Unlawfully Yours
Epilogue
Coleridge Turner climbed out of the Stagecoach and was almost immediately assaulted by strange smells he thought he vaguely remembered, along with the intense heat. If the coach had felt hot, the blazing sun of this June day was almost unbearable. He reflected that he must have become too old for this uncaring climate. Rudolf got out in turn, carrying their bags, and they headed for the Grand Hotel immediately. As he neared it, Coleridge caught sight of a sign that said:
'Cole Turner
Attorney at Law'
The old man almost laughed at the sight. Who would have thought? Yet, he wasn't about to let his son down easy. As he had stopped, Rudolf turned curiously toward him.
"Sir?"
"Why don't you arrange for the rooms, and for a bath to be prepared? I think I'll visit the local attorney myself."
Rudolf followed his gaze and a vague smile spread over his lips before he nodded in acquiescence and left the old man by himself.
Coleridge made his way slowly across the street and just as he was about to open the door to his son's office, he was startled by a young woman heading out. She had on a simple dress, with very little adornments, but Coleridge immediately thought that she didn't need any. The girl was small but stunning all over. There was something so sensual about her that even an old man like him felt a stirring. He told himself, somewhat mockingly, that if he were forty years younger, he'd never let that one pass him by. What's more, even as he watched her, she stared back at him without any sign of reserve.
"Hey, old man…? Seen enough yet?"
Coleridge was startled but at the same time, he had an urge to laugh that he repressed with some difficulties. Without a word, he went in, ignoring the smirk on the girl's lips.
It didn't take long for him to be led into the inner office. There, he watched his son in silence with some curiosity.
"Come on, Dad," Cole said at last, "you used to be more talkative…I'm supposing you didn't come all this way just to check my suit?"
"Well, I was gonna say," Coleridge uttered gruffly, "maybe you should consider changing tailors…"
"You never had any taste…"
"Is that a way to greet your father?"
Cole chuckled unhappily.
"I'm guessing this isn't a visit of courtesy, so whatever you have to say…get it out."
Coleridge had been planning quite the speech, but for some reason, he couldn't utter the words he had wanted to.
"Looks like you made something for yourself," he answered hesitantly instead.
"You've been telling me that I should…"
"I just never thought it'd be in a place like this…"
"Well," Cole replied while surveying his office, "may not be the luxury you're used to, but at least it's all mine."
"You had no reason to throw my money in my face," Coleridge said then, with a mildly reproachful voice.
"I simply found something better…"
Coleridge observed him for a moment, wondering if his son really meant that.
"I think I met one of your customers on the way here…Not exactly a businessman."
"You mean my wife?"
"Your what?"
"My wife…I sent you a letter about her, but I guess it got there after you left."
"Nice of you to let me know," Coleridge replied uncertainly. "You know that she almost called me a dirty old bag?"
"That's Phoebe alright," Cole chuckled. "I'll introduce you properly to her and our daughter later…"
This time, Coleridge was actually stunned. He had many questions now, but one was the foremost on his mind.
"Where's the playboy that left Boston two months ago?"
"I shed him somewhere between the desert and the local prison."
"You were in prison?"
"It's a long story…"
A year later…
"Why in the hell would I wanna come here for our first anniversary," Cole questioned, as he looked around the waterhole with a hint of contempt.
"Hey, I thought you forgave me for that," Phoebe chuckled before dismounting.
"I may have forgiven you, but it doesn't mean I like to be reminded…" In saying so, Cole was getting off the horse reluctantly. He remembered too well the feeling of humiliation he had a little more than a year ago in this very place. Granted, things had changed a lot, but he thought that it was very much like her to bring him here, where he never wanted to set foot again, for a special occasion.
"I'd really prefer we moved on to Tucson, as we had planned…"
"It's already almost nightfall… and besides, I never intended to go there…" Phoebe replied mischievously, as she came to lean heavily against him.
