Chapter Two: Gossip
"Mama!" Ruby called out as soon as she got home.
She had had to give Luc a blowjob in order to get him to take her home early, but she wasn't too phased about the whole thing, because she knew she could get him to do almost anything that way.
"Mama!" she called again, as she made her way out onto their large house's spacious back porch. "I have something absolutely delicious to tell you!"
Lilly Davies was reclining on one of the deck chairs next to their sparkling blue pool. She held a martini in her one hand, and a copy of The Cross and the Switchblade (complete with colour photos from the Hollywood Motion Picture!) in the other.
"What is it, dear?" she asked, titling her sunglasses down as she assessed her almost twitching daughter.
Ruby had to stop herself from bouncing on the spot, and clutched her hands in front of her immaculate white skirt, "Dean Winchester is back in town! And guess who picked him up from the bus stop!"
Lilly laid her book down on the small rattan table next her, and demanded, "Who?"
"Sam Singer! Can you believe it? I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my very own eyes! And mother, Dean made a very uncouth gesture towards Luc and I!"
Lilly waved her hand in a dismissive gesture, "I expect nothing less from trash like Dean Winchester! How did he look?"
Ruby felt a slight pull in her stomach at the memory of the man Dean had become, "He looked like pure sin, Mama! I couldn't believe it! It was like seeing the Devil himself."
Lilly tapped her bright red lips with the arm of her sunglasses, "I think everyone else deserves to know that that menace is back in town!"
Ruby nodded in enthusiastic agreement, as her mother went inside to warn the other decent folks in town of Dean Winchester's unwelcome return.
"Mavis! You will never believe what Lilly Davies told Janet Foley this morning!" Sue Ellen exclaimed, as she put a can of pees in her shopping trolley.
"What?" Mavis asked, her eyes lighting up instantly at the prospect of gossip.
Sue Ellen spoke in a stage whisper, "Dean Winchester has been released from prison! And you'll never guess who picked him up at the bus stop!"
Mavis' eyes widened, "Dean Winchester? But how can that be? He's in prison for murder! Who would ever pick him up! It's not like his brother could. Not with his drinking."
"It was-" Sue Ellen began.
"Me," a calm, deep voice cut in, and both women's heads snapped up to regard Sam with shocked faces. "I picked Dean up from the bus stop. I've given him a job at my bookstore."
Mavis and Sue Ellen's mouths opened and closed like deprived guppies for a few moments before Sue Ellen said, "Samuel Singer! How could you? That boy is a murderer!"
Sam's tone remained impassive as he replied, "I don't believe that, Mrs Phillips. I'm sorry if you and your son, Luc, are upset by the news, but I don't think that it's really your business who I choose to employ in the bookstore."
"That boy is evil, Sam!" Mavis exclaimed, gripping the simple gold cross at her wrinkled neck. "His whole family is damned to Hell and Damnation! His father was already claimed for his sinful lifestyle! And there's no doubt that Dean Winchester has the same coming to him!"
Sam sighed, "I don't think that that's very fair, Mrs Wilkes. We all know that John didn't deserve to die the way he did. I don't think God would ever be so cruel as to wish such a terrible death on any of his children."
Mavis' mouth became puckered, as if she had just swallowed a lemon, as Sue Ellen replied, "You'd better watch yourself, Sam. Don't let that boy corrupt you! You come from good, Christian stock, and you don't want a Winchester to pollute that."
Sam raised an eyebrow, "I think I've already achieved that to some regard with my unchristian union with Balthazar."
Sue Ellen's jaw made an audible clacking sound as she shut her mouth, and Mavis noticeably paled at the mention of Sam and her son's relationship.
"Have a good afternoon," Sam smiled politely as he turned away from the stunned women, and made his way to the tills.
Despite the fact that Sam had had a small victory with the gossiping old women at the grocery store, he felt tired and mentally restless. He had wanted to help Dean, but he should have known that being a Good Samaritan would be rather difficult in a small, religious town like Sommersville.
He was surprised that the townsfolk didn't refuse to have a homosexual teaching their children high school English, but then again, Sam came from a respected family, and he lived a quiet life. He and Balthazar had a solid relationship, which they made no attempt to flaunt around town.
