Duxford Airfield (the band) Pt. 07

...My little brother's face briefly floated before my mind's eye...

The big trucks outside our window continued coming and going throughout the night. The sounds of their open exhaust pipes and airbrakes speaking to me and bringing back a lifetime of memories and feelings of nomadic destiny that were still ingrained deep within me. I could almost feel the heavy steering wheel within my hands as my right arm now twitched, shifting gearboxes...

...Holding Andrea deep within the night, my mind continued to ride the currents of the wind storm outside our window, and these currents eventually carried me back to Mom's little green house in Stony Brook subdivision. I suddenly found myself standing before a house that no longer stood and a lady that no longer lived there, nor walked upon this earth among us. Yet, she was as real as the wind outside our darkened window.

We neither spoke nor embraced, yet I saw joy and pride within her loving eyes. My mother then seemed to look deeply into my soul as she clicked her tongue and slowly shook her head with slight disapproval at the things which I had let haunt me during the recent weeks.

"Go forth and have no fear, and be the man that I raised you to be. Follow God, honor your loving wife, and all will be well with you, my son" my mother said, and was gone...

...Still deep within the multi-layers of sleep, I felt my wife's hot breath upon my face and felt her kiss away the tears from my cheeks.

Andrea and I slept.

...

"Mister Andrew" I said, extending my right arm.

"Mister Donovan, it's been a while" Andy said, smiling widely as he stood from the diner's table and firmly shook my hand.

"Annie, you look lovely, as always" I said, nodding toward Andy's wife.

Annie now stood and hugged me heartily as she looked toward Andrea and the ladies.

"You haven't aged a day, Tim, and who are these lovely ladies that you're with?" she asked smiling, at Andrea.

"Please allow me the pleasure of introducing my wife, Andrea, and also Helen Lunsford, and Lita Romano" I said, sweeping my arm cordially.

...After formal introductions were made, the ladies and I sat down with my old friend and his lovely bride.

"Brother, it's good to see you!" I said to Andy as a waitress filled a coffee cup for each of us.

"I haven't seen you since we paved that taxiway out at Ted Stevens International Airport, that one time, Tim. I think Hans was even with us on that gig" Andy said in reflection.

"My God, what year was that, ninety-nine?" I asked, trying to remember.

"Something like that" Andy nodded.

"How is Hans?" Annie asked.

"He's as cantankerous, as ever. I talk to him, at least, once a week" Andrea answered, bringing laughter to the entire group of us.

"...Good ol' Hans, man, that guy is really something, isn't he?" Andy asked.

"There's a guy, that hasn't aged a day" I said, nodding.

"How old is Hans, now?" Annie asked.

"He'll be seventy-nine next month" Andrea answered.

"Wow, is he still working?" Andy asked.

"Him and a bunch of guys have been driving new motorhomes to Alaska, but that gig's been put on hold until the spring now. - Here, I'll text you his number, Andy" I said, reaching for my phone.

"I'd like that" Andy replied, reaching for his phone now, too.

"...So you're The Mystery Girl, Andrea?" Annie now asked, studying Andrea.

"...Yes, it was a long time ago, Annie" Andrea said nodding and closing her eyes.

"- I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude or pry" Annie quickly said.

"You're not being rude, it's just that a lot of people make it such a big deal, and really, it wasn't" Andrea shrugged.

"The Mystery Girl, had been Danny's idea" Helen interjected.

"Andy has every album that Duxford Airfield ever made and we were very saddened when Danny Wickersham passed, he was such a gifted man" Annie said.

"Everything I've ever read about the band indicates that Danny had been a really good guy. I wish Annie and I could have see them in concert when they regrouped" Andy said.

"Danny was a good guy" Helen said, looking toward the floor, in reflection.

Duxford Airfield and Danny Wickersham were not topics that Andrea, Helen, or I really wanted to discuss at the moment...

"Hey, I know what we could do today! The ladies and I are planning to go to a small carnival and famer's market today, why don't you two follow us out there, and we'll all go!" I said encouragingly and neatly changing subjects.

"Yes, we'd like that!" Annie said before Andy could decline the invitation.

...It was agreed upon, and for the next hour the ladies and I talked with Andy and his wife as we all had breakfast within the same diner that Andrea and I had ate in, the previous night.

