Unbroken Promises by Dianne Stevens Page A

few feet in front of her sitting on the edge of the dresser. His long legs were stretched out in front of him and crossed at the ankle. The ceiling fan’s soft humming was the only noise in the room.
    “Elizabeth, you’ve been doing quite a few things I never thought to see you do. You’ve turned into a very rebellious young lady. You know, Beth, a long time ago, I made you a promise. And I take my promises very seriously, even the one made to a little girl. In other words, I simply don’t break the promises I make. But, if you remember, that promise I made you was not a promise to marry you, but only to wait until you grew up before I married.” Beth, who had been looking down at her hands, suddenly jerked her head up, “Oh God, Jesse, what are you saying?” Beth asked fearfully, the creases in her forehead deepening.
    “I’m saying, Beth, that, no matter how much I love someone, when I decide to take a wife, it will be to a virtuous woman. I won’t marry a woman who puts out for every man who comes sniffen’ around. I will not take another man’s leftovers…Hell, Beth; maybe it’s already too late,” Jesse sighed and rubbed his hand down his face.
    “You said the man didn’t have his way with you tonight but, I don’t know, there may have been others who you’ve allowed to have you. I mean, the way you talked at the table that night you plainly insinuated as much. I don’t know what to think. Maybe you even want to release me from that old promise.”
    “No! I do not want to release you from the promise you made me!” Beth said in a panic.
    “Jesse, I’ve never stopped loving you. I just feel as if I will never grow up and you keep ripping my heart out. Every time I turn around it seems I find you with someone else. I’m old enough to realize that a man needs the company of a woman. I found that out in a harsh reality tonight. But I swear to you, Jesse, I haven’t so much as kissed another guy. I only insinuated I had because I was so mad at you,” Beth quickly added.
    “Beth, I’ve never intentionally hurt you. How you keep showin’ up at the most inopportune times is beyond me. I do believe what you said about not being with anyone. But, if you don’t change your friends, you’re going to find yourself in a position you can’t get out of—like tonight.
    No, the man’s attempt at rape was not your fault, but the situation you were in was absolutely your fault. Your slipping out of the house to meet up with those boys and girls was only asking for trouble. You said you didn’t know “he” was going to be there, but you did mention that other boys were going to be there.”
    “What did you think was going to happen in the middle of nowhere, at night, with alcohol, and boys? Did you think your friends wanted you to just hang around to watch and listen while they went into the travel trailer? Were you planning to just sit by the campfire alone while everyone around you were rutting with each other? Huh?” Jesse said all of this and knew his temper was rising again so he took a deep breath to calm down some before he went on.
    “I have never met your friends. Cody had said they were wild, and I believe him. The saying
    ‘like likes like’ means your friends want to hang around people already like them or someone who was going to change to be like them. Wild women don’t like to hang around good little virgins. They just don’t mix. If you do not break this connection with these ‘friends,’ I promise you, it will only be a matter of time before something will happen that you can’t undo. Then it will be too late,” Jesse said firmly.
    Then he stepped closer, placed his hand on Beth’s shoulders, and said more gently but still unwavering. “Beth, a girl can only have her virginity taken once. I know I sound old-fashioned, but the woman I will chose to marry and have my babies will come to me a virgin.”
    “No, Jesse, you don’t necessarily sound old-fashioned but, given the