Joshua's Folly (10 page)

“Get his arms, Bethany,” Marisa yelled. It was a smart move. Marisa had guessed correctly that he wouldn’t fight against Bethany.

“I’ve got him,” Bethany yelled proudly.

Marisa knew the only thing Josh could feel was Bethany’s soft skin against his. Other than that, she doubted he even felt any pressure. Marisa hovered over him, smiling a huge, victorious smile. “It seems you’ve been captured by your daughter. Do you have him, Bethany?” she asked with her eyes on Josh.

“I’ve got him, Marisa. He can’t get away,” she said, giggling, and tightening her little teeny hands on her dad’s.

“Hear that?” Marisa preened. “She’s got you, you can’t get away. I’m
fixin’
to exact Marisa’s revenge,” she commented, using his Texan style of speech.

“The Texas state verb,” he muttered with a suppressed smile. “Help!” he yelled. “Constance, help me!”

Bethany giggled so hard Marisa thought she was going to pass out.

“She can’t hear you. No one can help you now,” Marisa told him as her fingers tickled the air over his stomach. His stomach clenched in anticipation. “Bethany’s been telling me a few family secrets.”

“Traitor,” Josh told her.

“Let’s see, where shall we begin?” Marisa said slowly, enjoying this way too much. She placed her fingers behind his ears and began to softly tickle him and to her surprise, he burst out laughing, almost uncontrollably. Bethany giggled so hard, her face turned bright red.

“I told you, Marisa. Dad’s so ticklish behind his ears.”

“Priceless, absolutely priceless,” Marisa mumbled as she moved down to his knees.

Josh watched her warily, surely wondering where she was going to strike next. She had to admit, she was finding this experience rather pleasurable. The glitter in his eyes told her that he was too; he could hardly conceal his smile. He tried to fake exasperation, but failed miserably.

Marisa grabbed his knees, tucked her fingers underneath and tickled like mad. His laughter rung throughout the household, bringing Constance in to make sure everything was okay. When she saw Josh laid out flat with Bethany holding down his arms and Marisa tickling him, she stopped short.

“Is everything okay?” she asked.

“No, Constance, they’re attacking me. Help me, please!” Josh pleaded.

Constance gave him one of her stern looks and turned to leave, but before she left, Marisa saw the smile that took over her face.

“I’ll remember that,” Josh yelled after her.

Marisa moved back up Josh’s body to reach her next place of attack. “Are we having fun yet?” she told him wickedly, unable to hide her huge smile.

Josh pretended as though he was desperately trying to escape Bethany’s grasp, but simply didn’t have the strength. “After all that I’ve done for you, Bethany, is this how you treat your dear old Dad?”

“Mmm-hmmm,” Bethany said, while nodding her head in the positive and trying to control her giggles.

Marisa started to run her fingers ever so slightly over the underside of Josh’s forearms and he tried to remain stoic for as long as possible, until he completely lost it. Bethany nearly turned purple this time and could hardly catch her breath.

“What do you think, Bethany, has he had enough?”

“You forgot the side of his tummy,” Bethany whispered conspiratorially.

Josh moaned and Marisa grabbed his sides and was completely cutthroat as her hands moved up and down the sides of his torso. He exploded with laughter again until tears ran down his cheeks. It took a great deal of will power to pretend as though he couldn’t escape Bethany. Marisa was impressed. “Say, I promise,” Marisa demanded.

“I promise,” he said right away. Bethany laughed so hard, her hands temporarily left their stronghold, but Josh still didn’t attempt escape.

Marisa stilled momentarily, giving him a break. “To
never
tickle Marisa again, ever.”

He appeared to be thinking it over. “To…” there was a long pause, “…
always
tickle Marisa, every chance I get,” he yelled out quickly. She tickled his sides again and knew this was the spot that was the worst for him. It was taking every ounce of self-control he possessed to not break away from his daughter, but just as Marisa thought, he wouldn’t break away from Bethany.

She had mercy on him. “Let’s try that again. To never tickle Marisa again, ever, in this lifetime.”

