If you want a better understanding of this story’s setting, please go to the post titled “About the Stories Set in Preston” and read the information. I hope you enjoy it.
I also have a Tumblr account set up for my stories about Preston, KS. You can check it out here: http://female-punishment-in-preston.tumblr.com/.
The Unlikely Couple (Part 1)
Brynn and Jaye had been on the road for days, taking breaks only for gas, food and lodging. A tense quiet between them hung in the air as the only sound was from the static arising from radio station’s failing signal. Jaye reached over and turned it off.
Finally, Jaye broke the silence. “Jesus, Brynn, are you ever going to fucking talk to me?”
There was no reply. Brynn just kept her eyes intently on the road while she drove, completely ignoring Jaye.
“Okay, look, I get it. I fucked up and I’m the reason we’re having to move across the country. It’s my fault. I’m sorry.” The defiance in her voice made the otherwise acceptable apology seem less like an apology and more like hostility.
Jaye’s problem was her temper as well as her lack of maturity. Despite being twenty-two years of age, she was notorious for being impulsive and short-sighted; the signs of immaturity. Her immaturity wasn’t confined to her brain either. That is to say she was incredibly diminutive, decidedly lacking in the breast department and possessed a cherub-like face that made her look child-like. None of this made her happy in the least and she would invariably lash out if anyone mentioned it.
For her part, Brynn was the polar opposite. Two years Jaye’s junior, she was nevertheless more mature, both physically and emotionally. She was capable of holding a job, saving money and showing responsibility in all things. She was also tall and leggy with a curvaceous figure and large breasts, adding to the vast physical differences between the two women.
Jaye huffed up at Brynn’s continued silence, looking poutily out her window. She saw a sign that said, “Preston, Kansas: 6 miles”. Those six miles felt more like sixty miles thanks to the tension. When they reached the town, Brynn pulled their large truck into the parking lot of a convenience store before getting out and starting to pump gas. Jaye opened up the door and stepped out, though “stepping out” is perhaps an over-simplification for someone as short as her. She had to spin around so that her legs were dangling over the side of the seat. From there, she had to inch closer to the edge and finally hop down. It was quite a drop, but she usually landed on her feet. Still, she found the whole process oddly humiliating.
“I have to piss,” Jaye declared not-so-quietly as she walked toward the store. Brynn watched her as she did so, even smiling slightly. She did love her, in spite of her glaring faults. She was just furious that they had to uproot because of her actions. That was a very good job with great pay, an amazing insurance plan and plenty of upward mobility. Jaye had stuck it out much longer than Brynn expected, which is why she decided to invest in a home of their own. Sure, it was expensive, but with the money they both made, it wouldn’t have been a problem. The ink on the contract had barely dried when her boss assigned a different worker to do a job because Jaye wasn’t big or strong enough to pull it off. He wasn’t being mean, nor was he discriminating against her. He simply wanted his workers to be safe and knew that she would be risking her safety had she done it. It was a construction job, after all, and sometimes strength was critical. True to form, Jaye blew a gasket, calling him names and shoving him. She felt he was telling her that she couldn’t do a “man’s job” because she was short. He had no choice but to fire her on the spot.
Knowing that they couldn’t live in the new house on her wage alone, Brynn arranged for them to move in with her Aunt June in California until they could get on their feet. She didn’t want to do it, but felt there was no alternative.
Brynn was deep in thought when she heard a voice from behind her. Judging by his accent, she could tell he was from the south. The southern accent was actually fairly hard to notice, but she always had an ear for such things. It was obvious that he was cultured.
“You look preoccupied,” he said breezily.
She turned to see a good-looking man in his forties putting gas into a blue car. His chestnut-colored hair had an almost feathered look and his eyes were dark and piercing. He wore a brown duster and fairly casual clothes beneath it.
“Yeah,” she replied, “I guess I was a little lost in my own thoughts.”
The man nodded. “There are worse places to be lost, I suppose.” He paused briefly. “So, you’re from South Carolina, huh?”
She looked at him, puzzled as to how he knew that. He recognized the look and pointed to her license plate.
