"Cyn!" Dean yelled in her face while shaking her.
"Huh?"
"You sorta blanked out on us, there." Dean said.
"She was pregnant."
"What?"
"Nicole, she was pregnant. But she wasn't sure if it was Tucker's."
"Well that's jacked up."
"I know. And Geoffrey really loved Nicole. And all she wanted was to have a good wedding and life for her child."
"What exactly does Geoffrey look like?"
"Um, you. I told you that. Why don't you retain things?"
"I was sleepy."
"You were sleep-YOU were sleepy? I've been awake since three o'clock this morning! It is now two o'clock pm! I have tried everything to stay wake! My sugar buzz is wearing down; I have taken shower after shower. And I still have as big a chance of dieing awake and asleep. And I really really need to sleep. I have tried running and orgasms, and I still dose off at the slight time I blink! My eyes hurt and I am so frustrated I could cry!"
"Calm-" Sam started.
"Shut up!" She said turning to him and pointing then turning back to Dean. "All I have to do is have a premonition and I could die! I won't stay awake any longer. No matter what I do I will die. And it needs to be stopped."
"Just take a-"
They both turned to Sam. "Shut up!" They yelled at the same time with their fingers pointed.
"I'm sorry." Dean said.
"What?"
"I've been sort of caught up in keeping you guys safe I sorta didn't let you guys-function. So if you. Want to go to sleep. And die. Be my guest."
"Maybe we could interact and find stuff out."
"Maybe, but I'm going to wake ya'll up at the first sign of something wrong."
"Cool with me." Cyn lay back in her bed with Sam next to her, holding hands. They closed their eyes and soon found themselves in a deep sleep…
Nicole opened her eyes. She was in bed. She heard a tap on her window. She got up and ran over to the window and looked down. There was Tuck, standing there with little pebbles. She opened the window just as he threw another pebble. She quickly stepped out of the way. It flew in and hit the opposite wall.
"Tuck!" She yelled hanging dangerously out of the window.
"Nikki!"
"I thought you went to California!"
"I haven't made it yet."
"Can you come up?"
"I don't know! You're Daddy will kill me!"
"Come up the tree!"
"Come down the tree."
She thought about it. "Meet me in my brother's shed on the side of the house!"
"Okay!" She climbed down the tree in her tank top and panties. She slipped into the grass and walked around the side of the house. She opened the door and walked in. There Tucker was. In a button down red plaid shirt, jeans and work boots. His hair was combed into a wave towards the side of his head and held in place with gel. He looked at her, standing there with a slight drool trail in the corner of her mouth and still in her sleep clothes. Her hair was curly and her legs were long. And yet she looked perfect. She smiled and her cheekbones stood out more prominently and her white teeth showed from under her pouty lips.
"Hi."
"Hi. Um, you do realize that you aren't dressed properly, right?"
"Well, that depends on whose standards of properly you go by."
"Well, I'm talkin' every descent human being in America."
"Who says I'm decent?" She giggled. He held out his arms. She ran into them and took his embrace. "We should move together. Be together and my daddy can't stop us. We're young and at the beginning of our prime. We could do so many things."
"And I could leave behind Geoffrey Dean." There was a shuffle outside the shed. Then they heard the door plunk open. There stood Damien-Nathan, Nicole's brother. His eyebrows rose when he saw Nicole standing there in her underwear, holding Tucker in her arms.
"What's going on? What are you doing here?"
She looked surprised. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm burying seeds for Dad."
"At one in the morning?"
"Well, I don't like to do it in the mornings when the sun's out. It's too hot."
"We live in Oklahoma, it's always hot!"
"It's hotter in the morning. You never answered me about what you're doing out here with Tucker. Dad said you're not to socialize with such folk. His words not mine, Tuck, don't hold it against me."
"None taken. We're just talking. I would never do anything ill wished with Nicole." She looked up at him as if she could believe he just said that.
"Really?"
"Yes." He looked down at her with pleading eyes.
"Speaking of holding it against someone, get your Yankee, red neck, ass off my baby sister."
"Nate."
"Well. You are standing there in less than anyone could say. I thought you all were doing something sinful."
"Well, we're not. So you should go back to planting your seeds. The watermelon will be late for harvest if you don't." Tucker said.
"If you lay one hand on my sister, I'll shoot you with my shotgun."
"Nathan!"
"Nicole."
"Um, I should be going." He leaned down slightly and kissed her. "Love you."
"Love you, too."
"Shotgun."
"I'm not a bad guy; you all just think the worst of me."
"Yeah, he's really sweet."
"Would you bring a demon home and say 'He's just a little misunderstood'?" He said in a really squeaky voice.
"That's spose to be me?"
"Why don't you wander on back to your home, Mr. Covet? If you don't know you're way back, it's up yonder." He pointed. "In the rich people's side of town. And be sure to remove the blood from your hands and your spurs too."
"Listen!" He barked. "My family is what gives you the impression that I have any blood on my hands. They are the ones who have dirty hands and you should thank me! I keep your baby sister away from my family! I am trying hard to disown them but I still love most of them. So excuse me if I happened to get born into this!"
"Excuse me if I don't thank you for putting my sister in danger of wearing cement shoes."
"I would never let anyone hurt Nicole."
"Whatever. Get off my property before I call the police."
"Nathan!"
"Don't make me."
"Please. Do you hear yourself? You sound just like Daddy. We're in love and you're trying to stop us."
"And what's wrong with sounding like me?" They all turned and saw Franklin Watson standing in the doorway. "What's going on here?" He looked at Nathan. "Nathan?"
"Nothing, sir." He looked down to avoid his gaze.
"Nicole?"
"Um, not a thing, sir. We're just talking."
"Then why are you wearing basically only what god gave you?"
