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Suprina/Mi'Chelle

Country Gal Gone Wild - Chapter 23.1

Papa Hudson did not like the fact that Ruby and Gavin were going to turn their new home into a business. To him it meant that they didn’t really see it as a real home, but rather as some type of hotel – a temporary dwelling to lay their heads when they were in town. Yet he knew that there wasn’t anything he could do about it now. They had fulfilled all of his requirements. He couldn’t create another without raising suspicion. 

No one, not even his wife, could know the real reason Papa Hudson wanted Ruby to stay close. No one could know his secret fear. That fear was incited by a visiting preacher many years ago after a church revival.

You will lose two children in your lifetime, the preacher had prophesied to him as he drove him back to the airport. One has already been lost through miscarriage. The other will be lost to violence, so stay prayed up.

I will not lose you, Ruby, Papa Hudson thought determinedly even as he prepared to give her away in marriage on that Wednesday morning at the Blue-eyed Hollow courthouse.

>>>> 

I’m too late, Logan thought, feeling despair claw at his soul as he watched Ruby, her new husband, and their wedding guests leave the courthouse. They drove past his parked car a minute later with happy grins on their faces.

Had I gotten here twenty minutes ago, I could have stopped this train wreck of a marriage, he thought, clenching the steering wheel tighter.  

Logan headed back to Blue-eyed Hollow as soon as he heard that Ruby and Gavin had filed for marriage licenses. Since Virginia had no waiting period, no blood test requirements, or any other requirements outside of license fees and identification, he knew that there wasn’t anything to stop the union from happening besides himself.  

Unfortunately, Logan had been all the way in Florida at another policeman’s convention when he got that dreaded news from a fellow officer. Returning at the drop of a hat had been grueling. Every flight had been booked solid, so he had to drive his rental car to Savannah, Georgia, and then catch a flight from there.

The whole flight back, Logan thought about what he would do to stop Ruby’s wedding. He even failed to flirt with the pretty flight attendants. Everything he thought of, namely arson and first-degree murder, would jeopardize his career. Leaving the convention two days early had done enough damage to it. 

His uncle was still angry about not being able to get back the money the department shelled out to send him to that big convention in the first place. Uncle Leroy certainly didn’t buy Logan’s excuse about suddenly coming down with the flu. Flu season hadn’t even started yet.  

Though uncaring about his uncle’s ire, Logan did decide upon a lesser course of action. He didn’t want to kill Ruby by fire or any other way. He couldn’t kill her. He loved her too much to put her in an early grave. However, he didn’t care anything about disposing of her husband.  

I just need to think of a way to do it nice and clean like, Logan thought, starting up his vehicle. As for Ruby, he would kidnap her, leave the state, and then impregnate her as soon as possible to seal them together forever.  

Yeah, that’s a good plan. Logan smiled as he drove home. I just need some time to work out the kinks, that’s all . 

(c) 2014 by Mi'Chelle Dodson/Suprina Frazier  

Photo Credits:
http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-images-money-gold-clam-shell-image16257819

Country Gal Gone Wild - Chapter 22.3

When Gavin returned to the bedroom, he lounged on top of the covers to keep the level of temptation down. Then he initiated a conversation about their new business partner. His search for information was used to distract them both from other things. Sexual things. 

“Tell me, how did an exotic French woman like Mrs. Thompson end up in a small town like Blue-eyed Hollow?” Gavin wanted to know. 

“I thought you’d never ask. I love telling her story.” Ruby chuckled. Then she dived right into the heart of that topic. “Mrs. Thompson used to perform in a French vaudeville act that entertained military troops from all over. Mr. Thompson caught one of her shows while he was stationed overseas and fell in love with her at first sight. He bribed his way backstage, introduced himself to her with a red rose, and proposed to her right on the spot.” 

“Wow! Mr. Thompson moved faster than me.” Gavin propped up on one elbow, eager to hear more about this fascinating couple. 

Ruby laughed. “You’re telling me. Anyway, Mrs. Thompson thought he was crazy at first. But she said she was so intrigued by his rural accent that she consented to go on at least one date with him. According to her, one date and one kiss was all it took for her to know that he was the man for her. She married him within the week.” 

“Wow!” Gavin reiterated. “That must have been one terrific kiss.”  

