Driving Truck

                                      Driving Truck

                                       happyhugo

Copyright (C) 07/25/12

21,723 words

Romance, Sad, Happiness

Readers score 7.52

Two truck drivers team up to deliver across
the country a load of airplane parts to San Diego.
Both have baggage. This turns out to be the last
long haul trip for the drivers. With a little
adjustment both find happiness.

21718 words


Copyright © 07/25/12

A huge thank you to Erik Thread for taking the time to proof and edit this story. Any mistakes found in its present form can only be attributed to the Author, happyhugo.

Chapter One

My cell chirped. I reached forward and punched the speaker so I could hear the message. It was my dispatcher. “Ted Woodman, when are you getting in?”

“I’m about an hour out. Why?”

“Teri Bascomb is limping in with engine problems, driving an eleven-year-old Mack. The load that it is hooked to has to be on the west coast ASAP. We need a tractor to take it. Teri is looking for someone coming in that she can team up with and take right off.”

“Shit, my rig needs service. Get someone else.”

“No one else is available. The load won’t be here for three hours. You’ll have time to clean up, get your tractor serviced and then you can crawl into your sleeper. Teri has plenty of time open on the book, and can hook up and take off even if you’re sleeping.”

“Is this Terry a good operator?"

“Teri has had the north-south runs from New England to the Deep South and has never had a bit of trouble. Going west will be a new route for this driver and you know it well. You two will make a great team.”

“Okay, I’ll pull into the service area and get things ready. You can tell this Terry guy I’ll be in the bunk asleep when he gets here.”

I needed an oil change and a new air filter and a list of things checked out. I grabbed a shower and ate a light lunch. It was going to be dark by the time my rig headed west. It wouldn’t matter to me; I would be sleeping.

I’m an independent trucker. It might seem strange for me to let someone pilot my rig, but I'd known Henry, the dispatcher, for years. We'd never met. I knew what city and state he worked out of, but never had a reason to go through there. If I worked for a fleet company like Yellow or Air Land and Sea Express I would know the dispatcher. Henry had several independent truckers like me he dispatched for. I doubted he had met very many of us face to face. We had been friends a long time coming from our phone conversations. I trusted him to give me a load that would make me no trouble.

I crawled into my bunk and went to sleep. My last thought was wondering what this Terry guy looked like. A while later, I felt the engine kick over and then, in a few minutes, lock onto the load. The driver eased across the lot and I was aware when he hit the highway. I approved of the way he went up through the gears. I rolled over and dropped off again.

I awoke to a CD playing a Ray Price song. In my estimation, if there ever was a singer, he was it. The timbre in his voice always gives me shivers. Terry sure had good taste. I listened to two more songs and decided I’d crawl out and meet my team driver. Just then, “Crazy Arms” came on. Terry started to sing along.

Shit, this Terry person either had a real high voice or he was a she. Beautiful voice, though. I squirmed into my pants, anxious to meet Terry or maybe Teri now. I opened the curtain just enough to get the woman’s face in profile. She had black hair, styled in a mannish cut. Just then, she glanced across to the side view mirror. Her eyebrows were plucked lightly. She had a thin nose and her lips were overly full and wide. No raving beauty, this one. But then, was I the most handsome devil?

She stopped singing when the song ended and then her gaze swung back to where I was staring at her. She smiled, saying, “You snore. Truck stop ahead in ten minutes. Are you rested enough to take over?”

“Yes Ma’am.”

“Good, I’m a half hour over on my log. You fill up the tanks and I'll get us something to take with us to eat. I like driving your rig. Driving a rig with this few miles on it is an experience for me even if it is a Freightliner.” She grinned at me and I knew she liked what I drove. “I know I’m pushing this, but we need to keep moving. I lost too much time with the piece of junk I was driving.”

I eased into the co-pilot’s seat.

“Ma’am, did you keep up your maintenance? I have a reason for asking.”

“Certainly. I think I took on a load of bad fuel. My problem started when I switched saddles.”

“To fix it would mean draining and flushing the lines.”

“You got it and I didn’t have time to have that done. After I pay you for your time and for the tractor, I might not make any money, but I will still have my reputation intact. You said you had a reason for asking about my maintenance. What is that all about?”

“It took me five years to be able to buy this rig. The day I took full title, Mona, my wife, told me she was terminally ill. She lasted seven months. When I put her in the hospital near the end, she said she had two more weeks to live. I was going to be gone three days on a short trip. She lied. I found out later when I read the note she left me, she didn't want me around to see her die.

“Mona passed away the day before I returned. That was two years ago. So I call this rig Mona in her memory. I lost one Mona and I don’t want to lose another. I’m a stickler for maintenance and that's the reason I asked.”

“Fair enough. After six hours in the seat, I’m in love with this Mona, myself.”

“Ma’am, you know you said we didn’t have time to eat. I think we do. When we hit the prairies, we’ll pinch Mona in the ass and you can see how sweet she really is.”

“Okay, if you say so.”

I watched “Teri” wheel into the truck stop. I gathered she was at least as tall as I was. She seemed thin, but this may have been because she didn't have much for breasts. I couldn't tell because how could I stare without being disrespectful. Teri pulled up to the pumps and jumped down, heading for the restrooms. I started the fuel running in and clicked the nozzle on automatic. I headed for the restroom myself. We met as I was going in. Teri was as tall as I had guessed at earlier.

The truck stop was well lit. I smiled, and even though I had my legs crossed, I paused to watch her walk around to the entrance to the diner before I turned into the john. There was not anything wrong below her waist. Her jeans were designer and fairly tight. Nice legs and a nice butt. There was not much about her especially to turn me on, but I wasn’t looking for a woman anyway ... or was I?

The waitress was setting my breakfast on the table when I went in. Teri was giving her an order for food to travel with us. Teri looked at me. “Is there anything you want to add?”

“Maybe a little more fruit. Double the apples and bananas. If you have a melon, that could go in as well. ”

She nodded agreement. I sat the coffee carafe on the table, asking for it to be filled before we left and attacked my meal. I announced that I preferred toast rather than English muffins.

“I’ll remember for tomorrow.” Teri ate fast and I did too. She was worried we wouldn't make good time when we hit the flat country further to the west. Soon we pulled back onto the road again.

Teri announced she would sit beside me until her breakfast settled a little. “I’ve never been west before. I want to see some of it. Even here in Ohio the towns and cities are not nearly as close together as up and down the coast corridor.”

“Through here is fine. Wait until we get near St Louis. It is busy then. The country will begin to open up after that. I’ll drive through the cities if you want.”

“Okay. Do you have any family?”

“My parents live north of Albany. My sister is married to a farmer in Vermont. I have two nephews. That's about it. How about you?”

“I have a brother who still lives in Maine. That's where I am from. I married my high school sweetheart, but after awhile he decided I wasn’t pretty enough for him. He dumped me for the sluts who hung around the truck stops. I got the house and some of the things in it. He got the up-front money for the lease of the Mack. I turned around and sold the house and when he lost the lease I had money to take it over.”

“Do you still see him?”

“Occasionally. He wants to come back to me, but I have said no. Vows and promises have always meant a lot to me. I couldn't trust him, and his track record on promises isn't very good. We started out as a team. Being a team driver has its good points, but if you don’t trust your partner, it's canned hell.”

“Having someone in the cab is unusual for me. For the minute, I’m enjoying this.”

“I am too. I guess I will get in the bunk. You might keep feeding CDs into the deck. You’ve got a good selection and I love to hear them.”

It was still night for a little bit. I had slept well and I was wide-awake. Three and a half hours were about all I was good for when I was driving before my bladder was screaming, “empty me.” I made one stop and Teri didn’t wake up.

“Ma’am, you better wake up. I’ll be turning off soon at the next truck stop.”
You’ve been asleep more than six hours.”

“I was wondering when we were going to have a pee break.”

“You missed the last one, but I figured as long as you were sleeping you were fine.”

“I was. How are we doing on time?”

“I think I have made up all the time you lost getting to me. We can take it a little easier now if you wish. We still have open country ahead of us.”

“Time enough for me to take a shower?”

“Both of us and an early lunch too.”

“Thank God.” I’m sure we both felt better being in the same cab this close together when we climbed in again.

We alternated every few hours when we stopped for restroom breaks. Teri sang to the songs I had on the CDs and she was damned good. She didn't have a strong voice, but she was always on key. By the time we hit the bottom of the Continental Divide and started climbing, we were a full three hours ahead of Teri’s schedule.

“We'll be in San Diego in plenty of time. The load I have in the container is bound for the Navy base there. They are doing minor retrofit of some planes on-base rather than having the planes return to the factory. The base is waiting on this equipment.”

“Ma’am, I think you were in luck that your truck gave out. You would never have made it in your Mack driving on your own.”

“I know. I told Henry my problem and he said he would find a way to get me to San Diego in time. I did have a team driver hired, but he had a death in the family and refused to make the trip.”

“So you know Henry, the dispatcher?”

“He's extended family. He is my brother’s wife’s brother. I’ve known him for years.”

“So I’ve been set up?”

I received a quiet, “Yes. Are you pissed?”

“Can’t tell yet. It depends on whether I can get a load back to Pennsylvania soon. I was going to be visiting my folks this week. What are you going to do now that you’re out here on the west coast?”

“I’m going back with you if you’ll let me.”

“I’ll give it some thought after we drop this load.” This comment apparently didn’t sit well. From then on, Teri didn’t have much to say on the way down the west slope of the Rocky Mountains. She didn't sing either and I missed that. Maybe she was disappointed I did't fall all over her.

I backed up to the dock at 9 A.M. and took the odometer reading. “Ma’am, how many miles from where you took on this load until you met up with me?” She told me. “Well what do you know? It totals exactly 3,000 miles. That's damned good. I guess you could call us a team.”

She mumbled something. It sounded like, “Don’t I wish” and maybe it was.

Then she asked, “Where to now?”

“Ma’am, I’m driving up the coast to a motel I know. It’s about forty miles. We'll clean up and get us lunch. Maybe have a nap. Tonight we’ll have a nice dinner at the restaurant across the street and go down to the dance hall and kick up our heels. I'm good after a few beers. You’ll have to bear with me until I do.”

“Damn it, stop calling me Ma’am. My name is Teri.”

I grinned, “Yes Ma’am.”

Teri stared at me and then she grinned back at me.

“Sounds like a plan.”

I parked my rig and called a taxi to take us to the motel.

“Teri, I’ll get us rooms.”

“Get one room. Twin beds if they have them or one king-size if they don’t.”

“Either way, that’s going to put us awfully close together.”

“Are you afraid of me? I’ll tell you right now, I’m not afraid of you.”

“No, I’m not afraid of you, but I am cautious.”

“Okay, people can call us the cautious twins. I’ll need some things at a clothing store. Is there one near where we are staying?”

“Around the corner. I’ll walk with you, or meet you and we can walk back together. I need to call dispatch.”

“Meet me. You can carry my bags.”

“Just like a woman.” We were back to being friendly again. She left me when I went in to get a room and watched her go down the street.

I had my choice of beds in the motel room. Thinking “What-the-hell,” I picked one with a king-sized bed. I would follow Teri’s lead, though. In the meantime, I called my dispatcher.

“Ted here,” I stated when Henry answered. He got right to it.

“Hey Ted, have you made love to her yet? You two should be just right for each other.”

“You son-of-a-bitch, you could have warned me. What did you tell her about me anyway?”

“Just that you were a lonely, depressed widower.”

