Love Said, "Hello." Pt. 01

Perhaps my hopes should be more tempered. Perhaps my expectations were too quick to judgment. She did fuck me, knowing little, to nothing about me. And... maybe she's exploring her sexuality. Just like Molly and Linda. And...

Perhaps another woman lies in my future. One just as exciting as Lynn. And on that thought. My parents were both in their thirties before finding the right person to share their lives with.

I picked up my phone in the living room, before going to bed. It was Lynn who called earlier and she left a message after the call... A text message.

"Mark, I just wanted to let you know I'm looking forward to seeing you, and your parents, on Thursday. Allison is excited, too. I'm sure if your parents sing as well as you, it will be a fabulous sound to hear. If you get a chance, will you call me? And, thank you for inviting me. Lynn."

I lay in bed. Aggravated I couldn't sleep. My mind racing and it wouldn't calm down. Frustrated, because I screwed Molly good, and I mostly go right to sleep, after Molly leaves. I had to go to Tyler in the morning to start another remodel job. I got three... back, to back, to back remodels, there in Tyler. From a man flipping homes. I've worked for him in the past. I was going to make some good money on those three jobs.

I couldn't shake Lynn from my mind, knowing she was screwing others. And, feeling like a stupid kid, knowing I was doing the same thing.

*****

I called Lynn on my way to Tyler.

Got her voicemail. I left a message...

"Sorry I missed your call, yesterday. And, I received your message. I'm looking forward to seeing you, and Allison tomorrow night. I'll be quite busy today, and tomorrow, with a job in Tyler. Driving there now. I'll try again to call. See ya tomorrow for supper."

It was a long day. The remodel. A 1940s, pier and beam home in Tyler. Nailing new outlet and switch boxes, and pulling NM wire to each one. Much, much more to do on the house the next three days.

When I got home, I ate, cleared away the dishes, and went to my backyard shop. Still filthy, and needing a shave, I started my wire stripping machine, and began feeding the machine with the used insulated copper conductor, I collected from the remodels... Cutting the insulation along the length, so I can peel the insulation away to expose the shiny copper inside. I'll take the copper to the metal recycling yard in Tyler, when I get a full truck load. There's good money in scrap copper.

I had been running the machine for about 30 minutes, when I saw a shadow cross the wall in front of me. The machine too loud for me to hear someone come up from behind me, I turned around, and...

Lynn.

Standing just outside the door looking at me. Smiling her smile I have come to know. I quickly turned off my wire stripping machine, removed my safety glasses, and pulled my work gloves from my hands.

"A pleasant surprise, after a long day. Would you like an iced tea, or water?"

"Sure."

I stepped toward the door and Lynn side stepped to let me out of the shop.

"I tried calling you back, but I got your voicemail. So... I thought I would stop by. I hope I'm not bothering you."

"Nonsense," I groaned, as I made for the back door of my home. I opened the door and let Lynn pass me into the house. "I made some fresh tea for supper tonight." I washed my hands with soap, pulled the pitcher from the refrigerator, and poured a glass for my pretty guest... adding a few ice cubes.

Sitting at my kitchen table...

"So, how was school today?" I began. "I'm sure economics was the highlight of the day." I chuckled.

"That's funny," she giggled, with her wide smile. "School was fine." She looked at her glass of tea, and then at her hands. Then to me... "I haven't seen you in sometime, Mark. And, I was thinking about you after I finished my homework this afternoon."

"Yeah? Fine time to think about me, considering I haven't cleaned up from work today. I'm sure I stink to high heaven." We both chuckled. "I was thinking about you, too, Lynn. In the shop there. About you and Allison coming over tomorrow. I'm looking forward to seeing you both."

"I am, too. Say... um... I met someone today. Well, not really for the first time, but I... well, I saw Molly Strahan at the dorm this morning."

I arched an eyebrow, and again... I didn't expect those words to come from her lips. I felt a lurch in my chest, not knowing where this was going to go.

"OK," I drew out my word. "I do know Molly."

"She's one of your lovers, isn't she?"

I nodded. "She is. Is this about Molly? Why you're here?"

"No. You're the reason I'm here."

I nodded and tilted my head, hopeful she would continue.

"Molly said a few things to me this morning. About you, and me. She said she cared a lot about you. Well, it doesn't matter what she said, but... she did get me to thinking. About you. For most of the day."

I wanted to reach across the table and take her hand. But, I wasn't sure where this was going, or how it would end.

