Showing That You Mean It

"Does Pennsylvania have frozen wastes?" Jane asked.

"They fucking do in winter if you're on a trike with only a cop winter windshield and leg guards to hide behind," Max grumbled, "What's up?"

"Bobbi's not gonna be in and she usually gives Su-jin a ride. I was wondering if -"

"Got it covered, Boss," Max smiled as a naked Su-jin walked past her and stopped on the way from her shower to blow Max a kiss before she got to work tying her hair into a long pony tail - and it was going to require the use of about six ties at least.

"Can I ask you guys for a huge favor?" Jane smiled, "I need to exploit you for your Servi-car today. Could you stop and -"

"A coffee run, right?" Max sighed, "Donuts too?"

Jane's voice turned a little plaintive, "Yeah. Pleeeease?"

Max was shaking her head, though only Su-jin could see it, "Don't you think it's a little cheap to try to buy everybody's good will in the morning with coffee and donuts? You have absolutely no shame at all, do you?"

Jane chuckled, "Not if it gets me what I want and it's always worked so far. So willya do it?"

Su-jin stood bent over, looking in her wallet while Max sat happily stunned, "Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh."

The spell was broken when Su-jin stood up and held out a pair of twenties.

"Max?" Jane called, "You ok?"

Max took the bills with a sigh, "Never better, Chief. Consider it done."

"So did you end up on her couch?" Jane probed.

"A gentleman never speaks of things such as this," Max said dryly, "It is not correct."

Jane groaned, "Last time I looked, Max Honey, you weren't exactly -"

Su-jin was smiling into her mirror back at Max, easily close enough to hear both sides of the conversation in the quiet room. She nodded.

"I stayed with Su-jin," Max repeated, "We don't know much about what's gonna happen, but she's asked me to stay with her and it saved me from begging her shamelessly, for which I am very grateful,"

She winked at Su-jin. "I remain at your service."

She chuckled as Su-jin began to laugh softly, "Once in a while, she's willing to allow it if you have need of me or if I need your help - which is much more likely."

Jane was silent for a moment, "Please tell Su-jin that I owe her. Please tell her that she's wonderful."

Su-jin finished up her pony tail and looked back, "Jane, you owe me nothing, just be my friend." She laughed a little, "Forget about Max. She tell me I am wonderful all the time."

---------------

Max took the last tray of take-out coffees very carefully from Su-jin and set it down inside the Harley's trunk with the others. She was wearing her coveralls, standing on the back bumper and the motion caused her to be bent nearly double as she moved a small tarpaulin to act as a cushion so that the cups all remained upright in a turn.

Back in the shop and in cars and pickup trucks lined up in the drive-through lane, men sat a little spellbound with their jaws in their laps, some with their tongues there as well.

"If I have to be here to get looked at," Su-jin grumbled quietly, "it is another thing that I can love about these suits."

Max straightened up and got down to close the lid, "It doesn't really matter. Some guys have imaginations powerful enough to come very close to being X-Ray vision. They're just built that way and they can't help it. Doesn't mean anything bad, it's more like a curse they can't help. It gets in the way.

She smiled, "You want to see widespread carnage? You just kiss me right here in front of them - and I am kidding."

Su-jin chuckled from the image in her head, and then she smiled widely.

"Here comes Kwang-jo! He is a new friend of mine. I thought of mentioning him to you last night, but I forgot completely. Please forgive me, but I want to use him for a moment. Maybe break some hearts."

Su-jin stepped forward a little to meet Kwang-jo as he came up to them and she took his hands in hers, "Please, would it be improper to hug you, Kwang-jo?"

He smiled, "Not if it is not excessi-"

Su-jin threw her arms around his neck and got to her toes to hug him. "Thank you for our talk last night," she whispered, "You really helped me. You are helping me feel better right now. I felt like I am standing on a stage in front of so many men. The women who come here drive through for what they want. My friend Max has her machine here, but ... too much work to put everything inside the back."

She let go and stepped back a little, "Kwang-jo Kim, this is Maxine Klein. She works with me and she will room with me too. Max, this is Kwang-jo, he is -"

Max chuckled as she held out her hand, "Yeah, he is.

Good to meet you, Kwang-jo," she grinned.

