First Chapter of Second Chances

As I promised, here is my first chapter of my novel Second Chances.

To Jenny McFaye, the night seemed ideal. Love Me Tender played on the radio and the sun was still shining brightly, warming her cheeks. The top was down on the jet-black 1957 Chevy and Jenny’s long golden curls blew in the wind. This is the life, she thought.
She studied Brian’s profile. Even in his fishing garb he was a knockout. If only they could stay this way forever.
“I love you, Brian Weber.”
“I love you too, Jenny.”
“Brian, where are we going?”
“I can’t tell you. I have a surprise for you.”
Jenny smiled. So he had a surprise for her. Two could play that game. She wanted him to know now, but she decided to wait until he wasn’t driving to tell him. He might get excited and go off the road with the car.
The Chevy sputtered a couple of times and Jenny looked over at Brian.
“Come on, Bessie. Don’t fail me now.”
“I thought something was wrong with it when you picked me up.”
“Yup, she has been having a mind of her own lately.”
The lights dimmed, the engine backfired, and the Chevy stopped. Brian reached for the key and turned off the ignition. He waited for 30 seconds and tried to start the car. Nothing happened.
“Oh, man! Come on, Bessie!”
Brian shut the motor off and turned out the lights. He tried starting it again. He still had no success.
“What do you think is wrong with it?”
“There’s probably dirt in the fuel line.”
He tried starting it once more, and this time it roared to life leaving a cloud of smoke behind them.
Brian pulled off the main road and turned onto Moonshine Hill Road. The leaves in glorious fall colors were spread as a carpet over the roadway. “It’s like a picture,” she said. Brian just smiled at her. After traveling about two miles he turned right onto a laneway. By the weeds, ruts and holes in it, Jenny figured it hadn’t been used much lately. Brian skillfully maneuvered the car around the rocks and parked it beneath an old oak tree. He ran around to her side of the car and helped her out. They walked towards a group of pine trees and Brian stopped.
“Close your eyes,” he said.
“What do you want me to close my eyes for?”
“Just close your eyes.”
She did as he wished and he led her by the hand.
“Now open them.”
Jenny opened her eyes and saw the cutest white house with red shutters and doors and a porch that ran the complete length of the house. It needed a coat of paint, a few minor repairs, and the yard was in a state of neglect, but she could see the possibilities.
“It’s beautiful, Brian.”
“You like it? You’re not just saying that?”
“I do, Brian. It’s lovely.”
“There’s plenty of room to build a swimming pool and deck in the back, and you can have the garden you’ve always wanted off to the side there.”
“Is this your surprise?”
“Well, partly. Come, I want to show you something else.”
Brian took her hand and led her behind the house and onto a path that led into the woods. The sun was slowly sinking in the west and Jenny eyed him curiously.
“Don’t worry. It isn’t too far.” They followed the path until they came to a river. The roar of the water cascading over the rocks was music to Jenny’s ears.
“I love it.”
“I thought you’d like it. It’s like the first time we met.” He pulled her down on a rock that overlooked the river and gazed into her eyes. “I thought you’d like this too.”
He reached in his pocket and handed her a black velvet box. “Open it.”
“Brian.”
“Just open it.”
Jenny knew it would be a ring but she wasn’t prepared for the splendor of it. Her eyes stung from unshed tears. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Will you marry me, Jenny?”
Jenny hesitated only a moment. “Yes, a million times, yes.”
Brian took the ring and slipped it slowly on to her finger. He gazed into her eyes before gathering her in his arms and kissing her until they had to come up for air. He brushed back her hair and smiled at her.
“Mrs. Jenny Weber. What a beautiful sound that has!”
“Yes, I like it too, Mr. Weber.”
Brian chuckled. “I can see life with you won’t be boring. Say, what’s the surprise you had for me?”
“I got a letter from Attorney Williams today.”
“Yes?”
“The letter said my aunt Cora died and I’ve inherited her house in Montana.”
Brian’s jaw dropped open and he stared at her. Jenny tried to determine if he was angry or just surprised.