"Um, I-"
"Her clothes are being washed, sir." Nathan said standing straight.
"And why is she out here?"
"She was helping me. Feeding the animals and planting."
"And him?" He jerked his thumb at Tuck.
"He was helping with the heavy lifting. You know Diamond is having her baby and Tuck was helping. And you need all the help you can get delivering a calf."
"Yes, that does take work. And why are you in here?"
"To get some blankets."
He gave a look. "I will give it a check-up at sunrise. Finish up and get to bed." He left and they all released a breath.
"Diamond had her baby?"
"Yes. I delivered it an hour ago. No help from you, I saved your ass."
"I know and thank you. In the morning I will fix you breakfast. But I should get to bed." She kissed Tucker and rubbed his arm. "Night." She kissed Nathan on the cheek. She then walked up the stairs and went to bed. The next morning she was awoken by a tap on her door. "What?" She asked with her cracking voice.
"It's Willa!"
"Willa?" She opened it. "How did you get here? It's hardly sunrise."
"I walked." Willa rolled her eyes. Delilah-Willa had bright features, light brown gold flecked eyes, light brown sugar colored skin, and everyone thought she was Nicole's sister. They also thought Nicole was tall, but Willa was taller, 6'1 maybe. Her hair was long and wavy and hung down to the top of her butt. Willa lived two farms away.
"No, how did you get to my bedroom door?"
"I climbed into the hall window." Willa flopped onto the bed. And that was a normal statement for Willa.
"Shouldn't your Dad be making you breakfast?" Willa's father was in essence-a drunk. Allen drank from the minuet he got home from work til he passed out but always got up to cook for Willa on Saturday. And sometimes-most every Friday-Nicole would spend the night at Willa's house so she could witness her father drunk. He would call Nicole Nicollet and ramble on and on about nothing. Pass out on the couch and wake up and make breakfast and wake up Willa-who's full name was Willa Mae-by calling her Billie, and Nicole Nicolas. Willa was two years older than Nicole but they quickly became friends when they both found out they had lost-and never meet-their mothers.
"He had a bad day yesterday so he had more rum than usual." And that happened once a month.
"Well that means you can help me with breakfast."
"I'll make the biscuits." That was the easiest job and classic Willa.
Nicole sighed. "I'll go gather the eggs." Nicole and Willa worked and worked and finished a lot sooner than just Nicole would have. Her father and brother came down the steps.
"Good morning ladies." Her father said. He gave them both hugs.
"Mornin' Mr. Frank."
"Mornin' Daddy. Mornin' Natie." Nate grumbled a greeting. "Oh-kay."
"Smells good."
"Thank you." She put the rest of the food on the table. Nate grabbed some toast and stuck it between his teeth before grabbing the jar of preserves. He reached for the spatula to get some eggs but Frank slapped his hand.
"Use your manners, Nathan. Ladies first." He handed the spatula to Willa.
"Yes, sir." They ate in basic silence except for the occasional comment about the food. Once they finished and Nicole and Willa dressed-Willa had clothes at their house-they asked Nathan could they catch a ride in his truck into town and visit Nicole's grandmother and drop in on her cousins-which he couldn't stand. "Can't you take your bikes?"
"Into town? No way!" Willa said. "It would be too hot and we'd smell bad by the time we got to Marie's."
He exhaled in a sign of annoyance. "Fine but I have to pick you up after two thirty I'm playing basketball with Theo."
"Thank you!" They both said running over and hugging and kissing him on the cheek.
"Ew." He wiped his cheek and ate some grits and got to his feet taking a sausage with him.
"Bye Daddy!" They stepped outside into the warm air and got into the car and off down the road. They were half way into town when a pack of White young men stood in front of the car. Nate rolled his eyes and stopped the car.
"Where ya headed there?" One said leaning into the car.
"Just to my Grandma's." Nicole said from the passenger's seat. Some of the guys laughed.
"Out of the car." They sat there. "Out! Of! The! Car!" They all pilled out. Soon three of the guys were fighting with Nate. Nicole and Willa were huddled together as four or five guys talked to them. Soon they were cornered, pushed up against the car, apart from each other. Two guys with Willa and three with Nicole. One ran his hands through her hair and the others were busy with other things.
"We're not doing anything."
"So?" She shivered. "What's wrong?"
"I'm-a little cold."
"I can see that." One said staring at her breast. He leaned in and kissed her. She made a slight whimper. His hands wandered around her body. A tear ran down her face.
"What the hell are you doing?" A voice yelled from behind the guys, one she vaguely knew. Some of the guys ran and some stayed. Nicole heard a quiet cry next to her.
"You leave my girl alone!" Another yelled. Tucker! The guy was pulled off of her and thrown on the ground then two-hundred pounds of 6'4 man jumped on him and punched him. Nicole stood up straight and ran to the crying next to her. It was Willa, laying half naked and violated. She cried onto the pavement.
"Will, Will get up. Come on sweetie. It's okay." Nicole pulled her friend off the ground and held her. "It's okay, it's okay." Her sobbing got louder and Nicole started to cry. She held Willa's head and rubbed her hair.
"Nicole. Get up." She looked up and saw Geoffrey holding out his hand. She hadn't seen him in a while. She'd talked on the phone very few times to him so she knew the voice. "Get. Up." He grabbed her arm and stood her up. He scooped Willa into his arms and took her to his car.
"Where's Nate?" Nicole said. As if to answer her Tuck came by with Nate strung across his shoulders. He was black and blue-and purple and bloody. Tuck put him in the car. "Oh Nate."
"Get in the car, Nicole." Tuck said getting into Nate's car. "Now."
"I have to be with Willa."
"We're all going to the same place." She climbed into the car.
"I know but-what they did to Willa."…