A Prickly Situation
By Dana Short
"I knew it!" Marybelle said, as she peered through the bushes behind the Farmer's house.
Marybelle Becketts was the local busy-body, and all around town snoop. She also had a crush on Sammell Watters, the enigmatic widower who lived alone, aside from his lovely daughter Katelyn.
Of late, Marybelle had decided that she should be the next Mrs. Watters, whether Sammell wanted one or not. She had used what femmine charms and wiles she could to attract his attention, all but throwing herself at him, and all to no avail.
It had been several years since his wife had died, no one knew just how long, as the Farmer had only lived in this area for about two years now, and was more or less reclusive, generally only coming into town once a month or so for supplies, and since his daughter Katelyn had shown up, he hadn't even done that.
Not that the town didn't appreciate the view of Katelyn in her convertible over that of Mr. Watters in his rickety old cart. He didn't even own a car himself, which was one of the old-fashioned things which drew Marybelle to him. That and the fact that he had managed to remain such a mystery for so long in such a small town. It was a simple case of opposites attracting, at least for Marybelle. Or maybe it was just the challenge.
When all her erstwhile attempts to gain Sammell's attentions had failed, she started speculating that maybe all wasn't as it seemed. After all, it could hardly be a case of him not finding her attractive! She was only forty six years old, and these days, that was still middle aged, and she didn't think that she even looked her age at that.
But there was more to it than that. It was that his resistance to her efforts showed that there was some greater secret, something so powerful he had to keep people out of his life, and that made him even more irresistible to a nosy busybody like Marybelle.
That was why she had come out here this evening to take a look around. She knew that if she could just catch him off guard, she might be able to figure it out.
And she was right. Now, she knew his secret. He was a Moonshiner. Who would of guessed!
She watched as Sammell banked the fire beneath his still, and headed back to the dock poking out into his little pond.
He sat on the barrel at the end of the dock, and picking up his fishing pole, cast it into the water, and just sat there, looking at the line.
-o-
Sammell Watters wasn't really trying to catch a fish, however, he was deciding what he should do about Marybelle. He had see her sneaking around in his bushes for over an hour now, and one thing he couldn't abide was trespassers snooping around in his business…
He would have to take care of her, and soon, but how?
She had been poking her nose into his business for several months now, showing up at odd hours, for obviously contrived reasons, and wrangling dinner invitations out of Katelyn at every opportunity.
That was a part of his problem, as Katelyn actually seemed to like her for some reason, and he couldn't bring himself to do anything which might make his daughter unhappy.
But something would have to be done. He finally decided to ask Katelyn about it directly.
Pulling in his line, and the lead sinker which was the only thing at the end of it, the Farmer rose to his feet, and laid his pole down on his dock, then headed up the hill to the house, careful not to look at where Marybelle was hiding in the bushes.
-o-
Marybelle say him leaving, and decided that this was her chance to make her escape. She had what she came for, the Farmer's secret. Now that she knew, maybe she could show him that she really was the right woman for him after all…
-o-
Katelyn was in the kitchen fixing supper when her father came in.
"Katelyn, 've gota prblem" he said, sitting down at the kitchen table.
"What's that, Pa?" she asked, turning from the sink to look at him.
"S'bout Marybelle. She's snoopn in d bushs tout back. Shes gone ta frr. Gonna have ta take care o her, lessn you hava bttr idea."
"Oh my. I had no idea. I mean, I know she likes you, a lot, in fact, I thought, well, that you could use the company on occasion, but I never thought she would…" Katelyn said, wiping her hands and sitting at the table next to her father. "I guess you will have to do whatever you think is right."
"Wa says she tok a likn ta me? 'S why shes climn round n d bushs? Hrmf." The Farmer said, trying to come up with a solution which would take care of Marybelle. Sudenlly a look of satisfaction appeared in his eyes, and he looked at his daughter, and said "Iknow whata do. Simpl, an propriat."
-o-
Marybelle had been home for less than two hours, when she heard a car pull up and stop on the street outside her house. Getting to the window she looked out, and spotted, of all things, Sammell Watters climbing out of Katelyn's car, and all dressed up! She couldn't believe it! He had come to her!
Hurrying out to her front door, she arrived just as Sammell started to knock.
She waited a few seconds, so as not to appear too eager, and then opened the door, ad stepped out onto her porch.
"Why Sammell Watters, What a surprise!" she said, with a genuine grin of pleasure, and hospitality.
"Evenin Marybelle. Iws wndrn iffn imight come crtin ya?" the Farmer said, offering her a bouquet of roses.
"Why Sammell, they're lovely! You shouldn't have!" Marybelle said, accepting his gift, and taking a deep breath of the sweet flowery scent emanating from the heart of the bouquet.
"S' nothn, mam. Ldy lik you, desrve t'." Sammell said, with a twinkling grin she had never seen on his face before. It was both happy, and a little bit scary.
Sammell looked at the swing at the edge of the porch, and asked "Mind iffn we sita spell?"
"Not at all, Sammell, Marybelle said, smiling as she treated herself to yet another draught of the scent from the flowers. The scent was so marvelous, it was almost hypnotic.
"So, what ever motivated you to come calling on me like this?" she asked, sitting herself on the swing right next to Sammell, and leaning into him.
"Wll, I was sittin 't my pond, lookn fer fish, an I figgured I might 's well come a callin on you as sittn there alone. I asked Katelyn, an she drov me over. She'll be back inabit ta pick me up gain"
"Oh, that's too bad, I thought you could maybe stay for dinner at least." Marybelle said, feeling let down, by the apparent brevity of his intended stay. "Are you sure you couldn't stay a bit longer?"
"Nope. Gotta go soonas Katelyn gets back frm her errands."
"Well, at least we have now, then.", Marybelle said, wrapping her arm around him. She was amazed just how far she seemed to be able to wrap it, and gave him an affectionate squeeze.
"Oof" Sammell said, as though he had been pinched. At the same time, she felt her wrist somehow catch on Sammell's clothes, but she couldn't understand how it could happen, as she wasn't wearing any jewelry on her wrist.
She tugged on her wrist, as a tingling spread up her arm, like when it fell asleep due to lack of circulation.
"Sammell, could you help me, I seem to be stuck?" Marybelle said, as her head started to spin.
She heard a car drive up and honk it's horn, as Sammell extracted himself from her grasp.
"'S Kaitlyn. Igottago. Bye" the Farmer said, bending down and giving her a light kiss on the cheek.
She started to swoon, as the dizziness increased, and as her vision faded her last sight was of Kaitlyn and looking at her as Sammell walked swiftly to the car.
-o-
Climbing into the car, the Farmer winced again, as he sat down next to his daughter.
"Pa! You're hurt! What happened?"
"She ws hldn me when she strtd ta chng. Had her rms rnd me, squezn."
They both looked back at the house, with the large rosebush growing on the porch swing, and stretching down to the porch, roots seeking the dirt in the garden at the front of the house.
"Ya know, Kaitlyn, she was a real thorn n my side, but ina way, 'm gona miss her." The Farmer said, as Kaitlyn put the car in gear, and they headed back home, the overgrown swing creaking lightly in the wind.
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