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  [Songs references - YouTubed]

  Phil Harris The Thing

  -

  Exile Kiss you all over

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  Johnny Cash Ghost Riders In The Sky

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  Chapter 294

  "Vivian - Cooke - soon to be, MCPHERSON - GODDAMN! Come o-o-on woman, hell!" Jake shouted, leaning against the kitchen counter, dressed for their night out. They should have been gone twenty minutes ago to meet a couple of his friends from work, two other couples to be exact, one was husband and wife, the other dating.

  "Wait a minute! I'm almost ready!" She called back from the bathroom.

  "You said that fifteen minutes ago, now let's go!"

  "I am not going, until I'm ready to go! You in such a hurry to leave, go!" That declaration was followed by the bathroom door slamming again.

  Shanna lounged on the sofa, grinning, working on their wedding layout and color scheme; choices of cakes within their budget; how many tables and the arrangements on the tables; how many rooms to reserve for family and friends; with the last of the invitations stacked beside her to get done - they had to be in the mail no later than the next morning, which meant an early trip to the post office because the next day was Saturday. They still had to work out the brides maids dresses, and exactly how many there would be.

  "Sit down Jake and wait, she won't be much longer." Shanna murmured looking from one magazine to another, marking her favorite ideas for them.

  He huffed, stomped, puffing and blowing, impatient to be off, making his way to the chair adjacent to her and sat, pushing his cowboy hat back on his head, looking mean. She glanced up at him and grinned, "Get used to it." She simpered.

  "What in the world, could she possibly be doing that takes so long? Look at me, I look good, I smell good, dressed pretty decent and how long did it take me? Thirty minutes, tops - at the most, and I think that's exaggerated. She knew two days ago, we were going out tonight! If I'd known she would take this long, I'd have had her getting ready then!"

  "Jake, men only shower, shave, do a little gel, pick something out, dress, comb the hair and slap on the cologne. Women, are concerned with where they're going, who they're going to meet, what's the occasion about? And from their selection of clothing, what best suits the occasion. Followed by, the make-up, it has to be right, and your hair, and the perfume has to tie it all together, that takes time."

  "That's madness! Ab-so-lute madness! VIVIA-A-AN!"

  "ALL RIGHT - all right!" She was coming out of the bathroom, "I'm ready - this is it! I don't like it, but, it will..." She stopped in motion and what she was saying to look at what Jake wore and then down at herself, what she was wearing, "Oh nooo, I'm not going out like this." She grumbled.

  Jake sat up and turned around, his eyes so wide all the whites showed clear around, "What?!" He blasted her.

  "Look at me, what I'm wearing, almost matches what you're wearing, my tank top matches your top, same color. We're both wearing black jeans, only difference is the hat. I swore I would not be like one of those corny couples who dresses alike when they go out, no way! I gotta change."

  "WHAT!?" Jake shot up from his chair.

  "You heard me." She spun on her heels.

  Shanna started cracking up.

  "Vivian! Get out that front door and in that truck!"

  "It won't take but a sec', I swear!"

  "Vivian! Out the door, out the door right now!" He rushed around his chair, almost chasing her through the kitchen to catch her at the bathroom door, "Oh no you're not! You're wearing what you have on, matching or not!" He caught her by the arm, hauling her around nudging her back the way they came.

  Digging in her heels, she whined, "Please Jake, let me at least change my top?"

  "No! Hell no, too late, I've waited long enough, we're off, as is! You look just fine. Now let's go!"

  "I don't wanna wear this! Just the top, just the top Jake! Just the top!" She hustled around him trying to get back to their room.

  "Vivian - you have until I count to ten!"

  "Okay, okay, but you can't start counting until I get in the room."

  "Get in the room then, Vivian - get in'the room." He ground through pressed teeth.

  She rushed in snatching her black jean jacket off, tossing it to the bed, "Okay, you can start counting, but count slow." She went to the closet, snatching the sliding doors apart to go through her tops hanging there.

  "10... 9... 8..."

