Summertime Blues

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my love for Jonathan Kent.

Spoilers : Fifth season Exposed but you have to know the episode to get it.

Warning: Not beta'd and I sure can't spell. If you can get past that you should be okay.

It was nearly 7:00pm before she heard her boys crossing the yard from the barn to the house. They left sometime before dawn that morning taking a couple of sandwiches and mason jars filled with tea. Both had refused to take a thermos saying that the mason jars could be left in the creek to keep cool so that they would be sure to have something cold to drink throughout the day. They were working the back forty, cutting and bailing hay for the winter. It was hard hot work but neither one complained. Jonathan was the first to reach the back porch, she could tell by the way he stomped his boots to get the dirt off before entering the kitchen.

"I'm just warming everything up, supper will be ready in a minute."

"I think I'll grab a quick shower if that's okay, I don't think I stand to be around myself any longer." Jonathan said as he flapped the front of his sweaty blue T-Shirt.

One wiff was all it took for Jessica to agree a shower would be nice. "You do that, just be sure to leave hot water for your father. If you are any indication he'll be needing a shower too."

"Yes Ma'am." Jonathan answered before making his way slowly upstairs to his room. Jessica watched him go, it was a true indication of how tired he was when her boy took the stairs one at a time instead of his customary two.

Hiram's entrance was silent compared to Jonathan's. Her husband always took the time to sit on the back porch steps and remove his work boots before entering the house, something she had never managed to drill into Jonathan's head. "Hi Honey, what's for supper." He greeted her as he paused at the sink to wash his hands.

"Does it matter?" She asked with a knowing grin before turning the oven on to reheat the meal.

"At this point no, I'm so hungry I'd eat anything."

"In that case I'm sure there is a chunk of fruit cake, your Aunt Claudia sent for Christmas last year, around here somewhere."

"What did I ever do to you?" With his hands still wet Hiram shook water at his wife who laughed and dodged the spray.

"Where's Jonny, I thought by now he'd have inhaled half his meal."

"He wanted to get a shower first, something I'm gonna insist you do too. You smell worse than a wet dog."

Hearing the water cut off up stairs Hiram approached his wife with a grin pausing to peck her cheek as he headed to their room downstairs. "Your wish is my command my dear Jessica."

Fifteen minutes later her boys were seated at the kitchen table eating supper. This time it was Hiram who was inhaling his dinner while Jonathan ate slowly.

"Jonathan are you feeling alright?" Jessica refilled Hiram's Tea glass then placed her hand on Jonathan's forehead.

"Well you're not warm".

"Mom" Somehow he managed three different octaves when he said the word while trying to dodge her hand. "I'm not sick, just tired."

"Well why don't you call it an early night son. We've got a lot to do tomorrow if your still planning of being out of here by noon tomorrow. There is still a lot of hay to be bailed."

Jonathan picked at his food for another minute before replying. "As much as I'd love to dad I promised Neil we'd go see that new movie Grease. Besides Jack is home from college this weekend. He's taking Neil's big sister Laura so we're making it a double date."

Hiram grunted at the mention of Jack's name. It was no secret that he didn't like the thought of his son hanging around with the older boy. Whenever the two were together trouble was never far behind. Jonathan was saved from the awkward silence by the sound of a honking car outside. "I gotta go that's Jack."

"You just be sure to be home by midnight, and stay out of trouble." Hiram arched his eyebrow and glared at his son, but the look had little effect on the boy that was already halfway out the door. Jonathan shouted yes sir over his shoulder in acknowledgment to the curfew if not the staying out of trouble.

Standing behind Hiram, Jessica slipped her arms around his neck and gave him a quick hug. "They'll be okay. The girls will keep them in line."

To the guys utter disbelief the girls actually wanted to watch the movie. Without the possibility of any mouth to mouth 'recreation' Jonathan lost his battle to stay awake. It was a sharp elbow in his side that woke him when the ending credits began to roll. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes he grinned sheepishly at Neil and was happy to see the grin returned. That was one of the things he liked about Neil, although she got upset and had been known to throw a fit if she didn't get her way she did understand that he worked hard and let it slide when it all caught up to him.

The girls didn't put up much of a protest when they dropped them off at home at 10:30 that night. After all they would be seeing the guys the next afternoon when they went to the fair.

Jack looked at his watch. "It's only 10:30, what time to you have to be home?"

"Not until midnight... What do you have in mind."

"Well, I was thinking we have enough time to head over to Chicasaw county for a game of pool."

"Sounds like fun to me. You gonna let me drive?" Jonathan grinned. He'd missed Jack. He'd lost not only his best friend, he had lost the closest thing to a brother he would ever have when the older boy had gone away to college.

"Jonathan" Hiram yelled up the stairs as he passed them on his way into the kitchen.

"Yes Sir." Came the answering yell.

"Get a move on son, it's nearly 5:00am" The thuds coming from upstairs assured Hiram that his son was indeed up so he passed thru the kitchen and out the back door to put his on boots before heading to the barn. He didn't get 10 feet when he stopped dead in his tracks. There was no mistaking the rusted out red '69 Charger that was sitting in his driveway, which meant Jack had stayed the night instead of heading to his own home. What he didn't understand was why the car was covered in chicken feathers.

The screen door slammed behind him so he turned to look at the two boys. Jonathan shifted from foot to foot "Dad...I can explain everything."