As he drove through the gates of their property and drove down the long drive to park his car in one of the five garages, he thought about the fact that he didn't actually love Balthazar. He knew he should have felt disappointment at the knowledge, but he knew that it was for the best. When he had been younger, he had been in love with Castiel, but that had all fallen apart, and their brief sexual encounters with each other had left him feeling unsatisfied, and believing that the poets had grossly exaggerated the pleasures of the flesh. It was far wiser to be part of a convenient and stable union, than one which was full of draining emotion. He was no longer that naïve, nervous young English teacher he had been with Castiel.
He supposed that that was why he was so annoyed with himself over the way he had acted around Dean that morning. Surely, he at the ripe old age of thirty four could resist the sexual advantages of a twenty eight year old, no matter how maddeningly sexy and confident he was. It wasn't only the fact that Dean had the face of an angel and the body of a demon, but the fact that he was Dean Winchester, one of Sam's ex-pupils, and one who Sam cared about. He remembered finding Dean in the backseat of his beloved '67 Chevy Impala, reading Flashman by George MacDonald Fraser. Hardly the kind of reading that anyone expected a supposedly culturally inept seventeen year old to be reading, if Sam had listened to his colleagues, which he hadn't made a habit of doing. Dean had tried to act tough and confrontational at Sam's discovery, but Sam had simply smiled, and given him a copy of Sharpe by Bernard Cornwell to read.
Sam sighed as he took the groceries out of the boot and walked into the house. Missouri was in the kitchen cooking lunch, and Sam kissed her on the cheek as he put the parcels down on the counter.
"How's your day been, honey?" she smiled, as she floured the chicken pieces.
Sam ran his hand through his hair, "Not great."
Missouri frowned, "How come?"
"Well you know that I picked up Dean Winchester this morning."
She nodded as she wiped her hands on her apron and leaned against the counter, "How'd that go?"
He shook his head, "Not wonderfully. He's as cocky as ever. And the rumour mill is already just about catching fire with the news of his return."
Missouri chuckled, "I always liked that boy, though. Most handsome devil I ever saw. I'd watch that one if I were you. It's no secret that he's always had an eye for you."
Sam blushed to the roots of his hair, which made Missouri laugh even more.
"He confirmed as much when I dropped him off at the bookshop earlier," he admitted. "I think he's just a compulsive flirt, though. And he enjoys making me uncomfortable."
"I don't know, honey," she smirked. "You're quite an eyeful yourself."
Somehow he managed to blush even harder at that, but he sighed when he saw his sister, Anna, entering the kitchen.
"Sam," she greeted primly. "I have to talk to you."
"What is it, Anna?" he sighed, packing the groceries away.
"I heard from Becky Rosen that you hired Dean Winchester at the bookshop? How could you? How and why is he even out of jail?" she asked icily.
Sam remained calm, "He needed a job in order to get parole, and I needed a manager for the store since Meg moved to Atlanta with her husband."
Anna threw her hands up in a defeated gesture, "That man is trouble, Sam! We don't need to be associated with his kind."
"Last time I checked, dad gave the bookshop to me to run, and gave you and Castiel the scrap yard and garage to run. I don't interfere in your affairs, so I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't interfere in mine," he replied coolly.
"Listen here-"
"Anna," came their stepmother, Jody's, voice. "I believe your brother is right. Let it lie."
Anna huffed and stormed out of the kitchen.
"Hello mother," Sam smiled, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Haven't arrested anyone today I hope?"
Jody smiled at him, "No. Thankfully being sheriff in this town is pretty peaceful. Although I'd arrest Lilly Davies for her big mouth if I could."
Sam squeezed the bridge of his short nose, "I could ring she and her daughter's necks. I suppose it was inevitable, though. Dean couldn't have returned without making some waves."
Jody shook her head, "You know I never believed he killed Cassie. Unfortunately the evidence was dead set against him, but I never stopped lobbying for him. Now that he's home, I wish that he'd be given some peace."
"I know," Sam smiled, softly squeezing her shoulder. "You're the reason he got parole. I just want him to have a second chance is all. I feel like it's time everyone moved on."
"It's easier said than done, Sam. The Reverend lost a daughter after all, and you don't ever get over that."
Sam thought of Cassie Robinson in all her youthful beauty and vivacity, hardly the picture of the preacher's dutiful daughter. He thought of she and Dean together, and imagined the thrill of rebellion she must have felt at being involved with him. Sam wondered how a summer romance could have erupted into such tragedy, but he thought that that would probably remain a mystery clouded in summersweet.