Dan's Story Pt. 04 - Conclusion

She explains where to find them and the old gentleman who owns the property, if he still lives. They're in an old shed in nearby Abram's Village. Dan copies down the gentleman's name and the place, so he can look them up later. Dan has to go. It's after six and Marie will be furious with him for being late for supper as it is. Irene walks him to the door and kisses him good-bye. Dan drives home thinking about the bush on the lookout. He tries to put it out of his mind and think about the old cars, but he keeps coming back to their lost child. He hopes Irene will not try to fool him again, but he doesn't really trust her.

SATURDAY, JULY 7: 0930

Sam's at the door and Marie invites him in as Dan gets dressed. He convinced Marie to have reluctant sex this morning. Theresa had taken care of his needs during the week. Ginger has a new flame and she's off to Ontario with him. He finds the tight Theresa more exciting anyway. They're experimenting with oral sex and both enjoying it along with the regular kind. Irene's still getting over the failed pregnancy. Dan's planning to go with Sam today to seek out the old cars. He plans to pick up Irene to join them.

Marie: "Care for some coffee, Sam? Honey, your coffee's getting cold."

Dan:(calling from bedroom) "Be right there, dear." He's checking his wallet to make sure he has some of the new super thin Sheik brand condoms in case anything comes up with Irene tonight. He's not going to take another chance on her pulling a fast one.

Dan joins them for coffee and he explains to Marie what they're looking for. He explains he's heard a rumor of some old cars in a garage in Abram's Village. They are going to see if they can find the cars and the owner or owners. He says not to hold supper for him if he's late.

They set out and drive by the base to Irene's. She hugs and kisses them both, then piles in between them on the front bench seat. They set out for Abram's Village.

Dan: "Your looking a lot better this weekend. Feeling better?"

Sam: "She looks great to me, or were you talking to me? Do I look better this weekend?" he grins.

Irene:(nudging Sam with her elbow) "Idiot! He was talking to me and I feel great. It was tough the first few days of the week but I made up my mind to follow Dan's advice, and here I am." she smiles.

Sam: "You followed Dan's advise and you got better?"

Irene: "You told him, did you? I didn't think you'd tell anybody about..."

Dan(quickly cutting her off) "He doesn't know! I didn't tell anyone! I wouldn't without your permission. You should know that, don't you?"

Irene: "I'm sorry. I thought the way he spoke, he knew. I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell Sam, he's your best friend. Should I?"

Dan: "Sam can keep his mouth shut. Go ahead."

Irene: "Dan and I have been going together since that night last September when we met. Some time in March, before he went on course, I got pregnant."

Sam: "Your not showing much, yet. So why you feeling blue. Don't tell me he's dumped ya? Hey, I'll take you out, pregnant or not."

Dan: "Buzz off! She's spoken for! Go on, sweetheart."

Irene:(looking suddenly like she might cry) "I lost our baby last week. I miscarried! Our baby's gone!"

Sam: "It's tough when that happens, but it might be for the best. It's hard to accept now but you know what kind of complications that would cause Dan. You don't want to hurt him, do you?"

Irene: "No. That's what has helped me to get over it this week. I have decided to enjoy life now so I can build a future, not dwell on the past." She looks proudly at Dan and he winks.

Dan: "That's my girl!"

They roll into the small village and check with the instruction given Dan. Irene thinks she remembers seeing the old shed some time in the past but she's not sure why. She says the village is familiar to her but can't remember ever having a reason to be there. They drive through Abram's Village and watch for a grove of beechnut trees. It should be the third driveway out of town on the left but they pass five driveways before Irene shouts, "That's it! I know that place. I've been here before a long time ago."

Dan pulls in a laneway and they can make out an overgrown shed in the underbrush just off the road. Ahead of them is an old tumbled down farm house. Part of the roof is missing and the windows are broken. In many places you can see through rents in the weathered boards right into the rooms of the house. Grass and brush grow up around the structure but the lane looks traveled. Dan drives back to the house and beyond is a field of potatoes. Someone is farming the land, at least.

Dan: "Do you suppose the old guy your grandmother spoke of is still working the farm?"

Irene: "If he's not, whoever is will probably know him."

They back out to where they saw the shed and get out. Dan and Sam beat a path to the shed while Irene follows. They pry on old sliding doors but can only budge them about an inch.

