Part 02.1
It had been a tense couple of weeks at Mavers Ranch. The major reason was the undercurrent of tension that had built up between the two younger brothers of the Mavers family.
After Liam, the youngest at eighteen, had caught heatstroke while working in the blazing Texan sun topless without wearing sun lotion, he'd ended up in bed for a while to recuperate. His attractive mother, Marilyn, had been attentive and caring, showing him her bedside manner.
But years of mediocre sex with her workaholic husband Peter had made Marilyn sexually repressed and frustrated, which came to the fore during Liam's recuperation. One thing had led to another and before they knew it, they ended up having full sex in Liam's bed and thought no one could have possibly seen or heard them. Yet, Liam's brother Ryan had been sent to retrieve Liam from his bed to get him back to work. They were busy building a fence for a bigger cattle pen when their father had other business to attend to.
Ryan had heard them having sex as he'd ascended the stairs and had to push the bedroom door ajar so his eyes could believe his ears. He'd seen them fucking, his mother's ankles over Liam's shoulders. After that shock, Ryan had to make a decision as to whether to tell his older brother Judd and his father the truth or protect Liam and his mother. At first, he took the easy option and told Judd that Liam really was still too sick with heatstroke to work. Judd had grudgingly accepted this, even though he later copped it from his father that night for not dragging Liam out of bed himself.
Liam did get back to work the next day, with absolutely no idea that Ryan had seen him balls deep in his own mother. But Liam had definitely noticed that Ryan had been a bit sullen around him ever since and, at first, put it down to resentment that he'd gotten two days in bed while Ryan and Judd had carried on their back breaking labour.
As Ryan's moodiness around Liam continued for the next fortnight, the tension really started to build up between them and Marilyn had started to notice. When they'd sit round the dining table for dinner, she would observe that Ryan would only speak to Judd or her husband Peter and ignore anything Liam said.
She was used to her sons arguing and bickering but the silent treatment was something she'd not seen before. The first week after having sex with Liam, she'd been too consumed with conflicting emotions over what they had done to notice any undercurrent of hostility between her two younger sons.
She'd also had her very hard working husband Peter to deal with, who had been stressing out of various issues with the cattle on the ranch. Problems were nothing new, but, as it became apparent that Ryan and Liam were hardly speaking, her mind naturally started to dwell on what was causing it.
Not for a second did she think it had anything to do with what had happened in Liam's room, at least not at first. But Ryan's unprecedented quietness and sullenness around Liam soon became so obvious to her that she began to grow concerned about it.
Even when she became aware that there was beef between them she couldn't even contemplate the possibility that Ryan might have seen them having sex.
After all, Ryan would have said something to his father, she reasoned. But then, it was such a forbidden thing to have happened that she realized maybe he was carrying around their dark secret...
She tried her best to put it out of her mind as she was having a hard enough time processing her own feelings about what had happened. For a couple of days afterwards she'd felt intense guilt about what they'd done and swore to herself that it must never happen again.
She kept telling herself that over and over, but as the initial guilt began to fade, the memories and feelings of how good the sex had been with Liam seemed to surface in her mind. She realized how the mundane repetition of chores and general married life had worn down her spirit, especially as she wasn't that much required as a mom these days.
But sex with Liam had completely reinvigorated her, she felt alive and a real woman once more. It seemed to have ignited her libido in a major way, dying embers had turned back into a roaring flame.
She suddenly had so much sexual energy and desire that she almost didn't know how to handle it, but she'd told herself that Liam was strictly out of bounds. Even just having sex with him once might have already been enough to cause a family ruction if Ryan has seen them...it was agony for her not knowing.
She didn't dare look at Liam during meal times, in case anyone noticed anything different between them, but this concern was soon superseded by the growing animosity between Ryan and Liam. It became so obvious that their father Peter commented on it one night over dinner.
"Have you two fallen out with each other? I haven't seen you say a word to Liam in two weeks, Ryan. The silent treatment is immature, that's something women and girls do..." he said in his gruff manner.
"Hey! Less of the sexism please, Peter. This is the 21st century, you know!" exclaimed Marilyn, pretending not to be nervous about where this conversation might be heading. She had to hide her hands under the table as she felt them shaking.
