Dan's Story Pt. 03 - Everything Goes Awry

Dan: "That woman's insatiable. I swear she'll kill me with sex. Thank God, its only for the weekend. I couldn't take it much longer."

Sam: "She's a hot one, but that Wendy could teach her a lot of tricks, believe me. I'm going to have to see if I can't catch her again before we head back to the base."

Dan: "How could you? You Superman or something? If Annie tries to touch me again this weekend, I'll be ruined." They both laugh.

Sam: "Hey, I see he got the top of your beast painted with one coat last night. Did you see it?"

Dan: "Yeah, but it was dark so I didn't get a good look. How's it appear?"

Sam: "Its good, real good! He knows what he's doing. No runs and even coverage."

Dan and Sam spend the morning working with Annie's Dad on the car. Around ten thirty Sam goes out the drive to join Wendy, who signals to him from the street. A little later Dan overhears Annie's mother speaking to Annie in the kitchen. "And I don't want you hanging around with her! She's a bad girl who climbs into bed with any man. I saw her out there waving to Sam. Now she's going to take him somewhere and she's going to strip and let him have his way with her. Next thing we know, she'll be pregnant again. You stay away from her! Your not taking your panties off for Dan, are you?" and Annie says, "No, Mom, I wouldn't do that." Her mother again, "Good girl. I didn't think you would. Has he tried?"

Annie: "I told him right at the start that I don't do that." Her mother says, "You stick to it. Those panties don't come off till your married, right?" Quietly: "Yes, Mom."

Dan chuckles as he goes back to work on the car and he tells Sam when he gets back around noon. They have lunch with Annie and Dan says they have to be back at the base for a four o clock evening shift. They manage to get away without Annie cornering Dan again and laugh over the situation in Tignish for half the trip back to Summerside.

Sam: "I swear I saw half a dozen love starved women in that place in just the one day we were there. Don't mention that to any of the other guys. We can come up here whenever we get a chance.

Dan: "I'm afraid I don't have the options you do." He tells him about what Annie's father told him on the way to get the car. Sam says Dan's got himself in a real bind. Its like having another wife in Tignish. "Too bad!" says Sam.

They pull back in home around 1500 and have rehearsed and quizzed each other about their trip till they both tell the same story, but Marie's not home. A note on the table says she went with Betty and Gord to Charlottetown. Gord's bought a second hand car and is trying it out.

Dan gets them cold beers and they sit at the table talking about the weekend. Dan asks Sam if he would like to go out for supper so they go down to Fran's. Ginger comes and sits down with them.

Ginger: "Well, my two favorite men at one time. I always wanted that." she smirks at them.

Sam: "That must be old hat for you, kid. I mean two at one time!" He smirks back at her.

Dan laughs and says, "Probably at the same time!"

Ginger: "You wish! When you want to try that, let me know. What would you like to-day?... to eat?... from the menu?"

Dan to Sam: "She offers a menu now!" They break up laughing and Ginger blushes.

Sam: "Wow! I didn't know she could do that!" They laugh some more, then settle down and order.

Afterwards they go to the base and Dan drops Sam off. He goes home and finds Marie with Gord and Betty in the living room. Danny's in his playpen, so Dan picks him up as he joins them.

Gord: "Did you find the car painter?"

Dan: "Sure did, and does he do a good job. He only has the first coat on it so far but I'm glad I didn't try to do it myself. When we left he was spraying again and there isn't a single run anywhere on that car. He's fantastic. Heard you got yourself a car. Need a paint job?"

Gord: "Not this year. What's he charge?"

Dan: "Fifty bucks and you supply the paint! How's that?"

Gord: "That's a good deal. Maybe I won't have to wait for a year after all."

Dan: "So how's it run? Your new car?"

Gord: "Well, there seems to be something wrong with the tranny. I dropped it back over to the dealer and will call him in the morning. He guaranteed it, so I want him to make it right."

Dan: "Right! You want another beer. How about you Betty, ready for another? Hon, you want anything? What have you got there, juice?"

Dan hauls the baby along as he gets more beverages and they all sit around and chat for a while, then get out cards and have a few games.

When they leave, Marie says, "Well, I suppose that means you have to go back up there to get the car next weekend. I wish I could go with you."

Dan: "I wish you could too, Dear, but there's no motels in that little fishing village so we slept in the car. Not the most comfortable and Sam snores. I came home to get a good night's sleep. Guess I'll turn in. Do you have anything you want me to do first?"