“I figured something like that. I’ve kept her off balance though. She doesn't know yet if I am going to let her ride home with me. She's a good driver, I’ll give her that much.”

“Come on Ted, if you are pissed at me, don’t take it out on her. I know she isn’t any raving beauty, but I can’t believe you will hurt her feelings. That isn’t you.”

“Whatever. Can you round me up a load going east?”

“I’ve got two. One from San Diego to Dallas and one from Houston to New Jersey. You can have them both. You will need Teri to help you drive though. You have only a short time to make Texas before the other load has to leave. You can’t get the one in San Diego until tomorrow afternoon. It will be tight, but with Teri there, you can make it.”

“What are you trying to do, play cupid? I thought only interfering women did that.”

“Maybe a little. Ted, I know Teri is not that pretty, but she really is a nice woman. She took a hit when she decided to walk away from her husband. It was the right move, but she was hurt. She needs someone that will treat her right. You and I have been friends for years, and I know what happened to you when you lost Mona. You need someone as much as Teri needs someone.”

“Yeah well, okay, I’ll treat her good. I’ll have her call you about the two loads when she gets back. I’m fine with them and her driving with me, but you can put it up to her. I don’t want to pressure her in any way.”

“Ted, I never met your wife, but I know you loved her dearly. She was reclusive I think you said one time. You are young and it is time you started looking for someone new. Even if nothing develops between you and Teri, you both will be better for knowing each other. If that is playing cupid, so be it.”

Henry explained more about the freight I would be delivering and where. Finishing with him, I went down the street to meet Teri. She was checking out of the store. “Do you need to buy anything?” she asked as she came up to me.

“No, I’m fine. Do you need any clothes washed? There is a laundry a couple of doors from the motel.”

“I could. Everything I have is dirty. I could wait until after you leave if you want. That is if you don’t want me riding with you.”

“I would like to have you with me. Henry found me a contract and I need a driver as far as Dallas.” A look of stubbornness crossed her features.

“So it boils down to I can have a ride because you need me. Is that it?”

“You can look at it that way. I will say it again, I do want you with me and had decided already that you would be in the cab all the way east before Henry had found a load for me. I suppose you might not believe me and I admit I didn’t fall all over you by asking you earlier. So if you want, I’ll buy you air fare if you don’t believe me.”

“What would you do for a spare driver if I took you up on that?”

“I’d have to call Henry and tell him I couldn’t handle the orders for service. I’d then wait for a load that I could handle.” Teri searched my face for an indication to see what I really wanted.”

“Ted, let’s start over and talk about this rationally. Would you like to have me as your team driver on the way east?”

“The truth is I’m hoping you will be.”

“Okay, that is settled. Now tell me why you didn’t know if you wanted me with you?”

“It wasn’t you. I was pissed at Henry. I felt he had put something over on me and you got in the way. He could have told me that the Teri I was going to be driving with was a woman. You are an excellent driver and you sing well. I was going to beg you to drive with me if I had to.”

“I thought there was something about me you didn’t like and wanted to get rid of me. I was beginning to like you a lot. You were treating me with respect. More than my ex-husband did at the end of our marriage. When you said you weren’t sure about me returning with you, I was hurt.”

“I’m sorry. As I said, it wasn’t you. I felt Henry was meddling in my life and I took it out on you.”

“Okay, I’ll accept that. I am going down and do our dirty clothes. What are you up to?”

“I’ll walk down with you. There is a deli across the street and I will get us a sandwich for lunch. Then I’m coming back and lie down until you get back.”

“You did have the last turn this morning. Good idea.” Teri was as tall as I was and with the shorts, she had put on when replacing her jeans, I could see her beautifully shaped legs. I had resisted looking at women for a couple of years. I felt I owed Mona that much. As Henry said, it was time I moved on. Was Teri the one? I did like her and I regretted almost blowing my chances with her. I would have to be more careful and consider her feelings in the future.

I wrote Teri a note when I returned from the deli, “I ate my sandwich. Too sleepy to wait for you. Beer and soda in the fridge. Sorry.”

I didn’t hear Teri come in with the clean clothes. When I roused up again, I heard her in the bathroom. She was singing in the shower. Mona used to sing when she was washing up. Tears came to my eyes remembering this. I was not prepared for what the last four days had pushed onto me. I had never had a female team driver before. Here I was in the same motel room with a woman I had rubbed elbows with several times over the last week.

Two years I had kept my thoughts on my deceased wife. In the last two or three days, Teri had invaded my mind and pushed Mona into the background. I knew there was nothing wrong with this. Was I ready to let my love for Mona fade? Was I ready to take up with Teri, or any woman for that matter? I imagined her drying off when she bumped into something. The singing was jumpy as if she were vigorously rubbing her skin.

I heard the bath door open and I closed my eyes to just a slit. Teri paused to see if I was still asleep before she came out. She had a towel wrapped around her. She went to the other side of the bed and I could hear her getting dressed. Suddenly she said, “Ted wake up. You have slept all afternoon. If we're going out to dinner, you had better get a move on. All of your clothes are clean, but I imagine you want to shower. I’m dressed already.”

I rolled over and opened my eyes. I stared. She had on a nice dress. In addition, she had grown breasts since I had seen her earlier in the day. Should I comment? I decided it was better not to. I swung off the bed and headed for the bathroom.

“Ted, do you like the new me?”

“Teri, I do. I liked the old you too. Look, this is somewhat awkward for me. When I finish my shower, would you step outside and sit on the patio while I get dressed? I’m kind of shy.”

“Sure. It is hard to get your clothes on in a steamy bathroom. Just knock on the door when you are ready to come out.”

When I finished dressing, I opened the door to the outside. Teri smiled and came in. The deli had had some roses on the counter in tubes and I had bought three of them. I had hid them the best I could in the miniature fridge that the room supplied. “Will a pin spoil your dress if I affix these?”

“No.” She watched me make a little arrangement out of the roses. “This is like a first date isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is. First date and all that goes with it. Dinner, dancing and maybe a kiss at the end of the evening.”

Teri looked at me. “You’re pretty subtle you know. I know what you meant when you said first date. That tells me where I’m at with you. Too soon to call it a second date.”

“You’re pretty smart yourself. Let’s go eat.”

It was pleasant sitting across the table from Teri. We made small talk at first. Then I asked, “How long are you going to be driving big rigs?”

“I’ve about had enough of it. I can turn my rig in anytime without penalty. I've been trying for two years to find someone to replace my ex-husband. I haven't found him yet. I'm too fussy, I guess. Everyone was either too fat, two bald, too old, too young, or just looking for a one-night stand. Therefore, I 've been going without, but I miss my loving. No, I will put that differently. I miss being in love and being loved. For someone who looks like I do, there is also a chance I may never find love again.”

“For me, I find you very attractive.”

“More attractive than your wife whom you loved so much?”

“That isn’t a fair question, but I'll answer you. Mona was extremely pretty, but then cancer happened and it took her beauty away. Her lost looks bothered her much more than it did me. She was always the same person to me and I loved her.”

“Yet you drove truck and were away for periods of time. If you loved her so much, how could you leave her?”

“Because Mona asked me to keep driving. Her mother cared for her while I was away and she also asked me to comply with Mona's wishes. My mother lives across the road and she said the same. All three women knew my love would never waver. They were right. I was always glad to get home to see Mona and she so looked forward to see me arrive.”

“That is so sweet. I envy you having a love like that. I was puzzled when I first met you because you seemed surprisingly dedicated to someone who had left you so long ago.”

“We did have something special and it’s hard to let go." This conversation was getting to me. “Change the subject, would you? What will you be doing if you give up driving long hauls?”

“I don’t know for sure. I might try driving a bus or for UPS. For certain, some job where I can be home every night. With a CDL and a clean record, I should have no trouble. Are you going to continue driving for a living?”

“The same as you, I guess. In some capacity anyway. I have been offered work by my parents. It is near them and I’ve thought about accepting the job. Settling down in one place has its good points. Mona and I owned the house across the road from Mom and Dad, but then I had to get away from the area for awhile. I was headed home the day I got a call from Henry about needing a tractor for your load. It has put off going home for two or more weeks or so. I will visit as soon as I get back from this trip.

“You know Mona rode with me occasionally. She and I sat at this very same table and stayed in the same motel where we are right now. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to handle tonight very well. I find it isn’t bothering me too much and I’m actually enjoying myself.”

Teri reached across the table and squeezed my hand. “I’m glad. After the little uncertainty I had about you, I am enjoying being with you. I’m also looking forward to dancing with you.”

I chuckled, saying, “You may not be so happy with my dancing. It's been a long time. I’ll probably walk all over your feet.”

“I’ll risk it. Let’s have another glass of wine. That way if you step on me I won’t feel the pain.” Mona and I had enjoyed dancing at one time and we were good. That part didn't worry me, but the fact I was going to be in close proximity to Teri did.

We both had a little buzz on when we left the restaurant. I held her arm as we walked down the street to the lounge. Before we got very far, she took it and placed it around her waist. We came up to a dark spot in the shadow of a tall building. Teri paused and turned to me. “I want a kiss. I hope dancing with you is going to be as much fun as having dinner with you.”

We did fit together nice. Yes, she pressed herself to me. There was not anything sexual about it as she immediately backed off and put my arm around her waist again. She started humming “Crazy Arms” and we continued on our way.

I nursed one beer the rest of the evening. Teri was happy, drinking more wine, and it was shortly after ten during a slow waltz set when this caught up with her. It started out fine, but the alcohol hit her and by the time we were into the second dance, she was draped on me. Her head was on my shoulder. The third dance had us over in a dark corner. We were not moving, just swaying to the music.

She roused up and slurred. “Ted, this is a wonderful first date. I think you had better take me back to our room and put me to bed. I don't want this to end and I know it can’t get better than this, so we should end it now. This is how memories are made. Okay?”

We did make it back to the motel with me more than half carrying her. I opened the door and she started to enter. I took her arm and halted her. “Teri, first date, remember?”

A blank look came over her as she tried to remember what I was saying. Finally, “Kiss.” She came toward me and I received what was a wine flavored slobber. I waited for it to end and found I had a passed out woman in my arms. I felt a stinging in my chest and remembered the pin that held the flowers. I had to ignore it or drop her, so although it was painful, I carried her to the bed.

She flopped down. I looked at her. What to do? I started out being as gentle as I could be, but found this did not cut it. I had never removed a woman’s pantyhose before and found it a tussle. I left on her panties. I managed to get her dress off and her silky chemise that covered her above the waist.

Her bra was before me. It had a tag stitched to the strap across the back. “Acme, Prosthesis Co., quality products.” It looked uncomfortable, but I wasn't going to touch it or remove it. Teri was going to wake up in the morning, not remembering anything at first. She was going to be asking questions about how she was undressed and I wanted to answer them truthfully.

I opened her case. I guess she didn’t wear a nightgown for I couldn’t find one. I found a just-washed tee shirt and put that on her. I looked at my watch. It was still before midnight. She would have ten hours to recover before checkout time. I went to the bathroom and came back, stripping down to my shorts. I put on a clean tee of my own. I didn’t get entirely into bed, just sliding under the coverlet.

I didnt worry about getting to sleep. I had taken a long nap in the afternoon and knew I would get a few more hours before dawn. I'd be hooking onto a container about three in the afternoon and heading for Dallas. Moreover, I wouldn’t have to drive very long before Teri would be ready to take the wheel again.

