Haphazard Hayride

Apelehama drove the hay wagon filled with Lilia's friends. Kimo had secured Jan's wheelchair at the front of the wagon in between three heavy bales of hay. He sat on one of the bales and held Jan's shoulders. Jan reached for his face and kissed him tenderly in thanks. Jan is one sweet girl, thought Kimo.

Jim and Lilia had placed hay bales down the center of the wagon for them to lean on and loose hay all around them. Mele lied in Dennis' arms, Penny cuddled with Jeremy, Bill held Cindy close to him, and Lilia sat on Jim's lap, secure in his embrace.

"It's such a beautiful night tonight Jimmy. All that rain has cleared the air. Listen to the rush of all the water in the creek," Lilia said lightheartedly as she enjoyed the freshness of the evening immensely.

"Lilia, you've changed. What's happened to you?" Jim nudged her nose with his nose and teased her a bit.

"Jimmy, when I had knowledge that I was going to be shot, I realized that I can't live without you. My feelings for you deepened in that moment and so did my love. I felt so sad that I was going to be shot and maybe leave you. You're so good to me, thank you for everything," she said genuinely as she kissed Jim full on the lips and lingered there.

Jim gazed at Lilia in the moonlight with tenderness, "I've waited a long time to hear those words Lilia."

"I know you have and I appreciate your patience with me. I'm a woman deeply in love with a man, and the only man for me is you, my handsome Jimmy," Lilia held his face in her hands and offered him her love. Jim had waited three years for Lilia to turn into a woman. It had happened. He covered her mouth with his and kissed her with passion.

Apelehama drove the tractor and wagon through the meadow, and then turned to take the road over the rushing creek where the culvert allowed the water to roar down to the ocean.

Bill shoved Jim playfully as he yipped, "You're whipped!" Jim set Lilia aside on the soft hay.

"No more than you!" Jim yelled at his best friend and shoved Bill back in jest.

"You've lost all your free will!" Bill shoved Jim hard and they both laughed. Jim wobbled, lost his balance, and then fell off the wagon. Lilia looked on in horror as Jim's head hit the culvert, and he sank into the black rushing water.

Lilia shrieked with terror, "Jimmy!"

She jumped off the wagon and dove into the stream in front of where Jim had fallen in. The water rushed through the culvert filling it to the top. She couldn't see anything, and then an arm hit her, and she grabbed it tight. She swam under the water back through the culvert pulling on his arm and kicking as fast and hard as her muscled thighs would allow. Breathless, she surfaced and Bill reached for Jim and heaved him out of the water. Jim's lifeless form lied on the bank of the creek. Lilia hurriedly turned his head to the side to evacuate any water he had swallowed.

Lilia screamed with fear, "Jimmy!" Jim spewed the water out of his lungs. Lilia held his face tenderly, "Jimmy, are you all right?" He gazed up at her and felt confused. He didn't know what had happened. She informed him gently, "Jimmy you have a nasty gash on your head, Gramps, let's take Jimmy back to the ranch, and then you can continue your hayride without us."