"So you lied…" Cole replied, unable to hold back a smile in spite of his irritation.
"I knew what you'd say…"
"So what's the plan," he questioned, while she began caressing his buttocks suggestively.
"I take off my clothes and you run away for old time's sake?"
"Hum…stripping is definitely part of it."
"Or maybe," Cole replied impishly while grabbing her hips and pulling her tighter against him, "I could try and see if you'll follow me naked in the desert?"
"I wouldn't tempt fate, cowboy…Besides," she added as she felt him already aroused, "I don't think you're going anywhere any time soon…"
"Really?"
"Make love to me and by tomorrow you'll have forgotten all about the bad memories…"
He smiled and began undressing her, kissing her breasts softly as she closed her eyes and sighed with utter contentment. Slowly, his kisses moved toward her belly and he shed her pants while caressing her legs and coming back up slowly toward her buttocks. Then without warning he picked her up and brought her all the way toward the waterhole.
"You know baby," he whispered in her ear, "there's something I really felt like doing last year…"
Without opening her eyes, Phoebe answered in kind.
"I really think I know what it was…"
"I don't think so," he uttered louder, before dropping her into the water.
Phoebe exclaimed loudly in outraged surprise, and then she looked up angrily.
"Hey, what the hell was that for?"
"Just something I felt like," he replied with a mocking smile. "See, that's about what I wanted to do last year…and more."
"Cole Turner, you can't treat the mother of your child like this," Phoebe shouted while slapping the water.
"You know, I don't think Mike would mind her mother taking a bath," he laughed. "As a matter of fact, she'd have some fun here too…"
"I wasn't talking about Mike," Phoebe uttered irritably.
At first, Cole didn't understand what she'd meant. Then, as the truth dawned on him, he went into the water in turn with an astounded expression.
"What do you mean," he asked uselessly.
"From the look of you, I'd say you already know," Phoebe answered with a little smile.
"I thought the doctor said…"
"The doctor is a quack. He wasn't counting on our…persistence."
Realizing what he had just done, Cole slightly panicked.
"Are you ok? I didn't hurt you, did I. Please tell me you're fine," he said while brushing her belly nervously.
"Now that you're wet too, I feel much better…"
Cole looked up suspiciously at this.
"You wouldn't lie to me now, would you? Because really, that'd be too cruel…"
"Hum…although you really deserve some punishment for this…nah, I wouldn't lie to you about something like that," she finally said with a soft smile.
Cole pulled her to him and hugged her so tight, she could barely breathe.
"I gather it makes you happy," she uttered when he gave her a little room to breathe again.
"I love you…"
"Prove it," she uttered playfully.
He kissed her passionately before pulling away with a slightly worried stare.
"Are you sure it's safe?"
"Much safer for you than if you don't, lover…"
"Thank god," he said, while shedding his clothes quickly and throwing the wet outfit on the sand, "cause really, that's the first thing I wanted to do a year ago," he added, between hungry kisses.
"Can I let you in on a little secret," Phoebe questioned between ragged breaths, as he grabbed one of her nipples with his mouth and his tongue played sensuously with it.
"Another?" he questioned hoarsely.
"I wanted just the same thing last year…It was torture to leave…"
"Well," he laughed softly, "I wouldn't wanna torture you now."
His hand went inside her thighs and he caressed her until she parted them on her own. Then he began stroking her loins, exploring her until she let out little screams of delight.
Cole was so hard already it was painful, yet he was still hesitating, and Phoebe called with some frustration.
"Hey, he's not gonna bite!"
"He?" Cole questioned while giving in and entering her with a sigh of release.
"I ordered a boy," she uttered huskily, while her hips moved impatiently.
"Then, I guess we're getting a boy, because lord knows, the gods wouldn't dare contradict you…"
Afterward, they didn't waste any more breath in talking…
Twenty years later.
Young Paul, who looked a lot like Cole Turner, looked up and cringed at the creaking noises coming from the opened upstairs window.
