Chapter 11

Pandora's Box


Jack's POV

"So are you going to tell me what this is all about?"

"Nope."

Karen had hinted at this 'secret' of hers all through lunch. I knew Cliff could have gotten it out of Ann but it seemed Karen hadn't even told her. That's what had me worried. If it was something she couldn't trust Ann with it must be something big.

I walked up to her and wrapped me arms around her waist. Leaning forward I whispered in her ear. "You can tell me, can't you?"

I felt her shiver a little as I kissed her collar bone she leaned back. "It's not a big deal, don't worry so much. I'm just having a little fun."

"If you say so" I released her and we continued down the path.

We passed the Green ranch. That meant whatever this surprise was, it was at the beach. In the distance I saw Zack's boat and it looked like the large man was lifting a suitcase out. I knew it must have been a relative of Kai's when I saw the purple bandana wearing farmhand poke his head out of the cabin.

I walked up to Karen. "Your surprise is a relative of Kai's?"

"Yep, its not every day a visitor comes here you know. It's exciting."

As we got closer I got a good look at the guy. He had sunglasses on with what looked like diamonds embedded in the frame. Both ears we're pierced with large diamond studded earrings. He had a large gold chain with a tacky looking Christian cross hanging from it. Baggy pants and a Hawaiian shirt opened up revealing a white wife beater.

I leaned over to Karen and whispered in her ear. "Part of me wishes you had just never brought me down here."

Karen tried to smile since Kai and his 'relative' were able to see us now, but it was obviously forced. "Trust me, I had no idea." As we walked closer Karen walked up to Kai. "So this is the cousin you're talking about all the time."

The cousin stepped in. "My name is Orlando, and from how beautiful you look you could only be the Karen, Kai writes about so much."

I saw Kai get embarrassed, but he didn't try and correct his cousin. The guy seemed to have charm, but his wardrobe definitely lacked class. His smile looked creepy as his eyes we're hidden underneath the large black Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses.

"I've come a long ways from North County to see this place. Kai tells me it's a very nice small village, yes?"

Karen seemed to be uncomfortable around Orlando, but she nodded. "Yes, we've been around here for a long time now. There isn't much but we make the most of our small community."

I smiled, Karen sounded like a big city tour guide. I walked up to them and slipped my arm around Karen's waist making sure Orlando knew Karen was off the market.

"You must be Jack."

I wasn't too shocked he knew me. Kai must have written him about me and Karen getting together. I extended my hand, but he didn't shake it. "I am. I run one of the farms in the village."

"Nice to meet you. Come on Kai let me get settled in and I'll let you show me around this place."

Orlando grabbed his bag from Zack and placed a five dollar bill in his hands. He and Kai both walked off towards the Vineyard.

"Guy looks like trouble."

Karen punched me playfully. "Just because he dresses like a punk doesn't make him a criminal."

"It should." Ann wasn't very taken by the man either.

"What do you think of him Zack?"

"He didn't say much the entire boat ride. Just asked my name and where the boat was before we left. Real nice car, even had a driver for it." Zack finished tying up the boat and then started walking towards the dock house. "I'm going to get things ready for the fireworks. Ya'll take care."

"So what now?"

Karen shrugged. "I dunno, me and Ann should go get ready for the fireworks Festival. Meet us back here around 7:30 tonight ok?"

I nodded. "Sure" I looked towards Cliff and coughed when I saw Ann was about to suck his face off again. "How about we go help out with the valley restoration, their almost finished with the new inn."

Cliff took his hands off Ann's waist and laid a kiss on her forehead wishing her goodbye. "Sure chief, let's get on it."

We saw the girls off and started off towards the valley. A new path had been cut near the town's square that led down to the valley. Later on we hoped to have a wooden bridge that would make it an easy walk down, but right now we still had to scale down Mother's Hill to get to the construction site.

The valley looked very different from the time I had first visited. The inn had been ripped apart and rebuilt from the inside out. I had called some friends from my university days over to help get the place modernized. Alex, my old roommate, was an Electrical engineer and a big nature lover. He was helping get the valley set up with Hydroelectric power via the large waterfalls that fed into the valley from Mother's Hill. He had brought a few guys over with him that we're helping the carpenters get the inn set up with modern stuff like wireless telephone service, and even internet access.

