The Farm At Maple Hollow - 14. Chapter 14

We stopped at my parents’ house on the way to the bank; we could park the car and walk down the common to the bank. We needed to pick up my brother and sister. Axel and Trind were waiting in the living room and were ready to go. Earl and Marge were with us and we made small talk for a few moments. Marge wanted my siblings to know the door was always open at the farm and they were welcome anytime. Trind seemed to be hanging on to Marge as we walked to the bank. I know she missed our mother very much. Axel on the other hand was an emotionless soul. I know he felt the events around him but just didn’t know how to get out of his own way at times. He was a math geek and very good, it was why I went out of my way at Christmas to go to the rare bookstore. When I gave him the old book on math, don’t ask…I had no idea what it was about, he genuinely smiled and appreciated the thought. He was the first born and I think my parents’ philosophy was too deeply ingrained. I also knew he was straight; he just needed to find the right girl.

When we got to the bank, we were ushered into a large conference room. Ernest had all my parents’ financial records spread out in front of him. He started off by telling us most of what we needed to discuss was cut and dried. My parents had left a will giving each of us a third of their estate less my college expenses. The house was paid for thanks to an earlier bequest from Grandmother Peterson. Grandpa Peterson had saved and invested wisely since coming to the country as a twenty something in 1917. They had bought and paid for all their children’s houses provided they got married after graduating college.

Mom and Dad had life insurance policies. They were recruited from a private college and had signed a three-year contract. Their compensation package included additional insurance and there was the lawsuit that would take place as a result of the accident.

While both Axel and Trind were over the age of eighteen I needed a legal guardian. If my siblings had no objections, Marge and Earl had applied. I was floored when my Axel and Trind said they loved me and had seen the changes in me, they had discussed it with my parents’ when they had talked. It would be foolish to even attempt to change my status.

With that settled and the paperwork signed our parent’s finances were discussed in some detail.

· Mom and Dad’s compensation package paid them each twenty-five thousand each per year.

· Their compensation package carried separate insurance of one year’s salary each.

· They were owed a year and six weeks at the time of their death.

· The house was valued at twenty-three thousand.

· They each had a personal life insurance policy of fifty thousand.

· Their net worth was $238,360.00

· There would be taxes on the sale of the house but it should be minimal.

Their will called for my education to be paid out of the amount before dividing the estate. I asked that my brother’s master’s program, and doctorate if he decided, be deducted along with funds set aside for my sister’s wedding when she chose to be married and any further education if she so decided. Everyone agreed and we left it to Ezekiel and Ernest to settle. Ernest would open separate accounts for us in the bank. While some of the proceeds would be kept liquid, the rest would be invested conservatively in non-risk blue chip funds. If we managed this wisely, we were told we would be able to buy our own homes and provide for our children’s college education.

The matter of the accident came up next, there would be a lawsuit. The driver of the pickup was driving a company car and owned the company. He had been at a local bar all afternoon and wasn’t fit to drive. The reports from the accident scene indicated that there were no skid marks, tests would confirm he was traveling at a high rate of speed and his headlights were off.

The lawsuit would be twofold; there would be a suit brought for the loss of our parents and a separate suit for the pain and suffering I endured. That suit would also cover the disfigurement I suffered.

Ezekiel asked to show the documentation he would use in court for the suit he didn’t want to settle. The insurance company for the owner of the pickup truck was ready to settle both suits. He agreed for settling the first as the counter offer was accepted, it was for seventy-five thousand dollars.

The second lawsuit was going to be settled easily, Ezekiel felt strongly on this. He confirmed his thoughts by seeking outside consul and having them rendering a supporting opinion. While it would have no legal standing, it supported his feelings as to how it should proceed.

He asked Axel and Trind to stay and review the documentation from the accident as it related to me. If they felt differently after reviewing the materials then he would proceed differently. The reports came out, they were dry and statistical. My brother let out a gasp and started to shake. Axel wanted everyone to know based on the distance our parents’ car was tossed and factoring in the absence of skid marks, that pickup had to be traveling, when factoring in the weight of both cars, over ninety miles an hour. He concluded by saying it was a rough calculation done quickly in his head, but given a day and more accurate measurements and weights he could confirm his calculation within ten miles per hour either way. Ezekiel told Axel he’d be calling some experts and confirming his calculations as soon as he had them. He would give him copies of the reports, everything else was publicly available.