"Oh come on," he said, although with a hint of amusement.
An aging Paul dismounted in the courtyard at this point, and also noted the obvious sounds with a wicked smile.
"Hey boy!" He called to the young man. "Aren't they going on their little annual trip?"
"They had to postpone it when those men came to put up the first derrick. Dad is still amazed that this dirty oil they found while digging for a well might be worth something."
"Hey, who knows, in the end maybe he made a better bargain buying this ranch than taking the old man's money…although of course, the fact Coleridge gave it to you and Mike instead pleased him too…"
Paul noticed the boy casting annoyed looks at the window.
"Wanna take a walk? I don't think they're gonna come up for air any time soon," Paul said with renewed amusement.
"Yeah, let's do that. I guess I should be grateful they're in the bedroom…"
The two of them walked up to where the new derrick was being erected. After they watched the workers for a while in silence Paul suddenly said more seriously:
"You know boy, you shouldn't be so judgemental."
"Oh I'm not…It's just sometimes I wonder how they can still…"
"Oh just be grateful you've got parents still so in love …"
"If you call that love," young Paul uttered with a little smile of his own. "Michelle and I always knew not to walk around this place too much when they disappeared…"
Paul sensed that there was something else to his mood.
"Girl problems…? You know you can come to me any time…"
"Dad told me that you'd played matchmaker for them once…"
Paul laughed.
"Well, it worked didn't it?"
"Nah, I'll take care of my problem myself…"
"You really are your father's son…"
"You were saying about the little trip…," Young Paul changed the subject. "Why on earth are they going in the desert like this every year?"
"What, they didn't tell you?"
"Just something about the need to be reminded of their past every now and then…"
"That should be enough for you. It's not my place to explain…suffice for you to know that your father learned the value of humility, and earned himself many years of happiness, thanks to it."
Young Paul seemed to think about it for a moment, and then he turned to the older one shyly:
"About that girl…"
Paul smiled indulgently as he listened to his godson.
Epilogue
Coleridge Turner climbed out of the Stagecoach and was almost immediately assaulted by strange smells he thought he vaguely remembered, along with the intense heat. If the coach had felt hot, the blazing sun of this June day was almost unbearable. He reflected that he must have become too old for this uncaring climate. Rudolf got out in turn, carrying their bags, and they headed for the Grand Hotel immediately. As he neared it, Coleridge caught sight of a sign that said:
'Cole Turner
Attorney at Law'
The old man almost laughed at the sight. Who would have thought? Yet, he wasn't about to let his son down easy. As he had stopped, Rudolf turned curiously toward him.
"Sir?"
"Why don't you arrange for the rooms, and for a bath to be prepared? I think I'll visit the local attorney myself."
Rudolf followed his gaze and a vague smile spread over his lips before he nodded in acquiescence and left the old man by himself.
Coleridge made his way slowly across the street and just as he was about to open the door to his son's office, he was startled by a young woman heading out. She had on a simple dress, with very little adornments, but Coleridge immediately thought that she didn't need any. The girl was small but stunning all over. There was something so sensual about her that even an old man like him felt a stirring. He told himself, somewhat mockingly, that if he were forty years younger, he'd never let that one pass him by. What's more, even as he watched her, she stared back at him without any sign of reserve.
"Hey, old man…? Seen enough yet?"
Coleridge was startled but at the same time, he had an urge to laugh that he repressed with some difficulties. Without a word, he went in, ignoring the smirk on the girl's lips.
It didn't take long for him to be led into the inner office. There, he watched his son in silence with some curiosity.
"Come on, Dad," Cole said at last, "you used to be more talkative…I'm supposing you didn't come all this way just to check my suit?"
"Well, I was gonna say," Coleridge uttered gruffly, "maybe you should consider changing tailors…"
"You never had any taste…"
"Is that a way to greet your father?"
Cole chuckled unhappily.