It was three A.M. when Teri staggered out of bed and headed to the bathroom. I heard her bumping around, still drunk. When she returned, she was totally naked. I knew she couldn't be thinking. She flopped down on the bed. I got up and threw a light blanket over her. She mumbled, “Thanks, Rich.” I smiled as I think she thought she was back in bed with her ex-husband. When I came back from the bathroom, I went right off to sleep.

I was up at seven for the bathroom again. I would let Teri sleep awhile longer. It was eight when I felt Teri poking me. “I thought you said this was a first date and you wouldn’t expect sex last night. Where is my underwear? God, I feel awful.”

“Teri, nothing happened between us. I didn’t take your underwear off. I did take your dress and pantyhose off so you would be more comfortable, but I didn’t go any further.”

“Turn over and don’t look at me. I have to get up.” I heard Teri pause at her suitcase and get something. Shortly I heard the shower turn on. I hoped she would leave me some hot water and my kidneys hoped she wouldn't be in there too much longer.

Teri finally came out dressed in jeans and her usual top. She came up to me and leaned down to say, “I’ll bet this is the first time you ever saw a woman’s tits hung on the towel rack in the bathroom. Ted, I want to apologize for drinking so much. I seldom do that, but I was having such a good time I guess I went overboard. Thank you for taking care of me. Tell me why you didn’t take advantage of me.?”

“If I had you would have been upset this morning. We still have several days in the cab together ahead of us before we part ways. I'll also tell you I am looking ahead to a second date sometime in the future.”

“Maybe we won’t part ways. Did you ever think about that?”

“I am giving it some thought. By the way, who is Rich? You thanked him for covering you up when you came back from the bathroom last night.”

Teri’s face was flaming red. “That's my ex-husband’s name. You saw me naked didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did, and I very much would like to inspect you more closely at some later time in the future.”

“I might just let you. Let’s go get something on my queasy stomach, can we?”

---

It took us 25 hours to reach Dallas. Teri was thrilled to see this part of the country and she hated to crawl back into the sleeper when I took over driving. I swear she sang the whole way. We had made good time and we stopped in Dallas after discharging the container.

We got a room for a few hours and were able to make Houston at eight the next morning. It took three hours before our load was ready. We had expected it would be ready to hook onto immediately. This cut into the on the road time we had to make New Jersey. It was going to be tight, time-wise. “What route are we taking east?”

“I think we'll go back to Dallas and head east from there. We'll start out from Dallas on I-30, pick up I-40 and eventually we will hit I-81. This will put us into Scranton. I hope that we can lay over a few hours, before going into New Jersey with our load. I've traveled this route several times.  I might even leave you in Scranton, hit I-80 which goes into Paterson, and deliver it myself. That will give you a chance to take care of your rig.”

“Oh no, I signed on for this trip and I’m sticking with it all the way.”

I flashed Teri a glance. “Is it the money? It won’t be that much.”

“No.” Nothing more was forthcoming for a bit. I glanced at her again. Then she explained, “I’m turning my beast in. Henry will guide me on that. I'm going to miss it. Henry had it looked at and it was not just the fuel. It is definitely sick. Then I am going to take a long vacation. If I decide to still drive truck, I’ll sign on with some outfit that has team drivers exclusively.”

“How are you going to get home to Maine?”

“I’ll buy me a vehicle in Scranton before I leave so I can travel on my vacation.”

“Sounds like a plan to me. I'm going to miss your singing though.”

“You mean all this tit-less wonder means to you is my singing?”

“You said that, not me. Look Teri, I still have a few issues concerning my wife and her death. This trip with you as teammate makes me want to put those issues behind me. Having you with me for the last several days has been great for me. I can only straighten out my mind by going home and getting things settled.

“I told you my parents live in the same town as I do. I have let Mona’s mother, Eloise, stay in my home across the road from my parents. I haven’t been able to stay at home since Mona died, and I’ll have to decide what to do about Eloise. She was wonderful to my wife and even more to me by taking care of both of us.”

It was silent in the cab for a while. Then Teri started singing to the CDs again. I was going to miss this, that was for certain. Teri took over the wheel and I crawled back into the bunk. I lay there thinking, not sleeping.

I poked the curtain aside, “Teri, you could buy a car in Albany as well as Scranton.” Teri’s answer was to put Ray Price’s CD on and sing along with “You Are the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me.” I dozed off.

I slept for several hours, and after stretching, I poked my head through the curtain. Teri smiled at me and made an obvious comment, “Awake?”

“Yeah. Where are we?”

“We are still on I-40 and still making great time. We're ahead of schedule. You mentioned we might get a motel room for a night. Do you still want to do that?”

“No, not now. I’m anxious to get this load delivered and see home again.”

“Good. I want to see your hometown myself. I have been on the radio with Henry. Henry is going to handle turning in my tractor to the leasing company. He has hired someone to drive it back for me. You know if we got off I-81 and headed straight to Baltimore, we would save a lot of time getting into New Jersey.”

“Good planning. That's the route I would normally travel. I had been thinking of you and your rig when I said we would go into Scranton. This way we can drop our load and head north. You'll be able to help me with some of the routes getting out of New Jersey.”

“That I can do. I am familiar with the area. Are you going up I-87?”

“No, it's a toll road as far as Albany and there are some other roads that are almost as good.”

“I like your thinking. Toll roads are great if you are in a hurry, but if you have the time, the extra cost is unnecessary. Ted, I won’t be cramping your style by following you home will I?”

“No, not at all.”

We found our way into Paterson, New Jersey, arriving there too early to unhook. We walked down to a diner and had breakfast, holding a conversation on what this day would be like. “How do you plan on getting to Albany from here?”

“I’m going to work our way up to 9W. That will take us to Albany. There are a lot of small towns so it'll be slow going, but still better than hitting the interstate and its toll roads.”

“It sounds like a plan. Are you going directly home?”

“We could, or we could stop somewhere, get a motel room, and talk a little bit about us and what our lives have been like in the past. We might explore the idea of starting a relationship. Before we get to that subject, I have a lot to tell you about my wife and our last years together. There is also my life since she died.”

“Your comment about starting a relationship interests me very much. We do need to tell each other much more about our pasts. I need to tell you about me and my husband and our life together.”

“Okay, we stop before we get to Albany. Teri, it’s going to take some time to tell you about my wife. After I have told you, you may not consider it is wise to go forward and start a relationship with me. I would like to have one with you, but I’m going to be sure to tell you everything first.”

“Okay, you have cautioned me. That is a start. Other than rape or murder, there's nothing I can think of that would change my mind.”

“No rape and no murder.” I left Teri to speculate what I was going to tell her in a few hours. We dawdled over our coffee until the factory compound would be open to take our paper work for the load.

Chapter Two

We walked slowly back to the factory where we had parked the truck. A man came out of an office and wanted to know if we were in a hurry. “Anytime. We're headed north just as soon as we unhook.”

Teri spoke. “I’ll back it up to the dock. You do the paper work.”

The dock worker made small talk as we went into the office. “That your wife driving?”

“No, just a team driver. She had a load for the west coast and her tractor gave out so I took over with mine. She is damned good though and easy to get along with.”

“Must be something sleeping in the same cab with a woman. Did you get it on?”

“No, too much respect on both our parts. Henry, who dispatches for the two of us, set it up. I think she is part of his extended family and I wouldn’t want to get him pissed at me. I depend on him for my trips.”

“Makes sense, but it makes a person wonder.” I considered what he had said. Others do have a dirty mind, but I didn’t brace him, as this was typical thinking.

Just then my cell phone vibrated, “Ted, you there?”

“I answered didn’t I? Of course, I am here. What do you want?”

“I just got contacted about a load of construction equipment that is on your way. It is all loaded on a bed and waiting on me to send someone to hook on to the load. It is going to Albany.”

“No, I have other plans. I won’t get to Albany today.”

“That’s okay. There isn’t any hurry. Besides you need the money.”

“Why would I need the money?”

“I figure you will be getting married soon.”

Teri was walking up to me. I said to Henry, “Keep talking and tell me why you think that?” I handed the phone to Teri to hear what Henry was going to say. She was listening intently.

“You’re a prick, Henry. Wait until I tell your sister about what you are thinking about my life. She will tell my brother and he will kick your ass.” Teri was grinning as she handed the phone back to me.

“Henry would you repeat that? I missed what you just said.”

“You’re a bastard Ted. Is Teri really pissed?”

“Not really. Just remember this is our business, not yours. Now tell me the details about this load? I’ll take it, as you said there is no great hurry.” Henry rang off and I turned to Teri. “We are going to Springfield, Massachusetts. Henry has another service order for us. We drop it in Albany.”

“Do you take every trip Henry lines up?”

“Pretty much if it is going in my general direction. Remember my home is in New York. The last two years I have only been home to visit my parents a few times. I’ll tell you all about it this evening.”

“We are still getting a motel room?”

“Yeah. I will make a change of plans if I have to, but for this one I don't see any need. I promised to tell you about my life and that's what I am going to do. So I guess we will head for Hartford and take I-91 to Springfield."

“I can do that.”

“Okay.” Teri handled these congested areas better than I did. Was I taking advantage of her? Maybe, but she didn’t appear to mind.

It was late when we reached the motel. I had stopped here before, as there was a good place to park my rig. There was room for it way down the backside of the lot for both the truck and the loaded flatbed. We made the dining room just before it closed for the evening. When we reached our room after eating, I said I was going to shower.

“Good thinking, you’re faster than I am.

“Yeah, just call me speedy.”

“I hope you are only talking about taking a shower.”

I stopped and looked at Teri. “We were going to talk about our lives. I am also thinking that you are a woman who uses a first date to become acquainted. You would be ready to go further on the second date. Am I way off in my thinking?”

“No. I agree that we should talk. If what we each reveal does not turn the other off and prevent us from continuing on, then I am ready to call the rest of this night a second date. Now go take your shower and we will see how speedy you are.”

“Yes Ma’am.” Teri was being a little brash. I showed her I could be as well. I walked up to her and put my arms around her, pulling her into my embrace. I tipped her chin up and kissed her, mashing my lips against hers. I gave her the tip of my tongue and when she likewise returned the same, I let her go and went into the bathroom to shower.

I came out wearing jockey shorts and a tee shirt. She gave me a broad smile without saying anything. She disrobed totally, and paraded across the room, pausing and turning to stick her tongue out at me before entering the bathroom. I guess she had won that little exchange.

Teri sang in the shower the same as Mona used to do. How could I be so lucky? When she came out she had on a light dress and I could see there was nothing on under it. In fact there were spots where she hadn’t toweled off totally and these wet spots clung to her. “Are we ready to talk? This is the plan isn’t it?”

“Yes. I have calmed down while you were in the shower. That isn’t to say that the anticipation has gone away.”

“It is with me too. Do you want me to start?”

“Sure. Let’s make an agreement to have no spin on what we are telling each other.”

“Good, I planned on letting it all hang out. First, I have to tell you that Rich is a handsome devil and I felt so lucky he chose me to be his wife. We started our relationship in our early teens. This was even before many of my friends started to develop breasts, and when they did, we were both waiting for me to do the same. I just never did. I cried many a night over my lack of development.

“I honestly felt he loved me and soon I was giving him everything he asked for. We tried it all and never seemed to get enough of each other. We were so in love we decided to make our life together and when we graduated high school, we went to truck driving school. I think I can brag a little because I seemed to catch on quicker than he did. I could back a box up to a dock that was difficult to reach and just barely kiss the bumpers with my rig.