"Man this place is really taking shape." Cliff awed at the progress that had made thus far. I guessed he wasn't used to modern places like this.

"Jack glad you could make it out. We could use ya'll's help in the restaurant." Shoji the old master carpenter had known my grandfather really well. We had hit it off just telling stories back and forth at Duke's one night when we both decided to go in on restoring the valley. The investment had sucked up a lot of my trust fund, but I figured the return would be more than worth it…especially if I started a family down here.

"What you need done?"

Shoji pointed towards the kitchen area. "Zack brought in the kitchen's equipment the other day and were trying to get it moved into place while those city boys rig up the power for it. Me and my boys are busy upstairs trying to get the bedrooms ready."

"Sure"

Shoji walked off and I heard Cliff groan. "Why do we always get talked into doing the grunt work?"

I shrugged. "It's not like we have any special skills in this sort of thing."

"Aren't you an engineer or something?"

"Civil, I know a little bit about everything. Electricity, plumbing, woodwork, etcetera, but if I tried to butt in on Shoji and his crew I'd get a huge ear full. I'd rather just do this."

"Ah well you're the boss."

"Yep, besides us state boys don't do much anyways."

We both got a brief laugh out of that joke and started moving the appliances around the room. I was surprised when we got most of the large stuff in and running within a couple hours. It was getting really hot though, the AC hadn't been installed yet. I knew though if I let one word out that sounded like a complaint about the temperature Shoji would hear it and he'd start on one of those 'back in my day' stories that's more like a lecture. Grunting as Cliff and I sat down the second of two large sub zero commercial freezers; we both sat against it for a quick break as the electricians started getting the freezer hooked in.

"I don't get it."

"Huh?" Cliff's question came out of thin air.

"The head electrician guy, the one setting up that hydro plant, isn't he supposed to be a good friend of yours?"

I sighed as I let my forehead make contact with the freezer. I heard the compressor kick in when one of the electricians' flip the switch. The slight cold feeling helped me get over the heat. "Alex? He was a good friend of mine. Even lived with him for about a year." I hung my head remembering the hard times I had hit that year of my life. "At the time I had a pretty steady girlfriend. We broke up pretty suddenly and Alex got me started into some stuff that didn't really help me too much. We kind of parted ways when I decided I wanted to pick myself back up, and he wanted to just relax 24/7."

"So no big fight or anything."

I shook my head. "No nothing like that. I guess I just tied that low point of my life to a bunch of memories that involved him. When I left it I moved out to make something better of myself, and just wanted to leave everything of that life behind."

Cliff scratched his head. "Then why's he here?"

I laughed. "Well let's just say I didn't know anyone earthier than him, that and he's got a specialty in hydroelectric energy, and an electrician's license."

Cliff stood up and we started to move the final appliance, a commercial dishwasher, in. "Why do I think there's more to it than you're letting on?"

"Oh come on; let's just get this work over with ok?"

I didn't want to tell Cliff I was using Alex to check up on the islands new marijuana population. I was still worried about it with Kai around, and I wanted to make sure Karen didn't get tangled up in it again. I had told Alex where the plants were supposed to be, a cave somewhere near the hydroelectric site. It'd be easy to make an excuse to search the cave, and knowing Alex he'd love to get his hands on some free foliage. Not to mention he promised me he had something that could kill the plants and make sure nothing else would grow there.

"Yea sure whatever you say. Besides we better at least grab a shower or something before the girls get to the house. I can only imagine what Ann would say if I went on our date smelling like this."

We moved the dishwasher into place and the electricians' told us that was all there was left to be done. Heading off Cliff and I decided it was best we started to get ourselves cleaned up for fireworks, as it seemed the girls had something special planed for us.

"Jack?"

"Yea?"

Cliff looked a little embarrassed. I saw him take a brief glance around to make sure no one could hear us. "I overheard Ann and Karen talking after breakfast. I think there going to try and stay over tonight.'

That got my attention. "Now what made you think that?"

"Well they were in your room and I heard Karen say 'I'm glad Pappy had a double bed'."

"Oh come on Cliff that doesn't mean anything."

"But I heard Ann say right after her say 'But the other room only has two twin beds how is that going to work tonight?' that has to mean there planning on staying tonight."

