Love, Sex, & Wanderlust

"And you enjoy it?" I asked.

"I actually do." She met my eyes and smiled.

I raised my glass. "Well, here's to finding joy."

She clinked her glass to my own. "To new adventures."

We drank.

It's the simplest things that can be the most rewarding. Like finding joy from throwing a perfect pass in football, hearing the same joke over and over but for some reason it still brings you to tears, or when you have seen something your entire life and never realized how beautiful it truly was.

She didn't know it, but I could not take my eyes off her at that moment. Her own gaze drifted off into the distance, introducing whatever warm thought that could cause a smile. Time felt like a whisper, gently floating by. A slight breeze drifted in from the open window causing a strand of brown hair to fall from behind her ear. Without a thought, she causally brushed it back. She was at peace, blue eyes sparkling, lips turned in a subtle grin, the tiny hairs on her slender neck suddenly rippled with goosebumps as she suppressed a small shiver.

Dani's eyes traveled back to mine as I leaned back into the corner of the sofa with my arm stretched across the top. She reached out and squeezed my hand.

"Thank you so much for coming with me," she said. "Not just the trip, but always being there, and always flying out to meet me wherever I am. I know I don't say it enough but it really means a lot to me."

"You're welcome, Dani," I said. "You're my sister. We're family, it's what we do."

She let go of my hand.

"I know, and you say that and it makes sense, but you've been there for me a whole hell of a lot more than I've been there for you." She squeezed into her own corner, tucking her legs under. "I mean you've helped me over the rough nights of bad decisions and shitty breakups, and... and..."

"I haven't really had many for you to help with, I guess," I admitted. In retrospect, kinda made me sad to say it out loud.

She rolled her eyes. "That's such bullshit."

"It's true. I don't really have any time for much with work and all."

"But when you were in college-"

"In college, I spent most of my time studying or working part-time." I laughed. "I guess I haven't really reached out for help because I don't have much going on that required it."

"Yeah but now-"

"I don't really have the time, Dani." I was getting frustrated and failing to hide it. "I'm at work most days by five, spend most of the time running around the city inspecting attics or foundation and crawling into God knows what, then I'm in the office filling out the reports for my gigs and lining up work for the rest of the team until seven. Then have to figure out dinner which most of the time ends up being take-out on the way home which still has me fighting traffic, and then crashing on the couch because I'm too sore to make it to my bed. Then what do I do the next day? Same as the day before"

It wasn't until the silence that I realized how loud I was getting. I shrank a little letting the quiet sit back in.

Dani just stared at me over the rim of her glass as she took a deep, long sip.

"Richie," she said "You really need to reset your priorities."

Oh, that hurt. "What?... I..."

"Man, no wonder it takes you so long to wind down and loosen up."

"I'm plenty loosened up. They just ask a lot of me and no one else..."

"No one else works as hard as you? No one else is pulling their weight? You mean to tell me that you are the only one who can do the things you do?"

"No, I'm just the only one that does it right."

She stared at me again letting my statement hang in the air.

"Richard, do you ever wonder if you may be spending so much time looking for issues elsewhere that you aren't addressing the ones in your own life?"

If the couch could swallow me now, I would let it.

I took a deep breath. "Look, Dani, I know things aren't the way I want them to be right now. But I got a job and I'm making a name for myself and if I keep at it, I mean..." try as I might, I couldn't complete the sentence as it dawned on me I didn't know where it would go.

Dani spoke.

"Do you like what you do?"

"I'm good at it."

The wind blowing through the window suddenly informed me how heated I had become.

"I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm so defensive about it."

She smiled and looked at me. "You're fine. I'm your sister," she said with a whimsical shrug. "It's my job to rile you up."

I laughed "Thanks?"

"Just know, I think you are more than your job."

She smiled again and drained her glass before standing up.

"Come on," she said. "I want to show you something."

The air outside was cool, almost cold, but fresh. The moon had already fallen as we walked beneath a canopy of stars brighter than I'd ever seen it. This couldn't possibly be the same sky that I've seen all my life. But of course it was, just without the city's lights bleeding into the night. Dani sensed my awe and walked on, leading me to the red barn.