Liam was feeling tense too, wondering what the hell Ryan was about to say. Ryan felt self conscious with everyone's eyes on him all of a sudden, his older brother Judd putting down his knife and fork and slowly chewing the food he had in his mouth. Ryan knew he couldn't tell the devastating truth and his mind scrambled to come up with something believable.
"I don't know...maybe it's not my place to say...but I just feel that Liam has been letting the side down for a few weeks and it's been bugging me. Maybe I have been childish by ignoring him..." said Ryan, then turned to Liam.
"I'm sorry if I've been giving you a hard time, you just seem...distracted lately..." he said.
It was smart and fast thinking from Ryan because it had enough truth to it to seem convincing, even if not speaking to him for a fortnight seemed a little melodramatic. But it was music to his father's ears.
"Your brother has a point Liam, I know you got that damn heatstroke and that was your own goddamn fault...but even since then it's like your mind is somewhere else...we need to work as a unit on this ranch, these are hard times we're in, making money is hard...what the hell is up with you? Got your mind on some girl in town, is that it?" he said, making Liam feel uncomfortable.
At that moment Ryan glanced at his mother and she immediately blushed, involuntarily. She could tell Ryan had noticed her cheeks flush red and didn't know where to look.
Liam looked at Ryan, then at his mom and also noticed her embarrassed expression. Marilyn was finding this almost unbearable, it was at that moment that she got scared at the thought of the real reason for Ryan's behaviour.
Maybe he had seen Liam fucking her? Liam was smart enough to suspect it too, he wasn't buying Ryan's explanation. But he knew it was so far from what his father and oldest brother were thinking that he was able to keep up the pretence.
After that moment, Ryan started to find it hard to keep his true feelings to himself, having seen his mom blushing when he looked at her. He saw the guilt and embarrassment on her face as clear as day and it was tearing him up inside to be carrying around such an explosive secret.
He figured he better stay out of Liam's way as much as he could as, the way he was feeling, he wanted to punch his lights out. It was a deep anger he'd never even known before. He couldn't admit it to himself, but deep down he was jealous that Liam had got to have sex with their mother. Ryan had also harbored sexual feelings towards her as a teen, enjoying guilty fantasies about her, then feeling bad about it as soon as he'd climaxed.
In the following few days Ryan managed to keep enough distance from Liam to remain civil and keep his temper, as the three brothers and their father finished building the new fence for the cattle pen.
Once they were finally done they returned to the house in high spirits and Peter even suggested they celebrate with a beer. Marilyn was delighted to see them all getting along with bottles of Bud in their hands, hoping all that tension between Ryan and Liam was behind them.
But as they all had one bottle, then two, then three, it really began to annoy Ryan that Liam was laughing and joking around as if nothing had happened. Ryan didn't take his liquor so well and he could feel his hand curling into a tight fist as he looked at him. Even his father was being nice to Liam and that angered him even more.
"Hey Liam, why don't you go and grab us all another beer from the kitchen? And maybe I'll forgive you for not wearing sun lotion!" said Peter, not known for his sense of humor.
"Good one, Dad! Guess I won't be living that one down in a hurry..." replied Liam, strolling into the kitchen while downing the last of his third bottle.
Judd was sat opposite Ryan on the sofa in the lounge and had noticed how the expression on his face had become more stern and aggressive with every beer, his gaze directed at Liam.
Judd figured they still had some beef between them that went beyond what Ryan had said at dinner and he watched in quiet amazement as Ryan followed Liam into the kitchen looking like he was going to kill him.
Marilyn was reclining on her favorite chair with a glass of wine and glanced at Judd as she saw Ryan follow Liam. Judd looked at his mom but didn't for a second suspect his brother's issues had anything to do with her.
Judd sensed there was trouble in the air and after a couple of minutes he followed his brothers into the kitchen, in case he needed to break up a fight.
As soon as Ryan had got into the kitchen he'd gone for Liam who'd been stood by the fridge. Ryan had stormed over to him and shoved him up against the wall.
Making sure he kept his voice low, he hissed, "I know what you did with Mom, you dirty sonofabitch! I saw it with my own eyes...you should just be grateful I don't tell Judd and Dad. If I did, you'd probably never walk again and be thrown out of this family for good..."
Liam was taken completely by surprise and started breathing fast, not knowing how to react.
"Got nothing to say for yourself, you piece of shit? Thought you'd gotten away with it? Well, think again asshole..." sneered Ryan.
