Jackson
Chapter Four
Ellie's first day of school went well, she came home excited about Miss Lily and Kyle the brainiac and what they were learning. Joel anticipated her enthusiasm waning over the follow weeks, but Ellie stayed fired up about school with Miss Lily. Joel turned over the new garden for his girl. He came home one day to find it all planted. Miss Lily and Kyle had helped Ellie out. Ellie talked about them both a lot, she always had some glowing review of their latest thing. Joel didn't see much of Lily once he got working again, passing on the street here and there mostly. The men Joel worked the watch with were decent guys and soon enough he started making friends with his fellow townies.
Things between Joel and Tommy seemed to get better too. They made it a point to get together for a few drinks at one house or the other a few nights a week. Some nights they would sit up long after Maria or Ellie went to bed; they had a lot of years of catching up to do. Finally one night on their third drink after Maria headed off to bed, Joel told Tommy what really happened in Salt Lake. He told his brother about how Marlene and her sick friends were going to take apart his little girls brain. Tommy listened to his big brother tell the tale of escaping St Mary's with Ellie in his arms. Tommy assured his brother he had done the right thing. Joel swore Tommy to secrecy, he didn't even tell Maria.
About a week after his talk with Tommy about Salt Lake Joel arrived home and walked into the smell of cooking food. He smelled beef, onion and garlic. "Ellie, I'm home," he called out dropping his gear on the table.
"We're in here," she answered from the kitchen.
We who? Joel braced himself and walked into the good smells. He was please it was just Ellie and her teacher. "Miss Lily, it's nice to see you again."
She smiled at Joel. "How are you Joel?"
"Pretty good, settled right in. How's Ellie doin in school?"
"She's doing great."
"Something smells real good in here."
Ellie was quite proud of herself. "I'm making roast beef for dinner. It will be done in about an hour."
"Is Miss Lily helping you?"
"Miss Lily is grading her," Lily answered.
"A roast beef test?" Joel looked at her quizzically.
"Cooking is chemistry and physics. The organics we're working with, the temperature we maintain."
Joel chuckled at the teacher. "Well your science smells delicious. I cant wait to eat."
Ellie giggled. "You need to get cleaned up first, there's something gooey all over your shirt."
"Axel grease," he looked down at the smudge.
"Whatever, you're a mess and you smell like an engine."
"Then I'll just have to excuse myself to go get cleaned up."
The girl smiled deviously. "Go make yourself pretty." Ellie turned back to her teacher and the old book she had her reading on the table. Lily said White Fang was a classic, Ellie could see why. "I'm kind of hesitant to finish the book. I'm invested in the story now and I don't want it to end."
Teacher smile. "That's why I give you a break between good books. Its hard to get into a new story when you're still living in another."
"Yeah, Ellie nodded. Lily got it, she was a reader too. "I kinda want to get a dog." Ellie smiled and Lily laughed.
2
Joel went up to his bathroom and indulged in a hot shower. He dressed and went back down into the smell of dinner almost ready. Lily was in the living room looking over the dvds on the bookshelf. "Miss Lily," he greeted.
She looked up at Joel, he wasn't in his usual flannel, but just a t shirt instead. She could see where his arm had healed where he was winged above the elbow. "How were things at the power plant?"
"It's been real quiet."
"Good. Ellie is boiling some potatoes, dinner will be ready soon."
"I'm starvin."
Lily stepped closer to Joel. "How's the ear?"
He bent a little and turned to show her. "Healed up for the most part."
She gently took his ear and felt around the nick. "You've got a notch alright. Like an old barn cat."
"It aint bothered me none, I think its alright."
"Lily should I..." Ellie stopped short and stared. As she had come out into the dining room Joel looked up at her. As he looked up Lily's hand fell from his ear to his shoulder. What Ellie saw was Joel and her teacher standing all close and touching. "Holy shit were you just kissing?!"
Joel straightened as Lily turned to Ellie. "Ellie," Joel warned.
"No, I was examining the scar tissue on his ear." Lily was patient.
"Oh," Ellie frowned suspicious and embarrassed at the same time. She looked up at her pops. "So 'check out my scars' is your pick up line? Pretty weak Joel."
"Ellie," he furrowed his brows at her, but Miss Lily laughed.
"You came in here to ask me something Ellie?" Lily saved.
She let up on Joel. "My potatoes are getting kinda frothy."
Lily started for the kitchen. "Lets go see."
Joel stood frowning as the girls went back into the kitchen. Ellie's wishful thinking was a tad flustering; Joel had smelled the hint of a sweet, flowery perfume on Lily when he leaned down for her. Another thing Joel missed from the old days was the smell of a woman. They had fancy shampoos and body sprays and lotions. His ex wife had favored strawberry and lilac.
