The 'Cousins'

Part Sixty: A Turning Point For Jess

A/N: Two people of differing ages and backgrounds came together through an accident in a small backward town in rural Nebraska. Greg, a successful English businessman from a background of wealth and privilege and Jess, a High School Junior from an impoverished farming environment. Two very diifferent people with one thing in common. They had each suffered enormous loss through unfairness. The boy had lost his sponsor and benefactor through his untimely death and Greg had lost his wife and business through deceit and machination.

Both were struggling to come to terms with their changed situation. In spite of their obvious differences they saw something in each other that drew them together to forge a bond and they decide to rebuild their financial standing by working together in  trading. Both are bruised emotionally, Greg by the loss of his wife, home and income and Jess by pressures being put on him by others in town to exploit his financial weakness and boyish good looks and charms for their own nefarious purposes.

Unsure of their own and each other's feelings, the one to the other, the bond between the two strengthens to the dismay of those others in the town who have their own agendas and do not want change in the town orfor  these two to succeed.

Foul rumours have been circulated about the alleged immoral activities of Jess and Greg to cause disruption to their relationship and the changes their enterprise might bring to the town. Jess is hauled before the High School Principal and accused of prostitutng himself for gain with Greg. Jess is standing shocked and horrified in front of the Principal's desk with the accusations ringing in his ears and bile rising in his throat. Now read on:-

Timeline: 10:30 Friday, 20th April  :: Jess’s Stairway Sanctuary

Armstrong’s accusations hammered again and again through Jess’s mind, louder and stronger with the repetition of each foul word.

Liar!

Homosexual!

Prostitute!

Lover!

Every one was a false claim and untrue, but who would believe him? A forbidding, distant man had replaced the Principal Jess knew and trusted ,the father figure whose smile and kind words he had always enjoyed. This was like a different person altogether, a stranger to the boy, one with disgust written over his face and who only barked poisonous accusations at him. 

Jess’s brain seemed to spin. He heard himself call out in protest and knew he had to get away from this man; he could not stay in this room and with this person who was now unknown to him. The boy bolted from the Principal’s office, sprinting away from the foulness of what lay behind him. 

He ran oblivious to everybody he passed on his way, ignoring those who called out to him with words of greeting or concern. He could not hear them, Jess heard only Armstrong’s words pounding through his head over and over again: Liar!  Prostitute!  Cheat!  Homosexual! 

He forced himself to run faster, not knowing where he was heading, not looking where he was going, seeing in his mind’s eye only the forbidding and fearsome face of this new, unfamiliar Dr. Armstrong.

 But to Jess’ s dismay he found that as fast as he ran he could not rid himself of those awful words and images. It was as if they had become a part of him and were seared permanently into his memory

Jess could not escape from himself, yet he still galloped on, ignoring the hurt in his lungs caused by his excessive demands for air to power his flight. 

He had to put as much distance between him and that dreadful office, but as hard as he tried, found the escape he craved was impossible, the words and apparition of Dr. Armstrong kept pace with his stampede and remained with him, repeating themselves over again and again: Liar!  Prostitute!  Homosexual!