The Life And Times Of Rachel Grape

Happy Thanksgiving

Westin woke up early and went for a run. It was a warm Thanksgiving. It felt more like early October. He ran thinking of his Rachel. He was going to Rebekah's after he got done with his run and then they would come back over to his house. He was still kind of let down with her blowjob prowess. She drug her teeth. Rachel didn't. Maybe Rachel was a whore. Maybe his mom was right but he still loved Rachel . However, his dad knew his frustration. Wendy was sleeping like she always did.  Mom slept most her days away.  Pajamas weee her fashion du hour every day.   She smelled so bad.   I was embarrassed.  

"Hey, son," his dad said looking up from a book. "What is troubling you?"
"I hate Rebekah. Dad, I hate her."
"Well, son, make your mom happy and date her a little longer. I can't stand your mother."
"I hate her, too."
"Do you know how hard it is for me to preach love to a new couple? We were that couple. However, your mom kept her demons covered then Sophie happened."
"I never knew, dad."
"Now you do."

He put his head in his hands. He hoped that he didn't have unprotected sex with Rebekah. If he knew Rachel was pregnant, he would have married her in a heartbeat.

"Well, off to get this over with," he told his dad.
"Be kind."

The house on the outskirts of Endora was abuzz with love and laughter. Arnie, as usual was all over the place and Gilbert spent most of the day calming him.   Rachel was surprised how happy her grandparents were.

"Do you hear from the boy?" Grandma asked.
"No. He pretty much hurt my feelings and I moved on."
"You are one smart woman, my Rachel."
"If I was so smart, I would not be pregnant."
"Sometimes what is unplanned, is the best thing to happen to us. You will do fine. Your mom says you have been really working hard in the shop."
"Kind of. I look at my phone a lot."
"ALL KIDS DO."

It was a warm day. After lunch, Rachel took Arnie to the field and they walked and walked. She talked to him. She was glad she was there and not at the mercy of Wendy. Wendy really hated Elise. It was probably for the best and may be one day in her life, a nice man would come. It was nice. It was nice to not talk about that or think about that. Arnie asked why the bugs were asleep. She told him, "It is too cold for them, Arnie. They don't make coats for them." She held his hand as he could run off. "How's the baby in there?" He would ask. She would tell him "cooking". He would laugh.

In the suburbs the house smelled of turkey, dressing, and Christian music played throughout the home. Rebekah was so excited to show off her new "boyfriend." "He is so cute," her cousins would say. She would smile. She looked at him talking to her dad and she saw the future. She wanted to marry him. She told the girls In the basement, "and I kissed his penis, too." Her cousins were in dismay. Not Rebekah? Rebekah was to be the standard to who they should be. She loved God, taught all the Sunday school children, and was just a nice girl. She whispered to him at lunch. "I told my girl cousins that I kissed your penis. I hope you are not mad," she told him. He said, "Oh no", but he was seething. "How dare she?" He imagined her saying, "Look a horse" as they drove, "Let's look!" Then he mows her over with the car. He thought of taking the thick candleholder on the table that was perfectly decorated and beating her over and over until her face was ruined. He hated her.  He was pissed off.  He wanted his mom to love Rachel.  They went to see his mom who did dress up and put on makeup.  Her red hair was a bit wild but she had fine thin hair and the home dye never looked right.  

    "Oooh,  Rebekah, you sure are a beaut!  Perfect for my Westin.  Ni small town skanks for him!"
"Thank you.  I thank Jesus for Westin.  And you!"  Wendy was pleased. 
"On,y the best for my Westin!" 

    West thought of Rachel in her cramped house.  In her cramped house, he felt the love.  Her parents loved each ither deeply and they loved all of their children.   His bribers and sisters rarely came home and Sophie was disowned becuase she was a lesbian, but his dad still called and went to see her a few towns over.  "I cannot have my girl loving another girl," Wendy told her husband.  He had had it.  "If a divorce wouldn't ruin my reputation, I would so be there," he said to himself.   It was a time of praising Rebekah and talking about that two bit Whore from Endora.  

   "I forgive you if you slept with her," she told Westin in the late afternoon.  "Mom said men are supposed to have one woman before they have their wife for life. You want to marry me, right Westin?"
"We have just met."
"You want to marry me, right Westin?"
"Well, if that is what you want."
"It is. This is from God," she told him.  He rolled his eyes as he looked across the vast fields.  If he could run across one and to the Grape household. 

    He missed his Rachel,  but she was going to sleep.  The next day was back Fridays.  Westin dropped Rebekah off.  She told him she "wanted it" and even "shaved for him".  He looked at her, all wide eyed in the basement and imagined looking into Rachel's deep brown eyes.  He hated that she was shaved.  She was pudgier than Rachel so it was harder to get inside of her.  He thought of Rachel the whole time,  ht back in Endora, she was fast asleep and not dreaming of Westin.  She wanted to forget him.