During our conversation Andy explained that he was now working for a company that sold new utility trailers. His main job was hot-shotting new trailers from several factories and transporting them to various dealerships throughout the Mid-West. Hot-shotting simply meant that he was using his Super-Duty Ford pickup to move the fifth-wheel trailers instead of a regular semi tractor. Andy said he enjoyed the work and that he was also able to take Annie along with him.

...After our meal, the entire group of us left the truckstop's diner and proceeded to the vehicles. Andy and Annie had already delivered their load of new utility trailers, - leaving them with just the Super-Duty Ford pickup. Andrea and I climbed into the rear seat of Andy and Annie's truck, while Helen and Lita followed us with the rental car.

"How you doing, lady?" I quietly asked Andrea as I pulled her close and buckled her seatbelt for her.

"I'll be glad when Monday is behind us, Tim" she answered, under her breath.

"Baby, please let it go and don't fret about that meeting. Just be yourself and let the chips fall where ever they may. Helen and I love you and it'll be OK" I said to her.

Andrea pushed her face against my chest and nodded.

Annie now turned back to look at us from the front seat.

"Andy and I have actually considered going to this very same carnival and farmer's market, ourselves. I'm so glad you mentioned it, Tim. I think this will be a lot of fun for all of us!" Annie exclaimed, smiling.

"So do I, Annie!" I said encouragingly.

"Odessa is one of our regular stops, so Annie and I've looked at all the travel brochures. There's usually some really cool stuff going on, close to or around here, from time to time," Andy said, as we got underway.

"Andrea, everything OK?" Annie asked, from the front seat.

"Yes, thanks for asking, Annie. Tim and I have a business meeting to attend on Monday, with some big-wigs, and I'm just a little nervous, is all" Andrea admitted.

"Andrea, I've done lots of those types of meetings myself, and I've had the jitters a few time too. Maybe you and I don't know each other very well yet, but I could give you my number and we could talk, sometime this weekend, if you'd like" Annie offered.

"I'd like that, thank you" Andrea said, reaching for her phone.

"I already know that she's going to do just fine, Annie. Andrea's done these same types of meetings a hundred times before, she's just over thinking everything right now" I said, pulling Andrea closer to me again and kissing her.

"All of us have done the very same thing, Andrea" Andy acknowledged, from the driver's seat.

Andrea rattled off her number and soon her phone was ringing with a call from Annie.

"OK, I have you in my contacts now. Call any time, Andrea" Annie said, with a nod of encouragement.

"I will, Annie. Tim's told me a lot of good things about you both, so I already feel like we know each other." Andrea said.

"Well, we have some good things to say about him too" Annie said, reaching back and squeezing Andrea's hand.

"I've always said that, gravel haulers, are all just one big, happy, dysfunctional family!" I said, laughing at my own analogy.

"That's right, just ask Hans, and he'll tell you - dirt haulers put the 'fun' in dysfunction!" Andy chimed-in, laughing himself.

Andrea too, began laughing now, as I was hoping she would.

I now looked deeply into my wife's eyes, and beneath the sudden laughter, I saw sadness and deep fear within Andrea. I then made a split second decision - on the spot, that I wasn't going to back down from. I slowly leaned down and talked quietly with her in a serious tone.

"Baby, I'm going to lead us on Monday. I'll confer with Herb and Helen on Sunday night, but I don't want you in that meeting. This has gone far enough. When my wife starts losing sleep and stressing over something this ridiculous, then it's time for me to step in. I can see the stress in your beautiful brown eyes now, wife, and that pisses me off. You're not even going to be at that meeting on Monday - I want you to go ride the recumbent bicycle instead" I said.

Andrea began to protest at this "Tim, no, you don't understand the technicalities of-"

I never let her finish before I interrupted her.

"- Andrea, this is a MUST HAVE, on my part. Helen will understand, and she can go with Herb and me. This meeting isn't freaking either of them out, or me either, not the way it is you. Honey, I don't give a flying fuck about Danny's game, or Helen's book for that matter, not when it comes to your well-being. Right now you're saturated with all the fears on how this up-coming meeting could go south, I can see it in your eyes, love.

You finished with all this high stress bullshit when you helped sell that last piece of land to the casino owners during the Vegas boom years. I WILL NOT have you stressing out about this Prominent House non-sense now. You've worked far too long and too hard, your whole life, to be saddled with this bullshit now.

We're supposed to be at the ranch with Pippi and Wolfie, right now. We're supposed to be enjoying our retirement with Ricky and Brenda. Andrea, we've stood tall for Helen through all of this wild goose chase and we will continue to do so, but not at the expense of your health or mental well being" I said sternly.

