Unbroken Promises

by Dianne Stevens

  ‘Daddy.’ I know it sounds confusing, but my dad died before I was born and Jordon’s the only daddy I’ve ever known.”

  “Yep, that’s right,” Jordon nodded, then pulled Beth to him in a playful manner and threw his arm over her shoulder. “Beth was barely a year old when I started dating her sister. The first time I picked her up in my arms she looked at me and said “Daddy,’” Jordon said with awe in his voice and a boyish grin on his face. His eyes crinkled and he ruffled Beth’s hair as if she were still only a year old. “Ain’t that right, Sue?”

  “Well, kinda.”

  “What do you mean, kinda?” Jordon said with mock affront.

  “You were holding her when she looked up at you, but what she said was…‘da-da-da-da-da.’

  Then you looked at me like a little boy who just got his first new train set and said, ‘Sue,’ did you hear? She just called me ‘daddy.’ Then you sat down on the couch and held her for what seemed like hours until da-da-da-da-da became dad-dy. And you have been ever since.” Jordon smiled at the girls, mischievously ignoring Susan. “Do you girls like to ride horses?

  We have plenty of horses to go around. If y’all want to, come over and ride sometime.” All the girls, especially Becky, stared goggle-eyed at Jordon. Finally, Annette spoke, “Thank you, that sounds like a lot of fun, Mr. Bately. I’ve never ridden, but I would love to learn.” The other three nodded in agreement.

  Beth walked back outside with her friends and waved to Julie, who was waiting in the car listening to the radio. Becky spoke in amazement. “Oh my gosh! Beth, your brother-in-law is gorgeous! Don’t get me wrong, your sister is pretty,” she added hastily. “You know, you and she favor a great deal. I mean, you both have dark hair and blue eyes, even though her hair is dark brown where as yours is black, and her eyes are more of a smoky blue and yours are—are—

  um,” Becky squinted into Beth’s eyes, “several different shades but royal blue seems more prominent. Anyone can tell y’all are related.” Becky took a breath and let out a whoosh whistle,

  “but your brother-in-law slash dad is HOT! My-my-my, I don’t know if I have ever seen anyone who has as fine a body as he has.” Becky turned to the other girls, her animated hand gestures showing how excited she really was. “And did y’all see his eyes? They are hunter green with gold flecks, and the outside of the irises are rimmed in black. And, even though his hair is light brown with blonde highlights, his eyebrows, and his heavy eyelashes are almost black. My gosh, I was almost hypnotized just looking at him. And, when he grinned that boyish grin with those straight white teeth and beautiful sculptured lips, I could hardly breathe.” Becky turned back to Beth, “Does his brother, the one you’re madly in love with, look as fine and sexy as he does? If he does, it’s no wonder; you have been in love with him your whole life.” Beth was a little taken back by this verbal worship of her dad. “Uh, yeah. In fact, Jesse and Jordon would look like identical twins if Jordon wasn’t 13 years older.” Beth had never really thought about it before, but she and Susan did favor, and Jordon and Jesse did look almost identical. Beth guessed the big age difference between her and Susan and Jordon and Jesse was one of the reasons she never paid much attention to their resemblances. Beth always found their age gaps odd especially since they had no other siblings.

  Suddenly Beth thought with indignation, “Susan is just as beautiful as Jordon is handsome.” But, of course, her friends would fawn more over a good-lookin’ man. Jordon and Jesse both had the good looks and bodies women fawned over, although it never occurred to Beth that Jordon might be just as sexy and physically appealing as Jesse. “Eewww-gag,” Beth thought as scrunched her nose. “Not going there.”

  Becky broke Beth out of her musing by saying, “I don’t care how old Jordon is; he is one good-lookin’ man! When are we going to meet the illusive Jesse?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. When he comes home on the weekends, he usually goes out. I very rarely see him myself.”

  “Where does he live when he’s in town?”