“I guess so. They stayed happily married up until he died of cancer twelve years ago. As their son’s best friend, I witnessed their love firsthand and I can testify that it was the real deal. Mr. Thompson spoiled his wife while he was alive. He gave her a fresh rose every day of their marriage. After he died, Dior continued that tradition.” 

Gavin smiled. “Dior sounds like he was a good son.” 

“He was. He was a good friend, too. The best friend I ever had.” Ruby’s eyes glistened with moisture. “He was even going to marry me just to keep me from having to marry Logan when my father was being particularly pushy.” 

“But I thought you told me that Dior was gay.” 

“He was. But we were both willing to endure a marriage of convenience on account of how hard my father was pushing me to get hitched right after high school like my sisters. Plus, Dior was still trying to come to terms with his sexuality back then and thought I could probably ‘cure’ him of his desire to be with men.” 

“If such a cure does exist, I’m sure a sexy woman like yourself could administer it quite nicely.” Gavin traced her full bottom lip with his index finger. “Since I know that our marriage is going to be your first of any kind, what happened to change your plans with Dior?” 

 “We had to come up with a better plan after we did a test kiss and found no spark, no fire, not even a flicker there whatsoever.” Ruby laughed. “Yuk! And can you say, awkward?” She grimaced in memory of that kiss. “It was like kissing a brother. Double yuk!” She winced this time. 

Gavin laughed, too. “So what was this better plan you and Dior came up with?” He folded his arms behind his head as he laid back on his pillow. 

“Our new plan was for me to go to my parents separately and appeal to the things that excited them the most. I went to my mother and shared how I was not in love with Logan like he was with me. Being the romantic that she is, she couldn’t conceive me being in a lopsided marriage. Especially since she and my father have been madly in love for years. I’ve caught them kissing too many times to count over the years.” Ruby chuckled. 

Gavin nodded. He’d seen the love between the Hudsons during his visit. It was a quiet kind of love with ambers burning hotly underneath the surface. “How did you appeal to your father’s heart?”

“I convinced him that I could better serve the family business if he sent me to college to study business management. Dior, who was very computer literate, helped me prepare charts and graphs to back up my need for such a degree. My father was so excited about expanding the family business that he agreed to let me go for the summer session instead of waiting for the fall,” Ruby continued. 

Gavin burst out laughing this time. “That was a brilliant plan! The more I hear about Dior, the more I think I would have liked him.” He returned to propping up on his elbow. 

Ruby smiled. “That makes me happy. I would have liked for you two to get along.” Suddenly she frowned. “Incidentally, Logan hated Dior. He refused to believe that a man and woman could be that close without sleeping together. In fact, he thought Dior was faking his homosexuality just to get with me. As far as I know, he still thinks that.” 

Gavin scowled. “Speaking of Logan, why didn’t you want to marry him? You gave him your virginity. Why didn’t you give him your hand in marriage, too?” 

“Because Logan wanted to tame me. From the moment he proposed to me, he started to paint a picture of how our life would be together. That picture included me not working, me staying in Blue-eyed Hollow, and me being pregnant every year for the first five years of our marriage.” Ruby grimaced. “I like kids and all, and I certainly want some of my own one day, but not back-to-back. I want my children spaced out more to give my body a chance to rest and to also let each child enjoy just being the baby for a while. Plus, the thought of only having sex in one position for the rest of my life just didn’t appeal to me at all.” 

“No wonder you took off right after graduation. I would have taken off, too, if faced with those same choices.” 

“Exactly.” Ruby stifled a yawn. “Fortunately, I don’t have to deal with any choices considering Logan anymore. My mother loves the chemistry she sees between me and you. My father loves how distinguished and respectable you are. He wouldn’t dare try to convince me to change my mind about Logan now, which is what he’s been doing ever since I got back to town.” 

“It’s good to know that your parents approve of me.” Gavin made room for her in the crook of his arm as she snuggled closer to him. “And for the record, I wouldn’t want you to go back to your old boyfriend for anything.” 

Ruby yawned again. “I never planned to. Now that you’re in my life, I never have to,” she replied, barely able to keep her eyes open now. 

Now that you’re with me, no Benjamin will ever have you again, Gavin vowed with determination, watching her drift into sweet slumber. Tomorrow he’d tell her about his family’s connection to the Benjamins. 

On second thought, maybe I’ll tell her after the wedding, he mused, hoping to avoid scaring her off with stories of doom and gloom.

