Ch.41
What’s a Guy Supposed To Do?
I awoke before Darla the next morning and
was up making coffee in my boxers when she popped out of the bedroom and ran into
the bathroom. I ran for my shorts lying beside the couch bed and as I did she pops
out of the bathroom as I am bent over grabbing my shorts to put them on. My
eyes meet hers and it is then I notice she traded in her flannels for a short
nightie undoubtedly something she had all along. I looked at her body and
smiled as she had a really nice set of legs and the skimpy top revealing a sexy
silhouette of her thin body stirring my imagination about what I couldn’t see. .
“Beats the hell out of flannel.” I said.
Darla said to me. “Put those eyes away big
boy, you are making me feel naked.”
“Well only about half naked.” I laughed.
“Like to work on that other part.”
Darla laughed nervously and said, “Bet you
would and disappeared behind the door to the bedroom.
In a couple of minutes she reappeared in a
flannel night shirt that stretched to her knees and I had to take a double take
and laugh. By then I was dressed in my
shorts and no longer had just my boxers. Boxers are nice but tend to let your
junk flop out at just the wrong moment. After encountering Darla earlier, I had
to check to see if I was properly dressed and thankfully I was.
I said to Darla. “That damn night gown
must be made of kryptonite I can’t see or feel a thing about you in that thing.”
I laughed referring to the flannel.
“You don’t need x-ray vision there superman,
and you don’t get to see any more. We got a job to do. Are we ready to move on?”
Darla asked.
“Well I am leaving that up to you. We just
need to be in Sequoia in a week or two. So when is Labor Day this year? Last
time I tried to push things I was hung out to dry. This time if I see smoke I
am going to avoid your fire. You are
going to make the decision.”
“Oh leaving it up to me. Well we need to get
to San Francisco, and get this thing properly fixed. Towing a shit trailer down
the interstate may be all right for an emergency but we need to get it fixed
right if you don’t mind. We can hole up in a hotel till it is fixed.
“Dibs on the right side of the bed.” I said
to her real quick and smiled.
She said “Ok” then paused and smiled back real
wide and said “since we are getting separate rooms. We will bill it to Ann”
I laughed at her no nonsense approach to
life. And said to her. “Always living it on the wild side there, while playing
it safe. Hmmmm.” I uttered and smiled and continued the conversation.
“So have you seen any reports on the fires going
into San Francisco from here? I am sure we can hole up here for a few days. And
say what you want. The shit trailer allows us to store more effluent when
heading down the road . Finding a dumping station isn’t such a big deal and
besides if I just crack that valve in the back no one would ever see the
dribble out of the tank as I am going down the road.” I laughed at my own
thought.
Darla twisted her face and said “Eeeewwew!!!! Indicating to me she was probably not in
favor of that option. After explaining to her the advantages of being in front
of a spill as opposed to following me up the interstate are significantly better,
and that having extra effluent storage
allowed us to take longer showers together.
To this she said. “Guy you are incorrigible
thinking I would want to take a shower with you or share a room with you. Show
a little leg and you go gaga.”
“Oh well least I am not dead, and man has
got to do what he has to.” I defensively said.
“Well I think we need to move on. Besides
you haven’t even noticed me since that fire. I have a right to speak my peace. Burning my flannel pajamas was going too far.
You pushed me over the edge on that one. You were my hero till you blasted
yourself in the face with the fire extinguisher and then had to use my flannel
to put it out. You didn’t know I had more flannel did you?”
“Well I was kind of hoping you were
sleeping in the nude myself. And maybe would dream and call out my name in the
middle of the night and I would have to come running . No such luck in that
coming true is there?” I asked again with a wide grin.
“Not a chance as long as we are here and you
have Deb. I saw the mermaid and that isn’t my face there, that is the spitting,
and may I emphasize spitting image of Deb. Not me that you are thinking of. I
have to remind you, we do have a job to do together. So finish your masterpiece
and kiss your goodbyes but I am ready to move on as I am finding it hard to be
sociable.”
“A little testy are you?” I laughed. “And
maybe a bit jealous I see. Figured since I drug you through hell you had little
faith in me. So I was leaving my options open. It isn’t like we owe each other
anything besides friendship to offer. I was doing my best to save us . Sorry
things went the way they did. It is hard to know how to react to something like
that.” I said in a more serious tone. Then continued. “But we made it through
and we both learned something about each other. You would have turned around
and I pressed forward. Different paths for different folks. I would like to
think the fire brought us together as we now have some history between us.”
“I could think of a better way to have
history , maybe buying some land in Tahiti. Or some other exotic place. Who
says it has to be American land we buy she said with a smile. Besides the only
fire I want to see from now on are the ones at the end of candlesticks illuminating
the roses left by the man I love.”
I sarcastically said as I looked into her
eyes. “Oh gee, you’re making me blush.”
She laughed and said. “You are silly. I am
sorry Guy if I seem a bit bitchy at times. I just take care of my things, as
they are memories, not always good ones, but none the less memories. Also I
don’t do competition for something I like very well.” at this time we heard a
knock on the door and it was Deb. I looked at Darla to see if she was going to
finish what she was saying, and instead she welcomed Deb in and offered her a
cup of coffee.
I told Deb we would be leaving this evening
and that I would be back to get the Jeep after she had finished fixing it. I
explained to her that we needed to move on with our job after spending a couple
of days in separate hotel rooms , saying that to only notice Darla’s reaction
as her eyes met mine with a cold glassy stare saying don’t you dare go there. I
also told Deb that I should be able to finish the statue all except for sealing
it up. Sanding and hand painting should be done today. And I asked her for a
bill so that we could arrange a bank transfer into her checking account or to a
western union cash voucher.