As they drove off five minutes later, they had to wait for a light. Max turned her head back a little, "Well Holy Mother of Toilet Seat, Su-jin. Where did you find him? You're amazing. For a girl who doesn't often think of them, you sure have great taste in men."

She held out her left hand and shook it a little, as though she'd burned her fingers.

Su-jin shrugged, but she was smiling, "I met him on Wednesday, over at Jodi's. We talked and he likes Tyler. He just offered his friendship to me because he was happy to meet someone that he could speak Korean with. He lets me talk to him when I worry about adopting Tyler. I think he is a good man. He knows about me and it is alright. I thought, why can I not have a friend like him?"

Max laughed a little, "Please have a friend like him. Shit, I'd give a lot to see you two next to each other in clothes and not overalls. Do you know what he is? Like his job?"

"He said he is tactical response," Su-jin said, "Sounds mysterious to me. I know that he was in the Special Forces in Korea. His brigade deals with reconnaissance a lot of the time, I think. Lots of quiet sneaking around, but I am not sure of these things."

"He's a SWAT cop, here" Max said, "He probably won't ever get fat in his job, and I doubt that he spends much time handing out traffic tickets. I think I can see why you like him. He's just ... I think he's a great guy. I only met him and it was two minutes, but that's what I got from him."

Su-jin had a thought, "You may see him a lot, I think. I feel the same things from him as I do from you. I feel good to be near friends like you and him. It is something that I like very much. I have not had close friends in a long time. Here, I find so many good people.

Before I forget again, ask me tonight for a story. I have a good one for you." Max nodded as the light turned green and they moved on.

---------------

Max and Su-jin were just getting their helmets off in the parking lot when they heard Jane coming from a long way off and they just waited for her. As she got closer they looked and saw that Jane had a passenger. Max opened the trunk of her Servi-Car and carefully began to lift out trays of coffee.

Susan climbed off as soon as Jane stopped and nodded back that it was safe.

"I'm gonna do the morning meeting thing and Su-jin, if it's possible - since I don't know your agenda, could we all meet in your office right afterward? Us four here?

And by the way, this is Susan Horseman, Su-jin. She's my oldest and dearest friend in the world. She's visiting here today, but she'll be starting with us next Monday. Suzi, please meet Su-jin Kim, our lady of the financial crystal ball."

Su-jin thought for a moment and then she nodded, "Sure Jane." She stepped over and held out her hand, "My name is Su-jin, but if it gives you trouble, please call me Amy instead. I'm happy to meet you, Susan."

Susan smiled, "Thank you, Su-jin. Good to meet you too."

"Actually," Su-jin grinned, "If you don't have to be in the meeting, why not stay with me? I have lots of chairs upstairs. People think that bookkeepers always need to be sitting, so I have big chair budget."

She held up a finger, "More importantly, I have a coffee machine that Bobbi and I share. So when these are finished," she indicated the ones in the trays that they both now held," we can stay awake by having another one."

------------------

Jane looked out at everybody in the shop.

They looked back at her.

She grinned a little helplessly and they laughed.

She waited for a moment and then she smiled and lifted her hand, "Hey, it's Friday.

I'm busting to say - what could go wrong now? But I won't because I've just gotten over having my butt burned off from the last time that I said it. Let's just be pleased that we got here.

Our fearless leader Bobbi won't be in today, since she had to leave for LAX to deliver a shipment there and I know that she probably won't get back here until the wee hours tomorrow due to other pickups and deliveries.

I've handed out your assignments for today as I know them.

Note the last four words there."

She smiled, "But - I'm Jane, so that means that some of them might be wrong. So if you disagree because you were already on something else and I missed it, please let me know, ok? I don't want to dump a lot of confusion on people who already know what they're doing but I do want to know if there's a problem beforehand.

Anybody see a problem on their sheet?"

Nobody said anything and Jane let her hand with her list drop down as she grinned, "C'mon, I got it right? That's never happened before."

"Whoa," one man said as he looked at his sheet. He stepped over to another man and after looking at the second man's sheet together; they exchanged sheets and looked at Jane with nods.

She laughed, "You guys are awesome!"

Jimmy Weisskopf put up his hand, "Janey? Hey, who do I get on the line today? I heard that I'm gonna lose Max there for a while."

Jane nodded, "Bobbi told me that she's pretty sure that she's got the funds in the bag for the new project, but as far as I'm aware, that hasn't happened yet officially. So today, it's still gonna be Mighty Max. Could be that way on Monday too, I dunno yet."