“Rick always had difficulties doing this and his efforts made anyone watching cringe when he slammed into a dock. I even did great handling double trailers, although it's not my cup of tea. Rich never would attempt to drive these and resented my ability. We soon leased a truck and went to work as soon as we were old enough. Until then, we had driven whatever we could find. I even drove for a newspaper delivering bundles of papers.”

Teri paused, and I could see she was approaching the time when a crack appeared in their relationship. She must still have some love for her former husband, for she was near tears.

She continued, “Rick began to comment on the boobs he would see on the skanks that hung around the truck stops. How could I compete with some of the women that were so well endowed? He started nagging, saying I needed to get breast implants. I resented being compared to other women, especially these truck-stop whores, and I suppose I got my back up. No way was I going to do this to myself. First, it would cost several thousand dollars, and I certainly did not want my nipples repositioned and attached to a bag of salt water.

“I sent away for some falsies and Rick made me wear these before we would enter a truck stop. We argued about this continually. Our marriage ended one night when we got a motel room. I had the last turn and went right to bed. For some reason I woke up a short time later, but Rich was not there. I had a feeling, so I got dressed and went looking for him. He was in the sleeper with a slut. He was sucking on her boobs.

“He claimed he wouldn’t have fucked her, just wanting some real boobs to play with. I took him back that time, but I warned him. I suppose the trust was already gone from our marriage and no amount of promises would re-instate it. I was right, for I couldn’t help but watch him from that point on.

“A month later he did the same thing again, only this time he was having sex with the homeliest woman I had ever seen. Her one major attribute was that she had big tits. I'm no beauty, but I was younger and better looking. I didn’t confront Rich. I gathered my things and caught a ride with a trucker, heading toward home and Maine. I cried all of the way.

“How he bitched when I finally answered his call. He was penalized for the load we were supposed to deliver at a certain time. He was the lead driver so I was at least off the hook on that. I had the papers waiting for him when he came home. I didn’t give in and he couldn’t persuade me otherwise.

“I said he was handsome and it wouldn’t be long before women were buzzing around him. He could spin a good tale. There is some romance in driving a big rig and he was a master at embellishing the life. He figured he’d have it made, so he signed the divorce papers. I received title and the mortgage on our home in the settlement and Rich took my name off the lease for the rig.

“I didn’t want to give up driving so I drove whatever I could find for a few months. Rich didn't pay attention and he was soon behind on his lease payments. Someone made an offer on my house, so I took it. I used the money to make the back payments on the tractor and took over the lease. It was a good rig and the lease company was glad to sign me.”

“So Teri, what is Rich doing now?”

Teri grinned at me. “He calls me at least once a month begging me to take him back. I know he wants the tractor more than he wants me. Right now, he is stuck with a moving company. Driving is only a small part of his job. He has to pack up household goods and load them into a twenty-four-foot box truck. When he gets to his destination, he has to help unload it all. Needless to say, he isn’t happy, but I don’t care.”

She laughed aloud now. “This is all because I don’t have any tits so it comes down to being my fault.” I could see she was laughing but there was no happiness in her expression. Teri continued, “Besides this, I’m not really happy either.”

“In what way are you unhappy?”

“I can answer that and you said no spin on telling about our lives. I am so horny most of the time, I could go out of my mind. I am horny, but what I’m really looking for is love with someone I can trust. Truckers are a diverse bunch. The good ones go home to their wives at the end of a run. The bad ones hook up with some willing whore for a bit of pleasure.”

“Where am I in this mix of good and bad?”

“You are definitely one of the good ones. No spin here either, I’m going to hang around until you get beyond the ethereal memory of Mona. That is if you ever do. I figure it will be only an investment of time and it may pay off big. Just so you know, I’ve been saving myself for someone I can trust again. I think that someone is you if you will have me.” Teri looked beseechingly at me.

“I’d say you have a good shot at it. Is there anything else about you I should know that you want to share?”

“That’s it. I could tell you about a few unusual experiences I have had driving, but you've had some of the same, I would imagine. Nothing that would affect me directly, so I guess I’m done.”

“Nothing to do with your family? You haven’t mentioned them.”

“I told you I have a brother who is married. He is the best. I love his wife who is Henry’s sister. We are close when I’m home and they support me when I’m away. You can tell that by what Henry has said about me. My parents are quite elderly and live near my brother. My folks dislike me being away, but they have always let my brother and me follow the direction our dreams take us. Near or far away from each other, we are a close family.”

“That’s nice. It is now my turn. Where do you want me to start?”

“Ted, why don’t you begin telling me about your parents? I can understand more about why you are from what you are saying about them.”

“Okay, here goes. Dad and Mom started from scratch and built their own company. They own a milk transport company. They have a half-dozen small tankers that go to all the different dairy farms every other day. Milk is pumped into the tankers from refrigerated milk tanks at each farm. All this milk is transferred into two big tractor semi-tankers that carry the liquid to the milk processing plant.

“This has to be a seven day a week operation. Samples are taken from each farmer’s tank to test quality, as recorded by how much bacteria is in the milk. In addition, the samples are tested for the level of butterfat. All this and the amount loaded come together and the farmer is paid accordingly. Milk is measured by the hundredweight, not by quarts or gallons.

“This operation was just getting going when I was young and has been ongoing since I can remember. It is like a whole bunch of small brooks running downhill making up a river. Only this is a river of milk. It all comes back to your table as liquid milk in quarts and gallons to drink. Some of it is processed into various cheeses. A big portion is dried and added to numerous foods. Look sometime for dried milk solids on the food labels.

“I grew up as a kid watching these tankers leaving empty and coming back full day after day. Some of the drivers never deviate in the time leaving or returning. You can imagine the stacks of paper work needed to keep track of the amount of milk from each of so many farms. That is Mom’s department. It is like accounting except the product is milk instead of dollars and it has to be exact.”

“How come you never became part of this with your parents?”

“I guess you could say I wanted to see the country. In addition, there was this sweet little farmer’s daughter, named Mona Earle, who wanted to get away from farm work. Let no one kid you, farming is the hardest life there is to live. It is work, work, work all day long and it can be twenty hours a day for dairy farmers. A man or woman has to love the land and the animals on it to enjoy it at all.

“When you meet my sister, you will see what I mean. Equipment is terribly expensive. Taxes are high and the land is costly if you can get to where you want to expand. There is the weather that isn’t regulated at all and the government that regulates too much.”

“Tell me about the sweet little farmer’s daughter. This was Mona you were referring to I take it.”

“Yes. We were in the same class in school. Mona was an only child on a small farm. On a farm, everyone works. No, she didn't shirk what had to be done, but didn't enjoy it. For a beautiful girl, the greatest pastime is not shoveling shit.

“My chore was to wash the tankers after they returned with their load of milk and were emptied. Most of the time these had cow crap that had stuck to the undercarriage. Sometimes when it was muddy it was plastered all over the outside. The interior of the tanks needed cleaning, but Dad employs a special person who does this. Dad has pride and wants his tankers clean inside and out.

“Mona, after she finished her own chores, would come down and help me. In return, I might go help her feed calves at their last feeding. We continually talked about what we would prefer doing over what we actually did. I guess you could say we were always daydreaming. As I got older, I would move the tankers around. I washed one, move that one out, and then bring in another to take its place.

“I felt pretty damned big up in the cab of a tanker and I knew someday I was going to drive something this big or bigger. I never had a crack at the semis, but I did envy the drivers. I was getting older, and about the time I was old enough to get a license to drive the big rigs, Mona’s life changed. Her parents took the herd buyout from the government.

“This was a program where the government bought the farmer’s cows so there wouldn’t be as much milk produced. The farmer had to cease producing milk and couldn't go back into producing milk. Mona’s pa did this and went to raising beef. This freed a farmer from milking twice a day and gave him more time to do his chores in the different line of farming. Mona was freed up entirely.

“I was never paid much for what I did working for my father. I went to Mom and Pop and asked for enough to make a down payment on a tractor. ‘Get your Commercial Driver’s License and we’ll talk.’ I set out to become the best tractor-trailer driver on the roads of this great country. In no time at all, I had my certificate. I came home and immediately asked Mona Earle to become Mrs. Ted Woodman.”

I paused remembering, and Teri realized I was not in the present. She waited until I continued. “There was no hesitation at all. Her father and mother liked me and my parents liked Mona. I figured I would buy a five or six year-old tractor, but Dad said no. He said to buy new, which I did. The financing was heavy, but by using some of his contacts, I put the rig right to work. I did well right from the get go.

“Understand this, I babied the woman I married and I have babied this tractor that is named for her. Enough about the rig. You are waiting to hear about Mona herself.”

“I am waiting unless it is too difficult for you.”

“No, I have to talk this out sometime. I did love Mona and I can say she was my obsession. I loved having her with me and she sang the same songs you have been singing. My love of driving trucks was almost as deep as the love I had for her. While she was well, there was no problem. When I was on the road, I was happy and when I was home, she made me very happy. Then she became sick with an invasive form of cancer.

“A year before I took full title to my tractor, Mona asked if her mother could move in with us. Her father had passed away a couple of months before this from a heart condition. This left Eloise to find a home for herself. I was against having her live with us, but not too strongly.

“I wanted Mona happy so I agreed to the arrangement. My mother helped with the privacy issue that I was bothered by. Often when I was home off the road, my mother would ask Mrs. Earle to stay with her and Dad. This worked out fine. For all of us.

“The day I took full title to the rig, Mom and Mrs. Earle cornered me and told me that Mona was dying. God, the guilt I felt for not noticing that Mona was sick was unbearable. There was a conspiracy among all three women to keep her condition from me. Even then, I was not told how sickly she was. They told me she would live for at least two years and that I should go on with my life as if she was fine.

“All three must have loved you a lot to keep the truth from you.”

“Teri, you might feel that way. I don’t and I will tell you why. I felt Mona and I were as one. It was my responsibility to care for her, but I never knew her true condition. I felt cheated when she died long before I was told how long she was to live. Think of the guilt I felt when I returned home that last time to see her and she was already gone from me. I felt it was my responsibility and privilege to say ‘Mona, I love you’ and they would be the last words she would hear on this earth.

“I felt only resentment and in one way I suppose that was a good thing. It got me through the early days of Mona being gone. The resentment turned me against my mother-in-law. I felt the same about my mother for interfering. I overheard them talking about how they had saved me from most of the heartbreak of losing Mona. They went on to discuss how Mona really had wanted them to shield me, and she hadn't wanted me with her for her last days.

“Needless to say, I blasted both. I have been home a few times and I do speak to my mother, but barely. She cries and regrets aiding Mrs. Earle in what they did. I am ready to forgive my mother and intend to as soon as I get home tomorrow. It will be harder for me to forgive Mrs. Earle, but I will eventually. I've carried my hate long enough. Recently, I concluded it would displease Mona if she were alive, hearing how I have treated her mother. I will find a time soon to talk about it.”

Teri came and gave me a hug. “I’m glad you are going to do that. A person doesn't always have control of their emotions and it takes time to get rid of the bad ones. You need to replace them with good ones. Maybe that is why all religions teach us to forgive.”

“Are you religious, Teri?”

“Not really. My family is more so than I am, but we lived close to a church when I was growing up and naturally, I went there when I was young. I suppose I moved away from that when I got involved with Rich. There was not time for both him and the church. Rich and I were just too hot and heavy for each other. I do remember my lessons though.”

“I would say you know more about the Lord than I do. If you and I are together much, we will have to explore some of what you have been taught.”

“I will look forward to talking about it. Right now, I think we've talked long enough.” Teri did not have on a robe, just the light dress when she came from the shower. She grasped the hem and slowly pulled it over her head.

