anyone could have…now, since meeting you, de puzzle has been solved.”

Beth was doing her best to keep up with what he was saying, but along with his confusing speech, Beaux had a strong Cajun accent, “Beaux, what are you talking about?” she finally asked.

“Jesse was merely waiting for his own flower to bloom…for you, ma petite, to grow from a child to a woman.”

Beth didn’t know this man from Adam, but she was suddenly hugging him and crying on his shoulder. “Do you really think so? It seems I’ve loved him forever.”

“Mais, yes, shâ,” Beaux said as he gently rubbed her back.

Jesse ran back out then and stopped dead in his tracks. “Good lord, Beaux, I can’t leave you alone for 10 minutes and you’re already trying to seduce my niece. Go finish washing your car, Beth, you’re gonna have spots all over it,” Jesse said, clearly irritated. “Beaux, get your coonass back in the truck and let’s go!”

Beaux winked at Beth before she walked away, and she winked back.

“Niece, is it? Then, since she is related to you, you shouldn’t mind your best friend axin her out, no?”

“You know we’re not related, and no, you cannot ask her out,” Jesse snapped. “And you can lay off that thick Cajun drawl that always has the women beggin’.

Beaux burst out laughing and hit Jesse on the back. “Jus’ testin’ a theory, bon ami, jus’ testin’

a theory.”

Beth returned to Austin for her first semester of college. Beth’s position at school was unusual because she had taken so many extra courses and was only a few hours away from being a sophomore. It was kind of funny that she had graduated from high school the same year Jesse graduated from college. “Doctor Bately, what a cool sound.” Upon returning to school, Beth decided to lighten her load and socialize a little. She had recently met a young man she liked to do stuff with. She thought he was handsome, but her friends called him drop dead gorgeous.

She had met Clay Parish in her first hour class. Actually, Clay was the cousin Cody’s friends told him about. In a roundabout way, Clay was the reason she heard of the music school in the first place.

The teacher had placed them together to sing a duet. Everyone said that they harmonized beautifully together. They had gotten together after that and practiced. Then one thing led to another until they were singing at weddings to make a little extra money. They were both having a blast. It seemed they were singing every week at some function.

Beth considered Clay a good friend. The friendship worked out well between them. Clay told Beth it was fun having a girl/friend for a change. He was tired of always having to be on guard with girls wanting more out of a relationship than he was ready for. He wasn’t ready for anything serious and it always made him nervous when he felt the women he dated becoming too clingy.

Beth and Clay went out to eat often. They even went dancing a few times. They danced very well together.

She and Clay became very close and they talked about everything. For the short time they had been friends, she felt closer to him than she did most of her girlfriends.

Beth planned to go home for the Thanksgiving holiday and asked Clay if he wanted to go with her. Mutual friends of theirs were getting married and asked them to sing at the wedding.

Since the wedding was not even an hour away from her house, Beth wanted Clay to come home with her so they could practice. She also wanted to introduce him to her family.

Jordon, Susan, and Jesse were all sitting in the living room when Beth called. Susan was the one who answered the phone.

“Would it be okay if I brought a friend home for a few days?”

“Sure, honey, that will be fine. What’s her name?” Susan asked.

“Well, it isn’t a ‘she’ but a ‘he,’ and his name is Clay Parish. We promised to sing at a friend’s wedding and it’s not far from where we live. I wanted him to stay so we could practice before the wedding.”

Susan looked over at Jordon. He blew out a deep breath but nodded his head, even though this was a little bit more than he asked for. He wanted her to date, but having a boy come stay in their home with them was a little much.

“That will be fine, Beth,” Susan said.

Jesse got up and poured him and Jordon a drink.

Beth always loved to tease and embarrass Susan because it was so fun and easy to do. “Sue, he is so-o-o good-lookin’, and his body is so-o-o fine. It is ripped with muscles. The Greek Adonis has nothing on him.”

“Beth, please tell me you’re not sleeping with this young man,” Susan said aghast.

“Not yet…,” Beth said in a sing-song voice, “but my friends tell me he’s hung like a mule.” Beth could just imagine the look on Susan’s face and was trying her best not to burst out laughing…that is until she heard Jordon and Jesse in the background. One was coughing and one was cussing; she didn’t know which was which. “Oh Susan, ple-ease tell me you don’t have the speaker phone on.” Beth said in anguish. Beth wished they had never invented such a device.

“I’m afraid so, Beth.”

“Hi, daddy, just joking. Gotta’ go; love ya’. Bye,” Beth nervously laughed and quickly hung up the phone.

Clay really did like Beth. He found her funny, gorgeous and a loyal friend. She told him all about Jesse, and he told her about his many girlfriends. He thought they were good companions.

She loved someone else and he didn’t want to get into a relationship that would lead to marriage.

Beth and Clay, each driving their own cars, left before daylight. When they arrived at the ranch, everyone was still sitting at the breakfast table. On the weekend, everyone usually slept late. Jordon and Susan started to get up.

“No, don’t get up. I just wanted to introduce y’all to Clay. Clay, this is my daddy slash brother-in-law, Jordon Bately, my sister, Susan Barrow Bately, my cousin, Cody Johnson, and Jordon’s brother, Jesse Bately. Everyone, this is one of my best friends, Clay Parish.” Jordon and Jesse stood up. Jordon shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.” Jesse held out his hand from across the table. Their handshake was a little longer and a little harder than necessary, both men sizing each other up and neither liking what they saw.

Beth pulled on Clay’s arm. “Come on, I want to show you around and I want to see the new pool and Jacuzzi Daddy put in.”

“Are you going wear that new bikini for me you just bought?” Clay asked with a seductive smile.

Beth’s eyes were about to pop out of her head. She glanced from Jordon to Susan then back to Jordon. “Ah, Clay is always fooling around. Isn’t that right, Clay?” Beth said as she pinched his arm that she was holding.

“No, Beth I was talking about this one right here.” Clay said as he reached in the bag she was carrying on her arm and pulled out a tiny red bathing suit.

“The one you made us both pull over for when we stopped at the red light. The one you saw hanging on the clearance rack, in front of the store that had just opened. The one you had to have.”

Beth nervously laughed. “Oh, yeah, that bathing suit. The bathing suit that I was only going to wear under a pair of shorts and a T-shirt.”

“That better be the only way you’re going to wear that skimpy thing,” Jordon demanded.

“Don’t worry, it will be. Uh, which room is Clay’s? The one down the hall from mine?”

“No!” Susan and Jordon said at the same time. “He can stay in the one across from ours,” Susan finished.