“Oh,” she said, feeling silly, “right.”
“That’s where I’m from too. What brings you all the way out here to Preston? Just passing through?”
Brynn wasn’t really sure how to respond to such questions from a complete stranger. “That’s… kind of a long story. But, yes, we’re just passing through on our way to California.”
The man whistled. “That’s a long way to travel, especially with a little one.”
“Little one?” she asked, confused.
“You know, your daughter. The one that just went into the store.”
Brynn suddenly realized what he meant and once again found herself almost speechless, “She’s… not my daughter. She’s my life partner.”
“My apologies,” he offered, “I didn’t see her up close and from afar she looked like a child. I hope I didn’t offend you.”
Still flustered, she sputtered out, “No. No, I’m not offended.” She looked toward the building to see if Jaye was coming out yet. Halfway under her breath, she mumbled, “Sometimes, I feel like she’s my child.”
“What was that?”
“Oh, nothing. She’s just not always… the most responsible, you know, and I sometimes feel more like a mother cleaning up a child’s messes than a life partner.”
The man projected a lopsided smile. “Do you mind if I ask you a question?”
“You just did,” she said with a smile of her own.
“Touche.”
“Really, I don’t mind.”
The man narrowed his eyes and became far more serious. “Do you believe in fate?”
Brynn’s eyes narrowed as well, as she wondered where he was going with this. “Fate? In what context?”
He liked where this was going. “Like how sometimes a person ends up in exactly the place they were meant to be.”
She didn’t respond at first. This man, while disarmingly charming, was moving into “creepy” territory. Being the empathetic type, he could tell he was losing her and quickly sought to rectify that with a slightly different approach. “What would you say if I told you that you could have a nice house, a job that could provide for both of you and assurance that your… life partner’s irresponsibility could do you no further harm?”
He could tell she was intrigued, but leary. Jumping right into the pitch was a gamble, but one he was willing to take.
“I would simply ask what the catch is.”
His smile returned. “I wouldn’t call it a catch at all, to be honest. I’d call it an opportunity to have the life you always dreamed of having. You seem like a very mature young woman who wants some stability in life and I’m telling you that that’s within your reach.”
“No offense, mister, but you don’t know anything about me.”
His self-assurance came to the forefront. “Don’t I? Sweetheart, I’ve been presiding over this town for five years now and I’ve seen hundreds of women just like you come through here. Women who have known only turbulence and chaos; women who are sick of it all and hope beyond hope that someday–someday–their lives would be stable and free of drama. So let me take a wild guess here. You and your girl had a solid place to stay and a decent cashflow, but she did something that caused it all to crumble before your very eyes. With no other recourse, the two of you packed whatever you could fit under the truck’s tarp and headed out to stay with a loved one until one of you–probably you–could find a job.”
The pause was intense, as Brynn felt a swirl of emotions. How could he have possibly known all that? And how dare he make such presumptions! She felt so many things: anger at him for piecing that all together, anger at Jaye for her part in their plight, anger at herself for allowing it all to happen. And then there was the curiosity. Who was this man? What exactly was he proposing? And most importantly, why did she find herself wanting to know more?
Seeing the conflict, the man piped up. “So… how did I do?” The smile was back. That damn smile.
“I… I… I mean, you may have gotten certain parts right,” she said, putting an emphasis on “certain”.
“Fair enough. How about this: you and your little lady can come to my house for a few hours, rest up a tad and my wife will cook us up a nice supper. Hell, you can even grab a shower. We can discuss the opportunity I mentioned and if you aren’t interested, well then, you can be on your way to California as per your original plan.”
A break from driving? A homecooked meal? A shower? Even if his proposal was some kind of con-job, at least she would get something out of it. “Sure. That sounds good.”
The man looked pleased. “Alright then, once your girl returns, you can just follow me. My place isn’t too far from here.”
He started to get back into his car, but realized he hadn’t even introduced himself. Half in and half out of the vehicle, he said, “By the way, the name’s Lucas… Lucas Budd. that’s ‘Budd’ with a ‘B’.”
What had she gotten herself into?