I was a long time from being intimate with a woman. Teri claimed it had been for her as well. It didn't take long for us to change the situation. “Ted, I’m on the pill. This should make it better for both of us.” It did. We were hungry for each other, but also were attuned to each others needs. I wanted this to be more than good for Teri, and she felt the same way about me.

Would you believe that when we lost our rhythm and paused, I leaned down and kissed her? It was returned, repeatedly. I swear this excited us so that when we resumed, the feelings were even more intense.

A short time later, “Ted hold me. I want to savor this. That was so beautiful! What a wonderful way to start a memory book.”

I grinned, asking, “What is a memory book?”

“It is a little section of my mind where I keep my memories. I add pages to it whenever I have something nice happen to me. It is never filled completely. Sad to say my last book hasn't had anything added to it for a long time. That's okay, though, as I have just started a new one.”

“You mean like when my rig is humming along the highway and I hear someone singing my favorite songs? Would that qualify?”

“I hope so. You like my singing?”

“Yes, but that isn’t all. There is a lot I like about you. I do believe I have several pages in my book already.”

“Oh, another page for my own book. Ted, just hold me the rest of the evening. I think I'll be adding one more in the morning.” We snuggled together. When we got uncomfortable, we found another position, but we didn't let go of each other.

We had a leisurely breakfast in the morning. As I was paying the tab, Teri said she would get our cases and start the tractor. I had to wait a few minutes for the filling of our coffee carafe. Our plan was to drop the flatbed loaded with equipment and stop at a used car lot I knew of  where Teri could get a good bargain.

As I came out, she was halfway to our rig. She was facing a big man who was trying to humiliate her by commenting on her shape. This had to be her ex-husband, for she had described him to me. There was no doubt about it, at one time, he was a big handsome devil. Now though, he had turned into something that was going to pot. The pot being his belly.

Teri was smiling at him. I walked up and stood beside her. “Ted, meet my ex-husband. Rich, this is Ted, my team driver. We are just returning from San Diego. We haven't been but about 100 miles without a paying load and have traveled almost 7,000 miles. How are you doing?”

Rich tried to put a good face on, but it was not working. Just then, a woman got out of a twenty-foot box truck and came up beside him. She was at least twenty years older than Rich and no beauty. She did have big breasts, though. “Rich,” she whined, “I’m hungry. You said you would buy me breakfast. Why didn’t you wake me when you parked the truck? Who’s this?”

“Just someone I used to know. Tanya, go order coffee and I’ll get there in a minute.” We watched as Tanya went into the motel diner. Rich turned to us again. “What are you driving, Teri?”

“That Freightliner with the construction equipment on the flatbed. I got rid of the Mack. Ted owns his rig outright. Henry is his dispatcher and keeps him busy.”

“How is Henry? I haven’t talked to him in awhile.”

“Good. He still claims me as family.”

“Lucky you. Well, nice seeing you. We will have to get together and talk over old times. I will be back in Maine in another day. You know how I feel about you.”

“Too bad you didn’t remember that when we were married. Rich, I don’t think I'll be getting together with you. There really is no point.”

“Okay, but your loss.”

“I’ll survive.” Rich did not look happy when he turned toward the diner.

I handed Teri the coffee and picked up the suitcases.

“Sorry about that, Ted. It is hard to believe I loved Rich one time. Did you hear what he said to me before you came up to me?”

“No.” I had, but she did not need reminding.

“I won’t repeat it, but it wasn’t nice.” Teri was very quiet all the way to Albany. As we pulled onto the construction site, she asked, “Do you know any good used car lots in the area?”

“I do. We’ll stop by and see what they have. A friend of mine is the manager, so we might as well take advantage of that. Pete and I went to school together.” Teri ended up with a used Subaru Outback for $11,500. It did have low mileage and was clean. It took three hours to complete the paper work. She did well, saving almost $1,900 on it.

Teri followed me north and I had time to think about our future. I wanted Teri in my life. It could only happen if we worked together. Maybe we could get on driving for dad. Dad knew me and I'd vouch for Teri.

I pulled the tractor into my family’s trucking compound just before six in the evening. I parked my rig and climbed in with Teri. I talked fast with Teri before dad came out and I explained my thinking to Terry. She thought it a great idea.

“Mom and dad live a half-mile up the road. My house is across the road from theirs. We will be staying with my mom for the night. Question, are you going to be sleeping with me or do you want your own room?”

“Ted, how do you feel about it?”

“I would like to be sleeping with you. There is no point in dancing around our relationship with my folks. I feel we have become a couple and I want to continue.”

“We haven’t really discussed this and we have only known each other for less than three weeks. Are you sure?”

“I am. How about you?”

“I was ready before we left Dallas. Last night solidified my feelings for you.” Just then, my father came out of the office and headed to where we were sitting in the Subaru.

He leaned down and looked into the car. “That you, Son? I recognized your rig.”

“It is me, Dad.” Teri and I got out of the car and I introduced her to my father. “Dad, meet Teri Bascomb. She has been my team driver during this last road trip across country. We have decided we would pair up for awhile until we get to know each other better. Teri, meet my father, Nathan Woodman.”

“Mr. Woodman, I’m pleased to meet you.”

“Truck driver, are you?”

“Yes and a damned good one. Ask Ted.”

Dad looked at me for the truth. “She’s as good at driving as I am. Not only that, she sings good.”

“Is that all? I mean you know how your mother feels about short time commitments.”

“Mr. Woodman, Ted and I haven’t known each other very long. However, we have just spent night and day for more than two weeks together. He knows my life and I know what his has been like. Both of us have had some heartbreak and I do believe we are looking forward to a future together. I’m looking for love and so is Ted.”

“Yes, well, that may be, but what about Mona, Ted’s wife?”

“I’ll answer that, Dad. Mona is not with me anymore. I will admit I had trouble getting over not having her here to come home to. I felt guilty for not being here while she was ill. Then I built up a lot of resentment against Mom and Mrs. Earle. In my mind, I have resolved both her death and the resentment. I am home to apologize to Mom. The same with Mrs. Earle.”

“That’s good. Your mother finally realized how much she interfered in your life. She has been talking to me about maybe she didn’t do right in the past situation.”

“I was pretty angry for awhile. I felt it took longer to recover from Mona’s death than if I was with her, as she got sicker. I was lied to and that was wrong.”

“Guess you are right. Are you staying with us?”

“Yes. How will Mom feel if Teri sleeps with me?”

“She won’t like it. I will help you out with that and tell her you asked for my permission and I gave it to you. Just do not flaunt it. Are you coming back here tomorrow?"

Teri answered, “I am, Mr. Woodman. Ted will be talking to his mother-in-law. I need to give the truck cab a good cleaning. That's the plan anyway.”

“Good, let me ride home with you and you can bring me back in the morning.” We made small talk for the short distance home. Dad instructed Teri to pull alongside the garage. “Ted, go find your mother. She will be anxious to see you. We will give you a few minutes before we come in.”

“Thanks, I appreciate that.” Mom would be in the kitchen getting Dad some supper. I opened the door and stood watching my mother peeling potatoes.

She glanced up, staring at me for a moment. “Ted?”

“Yeah, it is me, Mom. I’m home this time to see if you will forgive me for being so terrible to you about Mona.”

“Ted, it is me that needs forgiveness. I interfered when I shouldn’t have. You were right to feel as you did. It has hurt though. I hope we can get beyond what happened and what was said.”

I crossed the room and hugged my mother. There were tears of gladness in her eyes. I felt likewise.

“We can. What smells so good? I would say it might be roast chicken, my favorite.”

“It is and I don’t know why I decided to do one this morning, but I did. Must be I had a premonition. I’ll peel an extra potato.”

“Make it two. I have a woman with me. I hope you like her.”

“Is this someone to replace Mona? It’s time, if you are going to have any kind of life at all. Is she pretty?”

“I think so. She is not at all like Mona was. She is a truck driver the same as me. We are just off the road after spending a couple of weeks together on a cross country contract.”

Mom hesitated to ask, but I knew she would given time. I made it easy for her. “We are sleeping together. She is divorced and I can see why, as we ran into her ex-husband this morning when we came from having breakfast. He was her childhood sweetheart but he changed. I don’t think she has. We both need someone to hold at this point and that is why we have started a relationship.”

“Will I like her?”

“I believe so. There is no nonsense about her. Dad and she will here in a minute. He gave me time to be alone with you. He rode home from the compound with us.”

Just then, Dad opened the door behind me. “Smells like roast chicken. Good, Ted’s favorite meal. Sarah, meet Teri Bascomb. I just hired her to drive one of the semi-rigs. That is if Ted will lease me his.”

Mom and Teri stood appraising each other. Mom was not going to let my father take my tractor away from me if I objected. “What about Ted? He may want to drive his own tractor.”

“We have to get rid of one and we still need two. He can drive the new one.”

“Okay.” Just then, the oven timer went off. Mom pulled out the chicken and two square pans of homemade rolls.

“Mrs. Woodman, I see you have butter out. I’ll spread it on the tops of the rolls for you.”

“Thank you Teri, I can see you know how to cook. Don't call me Mrs. Woodman. Call me Sarah.”

I was more comfortable with my mother this evening than I had been for two years. All my resentment had disappeared. Maybe it was because Teri was fitting right in and she and my mom were laughing as she related things that happened in my childhood. I hadn't had this much fun since before Mona became ill.

Teri went out into the kitchen when Mom did up the dishes. Dad looked at me. “You got quite a girl there, Son. I’m thinking she is the one to put you back on track. You’ve been off the rails far too long.”

“Dad, I guess I have. Let me tell you how I met her. You have heard me speak of my dispatcher, Henry. I am giving him all of the credit for us meeting the way we did. He did it in a way where if I did not take up with Teri, I might not be able to call him friend again. Henry is kind of an extended family to Teri. I guess he thought both of us needed a change of direction and the chance came to get us together. He took it.” I told my father the story of our trip.

When my mother and Teri returned, Teri sat down next to my father. Mom indicated with her head that she wanted to speak to me alone, so we slipped back into the kitchen.

“Ted, are you going to be talking to your mother-in-law? She wants to speak to you very much.

“I am. Do you think this would be a good time, or should I wait until tomorrow?”

“The sooner the better, I would think. I am sure she is home this evening. Why don’t you go over there now?”

“I could, I guess. Make my excuses to Teri. She knows I need to talk to Mrs. Earle.”

I left by the front door so I would not have to pass Teri. I paused on the front steps. The truck compound had smelled like home. The faint lingering odor of diesel fuel with the much stronger one of cow manure that coated the trucks. And here with my parents, this was a familiar smell as well. I could see a light on across the road in the house I owned. I listened before I stepped across, expecting to hear Mona singing. Of course, I didn’t.

I had a feeling this was not going to be pleasant for me. I glanced through the window as I came to the kitchen door. I could see my mother-in-law sitting at the table. She had aged much more than my mother had, although it had been the same length of time since I had seen them both. I knocked softly.

She turned to the door, but could not see who was knocking. She slowly rose and came toward it. Suddenly I had tears in my eyes. The thought came to me that maybe it was my treatment of this woman that had aged her. Then I thought that this might be how Mona would have looked if she had lived for twenty more years. I would not have wanted to have Mona age this much in such a short span.

The door opened and I did not pause before I said, “Mother Earle, I have come to ask you to forgive me.”

