Andrea Millhouse Pt. 06

"...Enter Andrea Millhouse into the fray." I said.

"Yes, enter Andrea Millhouse then. Andrea called in every IOU she had on this one, and she convinced some very tough minded people that the project would be good for the community, in the long run. In truth, what I just told you is a lot more technically complicated, but you get the gist of what she was up against on this sale. That deal would never have happened without Andrea - period. I honestly didn't think she could do it, this time, but then I'm just an apprentice next to her, she, is the master. Buy that lady the best dinner in town, Tim, and be damn proud that she's your woman." Karen said proudly of her friend and real-estate mentor.

"I will, Karen, and I most certainly am." I said quietly.

...Blondie and Tuco did exactly as Karen had said they would do upon our cracking the door of the house. The deep growls and startled barking was unnerving for me as we opened the front door a few inches.

"Hey -HEY, Blondie, Tuco, knock it off already, it's me, your friend Andrea, ANDREA! ...stop being shits, your mom is trying to sleep." Andrea said soothingly to the large dogs as a kitchen lights suddenly came on.

"BLONDIE, TUCO!, it's just Tim and Andrea. GET OVER HERE and let them come in, damn it! NOOO, STOP IT! Come in you guys, sorry." Karen apologized while she stood in her night gown, holding the dogs back.

"You're sure?" I asked Karen, while I stood in front of Andrea, looking at the two large dogs through the doorway into the house which was open only a few inches now.

"You're fine, honey, the noise at the door just startled them." Karen said, petting the two dogs and calming them.

A few minutes later we were all old friends and I was getting pawed affectionately and loads of dog kisses from two large German Shepherds. Andrea and Karen hugged briefly.

"I wasn't sure if you got my text or not when we left the airport, I didn't want to call at this hour." Andrea said.

"I was asleep but expecting you Andrea, it's all good. Go get a shower and sleep-in tomorrow, honey, you both look exhausted." Karen said.

"K' honey, love you and thanks - no mo' natwomar for me, ever again, Karen" Andrea said wearily as I grabbed Andrea's rollaway suitcase and began walking toward the guest room; it was three thirty one AM now. Andrea and Karen hugged briefly again before Andrea silently followed me down the hallway with Blondie and Tuco close behind.

Andrea and I showered briefly and then crawled into bed together.

"Quick mustache ride, honey?" I asked now, once we had closed the door.

"No, just hold me please" Andrea said.

We were both asleep within minutes as Blondie and Tuco scratched at the door.

"Hey, you" I said quietly as Andrea stirred and opened her eyes.

"Good morning" Andrea said as she rolled on top of me and tucked her face against my neck and sighed deeply. It was good to feel her weight pressing down on me again after four days.

"So good to have you home, honey, I missed you. Karen told me what a nightmare the job was for you, I'm so proud of you, lady." I said.

Andrea answered me with a full-on kiss. She then lifted her hips momentarily and to allow me to be more comfortable - I was suddenly becoming aroused by her.

"Bet I know what you're thinking, right now" Andrea said, looking down her nose at me.

"Same thing you are" I replied, running my hands through her hair.

"Now, about that mustache ride you offered last night, can I trade that in for a full cowboy ride instead?" Andrea asked.

"Maybe, but you'd have to throw-in dinner tonight as an added incentive - hey, nothing's free, babe" I said, smiling up at her.

"Done!" she said and settled herself a little more firmly atop me.

We made love in Karen's guest room and then showered and dressed. I collected all of Andrea's dirty clothes off the floor and threw them into Karen's washing machine along with our bed sheets and towels while Andrea made us coffee. Karen was obviously out walking Blondie and Tuco so the house was quiet. It was eleven thirty five AM now.

"You ready to go play now, lady?" I asked, walking to the living room table and handing Andrea a cup of coffee and sitting down beside her.

"Business, first, what do I owe you for the car, Tim? It's beautiful and I want it. I want to fix it and drive it on special occasions" Andrea said.

"Buy the parts to fix it and we're even." I said.

"NO! I want to pay you for it - that's only fair, Tim." Andrea said.

"You can't pay for it, because it's a gift." I replied.

"I ALWAYS pay my own way, Tim" Andrea now said adamantly.

"You can't PAY for it, because it's a GIFT!" I said again, a little heatedly.

"Tim, I just spent four days negotiating the deal from hell, please don't argue with me now, on this." Andrea said wearily.

I got up then and helped Andrea to her feet, I then held her tightly. I then broke from our embrace and looked down into her eyes.