It was at that moment Judd walked in and saw Liam pinned to the back wall of the kitchen by his brother. Judd walked over fast and pulled Ryan away without saying a word but then whispered, "I don't know what the hell is going on between you two but we're having a nice time for once, so whatever your beef is, I don't want to hear it, ok? Grab another beer, calm yourselves down, and go play happy families in there. Dad has enough stress as it is without you clowns acting like five year olds..."
Ryan was so close to telling his older brother the truth, but just about managed to restrain himself. He could see the fear in Liam's eyes, knowing how much trouble he would be in if he did, how it would destroy the family. Ryan simply opened the fridge, took one bottle just for himself and strolled back into the lounge. Judd looked at Liam, who was still trying to catch his breath.
"What the fuck is going on with you two? I've never seen you like this before..." said Judd, trying to get to the bottom of it.
"Ryan has issues..." replied Liam, trying to shut down the conversation fast. He was able to calm down knowing that the truth was too crazy for Judd to possibly guess.
"No shit...grab yourself another beer and let's all chill the hell out."
Liam nodded and grabbed a cold one, avoiding eye contact with Ryan as he went back into the lounge. Peter wasn't sensitive enough to pick up the awkward atmosphere between them but Marilyn had nearly gone through a whole bottle of wine from the tension she was feeling and she was no big drinker.
It was a relief when Peter suggested everyone get to bed early, and the boys were first to leave the lounge. Liam went straight to his room, hurrying up the stairs before either of his brothers could say anything more. A minute later Judd stopped Ryan on the stairs and said, "You gonna tell me what that was all about? Liam won't say a word..."
Ryan knew he couldn't just say nothing either and so chose a response that he knew was at least slightly plausible.
"I just get frustrated with Liam...feels like he doesn't care as much about the ranch as we do, doesn't take it seriously enough..."
Judd nodded, feeling that made sense, though Ryan's behaviour still seemed over the top.
"Well, I can see where you're coming from...but we have to live here together every day so maybe cut him a little slack, ok? For the sake of all of us..."
Ryan nodded back but at that moment he so desperately wanted to tell Judd what he'd seen Liam and their mother doing in his room.
He knew that even if he told Judd there was no way Judd would dare to tell their Dad and part of Ryan felt that his brother had the right to know the shameful truth of what Liam had done with their mother.
"Yeah, I understand that...it's just I haven't told you the whole story yet...it's not good, Judd..." said Ryan, looking his brother in the eye.
"What is it that you're not telling me, Ryan? If you can't trust me with the truth, who can you trust?" said Judd, angry that Ryan hadn't been honest with him.
"It's just not the easiest thing to tell someone..." offered Ryan, feeling backed into a corner.
"Spit it out, bro...whatever is going on between you and Liam, we will sort it out as a family..."
"Well..."
Just as Ryan was about to spill the beans, his father shouted through from the lounge.
"Judd, come back down and get your ass in here, we've got business to discuss..."
Judd felt irritated by his father's interruption but knew when he said something like that it was important.
Judd pointed at Ryan with a long finger and said, "To be resumed..."
Ryan sighed as he stood on the stairs, amazed that he was on the verge of telling his brother such a dark secret that could tear the whole family apart.
But having it on his conscience and not being able to tell anyone was driving him crazy. And what was really driving him insane was a feeling of deep sexual jealousy.
Once Judd returned to the lounge his father sat him down and explained that things were not going well financially. Even though they'd worked hard building the new cattle pen Peter told his son that they were going to have to travel to a cattle market to sell off their ten most valuable female cows.
It had been a long dry summer and the hay they'd tried to grow in their fields had not taken off as hoped. Usually they sold half of that for profit and the rest fed the cows during winter. Peter explained they had to sell ten cattle to compensate for the loss of profit as well as cutting down how much hay they needed for winter.
"It's gonna be hard to let my best cattle go, but it's the only solution, unfortunately. So we're gonna be away for a week while your brothers are going to be in charge of baling the hay. I know I can trust them with that, at least."
Marilyn sighed as she heard her husband explain their gloomy financial position but knew there was no other way. Her bigger concern was how Ryan and Liam were going to get along and cooperate without the stabilizing influence of Peter around.
Judd gritted his teeth and nodded. Life on a ranch sure was tough.
