Sometimes the Good Guy Wins Ch. 07

I turned to Sammi and asked, "Do you believe in magic?"

She nodded and softly said, "You know I do."

"Hold out your left hand, please." She did. On her third finger were the rings Andrea bought and we put on her finger. I lifted Momma's hand beside Sammi's. The rings on Momma's hand were identical to those on Sammi's and every other set in the room.

"Magic." I said. Each of us internally did what we felt was appropriate and right to say good-bye to dad's body. I went out to the nurse's station and told them dad was gone. The nurse I told looked at the monitor and saw the flat line. She and her coworkers went into action. We gave them room. The alarm had not sounded. On our walk out of the hospital Momma told me the arrangements had been made and paid for.

We took Momma home and once we were there Kay, Momma, Donna, Linda and I stayed. Sammi and the others drove to Casper and went shopping for something to wear to the funeral. Sammi and Kelly said they would bring me appropriate clothes. As they drove to Casper they stopped at the restaurant where Kay and I had been earlier. They told the waitress that Dad was gone. Sammi knew she would tell everyone that needed to know.

When we had been home about half an hour I found Momma sitting on the porch in her rocker. Dad's rocker was two feet away. I sat on the porch railing. She looked up and said, "When my mother died I was holding her hand. I felt a surge of energy and when it was over I had all her memories. I knew things I had never been taught. Isn't that what happened to you?"

"Yes, it is. In some ways, I know you better now than I ever have. I'm a little embarrassed that I remember intimate things that a son probably has no business knowing."

"I'm not your Momma any more. You aren't my son anymore. You knew that my rings changed. No one told you, you just knew. Now think about why the magic would have my rings match those of your other wives."

"You're my wife. Dad gave me everything, including you."

"If he didn't, all the magic would have faded away and we'd start being normal."

We sat quietly for a few minutes and then I moved into the vacant rocker. Kay came out with iced tea and a couple sandwiches. She sat on the railing and said, "When I first saw you sitting there I thought, that's Dad's rocker. It isn't. It's yours."

We sat in quiet for a while. I thought about how I had relied on Dad as the foundation for my life, for being my go-to guy for advice, wisdom and clarity. I thought about the people who now were looking to me. Women who had married me, committed their lives to my care, who trusted me to be the husband they needed and wanted, had started babies trusting that I would and could be counted on to protect, love and teach them.

I scooted my rocker a little closer to Momma's and reached for her hand. I heard her soft voice, 'Sam. Not Momma. I'm Momma to everyone else in the family, not to you.'

"I love you, Sam."

"I've known that from before you were born." The phone rang and Kay ran to answer it. A minute later she was back with the phone in her hand. She held it out to me with tears running down her face and said, "He wants to speak to the head of the family."

I took the phone and said, "This is Nick Peterson."

He was a voice from the coroner's office. He was at the hospital and wanted to know if we were willing to have any of Dad's organs donated. Sam spoke in my mind, 'He would be proud to be useful.'

"Yes! Use whatever you can." We were done. I gave the phone back to Kay and kissed her. She kept it with her. I said, "You could have answered his questions."

"I felt you. Part of you still wants to be the Nick of a couple days ago. If we're a tribe you just became Chief."

Sammi's voice came to us from Casper, 'Nick, do you want us to wear black?'

I answered, 'Nothing about Dad's life was black or even dark. You should wear things that have you feel joyful and sexy! Dad would like that. Dress as if he would be there, watching, being with us.'

'Thanks, Chief.' She was gone. Chief.

I looked out and saw a pick-up coming toward the farm. I said, "Kay, Honey, we're about to have visitors. Maybe we can offer them something cool to drink?"

"Gotcha." She said and went inside. I went inside and brought two chairs out onto the porch. A man and his wife got out of the truck and came onto the porch. Sam said, 'That's the minister from town. He's here to talk funeral. He's scared of witches.'

I invited the minister and his wife to have a seat and Kay brought out more iced tea. The minister asked about the service. He told us he already knew that most of the county would attend. Momma said she wanted someone to play the guitar and sing, "Turn, Turn, Turn." The minister's wife smiled and said, "From the Bible verse."

I said, "I'd also like someone to sing a John Denver song, "Poems, Prayers and Promises."