(c) 2014 by Mi'Chelle Dodson/Suprina Frazier

Photo Credits:

http://www.vitalmx.com/forums/Moto-Related,20/Doesnt-add-up,823274

Country Gal Gone Wild - Chapter 22.2

Later at the hotel, Gavin escorted Ruby out of the tub where she’d been soaking for the last thirty minutes. He wrapped her body in a large towel, lifted her in his arms, and carried her to the bedroom. There he stood her upon her feet by the bed and dried her body off from top to bottom…slowly.

Ruby moaned from his ardent attention.

Desire stirred in Gavin’s loins at that moan. Yet he suppressed it for her greater good. 

“Oh, you’re so good to me,” Ruby said as he laid her gently on the bed a few minutes later.   

Gavin withdrew and smiled down at her. He could see love shining in her eyes yet again. Would she finally declare it? Was she even that in touch with her feelings?

“It’s easy to be good to you when you’re so good to everyone else. Look at all the things you do to protect your father alone. I admire that.” He went to return the towel to the bathroom as he spoke. 

“Loving someone requires a certain amount of sacrifice,” Ruby said to his departing back.  

Gavin paused at the bathroom doorway and looked back. “I know.” He gave her body a slow perusal. “I’m sacrificing a few things right now myself.” 

Ruby’s eyes lit up with desire. “You don’t have to make that particular sacrifice, you know? I’m recovered enough to take you on at least one more time.” She provocatively put her index finger in her mouth as her legs spread in invitation. 

Gavin moaned and started back toward her. Suddenly he stopped. “No.” He squeezed his eyes shut. “I said I wasn’t going to make love to you again until we were married and I meant it. That way, you’ll be fully rested and we’ll both be super-charged from the wait.” He turned around and headed back toward the bathroom. “So please be in your pajamas and under the covers by the time I get back from taking an arctic shower,” he said over his shoulder. 

Ruby chuckled and complied with his wishes. Happiness rang out in her laughter. It was music to his ears.

(c) 2014 by Mi'Chelle Dodson/Suprina Frazier

Photo Credits:

http://www.pinterest.com/explore/love-sacrifice-quotes/

Country Gal Gone Wild - Chapter 22.1

This is a really good investment, Gavin thought, entering Mrs. Thompson’s house again after touring the property on horseback. He loved everything he’d seen during the tour. He was already calculating and planning how he could get the greatest return on this investment.

“Are you all right, honey?” Mrs. Thompson asked Ruby after noticing how gingerly she sat down on the brown sofa beside him. 

Ruby blushed. “I’m fine. I think I overdid it by riding one too many horses bareback today. Now my body is protesting.” 

Gavin snapped his gaze to hers. He knew exactly who’d given her that first bareback ride – him. If he’d known that they would tour the property on horseback, he would have told Ruby to wear jeans and keep on her underwear today. He definitely wouldn’t have been so frisky with her in the car. Now he was seriously thinking about postponing all future intimacies until after the wedding. 

“I’m so sorry for your discomfort, baby. I’ll see what I can do to ease your pain when we leave, okay?” Gavin said soothingly, reaching for her right hand. 

“Okay.” Ruby smiled, looking enthralled by his gentle concern, as if she wasn’t used to someone putting her needs first. 

Mrs. Thompson smiled with approval at them. “My husband used to be just as tender and loving with me,” she said with misty eyes. “That’s one of the reasons I never remarried.” She swallowed, looked down briefly at her weathered hands, and then lifted her gaze again. “That’s also why I have to go back on our deal. Please forgive me Ruby and Gavin, but I can’t…I simply can’t bring myself to sell the property after all.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. 

Gavin and Ruby looked at her with open mouths. Only he was able to squeeze out any words. “Why the sudden change of heart, Mrs. Thompson?” 

“Seeing the love between you two made me realize what I’d be giving up here. My husband had this house built for me from the ground up. My only son was born in this house and learned how to swim in that small lake out back. Not only that, but both of them are buried on this property.” Mrs. Thompson reached for a tissue off a nearby oak end table and wiped her eyes. “How can I give all that up? How can I leave…them?” 

Gavin nodded with understanding. 

