A Hunting We Shall Go: Wendel

"It won't be long now till we're home, love."

"Will you stay with me tonight?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Oh yes. Riding with you and being with you in your sleeper is a fantasy world. Having you come to my bed, knowing we have all the long night to ourselves, that is real. That is when I feel like a real woman in the arms of her man."

"Than I'll stay, my love."

She brushes his cheek with the back of her hand and slides her arm around his neck. Gently she blows in his ear then kisses it. "You'll be glad you did." she whispers.

Outside the wind howls and dusk is settling as they climb towards the tollbooth. Mike eases the truck to the booth and opens his door to hand down the company card for the toll. The cold blast makes them catch their breath as the card is handed back and Mike pulls the door shut. He guns the engine, shifts and guns it again as they pick up speed. He is soon in road gear and shifting down again on the grade.

Movement catches his eye and he glances at the outside mirror. Flakes of snow swirl around it and away, caught for the merest instant in the clearance light glow on the back of the mirror. "I guess I should have asked him about the road conditions at the toll booth."

"Is that snow?"

"Sure is and it's getting mighty dark up ahead. I'd say we're heading right into it. Hope we don't have to chain up."

So far the road is bare and wind swept but damp patches are showing along the shoulders and small patches of white begin to replace them. Mike keeps the hammer down and prays they'll get over the top ahead of the storm.

The snow begins to come heavier and dance in the lights so that vision is uncertain for stretches at a time. Mike turns up the CB and listens on nineteen for other truckers in distress. There is little chatter so he gains some confidence that it's not too bad ahead, yet.

A glimmer of lights in the swirling snow in the mirror becomes a logging truck fully loaded and heading west, as well. As he comes abreast he toots his air horn and Mike watches his load pull away. When he has clearance Mike flashes his lights and the other's flicker in response. He enters their lane and three cars in his lee flash by behind him. So far no snow sticking to the road although a glimmer of taillights reflected from the pavement warns him that the road is slick with a fine film of icy condensation.

He knows this is a time of danger, when any sudden need to brake can send the trailers into his cab in a fatal jackknife. He watches ahead as far as he can see and keeps up the revs. He feels immense relief when he detects brake lights ahead and knows they've reached the summit and the pull by for checking brakes. Carefully he lets it slow and using trailer brakes only, he gears down for the pull off. He pulls in parallel with the logging truck and comes to a halt in an inch of snow. Snow flies around the windshield out of the darkness but they have made the summit and will be going down from here into rain.

Stiffly Mike climbs down and stretches, then starts the round of tires and brakes. He comes back to the toolbox for a long wrench to make a few adjustments, but is not long out in the weather. As he seats himself again, Trudy says, "Is it slippery out there?"

"Not bad. We're over the worst of it. It'll turn to rain as soon as we get down a hundred feet, about ten miles down the road, I'd say. Maybe less." They make tracks in the new snow as they pull back out onto the highway and start the descent. "You got any work lined up for this week?"

"I have but nothing for you. Another list of skip tracers to find for Household Finance in town and a list from Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) in Burnaby. We've been getting some business from them lately and their Mission branch. I'm surprised. They've always done their own. I guess I set our price right."

"Sounds like it. I'll contact Charlie when I get in and have him come down to meet you. You'll like him. He's another Scotsman. He'll look after any rough business while I'm away. If we had the work I'd hire him full time."

"Maybe I should get out a new flyer."

"Might not hurt, but let me see it first, this time. No surprises!" He glances at her and sees her grin. When they first started in business together she had sent out a flyer that he didn't know about until the phone started ringing off the wall. He wasn't even sure he wanted to start on his own yet and she launched him, like it or not. It had worked out well but he still hasn't got over her taking over the business like that. They split fifty/fifty on Chilliwack security business and she gets a cut on other security business in other areas. It has been profitable for both of them.

As he predicted it isn't long before wet snow is sticking to the windshield that turns, within a few miles, into rain. The sky ahead is brighter and although the sun has set the afterglow is apparent in the west between peaks. It has turned into a misty rain now and there is no sign of snow along the ditches. They drive into autumn again as they approach Hope and roll on bare dry pavement into the Fraser Valley. It doesn't stay dry for long, though. Before they reach Laidlaw they are back into heavy rainfall and it doesn't ease till they reach Chilliwack.

