Chapter 5: "Young Love, First Love, Filled With True Devotion"

School was over and the summer was here. Lesley celebrated by getting a family portrait taken of herself with the two boys. She felt like it was the end of an era and she wanted to mark it with a keepsake memory.

They took a picnic one day to the Appaloosa Fair and there Lesley casually mentioned the new neighbours to Luke Hans.
"Apparently they're called Fisher," she said to a sweaty and hungry Luke Hans. "They've moved here from the west coast. Not sure what he does, but she's an artist of some kind. There are two girls who look about your age Luke. The older one is called Marjorie, the other is Cleo. You should go over and welcome them to the neighbourhood. I don't think they go to your school though, they probably go to that private place, Dribbledine."
Luke zoned out as his Mum rambled on about the Fishers.

 But a few weeks later while they were throwing a ball in the front yard, Luke smirked at Jethro and said "How much will you dare me to go over to the Fishers house and see if I can spy on one of those mystery girls?"

 "I'll give you five bucks if you can spot one without getting caught." laughed Jethro. Neither he nor Luke had gotten an eyeball on either Marjorie or Cleo who were rapidly becoming myths in his opinion.

 Luke dropped the ball straightaway and in his best stealth mode crept up the driveway of the old Darnell mansion keeping his eyes peeled for anyone coming out of the front door.

 He decided to go around back and see if he could peek into any of the windows. there were plenty of bushes around there for cover, but he felt like a bit of a perv if he had to be honest.

All the windows were too high for him to see in and something was rustling behind him in the undergrowth. He was getting a little freaked out. But the sweet thought of taking $5 off Jethro drove him on.

He snuck onto the front porch where he could get a look in through the big french style windows on either side of the entry. And sure enough there was a large built man, probably Mr Fisher talking with a dark haired girl. The girl was so beautiful, Luke Hans made a loud gulping sound that attracted the attention of Mr Fisher within, who turned to look at what had made the sound.

 Just in time, Luke Hans dived over the ballustrade into the bushes below and held his breath as Durham Fisher looked around the porch area curiously.

 ___ ~___

 One evening in late Autumn Luke went to the movies to see "Sim Wars: Unpixelated". He exited the theatre behind the dark haired girl he'd seen in the house next door. He felt a surge of bravado and decided to follow her as she passed Maloney's the Irish bar, which old Esme Curley had just been thrown out of, even though she was wearing pants tonight. Luke skirted Esme quickly just as the girl turned around.

They came face to face so suddenly Luke almost crashed into her.
"Ugh, sorry!" he spluttered. His eyes wide with shock. Up close this girl was even more amazing.
 There was an uncomfortable silence. "She probably thinks I'm stalking her...." thought Luke, floundering for something cool but sensible to say. "Wait a minute - I am!" He chastised himself silently for acting like a freak.

 "Were you following me?" the girl eventually asked, staring coolly into his eyes, unblinking. After they'd stood for a minute and when it became obvious that Luke had lost the use of his vocal chords, she said "Who the hell are you?"

Finally the busted gears in Luke's brain began to grind again and he explained "Sorry, ummm I'm Luke Hans Diarmid. I wasn't following you ....well I was actually, but not in that way....I mean I recognised you, so I thought I would....ugh," he gulped a dry swallow, this was sounding worse than creepy, "I mean...I just wanted to introduce myself because I'm...." He made house shapes with his hands and side by side motions with his arms. ".....your neighbour!" That sounded better. "Not a stalker or a pervert. I don't follow girls around in the dark at all usually...."  he laughed.

Stop talking Luke, he yelled at himself silently. He was blowing this big time. He could tell by the look on her face.

"I live next door to you. I'm Luke." he stated again finally for good measure.
 "Oh. Right. Luke." The girl eyed him up and down.
After a brief pause she said "I'm Marjorie Fisher. Nice to meet you."
Relief flooded through Luke's body. She wasn't going to blow a whistle or spray mace at him or knee him in the groin!

Feeling he had nothing left to lose, Luke Hans went in for the kill. "Would you like to have a coffee sometime? With me, of course. I meant a coffee with me...together?"

He held his breath.