Marie: "Yes, there's one thing. Please explain to me how these got in your uniform pants?" Coldly she holds up Irene's panties he'd jammed in his pocket the other night when she was baby sitting."

Dan has to have time to think so he asks a question. "I don't know. Where were they?"

Marie: (glaring) "In the wash with your uniform pants."

Dan: "Must be Betty's if they aren't yours. Did you ask her?"

Marie thinks for a moment and looks more contrite when she says, "No, I wanted to hear your story first. They aren't mine! I know that!"

Dan takes them out of her hand and goes to the door. Opening it he calls, "Betty, are you there?" She calls from around the front of the house that she is. Dan steps out onto the sidewalk and goes to meet her as Marie comes out behind him.

He whispers as they meet, "Cover for me. Please?" He turns before she can answer and says, "She's here, Honey, you can ask her yourself."

Marie comes up to them and says, "Are those yours?" she points at the panties in Dan's hand. Dan hands them to her. She inspects them and says, "Where did you ever find them?"

Marie: (grinning now) "In the washer with Dan's pants. I'm afraid I jumped all over him because I thought they might be someone else's. Please, Dan, forgive me. I'm so foolishly jealous when I'm this way." she pats her stomach. "I'm truly sorry, Dan."

Betty: "I wouldn't let him off that easy. He's probably guilty of something!" They both laugh by the door as Marie opens it to go in.

Dan: "I'm sorry we had to call you back. I'll see you to your door, Betty." and he escorts her down the sidewalk. When they are out of earshot Betty hisses, "The Avon lady?" and she jams the panties into Dan's hand. "Your a rotten bastard, Dan Miller! Good night!"

Dan palms the panties and calls to Marie as he passes their door that he's going to check the car. He puts them in the glove box and locks it. He goes back in the house.

Dan: "It looked like the interior light was on in the car but it was just a street light, I guess. I'm bushed. Think I'll hit the sack. O.K.?"

Marie "You go ahead, Dear. I'll be right in.

Dan goes to bed and is asleep before she gets there.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 20: 0600

The alarm wakes him and a warm kiss awaits him. Marie has shed her flannel night dress and is kissing his nose, his eyelids, his earlobes and back to his lips while she snuggles against him. She cries out as she sees his eyes open, "Happy Birthday, my love!"

Dan cuddles her close and feels old yearnings anew. They play for a bit then make cautious love. She is very big now at six months, bigger than she was with Danny at full term. This is the closest they have been since she returned from Ontario the last time seven weeks ago.

In his mind, Dan reflects over those weeks. They have argued almost every day about his drinking, his always out working on the old car, their shortage of money and their poor performances in bed. They blame each other, but Dan's the one who suffers from the greatest guilt and he hides it by going to Irene. He has twelve pairs of her panties in the box in the garage, some tattered, some stained and some nearly new. She's pressuring him to spend more time with her and Dan's a nervous wreck.

He has made arrangements with Annie so she no longer regards him as her property. She has started going with a local boy, but she promises to take care of Dan first when he's in town. Dan feels good about that setup, but still has the guilt to contend with over two timing Marie.

At least one thing is going right. He has a contract with the Town of Summerside to do up the signs welcoming people to the town. Emory also has a Trucking outfit in Charlottetown lined up to have their door signs painted which will mean three hundred each when its done. Marie likes Mary and can now even tolerate Emory, but doesn't like him.

Marie: "Penny for your thoughts."

Dan: "Fraid they're not worth it. I was thinking I have to get up and get to work. Sometimes I wish I was back on the odd ball shift. Oh well, working in the shops is good this time of year. No climbing around cold aircraft and first crack at flight pay."

He climbs out of bed and goes to the bathroom. Marie surprises him by slipping into the shower with him. They wash each other and dry each other off. How good it feels to Dan to do some of their old familiar things again. She goes to prepare breakfast in her housecoat as Dan shaves. When he comes out she puts Danny into his arms as he sits at the table. Dan plays and talks to his son until the food's ready. Marie puts him down with a bottle and joins Dan for breakfast.

Dan: "I'm putting in for three weeks at Christmas. I think we should drive home, so we'll need three weeks. Would you like that?"

Marie: "That'd be terrific. We would have our own way of getting around, but can we afford it?"

Dan: "I haven't got it all figured out yet, but I'm quite sure we can. Sure enough to go ahead and put in for the leave."