Looking at all of us he asked me if I minded if he showed the photographs of the accident scene and of my condition. I was numb thinking over Axle’s observations and figured it would be best to have it all out; it was going to come out in court.

The first set of pictures were of the two cars, thankfully our parents had been removed along with the driver of the pickup truck. The second pictures were of me lying in the road all battered and bloody. The third set of pictures, were of me in the hospital just after they cut my clothing off. The fourth set were pictures of the injuries my body has sustained; the scalp laceration, the abrasions and bruised ribs, the incision made to take my spleen out and of my spleen, and the laceration that started near my rib cage and ended on my upper thigh. There were pictures of my penis sliced open. And there were pictures of my penis with stitches and after the stitches were removed, the scaring clearly visible. I think it was the pictures of my left testicle that made Axel and Earl throw up, Marge just smothered me in a bear hug and Ethan and Trind were comatose, slack jawed and wide-eyed. Me, I was simply numb and starting to lose it, I reminded myself I just needed to hang on for a few more minutes. I needed to be strong.

Ezekiel had one last item once everybody regained their composure; the damage to my testicle would possibly make it difficult to have children. My sperm count would have to be checked and if it was diminished it would be included in the lawsuit. Based on the scaring to my penis and damaged testicle he would be filing separately for pain, suffering, and disfigurement. He felt if he could get in front of a jury it would be all over. Hopefully the insurance company would meet his demands quickly. If the reports on my sperm count came back where he thought he felt it would be settled for a hundred thousand dollars.

Ezekiel and Ernest asked Axel and Trind if they had any objections, if anyone had objections and no one had any. They also told my siblings that there would be no expenses for their services, this was family after all.

It hit me then, it hit me hard, and then it really hit me hard. All the feelings I couldn’t feel before came flooding out. I missed my parents’ so much, I wanted none of this if it would just go away. I lost control and have no idea for how long. When I came to my senses Axel and Trind were holding me in their arms.

Walking out of the bank that afternoon I asked Ethan if he minded stopping at the Good Doctor’s office, while I wasn’t in the mood, we had best give him the sample he needed. Marge told Axel and Trind that they were coming up to the farm and to pack an overnight bag. She and Earl would see they got back to school.

When we got to the Good Doctor’s office, he showed me to a private room and I had to explain to the Good Doctor, in confidence of course, that Ethan and I were an item. He would need to know anyway if he were going to keep a baseline on my health. He winked and told me the sample had to be clean and not to contaminate it, we would have to limit ourselves to our hands only and only after we cleaned them. Ethan had me drop trousers and I asked him to do what I asked last night, take me from soft to hard and back again, he laughed and pointed at Old Spot, I was already hard. Now I was concerned, I could understand the first two times getting erect and not feeling it but now that it happened a third time I was concerned. I did however, feel everything done to produce the sample the Good Doctor needed and promised Ethan I’d return the favor later tonight.

I gave the Good Doctor the specimen and asked for a moment of his time. I explained my last three erections, not the details of what I was doing, that I had no idea I was hard before I was going to make myself hard. It’s confusing I know. The Good Doctor made a few notes in my chart, told me not to worry if there was no other loss of sensation, he’d be back to me in a day or so. He also mentioned I should continue to keep track till I heard back from him.

The next three weeks flew by, I had buried myself in course work and Ethan had been well enough for some time, to work around the farm and he moved around as if nothing had happened to him, like me our scars would always be a physical memory but our bodies and souls were mending. I felt blessed every day I go to go home after school to the man I loved. He had taken the brunt of Earl’s workload letting him rest and recover from his health issues and Marge was delighted to hear us all clanging and banging around the house. Sam needed to work a bit harder to get his grades up to where we all knew where they should be and to his credit, self-enforced weekends home studying saw a dramatic improvement in his marks and his self-imposed exile was coming to an end. We planned on celebrating Memorial Day weekend, Bobby would be coming up to join in with Eddy and we were looking forward to it. Ethan and I continued to surprise each other, Old Spot returned to normal, they thought I had a reaction to the medicine that kept me flaccid while I was healing. The tests showed a diminished sperm count but I wasn’t planning on children anytime soon. The lawsuits were settled quickly, my brother’s observations were spot on, confirmed by our expert witnesses and theirs couldn’t refute the evidence. Mine never made it past the initial stages, the photos were damning. The insurance company agreed instantly, they were terrified of the jury exceeding what we had asked for.