"Sure." Marjorie said. As bells rang in his head, trumpets blew a fanfare, lions roared and bombs went off in a blaze of fireworks somewhere behind his eyes, Marjorie shrugged and said simply "Come over on Friday afternoon?"

Luke thought they were the most beautiful words anyone had ever said to him.

When Friday came, there was a sudden cold snap and a light dump of snow. Luke donned his coat and headed over to the Fisher house. He felt reasonably calm, it was just a friendly cup of coffee, until Mrs Fisher opened the door.

 Tessa Fisher was the most intimidating woman Luke Hans had ever met. She oozed a confident, superior air, that matched the huge mansion whose threshold she stood guarding. When Luke introduced himself and asked if Marjorie was home, Tessa eyed him coldly and never cracked a smile. Luke felt very small and somewhat inadequate.

"Yes, Marjorie is expecting you. Do come in." Tessa intoned without a hint of welcome.

 She showed Luke into the front sitting room. It was lavishly decorated with antique furniture, gold brocade drapes, dark wood panelling. Luke stared at an ancient looking marble statue on a plinth. His heart started beating fast and erratically. He knew they were wealthy, because this was a big house, but he had not visualised that wealth. They were RICH. Panic rose within his chest, as he realised he was not in anyway up to their standards. He was just Luke, who lived next door in a ramshackle, unimpressive cottage.

He was just contemplating making a run for it, when he heard a noise behind him.

He turned to find the most delightful sight he could have wished for - Marjorie Fisher was standing watching him. She greeted him calmly in low husky tones "Hello, Luke. It's good to see you again. How are you?"

Luke didn't know how he was exactly. Panicky, overwhelmed, scared, wonderstruck, impressed? He rushed over to Marjorie and began complementing everything in sight.

"This place is amazing!" he raved. "I've never seen so much wood, it's on all the walls...."
"It's mahogany." Marjorie offered helpfully.
 "...and gold and statues and furniture and all this old looking stuff....I had no idea..." Luke was lost for words. Marjorie just smiled.

"It's just stuff." she said, nonchalantly. "My Mum is a collector, she likes to buy art and beautiful objects from all over the world. The house is crammed with it all."

Luke was mesmerised by the dark pools of Marjorie's eyes, she was standing so close to him  and he felt so happy that without thinking or hesitating Luke said "But you're the most beautiful thing in this house."

What was he doing!? He wanted to kick himself, but he was apparently hypnotised.

He thought he'd blown it but he noticed Marjorie's expression softened. A smile played softly around her eyes and she moved slightly closer to him. Her skin seemed to have an unearthly glow. She seemed like an exotic creation from another world.

"I think you and I are going to be very good friends, Luke Hans." said Marjorie, without the slightest hint of sarcasm. "I'm really looking forward to getting to know you." Luke was not breathing again. Everything she said seemed loaded with possibilities. He felt beads of sweat break out on his forehead and neck and begin to dampen the collar of his shirt. Was this actually happening to him? Stay cool! He yelled at himself.

Marjorie showed Luke around the house and they chatted and laughed and Luke felt more relaxed, but still awestruck. When they came back into the sitting room her sister Cleo was standing there. Marjorie introduced him, but Cleo gave him only a cursory glance and then acted as though he wasn't even there. But Marjorie seemed more and more charming and attentive. Luke thought this was all going extremely well.

Then all hell broke loose.

 

Marjorie's mother stormed into the room. Luke thought she may have been listening in to their conversation from another room. She was angry and she launched in on Marjorie with no reservation.

"Just what do you think you're playing at young lady?" her voice was harsh and bitter. "You think you can drag the dregs of the town over here and boyfriend them, do you? You will behave with a little more...no! A lot more decorum. Have some self respect and stop shaming me! We moved here for a fresh start, a better quality of society and I WILL NOT HAVE YOU FLAUNTING MY STANDARDS." She gestured in Luke's direction with a sneer.

Luke was so shocked he automatically jumped backwards and shielded himself with one of the carved marble pillars nearby. He felt scared of Mrs Fisher and embarrassed for himself. But also protective of Marjorie. As Tessa's tirade of abuse went on, Marjorie stood her ground impassively and did not react at all to the outburst. This impressed Luke and so he stepped forward to support Marjorie.