He had a point. That pretty much was definite evidence the girls were planning on staying over. I didn't know why Cliff was so anxious about it though. "Well congratulations Cliff. You don't seem happy about it though."

Cliff kicked at a stone as we walked down the path towards the farm. "Well, ya know, it's just that I've never slept with a woman. Much less had sex with one."

"Was your first time with a man?" I laughed and Cliff took a playful swing at me.

"You wish. No, I've just really been moving around so much and stuff I never really had time for a relationship, or even a fling."

"Well be glad you never did the fling deal. Leaves something you'll have to explain down the road and you might get the gift that keeps on giving."

"Yea."

"So I'm guessing you're just nervous about losing your virginity or something?"

"Well I mean Ann told me she's a virgin too."

"Think about it man, its not like she's going leave you if you don't sleep with her. Just have fun and do what you're comfortable with. Just go with the flow and what needs to happen will happen."

"Guess you're right. How are we both going to sleep in that bed though?"

"Just use the pull out bed in the living room sofa. Me and Karen won't come in and I'll have her go check on ya'll first before I come out in the morning."

Cliff sighed. "Yea that'll work."

We reached the cabin and I threw Cliff a towel and rag. "Oh perk up. She loves you man. She's not going to pressure you or anything. Just get cleaned up."

"Yea, yea."

With Cliff in the shower I went into my room. Pappy's hope chest caught my eye and I decided to take a look at his diary again.

Flipping several pages back from the entry with the candle wax I decided to read more into my grandparents' relationship. I found an entry that looked like it was towards the beginning of their relationship.

October 23rd 1939

I was very nervous. The grocer's daughter, Megan, had accepted my offer to cook her supper, and I went over to her place to do so. She had just moved into her own place. It was small, and she was still getting unpacked. I had caught some fish I brought over with some special spices I had made from my grandmother's old recipe. I made the supper up with some shrimp and rice, and she praised it over and over. I was surprised when she had set up her coffee table with candles and lit them for a romantic atmosphere. Afterwards she let me hold her a little and even though it was late she agreed to go for a moonlit walk with me. I showed her a few of my secret spots and she was very surprised when I showed her a small pond I had found that fireflies liked to hang around. The setting was perfect for a romantic evening, and I was rewarded with a soft kiss on the cheek. I believe I'm falling in love with her, but I'm trying to keep myself from becoming too centered on her. My fall harvest is coming up soon and if I don't get a good pull this time around I may not be able to save enough over the winter to buy my spring seeds. I wished life were simpler. Duke had told me one of the ranch hands at her Uncle's farm was courting her also. He had more free time than I and I worry I'm going to lose this time. Only time will tell though.

I flipped through a few pages that didn't mention grandma. Then I found one that seemed pretty down.

November 23rd 1939

I ate my Thanksgiving meal alone today. I haven't been able to find Megan since our date a month ago. Duke had mentioned he had seen her with that ranch hand a few times, but I'm sure he was downplaying it for my sake. I was hoping I could invite her to supper tonight, but I never saw her. It's a tradition for women on this island to bring some sort of food to the man they admire on Thanksgiving Day, but I was disappointed I never saw her. I spent most of the early day and afternoon harvesting up the eggplant fields I planted middle of October. They turned out well so I should make enough to make it through winter and buy my seeds in Spring. A large part of me wants to see if I can save enough to buy Megan a nice Christmas present, but I'm not even sure if I've already lost her or not. Since I've finished my harvest for the season I'll try and find her tomorrow and get some fishing in.

I almost felt sorry for my grandfather. I know I would have if I hadn't known things turned out for the better later on. I closed the journal saving the stories for later. I didn't want the sad side of my grandparents' romantic adventure to dim my mood for the fireworks tonight. Even more important if what Cliff said was right, I needed to get my room together.

I looked around; everything was pretty much in order. If I was in the city I would have run out and bought a nice bottle of wine or something, maybe even some candles to set the mood. But in a place like Mineral Town those sorts of things weren't easy to come by on a whim.