Any talk in the ceremony needs to be about the joy of his life and not about an afterlife. My Dad had a belief that ran his life, maybe you can speak about that. He taught me that our job, his and mine, in life was to protect, love and teach. At first I thought he wanted me to do that with my sister, LeeAnn. Later I learned he meant protect those who need protection, Love all who will open their hearts and teach whenever possible."

The minister said, "I think you just gave me a years' worth of Sunday sermons."

"For the funeral, let's keep in to under an hour. And, remind folks that this is a celebration of a wonderful life, please, no black." Momma said. Kay and I nodded.

They finished their iced teas and the minister's wife noticed Kay's rings. She said, "I didn't know you were married, Kay!"

"Yes, I am. My husband is a trucker." Kay showed her rings to the minister's wife.

"Where is he now?" The minister asked.

"He's parked in Florida looking for a load." Kay said.

"Well, I pray he'll find one soon." The minister said. With very little conversation more they got up and left us. The funeral was set for noon on Friday.

'Next time I'm in town she's going to ask where we got married. She already knows her husband didn't do it.'

'You were married in a tribal ceremony, uniting you with your husband and his tribe. More than that is private, tribal business. That's what we all say, when asked.' I said. 'We don't mention the date, either.'

Kathy's voice asked, 'Am I changing my name?'

'Up to you. You are a part of all of us. Many professional women have their professional personas and don't change their names when they get married. Whether you are Prentis or Peterson, we all love you.'

Danni said, 'I can't change my name. Then being married to you would be a conflict of interest that could have me lose my job and you lose whatever runs I could give you. The tribal stuff I can do, but I can't be linked to Peterson Family Trucking legally.'

'If someone asks you about the rings you can say you've been in a committed relationship for a long time and decided to wear rings as a sign that you love and are loved. We'll find a way to have you included in the business, without voice in the business, so you are protected in every way all of us are and yet are legally far enough separate that it isn't a conflict. Kay, in the next few days get our legal eagle on that, would you?'

"Yes, Chief.'

I extended my hand to Sam and she stood. Kay didn't move. I took Sam around behind the second house and to the bench. She thought, 'I knew you'd remember.'

We used the hooks and undressed. At the controls she turned on the water and made it nice and hot. I stepped under the spray and said, "Drink deep. We are joined in water. Water is the source of life. Water is life and we are joined forever."

Sam stepped under the spray and opened her mouth. We drank deep and let the water cover us. We kissed and the feel of her was familiar. The part of me that was Dad's memories remembered her sweetness and her taste.

We went inside the house and into the bedroom I shared with Kathy the night before. We joined. It was at once a new experience and the culmination of fifty-seven years of loving. When we had joined and cum together I thought, "Kay, please join us.'

Kay left her clothes on the porch and joined us in the bedroom. 'I love you.' Was repeated often as we touched and kissed for a time.

We redressed and walked quietly to the porch. We sat in the rockers for an hour. Sam in her rocker, I in mine and Kay in my lap. I held Sam's hand and Kay's. After about half of the hour I felt a need to move. I stayed beside Sam and Kay for another half hour.

I got out of the rocker and stood for a few moments at the railing. I heard Sammi's voice, 'Go. A walk will do you good. If you want us, we're all here.'

I stepped off the porch and walked towards the North Platte River. When I saw it I thought about all the times when we were kids that LeeAnn and I and our friends swam and played in those waters. Like I did way back then, I found a rock and threw it in. I wondered how many men had thrown rocks into that river. From what I remembered from school the North Platte was about seven hundred miles long. It had supplied water for millions of animals, millions of plants and thousands of people and crops for many, many hundreds of years.

I walked along the banks and saw some of the birds and critters that depended on the river. What did I ever do to prepare me for being chief of a tribe I didn't even know I was in? I tossed another rock in the water and walked on.

On the other side of the river I saw three kids, playing. I watched. Then I heard a triangle clang in the distance and all three headed home. I wondered what was for dinner at their house. I wondered if their Dad taught them protect, love and teach.

I turned back and headed home. Home. I hadn't lived there in over twenty years and it was my home. It was now home for all of us. A place where, no matter what, each of us belonged. And, it was my job to protect that home so that it was always there for all of us and for the two new lives trusting us to make it so.

'Sam, what happened that Megan and I could start a baby and not worry about all the things that go wrong when close relatives procreate?'