"Ummm Marjorie, I guess I'll just go...." he said quietly, as Tessa stalked away with her nose in the air.

But Marjorie turned and took hold of Luke's hands.

"No." she said forcefully. "No one talks about my boyfriend like that and gets away with it. Please, I apologise for my mother's....opinions. She is very rude. She had no right to say those things in front of you....my guest."

Marjorie looked into Luke's eyes for a long time and he knew she would change his life, and he would do anything to make her happy.

Chapter 4: Sammie To The Rescue

 Lesley was feeling down. All she seemed to do these days was potter around the house, clean up after Prospera and run the hills, alone. Jethro and Luke Hans were becoming more independent and she just had so much time on her hands all of a sudden.

It had been a particularly wet spring and she was feeling drained of energy and tired of getting soaked and cold. She was tired of her own company. Lesley needed a distraction.

Sammie the maid had a sixth sense about these things.

Sammie arrived one morning for his shift while Lesley was doing her warm up aerobic routine.

"Morning, Princess." he drawled as he winked in her direction and headed for the kitchen.

Sammie had taken to calling Lesley "Princess". She had no idea why, but she kind of liked it. He called Luke Hans "Squire" and Jethro.... well she had heard him call Jethro a variety of "Honeytones," "Honeypot" and "Honeybun" and she swore one time it sounded like "Honeybutt."

"Oh hey Sammie." panted Lesley, out of breath and flustered by his sudden appearance.
"Sweating to the Oldies again are you?" he laughed. "Gee Princess, you need to have some playtime, you keep working so hard you'll wear yourself out!" Sammie commented as he went past.

This struck a chord with Lesley, so she quickly showered and changed and went in search of him. She needed to do something to spice up her life and Sammie seemed the perfect person to ask for advice. She found him outside by the bin. Gazing into his incredibly fixating ice blue peepers, she found it easy to open up to him how she was feeling.

Lesley struck up a conversation with Sammie and was very quickly confessing to him how jaded and down she had been feeling about life in general lately.

Sammie nodded and understood exactly. "I have to say, it seems to me you lead an extraordinarily mundane existence. You work hard, Princess. That gives you the right to play hard too! When was the last time you went out on the town?"

Lesley looked blank and mumbled something about not really ever doing that before.

"Are you telling me you and the girls never go out for a shindig and a let your hair down?" Sammie was amazed.

"Ummm no, that's not something I've ever...." Lesley felt a weird combination of inadequacy, squareness and a sudden motivation to get her party on.

"Princess! Lead me to your wardrobe. Let's see what I've got to work with! I'll put together an outfit and accessories while you ring your girlfriends and set the time and place. You'll feel so much better in no time. I swear!"

And that is how Lesley came to find herself at Mick's Master Karaoke, with Maisy Miller, her former college roommate and the only person whose number in her address book was still current, wearing a corsetted and sleeveless version of the bridesmaid dress she'd worn to her cousin Alexander's wedding many moons ago.

At first she felt like a fish not only out of water, but on a waterless planet. Lesley wasn't much of a bar going person. But Maisy seemed genuinely pleased to be there and they found themselves reminiscing over their old college days and pretty soon, after a few cocktails....

 Lesley found herself partnering Maisy in a duet of "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" on the beginners and non-winners stage in the karaoke bar.

Maybe it was the effects of that fourth cocktail, but she didn't think they sounded all that bad either. Although she graciously left all the high parts and power notes to Maisy, who seemed only too keen to give it all she had.

When Lesley got home and looked around her small, cramped, unstylish bedroom that evening, she felt an uplifting change coming over her, it was joy. She'd actually had great fun with Maisy. She looked around at the ugly out of date wallpaper and the old brass bed she and Benny had bought at the thrift store, and she made a decision right there and then.....there were going to be some changes around here. And she would ask Sammie's advice on where to start.

____  ~ ____

 Lesley found Sammie one day in her drab and dated room, finger gunning himself in her ancient and worn out mirror, and asked if she could have a word or two when he had finished.