Deb said she would miss us and wished us
better luck on our journey and that she was glad to meet us. That she would get
the bill ready and would begin work on the Jeep. She also noted I would have to
show her how to seal the carving so that it can be kept in prime condition. She
warned us that these roads cross some heavily forested areas north of San
Francisco , and that we need to be observant of forest fire conditions warning
me to turn around next time an spare the flannel and I might get laid in
return. Well she didn’t say all that but as her mouth opened and said other words
that was all I could recall. But if it didn’t work out Deb still had my Jeep
and a mermaid that looks like her anyhow. We men having selective hearing can
sometimes find that gets us into trouble.
I took the lead from Darla and decided to
move on. Not having finished her sentence before Deb came knocking at the door
I knew what Darla was going to say. And again my selective hearing or
imagination led me to believe that I needed to make a decision Darla or Deb. If
I had waited Darla would be seething and damage would have been irreparably
done. So I felt it was better to take the lead and let her know where I stand. Also
I still have a commitment to Ann and Lee to uphold, and to be in Sequoia National
Park by Labor Day and standing at the foot of the General Sequoia tree waiting
on Lee and Ann at high noon. I had no reason to believe they wouldn’t make it
and I figured Darla to scoot after the fire thing and loss of flannel but
apparently she must have saw some redeeming qualities in me that she had to be
outspoken about how she felt. Maybe we can get over this, besides Deb always
has the Jeep to return.
So we discussed what all we needed and I
took my shower and headed out to carve and finish the statue. Deb and Darla
worked on removing the remnants of the ragtop off the Jeep and pulling out the
seats. Fire had dripped on to the floorboard and the carpet was stained and
needed to be replaced also. Deb then started replacing the burned out wires in
the Jeeps starting system while Darla started sanding out the burn marks on the
hood and body. We took a lunch break and Deb’s schnauzer came outside took a
crap and went back in and lay in his box.
I said to Deb. “He isn’t very active or
sociable is he?”
She said. “No but he always barks when
someone knocks on the door. Otherwise I hear nothing. Seems to be content being
my door alarm. And he doesn’t waste any time getting petted. He only lets me
pet him when he gets fed. Strange little dog if I say so myself.”
Deb went on to say she found him in a ball
curled up on her door step and didn’t really want a dog but took him in and fed
him and he curled up and went to sleep right where he is now. Anyhow she said
she could never find herself ever thinking about getting rid of him. But he is
so quiet I have to look for him to know he is there sometimes.
I told Deb of my dog Babe who was back in Ohio
being dog set by my friends back there. How I missed having her along. Then I switched
topics and I also informed her that all I need to do was fine sand the
sculpture and paint and I should be done with it. I had to kind of hurry along
to get this far. But my work was good but not as great as I wanted it to be.
Anyhow we should be ready to leave after supper. Allowing us to travel all
night and end up in San Francisco by the morning.
I had Darla search for an RV dealership
and to check for forest fires active in the area we were heading in to. Darla stayed
in the Road Warrior and checked everything out and Deb and I walked to the back
side of her garage talking about this or that and then Deb asked me what I
thought of her. This kind of took me back.
I explained to her that I liked her a lot
and that had we met earlier the
circumstances may have been different, and that is if I had not met Darla first
then I sure would have liked to have known Deb better. I also explained about Leann
and how I still had a hard time getting over her. Life is tough, and I said to her.
“Deb you just made it tougher. I am sorry
but I can’t do anything now.”
“Could you give me a hug?” She said as she wrapped
her arms around me as she faced me and pressed her body against mine. I
nervously looked behind to see if Darla could see and she couldn’t and so I
hugged her. And then she leaned back in my arms. Let’s have our goodbye kiss
right now she said. And she leaned up to me and I initially started for the cheek but instead a the last minute
pressed my lips to hers and kissed slowly pressing harder until I felt her
tongue dart through our pursed lips. I met and wrestled with my emotions as I
tasted her tongue and her warm mouth. Pressing our bodies closer, we were
locked in a heated embrace for almost a minute until I felt as if the whole
world, Darla and Leann was watching. I eased back and came up for air. And said.
“Wow that was a good bye kiss for sure.
I think?”
She laughed and said, “There is always more
where that came from Guy. All you need to do I call. I will try and wait for
you to make up your mind. Now you better go before I get emotional.”
I kissed her lightly on the lips again and
went back to finish the sculpture. Hard to think on what you are doing when
your mind is a million miles away.
Deb and Darla exchanged all the financial
information and set it up with her to just go Pay Pal and have the money
exchanged through there. They took a
break in the afternoon and sat and talked under the awning of the Road Warrior.
I had just finished my part of the sculpture and then all there was to do was seal
the sculpture with Helmsman matte spar urethane finish, and that would seal it up like a boat. Deb was going to do that. Darla said
everything was clear into San Francisco, and that she had found an RV
dealership close to a Wal-Mart, so that if we came in early then we could stay
at the Wal-Mart and sleep till the dealership opens. We can take a rental car
from the dealership to the hotel in the
downtown area. That way we would have something to drive around. She said she
found a car rental company that offered the hybrid Ford Fusion as a rental car.
It was a multi fuel car that was environmentally friendly.
I told the ladies I was going to shower
and start stowing stuff for our trip. I looked out the door of the Road Warrior and saw the two of them
siting there talking as if they had been friends forever when deep inside I
knew they both wanted me. And yet I knew I still had feelings for Leann. All I
can do is press on and that life has a way of working things out. Destiny or
what? Life moves on. (To be cont. )
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