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she decided, she would have to give them full rein. She thought back to the two days before she had left for college. They were the blackest in Jessica's life. She went to the phone a hundred times, her hand hovering over the receiver, aching to call Jason to come after her, but always walking away crying. Her heart filled with a deep resentment toward her aunt and uncle, and she began to look forward to the day when she would board the bus for Austin.
That day finally dawned, dark and rainy, suiting Jessica's mood. As the bus pulled slowly out of town she closed her eyes, tears cascading silently down her cheeks. She would fulfill her obligation to her aunt and uncle, and then she would come back and somehow, someway she would make Jason Rawlings notice her again. Right now all she had to concentrate on was getting through the next four years. "God help me," she prayed as she dropped into a heartbroken, exhausted sleep.

 

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The next few years passed slowly, Jessica never forgetting that one summer night in Jason's arms. She came home only when necessary, her heart never able to totally forgive Uncle Fred and Aunt Rainey. Jessica would avoid all mention of Jason on her brief visits home. After college she had secured the teaching job in Austin, staying on to live there permanently in her small three-room garage apartment. Her life had settled down into a normal pattern, from which the only thing missing was love.
Jessica's mind shifted back to the present. There was simply no reason to cry over spilt milk. She had grieved for Jason for eight years. It was time she started to build a new life for herself. Although Aunt Rainey had never said so, Jason was probably married again by now with two or three little golden-haired, emerald-eyed children running around somewhere.
At that moment the door opened behind her and the booming voice of Judge Baker exploded into the room. ''Well, well, if it isn't little Jessie Cole," he blared as he came around her chair and bent down to peck her on the cheek. Mrs. Baker stood beside him, smiling down at Jessica. He straightened and moved to stand behind his massive oak desk. "My, my," he teased with a twinkle in his eye, "what I wouldn't give to be thirty years younger right now. Why, Mama would be a fool to turn around and walk out of this room, leaving me alone with a pretty little thing like you." Looking at her, he gave "Mama" a big licentious grin.
"Oh, go on with you, Daddy. If you were thirty years younger, you'd still be too old for her. But," she added to assure him, "I'd still be here," and beamed happily back at him.
He let out a deep hooting laugh and patted her ample bottom. "No need to get worried, Mama. I've had you for fifty years, my eyes are blind . . . Well, almost!" he added, turning his gaze back to Jessica.
"Horsefeathers! You old goat." She laughed. "Go on

 

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with you. You'll scare this little thing to death. Now, you behave yourself. I've got a cake in the oven and haven't got time to stand around listening to your foolishness.'' She turned and gave him a saucy grin, along with some sound, parting advice: "Just remember your age, Daddy, and your heart!"
He roared with laughter as she shut the door with a resounding bang.
He sat in the large leather chair behind his desk and looked benignly at Jessica.
"Jessie, dear"his voice was so kind"we're so sorry about your loss of Fred and Rainey so close together. There wasn't a finer pair of people as far as Mama and I were concerned." He stood and walked over to the window, looking out at the street. "You know, when you live to be Mama's and my age, it seems you spend half your time burying the people you love and have spent most of your life with."
He stood for a moment with a faraway look in his eyeseyes that didn't quite have the brightness they used to have. With a slight shrug of his stooped shoulders he turned back to the business of living. He cleared his throat, shuffled through some papers lying