“You don’t plan on moving to Montana do you?”
“No, but I need to go there to sign papers and stuff. I thought if I don’t like it I can always sell it. That would help with the cost of fixing this house up.”
“That doesn’t sound like what she had in mind.”
“Maybe not, but it won’t make any difference to her now.”
“Well, just make sure you do sell it.”
“You’re not angry, are you Brian?”
“Of course not, honey. I’m just shocked.”
“There is something maybe you don’t understand. My aunt was a rich woman. She lived in a big mansion in Montana.”
“Oh, well you’re not exactly poor yourself you know.”
“I know, Dad left me plenty to live a comfortable life, but if I can help out financially in any way I’d be glad to.”
“Hey, let’s go celebrate!”
Brian took Jenny’s hand and led her back to the car. He took her in his arms and held her close, cupping her face in his hands, and kissed her gently on the lips.
“I still can hardly believe it. First you say you’ll be my bride, and then you tell me you’ve inherited a mansion. Life can’t get any better than this. I’ll always be there for you Jenny. I’ll love you till the day I die.”
“Oh Brian, you’re all I’ll ever want.”
She slipped her arms around him and relished the feel of his hard body next to her and the smell of his Old Spice. She knew if they stayed this way much longer they would succumb to temptation and spend the night under the stars. She put her hand on his chest and looked into his eyes. “Let’s look inside the house.”
“We can’t do that tonight because I wanted to wait until I knew if you’d like it or not. I got another surprise for you. Wait here.” Brian opened the trunk and got out a blanket and a paper bag and slammed the trunk shut with his elbow. He spread the blanket on the ground under the old oak tree, reached for Jenny’s hand and pulled her gently to the ground. Reaching into the bag, he pulled out a bottle of wine and two plastic glasses.
“You planned this all along? Sometimes you take too much for granted”
“I hoped you’d say ‘yes’ so we’d have something to celebrate. I wanted to make a toast.” Brian poured the wine while Jenny held the glasses.
“To the Weber’s, may they have a long and fruitful marriage.”
Jenny touched her glass to his and took a sip of the wine. She puckered her lips together and tried not to cough.
“What’s the matter? Is this your first time?”
Jenny nodded her head.
“It gets easier after a couple of swallows. You might find you actually like it.”
She took another sip and thought about the taste. It wasn’t that bad after all. The warmth flowed through her with each drink and she felt herself becoming aware of her body.
Brian had finished his and he refilled their glasses. He crossed his arm over hers and tilted his glass so she could drink from it. She did the same to him. The wine went down so smooth that the second glass was soon empty. Jenny felt a rush of warmth to her face.
Brian set the glasses to the side; he pulled Jenny against him wrapping his arms around her middle. They sat that way, watching the sun set everything on fire as it slid down behind the trees. The pinks, purples and lavenders that graced the skies made Jenny feel like she was part of a picture. The only thing to spoil the picture was the ominous cloud that was building up in the west.
Brian lowered his face into her hair and kissed the nape of her neck. He brushed her hair back and moved his mouth over her neck and up to her ear. He took her ear lobe in his lips and breathed softly into her ear.
“Brian,” Jenny whispered leaning into him. Brian slowly lowered her to the ground and lay beside her. He kissed her lips, gently, caressing them with his tongue. His thumb gently stroked her cheek. “I want to make a dozen kids with you, Jenny.”
Jenny ran her fingers through his hair, returning his kisses. She opened her mouth slightly to touch his tongue with hers. She could taste the wine on his tongue as he slid it between her teeth.
Thunder rumbled in the distance and lightning flashed across the sky. The wind picked up and the temperature dropped. Jenny shivered. “I have a feeling we are in for nasty weather,” she said.
“Humph, I guess we’ll have to take up our celebrating indoors.”
They reluctantly got up from the ground and quickly gathered the blanket and wine up as the first raindrops pelted them. Together they put up the top on the car and he helped her in, running his hand gently down her arm before closing the door with a determined thud. Brian put the key in the ignition, looked over at Jenny and gazed into her eyes.