"Ok Dad, I understand. At least I'll learn more about cattle markets, I guess."
"That's the attitude, son. Ranch farming is not all beer and skittles, there's disappointments, problems, things you couldn't predict or prepare for. It will hold you in good stead for when I'm too old to work..."
Judd felt pleased to have gotten a few words of praise from his father who he respected so much and they shared one more beer, the earlier high spirits now morphed into a solemn, reflective mood.
The following morning Liam and Ryan got the surprising news that they were going to be doing all the hay baling on their own. By the afternoon Judd and their father had rounded up the ten most valuable cattle on the truck and had set off for the cattle market sixty miles south.
They explained they had to stick around till all the cattle were sold, which meant being away a few days. Liam stood next to his brother and their mother as they waved them off, the truck rocking side to side as it headed down a bumpy road.
Liam was feeling nervous about being around his brother after being ambushed by him the previous night, completely oblivious to the fact that Ryan had come within a hair's breadth of telling Judd the shocking truth about his mother.
"Well boys, I guess it's just us for the next week or so, let's just make the best of it. I know you'll be working hard baling up that hay, I'll be making sure you get a good hot meal when you get back inside after a long day's work..." she said, wanting to feel useful to them.
Ever since she'd had sex with Liam she was yearning to feel wanted again like her son had made her feel wanted. And desired. She loved that feeling of being deeply desired.
"Thanks Mom, we will appreciate that...ok Liam, we better get to work, we've got to hitch up the tractor to the rotary disc mower, today we'll just cut the hay and use the tedder on it at the end of the day..." replied Ryan, taking control of the situation knowing Liam wasn't mature enough to do so.
"Sure thing, brother" said Liam, trying not to show he was feeling intimidated by him, especially with his mother standing there.
"I'm so proud of you two boys, what fine, hard working men you've become!" she exclaimed, feeling genuine maternal pride and trying to raise their spirits at the arduous task ahead of them.
"Some of us harder working than others..." quipped Ryan.
"Hey...I'll show you how hard I can work this week, you'll see," said Liam, irritated.
"Glad to hear it..."
Over the next couple of days Marilyn started to notice how mean Ryan was being to Liam during dinner. He'd moved on from his initial silent treatment and was now being plain nasty to Liam right in front of Marilyn and it shocked her. It brought back her nagging suspicion about what Ryan night have seen that wild day in Liam's room.
"Is there a reason why you're being such a jackass to your brother, Ryan? Surely you can't still think he's being workshy, you've both been slaving out in the sun for the past few days!!"
Ryan had tried so hard to keep a lid on his feelings but it was just so hard to pretend that everything was normal after what he'd seen. He saw red and stood up, kicking his chair back so hard that it banged hard against the kitchen wall and it made Marilyn jump.
Ryan stormed up to his room to get away from them both and Liam sheepishly looked at his shocked mother. She read his expression and a shiver ran up her spine.
"Mom...he knows. He saw us...Dad had told him to come get me out of bed even though I was sick...he must have heard us and then opened my door...he only told me that night we all drank beer. I'm sorry, Mom...but that's why he's been acting all strange ever since..."
"Oh my god, I knew it...I just couldn't admit it to myself. What if he tells your father? Or Judd? It would destroy us as a family, ruin everything..."
"Dad would kill me...I mean, literally kill me..." replied Liam in a hushed voice.
Marilyn shuddered at what Peter might do if he did ever find out, placing her hands over her mouth in shock. None of the three of them got much sleep that night, Marilyn tossing and turning, having a series of anxiety dreams including a scary one involving Peter holding a pitchfork and advancing, about to attack Liam.
The two brothers both felt tired the next day and hardly spoke to each other. At dinner that evening they got some news about the weather that made them sit up. After a very hot and dry summer a storm was on the way and moving fast.
As Marilyn served her sons lasagne she explained, "The weather guy said it was heading west pretty quickly so we might be in for some serious rain and thunder soon..."
Ryan snapped back, "How soon?"
Marilyn felt chastened by his spiky, angry tone. "He said a couple of days in our area...will you be done by then?"
Ryan suddenly felt even more stressed out. "I don't know...but what I do know is that if the hay gets wet we can't bale it and Dad is going to go apeshit if he comes home and it's not done. Liam, we'll have to start at 5am for the next couple of days, this could be a close one..."