I went over to my closet and pulled out the large box my father had sent me. It had my cell phone in it, but I left it off. I could pick up signal only at the top of mother's hill, so it wasn't worth keeping it on. My iPod, laptop PC, photo album, journal, a few change of clothes and nestled inside its range bag my Glock 19. I wasn't sure why my father had sent it, but it was nice to have none the less. I figured maybe sometime I'd take Cliff out into the woods and we'd fire off a few rounds into some target.

I heard Cliff get out of the shower and I grabbed one of the sets of clothes out of the box to wear.

A knock at the door grabbed my attention. "All your's boss, better hurry though."

"Yea, yea, you shower like a girl ya know. Took you forever."

"Well excuse me, if you don't mind I've got to go put on my makeup."

I reached down to the couch to grab a pillow and threw it at him into his room. "While I'm showering you should be thinking of some lines to use tonight."

All I heard was silence and I knew the thought of Ann spending the night was weighing heavily on Cliff's mind. I let things be and went to grab a shower. The hot water felt great and I knew I needed it as I saw the once clean water run down the drain with a brownish red muddy color. It didn't take me more than five minutes or so to get the shower over with. Grabbing the towel I quickly dried off and set about getting myself ready.

My dad luckily had sent over some of my better clothes. I put on a well worn pair of Wrangler blue jeans and a white undershirt. I combed out my hair a little and put on some deodorant, even adding a touch or two of my cologne 'Armani Code' on for a nice touch. When I was satisfied I threw on my dark blue polo/t-shirt from American Eagle and looked at myself in the mirror. Feeling under my shirt I pulled out the leather necklace I usally kept tucked under my shirt. My mother had worn a silver cross at all times, and when she died I had it set in leather and kept it around my neck for good luck. It went well with the shirt, and even gave me something to talk with Karen about.

A last check in the mirror and I was satisfied. It was a good thing too because a second later I heard the main door open and Ann squeal when she saw, for what must be the first time, Cliff dressed in something besides his adventure man leather getup.

"Looking nice Mr. Stud" Karen had seen me walk past my bedroom door from the living room.

I poked my head out and blocked myself with the door. "Wow you look beautiful Karen, sorry but I didn't know you'd be here this soon. I'm still getting dressed."

She smiled sheepishly. "Well can I come in?"

I felt a playful grin sneak up on my face. "Well I'm still naked."

"Even better" She pushed the door open and faked disappointment when she saw I was already dressed. "That's no fun, but you look really handsome."

"My dad sent over some clothes with some of my stuff awhile back. Never got the chance to wear it though; wouldn't stand up to the outdoors with all I do."

"Oh yes the hard working farmer," she gave me a tight hug and whispered in my ear, "my hard working farmer."

"As always" I whispered back. I grabbed a glance at the clock on the wall and saw it was already 6:30 in the afternoon. "We better get a move on if the fireworks start at 7."

Karen nodded. "Yep. I brought some wine with me. It's in a cooler outside."

Walking outside I saw she wasn't kidding. A nice sized cooler with a stack of Solo cups on top of it sat near the shipping bin. "You don't play around do you hun? How'd you lug that down here?"

She pointed out the wheels a moron wouldn't miss on the back of the cooler and the large handle on the front. "We do have some technology here, but since you're so concerned it's nice of you and Cliff to carry it to the beach."

Cliff and I both grabbed the cooler and just carried it. We walked down towards the beach, Ann by Cliff and Karen at my side lugging the small bag of Solo cups. "You remember doing this when we were kids?"

My memory of my childhood on the island was still fuzzy in some spots, but I did recall some memories of the fireworks festival in the summer. "Yea, but I don't think we had a cooler of wine."

"No, but we did always have plenty of sparklers and stuff to play with. We'd run up and down the beach all night till we were so tired we'd pass out and Pappy would have to carry us back."

"Now that you mention it I do remember Pappy lugging me back afterwards. It'll be nice to experience it again. It must be boring for you though."

Karen smiled. "No I actually look forward to it." She walked closer to me and bummed my shoulder with hers leaning over she gently kissed me. "I have someone special to watch them with again."

"Thanks for waiting."

She shook her head. "Thanks for coming back."

We set the cooler down in the sand and the girls threw a couple of towels down for us to sit on. I saw Ann cuddle right up with Cliff and they got comfortable each with glass in hand. Karen and I just laid back our arms crossing behind us. She reached over and got her and I a glass of the wine she had brought along. It was tasty and pinkish in color.