"Sammie, you know this place pretty well now, you've been cleaning it for a while. What do you think of the layout...and the ummm decor?"

Sammie did a slow 360 turn around and shook his head slowly and coughed apologetically. "Princess, it's not my cup of tea, I have to tell you. But it's yours, and you should be proud that you have bought your own home. I'm still living in the attic of my Aunt Gracie's place. I don't ever think I'll have a home of my own."

"But it's not my cup of tea either Sammie. I just don't know where to start. I've never decorated before. I mean look at me - I have no taste! Not an ounce of style! I'd really love if you would share some of your ideas with me. I'd pay you extra - like a consultancy fee."

Sammie needed very little persuasion. Before the week was out Lesley was zooming around to stores with Sammie, picking out paint and wallpaper, looking at tile and carpet samples and organising for a team of builders to put an extension on the back of the house to give them a dining area and a bigger master bedroom upstairs.

When her new bedroom was in progress, Sammie worked out a colour scheme and helped her pick out new furniture.

"Do you like all this extra space you're going to have Princess?" You'll be living in the lap of luxury when this is finished." he crooned.

 Lesley was over the moon with how easy it all had been. "I can't thank you enough for you help Sammie." she gushed. "You are so talented, you should have been a designer!"

Sammie shrugged modestly, and blushed a little. No one had ever appreciated his talents like the Diarmid's did, in this house he was a hero.

Lesley had one more request to make of Sammie.

 Lesley had asked Jethro at breakfast one morning if he was taking anyone to the Prom.
"It's only a week away, you know." Lesley remined him. "Wouldn't it be cool to take a date?"

But Jethro just shrugged. "Mum, you know I'm not going to the Prom. It's just not my thing. I really am not interested in asking anyone to go or in going myself. I've already told you this a thousand times. I'm perfectly happy just staying home."

But Lesley was not happy. She wanted both boys to experience all the important rites of passage that growing boys go through. They would be adults soon enough.  

 When they had gone to school, Lesley called Sammie. They had become close friends while working on her house renovations together. Although it wasn't his day to come in, she explained the problem on the phone and asked if he would have a word with Jethro. She knew how Jethro admired Sammie. He would surely listen to him. Sometimes she wished there was a father figure on the scene when the boys needed guidance that she felt inadequate to give. But Sammie had grown very close to Jethro most of all.

Sammie spoke to Jethro as Lesley had asked. To Lesley's surprise there was a massive argument. Jethro unleashed a torrent of rage when Sammie made his case about going to the Prom. Lesley had never seen Jethro so angry.

"Oh yeah! So you want me to go hook up with a bunch of girls too, do you, just like my Mum does? Huh??!! What is wrong with JUST NOT GOING TO THE STUPID PROM!!"

Sammie tried to calm Jethro down. But he ran outside into the garden to get away from him.

 Meanwhile the limo had arrived and was parked up at the front of the house. Luke Hans was pretty keen to get going, he'd been looking forward to Prom night, even though he hadn't been able to find a girl to go with. He was still hopeful. Lesley left Sammie to chase after Jethro and went to see her eldest son off. She was so proud of him, all grown up in his tuxedo

Luke was beginning to worry that they'd miss the start. He sat in the limo waiting for his brother thinking "God. Jethro is a hot headed fool. Why can't he just relax and enjoy the party? Hmmm I've eaten all the snacks in the mini bar....maybe I can get the driver to do a lap around and pick up some burgers...."

 Lesley stayed in the house, but she watched from the window as Sammie made an emotional looking plea with Jethro. She did not know what he said, but whatever it was caused Jethro to relent and to calm down and amazingly agree to go to the Prom.

He hopped in the other end of the limo with a look of resignation. Although Luke Hans could see he was not exactly thrilled about it. But at least they could get going now. "Drama over," thought Luke.

Lesley watched the limo drive off down the road heading for the school. "Phew!" she thought, "Hopefully they will have fun anyway without dates."

She was just wishing that there were more girls Luke and Jethro's age around the town, when she saw a car roll up to the house next door. The place had been empty for over a month since Honey Darnell had passed away. It looked as though the for sale signs were being taken down and a new family were moving in.