One of the men laughed quietly, "Mighty Max?"

The guy next to him nudged a little, "Who do you think brought all of those donuts and coffees over there on the bench?"

The first one grinned, "Right. Mighty Max."

He sighed loudly, "My hero."

"Oh!" Jane exclaimed quietly.

She half-turned to Max so that Jimmy could listen in, "I almost forgot. Sometime, midmorning or so as far as I know, Patterson will come to check out the Norseman's engine. He's our engine guy and he works for Tempest Av Engines. We don't know at all, but we think that after all this time, the one up there is more than likely pooched.

He'll just be here to look under the cowling and take down some data, maybe give us an idea about if he's got an engine like that or if we'll have to rebuild the one in it. So you'll need to be available if and when he does show to take him up to the shed and show him to the old bird. I'll call down to Jimmy if I know he's here.

In the meantime," she smiled to everyone, "Mighty Ms. Maxine was kind enough to agree to my request, so she and Amy brought in coffee and donuts for you all via Harley-Davidson Servi-car express hot delivery.

No spilling on the shop drawings and no fights over the donuts. Enjoy, ok?

Just make them disappear and try to slurp cautiously since this is a work environment and there's no checkbox that I'm aware of on the accident report form for that kind of injury. The liquid burns one is too vague.

Have a great day and I'll be wandering around anyway if anybody needs me."

----------------

Tyler loved being in his playpen in Su-jin's office too. She shrugged when Max stopped by, "He acts like it is HIS office," Su-jin chuckled, "When anybody comes, he stands up and wants to see them. So good boy."

Suzi was smitten at her first look at Tyler back at the house. Now, he had a lock on her heart too, "Awww, he's adorable!"

For his part, Tyler stood in his playpen, sucking on his bottle like it was a ten dollar cigar. He considered Suzi in a managerial way it seemed, and then he reached for her.

Suzi picked him up and hugged him, so he began to talk to her, but none of the phrases that he knew really covered "I like you" really properly, but he didn't much care.

Jane was passing through the office at the time and she just chuckled, "Another conquest. That kid can snag a woman's heart from forty feet. I can't wait for him to hit his teenage years. Better get ready, Su-jin, it's probably gonna be a little ugly, all the girls trying to get his attention at school."

Max had a different game plan, however.

She took Tyler out of his playpen and sat him down on the carpet with her. While he looked at her, she found a couple of his toy trucks and set them down between them. She lay down completely, right at his level and then she started pushing one truck around, doing the sound effects as she went.

Tyler was delighted! He was right with her and they had a blast together while Su-jin gave up all hope of getting anything done anymore and watched them with tears of laughter in her eyes.

"How did you know that he would want to play like that?" She asked Max, who was trying her hand at changing him afterward.

Max shrugged, "We've got some things in common, that's all."

Suzi was fascinated as she watched Tyler go when he was set down again. He walked over to his toys and began to zoom them around. She looked at Max and asked, "Such as?"

Max shrugged, "I don't know what I want to be when I grow up either."

Jane's phone went off and she keyed the mike button, "Yeah Jimmy."

"Patterson's here. Can you get Max to come down or what should I do?"

Max was already walking toward the glass door then, but she recoiled and came back. Jane saw the look and keyed her mike, "Wait one."

Jimmy double-clicked to acknowledge and he waited.

"What's the matter?"

Max groaned, "Bobbi sent me into town on an errand on Tuesday. I was stopped at a light and that guy there was beside me. He was screwing with his tape player or something and out of nowhere this Led Zeppelin song started blasting out at top volume about juice running down somebody's leg.

I heard it and I thought it was funny. There was nobody around, so when he looked at me, I just smiled and blew him a kiss after mouthing the words to him. Then I left.

The next light, he got the tape thing working again but it was still the same song, so I sang along about falling out of bed while he was staring at me and we laughed about it.

Then I buggered off and forgot about the whole thing. I didn't know who he was, but now he's here!"

She looked down, "But this is for Bobbi, so I gotta go, I guess."

Su-jin was up and walking over, "I have to see this man who makes you do these things. Might be fun or something."

Max pointed and Su-jin nodded, "He's cute!

Ok, you do your thing. I'm good." She said as she walked back to her desk.