Mike pulls off at the Young Road exit and drives across town. He pulls to the curb at the end of Clarke Drive and helps Trudy unload her gear. It's cool but not raining so he says, "Stay here and I'll come help you with your stuff."

He climbs aboard again and crosses the bridge over the slough, proceeds around the next block and comes back along the slough to a wide shoulder by a hop field across from Trudy's house on the other side of the water. He parks and shuts everything down. Last he bleeds off his air supply and can still hear it hissing as he walks across the bridge to meet her.

Together they walk down to number fourteen carrying her bags and his briefcase. They go to the door and Mike unlocks it. They step inside and listen: TV going in the living room. Mike slips off his boots as Trudy goes to the living room door. "Mom! You're home. Where's Mike? Did he come home with you?" Crystal comes running out into the hall, dances around her mother and runs to Mike. He swoops her up and swings her around, then pulls her close for a kiss.

"Well hi there. Your getting too big for that swing of mine. We're going to have to get a bigger house, I guess, or figure out some other thing to do." He sets her on her feet."

"Oh Mike. You could swing mom around like that if she'd let you."

"How do you know she doesn't let me, when no one else is around?" He grins and they all laugh including Carol who has come to the hall as well. Mike goes on, "Do you suppose I should swing Cookie around like that, too?" He grins at Carol and she stays well clear of him.

"None of that, now! I been trying to get her to go to bed but she insisted you'd be home tonight. Well, young lady, don't you think it's pajamas time?"

"Why do I have to wear pajamas? Mommy and Mike don't."

Carol and Trudy exchange glances; Mike says nothing.

Trudy says, "Come on, missy. You know you have to do as you're told around here. Let's go get those pajamas on." She goes upstairs with Crystal and Mike goes with Carol into the living room. She says, "Coffee, Mike?"

"Have you got it all made? Don't go to the trouble of making any for me."

"It's all on. I always have coffee on. You know that."

"Thanks Cookie, I will have a cup then."

Carol, or Cookie, as everyone fondly calls her, is about thirty-three and single. She inherited the house on Clarke Drive and has opened it to her friend Trudy and her daughter, Crystal, for a share of the expenses. It is from this address that the Chilliwack security business operates although they use a postal box address on all correspondence.

"I'm going to miss having Trudy around while you're away hunting, but I'll enjoy having Crystal all to myself. Your going next week, aren't you?" She puts his coffee in front of him.

"We're planning to leave Saturday morning. We're going up with Frank and Sheila, with their fifth wheel trailer. I think Wayne, with his pickup camper and boat is planning on joining us and maybe one or two other trailers. Some of them are going up Friday night. It looks like there will be about twenty two in the party, although Wendel's brother and his wife have said they may go, as well. Nobody is urging them to come because of their heavy drinking, but they did chip in their seventy bucks each for the supplies, so we can't turn them down without a good reason."

"What are you hunting?"

"I'm just looking for a mule deer and some fishing, but we managed to get 5 Moose limited entry licenses for the group. Wayne got one so I'll be on the lookout for Moose with him."

"Any of the women hunt?"

"I understand Shirley has her license, but I don't envy Wendel if he gets paired with her and Dave. I really hope they don't go. Drinking and shooting don't mix!" Mike sips his coffee.

"This Dave and Shirley, that's Wendel's brother, eh? I heard about him. He's a real boozer and so is his wife. They just live over there on Bonavista across the slough a few blocks. You can find them down at the hotel almost any night of the week."

Trudy comes back into the room, "Why Cookie, I didn't know you frequented that place?" She's grinning, but faces Mike so Carol can't see her.

"I don't! I just hear the rumors; that's all. And from what Mike says, it sounds like they're true."

"I don't know about you, Cookie?" She gets herself some coffee and fixes it.

"You know I never drink anything stronger than coffee!"

"I know. I'm just teasing."

Mike speaks next, "I thought you were bringing Crystal with you?"

"I am for the weekends, but she has to be home for school during the week. I'll bring her and your kids down on Sunday night to drop her off. Don't worry, I've got it all worked out."

"We'll only be two weeks. We should be home by Saturday night, the first weekend in November. I have confidence in you, my love. I know you can take care of things. It's Cookie I worry about. She's going to have to man our phone here for the business for two weeks. I guess the two of you will be in touch daily?"