  "You're counting wrong, you're counting wrong! 10 Miss-i-ss-i-ppi - 9 Miss-i-ss-i-ppi - 8 Miss-i-ss-i-ppi ..."

  "VIVIA-A-AN!"

  "Okay okay okay, but count like that, baby - and uh, could you start from 15 instead of 10?"

  Jake threw himself back on the bed, arms spread wide above his head, hat rolled off onto the floor, "Our father, who art in heaven, maker of this woman and through the sin of Adam, she now must dress - make her hurry Lord God above, please, make her hurry..." He whined.

  "Just count baby, you ain't got to pray." She urged rushing to find a new top, when she spotted another outfit that actually, she wished she'd chosen first, but if she wore that, she would have to redo her hair and her make up didn't go with that, but it sure would look nice she thought pulling it from her other things, just to consider it.

  Jake lifted his head to see what she was doing, noticed the entirely different outfit in her hand, and with a folding of his body he catapulted from the bed, "Oh-ohhh no you don't! No - you - don't!" He rushed up to her, grabbed the garment from her, put it back in the closet and started looking through her things himself.

  "Jake? What are you doing?"

  "Hush-it! Take that top off, and only that top." He ordered.

  "I can dress myself, thank you!"

  He pulled out a long white blouse, with white silk embroidering down the front. It was very expensive, elegant, well made, with tags still hanging from it. He bit them off, took it off the hanger and turned to her, "Put it on, now!"

  Vivian looked it over, and suddenly smiled, "Good choice, I can do that one. But I'll have to change my purse, my purse doesn't match this top." She informed him, unbuttoning the blouse and putting it on. Jake looked at the top of the closet, saw a line of purses, and grabbed a black and white bag. "Here! Put your shit in there and let's go!"

  "You too impatient! You need to learn some patience!" She fussed buttoning the top four buttons of the stylish shirt, "Rushing me, it just so happens that I like this top, that's the only reason I'm allowing you to assist me, because otherwise..." She made a cute, smarty pants face up at him, grinning. Taking the purse to exchange the contents from the other to it.

  "Yeah yeah yeah, finish buttoning up that blouse and let's go!"

  "It is finished, only four buttons, see. The rest falls away in a slight flair to expose my waist and belly button. You like?"

  Jake stared a moment, sighed - giving up, he had no choice but to like it. "Yeah, I like it - now let's get going here."

  "Your hat baby, get your hat." She pointed out heading out the door to stop in the bathroom to check her make-up, her hair one more time, she'd hot combed it straight to arrange a smooth bun in the back. Placing her wide rim, slightly flared top hat on her head, she was satisfied. It wasn't exactly a cowboy hat, but it was an expensive riding hat from the days when ladies rode side saddle, she loved it. In fact, she had the riding pants and top with it, but of course wouldn't wear it for this occasion, the hat was plenty enough. Flicking the light off, she was out of the bathroom, winking at Shanna and they were off for their night, much to the pleasure of Jake.

  On the way to the club Vivian couldn't help but be just a slight bit nervous, "Okay, so - who are we meeting?"

  "Tony and Wayne from work. Wayne is married, Tony is not.
"

  "Know Tony's date? Wayne's wife?"

  "Yep."

  "You all good friends?"

  "Not especially. Tony and Wayne respects my direction at work, but never really included me as a friend."

  "Hmmm, wonder why that is?" Vivian quipped dryly.

  "Don't start."

  "What am I starting? I'm just saying. So, who invited who?"

  "They tenaciously dropped hint after hint that we should do something together, like this Friday night. That carried on all day until I finally said, why don't you join us, ought to be fun. And off we go."

  "Hm, I see. I guess now that I'm in the picture, that means they're willing to hang with you without fear of you screwing wife and girlfriend, that about it?"

  "Well of course." Jake gave a fox grin.

  "Em hm." Vivian shook her head.

  Jake reached for her hand squeezing it, "I think they're curious, we're an oddity for them and they wanna check us out up close."

  "That's okay with you?" She asked.