Beside him Ruby shed her own set of tears. Yes, she cried for Mrs. Thompson’s losses, but she also cried for herself. Without this sale, they were back to square one with her father. No other houses were up for sale in the whole town, which meant they’d have to build a house. No way could she expect Gavin to build a house for a woman he was only going to be married to for a year. Surely the sex wasn’t that good between them? 

If they went ahead and got married anyway without the house, what effect would that have on her father’s health? If he suddenly took sick again, would the whole family go back to hating her?

Suddenly Ruby heard the most amazing things coming out of Gavin’s mouth. Things that made her wonder how in the world she was going to last twelve months without falling madly in love with him. That’s if she wasn’t halfway there already. Actually seventy-five percent there.

“I understand your concerns completely, Mrs. Thompson. Therefore, I’d like to amend our agreement so that we all will come out winners in this deal,” Gavin began. Then he laid out plans for them to go into partnership by turning the house into a country Bed & Breakfast. The money that he would have used to outright buy the property would now be used to get this new venture started, add other features like personal baths in each bedroom, and design a private apartment in the spacious attic for him and Ruby to dwell in when they were in town. 

“Your contribution will be to manage the place, Mrs. Thompson,” Gavin continued. “The salary you earn will help get you out of debt and allow you to build up a nest egg for yourself in case you ever want to take that trip to Europe you told us about during the tour. Last and most importantly of all, you get to stay close to the place and to the people you love most.”   

Ruby and Mrs. Thompson grinned from ear to ear by the time he finished.

“I accept your second offer with open arms,” Mrs. Thompson gushed out, standing to give him a warm hug. 

“I got next.” Ruby clapped excitedly, ready to hug the wonderful man beside her, as well. “Why didn’t we think of this before?” she said, hugging him after Mrs. Thompson released him. 

“We didn’t have as much incentive before,” Gavin replied, looking at her with deep love in his eyes. “Otherwise I would have remembered that idea I had a long time ago.”

“Correct.” Ruby quickly looked away before her own eyes told on her.

Gavin lifted his left brow and cocked his head to the side. For a moment there he thought he saw love staring him back in the face. But then Ruby blinked and looked away. When she met his gaze again he saw desire in its place. 

I can live with that…for now, Gavin thought as they all sat back down and hammered out this new plan.

(c) 2014 by Mi'Chelle Dodson/Suprina Frazier 

Photo Credits:

http://www.bbonline.com/united-states/michigan/allegan/castle.html

Country Gal Gone Wild - Chapter 21.4

Ruby watched Gavin like a hawk as he drove to Mrs. Thompson’s place. He was so gorgeous to her and the way he conducted himself in front of her family had her hotter than the 4^th of July. She couldn’t wait to make love to him again.

Maybe I should take more off, Ruby thought, having taken off her underwear before she left the house. Feeling the heat in her body multiply by the second, she lifted the bottom of her long dress to ventilate her core.

“Sweet, sweet, Vinny.” Ruby moaned, licking her lips as she scanned his handsome frame yet again.

Gavin looked at her out of the corner of his eye. “What’s on your mind, Red?” 

“You. I can’t stop thinking about how you handled my father today,” Ruby replied breathlessly. “About how I want you to handle me right now.” She undid the bun in her hair, freeing her long locks. 

Gavin moaned. “How do you want me to handle you, baby?” He turned and gave her his full attention after coming to a four-way stop.  

“I want your brown lips on every pink part of me.” She smiled, lifting her dress even higher. 

Gavin groaned with need when he looked down and caught a glimpse of her bare essentials. “You’re lucky we’re out in the open like this. Otherwise I’d not only taste every pink part of you, but I’d drill down in you so deep I’d strike oil.” He lifted his gaze and met her eyes.  

Ruby’s smile dissipated from the heat of his sizzling stare as things suddenly became very serious between them. No man had ever looked at her with such need or such hunger before. It overwhelmed her for a moment. 

“I love it when you talk to me like that. Your word pictures make me so hot.” Ruby licked her lips and reached down to touch herself.

With a loud growl, Gavin slammed the SUV in park, unbuckled his seatbelt, and gave her a kiss that opened the floodgates of desire. His left hand joined hers below and intimately guided it as if he knew her body better than she did.

Ruby moaned as she surrendered to his kiss and his guidance. Her hips also followed his lead.

Suddenly a car honked impatiently from behind them.

Gavin reluctantly withdrew from her. “How much farther is Mrs. Thompson’s from here?” He put the car back in drive, looked both ways, and then proceeded ahead.  