"I'm guessing this isn't a visit of courtesy, so whatever you have to say…get it out."
Coleridge had been planning quite the speech, but for some reason, he couldn't utter the words he had wanted to.
"Looks like you made something for yourself," he answered hesitantly instead.
"You've been telling me that I should…"
"I just never thought it'd be in a place like this…"
"Well," Cole replied while surveying his office, "may not be the luxury you're used to, but at least it's all mine."
"You had no reason to throw my money in my face," Coleridge said then, with a mildly reproachful voice.
"I simply found something better…"
Coleridge observed him for a moment, wondering if his son really meant that.
"I think I met one of your customers on the way here…Not exactly a businessman."
"You mean my wife?"
"Your what?"
"My wife…I sent you a letter about her, but I guess it got there after you left."
"Nice of you to let me know," Coleridge replied uncertainly. "You know that she almost called me a dirty old bag?"
"That's Phoebe alright," Cole chuckled. "I'll introduce you properly to her and our daughter later…"
This time, Coleridge was actually stunned. He had many questions now, but one was the foremost on his mind.
"Where's the playboy that left Boston two months ago?"
"I shed him somewhere between the desert and the local prison."
"You were in prison?"
"It's a long story…"
A year later…
"Why in the hell would I wanna come here for our first anniversary," Cole questioned, as he looked around the waterhole with a hint of contempt.
"Hey, I thought you forgave me for that," Phoebe chuckled before dismounting.
"I may have forgiven you, but it doesn't mean I like to be reminded…" In saying so, Cole was getting off the horse reluctantly. He remembered too well the feeling of humiliation he had a little more than a year ago in this very place. Granted, things had changed a lot, but he thought that it was very much like her to bring him here, where he never wanted to set foot again, for a special occasion.
"I'd really prefer we moved on to Tucson, as we had planned…"
"It's already almost nightfall… and besides, I never intended to go there…" Phoebe replied mischievously, as she came to lean heavily against him.
"So you lied…" Cole replied, unable to hold back a smile in spite of his irritation.
"I knew what you'd say…"
"So what's the plan," he questioned, while she began caressing his buttocks suggestively.
"I take off my clothes and you run away for old time's sake?"
"Hum…stripping is definitely part of it."
"Or maybe," Cole replied impishly while grabbing her hips and pulling her tighter against him, "I could try and see if you'll follow me naked in the desert?"
"I wouldn't tempt fate, cowboy…Besides," she added as she felt him already aroused, "I don't think you're going anywhere any time soon…"
"Really?"
"Make love to me and by tomorrow you'll have forgotten all about the bad memories…"
He smiled and began undressing her, kissing her breasts softly as she closed her eyes and sighed with utter contentment. Slowly, his kisses moved toward her belly and he shed her pants while caressing her legs and coming back up slowly toward her buttocks. Then without warning he picked her up and brought her all the way toward the waterhole.
"You know baby," he whispered in her ear, "there's something I really felt like doing last year…"
Without opening her eyes, Phoebe answered in kind.
"I really think I know what it was…"
"I don't think so," he uttered louder, before dropping her into the water.
Phoebe exclaimed loudly in outraged surprise, and then she looked up angrily.
"Hey, what the hell was that for?"
"Just something I felt like," he replied with a mocking smile. "See, that's about what I wanted to do last year…and more."
"Cole Turner, you can't treat the mother of your child like this," Phoebe shouted while slapping the water.
"You know, I don't think Mike would mind her mother taking a bath," he laughed. "As a matter of fact, she'd have some fun here too…"
"I wasn't talking about Mike," Phoebe uttered irritably.
At first, Cole didn't understand what she'd meant. Then, as the truth dawned on him, he went into the water in turn with an astounded expression.
"What do you mean," he asked uselessly.
"From the look of you, I'd say you already know," Phoebe answered with a little smile.
"I thought the doctor said…"
"The doctor is a quack. He wasn't counting on our…persistence."
