Rachel

"Please be careful with the pies!" I yell at Gilbert and Jacob as they place the box with the pies in the back of the Black Beauty.

"Okay, that's everything." Katie hallors from the front porch as she rolls Mama Jane down the ramp.

"Yeah. Everything is packed." Gilbert responds.

"Perfect," Katie says stopping Mama Jane in front of her car. " Mama, you come with me," Kate said opening her passager door.

" Wait, I can take Mama Jane and Matty." I said quickly.

" I thought you'd come with me." Jacob said from behind me, " I mean, I figured I've got the pies and I can drive up the to taste tent,"

I glare at him with a tight smile, "No thanks. Plus you might meet old friends that you may want to hang out with after." Hoping he understands What i'm hinting at.

"Rachel this is silly, why would you bring your car?" Katie asks.

" I'll take Mama Jane and Matty. You take your kids and Jacob can go alone." I suggest.

"I don't understand why Jacob has to go alone or that you need your car. You and Matty can go with Jacob." Katie said. God, I wish she would back off already. We're going to be late because of who's going in who's car bantering. I refuse to go in Black Beauty. I didnt get in that truck then and i'm not going in today. Him being here is already too much. I look at Mama Jane as she sits in the wheelchair with her eyes on me. She gives me a smile, " All this fuss to just go to the town fair."

"I'm good with anyone coming with me if they want." Jacob said putting his hands in the air.

"I'll go with you uncle J!!" Declan pipes up.

"Me too! Me too!" Charlotte jumps and runs after her big brother. Gavin follows behind his siblings.

Jacob claps his hands with excitement, " Hey perfect. I went from no one wanting to come with me to my three favourite people in the world!"

I feel a pull in my heart ache.

"Mama?" I heard Mattys voice as I feel my shirt being pull, can I go with Jacob too?" I gasp quietly, looking at Matty with hope in his eyes that I would say yes.

I close my eyes and took a deep breath and regained myself. I force a smile, " Yeah, sure honey. You can." And with my words I knew that things can't go back to the way there were. Jacob has now come back to his family and there was nothing I could do to stop it. The boy who so badly wanted to leave, somehow wormed his way back into his Mama and his sister's heart and now his nephews and niece, tugging Matty along with them.

"See you all at the fair. We'll be at the taste tent." Jacob shouts as he leaves with the cheering and laughing children, including Matty.

"He's in good hands Rachel." Mama Jane says behind me.

I nod my head and look at her with a tight smile, " I know. That's what makes this harder."

I help mama Jane into Katie's car. Gilbert put the flowers that they brought for the fair in my car and he sits in the back in Katie's car. I'm the last one to leave, driving behind Katie. Which is a good thing because it's now that I can cry. Cry for all the choices I made since that night at the fair that Jacob and I kissed. The reunion that no one was to know and should have not happened. But it did and everyday I'm reminded not only of the good memories but the sad ones too.

"We can't let anyone know about us Rachel."

I remembered Jacob telling me this over and over. But I didn't care. Jacob wanted to be with me. He loved me. I didn't care if we never told anyone ever.

"Okay." I promised.

We were in the barn and we were suppose to be cleaning it up for the bunnies and the chickens. Katie was out the day and Jacob knew no one would bother with us. He pretended to not be happy when Papa Joe told him to clean out the bran and he begged them if I could help to make the chore faster. Of course I loved the animals that the Bridgestones had so they allowed me to help. Little did they know.

Jacob threw his pitch fork down and quickly grabbed me and we both fell in the new hay. Jacob fell on top of me as I laughed.

"Shhhh," Jacob said. " We're going to get caught if you keep laughing out loud." He said as he kissed my lips to stop me from laughing. It worked as we locked lips. I felt Jacob's tongue on my lips. I pushed him back a little. Confused and scared.

"It's okay." He said withhis handsome smile, "I want to French kiss." He whispered

"French kiss me?

"Yeah."

"I never did that before."

Jacob had a devious smile, " It's okay. Just relax and open your mouth a little and I'm going to touch your tongue with mine and just go with it."