'I cannot explain how the magic works, but I know the baby growing in Megan has no problems. No physical problems, no mental problems and lots of magic. No worries.'

'Magic?' I asked.

'Magic, luck, a gift from the Universe or God. I have no idea which and, to be honest, it really doesn't matter.'

I saw a Mack about half a mile away on the highway and heard the throaty rumble of his engine. He was headed west. 'We need to get back to work! By the weekend we need to be back at work. All of us. I'll feel I'm where I belong when I'm back in the truck.'

I saw our two houses in the distance. My heart ached with the love energy coming to me from there. I understood the poetic phrase, "My cup runneth over." It's a feeling of having your life so full of love energy you cannot possibly hold it inside. 'Kay and Megan need to go with us in the trucks. Living in a truck is a big part of Peterson Family Trucking. It's much more than reading a map or scheduling freight. Sam needs to go with us, too.'

I went into second house and washed my hands and face at the kitchen sink. Arms surrounded me and held me from behind. I closed my eyes and knew the hands and arms belonged to Sam.

'I listened.' She said.

"You know everything."

'You think a lot like Walt used to.'

I turned and held her close. 'How are you doing? I think you must be sad, missing him.'

'Not as much as I thought I would. He's still here. I have my arms around him, as you. When he transferred his energy to you he left some with me as well and what he gave you I can feel. I don't think I'll cry until you and I go to bed tonight. Then I'll cry, in gratitude, not sorrow. Walt wore out his heart loving me, you, LeeAnn, Sammi and most of the people in this part of Wyoming. When he let go of life I knew it was right... and he didn't leave me alone. He left me you and you brought me a tribe to love.'

I kissed her. Walt had kissed her thousands of times and his memories of those kisses flooded me and we kissed another brand new kiss on top of all those years of memories.

When it ended Sam said, "It was just us here. Kay didn't feel it."

"Want to go on the road?"

"Yes! I want to experience being a trucker's woman."

"When I walked, were you the only one listening?"

"No. All of us were listening. We have our lives invested in your thoughts and actions."

"Ok, then. Are they headed home or still shopping?"

"They are headed home. Three other cars are headed here, too. Oh. They are bringing food. It's part of how the community shows they care. We eat potluck until after the funeral, and good potluck. The families that will bring us food will bring the best they make."

"Do we have them stay and eat with us?"

"Some families do and some families are so deep into grief they couldn't tell you who brought what. We can have them stay. We just cannot talk about magic."

"Ok. Let's go to the first house and wait for everyone." We walked hand in hand. Kay was sitting on the railing. I asked, "Who made the rockers?"

Kay answered, "My Dad made them years ago."

"Think he could make us a few more?"

"How many would you like?" She smiled.

"Think the porch would hold ten?" Sam asked.

"Maybe some here and some..." I pointed at the second house. All three of us smiled.

Kay dialed and talked to her Dad. He accepted the commission and they agreed on a price. As they talked I had a thought, 'Maybe on the top rail he could carve Peterson Family Trucking.' When the call ended she shared with me that he was bringing over some sketches of the top rail carving to see which one I wanted.

Two days later the funeral was held. All of us dressed in colorful clothes. Sam spoke to Mr. Reese at the paper and he printed the notice of Dad's passing and included the request that people dress in colorful clothes if they came to the funeral. When he printed her request he edited it. It read, "Walt's widow requests that all of us who knew him do not wear dark colors or black on the day of his funeral. Please wear colorful, bright, happy colored clothes!"

I wore new Lee jeans, new boots, a teal and white Wrangler shirt and a white Stetson. Sam wore Dad's favorite sundress, a sunflower print. Each of the women of the tribe also wore a sundress, of various colors and prints. The service lasted less than an hour, by three minutes. Dad and Sam had been together fifty-seven years. The service lasted fifty-seven minutes. Afterwards the community gathered at the church and had food. Sammi was Sammi and not LeeAnn. Those who asked were told that LeeAnn had passed away the year before.

The day after the funeral the tribe loaded up and went to their various destinations. Donna and Linda headed back to Nebraska. Kathy used the puddle-jumper to get to Denver and then connected to Virginia on a 737. She connected with us as she flew and told us three people had noticed her rings. Danni, Sammi, Megan, Andrea, Kelly and I took the puddle-jumper with Kathy to Denver then Danni took another flight back to L.A. and Megan, Sammi, Kelly and Andrea flew with me back to Orlando. Sam and Kay stayed home. They knew they would be on the next runs.