"Do you like me?"

I didn't expect that, either. "I do. I think you're pretty and fun to be around."

"I like you, too." She paused and looked at her hands again. "Mark, I... thought you and I had an understanding about not getting serious so soon. You were up front and honest about Molly. Well, I suppose I had a feeling you wanted our relationship to go in a more... closer relationship."

She was right, but I knew how to answer this.

"Lynn... I do have different feelings for you, but I think I have them under control. I got the message when you said you didn't want to jeopardize the reasons you were at Stephen F... I get it. I'm more than willing to step aside and let you do the things you want to do. No matter what. I can live with us being friends. Or, less if your focus goes elsewhere. No hard feelings on my part."

She smiled wide with her wide mouth. With her eyes, too. Then, she reached across the table and took my hand.

"What Molly told you last night. About me. She's right." She paused to let me digest her words. "I have taken a couple of lovers on campus, since you and I were together that first time."

"OK. I don't see how that would affect you and me. I..." She squeezed my hand, to interrupt me.

"Look. I'm here to let you know, I want you as a lover, Mark. I like being around you, and I admire the person you are. I like the talents you have. Your singing, playing, and song writing. You're career. I like all of that about you."

"OK. Damn, Lynn. I couldn't say 'no' to someone like you. I mean... damn."

She left her chair and stood beside me... waiting on me to stand. I did. Stand. She grabbed the sides of my neck and kissed me. I put my hands on her waist. I remembered I still had dirty clothes on.

Our kiss broken, her whisper...

"Mark. You're the best of my lovers. You're not shallow, or possessive. You don't stalk me, like someone I know." She groaned in her throat, and looked away. It sounded like one of her lovers turned out to be a bad choice.

"You're kind and considerate of me, and my friends. And..." She hissed in her throat. "You're amazing in bed, Mark. No one has even come close."

I thanked her with a kiss. A quick one. I stepped back a little. I was thinking I was pretty smelly.

"I'm not gonna hold it against you, if you find someone else, Lynn. Until you tell me otherwise, I'm respecting your goals and career. You're new found freedoms, since leaving home... here in Nac. I still would like to have lunch, and dinner on occasion, with you. It's refreshing to have a pretty woman to share a meal."

"Ah. Thank you. So... You and I can still be lovers? You'll keep calling me?"

"Yes... I want to call you. And, I'll be your lover. I don't mind... no... I do mind, but I can accept it. You having lovers, while we continue to see each other. I just ask that you don't ignore me, if the time comes you don't want to see me. I insist you tell me face to face. I'll respect you, if you do."

"You are so much like how Molly described you. You're really too good to be true."

"Molly exaggerates," I groaned, as I stepped to the refrigerator to refresh my glass with tea. "I'm just like any other Texas male. I scratch, burp, and swear like the rest of them."

"That's funny," she chuckled. She stepped toward me and looked at me with her sparkling blues. "Can I stay a little while? I would like to hang out with you. Watch you do your work in the shop. It looks interesting, what you're doing?"

Ten minutes later, I was running scrap copper wire through my machine. Piling the result neatly in the corner, to remove the insulation another time. Five minutes after that, Lynn, wearing safety glasses, and oversized work gloves on her petite hands, was feeding wire to the cutting wheel and groove, and I was stacking the result in the corner. Thirty minutes later, I took a shower and shaved. My dirty clothes in the laundry.

Lynn stayed about ten minutes...

"I really enjoyed being with you. That was interesting how that machine worked, and how you take the insulation and copper to the recycling place in Tyler."

I took a step toward her, and took her hand. "And I enjoyed your company, too, Lynn. You are really, easy on the eyes, after a long day. You're very pretty tonight."

"Ah. Thank you."

With that, she stood on her toes, wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me. Damn, how I missed her kiss.

From the curb in front of my house, I watched Lynn drive away, and around the corner in her Civic. A brand new one.

Amazingly, I slept well.

Chapter 4

I pulled into my driveway.

The turbo on the diesel engine whirring. The lifters clacking.

And...

Lynn.

Standing on my front porch in conversation with my father. Along with Allison. When I exited my truck and rounded the front toward my house, my father smiled at me and held my guitar high in the air. As he always does.

Lynn... hopping up and down on her toes and her beautiful smile. Allison has a nice smile, too. I ascended the five steps to my wood floor porch and Lynn steps into my arms. Giving me a sexy, yet brief kiss. Allison hugs my neck. And my father...