  Beth motioned them to follow her to the end of the front porch. She leaned over the rail and pointed around the side of the house toward the back. “He lives in that little house, or whatever you want to call it. Sometimes we call it an apartment, sometimes we call it a bungalow.” Beth continued more to herself than her friends, “You know, Jesse really needs to close in his bedroom. That way he could have somewhere to hide all his junk if someone comes over. He’s so messy.” Julie beeped the horn and waved for them to come on.

  “We better go. We’ll see you later, Beth,” Becky said and they all walked to the car and got in.

  CHAPTER TWO

  After their first shopping trip, Beth and her new friends spent almost every weekend doing something. If they squeezed together, they could all ride in one vehicle. It was more fun to ride like that instead of taking two cars. The things they first invited Beth to do were innocent—like going to the mall or out to eat, but each time they would do something a little more daring.

  One Saturday Julie had a fantastic inspiration. “Hey, y’all, I have a great idea! I know a way we can go out and party until closing. Jana can tell her parents that she is staying with me and Becky and the rest of us can say that we are staying with Jana. I know a place just across the state line that has two dancehalls side-by-side.” Then Julie smiled a mischievous smile, “And I know of a way we can all get in, too.”

  “The age limit to get in Louisiana nightclubs is 18. Although Tammy and I will be legal, my plan will get y’all in, too. They don’t usually card if a person looks old enough; but, just to be on the safe side, I know of a way to get fake I.D.’s. Beth, Annette, Jana, and Becky, y’all bring me a small picture tomorrow. A school picture will be fine. I’ll put them in the mail for fast delivery so we’ll have them by the time we’re ready to go out. Everyone looks 18 and, with the fake I.D.’s, we shouldn’t have any problem getting in. We’ll be home free.” Nine days later the cards came in the mail. The ID’s had their picture, name, town, state, and fake birth date on them. They looked real. The girls were all laughing and bragging on Julie for her cleverness. They knew everything was going to work out and were going to be able to party hard the next weekend. Beth was excited but praying nothing would go wrong.

  The next Friday they all did as planned and asked to stay at the right houses. When everything was ready, they left for Louisiana. As soon as they got to Lake Charles, they stopped at the first hotel they came to. They hurried into their cramped, musty smelling room, with an awful gold and brown décor. Beth turned on the loud clanking air-conditioner so it would be cool when they returned. Then they changed into tight blue jeans and cowboy boots. Beth didn’t own either so she borrowed both from Becky. After looking each other over and agreeing everyone looked sharp, they drove about ten miles to the dance halls.

  As soon as they got out of the car, Julie said, “Y’all stop acting so nervous! You’ll cause them to become suspicious. If they ask why you don’t have a driver license, just tell them you don’t drive. Tell them your parents can’t afford for you to have a car right now, so it was no use in going to the trouble to get your driver’s license. Act like we do this all the time.” Beth thought, “Sure, Julie can act calm. She isn’t the one fixin’ to get busted.” Nevertheless, she took a deep breath and followed them up the steep wooden stairs to the nightclub.

  Beth was amazed. The floor was lit up and dancing with the music. There was a huge silver ball hanging from the ceiling reflecting the brilliant lights from the floor. The thick haze of cigarette smoke that drifted above their heads also reflected the dancing lights. From the amount of smoke, it seemed every person in the place enjoyed cigarettes. The music was so loud; Beth could actually feel the vibration of each beat. They all paid to get in; but, as they walked further inside, Beth heard Jana being questioned. Even though she had the fullest figure, her shortness made her look younger.

  Beth held her breath waiting for Jana to reply. To her credit, she to
ld the woman at the door what Julie had told her to say in a calm voice. Jana said they all came to Louisiana because it was legal for them to get in. The woman looked her over again then told her to go ahead. They all met up in the bathroom and burst out laughing. “Oh, Jana that was just too cool. You did great, girl!” Julie bragged. Everyone else patted her on the back and excitedly agreed.

  Beth picked up dancing as if she had been doing it all her life. She even found a partner to teach her the two-step. She wasn’t able to do all the twist and turns she saw some of the more skilled dancers doing but she thought she was doing pretty good for a beginner.