With a loud grumble and grown, Dani slid open the door to the barn and flipped a switch hidden on the side. Amber light filled the room showing much of what you'd expect to see; bales of hay, pitchforks, rakes, shovels, barrels, etc...

Yet in the back was a workbench, complete with wrenches and hammers and mason jars holding varying sizes of nuts and bolts and whatever. An engine hoist earned its name holding an engine in mid-air with thick chains. A single lightbulb hung down from the rafters shedding light on the tiny motes of dust that danced in the air. Beneath it was the unmistakable silhouette of a pickup, hidden beneath a tan cloth.

I knew that outline.

"Holy shit," I breathed as I found myself walking toward the back, drawn to this shrouded vehicle.

Reaching down, I grasped the side of the covering, then looked back to Danielle. She nodded, granting permission.

I peeled back the cloth revealing a familiar cobalt blue bumper. It was! I pulled it free completely and confirmed my hopes. There before me was a perfect 1956 Chevy Cameo.

Dani spoke, suddenly beside me.

"When I said I had a special project, this was it," she said. "I wanted to see if I could track down a Cameo. Specifically a 1956 Cameo that spent time in Dayton twelve years ago."

"Mom was a major help. She was able to find a copy of the correspondence with the person Dad sold it to back in '94. It was some guy up in Akron who was a franchise owner of a bunch of restaurants. And without boring you with the details, it turns out it changed hands a couple times in a couple years until it was traded to a farmer somewhere in North Carolina. Someone who just wanted to surprise his wife with a gift of endless country drives."

I reached the driver's side door and grasped the handle, feeling that long-missed mechanical connection as the weight of the door opened. With a step, I climbed in and sat behind the wheel. The passenger door opened and Dani stepped inside.

A lifetime of memories washed back over me.

Gripping the steering wheel, I turned back to Danielle. "This isn't just a Cameo... this is Daisy?"

My sister shrugged, then looked at the dashboard. There, painted with enough detail to appear factory-made, was the flower left by our mother years before.

"Holy shit!" I said. "You found Daisy!"

Dani started laughing. "Surprise!"

"Holy shit!"

"And that, dear brother, is why we are here," she said.

"What do you mean?"

Dani wiped away a tear. "Hank took great care of her for the short time he had it, but his work is unfinished. I know you and Dad used to work on it all the time, so I thought that maybe you could help me get her back up and running?"

"Oh my god, yes! Absolutely!"

"Awesome!" she replied. "And, if we can get her running, maybe, if you want, you can help me drive her home."

"Seriously?" I asked, nearly at a loss for words.

Dani nodded.

"Where's home?" I asked, half joking.

"Just west.... California."

"California?!"

She nodded.

"The state?!"

She nodded.

"Dani that is basically across the whole country."

Dani reached out, tugging at my sleeve.

"I know, I know. It's a lot. Trust me, I know. But it'll be fun! A family road trip and we will get to see the whole country instead of just a small chunk."

"Dani-"

"We will have a great time! I promise. We can do trivia, we can sight-see, you name it. I even have the course plotted out for us and it should take about six, maybe seven days, depending on our speed."

There is no denying it, this sounded incredible.

"But what about my flight back?"

"You will still be able to make it," she said, though sheepishly.

"... care to tell me how? It's already booked... isn't it."

"It is... from San Francisco."

That conniving little...

"You conniving little..."

"Please don't be mad! Please! That part wasn't my idea. It was Mom's."

"Mom's in on this?!"

"Kinda, sorta, but not completely. You know she loved riding in that truck just as much as Dad loved to drive it, if not more so. When I told her I found Daisy, she was blown away! She had a heart-to-heart conversation with Barbara about it a month ago and here we are."

The plot thickens.

"What about Dad?"

Dani shook her head. "He has no idea and Mom wants to keep it that way. She wants to give it to Dad as an early anniversary present."

"And Barb's okay with this?"

Dani shrugged. "They worked something out. If I'm being honest with you, I think she would have given it to me if I asked, but I never could do that to her."

She reached out and squeezed my hand.

"Look, I know road trips suck. And I know I'm springing this on you last minute, which can make you look like the bad guy, but please know I was sworn to secrecy. You know how Mom can be sometimes."

She squeezed again, then let go.

"Tell you what; think about it for now. We still have to make her sea-worthy before this ship can sail. Would you be able to at least help with that?"