Lesley couldn't get a real good look at the family, but she could tell there were at least two teenage girls out front - one with dark hair and one with blonde. "Luke Hans will be elated!" she thought as she strained her eyes and ricked her neck. She made a mental note to tell him asap.

Chapter 3: Brothers, But Different

While Lesley worried about her mothering skills, Jethro and Luke Hans grew very quickly into teenage boys. They hung out together a lot of the time when Lesley was animal wrangling. One morning before school they had a conversation that went like this....

"Mrs Gonzalez sets the meanest homework, right? I'm looking at these equations and all I see are squiggle trails left by ink ants." says Luke

"Ugh! Tell me about it! I've got her old man for chemistry...it aint pretty. School is just the pits." 

"I know. There aren't even any girls our age to relieve the drudgery. I mean, like none. What's with that? It might as well be an all boys school or something."

"Umm, I don't mind that there's heaps of .....ummm guys though."

"How are we supposed to get dates for the Prom when there's just all guys everywhere?"

"I'm not going to Prom anyway, so it's all good with me."

"Well that's okay for you Jethro. But I need a hit of the fairer sex or I'm going to go insane." 

It seemed like all of Luke Hans attention these days went on scoping the town for girls, thinking about girls, or the lack of girls. because to Luke Hans, Appaloosa Plains seemed full of cowboys and ranchers and seriously lacking in cowgirls of any description.

Jethro saw his brother's pained expression. "Hey, why don't you and Kristofer get together and have a night out somewhere. There's that new juice bar in town, and the karaoke place. You could be each other's wingman."

The next day Luke Hans went over to Kristofer's house after school. They never did much at Kristofer's place because his mother was a total neat freak and threw a fit if anything was moved or ruffled.

"Wow. Man, your house is so crystal clean. I feel like even my breathing is messing the place up." said Luke Hans as they sat on the couch watching TV, which was basically the only thing they were allowed to do.

"I know. It's like being shrinkwrapped and put on display." agreed Kristofer.

"Listen Kris, we need to hit the tracks you know? We need to get out there and find where all the babes are hanging. I mean look at us, two not that bad looking guys, sitting in the house on a Friday night watching Deadliest Catch. What the hell is wrong with us? Let's go out tomorrow night, just to the juice bar or something? What d'ya say?"

Kristofer looked kind of scared. "I don't think my Mum will let me. She's always going on about how unhygienic those places are."

 Just at that moment Kristofer's mother Juanita arrived home from her job at the restaurant. She caught the last part of their conversation as she marched in the front door.

"Kristopher you are NOT allowed to go to no dive bar. You hear me?"

"Eeeeee" was the only sound Kristopher could make. 

"Hi Mrs Blanco. Ummm we're just really bored sitting in the house all the time, that's all." Luke Hans tried to explain. But Juanita didn't even stop to argue the point. She threw a look over her shoulder that would freeze Hell. Luke Hans thought Kristopher was close to wetting his pants so he let it rest.

 

"Jeez, looks like that's the end of that plan then." Luke Hans was peeved.

"You could go out with Jethro. You're lucky to have a brother your own age Luke. Why don't you ask him?" suggested Kristofer, trying to stop his friend feeling bad.

 

When Saturday came, Luke Hans asked to go along on Jethro's weekly fishing expedition up at the old cemetery. Luke Hans hated fishing and Jethro normally went on his own. But he wanted to talk to his brother. 

"So.... Kristofer is a no go. His mother is just super anal about him doing anything." he started.

"Right." said Jethro uninterested.

"So I was thinking, we could do it? Together, I mean."

"What's that?" Jethro was feeling cramped by Luke standing so close, he worried their lines would get tangled.

"Go out somewhere, get a social life. Meet some girls, you know!"

"Oh." Jethro just didn't have the same desperate need that Luke Hans had to go chasing after girls. He didn't see the point. He had urges for ever more radical colour tints in his hair. He was driven to shop for the latest cool jeans. He had a burning need to try a facial just to see if his skin could be more blemish free. He was excitedly saving up his allowance for a set of hair straighteners. But looking for a girlfriend featured nowhere on his to-do list.

He tried to let Luke Hans down softly..."I don't know Luke. Let me think about it."