  “Hey, come on, y’all, let’s try this!” Beth waved the other girls over. They all lined up to do the Cotton-eyed-Joe. Each girl locked arms around the backs of the one next to her and stood in a line. As the music started, they watched the group in front of them and copied their steps. By the end of the song, they had it down pat. They even shouted on cue “Bullshit!” when it came up in the song.

  Beth didn’t remember when she had so much excitement. She only wished it wasn’t wrong, but then it probably wouldn’t be as fun if it were legal. The sneaking was what put the added excitement to it. The others were drinking beer, but Beth was so busy dancing she didn’t have time to try drinking. She hardly sat out a song. The time passed by quickly and, before they knew it, they were announcing last dance. They didn’t even make it to the place next door.

  Since everyone else was drunk, Beth decided she would drive, but she didn’t know if she would remember how to get back to the hotel.

  Beth cringed when she heard the crack of thunder in the not-so-far distance. Not having anything to shield her against the rain, Beth shivered as the cold water soaked through her shirt and met the warm skin on her back as she bent forward trying to dodge the mud holes as she rushed to the car. She was already panicky because no one was in any shape to tell her how to get back to the hotel. She made a couple of wrong turns and was never so glad to make it to a parking lot in her life. She almost had to pry her fingers from the steering wheel because she had been holding it so tight.

  As soon as they got inside the hotel room, everyone climbed in bed and went to sleep, clothes and all. Beth volunteered to take a rickety cot that had a permanent hard crease where it folded and lumps everywhere else. She tossed and turned all night and hardly got any sleep. The next morning she was exhausted while everyone else woke up bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and raring to go.

  They woke up at 10 a.m., but, by the time they all took showers and packed, it was noon.

  They stopped at a country store and picked up a few snacks and some cokes, and 30 minutes later they pulled up to the tiny beach. Murky brown salt water inched its way higher up sand with each powerful wave. Compared to the thunderous storm the night before, the day was beautiful and clear. The breeze whipped against them as they made their way across the warm gritty sand to find a place to the lay their blankets.

  As they began setting everything up, Beth glanced out across the water in time to see a seagull swoop down and catch a fish. With the wriggling fish clamped tightly in its beak, the bird darted away from the companions who were trying to steal his prize.

  The small beach with its light brown sand was packed with people, all trying to get in the last days of suntan weather. She just knew she was going to be able to add to the tan she had been working on all summer. Beth stood with her back against the wind as she tried to spread out their flapping blanket. The other girls rushed to set everything on top of it to hold it down.

  “I am so-o thirsty and hungry!” Julie said.

  “Me, too!” everyone else said at almost the same time. None of them had eaten anything since before they went dancing the night before.

  “I’ll fix the sandwiches,” Beth said. “Annette, why don’t you dig out what everyone wants to drink from the ice-chest?” After they ate, they put suntan lotion on each other and kicked back.

  Beth was lying on her back, drinking an ice-cold coke, and talking to Becky when a group of guys started walking toward them. Beth smiled conceitedly knowing they were coming to flirt with them.

  “Hey, y’all, look what’s walking over,” Beth said as she pointed with her head.

  Everyone turned and watched, waiting to hear what the guys were going to say.

  The cutest guy spoke first.

  “Hello, I’m Sheriff Chatman and you are all under arrest for having glass bottles on the beach.” The cocky Wyatt Earp wannabe smiled as he flashed his badge.

  They all just stared at him with open mouths.

  “You’ve got to be joking!” Beth finally said since they were closest to her.

  “No ma’am, I assure you, we’re not.”

  “Bu-but arrest! Th-that’s too drastic!”

  “Ma’am, I don’t believe the three kids and one adult who had to leave their fun-in-the-sun this week to stay in the hospital all day waiting to get stitched up would agree with you.”

  “But arrest?” Beth cried out in bewilderment as she chewed on the fingernail of her thumb.

  Can’t you just give us a warning or even a ticket?”