Never having a daughter, Marge and Trind were inseparable. When she graduated, Marge was going to pull a few favors and get her into the local school system. Axel after walking through the farm with Earl, came up with an accounting system he had created on something called a computer. It created a paper manual Earl and Ethan had to follow and to me, it was nothing but a glorified ledger but it allowed them to keep a simplified paper trail of exactly where their funds were. Ernest was so impressed he offered Axel a job at the bank.

Ethan and I asked to meet with Ernest and Ezekiel alone one afternoon. Ethan had a regular disability check coming in, free medical care from the Veterans Administration, he had had a settlement from the plane crash, it was a civilian plane flown at the behest of the military that had crashed, and he had college paid for.

We needed to do several things, I needed a will, and Ethan needed a will. We needed paperwork that tied us together and protected the both of us, and after much discussion with Ethan, we decided we wanted to buy the farm sooner rather than later. The proceeds would go to support Marge and Earl, they would live the rest of their days on the farm and want for nothing, additionally Ethan and I would set up a trust fund from the sale of the farm that would, with interest earned, pay for the college educations of each of the brothers children, it wouldn’t be Harvard but a good reliable local college. Once the paperwork was completed, we would then place the farm in a land trust, preserving it for eternity.

I couldn’t wait for the beginning of Memorial Day Weekend. I had spent some time out at the island; I had set up the rope swing and built a picnic area around the outdoor fireplace. It was obvious we were going to need an addition to the cabin; we’d turn the main room/kitchen into a full kitchen/dining area and build off to the other side of the cabin a family room. I would design it with Earl’s help and Earl, Sam and I would build it.

The start of my senior year was coming up at the end of this summer and Ethan would be commuting to the Agricultural College. We were going to need to hire a farm manager and would have to conduct interviews over the next couple of months. We would need him to be on board by August at the latest. I needed to conduct a survey of the farm, equipment, and buildings. We were going to need to modernize, upgrade where necessary and rebuild where needed. We had contracts for supplies and for products sold and we needed to review these as well.

I could hear the school bus bringing Sam to the end of the driveway. The sight of him trying to hold his school books and weekend bag, while running down the driveway was hilarious. He’d drop one thing pick it up and two others would fall. Finally, a very discombobulated Sam ended up on the porch. He promptly dropped everything jumped into my arms, nearly choked the life out of me and flew off me to Ethan and Eddy who underwent the same treatment. He high fived Grandpa Earl, hugged and kissed Grandma Marge, greeting her over a pile of his stuff, before he brought it to his room in our apartment.

Sam, as usual was a chatterbox from the moment he had arrived on the farm. He was talking from the time he got off the bus till the time he got back from his room. He and Grandpa Earl headed off towards the milking parlor. We had some time before supper and went for a walk up to the old hickory. Ethan gathered me in his arms as we sat down and we looked over the farm.

Knowing that the two of us were equally were purchasing the farm made us feel good, that out of all that had happened something positive would come out of it. What sold us was the thought we would direct the proceeds towards supporting Marge and Earl and funding the college education for the brother’s children. The family would be ecstatic and we expected they would be completely in agreement We hoped they would be floored when we further informed them that the farm would be placed in a land trust protecting and preserving it for future generations.

We had also decided to create a trust that would initially be funded by us to pay for the necessary farm expenses such as taxes, future legal costs, and the basic bills. All income from the farm above necessary expenses such as utilities, groceries and other household bills would be directed to this trust. Our goal as we had been planning was to make the farm in whatever manner it was worked to be self-sustaining. While Ethan and I had come into what we considered blood money we were uncomfortable in spending it as most would. It would never return what was lost and taken from us and as such, we needed to see that it was put to good use. We had both lost much and suffered together and came out stronger. I, like Ethan, needed nothing but a life together on the farm. I wasn’t interested in anything else. I wasn’t by far an introvert I just knew what made me happy. The farm was our universe, the sum of the both of us, it is what made us complete.