"Go ahead and turn the heat down Ellie," Lily's voice floated from the kitchen.
He wanted a drink to drown the memories, but it would have to wait. Joel would be on his best behavior around Miss Lily no matter how good she smelled or looks or cooks. He shook away the thoughts and went into the kitchen for some of that lemony tea.
3
Ellie served up a delicious dinner. Joel praised her cooking and Lily assured her she passed with flying colors. They talked about the herbs Lily had everyone growing, they talked about the books Ellie had been assigned to read. They talked about the way food was before the end, Ellie found Gordon Ramsey fascinating. The adults reminisced about the old television shows they used to watch. The irony of being The Walking Dead fans wasn't lost on them and Lily admitted to being a proud Whovian. She told Ellie about the doctor and the TARDIS; call me sexy was one of her favorite moments in the series. As dinner came to a close Ellie proposed to Lily "Joel and I are watching more Xena after dinner. You should stay and watch an episode or two with us."
"Aint you got homework Ellie?" Joel lifted a brow at his girl's cozy offer.
"Do you have not aint you got," Lily corrected.
"I'll finish White Fang in bed latter." She turned back to her teacher. "We're almost at the end of season one."
Lily had been a fan of the show. She smiled at Ellie. "Which episode did you leave off on?"
"The next episode we have to watch is called Callisto."
"Oh snap! Callisto's my bitch yo," Lily lost herself for a just second. Big daddy gave her a curious look as Ellie giggled. Lily cleared her throat. "What I mean to say is; how very exciting, Callisto is a favorite character of mine."
Ellie laughed harder. "So you'll stay and watch?"
She couldn't turn down the ladder fight goodness. Lily sighed. "Yes okay, but just one episode."
Joel looked across the table at another girl all excited about Xena and shook his head. "I'll put on some coffee for us after dinner Miss Lily."
"That would be lovely."
4
Callisto got both of the ladies on the couch quite pumped. Lily told Ellie about Lucy Lawless' career after the episode and then she insisted she had to go. The evening had taken on a chill and Joel insisted she wear one of his flannels home. At least she talked him out of walking her there. Lily just wanted to get home, smoke a bowl and put away the clean laundry sitting up on her bed.
When Lily left Ellie was all smiles. "That was fun."
"You two seemed to enjoy yourselves." With the school teacher gone Joel could have a drink so he did.
"So did you. You wanted to walk her home. Is that because you were kissing earlier?"
His girl peeked at him over the couch as he poured whiskey into a short glass. "We wasn't kissin and walkin a lady home is the polite thing to do."
"Are you sure it wasn't because you want to be alone with her? Cuz, you know, I can arrange it for you." Ellie pressed. Joel frowned and she cracked up laughing.
"You can get those wild ideas you got about me and Miss Lily right out of your head. One crazed Xena fan is enough to look after."
"Are you sure about that old man?"
Ellie didn't understand what kind of trouble Lily could be. "Oh I'm sure," he sipped his drink.
She relented for the night. Ellie knew how to pick her battles and a fun evening with Lily here was victory enough to make her happy. "Are we gonna watch another episode or what?"
"Alright, one more."
5
Joel was working his last shift before having two days off when Tommy showed up at the power plant. He made his usual rounds then had lunch with his brother. Tommy had been by Lil's place earlier to drop off some crap for Maria when he saw big brother's shirt hanging over her kitchen chair. Naturally he had jumped to the most drastic conclusion and Lily was none to happy with being accused you fuckin my brother now? An argument had ensued, she threw him out and his day had been shitty since. He chewed his ham sandwich scowling at Joel.
"Who pissed in your kool-aide little brother?" Joel finally had to ask.
"You saw Lil last night."
"She had Ellie cooking dinner when I got home."
"So you had dinner together?"
Joel drank from his water bottle. "Had dinner then the girls watched some Xena."
"The girls huh? Then what happened?"
"Miss Lily went home, me and Ellie watched some more tv."
"I found your shirt at her place this morning."
Here we go. "I let her borrow it last night, it was chilly outside."
"Awful familiar of ya aint it?"
"It was the polite thing to do."
Tommy laughed disgusted and threw down his sandwich. "Bullshit you just wanted yer scent all over her."
It would be funny if Tommy didn't look so angry. "It was cold, that's all."
His brothers story was the same as Lil's, but Tommy knew Joel; he knew him before the world went to hell, he knew him in a time when a girl wearing your jacket meant you liked her. "Lil gave me the same story."
"It aint a story its what happened. Did you go and say something to piss her off?"