Looking like he'd seen a ghost. I suppose he wasn't expecting the kiss and hug. I had told him, and Mom, that I had guests this evening.

I took the guitar from his hands, tuned it by ear, and watched him do the same with his guitar. As soon as he finished tuning...

I hit that famous, kick off lick from Dueling Guitars. And Dad answered me with the same lick, as I cleared the last note.

I heard Lynn squeak, and Allison gasp, as I hit the second lick of the song. Again, Dad answering me with the follow up lick.

Over the next three minutes, Dad and I "dueled" each other through the song. Smiling and laughing throughout. And knowing he would answer me, I threw in a squawky, off key lick near the end, and he hit the same lick, dead right on, after I cleared the last note. And... He added his own, off key lick... glaring at me to answer him. I nailed it... grinning at him as I played it back to him. Damn, my Dad is good.

The best part... Lynn and Allison were laughing with us. Clapping their hands to the beat and enjoying my interaction with my Dad. I hit the ending lick. Dad answered it, and the both of us hit the two final chords together.

Lynn and Allison squealed and clapped for us.

"Damn, Mark," my Dad began. "You didn't tell me you had pretty coeds coming for supper. You're gonna have to give more details when you invite guests to supper."

"That's funny," Lynn squeaked.

"They saw me play at the Lazy Z. They seemed tame enough to invite for supper," I faux groaned, as I set my guitar in the guitar stand.

"That's funny, too," Lynn squeaked, as she took me into a hug. "You and your dad are great!"

"My Dad is great. I just follow along," I offered, as I winked to my Dad over Lynn's shoulder. "Let's eat. I'm starving."

I had prepared the fajitas and fixins before work this morning. I only had to warm up the meat and get the lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, and pico de gallo onto the table. Mom had the iced tea made and poured into glasses.

Lynn and Allison offered to help. My reply... with dripping sarcasm...

"Sure. Get into the living room, and keep my Dad entertained, and stay out of the kitchen." Lynn's reply...

"That's funny."

Moments later, Mom... in a whisper...

"Since when do you have guests over for supper on our jam nights?"

I turned and looked Mom in the eye... "Since Lynn has gotten my attention. Something that hasn't happen to me, with a girl in some time. She's already told me she wants to take it slow, so her studies don't suffer. Who knows, Mom. It may, very well... not work out. She has other men interested in her, on campus."

"I can see why," Mom offered, as she peered into the living room. "The girl's a looker." Turning back to me... "I hope it works out, the way you want, Mark."

I hugged my Mom. Holding her a little longer than she expected.

"Thanks. Our relationship is tentative, for now. It's possible you may not see her again. Here at least."

After supper, I took a fast shower and shave, and we all gathered on the front porch. Two additional chairs for my guests, seated next to my Mom on the right side of the porch.

A small group had already gathered on my front lawn. I didn't see Molly.

"Your neighbors come to hear you sing?" Lynn asked. Genuine surprise written on her face.

"Yeah," I replied. "They came to my parents' front lawn, when I was a teenager."

"How long have you been playing with your parents?"

"Since I was eight."

"Wow," she whispered.

"Here's two chairs for you and Allison. If you want to sing along, and don't know the lyrics, look them up on your phone. We always need someone to cover our mistakes."

Lynn and Allison giggled as I turned to get my guitar. Dad was tuning and Mom was sitting in her favorite chair she brought from her home. From right to left on the porch... Lynn, Allison, Mom, Dad, and me. As soon as Dad saw I was tuned... he hit the intro licks, and...

Take it Easy... Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey.

I was with him in two notes. He sang...

"Well, I'm running down the road tryin' to loosen my load!"

Damn, my Dad is good.

I quickly noticed Lynn and Allison. Surprise written on their faces. I suppose, because... my Dad's voice, is much better than mine. Even at 70 years old.

All of us... The chorus... "Take it Easy... Take it Easy." Then Dad... "Don't let the sound of your own wheels make you crazy."

When the song was over, my Dad received a standing ovation. From Lynn and Allison, too.

We sang for only about 45 minutes. It was November, and the evenings became dark thirty much sooner, and the chill became uncomfortable. This would likely be the last night we do this on the front porch, until next spring. But, my parents and I, would alternate between our living rooms during the winter months.

We sang a little...

John Denver

Johnny Cash

James Taylor

Brooks & Dunn

George Strait (one of my favorites)

Brad Paisley

Dolly Parton

Linda Ronstadt. Mom can hit those notes well.