"We have that all worked out, too. We'll be all right. For the short term your dispensable, but you better come back and scratch my itch as soon as you can. Speaking of which, finish that coffee and let's start scratching."

Carol says, "I'm just heading up to bed myself. Don't you guys keep me awake with your scratching." She laughs as she takes the cups to the kitchen.

Trudy hauls on Mike's hand and they go to their bedroom. After a shower they crawl into bed. Mike fondles her shoulder and breast as she lies back in the bed. Trudy looks vacantly at the ceiling and says, "I think I'll get a mirror for up there." She pushes her breast against his roving fingers, "Will you install it for me?" She places a hand on his and draws him to her other breast.

"I could but why look at an image when you can look at the real thing?" His tongue teases her near breast while his fingers work on the other one.

"Mmmmmm. Do that some more. I like it."

Mike moves his lips to the tip of her nose, then along her eyelid and around to nibble on an ear. He inquires softly, "You didn't take the pill today, did you? I thought you were scheduled to start on them today?"

Impatiently she pulls his hand from her nipple and pushes it down between her legs. "I told you I wasn't going to take them any more. Didn't you think I was serious?"

He lets his hand lie where she's put it and says, "I know you're serious, but I wish you'd wait for a while until your divorce is in the courts. If you appear and you're pregnant, it could have a bearing on your application."

"I won't wait. Maybe I'll never have enough to go after the divorce. I don't know. Please rub me."

Mike starts rubbing her and she wiggles around to find the right spot, then shudders and says, "Rub it there! Lightly! Oh yes, yes, yes." She squirms and jerks when he touches the right spot. Mike is still just watching her as he moves his fingers.

"I love you, Trudy, but I don't think having a baby is the best thing to do right now. Can't we talk about it?"

She rolls off her back and throws herself on top of him. "We can talk later!" She kisses him, then lets her body slide down on his, kissing his chest and nipples as she rubs his erect member with her sex.

Mike kisses the top of her head and places his hands on her hips. He guides her until he is fully immersed in her, "I hope you don't regret it later, that's all." He withdraws and enters fully again.

Trudy pushes on his chest and sits up. "Why should I regret it? Are you planning on not being around or something? Maybe we shouldn't even be doing this!" She rolls away from him to her side of the bed.

"I plan on you being a part of my life for the rest of my life." He lies on his back and wishes he hadn't said anything. He feels sorry for her and moves across the bed to her back, laying a hand on her hip. "Are you all right? Let's talk about it"

She slaps his hand away and rolls onto her back. Tears are streaming down her cheeks and dripping off her ears onto the pillow. "You just don't understand! I want to have a part of you. Marlene has given you so much. Look at the three terrific kids you have and I'm just me. I want a little Michael for you and me to raise. Crystal is in grade one. I want to have kids but not when I'm old and gray." She glances at him. "Look at you! You just don't understand!" She flops back over to face away from him. "Marlene's going to have another one, but you don't want me to have even one!"

Mike shakes his head and reaches down to the foot of the bed for the thrown back covers. He pulls them up over Trudy's form bent into a fetal position on the bed. Gently he tucks them in around her neck and kisses her cheek. "Good night, love." He stretches out on his side of the bed and turns out the lamp.

"I thought you wanted to talk?" She's sitting bolt upright beside him. "You don't know what you want!"

Mike reaches under the covers to circle her waist with an arm and haul her ass down as he rolls on top of her, forcing her head back to the pillow. "I know exactly what I want!"

She puts her arms around him and pulls him closer as he enters her. "Finally!" she murmurs.

During the night she sleeps with her back spooned against his chest. Mike wakes to find her already awake. She has drawn his piss hard on up between her legs and is using it to rub herself. When she realizes he's awake she giggles and slides it in for him.

Later they shower together and she fixes him an early breakfast. No one else is up yet, but Mike can hear one of them stirring upstairs. Soon Crystal comes down rubbing her eyes and, spotting Mike in his robe, runs to him and gets up on his knee. "Are you going this morning, Mike?" She hugs him and kisses his chin.

"I'm afraid I have to, little one. People are waiting for the stuff I have in those trailers. Want a ride to school?"