“Oh Ted, I wanted to say the same to you. I was hoping I would see you soon. My regrets have been tearing me apart. We both loved Mona so much. You had the right. Mine was only a mother’s love and I interfered where I had no business. Your love took precedence, and I should have realized it. It was that I lost my husband and I couldn’t bear losing my daughter so soon after.” We stood there. Finally, she grasped me by the arm and pulled me into the kitchen.

Mother Earle started to sit, but I knew we both needed more. I reached out and hugged her, holding her as close as I could. Both of us were shedding tears now. I relaxed and she smiled up at me through her tears. “You are so precious to me. Come sit and we will talk about the one we both loved.”

I stayed for over two hours. Mrs. Earle and I remembered everything we could about my wife. Did my mind travel across the road to where Teri was waiting for me? At first, it didn’t, but then thoughts of her crept into my head.

Mrs. Earle finally made it easy for me. “So Ted, I think we should put thoughts of Mona behind us. I’m moving away. I’m going to live with my brother up in the northern part of the state. I have already disposed of most of the personal things I brought with me when I moved into the house here. I have been waiting on you to come home. You can’t tell how relieved I am that we have forgiven each other. I can now leave with an easy mind.”

I got up and Mrs. Earle came around the table. I hugged her and again there were a few tears. We smiled into each other’s face. Just as I opened the door to leave, Mrs. Earle reached up into a cupboard that flanked the door. She handed me a letter with my name on it. I recognized Mona’s handwriting.

“Mona wrote this just after you left for the last time and before she died. I have no idea what it says. Maybe she wanted to say goodbye. I should have given it to you earlier, but I was so angry when you blasted me, I had to wait until you forgave me. Am I still forgiven now that you know I’ve kept this from you?”

“Yes, you are, Mother Earle.”

“Thank you.” I went out and stopped after crossing the road, looking back at the house. I would be regaining possession as soon as my mother-in-law left. I hoped Teri wouldn’t mind us living here together. Would I mind living with Mona’s ghost? I didn’t think so, not if Teri was with me.

When I came into Mom and Dad’s house, their eyes were on me. “Mother Earle and I are just fine. I’m glad I went over there this evening. She tells me she soon will be leaving to go live with her brother. Teri and I will be moving across the road as soon as this happens. I didn’t offer, but I’m going to help Eloise as much as I can.”

“That’s great Ted. Did you mention Teri to her?”

“No. I would have, but I didn't have a chance. It would've taken away from us talking about Mona. She will meet her tomorrow when we go over. I don’t think it will bother her at all.”

“Ted, I’m taken with Teri. I think she will be a good wife for you.”

“Mom, I am glad, but I wish you would let me do the asking. We are just getting to know each other. Admittedly, being in the cab of a truck for a solid two weeks lets you get a sense of how each other thinks.”

“I’m just hoping you will find someone soon. Your sister has a nice family and you do too. When are you going to see her, anyway?”

“This week, I think. I’m leaving my tractor here and we are going up to Maine to see Teri’s folks. I plan on seeing Susan on the way. Teri’s parents are alive, although older. Her brother is married. His wife is sister to Henry, my dispatcher.”

“Okay, but your dad may have need of your truck while you are gone. He has a new one on order. The one he is replacing is on its last legs.”

“Good, I’m glad it is here for him.”

“Teri has gone to bed and is waiting for you. You had better join her. Ted, you seem a lot happier now than you have been. It is understandable, but you act softer to me, somehow.”

“I was an angry person for awhile. I lost the one I loved and then I resented you and Mrs. Earle. I felt you came between Mona and me. Maybe I got beyond all of that when I met Teri. I think we are a good match. Who knows, maybe even better than Mona and me?”

Chapter Three

I slid into bed beside Teri. I had taken a shower in the downstairs bath so I was ready for anything or nothing, whatever was Teri’s inclination.

“Is everything okay?”

Teri snuggled up to me and asked,“It is not only fine, but great. Mrs. Earle and I forgave each other. She will be moving soon, so you and I will have a home and a place to live. Mom sent me up to get into bed and make babies with you. Something about keeping up the family name.”

“She will have to wait a little. I’ve got a lot of estrogen in me and that will have to wear off.”

“I know, but we could practice.”

“After last night, I don’t believe you need much practice. You are just what I have been waiting for.”

“I love you too, Teri.”

“That’s good then.” She looked at me and then her eyes traveled to the envelope I had put on the dresser. “What is the letter?”

“It is a letter Mrs. Earle handed me. It is something Mona wrote just before she died.”

“Aren’t you going to open it?”

“Not tonight and maybe never. I am sure whatever she said will not change the way I think about things right now. If I read it, I am positive it would tear me up and I don't want that. I’ve just got my mind straight.”

“Sorry I asked. Say, I am naked, you are naked, and your mom wants grandchildren. I’m here to oblige.” Teri had lost interest in the letter and my thoughts. She soon indicated she had not lost interest in me--or any part of me. Would I ever get enough of this woman? I didn't think so.

I came down for coffee at 5:30. Dad was having breakfast at his usual time. He always got to the compound by 6:45. “Is Teri driving me down this morning?”

“No, but I will. I want to say hi to the drivers.”

“You won’t find many of them there, you know that. Most of them are on the road long before this.”

“I know, but I thought I would hang out with you this morning. Teri is sleeping in.”

“Works for me, Son.”

Dad was silent all the way to the compound. I knew he had something on his mind. “Ted, I have something to tell you about Mona. Your mother and Mrs. Earle were not keeping Mona from you or you from her. They were protecting her.”

I broke in, “If they were protecting her, I have to ask from whom? It wasn’t from me and she didn’t have any enemies that I am aware of.”

“They were protecting her from herself. They were actually on a suicide watch. They knew she would not do it while you were here, but were afraid she would ask you to get something to do it while you were away. That would have destroyed your love for her. God, I don’t know how many times she asked me to get something so she could do herself in. I got so I couldn’t visit her and I did love her almost as much as I do your sister.”

“I don’t know as I believe this.”

“Well forget it then. I thought you were strong enough to handle me telling you. It has been weighing on my mind terribly.”

I was trying to understand. “So Mom and Mrs. Earle did this, and then took my wrath at them, just to keep me from finding out?”

“That’s what I am saying. I still don’t think either want you to know about all of this.”

“I won’t say anything. What a burden to bear. Not for myself, but you, Mom and Mrs. Earle. Mona didn't succeed in the end did she? I mean she died a few days before it was expected.”

“No, we knew she was going to die that day. The doctor told us the day before. She didn’t know herself.”

“Why, I wonder. Why did she want to commit suicide?”

“She wanted you to get on with your life as soon as possible. She felt this way as soon as she was told she was going to die.”

“This is awful. She was so wrong.”

“Maybe, but you never got onto it because she made sure she was as loving as she always was with you when you were home. I tell you Ted that women are the most complicated beings on this earth. Look at your mother and tell me why she went along with hiding the truth from you?”

“I guess I will never understand or figure it out.”

“I wouldn’t even try if I was you. Let’s talk about something else. Are you going to continue to drive long-hauls?”

“No. Teri and I wondered about working here for you. You said you need my tractor. One of us can still do that and one of us can do farm pickups. The hours aren’t too demanding and we would have part of the afternoons and the nights together.”

“You are settling down aren’t you?”

“I guess. Teri has a little money and I have quite a bit. I own the house across the road. Teri just bought that car she is driving and that is good for a handful of years more. Mom talked about wanting grandkids, and this would give me the chance to fulfill her wishes. We are going to take a vacation and see Sis and her family before we go to work here.”

“Take as long as you want. Just leave your rig.” I looked at Dad. He had not realized what he had just said.

I clarified it. “Dad, you mean you don’t need me, but you do need my truck.”

He started to say “Yes,” then he laughed aloud. “You know what I mean, I just said it wrong.”

“I know. I got your meaning, and I’m fine with it.” Within a family, business and work always are a consideration and everyone understands--or they should.

I left the compound and returned home. The house was empty. I guess Mom had taken Teri across the road to meet my mother-in-law. I could hear laughter as I neared the kitchen door. I opened it and the three women were having coffee. Teri got up, went to the cupboard, and poured me a cup, just as if she was my wife and had lived here forever. It made me feel good. Mom was beaming and Teri looked happy. Mrs. Earle had a satisfied, calm look on her face.

Mrs. Earle spoke, “Teri has agreed to drive the truck that has my belongings in it to my brother’s. I have hired a van from Budget Rental. It will be big enough for what I have here and what's in storage. The only problem, Teri doesn’t know if she can drive something that small.” All three women started laughing, as women will do after one has said something they thought nonsensical.

Teri was going after the rental truck this afternoon and we planned to pack what was here at the house first. We would go over to the storage building and do the rest tomorrow. My mother-in-law wanted to get started the day following. I would tag alone behind in Teri’s vehicle. After the truck was unloaded, and the truck turned in to the closest rental place, she and I would shoot across the border into Vermont. My sister and her family were anxious to see me. I wanted to have them meet Teri for certain.

Mom and Mrs. Earle went across the road to prepare lunch. Teri wanted to examine the house more closely. We would be moving in as soon as we got back from vacation. I wondered aloud about the food in the pantry. In addition, about what was still in the refrigerator. “Sarah is going to take care of what we don’t pack up.”

I took notice that my mother was “Sarah,” now. “Well, I can’t call her Mom, yet can I? I will some day soon. I wish Eloise weren't leaving. I like her almost as much as I do your mother.”

“We’ll visit her upstate as often as you like. Now she seems like she did when I first knew her. I've never called her anything but Mrs. Earle or Mother Earle and I don’t really know why either. Maybe because I felt I had to show my girlfriend respect. That was at first and I never changed. It’s not too late to change. We’ll both call her Eloise from now on.”

We toured the house and when we went into the bedroom, Teri bounced on the bed. “This is perfect and I love it. I’m glad it is staying here. Do you think we should try it out right now?”

I accepted the challenge, although I knew she was kidding. I grabbed her and started running my hands all over her body. “Get away from me, you pervert. What would Eloise think if we messed up her bed?” Teri was laughing as hard as she could. “Oh, God, if only…” I let go and walked toward the kitchen. “Damn it Ted, come back here and at least let me get even?” By the time we left for lunch, we were both looking forward to tonight.

Eloise joined us for supper. It was a convivial affair. Eloise called Teri “Mona” once, and then apologized. All looked at me to see how I took this slip-up. It did give me pause, but I covered it well, I think. “It was an honest mistake, Eloise. Think nothing of it.”

Mom helped by stating that she had never heard me address Mother Earle by her given name. “Mom, we all miss Mona, but Eloise is still here. Even Teri says she wishes she could have known Mona. We just have to remember her at her best and move on. The relationships have changed. Eloise has gone from being my mother-in-law to what I hope is a friend.”

Dad put in his two words, “Hear, hear.” Eloise got up and came around behind me, leaned over and pecked me on my cheek. There were tears in her eyes, but she was smiling. It was quiet for a minute before conversation resumed.

Teri and I had just slid into bed when she asked, “Are you going to read the letter from your wife tonight?”

“No. I have an idea about what is in it, but I don’t know as I want to know for certain.”

“I think I know. Eloise and your mother told me a lot about her this morning. They also explained why they were with her so much and why it looked like they were manipulating you. That is what made you so angry at them isn’t it?”

“Yes, of course. You would have been mad in my situation too. I was young, yes, but she was my wife. It was up to me to care for her. I still get upset when I think about it. I have forgiven them, and yes I have forgiven Mona. She was the one who manipulated them to make them manipulate me.” I stopped talking. Then I said, “Now it is up to you to make me forget.”