- Must-Haves, were nonnegotiable with Andrea and me, and we each had them. I was essentially pulling Rank on Andrea now but it wasn't out of ego, it was out of genuine love and concern for my wife's well being.

"This is a must-have?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, consider it done, you're out of the picture now" I said with finality.

"You promise you'll confer with Herb and do exactly what he tells you?" she asked.

"Yes I'll confer with Herb and also Helen. Andrea, I'm going to tell them that we'd like to bow out and just walk away from the house and property, - you and I at least. Helen can do whatever she wants and we'll support her. After this meeting, I think you and I should also set a date to go home and then stick to it. Helen is welcome to come stay with us, at any time. Maybe she'd even like to finish writing her book while she's there at the ranch" I answered.

Andrea shed a few tears in my arms now and nodded her head in affirmation.

"I'll tell Helen" Andrea said.

"No, I will, and I'll be gentle, I promise. Andrea, I want this Prominent House sonofabitch off our backs, the sooner, the better. When this, so-called, Danny's game, starts stressing out my wife then its time to walk away" I said firmly.

Andrea compliantly nodded her head again.

Andy and Annie, sensing the heaviness of Andrea's and my conversation, talked quietly among themselves, commenting on the scenery and weather conditions for the day. This attitude was extremely courteous of the two.

I held Andrea in my arms for several long minutes and began to feel her calming down now.

"We're alright, you guys, just some changing of the guard going on back here is all" I said with conviction.

"Anything we can do to help, just say the word, Tim" Andy said.

"We need to get this lady a cup of McDonald's coffee, ASAP, brother" I replied.

"Roger that" Andy said.

Andrea closed her eyes and laughed through her tears at my seemingly urgent request for McDonald's coffee. While her eyes were closed, I stole a kiss from her.

"Andrea, does your stress have anything to do with the gossip magazine, that you're all on the cover of? Andy told me about that, and I'm so sorry, you guys" Annie said, looking back at us.

"That's part of it, Annie. I'll be alright in a few minutes, and this outing today, with you guys, is going to make me brand-new again." My wife answered.

"For what it's worth, nobody ever pays any attention to those stupid gossip papers, Andrea. Next week no one will even remember your photo or any of the rest of it." Annie said with a nod.

"I know, and thank you, Annie" Andrea nodded.

I quickly texted Helen and Lita and explained that McDonald's coffee was now on the radar for the four of us, Lita could read the text while Helen was driving. The ladies could either join us for a quick coffee break or go on ahead of us to the farmer's market and small carnival, either way was fine, I explained.

"We'll go on ahead and see you at the carnival" was the reply from Lita.

Taking a cue from Andy, I texted the ladies back with "Roger that."

"You better smile, damn it!" I said to Andrea as I leaned down and kissed her.

Andrea laughed and I kissed her again.

...Fifteen minutes later the four of us sat upon the open tailgate of the Ford, drinking coffee within a McDonald's parking lot.

"According to Lita Romano, McDonald's coffee does wonders for the soul, Andrea" I said smiling at her.

"I'm alright, husband, I just got a little freaked out, concerning this meeting, is all" Andrea said as she leaned into me and closed her eyes.

"You're not going to the meeting, wife" I said bluntly.

"You've made that point abundantly clear, Tim," she replied.

"How's your coffee, Andrea?" Annie asked.

"McDonald's coffee does wonders for the soul, and so do good friends. Please forgive me, for being such a wet blanket, on our way to a carnival" Andrea replied, rolling her eyes in slight self condemnation.

"You're not a wet blanket, you're Tim's wife, and that makes you a lady, in our book" Annie replied, to which Andy nodded agreement.

"We can drink our coffee in the truck, shall we go, folks?" Andy asked, smiling.

Andrea now suddenly burst into tears and covered her face now with both hands...

"Tim, let me have a few minutes with her, please" Annie said, looking at me as she put her arm around Andrea.

I nodded my head as Andy and I stood up and silently walked towards the edge of the parking lot, giving the ladies some privacy.

"Tim, I'm so sorry, did I say something out of place? We don't have to go yet, we can finish our coffee here and relax for a few minutes, if you'd prefer," Andy said with a hurt look in his eyes.

"It's alright, brother, neither of you have done anything but act like true friends, as always.