 

Monday morning came and Luke Hans reluctantly traipsed out to the school bus. Dreading another relentless day of all male companionship except for Mrs Gonzalez, and she was borderline.

On the bus Jethro noticed how down Luke Hans looked. He didn't like seeing his brother so distressed. So, reluctantly, he agreed to go out with him that Saturday night. It was a long time coming.

It seemed to Jethro that Luke Hans could talk about nothing else all that week.

"....and Ethan Parrott says he goes to the Roxy nearly every single week and it's chock full of hot chicks and they don't ever even ask for his ID!!"

At first Jethro just went along with Luke Hans' enthusiasm. Joking, "That's because Ethan Parrott's uncle owns the place dummy - and anyway he looks so old because he never moisturises."

Luke Hans cracked up.

But by Friday, Jethro had had his fill of Luke Hans babbling on about girls and Saturday night. He had sought privacy in the bedroom they shared and was trying to figure out an essay plan for an extra tough assignment on the history of Simbots. Luke Hans found him and started messing around with the light pen and Prospera, Lesley's burmese cat, all the while prattling excitedly about the night out and their chances and foolproof methods of asking a girl on a date. Luke was sending more than the cat dizzy.

 He then bent down and started practicing on Prospera, asking her to go on a date with him. The cat meowed in response "See Jethro! I told you I could get a date. I told you my method is foolproof!"

 But Jethro had had enough. "Luke Hans! For Gods sake! GIVE IT A REST!! You are doing my head in. We're only going to the JUICE BAR. For ONE drink. It's all we can afford anway, we can't afford to take girls out." Jethro it seemed had a hot temper and a short fuse and Luke Hans realised he'd better zip it or the boys night out could be off.

That night Luke Hans had a dream. In it Jethro was standing in the dark, alone, outside a nightclub, while Luke Hans watched him from inside. The rain was streaming down, soaking Jethro to the bone. Luke Hans called to him, over and over, he called until his voice was hoarse. But Jethro stood dead still in the dark, wet night, gazing out at some unseen thing in the distance and never looked or saw Luke Hans calling him.

Lesley didn't exactly approve of the boys going out that evening. But she realised they were growing up and they needed their freedom. She had to trust them eventually, so at breakfast she gave them a list of do's and don'ts in her strictest parental voice. and they nodded and mmmm'd in agreement. It would be fine, they said. "Stop worrying so much Mum."

The evening itself was kind of a let down. They even went to Roxy's Karaoke Bar in the hope that all the hot chicks would be there. But the place was full of cowhands and old fairies. Luke Hans and Jethro felt like fish out of water. "God this town sucks." Jethro called out to Luke Hans. "Lets get out of here" Luke replied, let down, depressed and frustrated with disappointment. Jethro felt almost as devastated, there was nothing in this town that seemed to speak to his soul. Inspire him. Or give him chills. It was just drab. He felt out of place and wrong.

But the next day brought an unexpected event and an unmistakable change in his feelings.

They'd just finished breakfast when the front door clicked open.
"Hi, all, I'm Sammie. Sammie Pagan and I'm your new maid. Lisa died, I'm not sure if you were told? Anyway you've been assigned  - me! Hope that's okay, haha."
Lesley, opened and closed her mouth, then did a double take and drew in a sharp breath as she watched the most gorgeous hunk of manhood she had ever seen, strut across her kitchen floor and survey the condition of her bench tops.

While his mother leapt into the path of the handsome and debonnaire Sammie, Jethro felt a rising heat start at his toes and spread deliciously up his entire body, until he felt as though his head was on fire. The name Sammie Pagan seemed to etch itself onto his fast beating heart. He could hear his mother in the background chatting to Sammie, explaining where the cleaning products were and telling him to watch himself with the downstairs loo because it overflows at the slightest provocation. But all Jethro could think was - wow! And how can I not make a fool of myself when I try to talk to him.

Meanwhile as Sammie Pagan sashayed past the slightly flushed looking Jethro on his way to hit the bathroom, he smiled knowingly to himself and felt a satisfied glow. He was sure to be appreciated at this household, he got a pretty strong vibe about that. Finally.