“Come here, Ted, hold me, love me, and I will do my best.”

Eloise Earle was over for breakfast and soon after we took the van over to the storage facility and loaded it up. This was finished by noon. Eloise said she wanted to go through and clean her house one more time. I laughed at her. There was no better housekeeper than my mother-in-law.

“Just let me have a little time alone, this is all I want.” There were tears in her eyes. Teri gave her a hug and took my hand to lead me away so Eloise could go into the house alone.

Eloise again ate with us all for the evening meal. She was acting pensive. She brightened when she started talking about her niece and nephew. I hadn't seen them for more than three years. They would be in their teens now. Mona and I had seen her uncle, aunt, and the kids every time we got the chance.

I was somewhat surprised that Eloise was moving in with her brother and his family. She loved her brother and his kids, but didn't know how she would get along with her sister-in-law. I suspected this was going to be a transition move and she would soon be finding her own quarters in the future.

We got up early before daylight the next morning and had a light breakfast. After exchanging hugs among us, Teri headed out with the Budget Rental truck. It was not a heavy load. There was some furniture but no appliances. A lot of it consisted of linens and things she and my father-in-law had collected over the years when they owned their farm. Much of it was packed already. Eloise hadn't unpacked it all when she moved in with Mona and me.

Eloise rode with me to start. We estimated it wouldn’t take too many hours to reach Plattsburg. We did stop a couple of times for coffee. Eloise talked mostly about my wife. We relived the time over again when I used to come to the farm to see her Mona. I was favored over Mona’s other boyfriends as I was willing to help her with chores. Other boys shied away from this.

“Ted, I can tell you what is written in the letter I handed you if you need me to. It was I who put it into an envelope. I had to do this because Mona was so weak at this point. It just says she is so sorry that she was going to die and leave you alone. I warn you it will make you shed some tears.”

I had the feeling that Eloise didn't want me to read it. I already had a sense of what might be in it from what my father had told me and from what Mom and Eloise had told Teri. This was diametrically opposed to what I was being told now. I had the letter. I might not read it, but I could at any time.

Eloise got into the van with Teri at our last stop before reaching Plattsburg. We were going to be early enough so we would be able to unload and turn the truck in. I had no idea if my uncle could put Teri and me up for the night.

Mona’s aunt and uncle had stayed home from work today. When we arrived, Frances and Fredrick Bolt came down off the porch. For a minute, I thought of the picture “American Gothic” by Grant Wood. It was not the house behind them, for this one was faded red. Fred was not holding a pitchfork or wearing overalls. I narrowed the comparison to their expression. I knew this would change, for the two liked me. They looked so serious, but at heart, they were a fun-loving couple.

Mona and I had always had a good relationship with her two younger cousins. I looked for them as it had been some time since I had seen either.

I was suddenly tackled from the rear and a boy of fourteen stood over me laughing as I was picking myself up. This was Pete, Mona’s youngest cousin. I went after him and wrestled him to the ground making him give. When we got back in the yard, my cousin Wendy was standing there by her mother. She was sixteen and beginning to develop. Up until the time I had last seen her, she had been more tomboy than girl.

She had changed and had a flirty look on her face. She also looked a lot like Mona had at that age. “Hi cousin Wendy, sixteen huh?”

“Yes.”

“Have you been kissed yet?”

“No, and you aren’t going to kiss me either.”

“Wanna bet?” I took off after her and chased her around the back of the house. She was squealing and screaming. Suddenly she stopped and faced me.

“Okay, kiss me. I have always wanted to be kissed by you. I just didn’t want anyone to see me.” I got myself into this so I kissed her. Wendy’s face was very pink as she closed her eyes and came into my arms. For just a second I held her and then pulled away.

“Is the woman that is with you your new love? She isn’t pretty like cousin Mona was.”

“She is the one I love now. You may not think she is beautiful, but she is the best and she loves me and that makes me happy for I love her too.”

“No chance for me?” I shook my head, no.

“Well, I’ll just have to dump that dream won’t I? She better be good to you or I will hate her forever.” One quick hug and I came back around the house. The four adults and Pete were watching as Wendy came from the other side of the house, saying, “He couldn’t catch me.”

Everyone was laughing. I think they all knew Wendy was kissed. The only one I would have to answer to would be Teri. Maybe not, for Wendy walked up and started asking Teri about herself.

The van was soon unloaded. Fred had cleared out a small loft of a building over what had been a horse barn at one time. As soon as we had the rental unloaded, Fred followed me into Plattsburg to turn it in.

On the way back he asked, “Are you serious about the lady who is with you?”

“Very. It took me a long time to get over Mona. I haven't known Teri long and we seem to hit it off very well. We are in a relationship and we are talking about making it permanent. Dad is going to put us to work after being on vacation for a month. Teri is a semi-driver just as I am, maybe better than I am even.”

“Eloise did keep us posted. She said you were a basket case and blamed your mother and herself for the way they took care of Mona. Any truth to that?”

“Quite a bit, but we are beyond it now. Teri helped pull me out of my funk and the rest all fell into place.”

“Good. We like you, and the kids were sorry you didn’t come to see us after Mona passed.”

“I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

The women had prepared a big meal and, as Fred and Franny had to work tomorrow, we turned in to bed early. We had the use of Wendy’s bed. A few off-color remarks came from Wendy until her mother told her she was going too far.

The only comment Teri made was that Wendy had a crush on me. I agreed she did, but not to worry, I loved someone else. Teri and I were up for breakfast before Fred and Franny went to work. She and I were going to hang out with Pete and Wendy until after lunch and then we were going to shoot across Lake Champlain to my sister’s for supper this evening.

Pete had a lawn mowing business and had two to do after we left. Wendy washed dishes at a little diner just down the road from their home. She had to be there after the noon meal. We talked mostly about Teri and me traveling back and forth across the country driving truck. As Teri talked, I got more of a sense of how she handled different situations. I began to believe my starting a relationship with her was one of the best things that could happen to me.

We promised that we would be back to see this family more often. Eloise clung to me with tears in her eyes as we were leaving. “Ted, I know we have had some problems in the past. It's life’s way. I do feel as close to you as I did before Mona got sick. Please don’t ever forget me.”

“I won’t and Teri won’t either. I hope you are happy here. Let us know how you are doing.”

We left on that note and went south to the Fort Kent ferry crossing to Burlington. Then we took Route 7 to Shelburne and found my sister Susan’s farm. She and George had 540 acres of land. They milked dairy cows for their main income, but had other projects going to complement that. Their two sons, my nephews Peter and Paul, were old enough to work. In fact, George had been able to lay off one of his hired men a year ago when the two boys took over his duties.

We stayed a week. There was not much time to relax with the family, because all were busy. I knew a little about farming, but not enough to help much. George did take time to explain what he had in mind for the boys. One was working toward taking over the dairy operation. The other son ran the sawmill, and raised specialty crops and doing the marketing for the whole operation.

“What are the specialty crops?” George put us into his pickup and drove us out to a five-acre plot that rose up to the steep hill to the east. There were bunches of coarse grass growing on it.

“This used to be part of our pasture. It would feed a couple head of cattle for a season. Not very much return after the taxes paid on the land. Four years ago, I bought one of those Chinese pellet mills. I started making pellets from the sawdust generated by the sawmill. It was cheap, but money now down the drain. The damned thing was always breaking down.”

He paused before continuing, “That set me thinking. The manure from the cattle generates methane gas, so I joined the electric green energy movement here in Vermont. I am one of the farms that has ‘Cow Power’ that returns power to the electric grid. The methane gas from the manure is used for energy to generate electricity. I get paid for that.

“This plot of land is something new. I am trying to establish switch grass. Once it gets going good, I will make pellets to burn instead of using all wood products. In addition, several companies are investigating making ethanol from it. Switch grass can grow on land where food crops will not grow. A lot of farmland is growing corn for fuel that should be used to grow food. With the world’s population explosion, we may need every acre possible to feed us. This would alleviate that.”

“You keep talking pellets for fuel. I take it you would sell it for fuel.”

“Yes. That is what I don’t use for myself here on the farm. Electricity is our biggest cost. I do sell some back to the electric company through the cow power program but it isn't enough. I have read about a machine that runs off steam. This connects to a generator, but doesn’t need a huge boiler to make the steam. I’m investigating that.

“Anyway, now I’ve ordered a complete operation from Canada to make pellets. They send reps to analyze what product you want to make pellets from and furnish the different sets of dies to match.”

“That sounds costly.”

“It is, but not as much as you would expect. The cost estimate is about $40,000. There are grants I was eligible for and the government gives us some tax breaks and rebates. With two boys growing up, I am just planning ahead. Susan is with me all the way with me on this. We’ve been at this for the last nineteen years. I started out with forty critters on a rundown farm when my mother moved to town. We have had to expand or go under. I had no help except your sister. She has been right by my side all the way.”

We were standing by his pickup. He kicked at a stone. “Actually I’m in debt so far I never think about it or I would be discouraged. Susan and I love what we are doing here on the farm and we have a lot of faith in the Lord. It keeps us going. I might mention that we have each other and that is a big part of it. When my dad died, the fire went out of my mother. I’d probably feel the same way if something happened to your sister.”

He shook his head and looked off into the distance. “I guess you know how that is, losing Mona the way you did.”

“I guess.”

The evening meal was the one where everyone came together and was able to relax. Jokes passed around, and even the hired man, who knew little English, joined in. Dishes were done up by Teri and my sister. George and I watched the news and a couple of half-hour comedy shows. The boys went to bed about nine.

My sister said, “I’ll show you where you are sleeping. George goes to bed by 9:30 and I go soon after. He’ll be up to start chores by 4:30. I usually get him coffee and make toast. He will be in about 6:45 for breakfast after doing the morning milking.”

I knew this was a regular schedule on a dairy farm. She continued, “George has Friday morning milking and chores off. The boys are old enough to handle them alone.”

“What about you? When is your time off?”

“I sleep in with George on Friday. The boys eat a bowl of cold cereal so I don’t have to get up.”

“What about the hired man?”

“He has Saturday night chores off and all day Sunday. When we had two men working we all had a day off now and then.”

“Why did you let him go?”

“George wanted to expand the pellet project and we needed the capital to get it started. Also, our milk prices took a dive. We will get another man before winter if we can find one. That isn’t easy sometimes. The damned politicians say don’t let the immigrants into the country and only hire natives, but none of the locals want to work this hard for what we can afford to pay. Milk prices will go up unless those same politicians conspire with the big mega-farms to control the price. After the cows come off green feed, the price will go up some and we hope enough for a little profit.

“The new equipment will be in place and we have a huge pile of sawdust to make into pellets. We’ll get it done.”

Friday night, the hired man and my two nephews did chores while Teri and I took George and Susan out to dinner at the best restaurant in the area. Both got a little tipsy. I believe just being able to relax was part of it. I suggested we go somewhere and dance, but my sister said no. “We’ll be up in the morning and start over again. This has been a real treat for us. When we hire another man this fall we will, if we can have a rain check.”

I assured her we would make it happen. Teri and I got up in the morning with George, having coffee with him before he went to the barn for milking. We were soon on our way to Maine, planning on stopping somewhere for breakfast after driving a couple of hours.

“Farming is a hard way to make a living. I don’t think I could do it. There is no possible way to take any time off. Promise me that we will not get caught up in living that way.”

“I promise. I have to say that is what my sister has always wanted to do. I doubt she would be happy doing anything else. At the least, she and George love each other. It is so strong, nothing else matters.”