I looked over at her, my dear sister. Of course I would do it.

With a heavy sigh, perhaps more for show, I said "I'll do it."

"You will?!"

Begrudgingly, I nodded. "Yup."

"Thank you!" she leaped toward me, practically pinning me to the door in her hug. Then, just as suddenly, she pulled back. "Wait, just so I'm not jumping to conclusions; are you agreeing to the drive too, or just the fixing it up part?"

"Both," I said.

Rarely have I seen her with a more pure of heart smile. She dove back into her hug, pressing her head to my chest. With little thought, I returned the gesture, left hand resting on her back while the right landed on her side, right on that space where her shirt pulled up just enough to leave the smooth of her skin bare.

It wasn't intended to be intimate, perhaps that's why she allowed it to linger, or maybe that's why she squeezed just a little tighter. Maybe for her, it was an innocent hug showing appreciation to a loved one, but for me, it was a reminder of the feel of a woman melting across my body. It had been too long. My lines were blurring and try all I could, my hormones were refusing to acknowledge a difference between kin and conquest. And the results were starting to rise.

"Thank you," she said again into my chest. "And I was just giving you shit earlier." I could feel each breath she took. "You smell fine."

She shifted for a moment, then pulled away.

"I'll see you in the morning. Bright and early." She started to climb out of the cab. "You coming?"

"In a moment," I told her. I needed to calm down in more ways than one.

She yawned "Don't stay up too late. Tomorrow we get this kitty to purr once more." She patted the hood and shut the door.

"G'night Dickhead," she said as she walked out.

"Goodnight," I replied, watching her shape as she went.

Shit, I was in trouble.

I slept hard. Like, check my pulse hard. I half expected to rise with a crowing rooster but was only slightly disappointed to find that wasn't the case. Instead, it was the fresh smell of bacon and coffee and the sound of birds chirping outside. Damn, this was nice.

Stumbling out of bed and throwing on jeans and a shirt, I found my way downstairs, following my nose to the kitchen where a plate of eggs, bacon, toast, and fried tomatoes was already waiting for me. A barely steaming cup of coffee sat beside it with a note.

"Mornin'

Barb's out doing farm stuff.

I'm doing yoga.

Eat up and I'll meet you in the barn.

D"

Oh, I went to town on those eggs and downed the coffee just as quickly. With a second cup poured, I made my way outside.

The sun was shining through the trees onto the green grass and what I can now see as a cornfield stretching out behind the barn. Chickens were strutting along here and there, pecking at insects and seeds. Birds were chirping, the wind blowing, and way far off one could just barely make out the sound of a tractor rumbling away doing whatever it is they do.

Taking a sip of my coffee, I spotted Winston, stretched out and resting on the porch next to me.

"Morning pooch," I said to him. He raised his head, then lowered it again with a heavy huff. Oh, the life of a dog.

Just then, I noticed a small splash of color beneath a tree about a couple dozen yards away. Dani was stretching in a very tight, pink tank top and equally right black leggings. Her hair was tied up in a loose bun keeping her shoulders and neck bare. Little of her form was left to the imagination.

Taking a moment to ruffle the dog's fur, I began to make my way to Dani.

So serene and centered. Here I found my dear sister balancing on one leg while her hands pressed together as if praying. She was facing away from me but casually looked over her shoulder having somehow heard my approach.

"Aren't you up early," she said before taking a deep breath now with greater posture than I've ever seen her hold. Seriously, how is she not falling over?

"Guess I was just too excited to get a start on the day," I responded. "This new?"

"What?" She turned slightly yet her body stepped forward like she was frozen mid-stride, pointing her arms straight up. "Yoga?"

I took a sip. "Yeah."

"Not really." She leaned forward and rotated her torso, keeping her feet firmly planted while one hand touched her forward calve and the other stretched to the heavens. My god, it was a sight.

"I started about ten months ago for my column. It's kinda about... health. Enough people recommended this so I gave it a go and kinda like it. Great for a morning workout." She switched sides, now facing me as she stretched and blew a stray strand of hair out of her face.

"... Kinda weird if you just stand there and watch," she said.

"Sorry," I replied but didn't bat an eye. "I'm just having a hard time understanding how this is a workout. This is just the stretching you do before it, right?"