"So do you have anything like this in the city."

I nodded. "Of course, we do it for Independence day though."

"I guess that makes more sense. All of our festivals are set around harvest times though. It's hard to change it since we're still a farming community."

"This is more fun anyways. In the city everyone heads to the fair grounds and there are thousands of people there. They're all noisy, slam ass drunk, rude, and annoying. The fireworks are nice, but right afterwards everyone and their brother are trying to make it home and you end up sitting in traffic till one in the morning."

"Man guess it is better here."

I grabbed her hand and intertwined it with mine. "It sure is."

I saw a smile form on Karen's face, but before she could say anything a loud pop in the air caught our attention. The fireworks they put on here were great. If I remembered correctly the word around town was the old man that ran the drug store put them together every year. The colors were much brighter than in the city and the show was at a slower pace taking about a full half hour to finish.

I remember looking around afterwards and spotting Orlando and Kai looking straight at Karen and I just a few yards down the beach. I didn't know why but it gave me a pretty unsettling feeling; like they were planning something. I made a mental note in my head to ask Alex if he had found the weed stash yet tomorrow.

Soon after the end of the show the villagers started to pack up their things and leave. I was grabbing the cooler when I heard Orlando's voice. "Ms. Miller that fireworks show was fantastic; you villagers know how to put on a great show."

"Umm…thanks, glad you liked it."

"Kai and I we're wondering if you'd like to walk back with us home?"

"Oh I'm sorry, I'm going to be sleeping over at Ann's tonight. It's been a tradition of ours since we we're kids."

I saw Cliff stiffen when he heard Karen say that. The way she put it almost screamed 'I'm lying' and there was only one other place she could be figuring to lay her head down at tonight. I saw Kai sulk, but Orlando never lost face. "As you should, spending time with your friends after events such as these makes the evenings that more memorable. Kai let's hit up that bar you showed me I'm sure some of the villagers will be over there."

I saw Kai nod and the two left; I caught Kai looking back though. Guy looked like a knife had been stabbed through his chest.

"So you're heading to Ann's now?"

"No, I figured we'd go back to your place first and drink a little more. I'm barely buzzing and this is supposed to be a nightlong festival."

"Suits me, Cliff?"

"Uhh, yea sounds fine. Come on Ann let's get this stuff up and we'll relax back at the farm."

Ann and Karen quickly gathered the towels shaking off the sand while Cliff and I repacked the cooler. It wasn't ten or so minutes later we were back at the farm house and everyone had a Solo cup full of the Zinfandel wine Karen had brought over.

"To the start of summer. May the beaches be full, and may my boyfriend not screw up the summer's harvest."

"Hey!"

Karen giggled and we all clapped our drinks together and chugged them down.

"That's the spirit. Give me those glasses, this bottle is large and full, and it needs to be empty."

A couple glasses later Ann and Cliff were on the couch holding each other and talking about random things, sneaking a kiss every now and then. Karen and I sat at the counter in the kitchen.

"They look like their getting cozy."

"Ummhumm, doesn't look like Ann's going to want to go back to her house" Karen accentuated her point by staring at me seductively.

"Oh should I call Kai and Orlando over to get you two back home?"

"I think we can figure out a better way" She kissed me passionately "Don't you?"

I smiled. "Why don't you come with me and see if the rooms up to your taste."

"Jack Harvest, are you trying to get me into your bed room?"

I picked her up off the bar stool and carried her bridal style towards the room. She quickly grabbed some cups and the bottle of wine. "I'm not trying, I'm doing."

"Hehe, well do away!"


Karen's POV

I couldn't erase the smile off my face. Wiping down the tables in the bar I could see my own happy expression reflecting in the polished wooden table top. Memories of the night before flooded my mind, as well as seeing Jack as soon as I woke up. He had brushed my hair behind my ear like back when we we're kids and told me how beautiful I looked. It had filled me with warmth and content this morning and the happiness still carried through to now late in the evening.

Duke was behind the bar wiping down some glasses while patrons around the bar drank. Kai and Orlando were here with my father talking up a storm. It seemed Kai's cousin was a very gifted man when it came to social skills and was able to break my father's walls down and talk with him as if they had known each other for years.