My heart thumped hard. "Does people love this?"

Jacob smiles, "Yeah, people do and you will too," He said as he feathered his lips over mine. I fell under his spell and closed my eyes. Jacob gently kissed me again and I slowly got back into it. I felt Jacob open his mouth again, "it's okay. Relax your mouth and go with it." Jacob whispered.

I did what he said and relaxed my lips. Jacob touches my tongue with his and sparks ignited in my chest. I gasped and moved my body closer to Jacob's. He wrapped his arm around my back and pushed me closer. He grabbed my hand and placed it on his crotch. I gave him a squeeze and it felt hard. Jacob opened his mouth as he slightly gasped, "Oh Rachel." He moaned. That was it for me. My tongue went further in and Jacob's hands undid my shorts and slid into my pantries. It was then my turn to gasp. My head spinning as I felt feelings and tingles I had never felt before. Thank God Katie wasn't home that day as we both rolled and grind on top of the hay inside the barn filled with chicken and rabbits.

" Hey."

I jump out of my memories to see Jacob leaning on my car looking at me with a concern expression, " Are you okay?"

I nod my head to signal I was fine, as I return my body's sensations back to right now, "Where's the pies?" I ask, stepping out of the car.

"All set up." Jacob announces as he stretches his arm out to point at the table all set up.

I took a deep breath, "Thank you."

"Wow. It's a record. I didn't piss you off in the last several minutes." Jacob said sarcastically.

I smile looking at him, "Dont feel too victorious, the evening is still young." I tease, looking around, " Where's Marty?"

Jacob looks around, "He's with the other kids around here somewhere."

"Can you tell him to come back and stay with me." I said as I tie my hair back and get my signs out of my bag.

"Or, he can hang out with me."

I flash a concern look at him, " No. you're going to flutter around like a June Bug, bumping into old friends. I don't need Matty learning code words like Black Beauty and Wildflower."

Jacob stops my hands from doing their job. I look into his hurt eyes, " I'm not like that anymore Rachel. Please. Stop bringing it up."

I swallow hard, feeling bad, " Well. I'm sorry. It's the boy I remember, so I apologies for not knowing you now."

"Well, I guess we need to change that, shouldn't we?" Jacob said, letting go of my hands. .

I smile.

" I'll keep an eye on the four kids. I'll take them on rides and get cotton candy and ice cream." Jacob says.

I take a deep breath, " Okay." I said. I reach into my pocket for some money and hand it to Jacob.

"No. I got this." He said closing the money in my hand, "At least this I can do right." Jacob said.

I look into his eyes as he stares at me. He could have walked off already but he standing here with me, torturing me with his smile and kindness. I put my hand down and place the money in my pocket.

"Not too much junk food, okay Jacob, the kids will get tummy aches."

Jacob lets out a laugh, " I guess it's a Mama thing, always worried about their kids." Jacob steps closer to me, "Don't worry Ray. I'll watch Matty and my sister's kids as if they were my own." He said and gave a gentle squeeze on my arm. Shivers rushed through my body, "Just call my cell if you need them or ...me."

I wasnt able to talk, still feeling the effects of his touch, I nod my head in response to what he said and turned back to the table with my pies. I look up again and see Jacob was talking to Willy, a childhood friend of his from school. I put my apron on and placed my labels and signs on the table.

"Hi Rachel," Mr. Gordon greets. He was good friends with my Dad and Jaocb's best friend, Billy's dad, "How are you doing these days?" He asks. He's a cheery man and often came by our house to visit. He plays the harmonica and often played with dad as he sang.

"I'm doing good." I greet with a smile.

"You remember my boy Hayes, right?" Mr. Gordon says pointing at his left. A tall broad shoulder, handsome man stood tall behind his father. Hayes, he's at least a couple of years older, but we went to school together. After graduation he left for go to college and I hadn't seen him since.

"Yes. Hi Hayes." I greet.

Hayes gives me a big smile and stares at me with his dark chocolate brown eyes. It left me feeling bashful as he study's face.

"Hi Rachel. Sorry about your parents." Hayes adds.