"Smart ass. You know very well what this is."

I shrugged. "Well, I have heard, but never seen. Doesn't seem like much."

This time it was her eyebrow that raised. "Oh really? That why you over there being all pervy?"

Feigning shock. "What?" I said "Me? Pervy?! How dare you?!"

She then straightened back up pointing her fingers to the air once more.

"Oh, I dare, alright!" I could sense the jest in her. "You just wish you had a girlfriend who could do what I do."

"Yeah right." I laughed. It was true, but I'm not telling her that.

"But you'd only date good girls, knowing you," she said as she wiggled her hips finding a new center.

Her eyes narrowed as a look of mischief danced in her smile.

"Hey Dickhead," she said as she stood up straight, legs together. "You know the difference between good girls and bad girls?"

"What's that?"

She shrugged. "Oh, not much. Just good girls bend at the knees. Bad girls..." She locked eyes on me "Bend at the waist."

And with that, she leaned down, legs straight, and went into the only pose I knew; Downward Dog. She was like a small pyramid with her hands and feet on the ground but her back, arms, and legs straight. She knew I had an unobstructed view of her ass, firmly squeezed into those yoga pants, and she did nothing to hide it. Such a boss move.

"Jeez, alright, you win. Well played, Dani." I said as I turned to head back to the house. "I'll see you in the barn."

All I could hear was a sing-song reply of "Love you Big Bro!" from her direction as I retreated, knowing she was still holding that pose with her perfect ass in the air.

It took us the better part of a week to make that truck sing. Each day we'd get up at dawn and have an amazing breakfast, followed immediately by Danielle getting in her morning workout. I myself would go for a walk around the property with Winston trotting at my side as I marveled at the beauty of the country slowly waking.

By mid-morning, we'd get to work on the truck. Hours and hours of grease, sweat, and dirt would pass while Dani and myself labored inside and under Daisy; lubing, tightening, turning, cranking, and a whole lot of swearing (mainly from me). At times we'd have to make a trip into town for various parts, then again when we found it was the wrong one. The days were long, but man, this was a work I truly loved.

Each night when the light began to fade, we'd retreat to the house to clean ourselves up. Barb, like a magician, had dinner ready each and every night by the time we were both freshly showered.

We would feast, drink, and reminisce about days past, then retire to the living room to continue the merriment. Dani was an endless trove of joyful randomness, while Barb would tell of her own adventures with Hank as they traveled across the US by motorbike before freeways were established. Having not much to add, I would take it all in, listening to tales of other lives while trying to convince Winston that he was not in fact a lapdog as he tried to curl up with me on the couch. It was a battle that I always lost.

As the evening would draw on, eventually Barb would bid us goodnight and leave Dani and me to our devices. It's funny to think about but every night, after our host left, we would move closer to each other and lower our voices as if we had a plot we were concocting, or something worthy of utmost secrecy. Those secrets worthy of such actions were actually not far away, but for now, there was something else in the air. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was the day of hard labor, or maybe it was that feeling that even though we spent the day side-by-side, it wasn't until now that we were actually together. Each of us basking in the warmth of drink, relaxation, safe space, and good company.

Eventually, I could fight off sleep no more and would head back to my room, leaving my sister to the night. And each time, as I ascended the stairs, I could already hear the clicking and clacking of her typing away on her laptop writing God knows what.

Dani, she really was incredible. I felt honored that she had so much faith in me to be able to restore Daisy to all her glory, but if I'm being honest, I would not have been able to do any of it without her. She was like a perfect partner, willing and able. If I was about to ask for a tool, she'd already be handing it. When unable to squeeze into a space, she'd volunteer before being asked. Chances are too that we'd have been wrapped sooner if it wasn't for me. For you see, she wasn't just my greatest aide, she was also my greatest distraction.

At the start of the first day, she had a tight denim button-up and her hair tied in a handkerchief looking like a modern-day Rosy the Riveter; ready to tackle any challenge. At times this wasn't an issue at all until she moved and the fabric hugged her in just the right way to remind one that a feminine figure was beneath. I knew then I'd never be able to look at those Rosy posters the same way. Yet that wasn't even the worst of it. It was her banter that nearly did me in.