Tommy frowned at the source of his troubles. "I asked her if she was fuckin you. That didn't go over too well."
"Please tell me Ellie wasn't there when you had your idiot fit you jack hole."
"It was before the kids got there," Tommy pout.
"What the hell is wrong with you boy? I already told you I aint chasing after Miss Lily and if I recall I told you that you needed to get over her."
"Your clothes were in her place," Tommy waved a hand over his sandwich.
He sighed wondering if his idiot brother got him into trouble with Ellie's teacher. "I assume she told you why."
"Yeah she did. Then she yelled at me a lot, called me an asshole and threw me out of her place."
"You idiot." Joel picked up his own sandwich. He took a bite and chewed angrily.
"She told me you and her aint none of my business, but I think it is. Lil's already been with enough bad men, she don't need no more of that shit."
"I just love how you think I'm some kind of monster."
"I know what you are, that's why I want you to stay away from Lil."
The brothers stared each other down. "What would you do if I were to say no? What if I were to decide that I liked Lily and wanted to know her a little better?"
Tommy laughed coldly. "You don't wanna know what I'd do to protect Lil."
"Is that right?" Their relationship had advanced on many other levels, but Tommy never budged when it came to Miss Lily.
"You think a string of broken romances is gonna set a good example for Ellie?" Tommy dug.
"I never said anything like that."
"Its how you are big brother. I aint never seen you content with a woman yet, not even when she gave you a child."
"That wasn't all on me," Joel snapped back.
"I aint lettin you do that to Lil. She's been through enough already she don't need you fuckin with her head."
He brought a hand up and rubbed his beard. "You got me all wrong Tommy."
"Just back off my friend Joel okay?"
Pissy little brother. "I will if you will."
"I already have." Tommy stood up and threw what was left of his lunch back into his paper sack. "I got shit to do." He didn't say goodbye, he just turned and stormed off.
Joel watched him go and then turned back to his lunch. Baby brother was way too protective, Joel wondered what was said between Tommy and his Lil. He hoped his brother hadn't put him in dutch with Ellie's teacher. He wondered what the hell made baby brother and Miss Lily so close. Tommy wasn't forthcoming, maybe Lily would be , or maybe Joel really didn't want to know. He sighed and let it go for now. Tommy would settle down in a few days and things would go back to normal, Joel would just ride it out.
The kick in the ass was that Joel did like Lily, he was sure they would be good friends if they made the time. Lily was great with and for Ellie and Joel could enjoy her company too. Had the woman been anyone other then Tommy's Lil, Joel might take a man's interest in her; she smelled damn good. Tess never wore perfume. He stared down at his lunch for a moment then began eating again. He was willing to bet Tess would like Miss Lily and vice versa. The two of them together would be way worse then any Xena episode. The thought put a smile on his face and he finished his lunch.
6
It took Tommy three days to quit being pissy and drop by for a drink. Neither mentioned Miss Lily and things smoothed over. A few days after that Ellie came home from school all excited about the town's anniversary celebration, New Jackson was turning four. She repeated what Lily told her about it; there was going to be a lot of food, booze and music. Ellie was making a dress to wear to the party as another one of Lily's lessons. She assured big daddy it was tasteful.
Ellie worked hard on her dress and a sleeve to hide her "burn scar" she always kept covered up. It came out way better then she thought it would, both Lily and Kyle agreed it was beautiful. She couldn't wait to show it to Joel, when he got home Ellie came hurrying down the stairs wearing it. He dropped his gear, turned and stared at her. "Well, what do you think?"
He thought his little girl was turning into a young lady right before his eyes. "Well look at you, aint you pretty," he smiled for her. "This is the dress you've been working on?"
"Yeah its great isn't it? I mean its not to girly or anything right?"
"It's very nice Ellie."
"Lily helped me, like a lot in some places, but I'm getting pretty good at this sewing stuff."
Miss Lily's solution to boring curriculum was to do a little bit of everything all at once. It seemed to work well enough, Ellie was learning all sorts of things. "I'd say so."
"Are you looking forward to the party?"
"Are you kiddin me? All that barbeque, I can't wait."
7
The anniversary celebration brought out the whole town. A barbeque station dominated one side of the town hall lawn, a bar and beverage tables on the other. Across the street tables and chairs filled the old Catholic church, parents minded playing children on the grass. Old country music drifted out of the churches open doors and out into the summer streets. Family and friends mingled and chatted. Joel and Ellie found Tommy and Maria over by the tables lined up for the home brewed beer.
"Wow Ellie look at you," Maria beamed at the pretty girl.
"Thanks Maria."
"You want a beer big brother?" Tommy offered right away.
"I'll try one."