I smile at him, "Thank you." Hayes keeps his eyes on me.

"I saw your little boy running about with the Bridgestone grandkids. So nice to see the kids having fun at these old folks events."

I laugh, "Don't say that Mr Gordon. These events always calls each generation home. Can I offer you a pie?" I ask getting my serving spoon ready.

"Two please. Mrs. Gordon came out today, as well."

"Oh, that's so nice. I heard Ms. Gordon was sick with the flu?"

"Yes she was. My poor Elizabeth was in bed for a week but she much better now. How's Jane feeling these days?"

I put two slices of pies in a box, "Well, the doctor doesn't seem to know what's going on yet. But she is mainly in a wheelchair now, but with high spirits."

"And I see Jacob's home, so that must make all of you feel better now." Mr Gordon assures.

I squeeze my serving spoon and I bite the inside of my button lip, "Yes, Mama Jane is happy to have him home." I say passing him his box.

"Thank you Rachel. Take care and say hi to the family." Mr. Gordon nods his head as he walks off.

"It was nice seeing you again, Rachel." Hayes said looking at me.

I smile, "Nice to see you too Hayes." I said standing still fiddling my fingers.

"Maybe we can hang out sometime while I'm here." Hayes pipes up.

I blush, "Sure. That will be nice." I manage to say with ease.

Hayes smiles and follows in his father's direction as he runs his fingers through his hair.

I watch Hayes walk off. Passing him I see Jacob with the kids at the ice cream shop. Declan and Rachel with their ice creams sharing a taste of each others cones. Gavin liking his as Matty waits for Jacob to give him his ice cream. Matty licks his ice cream and the top scoop falls. I react to help him but I see Jacob go down on one knee with a paper in his hand. He wipes Matty's mouth, hands and his shirt where the ice cream touched. I turn away, not wanting to see the kind gesture from Jacob. Him helping the kids and... being perfect... for me. My head fills with all the hidden feelings. Maybe the Lord brought him back to me. The missing piece to me and Matty's life. I'm going to walk over and just casually say hi.

I turn around with a smile on my face which gets wipe off fast as I see Lily talking to Jacob. She found him. Of course. It's a small town and very little can hide in here, unless you're Jacob Bridgestone, who always knew how to hide anything.

"Excuse me Rachel?" I turn to see pastor Phillip.

I smile weakly at him, "Yes. Pastor?"

"I heard through the fair your pies are selling here."

I smile at the pastor. He is a wonderful man and when he says Sunday service he says it like stories. You want to hear them even though you heard them a million times over. Pastor Phillip had been saying his sermons in PineBrooke for about twenty years. He saw most of us grow and knows some of us better than others.

"I also heard Jacob John Bridgestone is back in town."

I close my eyes, everyone knows Jacob is here, " Yes he is, Pastor." I said, placing a pie slice in a box for him."

"I hope he's not causing any trouble while he's visiting?" Pastor Phillips teases, taking the box from my hand

"You'll have to ask him." I answer back hoping that's all he wants.

He chuckles at my response, "Ture. Ture. Say hi to Jane for me will you. I pray for her speedy recovery. Hope she gets better soon."

"I wil. I say. It's on the house." I say as I decline the money from his hand.

"God bless you Rachel. Have a good day."

"Thank you" I says as I clean up my counter.

"Hey Ray, Ray. Can you watch the kids for 15 mins?" Jacob says jumping around, antsy and looking around.

My heart sinks, "For God sakes Jacob. Can't you just do what you said you would do and forget about the fun with the 'Wildflowers'." I snap with anger.

Jacob, still jumping around, looks at me, "What?"

"I saw you withl Lily."

"And???"

"You stay and watch the kids."

"Rachel I am. I just.... I got to go... to the washroom." Jacob looks around, "Where are the washrooms."

I felt my face go red. God I need a break from him. "Go down the side over here. It's at the end of the path. Not far."

Jacob walks fast waving quickly at some of the folks that remembered him.

What an idiot I am. And why do I care. It was so long ago, and I've got no time to play smalltown boy games.