"Please don't argue with me either. I'm in-love with you Andrea Millhouse and I want you to have it. By not allowing me to give you something, only hurts my feelings. The car is yours and I don't want money. Can you say, THANK YOU TIM, Andrea Millhouse?" I now asked as if talking to a child.

"...Fine, what does Les need to haul it to Seattle then?" Andrea asked a little defeated.

"None of your business, lady" I replied stubbornly.

"GOD YOU'RE SUCH A SONOFABITCH SOMETIMES, TIM, - I ALWAYS PAY-MY-OWN-WAY!" Andrea now yelled, breaking away from me, as Karen simultaneously walked through the door with the dogs.

"Oh ...everything OK, you two?" Karen now asked, a little shocked at Andrea's outburst.

"Tim's just a shit, sometimes, Karen, maybe the fuckers at NATWOMAR should hire this asshole." Andrea said sarcastically, she then covered her face and apologized with a quiet "sorry".

"She's just overly tired and frazzled from this M & M Market transaction, Karen, she'll be OK in a minute" I said, holding Andrea close again.

"I know she is, Tim" Karen said as she walked over and rubbed Andrea's back soothingly.

We all sat down at the table.

"Sorry, you guys" Andrea said quietly with her head in her hand and eyes closed.

"Andrea, it might help you to talk about it a little bit." Karen suggested gently.

"I certainly need to, thank you Karen. (sigh) ...I've thought a lot about this in the last few days, you two. During the boom years here in Vegas, I worked with, and for, people that were sometimes worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The time schedules and pressure to build some of those new mega casinos, Karen you know this, was overwhelming at times. Those investors, rightly so, adamantly demanded results and by God, we delivered those results, deals that normally would have taken months, we completed in mere weeks.

All of us lost some composure on occasion during those massive projects but everyone was still treated with dignity and respect. We were all on a first name basis and we were a team. This M & M project should have been a cake walk. There was nothing innovative about the location, building or anything else related to the project and NATWOMAR has erected this very same building design in hundreds of other locations. The degree of unprofessional ethics and NATWOMAR's treatment of everyone involved was just appalling; I was nothing more than a glorified babysitter on this job. I made a hundred and sixty seven phone calls in three days, just trying to repair the damage they'd caused to their own project -THEIR OWN PROJECT!" Andrea said incredulously.

"I know, but you made it happen, Andrea. Tim and I are so proud of you, and just so you'll know, Lisa is too." Karen said softly.

I reached over and put my arm around Andrea; she then put her head on my shoulder and closed her eyes.

"Thank you for the beautiful green car, Tim, I love you" Andrea said quietly.

"I know, baby" I replied.

"You're both staying here another night, Andrea needs to rest before you go back to Laughlin and dinner is on-me tonight, no arguments" Karen said as she took off her coat and began to feed the dogs.

At eight o clock that night, Karen loaded us up into her Ford Sport Trac and took Andrea and I down town to a nice place. We had steak and seafood and the ladies each had a few glasses of wine which instantly made me the designated driver for the trip back to Karen's house. The tranquil atmosphere of the restaurant was calming and our conversation soon turned to Ricky and Brenda's wedding which had been planned to be held on Mom's birthday. Karen, never having met either Ricky or Brenda, had heard me speak often of them and was genuinely enthusiastic about the scheduled event. We talked about everything except work.

"Speaking of couples, the two of you have both grown-up considerably since the last time I saw either of you." Karen now said with genuine admiration.

"Like my little outburst earlier this evening, you mean?" Andrea replied, with humiliation in her voice.

"Like, two people keeping it real and willing to forgive each other - on the spot, regardless of how humbling it might be, yes. The old Andrea Millhouse, that I used to know, was so full of pride and ego that she would have walked out of the room in an indignant huff during that little spat. The old Andrea Millhouse would have also been with a guy that would have yelled obscenities and then gone to the bar and gotten drunk" Karen replied matter of factly, looking directly at Andrea.

"What's happening now with you and this fellow, Andrew? Lisa speaks very highly of him" Andrea suddenly said to Karen.

"...(sigh)... I don't know what's happening, that's what's happening, Andrea. He's a sweetheart and a good guy, we have a lot of fun together and I trust him but I think he has wedding bells in his eyes whenever we kiss and I'm not on that page." Karen replied, looking off into space.

"Let me see his picture" Andrea said.

"I'll text it to you" Karen said digging out her phone.

Andrea's phone pinged and there was a photo of a guy smiling in coveralls while standing beside a van with "Quality Building Maintenance" on the side. Another photo then appeared with Karen and Andrew on bicycles and then another at the bowling alley together.