Marie: "Whoopee! That makes me so happy. Dan, I love you. You better get out of here before I drag you back to bed." She's laughing now.

Dan: "I could call in sick." He gives her a slow grin.

Marie: "Why don't you?" She opens her housecoat wiggling her hips and Dan reaches for the phone.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23: 1655

Marie's waiting for him when he comes in from work. She has a nice cold beer in her hand for him and puckers up as he enters the door.

Marie: "Good evening, lover!" They kiss and she hands him the beer. She takes his brief case and puts it on the coffee table, then walks seductively towards him. He's still standing just inside the door with the beer in his hand looking foolishly at her in her shortest sheer pajama top. "Shall we eat first or would you like to go right to the bedroom?" she asks.

Dan: "Uh, what's going on? Is this one of those moods brought on by your pregnancy of something?"

Marie gives him a sudden steely cold look and says, "I hear today that I'm living with a legend. The Casanova of Summerside, is how I think they called you. Rumors abound of your conquests. A mysterious brunette dressed in white? How do you do it, Dan? And Ginger, that was no big conquest, I'm sure. It's even being said that Mary carries your child. Where do you get all that energy, Dan?"

Dan: "What? Me? Who's spreading such malicious gossip? I'm outraged! That's ridiculous! Where did you hear all this crap?"

Marie: "What's it matter? Is it true?" Her voice is cold and level.

Dan: "Of course not! Mary's just a child! Gossip like that's so harsh on a young sensitive girl like her. It could ruin her reputation in this town. That crap could hurt you, as well. We're not above it. Gossip mongers could drive a wedge between you and I! I would really like to know who started this. Do you think it was Ginger? Remember you once said something about a woman scorned?"

Marie looks a little less certain now and says, "I did overhear two young women of about Ginger's ilk talking in Gaudette's about you. I never thought of it but I guess it could be her that's saying these things."

Dan: "Well, let's not waste the setting. I think I'd prefer to start with the bedroom." He catches her hand and leads her that way smiling mischievously. She hesitantly goes with him appearing slightly confused.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14: 1900

It's icy cold in the garage. The wind howls around the building in the dark outside and snow's drifting along the highway. Dan is checking the anti freeze in the Plymouth and making sure the garage doors are blocked solid against the weather. He has arranged an extension light under the hood of the old car to produce some heat there and is just getting ready to leave by the small side door. He turns out the lights when he hears a noise. He stops and listens. Someone is crunching through the snow not far away and they seem to be heading for the side door. He smiles in the slight glow from the extension shining from under the hood. She has seen his lights.

The side door creaks as it's opened and she's there. An apparition in red with white fur trim. It could be Santa, but its not!

Irene: "I saw your lights. I had to come. Your leaving for Ontario day after tomorrow, aren't you?"

Dan: "Yes. I'm glad you came. I hoped to see you one more time before Christmas. I have something for you. Come in."

Irene comes to Dan and he kisses her in the shadows. He leads her to the Plymouth where he can see her better and stops to look her up and down. She has a fake Santa hat in red on her head with white fur trim, red leggings with black high boots and is wrapped in a red parka with white fur trim. She's wearing a red mini skirt that hardly shows below the parka. With her raven hair and deep blue eyes she looks like a movie star out for a night on the town at Christmas. She reaches into her parka pocket and hands Dan a small package. Dan reaches into the front seat of the old car and hands a parcel to her. They both drop their items on the fender of the car and rush into each others arms.

Dan: "You and your love are all I want for Christmas."

Irene: "I love you with all my heart, Dan Miller."

They kiss and climb into the plush rear seat, their bower of love. They celebrate their private Christmas early. Afterwards Irene steals away and leaves Dan her flaming red panties with delicate white fur trim. Dan takes them to the box he keeps on a shelf and counts the items inside. Seventeen and one more makes eighteen.

He places the box back on its high shelf. What memories that box holds. If it could talk and relate the progress of their forbidden love affair it would rate a triple X rating, he thinks as he closes up the garage. He fights his way home through drifting snow made passable by the huge snow blowers of the highways department, back to the town of Summerside and the private dwelling place of Mr. and Mrs. Dan Miller.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16: 0540

Marie's excited. They're leaving this morning for Concord, New Hampshire, where they'll spend the night, then on to Delhi tomorrow night. They've packed last night and baggage is piled around the bed. Marie attempts to get out of the bed without waking Dan. She's not that enamored of his charms lately. Actions speak louder than words and his actions have been most noticeable lately in his absences. She thinks she has succeeded until she glances in the mirror and sees Dan watching her with a grin on his face so she grins at being caught. He holds out his hand to her and beckons.

