After completing a lap around the pool, Ace emerged from the shimmering water. Droplets clung to his glistening skin, emphasizing the sculpted outline of his physique.
Standing at the pool's edge, he ran his hands through his damp hair, causing the water to cascade off his toned body, captivating the attention of onlookers.
By the poolside, young girls stood in anticipation, holding a towel, hoping Ace would notice them. They wanted to offer their towel to him, but none dared to approach him with their fathers present in the crowd.
Ace glanced past the girls and spotted his mother rushing towards him with a towel. He awaited her with a sly grin, but her intense stare sent shivers down their spines. When he avoided her eyes, he saw an arm outstretched, holding a towel, "Here's a towel, Ace. Need me to help you dry off?"
"Mandy!" Ace exclaimed in shock, looking at the 5ft 9inch tall hot stuff acting coy in front of him. Then, he hurriedly warned, "Run if you want to keep your life."
Ignoring Ace's warning, Mandy stepped forward, lifting the towel to his head, but he grabbed her hand and said, "What are you doing?"
"Helping you dry," Mandy replied, working a seductive smile on her lips.
But Ace was not having it. With his mother approaching, ready to explode, and the intent onlookers, Ace saw all the ingredients for a family drama come together. So, he dragged Mandy toward the grill station.
"Ow! That hurts," Mandy protested. Unable to resist Ace's strength, she had no choice but to follow him. "Shut up!" Ace muttered sternly under his breath. He hoped she would behave with Dan by their side.
Ignoring his father and Danny's curious gaze, Ace headed to Dan, who was engrossed in grilling the meat. Sensing their arrival, Dan glanced at them but frowned, seeing Ace dragging Mandy by her wrist. Then, he said, "Boy, that's no way to treat a lady."
Ace hurriedly let go of Mandy's hand and apologized, "I am sorry." Dan nodded at Ace and said, "You two are late. Grab a plate. But first, Ace, rinse yourself. Mandy, give him the towel."
When Ace reached for the towel in Mandy's hand, she withdrew it, saying, "No, let me." Stunning Danny, but Alwin and Dan did not think much of it.
"No need. Ace, come here," Mary's stern voice sounds from behind. She had rushed over, fearing the worst. Seeing her husband watch as Mandy tempted their son, she felt she was right to do so.
Sensing his wife's wrath-filled stare, Alwin almost choked on his beer 'Cough-Kawf-Cough' and thought, 'What did I do now?'
"Alwin, we are leaving for my brother's place today," Mary suddenly declared to her husband while handing her son the towel.
"Why? Didn't we agree to spend the week here?" Alwin asked in shock.
"Something came up. Let us leave soon. So we can get there before it gets dark," Mary said, intently staring at Mandy, the succubus targeting their son.
"Mary, what's going on?" Alwin inquired in concern, fearing it might be something serious.
"I will explain it to you on the way over," Mary insisted they leave. Alwin could only nod. Since his brother was too henpecked to press his woman for an answer, Dan stepped in and asked, "Mary, everything alright? Did something happen?"
"Uncle Dan, let me talk to my mom," Ace intervened. With the towel on his shoulder, he locked eyes with his mother and asked, "Mom, don't you trust me at all?"
"You are a kid. You don't know anything better. Just let me handle this," Mary said, disregarding Ace's question and continuing to undermine him.
"Mom, I am not going anywhere. I am spending the week at uncle's place," declaring that Ace rushed into the fields barefooted. He had no choice. His mother was too controlling and overbearing. If she decides on something, nothing he said would change her mind.
"Danny," Pam called out to her son, tilting her head in the direction where Ace ran, signaling for Danny to go after him.
"What?" Danny asked. He was too busy chewing on ribs to catch her signal.
"Go after your cousin, boy," Dan instructed.
"He will be fine," Danny said, licking his fingers. Before Dan could yell at him, Mandy offered, "I will go after him."
"You stay put. You have done enough already," Pam grabbed Mandy by her arm before she could run after Ace.
"Boy, put the plate down and go bring your cousin back. Don't make me repeat myself," Dan warned his son sternly.
"Mom, save me some ribs," Saying that, Danny grabbed a few paper napkins and rushed into the fields in the same direction as his cousin.
"Mary. Now, can you tell me what's going on?" Alwin asked in concern, finding his son and wife's argument unsettling.
"Al, our kids are growing up too fast. Our son needs a pack of condoms," Mary broke into tears, ignoring her surroundings. All of this was too sudden for her. She thought there was still time before she had to worry about her son outgrowing her. If today was any evidence, that time had long passed.
"He needs what now?" Alwin asked in disbelief.
"He needs money to buy condoms," Mary grabbed her shell-shocked husband and wept.
Black lines formed on Pam's forehead because the words Mary spoke were the exact words she used to tease her. She did not think Mary would take them seriously. As a result, her grip on Mandy's arm tightened.
"Aw! Sister, you are hurting me," Mandy complained, trying to free her arm.
"Good. See what a good thing you did. Have you no self-control, Mandy? He is four years younger than you and your nephew," Pam wasn't loud, but Dan heard her and asked, "What are you talking about?"
"Nothing, honey, I am just telling her to act her age and be responsible," Pam knew Dan's temper the best, so she did not dare to tell him what was happening.
"Listen to your sister, Mandy. Don't let your success make you lazy. Life is not all party and fun. Starting tomorrow, you will follow your sister and me to the ranch. As a rancher, you at least need to know the basics," Dan did not doubt his wife's words. As for his weeping sister-in-law, he thought she was an overbearing cuckoo. He had advised his brother against marrying a city girl and recommended marrying a farm girl instead but his brother did not listen. Arguably, his wife had attended college and moonlighted as a model, but Pam was a wide-eyed farm girl through and through. She could milk a cow dry and inseminate it like nobody's business.