Tommy turned and plucked a beer from one of the many coolers. "Randy brewed this stuff." He passed it to Joel.
Joel took his beer and opened it. He sampled a sip, holding it in his mouth for a minute before swallowing. "That's pretty darn good," he chuckled pleased.
"You guys hungry?"
"I want me a big old plate of barbeque."
The brothers hit the food and each carried a heaping tray of yummy over to the church to sit and eat. They all sat and ate as a family, Ellie took special care not to get anything on her dress. Joel and Tommy both stuffed themselves and kicked back at the table with another beer. Ellie was rolling her eyes at their gross when she spotted Lily, Kyle and his dad talking in the street. "See ya," she told the old farts at the table and ran off to meet her friends.
Kyle saw Ellie coming and smiled at her. "Hey kid."
"Hey kid," she smiled back. Lily was wearing a pretty dress too just like she promised she would. "Hey Lily, hi Mr. Jacobs."
"You had," Kyle stopped, bowed dramatically at his teacher and then turned back to Ellie. "What I meant to say was; pardon me miss, have you had a candy apple yet?"
Ellie laughed at his theatrics. "Is that a challenge?"
"Indubitably."
The kids cut up laughing and daddy Jeff cleared, "Go on then and get your sugar rush."
"Thank you," Kyle bowed a little at his elders, took Ellie's hand and the two of them ran off to the candy apple stand down the street.
From his seat in the church Joel had seen the whole thing. That boy just took Ellie's hand and Miss Lily just stood there and watched?! He hard eyed the woman in a sundress chatting up some guy. "Oh really, what's this happy horse shit?" Joel set to draining his second beer.
Tommy looked where big brother was focused. "That's Jeff Jacobs down there with Lil. He's Kyle's dad."
"That boy just went runnin off with Ellie, holdin hands." Joel got up and left the table. Miss Lily and Jeff Jacobs were engaged in conversation as Joel crossed the church lawn with Tommy a dozen steps behind him. "Miss Lily," he called to her as he approached.
Lily turned and saw angry dad. "Oh hey Joel, this is Jeff, he's Kyle's dad."
Jeff stuck his hand out to meet Tommy's brother. He looked as mean as the rumors said he was. "Good to meet you Joel."
He shook the man's hand. "You too Jeff." Right back on Lily's case he started "Did I just see Ellie and Kyle run off holding hands while you stood here all smiles doin nothing about it?"
"Hey," Tommy jumped into the fray as Lily made that face. "Hey Jeff, hey Lil, don't you look beautiful."
"My boy understands your daughter aint of age Joel," Jeff defended.
"You tellin me you raised the boy proper?" he spoke father to father.
"They're good friends nothing more." Jeff stood his ground.
Tommy slinked past Joel to Lily. "Really Lil," he tried to ease. "You look great."
Joel's back hair was already up and he turned to baby brother and his Lil. Tommy was right, Miss Lily was beautiful. "Tommy, quit humpin Miss Lily's leg for five minutes would ya? I'm trying to have a conversation here."
Tommy laughed, Jeff chuckled, but Lily glared at Joel. "Excuse me?"
"As far as I'm concerned Miss Lily, whether the hand holding is innocent or not you shoulda put a stop to it."
"Uhh, what?" Lily tried to stay cool. She pointed at a couple of kids running around together joined at the flanges. "Should I stop them too?"
"You don't have to worry about my boy," Jeff was getting annoyed. "And you don't need to be talking like that to Lily, I don't care whose brother you are."
Joel straightened and faced bucky bad ass. "Is that so?"
"Boys," Tommy warned.
Oh for the love of... The macho posturing was going to give her a headache before she even got to drink. "Knock it off, both of you." She took Joel's hand with her right and Jeff's with her left. "See, this is not a problem."
He wanted to shake his hand loose, but Joel wasn't letting go until the other guy did. "I've never been nothing but a gentleman to you Miss Lily."
"Nor have I. I taught my boy how to be a man just fine thank you," Jeff countered.
Tommy had seen this before. "Come on boys, lets be civil."
Lily tried to let go, but neither stubborn bastard released her. "Get off of me!"
Miss Lily pulled her hand away, Joel let go but Jeff Jacobs didn't. Instead he pulled Lily right up on him and tucked her protectively behind him. "You got a problem with me or my son, that's fine I'll solve it, but you leave Lily out of this."
Joel lifted his eyebrows at Jeff and Tommy stepped between them. "Okay, ya'all are protective of your kids and Lil too I guess, but lets not let this get ugly. Let's have a beer and talk it over like grown men and woman. I didn't forget you Lil, but if you wanna go sit with Maria while I get these two rowdy dicks under control it might be helpful."