“A…about two miles up the road,” Ruby stammered out, overwhelmed with anticipation now. She didn’t know exactly what was about to happen, but she was sure she was going to like it. 

“Hold on, Red.” Gavin grinned as he pressed down on the gas pedal and burned rubber toward Mrs. Thompson’s property. 

Ruby held on to the door handle and squealed with excitement at his impulsiveness. She loved when he showed his reckless side, though she would have preferred if he’d put on his seatbelt first. 

When they crossed the property line, Gavin expertly whipped the Land Rover between a thick patch of trees, slammed it into park again, and then turned to her with that same ravenous look in his eyes. “We can’t get arrested for making love on private property, particularly property that will belong to us in a matter of days. Now pull that dress all the way up, because this dentist is about to fill one of your cavities to the hilt.” 

Ruby squealed yet again and quickly complied. That squeal was soon joined by a chorus of moans, groans, and more than a few animalistic growls and grunts as Gavin pounded all the passion out of her system…for the moment.

(c) 2014 by Mi'Chelle Dodson/Suprina Frazier 

Photo Credits:

http://youfromhead2toe.com/category/laugh-a-little/

Country Gal Gone Wild - Chapter 21.3

The Hudsons stood on the front porch watching Gavin and Ruby drive off. Everyone else had already gone back to their respective homes. 

“He seems to have a lot of love for her,” Mama Hudson said, sitting down in one of the sturdy white porch chairs.

“Yeah. $200,000 worth according to Mrs. Thompson,” Papa Hudson replied, turning to face her. 

Mama Hudson’s eyes widened. “Wow! Never thought we’d end up with a rich son-in-law.” 

Tom worked in landscaping and Jerry was a long-distance truck driver. They both earned decent incomes. Yet neither of them had ever garnered six figures in one year. However, their newest son-in-law seemed to have that and more sitting around in his bank account.

“I didn’t think we’d end up with a rich son-in-law either,” Papa Hudson replied. “But I guess I should have known he had some substance by that fancy SUV he drives.” He turned and looked at Gavin’s silver Land Rover fading in the distance. “I hope having a husband with that kind of money lying around won’t make our baby girl forget where she comes from. Or where she needs to stay.”  

“We raised Ruby right. Money won’t change her negatively,” Mama Hudson said reassuringly. “Plus she has to leave the nest sometime.”

“I thought we raised her right, too, until I saw that blasted video cover!” Papa Hudson retorted, clenching his fists at his sides. “Just thinking about it got my pressure all up again.” He touched his shiny forehead. “Where’s my medication?” 

“Right where it always is – in the medicine cabinet.” Mama Hudson frowned.

Without another word, Papa Hudson turned on his heels and headed back inside. 

Mama Hudson stayed on the porch. She needed a moment to cool her own temper, lest she revert back to the reckless ways that caused her to lose their very first child, lest she upset her husband to the point that he actually had another heart attack.

(c) 2014 by Mi'Chelle Dodson/Suprina Frazier 

Photo Credits:

http://www.toxicards.com/you-know-you-re-stressed-when-you-start-getting-on-your-own-nerves-k154

Country Gal Gone Wild - Chapter 21.2

Ruby squealed with delight when her father finally gave his blessing. She got up and ran around the table to hug him. She hadn’t done that since she was nine years old and discovered that she’d gotten everything on her wish-list when she opened her presents on Christmas morning. She missed hugging her father. Did he miss her hugs?

“Thank you, Papa.” Ruby hugged him tightly and planted a warm kiss on his right cheek for good measure.

Papa Hudson smiled for a few brief moments, relishing her genuine affection, before returning to his somber ways. “You just remember to be a good wife to your husband. Wait on him hand and foot and don’t give him any reason to ever doubt your love,” he said in a stern tone that lacked its usual punch.  

“Don’t worry, Papa. I’ll treat Vinny like a king,” Ruby replied, returning to her seat on lighter legs and with a lighter heart. 

“And I will treat her like the queen that she is,” Gavin inserted. “No disrespect, sir, but I’m not looking for a maid. I already have one of those at my other home and don’t need another.” 

Ruby felt her eyes glisten at those words. Such a sweet man! She scooted closer to him at the table just to be near all that sugarcane goodness. 