Dan: "We need something to pry with. You two look around for something and I'll take my jackknife to one of these saplings. I may be able to make a prybar.

Sam: "Don't bother. Give me your keys, I'll get the jack handle out of the trunk."

Dan tosses him the keys and soon Sam is back with the jack handle. Using it they manage to pry the door open about six inches. Dan can see old machinery in there but can't make out what it is.

Sam: "I'll get a solid grip on the edge of the door and brace my feet against the door jamb. Dan, you grab me around the waist and pull with me. Irene, you do the same with Dan. When I say three. O.K., one, two, three! They struggle and the door creaks open another eighteen inches. That's lots to admit them.

Dan is the first to go inside and he stands staring at what he thought was machinery. It's the rear end of a model T ladder truck with faint lettering on it's side that says, 'Town of Summerside * Fire Department'. Beyond it rests another old car with a damaged composition roof and a black windscreen over its flat divided windshield. Dan scrabbles around to see what it is and on the nose it says 'Marmon'. By now the other two are admiring the model T fire truck.

Dan:(excitedly calling) "It's a Marmon! I've never seen one! I've read about them and saw pictures. I've even drawn one but this is the first one I've ever seen! Wow!"

There's an old buggy with the cloth cover in tatters, and a lot of odds and ends in the shed, but Dan has eyes for the two vehicles only. He opens the door on the Marmon and sits behind the wheel. He can't sit still. He adjust the cracked mirror that's all waterstained and brown so he can see out the back window. He plays with the steering wheel like he's driving down the road, then he inspects the dash instruments. Sam and Irene are standing by the car now, watching him.

Sam: "I think we lost him."

Irene: "Hmmm, it doesn't look as comfortable as the Plymouth." she colors suddenly as she realizes Sam has seen them in the Plymouth during the bet.

Sam: "Don't worry about it. You were a beautiful picture, a credit to your sex. You still are."

Irene: "Dan, you better get out here. Sam's buttering me up." They both laugh.

Dan comes piling out of the Marmon saying, "We've got to find the old timer, that friend of your grandma's. I wonder where to start. Let's go back into the village. There was a store and service station combined on the corner. We'll check there."

Dan runs into the Abram's Village store/post office/service station called Lou's Service Centre. Irene and Sam follow him. He inquires about the land owner of the property and describes the man he's looking for. He finds out that a local farmer is growing potatoes behind the house, but no information is available on the old man.

They drive to the farm of the grower and inquire of the farmer's wife about the old man. She sends them to the fields to see her husband, who is cutting weeds along a fence row, planning to repair the fence. Dan chats with him about the old man who owned the property. He says he has an agreement with a young man for the property, but he does think that the property was handed down to him by his father, who he thinks now lives in Summerside at the nursing home. He gives Dan the name and address of the young man he rents the property from.

Dan comes back to the car and relates the news. They drive back towards Summerside and near town they enter another farm yard. Dan goes up to the house and knocks. There's no one home. He comes back to the car and says, "Nobody there. Let's go get a bite of lunch."

They drive to the diner near the harbor and go inside for a hamburger. They sit at the counter with Irene between them.

Dan: "After lunch we should be able to catch these people home. He must be related to the old man so either he owns the vehicles or the old man does. Either way we have to find him first."

Irene: "Your so obsessed with these old junkers you haven't looked at me today. Tell me what color shoes I'm wearing and don't look."

Dan: "Black."

Sam: "Red"

Irene: "See! Even Sam has noticed and you have your head in some cloud over these old cars and spinning wheels. You told me not to live in the past. What are you doing?"

Dan: "This's not the same. These are history, they're antiques. I was referring to past events in your own life that tend to cloud the present, so you can't enjoy what you're doing now. Its not the same at all."

Irene: "It looks the same to me." A female voice pipes up behind him, "Hi. Dan."

Dan turns the stool he's sitting on and sees Mary carrying Kevin and Emory just sliding into a booth. Mary's smiling but looking uncertain at his company.

Dan: "Mary! How are you? Hi, Em." (He waves) "Hi there, Kevin." (He twiddles his fingers at Kevin) Do you guys know Sam and Irene. Sam's from the base in the same section I work in and this is his girlfriend, Irene." He turns to them and winks, "This is Emory and Mary and my godson, Kevin." He turns back to Mary.