(***sigh***)

- Andy, the three of us, Andrea, Helen, and me, have been through a lot within the last two weeks. Andrea and Helen are still mourning the loss of Danny Wickersham, they both knew him quite well and his passing has been hard for them. There's a lot more to this whole story than just that, which I won't go into, but we're all a bit edgy right now.

I want to thank you and Annie for being so caring toward Andrea right now. She's usually a lot of fun to be around and I know this outing will brighten her spirits tremendously. She'll be OK in a little bit" I said, squeezing Andy's shoulder with reassurance.

"Alright, Tim, I'm glad she'll be OK, Annie and I really like her" Andy said, closing his eyes and nodding.

...I glanced over at the ladies now, Andrea was losing it completely and Annie was consoling her.

"Sometimes its best to just let the ladies sort things out for themselves' Andy said, glancing toward our wives.

"They're going to be life long friends, I can already tell you that much" I said, sipping my coffee.

"Yes" Andy confirmed with a nod.

"Hey, did I tell you that Buddy and his wife have a place in Casa Grande, close to us?" I asked on a brighter note.

"No, when did you see him?" Andy asked.

"Him and his wife were at our house warming party, a few months ago. Here, I'll send you his number, he'd love to hear from you!" I said, pulling out my phone.

I showed Andy, Buddy, and his wife's photograph.

"Now there's a guy that can drive a truck, Tim. He looks like he's doing well, beautiful lady too" Andy said nodding at the photo.

"She is a nice lady, Andy" I answered as I texted Andy the photo, along with the phone number.

"Tell me about your ranch," Andy said.

"We call it The Gingerbread Ranch, or Lazy-G. It's our little desert casa and we'd love to have you and Annie come out and stay for a few days sometime soon." I said showing Andy some photos of the place, along with Andrea, Pippi, and Wolfie.

"Andrea's obviously an animal lover, she and Annie certainly will be friends now," Andy said, peering at my phone.

"Hans comes out to visit us all the time and my little brother and his wife live close by us too. We'll throw another shindig soon and you can see everyone again. We'll invite Buddy and his wife, along with Hans" I said.

"Annie and I would really like that, Tim. Annie always loved Hans" Andy said in reflection.

"Andrea adores the ol' guy, we've even met his grandkids, they're not far from us either" I replied.

I kept scrolling through more photos for Andy to see.

"Here's the toy gas station that Andrea gave me for my birthday, along with a B-17 ride, no less. Hell, I even got to fly the fuckin' thing. - Andrea's dad flew B-17s" I added, scrolling through several more photographs on my phone.

"He flew B-17s, really?" Andy asked, incredulously.

"This gentleman co-piloted twenty seven missions, wish I could have met him" I said, showing Andy the photo of Andrea's father, Lake Millhouse.

"...Wow, he must have been quite the man" Andy said looking at Lake's handsome photo in Army Air Corps Uniform.

"From what everyone tells me, he was..." I nodded.

...For the next ten minutes, I showed Andy more photos as Andrea and Annie continued talking together on the Ford's tailgate. At one point during this time, I also noticed that Andrea had briefly talked with someone on her phone.

"...This is the little thirty-four, five window coup that I used to drive, you probably remember this car, Andy," I said showing a photo of the car with Andrea standing next to it and wearing her sunglasses.

"Oh yes, remember it very well, I rode in it once, remember?" Andy asked.

"...I think I remember that time yes, you needed a ride to go get Kenworth parts or something like that. I gave that car to Andrea, just before we got married and we still have it." I answered.

I showed Andy a few video clips of Andrea interacting with Pippi and Wolfie.

"Our cat's name is WolfCat" I explained.

"What's the name of the horse?" Andy asked as we watched the video clips.

"Pippi Longstocking" I answered.

"Pretty horse, I love the name" Andy nodded.

I glanced toward the ladies again, they were still talking intently but Andrea's eyes were dry again, bringing me a sudden relief.

...I continued showing Andy my photos.

"Here's Andrea's mom, she was full-blood Cherokee, her name was Joy - I never got to meet her either. Here's Andrea's younger sister, Gail, nice lady. Gail's married and lives in Phoenix, their kids are all grown now. This is Connie, Andrea's daughter. Connie is married and they also live in Phoenix, I love this kid!" I said.

"She's beautiful!" Andy nodded.

" - Guys, let's go now, OK? Helen and Lita are waiting on us!" Andrea exclaimed loudly over the vehicular noise within the parking lot and motioning for Andy and me to come back now.

Andy and I walked over to the ladies now and soon found ourselves in a group hug.