Mama Hudson beamed with joy. Happy tears gathered in her eyes and flowed down her cheeks.

To Ruby’s surprise, Gavin leaned over and planted a kiss on her lips right there in front of everyone. The tip of his tongue darted out and tasted her.

Ruby momentarily forgot where she was as she parted her lips and instantly deepened the kiss. She couldn’t stop herself. She didn’t want to stop herself. Not after all that he’d done for her. Plus she just liked kissing those brown lips of his.

Papa Hudson cleared his throat loudly when their first smack was followed by simultaneous moans. “Save that for the honeymoon,” he scolded, though he couldn’t seem to wipe the big grin from his face. He looked pleased to see a man genuinely excited about her. A good, respectable man at that. He even chuckled with a bit of glee.

Gavin and Ruby broke apart at Papa Hudson’s lighthearted reprimand and laughter. They and the rest of the adults at the table joined him in mirth. 

The kids ran back into the room to investigate why the Hudsons’ normally somber dining room was now bursting with laughter. They started to laugh, too, though they had no idea what was so funny. 

While everyone was present, Gavin got down on one knee and formally proposed to Ruby with the big diamond ring from his office safe.

Mama Hudson cried even more happy tears as the ring was firmly slid in place.

(c) 2014 by Mi'Chelle Dodson/Suprina Frazier 

Photo Credits:

http://teensnparents.blogspot.com/2011/03/why-my-teeth-are-uneven-why-my-teeth.html

Country Gal Gone Wild - Chapter 21.1

Everyone looked horrified by Papa Hudson’s latest obstacle. Everyone except for Gavin. He remained calm, cool, and collected – the way his father taught him to be in the face of adversity. In light of all that Ruby shared about her family, particularly about her father, he would have been highly surprised if the pathway down the aisle had been smooth.

“No worries, Red, okay?” Gavin said soothingly, running an equally soothing hand down the left side of her face.

Ruby closed her eyes at his touch and immediately calmed down. “Okay,” she whispered, revealing unspoken trust when she reopened her unique pools.

Gavin smiled and nodded. Then he pulled out his cell phone and scrolled down his contacts list to select the number Mrs. Munsen had given him. He wisely entered all new numbers into his phone so that he’d have them with him at all times.

“Hello, Mrs. Thompson? My name is Dr. Gavin Sweetwater,” he said when she answered on the second ring. He paid no mind to the frown on Papa Hudson’s face. Nothing would deter him from marrying the woman he loved. 

“Dr. Sweetwater? Aren’t you that cute new dentist in town I heard so much about?” Mrs. Thompson asked in her usual animated voice. 

“Yes, I’m the new dentist in town. I don’t know how cute I am though, but I’m glad you think so.” Gavin smiled. He could sense Mrs. Thompson’s sweet spirit already. “Do you think I’m cute, Ruby?” he turned to ask his beloved.

“Yes, very much so.” Ruby nodded with a smile, looking a lot calmer.

“My fiancée agrees with you.” Gavin chuckled, behaving as if he didn’t have a care in the world, as if his world with Ruby wasn’t at stake. Yes, he’d been trained to act this way, but he also did so because he knew that his woman needed to see a peaceful and confident display of strength in order to stay calm and strong herself.

“So the rumors are true? You are going to marry Ruby Dee Hudson?” Mrs. Thompson said excitedly.

“Yes, I am,” he replied.

“I love it!” Mrs. Thompson giggled. “Ruby’s a sweet girl.” 

“Yes, she is and I love her very much.” Gavin sent Ruby a warm smile of encouragement. “Only thing is, I need to find a place for us to live in town so that she can continue to work in her family’s business until a replacement is found. Your place was recommended to me. Now I don’t know how many offers you’ve had already, but I will double the highest one if you agree to sell me the place right here, right now.” Though this new purchase would likely mean one less jet in the small fleet he had on order, Gavin deemed it worth the expense. He deemed Ruby worth the expense. 

“Oh my,” Mrs. Thompson replied, now very serious.  

“So what do you say?” Gavin prompted, trying to help her work through her shock faster. So much was riding on her decision.

 

“I say, yes!” Mrs. Thompson gushed out in an excited breath. 

Gavin smiled wide. “Would you mind repeating that to my future father-in-law? It seems he needs some reassurance of my intentions concerning his daughter.” 

“Sure!” Mrs. Thompson agreed. “But don’t you want to know what the highest bid was first?” 