Emory: "I met you once at the studio. You were picking out a picture for Dan. And you live not far from there, don't you, Irene. I've seen you catching the base bus when I had the studio. Someone said your from Charlottetown. How long you two been going together?"

Irene: "Oh, not that long." She leans back against Sam's shoulder and glances at Dan. "But long enough, I guess." she has a tinkle in her eye of mischief as she turns and kisses him. Then continues to lean against him. Dan just grins. He chats with Emory about the latest signs he's painting for the town and Emory's doing some work for the harbor he talks about. Dan notices that Sam and Irene are chatting too, and he begins to feel twinges of jealousy. He thinks, that's what she wants. To make him jealous. He won't bite on that one.

Soon they're on they're way back out to the farm near town but again, no one's home. They decide to wait for a while so they chat in the car until after three. Sam asks Dan to drop him at Lorena's, so Dan takes him there. Dan drives back to Irene's and they go for a walk up to the lookout. Sam sees some fresh flowers by the bush and looks at Irene. She looks down at the ground and says, "I just come once in a while when I'm lonely."

Dan: "I haven't come this week to the garage because I thought you needed time to heal your emotions. I'm sorry if you've been lonely. Let's go to the garage."

Irene grabs his hand and says, "Oh yes, let's!" She pulls him along as they walk back from the lookout to her house, then passed the Ford and down to the crossroads and the garage. Dan unlocks the side door, steps behind her inside and she comes into his arms. She wants to do everything at once, kissing him and dragging him towards the Plymouth, while stripping off clothes on the way. They reach the plush rear seat and Dan pulls out his wallet, takes out a condom and breaks the seal on the packet. He tosses his wallet back on his pants on the old carseat and removes the condom from its wrapper. He places it over the head of his penis and unrolls it down over the shaft.

Irene:(plaintively) "What do you want that for? Don't you trust me?"

Dan: "Sweetheart, how can I? You won't feel any difference, so what does it matter?" He climbs into the seat with her.

Irene: "You don't like them! You've told me that they cut down on your feelings. You said it was like trying to feel the texture of a breast with rubber gloves on. I don't want you to wear it. Take it off!"

Dan: "I'm sorry, sweet one, but your breasts feel just fine to me. In fact they feel so good I just might have to feel something else." He kisses her and the foreplay continues. When they're done and she lays contented in his arms he asks, "Still feeling lonely?"

Irene: "Not when I'm with you, Dan. Never when I'm with you!"

Dan: "I don't know. You seemed pretty cuddly with Sam this afternoon." He grins and she swings her head towards him.

Irene: "You told them I was Sam's girlfriend. How could you?"

Dan: "Mary's heard the rumors. She was suspicious that you might be with me from the moment she laid eyes on you. I had to say something to cancel her conjectures. You didn't seem to mind at the time."

Irene: "I just did that to add to the image you created. I'm sorry, Dan. I won't do it again." she kisses him and Dan helps her to get out of the car. He removes the condom and ties it off, chucking it into a garbage can, as they get dressed. He notices she is not leaving her panties today and supposes its because of the condom. He thinks, she still wants to have the opportunity to try for another baby. Not right now, but in the not too distant future.

They walk back to Dan's car in her drive. They kiss and Dan leaves for home. It's not yet six so he may make it for supper. When he comes in supper's on the table, a place set for him and Marie is feeding Iris. Dan smiles and kisses her over his daughter's nursing form.

Marie: "Did you find them?"

Dan:(excited all over again) "We did! They're there, in an old shed covered with years of undergrowth and saplings. Its an old Model T fire truck, a ladder truck actually, that used to belong to the Town of Summerside and a Marmon out of the twenties or maybe earlier. All I have to do is find the owner and see if there's any possibility of buying them. Wow! They make my old car in Ontario look new. Remember my thirty three Chevy Coupe with the rumble seat."

Marie: "I only saw it once and it was under a tarp then so I didn't see much of it. Where will you put them if you get them?"

Dan: "I been thinking about that. I think I can fit them in the garage but if not, I may have to move the Plymouth outside and tarp it, too. I haven't got them, yet, but I'm hoping. By the way, you'll never guess what else is in that shed. A buggy with a ruined top, a spinning wheel and a spinet, both in excellent shape although a little dusty. That place is quite a find!"