"He's certainly cute enough ...love the smile. Is that his own company?" Andrea asked, referring to the van.

"Yeah, he does pretty well with it and has a few fairly large accounts." Karen said, openly admiring the man in the photos.

"You look like a couple to me, Karen, for what it's worth. Just take things slow." I said, looking on.

Andrea and I slept another night at Karen's house, Blondie and Tuco had finally settled down and the night was peaceful as well as restful for Andrea, for which I was glad. Tomorrow we would buy Karen breakfast and head home for Laughlin in the Nissan.

___________ 16 ___________

"...him and Myron went to look at some junk cars, they've got an old pick-up truck out here that they're putting an engine in but they need a part first I guess." Brenda said as she yawned into the phone.

"Oh, is that the little red Ford he just picked up?" I asked as Andrea handed me a cup of coffee, we were presently home in Laughlin within Andrea's condo now.

"Um ...no, this is a green Chevy with some kind of work box on back, I think Myron wants to drive the thing. Anyway, the engine is sitting on the ground right now - I dunno what they're going to do with the thing." Brenda said.

"So the big event is scheduled on Mom's birthday, right?" I asked sipping my coffee.

"Saint Mary's at two o clock, Tim, wear a suit and tie please" Brenda replied.

"I will, honey. Where do you plan to honeymoon?" I asked.

"Oh, Tim, we're not going to have a honeymoon, we're adults now." Brenda retorted.

"BRENDA, you HAVE to have a honeymoon, c'mon! Otherwise, what's the point? Go on a cruise and have fun for a change, you both work too damn much and this is something that needs to be celebrated. Mom would have insisted that you go on a honeymoon, otherwise she would have cried." I said assertively.

"Maybe you're right, Tim ...it's been a long time since either of us did anything just for 'us'." Brenda said.

"I have a friend in Anchorage, Patti, that always says 'When those FUN-cards are on the table, then ya better play'em, honey' and she's right about it, Brenda. Go on a Caribbean cruise or go on one that tours the Alaska Fjords -go tear it up, Brenda, you're both so over due for some fun." I said sincerely.

"I think you just planted a seed, Tim. I'm going to really think about that, and one of my girl friends is a travel agent - she's been after me for years, with the very same idea." Brenda replied.

"You and Ricky would love it, and there are ports of call, where you can get off the ship and go on tours and stuff and then board ship again in the evening and go to the next place - it's a blast!" I said, using my best used car salesman voice.

"I'll call Janice this afternoon and see what she says, I know she could get us a great deal with this much advance notice" Brenda said.

"Excellent, make that call, Brenda!" I said, egging her onward.

"Tim did you get my e-mail?" Brenda suddenly asked, changing subjects.

"You mean the Harold Whack-off e-mail, yes. Brenda, I love you but don't send me any more of that psycho babble hippy bullshit, you're not sending that idiot money, are you?" I asked

"Harland Wyckoff, Tim, and he's a personal friend of Ricky and I -he was at the birthday party but left before I could introduce the two of you. I typed you a text, explaining who he was but I forgot to push send, I was really busy that day." Brenda replied.

"Brenda, are you sending him money?" I asked, somewhat alarmed at the tone in her voice.

"No, Tim, but Harland Served in Vietnam with one of the guys in the helicopter photo of Rick Sheffield ...Harland actually took that photo himself, Tim." Brenda said quietly.

"...(sigh)... wow." Was all I managed to say as I held my forehead and sat down at the kitchen table. Andrea was suddenly behind me and rubbing my shoulder with an inquisitive expression on her face.

"I didn't mean to drop a bombshell on you, Tim." Brenda said after a silence.

"Well you did, honey ...wow. ...Does Ricky know?" I asked.

"I haven't told him yet" Brenda replied.

"You need to tell him, whether he understands or not, Brenda" I said.

"I have Harland's number and he plans to be at the wedding, maybe the two of you could talk." Brenda said.

"Yes, we need to." I said as Andrea handed me my windbreaker and pointed to her watch, it was time for us to pick-up Hans at the airport.

"OK, I'll text it to you, Tim. Brenda replied, as I followed Andrea out of the condo.

"Is this guy, Harland, in any of Mom's photos?" I asked, following Andrea down the stairs.

"No, he's Amish and Amish people don't like having their photos taken, Tim, so he's not in any of the Vietnam photos." Brenda elaborated.