“Yes, of course.” Gavin was surprised that he’d forgotten about that part. He was usually a much sharper businessman than that. Blame it on his desperate need to seal this deal for Ruby…for her freedom from oppression…for their future together. 

When Mrs. Thompson told him the figure, Gavin nodded and casually shrugged. “No problem,” he replied, willing to pay any price to free his beloved. “I’ll have those funds available to you no later than Wednesday. Just make sure your paperwork is in order by then, okay?” 

“I will.” Mrs. Thompson sounded relieved. “Excuse me while I pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming.” 

“Don’t pinch yourself too hard.” Gavin chuckled. “Now before I turn this call over to Mr. Hudson, I’d like to know if it’s okay for Ruby and I to stop by and take a look at the property this afternoon,” he added, trying to cover all bases. 

“Come any time. I’m always home,” Mrs. Thompson replied.

“Will do,” Gavin said. Then he passed the phone to Papa Hudson across the table.

While they talked, everyone waited to see what would happen next. Papa Hudson kept uttering the same phrase, “I see. I see.”

Each identical phrase was analyzed carefully by the listeners. Was that a good ‘I see’ or a bad one? 

When Papa Hudson had heard enough, he handed the cell phone back to Gavin. “She said you can have all the farm equipment, too.”

“And?” Gavin prompted, amazed at the stubbornness of the older man. Why was Ruby’s father so reluctant for her to leave the nest?

Papa Hudson cleared his throat. “Oh yeah, you have my blessing to get married,” he said grudgingly.

(c) 2011 by Mi'Chelle Dodson/Suprina Frazier

Photo Credits:

http://www.sodahead.com/living/have-you-ever-known-someone-that-can-hold-a-grudge-for-years/question-4081343/?link=ibaf&q=&esrc=s

Country Gal Gone Wild - Chapter 20.2

On Sunday, Gavin showed up right on time for supper at the main Hudson house. He wore the dark brown suit Ruby picked out from his closet last night. His long hair was pulled back in a conservative ponytail just the way she suggested. If only she had prepared him for her appearance.

Ruby’s gorgeous red hair was pulled tightly away from her face in a modest bun. Her voluptuous body was sheathed in an oversized pink floral dress that came all the way down to her ankles. On her feet was a pair of flat pink slides. There wasn’t an inch of makeup on her face.  

Only Ruby’s eyes showed a hint of her wild side, but just for a few seconds. After briefly winking and smiling at Gavin, she pasted a chaste smile on her face and turned to politely introduce him to her family.  

“Everybody, this is Dr. Gavin Sweetwater, my fiancé whom I like to call Vinny,” Ruby began. Then she proceeded to personally introduce him to each family member one by one, starting with her red-bearded father and ending with her three blond-haired nieces.  

Gavin shook hands with each one of them. He made sure to note which man belonged to which sister. Tall Tom with the deep tan was the husband of Opal – the middle sister. Jolly Jerry with the round belly was the husband of Pearl – the oldest sister.

Though Gavin could see that Opal and Pearl were real beauties like Ruby claimed, he still didn’t think they held a candle to her. He still would have chosen her in a crowd of blondes.  

As dinner got underway, Gavin noticed how quiet all the women were compared to the men. The men led the conversation. The women only spoke when they were spoken to…unless they were addressing one of the children, that is.  

 Ruby was the exception. She initiated conversation with the men, but her comments were always kept short and sweet, as if she knew they didn’t really want to hear a thing she said anyway. As if she knew her comments were only tolerated with no expectations of them ever being celebrated.  

Gavin’s heart went out to Ruby. No wonder she was such a wild child. Living in this kind of oppression was bound to drive a free spirit like her to the other side or else kill her spirit altogether.  

She needs rescuing more than I thought, Gavin realized as the meal came to an end. He waited until the women finished serving up dessert before getting to the heart of his visitation.  

“Sir, I’d like to get to the main purpose of my visit today, if you don’t mind,” Gavin told Papa Hudson once everyone was seated again.  

“Go ahead. Speak your mind.” Papa Hudson smiled. “I like straightforwardness in a man. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen that particular quality, especially in a young man.”  