  "Is it okay with you? What better way for word to get around, than they see us together, out, having a good time?"

  "This is true, so - how well do you know their women?"

  "Grammar and high school."

  "That long huh?"

  "Yep."

  "Have you slept with either of them?"

  Again he flashed her that fox grin.

  "You are such a dog!"

  "Ah ah ah, was - such a dog." And winked.

  "So in other words, I'm gonna be sitting through the night getting dirty looks."

  "Don't see why you would, they're paired up after all, have been for a while now."

  "And that means what? I can tell you now, one, or the other, or both will still be harboring fantasies about you."

  "No doubt about that baby!" Jake chuckled.

  Vivian gasped, "Oh you think that's funny? You find it amusing do you? I still haven't forgotten about the other night with that bodyguard, Charlie! Flirting, and you enjoying every bit of it."

  "Vivian, she was flirting with everyone, that was just b.s. and fun, nothing more, come on." He gave her hand a squeeze, stroking her knuckles with his thumb, glancing at her on and off while watching the road. "Come on..." he shook her hand, giving it another squeeze, "...look, if they have hidden issues, that's their problem; who has me, you! Who's wearing a ring that cost more than all my previous possessions? Huh? You! Got me working overtime, at the job and at home; to get our home brought up to a standard I promise you will approve, and you're worrying about them?"

  It was Vivian's turn to grin.

  "Yeah, exactly, you know it too lil'girl, you! To hell with them. We're going to have a good time tonight - just you and I. If they waste the evening staring at you - let'em!" He murmured, driving, thoughtful, pausing, he glanced at her a time or two, "You show them why you - why I chose you. I promise you, they won't have too look far."

  Vivian started crying, she couldn't believe his few words made her burst into tears, but out they came and a good thing, they were at a light. "Whoa, he-e-ey, what's with the tears, I haven't said anything you don't already know, have I? You're beautiful Vivian - you're top of the line baby, as good as a man can get." The more he said, the worse she got. "Look at you, why you crying?"

  She shook her head, unable to say why herself, wiping gently at the tracks of her tears, "Don't say anymore, I'm gonna ruin my make-up." She wept.

  Jake pulled over so he could turn to her, reaching over, he helped clear her tears, "Your make-up is just fine, how much does this stuff cost, surely it can stand a few tears." He joked, effectively making Vivian laugh, "You're right, everything better still be in place." She grinned.

  Jake leaned over to kiss her lips, once, twice and the third time he gently inserted his tongue, deepening the kiss. Vivian inhaled the scent of him, deep and long to hold and linger in her lungs, exciting her senses, her hands carefully grasped the back of his neck to pull him in closer, something about him, the taste of him, the feel of him against her, caused a thrumming sensation throughout her body, making her head buzz and swim. She turned more into the kiss, following his lead, fusing their mouths together, the kiss lasted longer than either of them intended, but it felt so right, they tasted so good to each other, there was an undeniable closeness that made them feel as one. Vivian was the one to pull back, drawing away, wiping delicately at her lips, "Don't think my lip stick will hold up to that." She murmured softly.

  "Maybe we should've stayed home, you think?" He kissed the tip of her nose.

  "After all you did to get me out the door, now you wanna go back?" She grinned, wiping her lipstick off of his lips, Jake smiled, holding still letting her, "For the right reason, hell yeah, you know me." He spoke barely moving his mouth as she cleaned it up, then gave her a quick smack on the lips again, moving back behind the wheel, "Okay, let's get this night moving shall we?"

  "Yes, let's. Just wondering, still gonna sing tonight?"

  "I sure am."

  "What you singing?" She was fishing for her lipstick in her purse, needing to reapply once more.

  "You'll find out with everyone else, lil'girl."

  "Fine, be all mysterious about it..." pausing for thought, Vivian added, "...you know - if you get a strong, positive reaction - think you could do it professionally? Or try to?" She pulled down the visor with it's light up mirror to smooth the dark red lip enhancer on once more.