“I meant what I said, Jenny. I want to make a dozen kids with you.”
Jenny blushed. “Who says I want a dozen kids? There you go again, taking me for granted.” Brian frowned, but quickly changed to that endearing smile again.
“I love it when you blush. It makes you even prettier than you are.”
“Thanks, kind sir, I’ll try to remember that.”
The car bumped along the laneway and Brian kept his eyes focused on his driving so he could avoid the obstacles in their path. “The first thing we will have to do is get this laneway fixed up so I don’t wreck the car.”
Once they were back on the road Jenny cracked open the wing window and sat back against the seat. She loved the feel of the wind in her face, the smell of the trees and the feeling of freedom that the country brought with it. She watched the woods for deer as they drove along.
Jenny was happier than she could ever remember. She breathed in the damp air mingled with the smell of pine. She was totally at peace with her surroundings. She looked over at Brian. He had lost his smile. She didn’t like being taken for granted, but she loved him anyway. Overcome with emotion she slid over next to Brian and kissed his neck.
“Cut that out, little one. That’ll get you in trouble for sure.”
His eyes left the road for an instant and he looked into her eyes. The sound of the train whistle brought them to full attention in a flash. Brian hit the brakes and the car went into a skid. The rain on the wet leaves gave them no traction. The car spun out of control.
“Brian!”
Brian tried desperately to gain control of the car. By the time he got it stopped it was too close to the tracks for the train to pass. He floored it, hoping to get out of the way, but the car died, leaving them right in the path of the oncoming train. There was nothing they could do to escape certain death. Jenny stared in horror at the bright light bearing down on them.
Her eardrums vibrated with the blast of the whistle, the grabbing of the brakes, and the rumbling of the wheels. A horrendous explosion rocked the car and lifted it off the track. Fear knifed through her body and nausea engulfed her.
“Brian!”
The train pushed the Chevy down the tracks. A scream penetrated the night. Jenny wasn’t sure if it was hers or Brian’s. Glass exploded around her. Sparks flew. Metal crunched beneath the wheels of the train. Pieces of the car flew through the air.
Her heart was hammering in her chest. She felt Brian fall over her. “Brian!” He didn’t answer. He’d never answer. Somehow she knew that. Her eyes stung and she became oblivious to everything but the thought of Brian. She screamed his name amid the deafening roar. He said he’d be there for her. Said he’d love her till the day he died.
Pain erupted from the center of her being. She heard in the far recesses of her mind the sound of breaking bones, the screams of pain and the explosions that erupted around and within her. The awful grinding of metal on metal, the rumble of the freight train wheels, and the squeal of the brakes were sickening sounds. The smell of sulfur wafted its way into her foggy mind.
Between the clouds of fog she felt as if she were being dragged over a barbed wire fence. Her mind screamed for closure of the intense pain that racked through every part of her body.
She felt like she was beginning to float. Slowly, round and round in a tunnel she went. Cold air blew over her. There was a light far in the distance. As she circled closer and closer to the light, her spirit became quiet and a peace engulfed her as none she had ever experienced.
The light was brighter now. Brian was there. Arms stretched out. That smile, oh how she loved it. Beautiful waterfalls, there were seven waterfalls. An eagle soared overhead. Wild horses raced through the meadow. Everything was so beautiful. There was a river, a red, sizzling river. It was warm, that river, heated by the bright sun. The water reached her hips. Brian’s arms were open. So close, yet she couldn’t touch him. The water washed over her chest. Their fingertips touched. The river touched her chin. She felt his embrace. The eagle landed, cocked his head and blinked his eyes. Brian turned and walked away. He turned to her when he reached the shore.
She wanted to follow him. One more step. She saw him through the waves. An undercurrent swept her down away from the light, away from Brian, away from the waterfalls and away from the eagle. She drifted back to the pain, the darkness and the silence. Again she heard the train. The squealing of the brakes more intense until with one last shudder and hiss it stopped. Everything was dead silent.