  “Ma’am, we started out the summer doing just that,” the sheriff thinly placated. First we gave warnings and then tickets, but neither seemed to work. We want the news of today’s clean-up method to spread into Texas. So hopefully, by the beginning of next summer, we won’t have this problem. Believe me, you won’t be alone today.”

  “Oh, Lord, please don’t let it spread into Texas,” Beth silently prayed. “But this is our first day to ever come here. We didn’t know you weren’t allowed to have anything glass on this beach.” Beth hands were open in a pleading gesture.

  “If you look, you’re sitting under the sign that says ‘No glass on beach’ right now!” The sheriff said heatedly, pointing to the sign to the left and above their heads.

  Beth moaned and closed her eyes tight. Tears were seeping out at the corners. She opened her eyes wide in hope that no more would follow. What little patience the sheriff seemed to have ran out.

  “I’m afraid all of you are going to have to come with me to the police station. The one who drove can follow in her car but the rest will have to ride in our cars. You can pick up your things and put them in the driver’s car. Let’s go please.”

  Everyone got up as if they were robots and started picking up. When they got to Julie’s car, she told everyone to calm down.

  “When we get to the jail we’ll have to call our parents to pick us up. We’ll do just like we did when we told our parents where we stayed last night. Jana can tell her parents that my parents said we could come here today and everyone else will say it was Jana’s parents. We will call home at different times to be sure no parents meet up with each other. If they question you as to why you were left, just tell them you could only leave with the person who was responsible for you, which will be the truth. Tammy and I won’t be able to bail ourselves out even though we’re 18. We may not be able to talk to each other after we get there, so who wants to call first?

  It doesn’t matter to me; 30 minutes apart should do it. Jana, why don’t you go ahead and call so that we can get your parents out of the way. It won’t matter as much if the others happen to meet up. Trust me, it’s going to be okay,” Julie said bravely then added unsurely, “Hopefully they won’t put us in the cells.”

  “Hurry up ladies,” one cop interrupted.

  After they put everything in the trunk of Julie’s car, the cops escorted everyone but Julie to their police cars. They opened the door for Beth, Jana, and Becky to get in one car and Tammy and Annette in the other.

  It only took them a few minutes to get to the police station. It didn’t matter what Julie said; Beth was scared to death. Beth knew that, if she told her guardians the story Julie said to tell, Susan and Jordon would be furious. It wouldn’t matter to them which parents said she could drive to Louisiana to go to the beach. If she had not asked them and not gotten their permission, she
was going to be in major trouble. She also knew that the lie was still better than the truth. If she could get around by only telling them the story of getting up this morning and driving over, maybe she would only get grounded for a few weeks. Beth closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and let it out slowly through pursed lips. She didn’t even want to think about what would happen if they found out she went to a nightclub and stayed overnight in a hotel.

  Who was she going to call? She thought Jesse would be the least of the three evils. She just hoped she could make it sound as innocent as Julie implied it would. The thought passed through her mind about how Julie could know so much about what was going to happen. She would have to remember to ask her when or if they got out of this mess.

  “This way, ladies,” the cocky little sheriff said as he pointed toward a door. “You will need to call your parents to bail you out or you will have to stay and visit us a while longer,” he said with a grin that looked as if belonged on a snake. “Your friend’s license’s plate is from Texas.

  Is that where you’re all from?” he asked Beth.

  Their driver had already questioned them and Beth didn’t feel like answering the same questions again so she just looked into his probing eyes and kept walking. At this instant she didn’t care if she made him mad are not. He had already arrested them.

  As Beth stepped inside the front of the police station, she inhaled a whiff of something that turned her stomach. The room smelled old, stale, and like sweat. No, that was wrong; it smelled like old stale sweat, not fresh sweat, but sweat that most likely had embedded itself in every porous area of the room over the last 40 years. As Beth glanced around the room, she saw other people in shorts and bathing suits lined up against the back wall. The sheriff spoke the truth; they apparently were not alone. It seemed other people were harassed today as well.

  Beth thought it was probably pretty much routine after they were called to the front desk.