It was sitting up here that our plans first took shape, it is where we though through our ideas and set our plans into motion. We both wanted the same things, we had our minor disagreements over silly stuff and we knew it, while we were partners, we were individuals that appealed to each other because of our differences. Finding Ethan was like having my first piece of strawberry rhubarb pie. Once I tasted it, I was hooked, no other pie was as good and for my birthday each year after, he would bring me a piece from a pie he baked. Cooking wasn’t his strong suite and the sight of him wearing one of his mother’s aprons covered in pie fixins and flour was incredibly erotic. He’d be marching around the kitchen completely bewildered, the directions seemingly of no use. One eye would be focused on what he was doing, the other on the timer and as he went along everything had to be cleaned as it got used or dirtied. His strong suit was breakfast and he had that down pat.

Ethan was comfortable in many situations, calm, cool and collected but in the kitchen, he was helpless and totally out of his element. I learned how to cook and liked it; I was comfortable in the kitchen and useless when it came to bookkeeping. I could fix things, repair the outbuildings, and understood the day to day operations of farm management. I had to have Ethan balance my checkbook and pay the bills, we learned of and appreciated each other’s weakness as we both compensated for each other and it made us stronger. I was words and action and Ethan was thoughts and deeds. Sitting up here today allowed us to have our small talk and bask in the beauty of the farm. It was here I could see my future growing, sharing it with the one I loved knowing I was loved back. When we sat up here it was as good as our physical, intimate moments as the connection we shared was equally pleasurable. We planned our life together from this vantage point and holding his hand I was enamored of our future together.

Our quiet interlude was interrupted by the sound of the dinner bell and we headed our way back down. As we were nearing the farmhouse and eager Sam spotted us coming up from the milking parlor, he bolted over to join us as Earl had reached the porch. Per his custom he got between the middle of us and was chattering about all the stuff we had to do this weekend. He announced that he would be ready to head to the cabin right after supper and had a list of the board games we needed to bring and was Bobby and Eddy coming along with what we needed for snacks, sandwiches, and breakfast stuff. Oh, and don’t forget, Grandma Marge and Grandpa Earl should come out for supper tomorrow night and we needed to remember the rope for the swing cause it was warm enough to go swimming and he giggled when he as how he wasn’t gonna wear a swimsuit and we needed benches for the outside fire place.

He had rattled off so much stuff as we finished walking down, I was losing track trying to remember his list. He run or skip a pace or two ahead of us and come roaring back and wrap his arms around our waists and hold us tightly to him. Somewhere along the line he had tossed his shoes and was barefoot, his shirt was untucked and lord only knows what treasures from the workshop were stuffed in his pockets. He had his Red Sox cap on and we knew by looking at Sam that he was totally in his element. Sam’s energy infused all of us and you could see and feel his connection to the farm. We hadn’t announced to anyone but the Ernest and Ezekiel our plans were for the farm. We were going to have a picnic Sunday afternoon and let the rest of the family know. Axel and Trind would finally be here and staying at the farm for the summer. Axel was going to work at the bank and Marge was going to enjoy having a ‘daughter’ to spend time with. There was much going on this weekend and I loved every minute of it.

Supper was a lively affair, I rolled out the sketches for the addition to the cabin and when Sam learned it was his summer project with Grandpa Earl, he was ready to quit school right there and then. We had debated getting rid of the outhouse and putting in a toilet but with us using it year-round it didn’t make sense, Sam was relieved as he did not want to lose the ‘Pooplight’. The other idea we batted around was bring electricity out to the island. The expense wasn’t the issue but keeping the cabin rustic was far more important and we elected not to. Sam thought we should have more than four beds in the bunkroom for when his brother and younger cousins would be coming out for overnights, it was a good idea and we decided to modify our plans a bit. As we were finishing up our discussion on the cabin Bobby stopped in, he was staying for the weekend as well. Sam immediately attached himself to Bobby, as a helpless Eddy looked on in merriment as Sam filled Bobby in on the weekend’s activities. We sat around for a bit longer noticing a very impatient Sam who was raring to head out. I suggested that if he took all the stuff we had packed along with the coolers, we’d be leaving sooner than expected. As Marge noted later, the mini tornado had everything out onto the porch in no time flat, conscripted Bobby to help and with the use of the wheelbarrow had the rowboat loaded and ready for the trip out.