"His photo is on the web page, Brenda; the guy sounds like a flake to me." I said

"If he is a flake, then he's a flake that did two tours in Vietnam, Tim." Brenda said a little offended.

I said nothing in reply.

"Tim, Harland is a good guy and I think he can help us with discovering more about Rick Sheffield, let's give it a chance, OK?" Brenda asked.

"If you say he's a good guy, then, he's a good guy. Let's hear what he has to say Brenda." I said.

"Good!" Brenda said.

"Does he remember anything about Rick Sheffield at all?" I asked.

"All he remembers is the one man that he actually knew and that he took the photo right after the Tet Offensive, he says that he kept a journal and that he'll go back and read it some to try and jar his memory, it was more than fifty years ago, Tim. Are you in the car now?" Brenda suddenly asked.

"Yes we're on our way to the airport to pick-up a friend, Andrea's driving." I replied.

"Let's stop for coffee, honey." I said looking over to Andrea now.

"We'll get some at the airport" Andrea replied.

"Harland is a motivational speaker now that travels all over the world to try and help people, Tim, please come into this introduction with an open mind." Brenda said.

"I will, honey, sorry that I jumped to conclusions. I already like the guy, just from what you've told me of him." I said a little sheepishly.

"Good!" Brenda repeated.

"How does Ricky feel about this, Harland Wyckoff? I'll bet he likes him." I said.

"Harland reminds Ricky of, Doc, who I wish I could have met, from everything you've both said of him" Brenda replied.

"You and Doc would have been as thick as thieves, Brenda" I replied laughing.

"He was certainly a good-looking thing, Ricky showed me his photos" Brenda said.

"That's not the way a married woman talks about another man" I said, teasing Brenda.

"I'm not married yet, you shit." Brenda teased back.

"I'm going to put the phone on speaker now so you can say hello to Andrea" I said, at Andrea's hand gesture.

"Congratulations to the engaged couple!" Andrea said enthusiastically as she kept both hands on the wheel, looking straight ahead.

"Oh thank you, Andrea, please come to the wedding, we'd love to see you!" Brenda said excitedly.

"Tim indicated that this is the first rodeo for you and Ricky, both" Andrea said smiling widely.

"Yup and our last, I hope" Brenda replied whimsically.

"I've got one practice round under my belt, Brenda, I think my next go-round should be a little more successful than an eight second ride with a clown, at least" Andrea said matter of factly.

"Open the gate and let'er rip, cowgirl, you either make hay or hit dirt but at least you're in the show and not on the fence" Brenda replied.

...There it is, I thought, after we had hung up with Brenda. The first hints at the "M-word or marriage" had now been officially spoken by Andrea with - 'my next go-round should be a little more successful than an eight second ride with a clown, at least.'

My own words to Ricky's question of why women wanted to be married abruptly came back to me now -'Because women are wired differently than you and me and because it's time for you to grow-up, a little bit.'

...I suddenly seemed to hear Mom's chiding laughter in my head now ...I continued looking out the passenger's window in silence, as Andrea drove the car.

We pulled into the airport parking lane and stopped at the candy striped gate. Andrea buzzed down her window and retrieved the parking slip, the candy striped arm went up and we drove to an outside parking space close to where several teenage boys were skateboarding. Andrea got out and walked a few paces whereupon she waited for me to get out of the car.

"Wooo Wooo, look at the pretty ladyyy!!" One of the boys skateboarding now howled, at the site of Andrea.

"She's with me boys, keep it clean!" I said assertively yet not unkindly as I walked up to Andrea and took her hand.

"Oh, sorry, no disrespect meant." The boy quickly said.

"If you want a pretty lady in your life then you need to learn how to talk to women, like a gentleman and not a little boy" Andrea said, pointedly.

"Yes, ma'am" the boy replied humbly while his friends snickered at him.

"Guess you're quite the attraction, Andrea Millhouse" I said humorously as we began walking and were out of earshot of the boys.

"Little shits" Andrea said affectionately. Secretly, I knew that she had been flattered by the attention.

"Ah yes, the memories of youth." I said, philosophically in reference to the boys and their admiration of Andrea.

"Who's this, Harland Wyckoff, that you and Brenda were talking about?" Andrea asked, as we walked.

"I guess he took the helicopter photo of Rick Sheffield, Andrea. Pretty wild coincidence isn't it?" I asked.

Andrea stopped walking and faced me. "You're serious? WOW, no wonder you looked shocked, on the phone. That's unbelievable, Tim. Did he know Rick Sheffield, then? Andrea asked, as we began walking again.