Open the door

In a panicked desperation, you shove Loretta towards the stairs. Seeing that she's safe in the shadows of the stairwell, you open the squeaky door.

"Nothing. It's just me, sir," you mutter. "Just wanting some fresh air for this hangover."

You hear the old farmer stagger out of his favorite chair, his mug in one hand and his shotgun in the other.

"Hangover?" he says, eyeing you through groggy eyes. "You city boys don't know how to hold your liquor!"

Shoving you back, he pushes you past the screen door. You look back quickly to see the disappointment on Loretta's beautiful face before she sneaks back up to her bedroom. The old farmer leads you to one of the porch chairs and hands you his mug before disappearing back into the house.

Before you could decide to run away, the old farmer reappears with the dark bottle of creme de mint he and Loretta drank from. "The best solution to a hangover is more ****!" he lisps, pouring the liquor into the mug.

You rather not drink the potent stuff but you do notice in the corner of your eyes that the old farmer's shotgun is next to his chair.

"Drink up, son!" the old farmer orders. You have **** but to obey his command. He pours more into your mug before you could put it down.

Satisfied that you had at least two mugfuls of the liquor, Loretta's father decides to finish off the bottle.

As the two of you stare nowhere in particular in the night sky, the old farmer talks about his life on the farm, his late wife and raising their only daughter by himself.

This time you're not sober and the **** loosens your lips. You reveal to him that you are heading to a family reunion. You feel your cheeks blush, not sure if it's the **** or what you're about to confess.

"Growing up I had a thing for my cousin, Marla..." you mumble, thinking about your cousin when you last saw her. You can only fantasize what she looks like now.

"Second or third cousin?" the old farmer asks, spitting on his shotgun and trying to shine with his shirt sleeve.

"Third," you lie. Marla is the daughter of your dad's brother, Ned.

"Good to keep it in the family," the old farmer mutters matter of factly, closing his eyes as sleep starts to overcome him again.

You can't help but close your tired eyes too. You nod your head as you drift into slumber.