A couple of Delta blues songs my Dad learned, as a teenager.

And others.

Mom nodded to me, and I knew this would be the last song. So... I hit the intro licks and my Dad smiled wide. I sang...

"I got sent home from school one day with a shiner on my eye." (Aaron Gayle Barker. Made famous by... George Strait. Love Without End, Amen).

I finished the first verse with... "And he said..."

The first chorus, my Dad... "Let me tell you a secret about a father's love, ..."

By the time my Dad finished the first chorus, Lynn, Allison, and the women in my front lawn, were in tears. As I knew they would be, considering my Dad's voice. I even saw my Mom wipe a tear from her eye. I sang the verses and Dad sang the chorus.

A couple of minutes later, I hit the closing licks and Dad finished the song...

"It's a love without end, amen."

I hit the closing chords, stood from my chair, and my Dad stood with me. I kissed him on the cheek and put my arm around his neck.

"Perfect," I whispered. "As usual. I love you." My Dad looked me in the eye and touched my cheek with his fingers. And...

Nodded... with a smile of love and gratitude.

I turned to find Lynn... nearly out of control in tears. Allison wasn't too far behind.

In choked words... Lynn...

"I've never heard a song sung with such emotion."

Ten minutes later, everyone had gone home, and Lynn finally regained her composure.

When I walked her, and Allison to the car...

"Your family is the most talented I've ever seen. And your Dad and Mom. Wow. Their voices are so beautiful."

"They've had lots of practice. 39 years of practice together."

Lynn and Allison smiled. Then, Allison hugged me and thanked me for the evening. Then... Lynn kissed me on the sidewalk beside her car. A sexy kiss. If it went much longer, my dick would swell against her tummy.

Her arms still around my neck... "Your voice is beautiful, too, Mark."

"Thank you. I... um... Are you free on Saturday afternoon? I thought we could go to a movie, in Tyler."

"Yes," she whispered. "Call me tomorrow for the time."

*****

The movie was good.

About a football player, who struggled to make the pros, as a quarterback, and wasn't recognized for his talent. His long struggle came to an end when he was discovered playing arena league, in Iowa. The young man, with support from his wife and family, lead his team to the Super Bowl and won it in his first season. He now is in the Hall of Fame. A lot of the movie centered on his relationship with a divorced mother of two, and their eventual marriage. It was a good movie. Lynn liked it, too. But, I got the feeling she had already seen it. Hmm.

Before returning to Nac, I stopped by the job I was working on, to show Lynn how I made a living. Pointing out all the new wiring, outlets, switches, and load center I was installing. She seem interested, but I could tell it was over her head. The electricity part. She saw my gooseneck cargo trailer and recognized that.

"That's your trailer you use on the fifth wheel hitch on your truck, isn't it? Can I see inside it?"

Don't know why she wanted to see a big mess inside, but I unlocked it and showed her. She studied it for a moment, or two. And then nodded.

"I don't know what all is in there, but it must be valuable to you, for you to double lock the trailer with that double thick security cable."

"It is. Over here, I have wheel boots locked to the wheels. The old wiring, in there, is valuable. The tools, too. Thieves will take the wiring and sell to the recycler, before I can. When this job is over, I'll take it home and strip the insulation to get a better price for the copper."

Afterward...

I was about to make the turn, back toward campus, to take Lynn to the dorm...

"Can we go to your place, Mark? To spend some time together?"

"Sure."

I sat next to Lynn, after offering her a bottle of water. I had iced tea in my hand. She reached across the table and took my hand.

"Today's my birthday."

She definitely, caught me by surprise...

"Well, happy birthday, Lynn. Had I known, I would've at least gotten you a card."

She smiled at me. Dang... with her sparkling eyes and lips. That wide mouth of hers, is sexy. Her slender neck, feminine. All woman. Her thick blonde hair, pulled back into a tight ponytail.

She took a sip of her water, stood from the chair, gestured to me to scoot my chair back, swung a leg over me, and sat on my lap. Her hands on the sides of my neck, she kissed me. A damn good, sexy kiss. My hands naturally took her waist.

Within seconds, she was moaning into my mouth.

"Mark," she whispered, into my mouth. "I want you." She didn't wait for my reply, before her kiss became slightly more urgent. My dick began swelling, and I'm sure she felt it. She wiggled her hips and tried to get closer to me, as if trying to combine our bodies into one. Her gorgeous tits pressed into my chest.