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Lily stepped out from behind Jeff and away from him. She walked up to Tommy and gave him a good shove in the chest. "You get outta here!"
Tommy tried to grab Miss Lily and Joel wasn't having it. He stepped up and grabbed the schoolteacher by the waist with one arm. Joel pulled her away from Tommy. "I have had about enough of that."
Both Tommy and Jeff straightened and hard eyed Joel. "That is enough!" Lily was furious. "I am done playing pass the Lily with you fucktards." She faced Joel first and shoved him out of her way. Lily turned to Jeff and slapped him in the face then she turned on Tommy. She closed a fist and socked him in the eye. Tommy staggered back and Lily stomped off to get a beer.
There was a long moment where the guys all stood around looking at each other. Tommy blinked a few times. "Well alright then."
Joel wanted another beer too. He favored baby brother with a look of disgust then set his eyes back on Jeff Jacobs. "You just mind your boy." He turned and went after Lily. She was guzzeling a home brew when he reached for another. "Miss Lily."
Lily swallowed, caught her breath and said "If you ever put your hands on me again, unless its to save my life, you'll be wearing your balls as earrings are we clear?"
He took a long drink staring at her big dark eyes. He was pretty sure she meant it. "I want a word with you Miss Lily."
"Ellie is fine."
"This aint about Ellie, this is about Tommy." He grabbed two more cold ones and hooked an arm around hers. "Lets go over here where I can see Ellie and we can have a more private conversation."
"What did I say about the touching?" she growled as Joel pulled her to a private patch of lawn.
He let her go and set their unopened beers in the grass. "You're going to tell me about you and Tommy."
"Okay first of all, I don't take orders from you and second, Tommy and I are none of your fucking business."
"He makes me and you his, so I'm makin him and you mine."
"What...what are you talking about? Me and you?"
"Tommy told me not to get tangled up with you. I wanna know why my little brother is so dang enthralled with a woman that aint his wife."
"Are you implying that I'm fucking Tommy?"
"Are you?"
She crinkled her nose at him. "No."
"We're you, before Maria?"
"Not that its any of your fucking business, but no. Tommy and I are close because I was the one repeatedly saving his life while you were busy running drugs and robbing motherfuckers."
There was venom in the woman's eyes. It was clear she loved Tommy, it was clear Tommy had talked about him to her. "I've made my share of mistakes."
"Tommy owes me a life debt seven fold. He did save me twice, I'll give him credit for that, but the score is still in my favor."
"My brother's crazy about you." Joel sipped his beer.
"No, he's crazy about you and me and the hell of Armageddon such a vicious pair of super villains would rain down on the earth. He really doesn't have a problem with me fucking anyone else."
"Like Jeff Jacobs?" he grumbled.
She put a fist on her hip and cocked her head at him. "You think I'm fucking Kyle's dad?"
"No," he frowned. "Are ya?"
"No," she snapped back and worked to drain her beer.
"Well is there somebody?" his mouth worked ahead of his brain. Joel shut up and blamed the weird beer.
"Am I fucking someone currently? No, but I do get asked out on occasion. Mostly I decline. Why do you ask?"
"I...I guess that's none of my business."
"Tommy thought I was fucking you, over a shirt."
"He was miserable for a few days," Joel concede.
Lily watched her students get their candy apple. "Make sure Ellie brushes her teeth."
"I always do Miss Lily." He watched her watching her students return to Tommy and Kyle's dad. Joel sighed. "I reckon I judged you too harshly when it came to Ellie and that boy. I'm sorry my temper got the better of me. I just worry about Ellie and its tough trusting other people with her."
They were half way there. "And all the grabby stuff?"
Joel shook his head. "Naw, I stand by that. Tommy don't need to be putting his hands on you for any reason other then to save your life," he used her words against her. "Tommy is married. As for Jeff Jacobs, the guy outta be knocked on his ass and if the kids weren't around I'd do it. He's the grabby one."
Lily smiled at his devious logic. "You're a real piece of work." Lily could drink to that and she did.
"I can say the same thing about you Miss Lily." Joel was downwind of Lily and damn she smells good. The breeze pulled at the loose strands of hair that escaped the giant clip holding it all to the back of her head. He watched her sip her beer, her lips looked soft. "I can see why he got all protective, you look beautiful Miss Lily."
"Are you hitting on me Joel?"
"Just stating the facts ma'am."
"Don't call me ma'am."
"Yes Miss Lily."
She had been warned off this guy, but that just always made it all the more appealing. Tommy's big brother was forbidden territory, but Lily hated following the rules. "You got something you wanna say to me Joel?"
"I think I did." He looked at her until she smiled for him again. "Sorry I busted up your date."