Back in Orlando we did some servicing of the trucks. I visited college with Megan to clean out her room and met six of her friends. Two of her friends thought I was too old for her and two thought I was probably good in bed. When Megan listens, there are no secrets. We reloaded the trucks with supplies and waited for a call from Danni giving us work. On Sunday at lunchtime Sammi said, "We have work!"

Thirty seconds of quiet and she told me, "Disney wants us for a run between L.A. and Orlando and back, twice a month for the next ten months. We pick up two loads on Monday in Orlando."

We involved Megan in every aspect of the trip that we could. The shopping, packing, meal planning, route planning, fuel stop planning all happened with Megan involved. On Sunday afternoon Sammi handed Megan a book. She said, "I bought this book from Donna in Grand Island. Truckers need to know about weather." She read about half the book before dark. After dark I had her look at weather on our laptop and ask questions.

We slept in the trucks. Megan, Kelly, and Sammi slept in the pink. I slept in the white with Andrea. At seven Monday morning Megan followed Andrea and Sammi as they did the safety checks. By seven-thirty we were on the road to Disney, less than an hour away. Andrea and Sammi were driving. They both did great. Megan rode with Sammi.

We were met on the dock by the head of Animatronics. He gave us the contract for the ten loads. Both the devices we brought across country on our first Disney run arrived in plug-it-in-and-it-works condition.

At ten minutes to ten the doors were locked and banded. We were on the road. Megan held a notebook and did calculations. We didn't as much tell her what we were doing as have her figure out how to do the trip. By the time we turned onto I-10 west she had figured we could make New Orleans before we needed to change drivers. I made lunch for us and fed Sammi as she drove. Megan fed herself. After we ate I crawled in the sleeper and slept. I only slept four hours. Just outside New Orleans Sammi pulled off and I traded seats with her. She and Megan talked for a while and then Sammi went to bed. I had Megan check in with our pink truck. Andrea was tired after her first ten hours behind the wheel. She had immediately eaten something and crashed. Kelly was proud of Andrea and doing fine. Megan sat with me for almost an hour and then joined Sammi in bed.

I pointed us towards San Antonio, Texas and Peterson Family Trucking hummed down the road in the dark. When we were close to San Antonio Kelly knew where she wanted us to park, so she took the lead and got us there.

We backed up to the fence next to each other at the Pilot Truck Stop. I did my log and we had gone 1180 miles in 19 hours. It was five in the morning Tuesday. The weather report said San Antonio would be clear and 73 degrees with a ten-mile an hour wind from the northwest. I cracked windows, opened vents, closed drapes and pulled off my clothes. Sammi had gone to bed at two in the morning. The alarm was set for nine.

There is a small fan in the sleeper. It's quiet and barely moves the air, but it does move the air. I turned it on and put myself in bed. Megan didn't wake all the way, just enough to wiggle herself comfortable against me.

I thought, 'Kelly, I love you. Sleep well.'

'I love you, too.'

'Sam, Kay, Kathy I love you, too.'

All three responded that they knew I loved them and they loved me.

At nine in the morning the alarm went off. Sammi crawled over Megan and stopped on top of me. She kissed me awake and said, 'I love being a trucker's wife. Thank you.'

I thought, 'I love living in the Magic Kingdom, too.'

Megan moved over into the space where Sammi had been and I had a bit more room. Sammi and Andrea did the safety checks and started the trucks. They rolled forward and fueled up. $1550 for one day's trucking for two trucks. At a quarter after ten the two trucks were back on I-10 west.

When I had slept for seven hours it was noon. Megan left the shotgun seat and came back to bed with me. I was awakened by sexual manipulation by both hands and mouth. We laughed and joined as Sammi drove us towards Arizona. There are few people as sexually free as a twenty-one year old pregnant woman in love with the man she's loving.

When we had both cum we snuggled for another fifty miles or so and then got up. I asked Sammi where we were and she told me. Kelly picked up my thinking and said, 'That sounds like fun. The second exit is the one you want. Get off and go north about three miles, then pull over.'