"Karen, take these beers to your father's table will you."

"Sure Duke, no problem."

My cheerfulness didn't go unnoticed by the older bartender. My smile must have been contagious as I saw it spread to his face. "My, you're peppy today. Something good happen between you and Jack at the fireworks festival?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

Duke rolled his eyes and went back to taking orders while I took the beers over to my father's table.

"Gotz, I had no idea a man like you had so many funny stories to tell. Karen you must hear what your father's been telling us about your childhood."

"Dad, are you embarrassing me again?"

"Oh hush, its just harmless things. Right Kai?"

Kai seemed a little down staring at his mug and sloshing the beer around in it. "Of course Mr. Miller."

"Hahaha, see Karen, nothing wrong."

I rolled my eyes and left the beers at the table. "Just don't get too drunk dad. I don't know if Kai and Orlando will be enough to carry you back home."

"Oh don't worry Karen I'm sure your father will be able to hold his own."

My dad beat his chest. "I'm an animal when it comes to my alcohol tolerance. Don't worry daughter I'll be walking home on my own two feet. If anything I'll be carrying these two."

I saw Orlando slap him on the back as I left. "We'll be counting on that Mr. Miller."

As the night went on the crowd at the bar thinned out. I noticed my father's table got quieter and quieter and as it neared closing time I noticed it looked like he had passed out. Luckily Kai and Orlando hadn't drank much and they we're able to help him out.

About a half hour later after wiping down the tables and cleaning the place up I clocked out with Duke and left the bar.

It was dark outside, and the town didn't have any lights to brighten up the path. The full moon shone out and filled me with memories of the night Jack and I shared that special dance that got us where we we're today. It was those memories that kept me from seeing my father walk up to me.

"You horrible person!" My father's shout startled me. When I turned to look at him his face looked red and he wasn't breathing right.

"Dad?"

My face burned as my father backhanded me with all his strength. I fell back and was slightly dazed but I saw my father still coming towards me. I felt tears run down my face. "Daddy?"

"You lousy skank, you slept with him didn't you!" I was surprised my father's loud voice didn't wake some of the neighboring villagers. He tried to kick me but I was able to move out of the way.

"I'm going to beat the whore out of you! I should have never trusted you!"

I got up and ran as my father's fist connected with my arm. The pain was horrible. I couldn't move it and knew it must be broken.

I heard my father behind me as I ran down the path towards Jack's house. My father caught up with me as I couldn't jump the fence with my arm broken and had to double back to the main entrance. He nearly got another slap in before I made it in.

Tears flowing from my eyes blurred my vision. I couldn't comprehend why my father was acting like this even if he had found out about Jack. I had no idea how he had found out though.

"You little slut hold still!" I saw the lights flick on in Jack's house, but my father was too close behind me for me to stop and open the door. "Ja…Jack help! Mo…Mother's Hill!"

I took off towards Mother's Hill and silently prayed Jack had heard me. I ran towards the nearly finished ramp that lead towards the valley and saw Kai and Orlando walking back up.

"Miss Karen."

"Kai…help…" I was weak and fell to my knees clutching my arm. I could barely see anything through the tears of confusion and the pain tormenting my mind.

"Are you trying to stop me? You're as bad as she is!" I saw a large shadow knock what must have been Kai down. Then another smaller shadow tackled the larger one and I felt it help pick me up by my good arm."

"Come on Karen we've got to run." Orlando helped me and Kai to our feet and we took off towards the valley.

"I know a boat we can use to quickly get to shore, we need to get you to a hospital on the mainland, you're bleeding badly."

I stopped and turned when I heard a gunshot. I was scared; I didn't know what had happened. Did my father shoot someone? Orlando pushed me onward and we ran towards the ocean.

"I patched this old boat up Miss Karen. We should be able to get you to safety soon."

I felt dizzy and I must have passed out as I couldn't remember anything more except for blackness.

…my life had changed.


End

Thanks once again to Libra1 for going over this chapter. There were a ton of mistakes in this rough draft when I sent it to her. I got on a roll writing it, and just couldn't stop. But she didn't complain and got it right back to me, now that's giving 110 percent (I've noticed doesn't let you use the percentage symbol)

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