“You added words.”

“They were necessary.”

She began to tickle him again. “Say it.”

“Okay, okay…to never tickle Marisa again, ever, in this lifetime. I give, I give.”

Marisa leaned over him. “Okay, I think we’re even now. Truce?”

Josh smiled as his eyes sparkled dangerously. “Truce.”

“Okay, Bethany, you can let him up now.”

Josh sat up and cast them both menacing looks. “Free at last,” he said while rubbing his wrists as if Bethany’s grasp had made them hurt.

Later, after tucking Bethany into bed, they closed her bedroom door only to hear her still giggling under her covers. Josh and Marisa faced each other in the hallway, smiling.

“She loved every minute of that,” Josh remarked. “Should I be worried? Does she have a predilection toward torture?”

“I don’t think so. I’d be more worried about the fact that she now thinks she can hold you down.”

“Great. Wonder how she’ll use that against me? I mean, today it’s bubble gum, but tomorrow it’s the car keys.”

“No worries. That girl adores her daddy.”
Me too.

“The feeling is mutual.” He took a deep breath. “How about a movie?” Josh inquired.

“Okay,” she whispered.

They cuddled up on the couch and Marisa spent the evening watching, but not seeing, listening, but only hearing the sound of her heart roaring in her ears.

–7–

A few days later, Bethany’s clothing arrived early in the morning. Marisa was still upstairs getting ready for the day and Bethany was still sleeping. Hence, Josh answered the door to the UPS delivery. Marisa stood at the top of the stairs as she listened to Josh and “Leila” visit. Evidently, the UPS girl had been making deliveries to the ranch for a couple of years now as they seemed as though they were long time buddies; that is if a first name basis was anything to go by. Marisa blatantly listened in on their conversation, feeling the green-eyed monster creep in at the edges of her psyche.

“Joshua Kensington, how the heck are you? What’s it been, three days since the last time I saw you? I’ve missed you,” Leila told him teasingly.

“Far too long, far too long,” Josh replied with a smile in his voice. “I’ll try to buy more things online. Tough job, but someone’s got to do it,” he laughed.

“Anytime you’d like someone to take on that task, just let me know and I’ll do it for you, honey. Anytime,” she added with emphasis, double meaning very much intended.

They visited in this manner for the next several minutes till Leila finally said she’d better get going with her delivery route. Their manner towards one another could only be described as flirty. But when Josh jogged up the stairs with Bethany’s huge package in tow, the incident was forgotten as they awoke Bethany and the mood in the room was suddenly akin to Christmas morning. Breakfast was forgotten as they pored over the items and Bethany modeled all of her new clothing as if she was a model on a runway. The compliments from her father made her grin widely as she stared at herself in the mirror as if it was the first time she’d ever really noticed what she looked like. Her self-confidence seemed to be growing by the day. She hugged both Josh and Marisa several times during the course of the morning and thanked them rather effusively. While she was an only child and rather doted on by both Josh and Constance, she was charming and filled with gratitude. Bethany was a pleasant child. Marisa found herself becoming more and more attached to her as the days passed.

And Bethany wasn’t the only one she was becoming attached to.

Bethany and Marisa visited the stables later that morning with Bethany proudly dressed in her new clothing, boasting a fancy french braid down her back, interwoven with a matching ribbon. Truly, Bethany challenged the limits of Marisa’s creativity with her hairstyle ideas. But Marisa enjoyed teaching Bethany grooming skills and Bethany loved every minute of it. She was a ‘girl’ through and through. She’d just needed a little prompting.

However, Bethany also loved to visit the horses and informed Marisa, with great excitement in her voice, that when she turned six, she would be getting her very own pony. Her dad had promised to teach her how to ride and she had the ‘hardly waits.’ The horses didn’t intimidate Bethany at all, to Marisa’s surprise. She loved them, in fact, was slightly obsessed with them. She pet them and fed them carrots with no fear whatsoever. She had her dad’s blood in her all right. She’d probably be riding Carson by the time she turned ten. Who’d of thought? Sweet feminine little Bethany had a rugged side after all.