Realizing what he had just done, Cole slightly panicked.
"Are you ok? I didn't hurt you, did I. Please tell me you're fine," he said while brushing her belly nervously.
"Now that you're wet too, I feel much better…"
Cole looked up suspiciously at this.
"You wouldn't lie to me now, would you? Because really, that'd be too cruel…"
"Hum…although you really deserve some punishment for this…nah, I wouldn't lie to you about something like that," she finally said with a soft smile.
Cole pulled her to him and hugged her so tight, she could barely breathe.
"I gather it makes you happy," she uttered when he gave her a little room to breathe again.
"I love you…"
"Prove it," she uttered playfully.
He kissed her passionately before pulling away with a slightly worried stare.
"Are you sure it's safe?"
"Much safer for you than if you don't, lover…"
"Thank god," he said, while shedding his clothes quickly and throwing the wet outfit on the sand, "cause really, that's the first thing I wanted to do a year ago," he added, between hungry kisses.
"Can I let you in on a little secret," Phoebe questioned between ragged breaths, as he grabbed one of her nipples with his mouth and his tongue played sensuously with it.
"Another?" he questioned hoarsely.
"I wanted just the same thing last year…It was torture to leave…"
"Well," he laughed softly, "I wouldn't wanna torture you now."
His hand went inside her thighs and he caressed her until she parted them on her own. Then he began stroking her loins, exploring her until she let out little screams of delight.
Cole was so hard already it was painful, yet he was still hesitating, and Phoebe called with some frustration.
"Hey, he's not gonna bite!"
"He?" Cole questioned while giving in and entering her with a sigh of release.
"I ordered a boy," she uttered huskily, while her hips moved impatiently.
"Then, I guess we're getting a boy, because lord knows, the gods wouldn't dare contradict you…"
Afterward, they didn't waste any more breath in talking…
Twenty years later.
Young Paul, who looked a lot like Cole Turner, looked up and cringed at the creaking noises coming from the opened upstairs window.
"Oh come on," he said, although with a hint of amusement.
An aging Paul dismounted in the courtyard at this point, and also noted the obvious sounds with a wicked smile.
"Hey boy!" He called to the young man. "Aren't they going on their little annual trip?"
"They had to postpone it when those men came to put up the first derrick. Dad is still amazed that this dirty oil they found while digging for a well might be worth something."
"Hey, who knows, in the end maybe he made a better bargain buying this ranch than taking the old man's money…although of course, the fact Coleridge gave it to you and Mike instead pleased him too…"
Paul noticed the boy casting annoyed looks at the window.
"Wanna take a walk? I don't think they're gonna come up for air any time soon," Paul said with renewed amusement.
"Yeah, let's do that. I guess I should be grateful they're in the bedroom…"
The two of them walked up to where the new derrick was being erected. After they watched the workers for a while in silence Paul suddenly said more seriously:
"You know boy, you shouldn't be so judgemental."
"Oh I'm not…It's just sometimes I wonder how they can still…"
"Oh just be grateful you've got parents still so in love …"
"If you call that love," young Paul uttered with a little smile of his own. "Michelle and I always knew not to walk around this place too much when they disappeared…"
Paul sensed that there was something else to his mood.
"Girl problems…? You know you can come to me any time…"
"Dad told me that you'd played matchmaker for them once…"
Paul laughed.
"Well, it worked didn't it?"
"Nah, I'll take care of my problem myself…"
"You really are your father's son…"
"You were saying about the little trip…," Young Paul changed the subject. "Why on earth are they going in the desert like this every year?"
"What, they didn't tell you?"
"Just something about the need to be reminded of their past every now and then…"
"That should be enough for you. It's not my place to explain…suffice for you to know that your father learned the value of humility, and earned himself many years of happiness, thanks to it."
Young Paul seemed to think about it for a moment, and then he turned to the older one shyly:
"About that girl…"
Paul smiled indulgently as he listened to his godson.