  "Think I'm good enough?" He asked testing her, he had every intention of going pro - if - that is, he had what it took, and tonight, he would know if it was for him or not, this evenings events would be the test bed.

  "From what I've heard so far - oh yeah - you have an incredible voice, especially for country. Look how many are making mint and can't even sing, it's all production."

  "Thanks for that. We'll see - especially after tonight."

  "After tonight? So you are, thinking about it?"

  "Yeah, I am. Let's say, I go for it, and I actually made it - I mean, wrote an album, got a couple of singles out there, playing, they did well - could you handle it?"

  Vivian sat a moment with frozen eyes, putting her lipstick away, tucking her purse back at her feet, her mind instantly visualizing the possibility of that. As strong as things were in his favor, there was the factor of his age; it was difficult getting a foot in the door of an industry made up of the young and energetic - who had time on their side because they were just getting started. Jake on the other hand, didn't have that much time on his side, even so - he looked good for his age, he was very attractive, charismatic, tall, with an arrogant swagger and grin that alone could sell a million records. The man next to her had massive amounts of sex appeal, he defined sexy - with a hefty male endowment to back it up - and - he could sing - really sing.

  'Shit!' The exclamation burst within Vivian's mind. "You know, the question is - can you handle it?" She asked in return.

  "Won't know until I try."

  "Try? We're talking about if - if you make it - performing on stage in one place after another. We're talking about studio work and rehearsals. And, then there's travel, most that do it have to hit the road touring."

  "Yep, that goes with the territory."

  "You want to? You actually want to live like that?"

  "I think I'm ready for it. In truth, it's now or never. Vivian, dammit, I wanna make something of myself. I don't ever want you looking back and regretting being with me. I wanna get as far away from the possibility of us, or you, living a life of, poor white trash - as I can get you!"

  "Is that what this is about?! I can't believe you've brought that back up - I told you I was sorry!" Vivian protested.

  "Yeah well, let's face it, you said it, because it's what you thought, probably what you think. It means it's on your mind, or was on your mind - you're afraid of it coming true. I'm no white trash - and I'll be dammed if I'll let that fear you have come true with me, no way in hell! People only say, what they think - if you don't th
ink it, you don't say it."

  Vivian turned away from him, shaking her head, looking out of her window. "I guess that means I'm always going to be reminded of saying that to you."

  It was Jake's turn to shake his head as he drove on, "No, but I'm gonna keep reminding myself - it's something I better never forget. It's just the fuel I need to make things happen. I'm gonna make sure you'll never be able to throw that doc in my face, saying, "If I'd stayed with him-..."

  Cutting him off, her head snapped around, "I would never say that because I was done with him - before - you!" She reminded him.

  "Yeah well, had I not come along, he might've gotten you back."

  Vivian sat fuming, eyes watering once again, this time from anger. "Turn around, take me back home!" She demanded.

  "Ohhh no Vivian Cooke, ohhh no. You're with me, to stay, right through to the very end." He declared in a low, calm drawl so much like his father, she had to look at him to make sure it was Jake. "You wanted me baby, remember? You said, you were what I've been looking for - that you were for me. Well I agree, because nothing, and no one, has moved me like you, move me." He took her hand in his again, holding onto it tightly, stroking her knuckles, he paused because he was turning a corner, not far now from the club. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles, "I'm sorry Vivian, I guess I go too far sometimes. I'll drop it, okay? I just need you, to stay by my side. You get me moving Vivian, you make me wanna be somebody, you make me wanna give it a go. Because, before you - I felt like - common, white trash. That I was nobody, a child that only, his mama would love - worthy of nothing else, good for nothing else. I admit, I acted the way people expected - my father expected." He went quiet, as if focused on driving. Vivian gazed at his profile, and squeezed his hand. He gave a slight smile, lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it again. "Hang on to me baby, hang on tight, I promise you - I have plans - to go further, than anyone ever expected me to. I can do that, long as I have you. I swear, I'm gonna take good care of you Vivian, good care - with me, you'll never work another day again, this I promise you baby, by God I swear it."