“Well, sir, I’d like to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage.” Gavin turned to look at his beloved. “Ruby is a true jewel. I fell in love with her almost from the moment we met. Her unique eyes and that beautiful smile of hers captivated my heart. When I learned that Ruby’s devotion to her family equaled that of my own, I knew I had to make her my wife,” he asserted, meaning every word he said.  

Ruby blushed. Her eyes glistened as he fervently declared his love and staked his claim on her in front of her whole family.

Gavin’s sincerity could be felt around the table because Mama Hudson’s eyes also watered. So did Pearl and Opal’s. Tom and Jerry couldn’t help but nod with approval. Yet it was Papa Hudson’s approval that counted the most here.  

Gavin turned back to Papa Hudson and reiterated his earlier statement. “If it’s all right with you, sir, I’d like to have your blessing on our union, so I can marry Ruby within the week and then whisk her away to some exotic place for a long honeymoon.”  

Papa Hudson recoiled at the words ‘whisk’ and ‘away’. He frowned as a sudden realization hit him. His baby girl was finally leaving the fold. Possibly for good!  

Papa Hudson knew Ruby well enough to know that if she was whisked away to some exotic place for a honeymoon or for any other purpose, her desire to return to Blue-eyed Hollow would diminish considerably, if not altogether. It had been hard enough to get her to come home for holidays and birthdays when she was in college.  

Instead of answering Gavin right away, Papa Hudson leaned over and whispered for his wife to send the children out of the room. When they were gone, he returned his attention to Ruby’s beau.  

“You may have my blessing under one condition,” Papa Hudson said, withholding his approval temporarily.  

“Condition? What condition?” Ruby blurted out, unable to maintain her demure persona now. Like everyone else, she thought her father would be shaking Gavin’s hand by now considering her reputation. Plus, he never gave Tom and Jerry any conditions when they wanted to marry Opal and Pearl.  

Papa Hudson turned and gave Ruby a disapproving look that immediately shut her up. Then he turned back to Gavin. “I’ll bless this union, if you buy or build a house in town. This way, Ruby can stay close by until we find somebody to replace her at the shop,” Papa Hudson said.

Mama Hudson’s eyes flashed vividly beside him. This conditional blessing was obviously a surprise to her, too. Based on the ire in her blue pools, she did not approve. Yet she said nothing.  

Ruby frowned now. She saw this as yet another way for her father to keep her trapped in this town. Why wouldn’t he just let her go already? Why must her heart constantly be broken in order to keep his alive?  

“I think that’s a great idea, sir.” Gavin quickly intervened before Ruby blew a gasket. “Mrs. Munsen told me about a lady in town that’s interested in selling her property. I believe her name is Mrs. Thompson.”  

“Mrs. Françoise Thompson?” Ruby asked, hoping it was her French/Drama teacher from high school. Not only was Mrs. Thompson the mother of her deceased best guy friend, she was the one that got Ruby interested in film in the first place.  

Mrs. Thompson had been going through hard times lately with the loss of Dior, coupled with the mounting debts of trying to maintain a large spread of land on her fixed retirement income. She lost her husband twelve years ago after a long illness, yet she stayed in Blue-eyed Hollow to continue raising their son in his father’s hometown.  

“The Mrs. Thompson I’m talking about is a widow who recently lost her only son in combat. She owns a large piece of property on the outskirts of town that includes a lake, a nature trail, and a big house with six rooms. I was thinking about putting a bid on it this week,” Gavin shared.  

Ruby smiled. “Then we’re talking about the same Mrs. Thompson. I’ll take you by there today after I help Mama with the supper dishes,” she said excitedly.

Mama Hudson looked relieved in her seat across the table. She even smiled again and nodded encouragingly at them.

“Hold all your horses,” Papa Hudson interrupted, throwing his hands up in the air. “I haven’t given my blessing yet.”  

“But, Papa, you said…” Ruby began.  

“I know what I said,” Papa Hudson snapped, causing everyone in the room to go completely silent.  

“Sir, did I misunderstand you before?” Gavin asked, being the bravest of the crew. “I thought by purchasing Mrs. Thompson’s property, I would automatically have your blessing.”  

“But that’s just the thing. You haven’t purchased her property yet,” Papa Hudson replied. “Until you do, I remain neutral on the issue,” he added, folding his hands defiantly across his chest.

(c) 2014 by Mi'Chelle Dodson/Suprina Frazier

Photo Credits:

http://wildgeesethatfly.com/?attachment_id=1607