Seven hours later, after crossing Vermont and New Hampshire we pulled into a convenience store parking lot in Maine. “This is it. My brother Sid and his wife Nancy have owned this store for sixteen years. They rarely take time off, the same as Susan and George at the farm, but they could if they wanted to. They don’t have any animals that own them.”

Sidney came from behind the counter and hugged Teri, shaking my hand when introduced. “Teri, I knew I would be seeing you soon. Rich was in, saying he had run into you and said you had hooked up with a man. Nancy and I knew that already as Henry, her brother, has been talking to Nancy. She's in the office, go meet her.”

Teri dragged me along to meet her sister-in-law. Nancy, when she stood, was barely five feet tall and weighed a third more than her height called for. She did have a very pleasant face. When she spoke, I could hear Henry in her voice. “Oh, Ted, Henry has told me all about you. He says you are one of the best drivers he dispatches. You know if you are going to be here a few days, you will get to meet him. He’ll be here next week.”

“Good, we will stay to see him. I’ve talked to him for years, just never had the pleasure to meet him face to face.” Sid and Nancy had three kids, two in college and the last, a boy Kendall, a senior in high school.

Nancy went home, taking Teri with her. I stayed and talked to Sid. He cashed up for the day and turned the store over to his manager for the evening. The store closed at ten. Nancy and Sid’s home was one street over. Teri and Sid’s parents lived a quarter mile north from their house.

We walked together on the way to the house. “So Ted, are you and Teri making a couple?”

“Yes, we are. We both have had trouble in the past. She probably told you I lost my wife from sickness. You know her problems. It took me a long while to put the love of my life in its proper place and perspective. Same problem for Teri, not necessarily for the same reason, but with the same results.

“We had three weeks of being together night and day. We decided that was not long enough for us, so we are reaching for a lifetime together. We both will be working for my father. I own a tractor outright and she is going to drive it.

“Why is she driving it and not you? Seems odd.”

“Well, I’m good and she is as good or even better in traffic than I am. The route she will be traveling has better roads and more traffic. My route, with a straight tank going from farm to farm, is going to take in rougher country with some bad roads. Dad can schedule us so we have two days a week off together for ‘us’ time. They will be different days each week, but we will know at least two weeks ahead so we can plan things we need to do. It should work out great.”

“My sister isn’t the prettiest woman out there.”

“No, not on the outside maybe. When I hug her there is just that less between us. I can feel her heart beating against mine. It can’t get better than that.”

“I guess you’ll do if you feel like that.”

Kendall was home. He was as tall as his father and aunt. I was barely their height. All of us were slim, though. Nancy made the point when she declared. “My God, I’m among giants again. Ted you’re not as tall as Rich was and you don’t weigh as much either.” She realized she had compared me to Teri’s former husband and was embarrassed.

Teri made it right. “He is a hell of a lot better in bed though.” Now her face was red.

All eyes turned to Kendall. He then took it. “I’ve heard someone say, ‘the nearer the bone the sweeter the meat,’ or something like that.”

His mother shouted at him, “Ken, what do you know about things like that?”

“Mom, I’m seventeen. “ He looked at his Aunt Teri.

She smiled at him and turned to me. “Up to you to settle this, Ted.”

I answered with, “I don’t know Rich, but I do know Teri loves me and I love her.” This got me a kiss.

Nancy had baking powder biscuits to go with a hearty beef stew from the crock-pot. We all drank beer, including Kendall, as he said he was staying home to visit with his aunt and me.

After supper, we sat around talking and getting acquainted. We decided that tomorrow evening the four of us would go dancing at some place in Augusta. Teri and I hadn't been dancing since I held her in my arms the first time in San Diego. I was so looking forward to it.

During the next day, Teri took me over to introduce me to her mother and father. They were older than my mom and dad. They even acted old. They were terribly disappointed in Teri having to divorce, as it had never happened in their family before. They did come to believe it was for the best when they found how little Rich had respected her.

Teri told her parents that she had taken a job driving a milk tanker for my father. Her life was with me now. She went on to explain that I owned my own rig and my own home. All without a mortgage. That I was a widower, was looking for a stable home life, and hoped to have a family that I could be with every night.

I extended an invitation. “Please plan on coming for an extended stay after we are married. My mother and father live across the road and have a large house. My mother would love to have the company. Sir, my father owns and manages a milk transport trucking company. You could hang out there during the day. He has two semi-tankers, one of which Teri will be driving. I’m going to be driving one of the smaller tank trucks picking up milk.”

“What is it that Teri is doing again?”

“She makes a daily trip driving a tanker loaded with milk. About 240 miles round trip.”

“That’s not too much. How’s the pay?”

“Top pay for the driver and I own the tractor. She’ll make out fine.”

“Ma and I were hoping she would come home and be here near us.”

“We will visit. We are only seven hours away from you. I promise you will see her more often than you have been when she was driving long haul. You’ll be coming to stay times when the babies begin arriving.” This made Teri’s mom beam.

When we arrived back at Sid and Nancy’s house, it was empty. “I can tell that my folks like you, Ted. Are you really going to welcome them as you said?”

“Yes, of course. They love you and we need to return that love. You haven’t been able to be close enough to them these last few years. We will keep them in our life.”

“Let’s go to our room and fool around. You can make me scream as loud as I want.”

We got ready to go out for the evening. It was only twenty miles to Augusta. We were planning dinner and dancing in one place, but Teri wanted to leave there about eleven and take me over to one of the places where she hung out with her friends. Some of them would be there. Sid and Nancy thought they would drive their own car and they would come home at that time, so we took two cars.

The dinner was fabulous, as only one in Maine can be. We all had a clam chowder for an appetizer and then steak and lobster for an entrée. Teri and Nancy had a sundae and I had cheesecake. Sid was full and didn't order. We went into the hall and started dancing.

It was weird dancing with Nancy, as she was so short. However, she was a good dancer and I enjoyed myself. It was heavenly with Teri in my arms. I brought out the same feelings in Teri.

“Am I going to see you naked tonight like I did that night in San Diego?”

“Yes, of course. I’ll even hang my breasts on the towel rack the same as I did that night too.” Teri was drinking more than I was tonight just as she did that night. I was unsure of the direction back to Sid and Nancy’s house so I was just nursing a beer.

Sid and Nancy left for home before eleven and Teri and I finished the set before leaving for the bar where she would find some friends she knew. She wasn’t drunk, just happy. “Let’s go, I want to show you off. Some of my friends thought I would never find another man to love me after Rich. That hurt my feelings almost as much as my shucking him.”

“You want me to play up the lovebird bit?”

“Maybe just a little.”

We arrived at the well attended bar. It was loud, noisy, and crowded. First off, Teri ran into an old classmate of hers, Rhonda, and her husband Cain. They had a table and we found chairs to sit with them. Teri and Rhonda headed for the rest rooms. As soon as they left the table, Cain said to me, “Teri’s ex-husband is here somewhere. He’s drinking to the point where he is mean drunk. You better watch out for him.”

“Okay, I will.”

The girls came back and we got up to dance. We circled the floor and suddenly Teri was snatched from my arms. “Come on, wife, you’re dancing with me.” Teri was struggling to get out of Rich’s embrace. The floor cleared around us. A woman with big breasts was trying to pull Rich away from Teri and Teri was trying to get loose.

There was six feet between Rich and me. He suddenly flung Teri from him and she landed on her butt on the floor. The other woman hung on until he backhanded her across the face and she landed on her butt too. Rich faced me.

“Well little man, I guess it is just you and me.” Rich was staggering drunk and came for me. He did get in the first blow, but it didn’t hurt much as I was pedaling backwards. This man was big. He stood four inches over me and weighed sixty pounds more than I did. His arms were longer than mine. Did I have a chance?

I stopped circling and stamped my foot advancing on him. His arms came up and I retreated. I did this twice more and the last time his hands stayed down at his side. This was what I was waiting for. I went in after him the next time and I went all the way. My fist went into his gut and that opened his eyes. The one headed for his jaw missed, but it did get him below the ear. His eyes closed as he hit the floor. A bouncer was now holding me.

Two more bouncers came and picked up Rich and took him outside. The woman who was with him picked up her handbag and went out behind them. Several of Teri’s friends in the crowd had seen all of this, so we joined them at a bigger table. Teri introduced me to everyone.

Teri’s eyes were shining. A woman loves to have two men fighting over her. The situation is as old as time. The winner, me, was damned happy. Rich, the loser, likely not so much. We stayed until just before the bar closed at two. I knew word of Teri with her new man would spread, and she would be the envy of all of them.

Word got back to Sid and Nancy. Teri’s folks learned of it from them. All doubt about me washed away and it only took two blows to do it.

Henry and his wife arrived in town a couple of days later. That evening the whole family went over to eat with Teri and Sid’s mother and father. Over coffee and pie, Henry was kidding me. “How about me setting you up with Teri? How long before you discovered you had a woman driving your rig and not a man?”

“I think it was six hours. I almost blew it, I was so pissed at you. I would have blown it for sure if she had not sung to me. I just couldn’t see tossing someone who could sing like she can to the curb.”

“Yes, and I was so pissed at Ted because he didn’t act like he wanted me around. But, I knew how to hook him. When he saw me naked the first time, all I had to do was reel him in.”

This brought a big laugh. Teri often put her looks down, because she didn't consider herself as anything special. While Teri was talking to Henry and his wife, I removed a ring box from my pocket and leaning on the table I held the open box in front of Teri. “Teri, would you be my wife?”

Now she noticed the ring. Tears came to her eyes and she nodded, yes. She came and sat on my lap and kissed me.

Epilogue

Just to recount a few happenings in the next year. Rich went to Sid for my address and we received a letter of apology for his actions. This was two weeks after we got home. He invited us both to his wedding with the large breasted woman who was at the bar with him the night of the fight. Teri called and explained we had just started a new job and couldn’t attend. She wished them happiness.

Teri and I had an outdoor wedding before it got too cold. Susan, my sister, and George put it on for us. We had it there at the farm because this was more central to everyone invited. Henry came up from Scranton. Eloise, my former mother-in-law, came from Plattsburg with her brother and family. My mother and father were there and all of Teri’s family came from Winslow.

We debated sending an invitation to Rich and his new wife. Teri and I tossed it around whether to or not. “Why not?” Therefore, the invitation went in the mail. Teri accused me of wanting to see the woman with big jugs. This was all in fun and we did not expect we would see Rich or his new wife. They did come. Rich and I were civil. Corinne, his wife, and Teri got along great. Teri found out that it was now Corinne who wore the pants rather than Rich, and chuckled over this. Rich was now off the road and working on the loading docks for a trucking company he had driven for at one time. At least he had those big breasts to cuddle up to every night and appeared happy.

Teri was pregnant when we were married. She was not showing yet. She thought she could still drive until her seventh month. After that, she would help my mother with the milk samples when the trucks came in with the milk from the farms. Whether she would get back to driving the tanker after the baby was older, was undecided. Either way it didn’t matter to me. I was happy.

It was our first anniversary and I would be riding with Teri in the semi, making the first time back in the cab after our baby was born. We would go out and celebrate the night in Springfield before coming home. I made a call to my mother before we left.

"Mom, after the baby goes to sleep, would you go upstairs and find in my nightstand the letter from Mona that she wrote to me? Would you take it and burn it. I have never read it. The way my life is now,with a new wife and baby, I don't want to know what is in it. I just can't destroy it myself."

"Are you sure that is what you want,Ted?"

"Yes."

The End