Chapter 6

Kendall stared at herself as she braided one of her
two braids. She yawned, exhausted from lack of sleep.
She tossed and turned all night after fighting with
her father. This fight was far from over and she knew
it. Come hell or high water, her father would put the
kibosh on her budding relationship with Jeff,
regardless of how happy it made her.

She chucked her brush onto the vanity, glaring at the
picture of her and her parents, "I don't care about
appearances dad."

She slowly walked into the dining room, avoiding her
fathers store, "Morning." She kissed her mothers
cheek.

"Morning honey. Don't you look cute. Are those the
overalls we bought the other day?" her mom tugged at
the front pocket.

"Yeah. Does the tank top go okay with them?" she
looked for her mothers' approval.

"Yes. Sit down. Get something to eat before you have
to leave for class. Michael aren't you going to greet
your daughter." Caroline knew they were arguing. It
wasn't like Kendall not to acknowledge her father
without a kiss.

"Morning honey. You look very adorable."

"Thanks." She grabbed a muffin from the basket,
casting her eyes to the plate in front of her. Kendall
saw him fold up his paper. She knew it coming.

"We have dinner tonight with The McSwains. You will be
on your best behavior in front of them. It's at six so
I want you home right after school and ready to leave
by five. We also have several other dinners this week.
Wednesday we have."

"I'm busy Wednesday." She sipped her orange juice
waiting for the explosion.

"Kendall this is business dinner and you need to be
there. Cancel your plans."

"No. Perhaps if you'd let me know about these things
when they are made instead of Monday morning run down.
I'd know in advance. However, I made plans and it's
too late to cancel them now. Not that I would anyway."


Caroline cleared her throat, "Kendall what kind of
plans are they?"

"I'm getting together with a friend." She giggled like
a little kid when she thought about him.

"And would this friend mind getting together after
dinner say around eight. So you could do both?" her
mom was always the one to rationalize.

"No but I would."

"Kendall I do not want you seeing that boy."

"You don't even know him dad!"

"I don't have to. Bobby explained to me who he was and
he's not for you!" he raised his voice to her.

"Oh and Bobby McAsshole knows everything now!" she
shouted back.

"Wait. Wait a minute. Michael you're taking the word
of a jealous boy over your daughters? What is wrong
with this picture?"

Kendall looked at her mother, silently thanking her
with her eyes as she tried to help her out.

"Caroline, Bobby has lived here all his life. He knows
everybody. Including this Jeff Hardy."

Kendall stared at her father in shock, "You know his
name? What else do you know about him?"

"His father works for the post office and he grows
tobacco. His brother Matthew is a professional
wrestler and studies engineering. This Jeffrey works
for Sanders Landscaping and he dabbles in wrestling as
well. He is not the type of boy I want my daughter
with. You were not groomed to date men like that."

Kendall sat silently with her head in her hands, a
sick feeling in her stomach at the actions of her
father. He had a busy morning already and it wasn't
even eight a.m.

"When are you going to realize that you, as the only
heiress to this family, have a certain status to
uphold?"

"I'm going to be late for school." She rose up from
her chair throwing her napkin down.

Caroline grabbed her daughters hand as she passed by
her, "I'll see you for lunch?"

"Sure. I'll meet you there."

Caroline waited for her daughter to exit the house,
"Michael when are you going to realize that she's 18?
Happiness and fun are what she's worried about it. Not
the same as yours. Stop pushing her."

Michael slammed his fist down on  the table, "She's
not going to be with someone who can't support her!"

"Michael they're just dating not making wedding plans.
It's not even serious. What is so wrong with that? Let
her do that."

"No! I will not have it!" he shoved his chair back,
leaving the room.

Lucy emerged from the kitchen to comfort Caroline, "If
he keeps this up, he will push her away and right into
the young mans arms."

"I know, Lucy. I know but I don't know how to stop it.
She should know better. She knows how her father is."

"Kendall knows her heart better."


      
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Jeff sat on the bed in the hotel room staring at the
piece of paper with her number on it. He must've
stared at it for a half-hour trying to get up the
nerve to call her. He didn't know why he was so
nervous; she wanted him to call while he was gone. He
grabbed the phone, punching in the number. His stomach
in a knot.

"Hello?"

"Hi may I speak to Kendall please?"

"I'm sorry but Miss Kendall is out for the evening
with her parents. Can I take a message?"

"Can you just tell her that Jeff called." He hoped his
disappointment wasn't detected in his voice.

"Would you like to leave a number so she can call you
back? She'll be home by nine."

Jeff smiled, "Sure. It's area code 201-555-7834. Tell
her it's a direct line into my room."

"I will tell her. Goodnight."

"Goodnight and thank you." He hung up the phone,
tossing it on the bed with a sigh then headed off to
take a shower.


       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Kendall glared at Bobby as they all sat in the living
room after dinner. He made small talk with their
fathers, smiling at her every now and then.

"I need some air."

She sat herself down onto the porch swing tucking her
legs underneath her. She touched her lips softly as
she remembered Jeff's last kiss. At how warm and soft
they were against her skin. Her body tingled as she
remembered his hands cradling her body. He was so
loving and caring to her. No guy had ever been that
way with her. She was only 18 but she wasn't innocent.

Losing her virginity at 15 to, as her father referred
to her choice of men, rift raft. Jeff was the only one
who didn't take advantage of her on their first date.
He made her feel so special and important. He
respected her and she loved that about him.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

She was in such  deep thought that she didn't even
hear Bobby come out.

"Go to hell. You're not worth it." She jumped up from
the swing to go back inside.

"Whoa wait a minute." He grabbed her by the arm,
yanking her around, "What's wrong with you?"

"You couldn't wait to tell my father about seeing me
with Jeff. You ran right home and called him."

"I was worried about you."

"I am not your concern and my relationship with Jeff
is none of your business either. You STAY out of my
life." She yanked her arm from him, rubbing the
burning sensation.

"Kendall, you and I belong together. We're from the
same world. Our parents want us together. I think we
owe them that." He smiled at her.

"What? Oh good lord you sound like my father. We don't
belong together. I owe my parents nothing especially a
relationship with the likes of you. I live in the real
world Bobby. Besides, I don't even LIKE you why the
hell would I get together with you?"

"You can learn to love me." He slipped his arm around
her waist.

"Uck get your hands off of me. The only thing I'm
learning to do is hate you." She shoved him away from
her and went back inside the house.

"That will change." He muttered under his breath.

Chapter 7

back to Chapter 5