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48

Saturday, Nov. 2
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The next morning, Zenna cooked breakfast for the family, then took Barb up to the barn. They quickly cared for the horses. Zenna could tell that her new sister wanted to share something. She wasn’t sure how to encourage her, but finally Barb spoke as they gave out the last portion of grain to the mare with the new filly.

“Dis is where he did it,” Barb showed her the pile of hay. “I named da filly Virginia because she was der too – da moment I lost my virginity.” She smiled and continued. “It was always his intention, I know now… I would have been smarter had I known.”

“All men are like that – at least a little,” Zenna replied, thinking of Matt.

“Even my broder?”

“Yes! Within minutes of meeting him, I had already refused him the first time! He said he was teasing, but I understood.”

“It didn’t take him long ta wear ya down den.”

“Shamefully quickly,” she replied, struggling to keep the blush off her face. “I didn’t manage the night!”

The look of shock on Barb’s face made her laugh.

“My mother taught me all the facts when I was your age… a little before. One of the things she taught me is that when you’re at your most fertile point of your cycle, it’s very difficult to resist – that’s your body asking to conceive. If you’re with the right guy at the right time, unless you’re very conscious of what you’re doing, it’s likely that you’ll give in – and become pregnant. That’s why many women take the pill… so that they don’t have to resist.”

“So, ya fell fer him because ya were at dat point?”

“And because I was already very interested in him! No one else could have made me throw caution to the wind like that!”

“Dat’s sort of what it was like wid me an’ Garth too. Except dat he sort of tricked me. He was kissin’ me first. Den he started fondlin’ me and kissin’ me down der… Den he jis’ took me. But I couldn’ve refused him by den.”

Zenna nodded. “That was your body talking for you.”

“I don’ feel quite so bad now.”

Zenna took Barb’s hand and squeezed it. “All the same. Next time you meet a guy, don’t be alone with him unless you want to have another kid. It doesn’t take much to push you over the line when you’re at your peak.”

“I’ll try. I’ll have ya around ta talk ta – like an older sister.” Barb smiled at her.

“Yes. Just like an older sister!”

“Do ya have any sisters? Oder dan us, dat is?”

“No. My father died a long time ago and my mother never remarried until… Oh my!” Zenna cried out, jumping up, making the foal scamper away from the fence.

“What?”

“My mother! She’s with your uncle Jerry in Madison. She doesn’t know I’ve been to jail or that it’s safe for them to come back!”

“Do ya tink she’ll have a baby too?”

“I don’t know. It would seem weird if my little sister or brother was your cousin...”

“I’m sure such tings happened all da time in da old days. Dad talks about dat from time ta time – more ta my broders dan ta me dough.” She shrugged. “Do ya have any regrets ‘bout yer baby?”

“I should have refused him another couple of days – since we’d just met and everything. If I had, I probably wouldn’t be pregnant now. But now he’s in jail, I realize that might have been my only chance unless we can get him out. So, no. I don’t regret it at all. My only regret is that the Cowans ratted us out.”

“Do ya tink da Cowans are as dangerous as my fader says?”

Zenna nodded, thinking of the letters she had read so far. “I think they’re worse than anyone knows right now. But you and I are going to find the answers. That will get Matt out of jail, maybe put Debbie’s phantom to rest at last.”

Barb nodded and smiled. “Let’s git ta work den. I tink Dad’s gonna bring da lawyer around later, so we should be down der anyway.”

They went back down the hill together. Barb showed her the pot patch. Zenna looked at the beautiful plants, pondering about the curious fact that a medicinal plant could be illegal to exist on someone’s land.

“We mostly use it topically,” Barb offered. “Infused in oil... sometimes drink a tea from it if we have a headache or wid peppermint fer nausea – like when I’ve had morning sickness.”

“Wow.”

“It’s good fer all kinds of tings. Funny how da legal drug companies don’ want us ta have it!”

“Yeah.”

They continued down the hill to the house. Len Johnson and Sheriff Sidney Clay were already sitting in the living room.

“Good, youse are back,” Steve said, smiling at them. “We need ta discuss our cases wid Mr. Johnson. In Barb’s case, we need da sheriff too.”

Zenna sat down and smiled at Barb, who sat next to her.

“Miss Nygaard, who is da father of yer child?” the sheriff began.

“Garth Cowan,” she replied.

“How old is he?”

“22.”

“So, he can’t use an age proximity exemption. Are ta aware of dat?”

“No.”

“Aldough it isn’t part of Michigan law, it is a common provision in oder states – da Romeo an’ Juliet clause, understandin’ dat teens will be teens, as I tink yer father understands well.”

Steve grimaced. “Mr. Cowan is also a janitor at da school, so he would lose dat exemption anyway.”

The sheriff nodded gravely.

“I don’t want him ta git in trouble!” Barb blurted out. “I didn’t refuse him enough!”

“It’s not up ta ya,” Sheriff Clay said kindly. “He used his position of authority over ya – ta impregnate an underage girl eight years his junior. Da judge will not look at him kindly, I’m afraid. Especially since he has previous charges.”

Barb looked up suddenly and Zenna realized that her new sister had no idea what kind of man Garth Cowan really was.

“Although yer da first one dat we’ve been able ta press charges fer. He told ya he’d marry ya, no doubt?”

“We were gonna elope,” she said shamefully, unable to meet her father’s gaze.

“No he wasn’t. He never married da others eeder. He has at least tree oder children, but wid yer help, he will never have any more… an’ will support all of dem.”

Barb’s face fell. She got up and ran upstairs. Zenna rose to help.

“Let her be,” Steve said, then called to the other room. “Julie?”

“Got it, darlin’,” she called, disappearing after Barb.

“Now, we’ve got to talk about Miss Williams and Matt,” Mr. Johnson said. “Do you mind if the sheriff stays? It might make things easier.”

“If it’s okay wid her,” Steve said with a nod. “He’s a good one, Zenna.”

“Okay,” she agreed.

♥♥♥

Next chapter...

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Character Info and Notes

Available to purchase (in print) at Amazon. Ebook version coming soon. (As soon as Draft2Digital formulates the link.)

Image Credits

Matthew Nygaard
Genesis 8 by DAZ 3D Studio
Myles Beard by AprilYSH (sold through DAZ)
Adrian Hair by yitao0526 (sold through DAZ)
Hunt Pants by DragonBreath
Native American top by Pusey Designs
.

Zenna Williams
Genesis 8
Mitzy hair
Basic Wear by DAZ

Set
willow trees by Stonemason
fallen tree by Hivewire
grass by Erock 3D
background image from Pixabay

Previous Stories:

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Location:

Ash Creek is a fictitious town in the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I've attempted to keep the spirit of the people as well as make liberal use of the Yooper accent/dialect. Yes, I've heard it spoken, but it's an inexact science, so please forgive me any errors and enjoy this work in the spirit with which I write... with deep love and affection for the area.

Please read my note on romance, teenage intimate relationships and underage sex. I apologize if my understanding conflicts with your sense of morality, but I'm only looking at things realistically, not ideologically. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing!

Lori Svensen
author/designer at A'mara Books
photographer/graphic artist for Viking Visual
(Buy my work at RedBubble, TeePublic, PicFair and DeviantArt.)
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(Buy my books at Books2Read and at LBRY)
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Phantom Road - chapter 48 - Ash Creek