knock at Mike's door. He reluctantly opened it and found Jessica standing there shivering. "Okay, you don't have to say any -"
"Get in here before you get sick. There ain't any doctors up here," Mike had cut her off once again. She hurried inside to stand by his wood stove.
"What do you want?" he asked.
"I'm very sorry for jumping to conclusions earlier. I was wrong. Taylor told us what happened, and she doesn't tend to lie to us about anything. Hell, sometimes we almost wish she would."
"No, you don't," he replied.
"Well, I am very sorry," she continued. "We all really do hope you'll still join us for Christmas. If not, I understand. And we won't come intrude on you if you don't show up. I'll go now. I'm sorry for bothering you."
"The boy and girl," Mike said. "They're good kids. The girl's a bit imposing. And blunt."
Jessica was again surprised. This time by him actually carrying on somewhat of a conversation. "Thanks," her surprise obvious in her voice.
"Where's their dads?" he asked. "Wait. That's not my business."
"No, it's okay. It seems they've made themselves part of your life, so you have every right to know. Um, well, I used to be a prostitute. We both did, and that's what we moved here to get away from. Anyways, Brad's dad could be anyone, anywhere. I really have no idea. As for Taylor, her dad was never around. Her mom was a drunk and dumped her on Stacy when she said she was going to go to rehab or something. Hell, that was like five years ago. Her mom never came back. So, well, we don't know where either of her parents are."
"So did she adopt her?"
"Nah. She's just lived with us ever since," she answered. "Well, I'm serious," she went on. "Please come over for Christmas."
"Don't forget your coat this time," was the answer she got.
As their first year as neighbors went on, Mike spent a lot of time mentoring them about living in the wilderness. They learned a lot about farming, ranching, and hunting. And in the process, they'd all become somewhat of a team. He used his tractor and knowledge to help them build a root cellar, and showed them how to use the dirt to build a smoke house out of rammed earth. They would help out with checking on his livestock and making fence repairs. They frequently tried to repay all his help by cooking and cleaning for him.
Their second year, he agreed to expand the gardening so the ladies could try selling at the farmer's markets. He built two very large pit greenhouses, and cultivated two more acres. So much area was almost more than they could handle without more machinery, but they made it work. They also added a hundred and fifty new laying hens, since free-ranged eggs cost almost nothing, yet sold for a premium. The ladies would take the food in to the farmer's markets in Cedar City and Saint George, and Mike let them keep the profits in exchange for them helping out more with his own shopping and other errands. While in town, they would go withdraw his military disability from the bank and bring him back the cash.
Brad reminded Mike of Opie Taylor, from The Andy Griffith Show, having the same freckles and red hair as his mom. Ever the quiet one, he would just show up and watch the only man he'd ever known, hoping to learn anything he could. He was a very observant young boy who liked to work. If Mike was splitting firewood, he would simply see the boy walk up and start stacking it. Nothing needed to be said by either of them. Mike would give the boy a nod of approval, and Brad would grin slightly as he grabbed as many logs as his little arms could handle.
Stacy was different with Mike. He was a man, and the only man around. She wanted his attention, like she had been used to getting from so many other men in the past. After learning of his garden showers, she built one of her own that she would try to be in whenever she thought he would be around. She often tried to show up at his place, wearing little, to surprise him with dinner or some
"Get in here before you get sick. There ain't any doctors up here," Mike had cut her off once again. She hurried inside to stand by his wood stove.
"What do you want?" he asked.
"I'm very sorry for jumping to conclusions earlier. I was wrong. Taylor told us what happened, and she doesn't tend to lie to us about anything. Hell, sometimes we almost wish she would."
"No, you don't," he replied.
"Well, I am very sorry," she continued. "We all really do hope you'll still join us for Christmas. If not, I understand. And we won't come intrude on you if you don't show up. I'll go now. I'm sorry for bothering you."
"The boy and girl," Mike said. "They're good kids. The girl's a bit imposing. And blunt."
Jessica was again surprised. This time by him actually carrying on somewhat of a conversation. "Thanks," her surprise obvious in her voice.
"Where's their dads?" he asked. "Wait. That's not my business."
"No, it's okay. It seems they've made themselves part of your life, so you have every right to know. Um, well, I used to be a prostitute. We both did, and that's what we moved here to get away from. Anyways, Brad's dad could be anyone, anywhere. I really have no idea. As for Taylor, her dad was never around. Her mom was a drunk and dumped her on Stacy when she said she was going to go to rehab or something. Hell, that was like five years ago. Her mom never came back. So, well, we don't know where either of her parents are."
"So did she adopt her?"
"Nah. She's just lived with us ever since," she answered. "Well, I'm serious," she went on. "Please come over for Christmas."
"Don't forget your coat this time," was the answer she got.
As their first year as neighbors went on, Mike spent a lot of time mentoring them about living in the wilderness. They learned a lot about farming, ranching, and hunting. And in the process, they'd all become somewhat of a team. He used his tractor and knowledge to help them build a root cellar, and showed them how to use the dirt to build a smoke house out of rammed earth. They would help out with checking on his livestock and making fence repairs. They frequently tried to repay all his help by cooking and cleaning for him.
Their second year, he agreed to expand the gardening so the ladies could try selling at the farmer's markets. He built two very large pit greenhouses, and cultivated two more acres. So much area was almost more than they could handle without more machinery, but they made it work. They also added a hundred and fifty new laying hens, since free-ranged eggs cost almost nothing, yet sold for a premium. The ladies would take the food in to the farmer's markets in Cedar City and Saint George, and Mike let them keep the profits in exchange for them helping out more with his own shopping and other errands. While in town, they would go withdraw his military disability from the bank and bring him back the cash.
Brad reminded Mike of Opie Taylor, from The Andy Griffith Show, having the same freckles and red hair as his mom. Ever the quiet one, he would just show up and watch the only man he'd ever known, hoping to learn anything he could. He was a very observant young boy who liked to work. If Mike was splitting firewood, he would simply see the boy walk up and start stacking it. Nothing needed to be said by either of them. Mike would give the boy a nod of approval, and Brad would grin slightly as he grabbed as many logs as his little arms could handle.
Stacy was different with Mike. He was a man, and the only man around. She wanted his attention, like she had been used to getting from so many other men in the past. After learning of his garden showers, she built one of her own that she would try to be in whenever she thought he would be around. She often tried to show up at his place, wearing little, to surprise him with dinner or some
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