Marie: "No Dan, not this morning. We have to get going. You're the one that wanted to get started early."

Dan: "Then we better hurry."

She scurries from the bedroom and Dan gets up with a yawn. He goes to the bathroom and finds the door locked. He frowns and turns to the counter to put on coffee. When the perk is bubbling, Marie comes out half dressed.

Dan: "Coffee's on. My turn now?"

Dan gets a shower, shaves and carries out his other morning ablutions, then returns to the kitchen. Marie is dressed and has Danny in his high chair feeding him. He goes over behind her chair and makes faces at the baby, getting him laughing.

Marie: "Dan, stop that! I'm trying to get him fed so we can get out of here." Dan lifts the back of her hair and kisses her neck, then nibbles on her ear, much to the delight of Danny. He claps his hands and waves at them.

Marie: "You men are ganging up on me." She turns in her chair towards Dan and quickly he kisses her.

Marie: "Dan! Go put some clothes on! How do you expect me to teach our son to keep his clothes on if his father parades around the house naked."

Dan chuckles and walks around to the baby. He offers him a finger and Danny grabs it and pulls, laughing. Marie's exasperated and says, "Men!"

Dan laughs as he returns to the bedroom and when he reappears he's fully dressed. Marie has finished with Danny and has him ready for his coat.

She has eggs and sausages on the stove and is just putting bread in the toaster. Dan pours a glass of tomato juice for himself and orange juice for Marie. He sits down beside Danny and lets him have a sip of his tomato juice. He shakes his head and sputters, spitting tomato juice down his front and onto the high chair table. Dan jumps up and grabs a dish cloth to clean him up. Marie just shakes her head and puts on breakfast.

Marie: "Why do I even try to make him look presentable with you around, Dan? Look at those stains! Well, he's just going to have to wear them till tonight."

They eat breakfast and Dan loads the car while she cleans up the kitchen. They lock up as they leave, relying on Betty to check the mail, paper and interior for them. Once they're on the road its not long to the ferry landing.

When they reach the mainland its south across New Brunswick to the American Border at Calais. They continue south through Bangor, Maine. Although there's a lot of snow, the roads are clear and the sun shines down on them. Before dark they cross the New Hampshire line and soon pull into Concord. They look for a clean, modest motel and find a room for the night. They put Danny to sleep in a dresser drawer pulled open beside the bed. They munch on fish and chips from a take out.

Marie has fed Danny while they were on the road, so he drops off to sleep quickly. He's wrapped in his blanket and they have his rubberized mattress from his crib under him.

Dan and Marie watch a little color TV, a novelty for them, but before long they're nodding so they crawl into bed and fall into deep slumber. Sometime later Dan wakes and cuddles up to Marie. She snuggles down against him, smiling but still sleeping. Dan goes back to sleep.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17, 6:40 LOCAL TIME

When Dan wakes he hears Marie in the bathroom brushing her teeth. He looks at Danny still sleeping soundly in his drawer. He stretches and yawns, then gets out of bed. He steps towards the bathroom and says, "Yikes!" as he steps off the carpet onto the tile floor. He steps back quickly into the room, Marie watching him in the mirror. Her eyes are laughing and she's trying not to but suddenly she explodes and sprays the mirror with mouth wash.

Bent over the sink she says through her mirth, "You looked so damn funny when you stepped on the cold tile floor and yelled, your hard on went zap and it was gone." She continues to laugh. Dan comes back in slippers and turns on the shower. She's still giggling so he sprays her with water. "Stop!" she yells, "You'll wake the baby." She steps to the door and sees Danny watching her with a big smile. She sighs and says, "Oh well, my day begins."

She changes the baby and feeds him some applesauce while Dan's getting around, then he takes over the spoon and she gets dressed. She says, "We'll have to stop right away and get some formula warmed up for him when we have breakfast." Dan nods.

After breakfast its on the road again. Its snowing lightly but they still make good time into Vermont. Before noon they cross the bridge at Albany, New York and are on a straight run into Buffalo via Syracuse and Rochester. They have lunch just outside Buffalo and cross over into Canada again at Niagara Falls.