"I wasn't on a date with Jeff I met him in front of the beer."
"You don't say?" he couldn't help but smile.
"You find that funny somehow?"
"No Miss Lily."
"I don't see your date," she jabbed back pointedly.
"I don't need one. I got my hands full with Ellie, you too I suppose."
"I don't need a chaperone."
Joel sipped more beer. It was good and it had been a long time since he last tasted home brew. It was every bit as delicious as the barbeque ribs or Lily's wildflower scent. "Beggin your pardon Miss Lily, but you are drinking."
"The beer you brought me bub. I suppose you're going to offer to walk me home after you get me drunk too."
"I figure I better walk you home either which way. You sure are turning a lot of heads."
The low hanging fruit was always easiest to pluck. "Which heads?" she rolled her eyes and drank more brew.
Tommy started their way and Joel sighed. "Well there ya go."
"Everybody cool?" Tommy asked Joel mostly.
"Sure thing little brother, we're just having a beer."
"You gonna hit me again Lil?"
"Maybe later. I'm going to go talk to Maria." She took her beverages and left.
Tommy watched her go. "She always was good at stirrin up a mans will to fight. You leave Jeff alone now you hear."
"As long as he keeps his boy in check I will."
"You let Lil alone too."
"I'm lookin out for the both of you."
"Look with your eyes not your damn hands."
Joel shook his head. "Can we just go enjoy the damned party?"
"Yeah alright. Let me grab Maria a fresh beer."
8
Around ten o clock Joel sent Ellie home with Maria, he had tomorrow off and was taking full advantage of the beer and food. He stuck around with Tommy and Lily not quite trusting them alone. The partying townsfolk had moved into the church and cleared a dance floor for the music playing from the pulpit. The brothers and the schoolteacher sat around a remaining table. Joel was having some of the last chicken wings off the grill, Tommy and Lily were still nursing beers. Finally Tommy put it out there, "You gonna dance with me Lil?"
"Not if you aint got rock and roll I aint you hillbilly tea tard."
"Hey now, I voted for Obama, twice."
"I didn't" Joel licked his fingers clean.
"I'm sure they got something. Don't kill each other before I get back." Tommy left dueling politics behind in favor of the cd player.
"Please don't tell me you actually voted for McCain Palin."
Tommy didn't find any rock on the table but he did find something that would take them all back a ways. He asked Steve to put it on next and went back to the table. "Got somethin comin on for you Lil. You drunk enough to sing yet?"
Lily laughed at him. "Are you?"
Steve switched the cds to the one Tommy request in and the familiar piano started. "Lil," Tommy offered her his hand.
Miss Lily took it and started singing to Tommy as they moved to the dance floor. Joel knew the song, Lady Antebellum was still country and Need You Now had been one of his favorites. He watched his married brother and Ellie's teacher sing a rather romantic song to each other as Tommy turned her around the dance floor. It crossed his mind again that there was more about their past then either Tommy or Lily was letting on. Joel certainly didn't think Maria would be okay with the two of them being so damned friendly in front of half the town and Miss Lily hadn't said she was telling on Tommy for anything in the past hour. About half way through the song Tommy gave Lily a hug and Joel decided it was time to intervene.
He got up and wove his way through the other dancing couples. Joel pat his brother on the shoulder. "Mind if I cut it?"
"Actually I do."
He leaned closer to his brother to keep what he said private. "Half the town is watching you fall all over her. Back off right now Tommy." Joel straightened and guided Lily out of Tommy's arms. Little brother looked around frowning and went back to the table.
"What the hell was that?" Lily asked her new dance partner.
Joel pulled her closer and spoke in her ear. "You two look way too friendly out here in front of all these people. My brother is a married man Miss Lily it aint right for the two of you to be carrying on like that."
"You are reading way too much into it. Its an old song we used to sing back in the day."
"Maybe its time I see you home, before a scandal breaks out around you."
Lily rolled her eyes. She suspected that maybe was displacing some of his own feelings onto Tommy. "Really?" It was getting late and she didn't want to argue with Tommy's big brother. The song gave way to Can't Take my Eyes off of You. "I'm scandalous huh?"
"You could start a riot in that dress."
"Is it too much?"
"More like too little," he had never seen Miss Lily show off so much leg or cleavage.
"Did you check me out?"
"I got eyes in my head."
She smiled. "Is that a yes?"
Joel looked over at Tommy. Little brother was watching them dance as he sulked into his beer. "Yes Miss Lily." He smiled down at her. The song bade them lay here beside me just hold me and don't let go.
"There's nothing funny going on around here, but I will let you take me home. I want to be up at a decent time to water the garden."