“Hey, you two!” Josh yelled.

Marisa turned to see Josh approaching them at a fast pace looking like the proverbial ‘Marlboro Man.’ With Josh as a father, how could Bethany not have a rugged side?

“How are my two favorite girls?” he asked as he scooped up Bethany into his arms.

“Fine, Daddy,” Bethany answered, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly. The sight warmed Marisa’s heart.

“I’ll be ready to go on our ride in about thirty minutes, Marisa. That work for you?”

“Yes, perfect.”

Josh set Bethany down and she ran off, distracted by the lure of the horses. “She sure is happy.”

“It’s a girl thing. Clothing sometimes has this effect upon us.”

Josh chuckled. “I’m quickly learnin’ what makes girls tick. Having a daughter has a way of doing that.”

“Really? What makes me tick?” Marisa asked with bated breath. She should’ve thought that question through before blurting it out.

“Food,” he said straightaway.

“Oh. Not very flattering, but very true.”

“Ah, c’mon, with your gorgeous figure you can eat whatever you’d like. Besides, I like a woman who eats. I hate those women who pick at their food daintily and are scared of gaining a pound.”

Marisa was momentarily speechless. The ‘gorgeous figure’ remark left her feeling stunned. “You don’t have to worry about that with me,” she stammered. “I think eating might be my hobby.”

Josh smiled widely. “Just out of curiosity, what do you think makes me tick?”

“We’re surrounded by it.”

“Horses?”

“All of it, the horses, the ranch, the cattle, the sun, the breeze…”

“I get your drift.”

“Am I right?”

“Guilty. I hate being confined in the office all day. Unfortunately, it’s a necessary evil.”

“I can’t blame you. The outdoors calls to you around here.”

“Yes, it does. And we’ll be out in it real soon. I look forward to our rides together, Marisa,” he commented, his eyes on hers.

“Me too.”

The not-uncomfortable silence that sometimes happened between them happened again as they simply looked upon each other.

“I had a friend from college visit me once. A city boy. He got up in the morning and asked if we had a gym around here. He wanted to go ‘work out.’ I told him, ‘yes, it’s the great outdoors.’ He took out a notepad and wrote down, ‘great outdoors.’ Then he said, ‘can you give me directions?’ ”

“Are you serious?”

“Wish I wasn’t.”

“That’s hilarious and pathetic all at the same time.”

“I know, right?” he said, grinning. “Jake’s waitin’ on me. See you in just a little bit,” he said and sauntered off.

He seemed eager for their time together. The feeling was entirely mutual.

And for the next two weeks, they didn’t miss a single afternoon of being together in the ‘great outdoors.’

“Have you ever tasted Kobe beef?”

“Yes,” Marisa answered. “Mary took us out for it quite often. She’s very proud of you.”

At the mention of Mary, a reminiscent smile crossed Josh’s features. Marisa and Josh were lazing under a stand of small trees, doing nothing more than watching the clouds filter by. Marisa could honestly say that she loved ranch life. Of course, she was also well aware that she wasn’t the one doing any of the hard labor. Still, she loved their afternoons together and found herself looking forward to their alone time with great anticipation.

Jasper and Carson were tied to a tree nearby. Carson occasionally let out an exuberant whinny, letting Josh know he was raring to go. Jasper, who was calm as a summer’s day, completely ignored him. Nothing ruffled Jasper.

Josh and Marisa sat across from each other, both of their backs to a tree. They’d removed their shoes and socks, letting their feet breathe. Marisa was surprised at how much cooler she felt with her feet bare. Josh occasionally rubbed one foot against one of her feet, attempting to tickle her. Marisa responded in kind, resulting in an occasional foot skirmish. In spite of their antics, their conversation didn’t miss a beat.

“I’ve heard that the real Kobe beef from Japan is delicious, but Americans wouldn’t be able to eat much of it. It’s finely marbled with fat. Evidently this is the taste that the Japanese love. For Americans it would be like eatin’ the entire carton of ice cream instead of just one bowl.”