Jane and Suzi began to laugh and even Max smiled over it.

Max was still smiling, "Do my thing?"

Su-jin hadn't gotten around her desk by then but she just threw up her arms and danced a little because she felt a lot better now over getting Tyler, "Do what ya wanna do."

"I'd rather stay and watch more of that," Max chuckled.

"Ok," she sighed, thinking about having to meet Patterson, "the Ice Princess Cometh," and she walked to the door thinking of maintaining her distance.

Jane keyed her mike," Max is gonna meet Patterson at the farm, Jimmy. Tell him that I'm coming down and I'll lead him there before I head out to grab a few things for Su-jin."

"'Kay.'" Jimmy replied.

Jane looked over at Max, "I can stick around a little if you want once we all get there.

Bobbi and I always try to spend a little time with Patterson whenever he comes. He always looks so lonely, and we just like him. Once you get past his shyness and draw him out a little, he's a nice guy.

We don't know it of course, but we always get the thought that being with us always makes his day. I've seen him when he gets here and he's all looking down and even sad. But when he leaves if we fuss over him a little bit, he's almost springing with every step. I've never figured out why he's like that, but if it is because he's lonely, it's just wrong to me.

And you'd better believe that he knows his business. If he was any better at his job, you wouldn't even have to help him get the cowling off. He could just tell you everything from about ten feet away."

Max looked at Suzi, "Can I borrow Jane for about twenty minutes?"

Suzi was sitting with Tyler and she nodded, "Sure, Max."

Jane keyed her phone and told Jimmy that she'd be down to lead him to where the old plane was.

--------------------

Patterson was standing near the open door to wait for Jane when he thought that he heard the Harley start and looking back though the doorway, he saw the mystery man as he backed it out of the parking spot.

Without a look back, the trike rolled off.

Patterson sighed just before Jane walked up with the smile that he always got from her and he felt a little better then. At least he knew that his guesses over the past few days had been correct.

He wanted to shake his head. Fat lot of good his guesses would do. He was stuck very firmly in his closet and he knew it.

---------------------

"It's right up there in that big shed, Patterson," Jane pointed, "I'll meet you up there in a minute. I live just over there and I'm just gonna check my messages to see if there's anything from Bobbi."

He nodded and turned toward the old rutted path. He saw the old trike there as he'd pulled in and he wondered now, but he was here to do something, so he thought that he could wonder later on his own time.

--------------

Jane met Max as she came out of the door to Su-jin's place, "Where did you disappear to?"

Max shrugged, "Had to pee when I got here. All that coffee, y'know?"

Jane nodded, but she also knew that Max was usually nervous about being near men that she didn't know at all - which probably covered most of the male surface population, anyway. She understood.

"You ok now?"

"Yeah," Max sighed, "I just want to get the feeling stupid part over with."

------------------

Patterson was walking up the hill toward the shed and Max and Jane were behind him. He hadn't noticed them yet.

Jane called out, "Hey Patterson, wait up!"

He stopped and turned around. Max looked down at her feet as she walked.

Since Tuesday, Paterson had three days to wonder every so often who that person on the Harley was. He wasn't one of those fools who obsessed over a lot of things, but with a social schedule as ... absolutely empty as his was, he had time to think. Even if he didn't want to.

He recalled seeing the coveralls and by Thursday morning, he'd gotten past the leather jacket and wondered if there was a large logo across the back of those coveralls. It had come to him when he was at the bank behind a Quicksilver's employee who wore his coverall into town.

As he'd pulled into the lot today, he'd looked around and - there it was - the silver-gray Harley trike.

Now he was looking at Jane walking toward him and he liked that. But now he was looking at the figure walking next to Jane. He saw the coveralls, but then everybody wore them back at the hangar. He noticed the brown hair too and the overall build.

With all of the cold, calculating thought processes that the human penis can bring to bear on anything, Patterson felt the twitch and sighed inwardly.

Not now.

Please not ... not now.

But as they approached, he got the message over the internal intercom.

'Yup. Now. Deal with it, Jocko. We're going to action stations with or without you.'

Patterson held his red metal toolbox in front of himself, like it was a lunchbox and he was waiting for the bus.

Jane gave no sign that she'd seen anything, but as he watched, Patterson saw those sea-green eyes come up and look at him.