We built a fire in the outdoor fire place and sat around discussing plans for the upcoming summer. Sam was excitedly discussing the additions to the cabin and I was trying to temper his enthusiasm by reminding him of all the work it takes. He was having none of it and was sure everything would go just fine. I reminded him I was able to bring everything I needed out when the pond was frozen over, having to row everything over was going to take some time. Bobby mentioned his father had an old rowboat with an outboard motor. He was sure it just needed a tune up, he would ask but he was positive it would be fine to use it. I offered to pay for the tune up. With any luck we would have the boat and motor in a couple of weeks

We stayed outside till the mosquitoes and no see-ums came out and retired to the porch. It was warm out and we decided to let the wood stove be. Tomorrow would be a treat, I had brought what we needed for pancakes with bacon and eggs, the cook stove would be sufficient for warming the cabin tomorrow. Sam was excited to hear about the rope swing and was very pleased to see the picnic area we had set out. He wanted to go swimming first thing in the morning till we explained afternoon would be better. I had mentioned we needed to measure out for the footings the additions needed and we would have to dig the holes for them. All his buttons had been pushed as he expounded on everything that was going on. I mentioned it would be an early night if we were going to get everything done tomorrow. We played a couple of board games and then threw some blankets and pillows in front to the couch and told some scary stories. Sam started as usual sitting between us and by the time the last story was told was sleeping soundly. Gently without waking him we put him to bed after taking just his shoes and jeans off. He was getting too big for us to get him into his PJ’s without waking so we left him in his tee shirt and jockey shorts and quietly covered him up.

Eddy and Bobby were still up and had gone out to the porch. A quarter moon was rising in the sky down over the far end of the pond. When it was quiet, it wasn’t as you’d think as the nocturnal denizens of the farm were on the prowl. We sat up with them for a bit and discussed how they and we were doing. Both looked nervous and I could see they had a question for us so I asked what was bothering them. They had decided a while ago that they were going to commit to each other like we had and were thinking of taking the next step in their intimate relationship and wanted some pointers. Bobby was unsure while Eddy was all for it and had told Bobby about our night together. The best we could do at that point was to inquire if they were comfortable as to how their relationship was progressing. They told us they were but leery of doing something that might ultimately damage it. We suggested that they start slow and if Eddy was comfortable then he should take the passive role first and when it was Bobby’s turn to let him get acclimated by starting slowly use foreplay and fingers to loosen him up. They should remember to ensure they were ‘clean’ back there; it would make it that much better.

We left them on the porch and went to the bedroom. We took turns undressing each other and once all our clothes were off, we got into bed. With Sam in the cabin we would be restricted to our activities and the noise we could make. The light from the oil lantern cast a warm yellow glow about the cabin and bathed us in it. I slowly rubbed my hands over Ethan’s body. Sitting up I drank in the perfection his flesh took in the soft light from the lantern and luxuriated in his aroma. Leaning over I smelt and kissed him till I got to the space between his legs. I needed to drink from him; I needed to bring him to the climax I so desperately wanted. I matched his different smells with the myriad of tastes to the various textures of his skin, I cupped my hands on his hips as I inhaled his groin, and my lips parting as he entered my mouth. I licked, suckled, massaged, stroked, and brought him to his state of bliss. Taking his offering I was content as I had brought my partner a slice of heaven. At the end of the day, his countenance displayed his pleasure in the giving of himself to me.

If anything, Ethan was gentle and methodical. He played my body like a musical instrument getting the proper tone and movement out of me. I’d rise and fall in time to his music; the beat of his heart was the timing of our symphony. I could hear the orchestra setting the tempo as the chorus sang their part. I was a stringed instrument at the hands of a master; I was a stringed instrument whose chords were gently played. I was the drum, the flute and oboe. I was at the mercy of the conductor as he brought me to the crescendo over, and over again. A choir of angels sang hallelujah, the trumpets heralded the impending movements climax and I gave the song of my soul to him as the bagpipers called me home from afar.