Marie: "Why would anyone store a spinning wheel and spinet in a machinery shed? Wouldn't they be afraid of them getting greasy or drawing mildew? I'd like to see them."

Dan: "I have a line on the old guy. I think we located his son or at least a relative today, but no one was home. I'm going over to see if I can catch them tomorrow."

Marie finishes nursing Iris and they have supper. Marie's glad he's home this evening as they have time to chat and entertain the kids. Dan's happy to relax at home, now that Ginger's out of province. Maybe she's out of his hair for good, he hopes.

He can handle Theresa and Irene, unless Marie suddenly becomes impassioned. There's not much likelihood of that, with her suspicions. Dan knows she doesn't trust him so she's insisting on a condom to prevent diseases. In their arguments and her actions she has made this clear without coming out and saying as much. She just doesn't have any proof!

SUNDAY, JULY 8: 1300

Dan finds the farmer at home after lunch. He says the old shed and its contents belong to his uncle, who's in the Summerside Nursing Home. He gives Dan the name and room number.

Dan rushes up there and meets the old gentleman. He explains who sent him to find him. He remembers Irene's grandmother well, and he is delighted that someone is interested in his old junk. Dan tells him about the old spinning wheel and spinet. He tells Dan that if he will bring Irene's grandmother to visit him, he can have the old relics in the shed. He tires easily so they don't have much time to visit but Dan promises to bring the old lady to see him and he signs a paper indicating the contents of the shed now belong to Dan Miller. They shake on it and Dan leaves, happy as he can be.

He drives out to the garage to see if he can figure where to put the old cars and he turns on all the lights he can find. Soon she's there and he tells her what he's done. He's so happy he almost forgets the condom, but at the last minute he jumps back out of the back seat and grabs one. This starts an argument but soon the angry words are forgotten in passion.

After supper at home Dan explains he has to finish off some signs for the town and goes to pick up Irene's grandmother. He takes them to the nursing home and to the old man's bedside. It's a joyous reunion for old friends and they talk on and on of the good old days. They glance at Dan and Irene and say they will do the same one day. It's a fun filled evening visit and Dan has them home by ten. He reports to Marie that the signs are nearly done.

THURSDAY, JULY 12: 1900

Dan is back finishing the signs for the town. Irene is watching over his shoulder. She cleans some brushes for him as he puts the finishing touch to the last sign.

Irene: "Whenever I'm in Summerside and I pass a sign, I think Dan painted that. It makes me feel so good to see your work everywhere. You must be very proud."

Dan: "It does give me a lot of satisfaction to see them around town, but I wish my painting on canvas had as good a reputation. I've sold a few pieces and have a few on consignment, but the notoriety and recognition comes so slow. I know how Emory feels. He's becoming quite a favorite this year with the summer crowd, though. I wish him well. I always knew he was an artist, given half a chance."

Dan cleans the last brushes and puts away his equipment. He has moved the Plymouth back by the stove as it was when they had the bet. He explains to Irene that he now has room to bring the Model T up to the back wall by the side door and still be able to bring the Marmon in behind it just inside the double doors. They will all three fit but it will be tight. There won't be room to do much work on them. He'll have to pull one out to do any serious work.

As they talk he puts an arm around her and draws her with him to the Plymouth. They kiss and she removes her blouse, putting it over the back of the old carseat by the stove. Dan unsnaps her bra for her and she removes it as he undresses. She steps out of her panties as Dan gets out his wallet.

"Irene: "Dan, I'm taking my pills now. You don't need that." she puts her hands on top of his.

Dan:(hesitating) "Irene, if only I could believe you. I do believe you now, but you'll do it again one day. You know you will. I can't take the chance." He puts the condom on while she half heartedly tries to stop him. When they make love she's sad, excited only by her passion, but sad again when they are through.

Irene: "How long before we can try to have a baby, Dan? Next year maybe? Maybe this winter so I can have it in the fall? Let's plan it next time. We'll do it together."

Dan: "Best not to think about that yet. I don't know how we'll do it. I haven't decided we even should, yet."

Irene:(heatedly) "You said someday we would! We have to plan together, Dan! I have it all figured out. Wherever they transfer you to, I will come and rent a house nearby with the children and we will live on welfare. You can come and go whenever you want and I will always be there for you."