"Alright then," Joel turned Miss Lily to the music. "Right after this song."
9
Tommy wasn't happy the couple was leaving, but big brother told him "Go home to your wife," and whisked Lil off into the night.
"See, you didn't have to worry about Kyle."
"I was worried about his daddy too."
"And again everything was fine."
He saw her shiver and immediately removed his jacket. "Here Miss Lily put this on."
Lily didn't argue, she slipped her arms into warm sleeves. "Thank you."
"I think its a good idea I keep an eye on you, especially around Tommy."
"Tommy and I never have and never will. I don't see him that way. He's more like a pervert brother or something."
"Pervert brother huh?"
"Look Joel, I met Tommy at a time in my life when I was working through some things and a good friend like Tommy was exactly what I needed. I took care of him too, he used to camp out with me when he didn't want to go home to you."
He nodded, Joel could understand partners. "I'm just worried his carrying on like a love sick fool with you is going to cause him trouble with Maria."
Lily kept walking, her house wasn't far now. "Maria knows we are not like that."
"I bet it would still sting if she saw you and Tommy dancein like that no matter what you've told her about the two of you."
"Really?" she grumbled feeling scolded.
"Got my attention."
"Maybe you're just jealous of the attention your brother gives me."
"He shouldn't be giving you that kind of attention Miss Lily."
She sighed too tired to deal with Joel's morality issues and Lily was quickly losing her buzz. "I'm sure your right."
"You don't need to patronize me."
"Right back at ya asshole." Lily picked up the pace and left Joel two steps behind.
Godamnit. "Now wait just a minute Miss Lily."
"Get off my case already Joel. I said nothing is going on and nothing is."
"It just looks bad is all."
"But dancing with you is fine?"
"I aint the one married to Maria."
She shook her head and kept walking. "I think you should spend some more time with Tommy and Maria, get to know them better."
"I know my brother."
"Not half as well as you think. That's why you're hating on me; I do know Tommy."
"I'm not hating on you," he scoffed.
Lily stopped on the sidewalk and looked up at Tommy's big brother. "Are you going to try and tell me that there isn't tension here? It's been here since day one."
"We got off on the wrong foot maybe, but what's between us aint got nothing to do with Tommy."
"What's between us?"
"I just mean that you're Ellie's teacher and all."
"I thought me teaching Ellie wasn't a problem."
"Its not," Joel sighed frustrated. "Can we please just stop."
She shifted her feet. "Fine," Lily started for home again It wasn't about Tommy and it wasn't about Ellie. Joel and Lily's problem was about Joel and Lily. He followed her down her walk to her door. Lily shrugged off his coat and handed it back to him "Here."
As he took his coat he could see in the lamplight she looked pissed. "Please Miss Lily, don't be angry with me and please don't be thinking I don't like you any. I'm actually quite fond of you."
Perhaps Joel was upset about the attention Tommy paid her for other reasons. "How fond?"
"I reckon I like you a lot Miss Lily."
"Do you want to have sex with me?" she guessed that was it.
Joel blinked at her. "Is that a rhetorical question or an invitation?"
"Invitation?" she laughed. "Aren't you bold."
"You're the one asking if I wanna go to bed."
"That's not what I said."
He had to laugh. "You just asked if I want to have sex with you."
"Because I want to know not because I want to fuck. You misinterpreted my words and totally deflected the question."
"Of coarse I did," he laughed again. Miss Lily was all smarts, but this was the first time he had seen miss tough as nails look a little flustered. He pushed his luck and stepped closer to Lily. "Yes."
"Yes?"
"I reckon the sex between us would be pretty good."
"We are both fairly athletic." She smiled as a big grin spread across Joel's face. "So maybe the fuckable factor is what causes us to rub each other the wrong way?"
He lifted his brows. "Fuckable factor?"
Lily got closer to the forbidden one, the rebel in her cheered her on. "I've got eyes too."
"You check me out Miss Lily?"
"Naturally."
"And you find me fuckable as you so eloquently put it?"
She shrugged her shoulders indecisively. "I'd have to kiss you to decide something like that."
"I'm right here," he offered. "I mean, you wanna know right?"
"Shut up and kiss me Joel."
He didn't need to be asked twice, in a flash Lily was in his arms. He pulled her close to him and kissed her. Lily was soft and warm and the wildflowers in her hair were driving him crazy. He wanted to take her hair down, kiss her everywhere, taste the perfume on her skin. Lily held him tighter pushing her ample bosom into his chest, their kiss became more heated.
They came up for air and Joel went after her neck. "We shouldn't be doing this here right under my porch light where all of my neighbors can see. Let's move this inside."
"You inviting me in Miss Lily?"