She gazes up at him, "In the truck?" Her eyes are big with expectation and Mike grins.

"Of course. It's about time you saw what that thing looks like inside. Do you want to?"

"Oh yes!" She looks to her mother and says, "Can I, Mom, Can I?"

She looks serious and says, "I don't know if I like the idea of my daughter riding around with some truck driver, but what the hell, I guess it runs in the family. Sure you can." She's grinning now, too.

Carol comes downstairs and Crystal slides off Mike's lap to run to her and say, "I'm going in the truck with Mike!"

Trudy looks at Mike and murmurs, "Now look at what you've started." They chuckle together as Carol takes her leave to the kitchen to fix something for herself and Crystal to eat.

Mike gets dressed and waits for Crystal. As they leave Trudy goes up on her tip toes to kiss him good-bye. She says, "That girl is going to have to walk as far to the truck as she would to school. You take good care of her getting up and down, Mike. Do you want me to come? I can walk back from the school."

"I'll look after her. Besides, do you think I want you climbing down out of the truck in front of the school flashing all the kids with your bare ass? Your daughter would never live it down." His eyes are twinkling with merriment.

"Oh Mike. I only do that for you."

"And anybody else that happens to be standing nearby."

"Get out of here."

"See you Saturday morning... or maybe sooner. It's only Wednesday, isn't it?"

"All day. If you have another run, I'll be waiting. Take care, my love."

Crystal is pulling his hand, "Come on, Mike. Let's go!"

They walk out Clarke Drive to Young Road and across the slough, then up Riverside to the big blue Kenworth. Mike installs Crystal on the console and goes to check tires, brakes and close the bleeder valve. He climbs up and starts the diesel clanking. Crystal says, "It's not near as noisy in here as it is outside. I thought it would be louder. It's so dark in here. It's almost as big as the kitchen. What's back there?"

"That's the bedroom. Want to take a look while it's warming up?" He boosts her through the curtain as he flicks on the light.

She stands staring around and says, "You and Mommy sleep in that little bed. You must take turns."

"Ho. It's bigger than it looks." He lifts her up and she stands on the bunk.

"It still doesn't look very big for two people. It's a good thing she loves you, isn't it?"

Mike laughs and says, "Come on back up front. It's time I got you to school." He lifts her down and they go to the cab.

Mike takes a last check of his instruments and toots the air horn as he pulls out on the road. Trudy is waving from the bedroom sliding glass doors across the water and they wave back to her as they pull away and across the bridge on Young Road. In a few blocks Mike pulls to the curb and helps Crystal down the ladder. He keeps a hand on her until she's safely on the sidewalk, then returns to the cab. He toots the air horn again as he pulls away and she waves from the school grounds amidst a group of kids. He chuckles and waves back.

He turns at the five corners onto Yale Road west and drives out to the interchange, then onto Number One westbound for Abbotsford and beyond. As he crosses the Vedder Canal he punches his home number on his cell phone.

"Hello."

"Good morning, honey. It's Mike. I'm just getting in by Abbotsford in about fifteen. How are things? Kids off to school, yet?"

"Yep. It sure feels funny not to have Jan under foot. She was more excited about going this morning than the other two combined."

"Has there been any call from CPX?"

"Nothing. I hope they haven't got anything else for you. My brother's bringing the trailer over this evening. He wants to know if you want to borrow his 308? He just got that rifle last year and he's so proud of it, I'm surprised he offered."

"No, I've got my trusty old thirty ought six. I know that one and can rely on it. If he's got a twelve gauge, though, I might try for some ducks. Don't worry about it. I'll speak to him tonight."

Where are you now?"

"Just coming up on the Sumas exchange."

"Why don't you pull in when you get to McCallum and I'll ride over to POCO with you? It won't be that much out of your way, will it?"

"No. That'll be great. We should be home long before the kids get out of school."

"Okay. I'll get ready. See you when you get here."

"Right. Love ya."

Mike swings off the freeway at McCallum and goes down to Marshall Road. Left here and half way down the long block he pulls to the curb in front of their condominium. Marlene is standing at the curb waiting in tight jeans and a flashy top that exposes a lot of cleavage. Before the truck comes to a full rest she's climbing up on the passenger side and opening the door. "Hi stranger," she winks and blows him a kiss as she plops down in the far seat.