"I'm inviting you to bed with me."
"Yeah we should probably do that inside." He let Lily go long enough for her to unlock the door and close it behind them and then Joel was kissing her again. He put Tommy and all the fuss of the townie party out of his head and followed Lily up to bed.
Their lovemaking had been energetic to say the least. When it was over Lily got up and slipped on a little pink robe. She went to her vanity and rolled a joint. She lit up and brought it back to bed with her. Joel lay back on his stack of pillows with a contented smile on his face. Lily hit the joint and crawled back into bed. "Look at you," she exhaled and offered him the smoke.
Joel took a hit, it had been a long time since he had smoked any weed. "Look at me? Naw look at you. You're beautiful."
She took the joint back and rolled her eyes. "You don't have to flatter me into bed Joel, we're in it."
"I think you should come spend some time with me and Ellie, I'd like to see a lot more of you Lily."
"Is that how you want this to go?"
"You were expecting wham bam thank you ma'am?"
"No I... I wasn't really expecting this at all."
He sat up behind Lily. "We're good together Lily, with Ellie, with each other. I think there's enough here to give us a chance."
"You do?"
"Sure I do." He took her face in his hands and kissed Lily again. "You feel that too. Spend some time with me and Ellie, Lily please."
"Alright Joel. I'll let you have it your way, for now."
10
Ellie had gone to bed at a reasonable hour and got up at her usual eight o clock on Sunday. There was no sign of Joel downstairs so she went to his room to check on him. He probably had a hangover and slept in. Too bad I'm hungry. Joel was not in his room. "What the hell Joel?"
Figuring he was sleeping off a drunk on Uncle Tommy's couch Ellie headed up the street in her pajamas and slippers. Joel wasn't there either. Uncle Tommy was in a hangover coma, but Maria told Ellie that last night Tommy said Joel walked Lily home. Now she was super suspicious as well as kind of annoyed and hungry. She was determine to get to the bottom of her missing parental unit and walked all the way down to Lily's house.
Lily was outside watering her vegetable garden when Ellie came through the gate. "Lily?"
She turned to Ellie stunned silent for a moment. "What...is it Ellie?"
"Are you hungover too?"
"I was up late."
"Is Joel here?"
"Yes he is. He was in pretty rough shape when we got here so I made him lay down in the guest room and he passed right out."
Ellie shook her head and sighed. "Is he up yet?"
Crap. "Let's go get some juice and see what's up." She set the hose down and led Ellie into the kitchen. She took out two glasses and set them on the table, then went for the juice in the fridge.
Joel didn't hear Ellie come in. He was only half dressed as he headed for the coffee in the kitchen. "Lily you shoulda woke me up. I gotta get home before Ellie-."
"Before Ellie what?" the teen at the table questioned sharply as Joel came in. It dawned on her that Joel had his shirt in his hand and his socks hanging out of his back pocket. She looked into Joel's face wide eyed, he was defiantly surprised to see her here. "Wait a minute," she looked from Joel to Lily and back again. "You guys totally had sex didn't you?"
"Ellie," Joel tried.
Lily found it funny. "Totally."
"You were going to lie to me about it too weren't ya? Spare room my ass."
"It aint nothin you need to concern yourself with," Joel pulled his t shirt on over his head.
"You didn't come home, didn't leave a note or nothing," Ellie chastise.
He straighten himself up. "Sorry about that Ellie."
"Pffft, had me worried for nothing." She tried to look annoyed but inside she was thrilled.
Lily got another glass and poured everyone juice. "Fuck it I'm making pancakes."
They had breakfast together like a family and then he needed to get home to shower and Ellie had to get dressed. Joel sent her out the door first and turned to Lily. "How about you make the time to come visit with me and Ellie later? I got three days on at the plant after today, but it still do me good to see your smiling face once on a while." She smiled at him and he kissed her.
"I'll drop by this evening."
"I'm lookin forward to it already." He kissed her goodbye and went out to walk home with Ellie.
She looked up at Joel. "You guys were kissing in there weren't you?"
"That aint your business Ellie."
"Uh duh, of course its my business. What if you and Lily end up shacking up?"
"I think you're gettin ahead of yourself girlie."
"Well you guys are together right?"
He sighed trying not to think about last night. ""We're gonna try it on and see how it fits."
"Yeah I'll bet you are," Ellie rolled her eyes in feign disgust, but she was happy. Joel and Lily were a good match, for them and for her.
"Let's just get you home, walking the streets in your jammies aint right."
Ellie laughed quietly and walked home with her pops. Lily came by after dinner and watched some Xena with them. Ellie went up to bed at her usual time; Lily didn't leave until the girl had been asleep for hours.