Sometimes the Good Guy Wins Ch. 03

*** I'm sure there are those in the world who are the kind of thinkers who leave open the possibility that something out of the normal can occur. In this chapter, normal gets a twist. There is also sex in this chapter. For people who have always behaved in a vanilla world the sex in this chapter may be too far out there for you to enjoy reading about. Please keep in mind that I don't advocate you engage in these acts (multiple partners, anal, oral sex, incest between adults) but they are a part of the story line.***

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I backed the trailer to the dock in L.A. and took LeeAnn with me to the office. Just before we met anyone she whispered, "Remember, I'm Sammi."

"And, we're here for business."

Inside the office we were met by an older woman sitting behind an old roll-top wooden desk. Her half glasses were magically hanging at the end of her nose and wisps of gray hair were framing her face. She glanced at me and smiled big at Sammi.

"Well, it's about damn time!" She said. A wide smile crossed her face. "Is this your new driving partner?"

"Yup. Danni meet Sammi. Sammi, Danni." As I spoke her chair rolled a couple feet and she stood up. She was about six foot tall and close to two hundred pounds wearing jeans she probably bought when Sammi and I were in high school, a sweatshirt with the worn letters UCLA on the front and she was barefoot. I got passed and she wrapped Sammi in her arms and lifted her off the floor. She kissed Sammi on the cheek and put her back on the floor.

"Good girl, I been prayin for you to show up for years!" She turned, faced me and said, "Congratulations! You decided to live." Then I got a kiss on the cheek. She sat back down and slid back behind her desk, picking up papers as she did.

We stood still and watched. After a minute of shuffling papers she said, "I'm changing your load. I'll give the load for Portland to Mike. It's eleven-hundred miles. You get the rounder to Portland Maine." She handed me the papers. As I looked them over she used the mike to announce the load for my truck. I glanced out the window of her office and saw the dock crew gathering pallets of boxes and beginning to load us.

I asked, "Danni, could you possibly have time to introduce Sammi to paperwork? This is her first load and I can't think of a better teacher."

She smiled and said, "Get out! Go out on the dock and make sure those apes of mine get you properly loaded and tied down. Sammi and I will be sisters in about an hour. Maybe I'll let you take her with you when you go. Maybe." She laughed and drew a chair up next to hers as I waved and went out onto the dock.

The load was mostly machined parts shipped from Shanghai to L.A. and now on to Portland before becoming something stamped "Made in America." Danni's apes did a good job while ribbing me about "haulin around a skinny girl." I just smiled.

When Sammi came out of the office she carried a notebook and a box. The apes closed my trailer and banded it. We got in the truck and Sammi said, "Take a left out of the gate and go half a mile. Danni said that's the best place around to eat."

I drove. I parked our rig in a huge lot and we walked fifty yards to a place with the fancy name of, "The Fish Market." Lunch was huge, cheap, fresh and outdoors.

"If I eat like this every day I'll gain too much weight!" Sammi protested.

"Then don't eat like this every day. On the road we eat lots of salads and protein: fish, baked chicken, steak. In L.A. and a few other places, we splurge. Danni knows I love this place. She knows we won't put this load on the road until just before dawn tomorrow. If she wants to have dinner with us she already knows where we'll be."

"And she probably knows what you'll order."

"And what we'll each have for breakfast and lunch tomorrow!"

Friends dropped by our table to say hello and be introduced to Sammi. Some stood a few feet away and said "hello". Some shook her hand and three stood her up and hugged her. All treated her with respect and a little awe. Usually my lunches took half an hour to maybe and hour and I was back in the cab. That lunch took three hours.

When we got into the truck Sammi said, "They love you and they loved..."

"Yeah. She was easy to love." Twenty minutes later I found a nice spot to park in front of a Catholic Church across the street from my favorite Mexican restaurant on the planet, El Tepeyac. I went through our tiny fridge and cleared an entire shelf. Sammi watched.

"After we eat our fill we'll bring what's left here. We can have some for breakfast tomorrow and for lunch."

"What are we getting?"

"One burrito. You can choose pork, beef or chicken. I'll also get us a side of guacamole."

"You're drooling." She giggled.

"It's that good! There's only one thing I know of that even comes close to tasting that good."

"And where is that served?"

"Hopefully, right behind us, a little later tonight." Sammi blushed and opened the door of the cab. A priest was standing on the sidewalk waiting for her.

"Senora, please. Do you plan to be here long?"

"Are we in the way?" Sammi asked.

"Not now, but soon. It's four o'clock and at five o'clock we have a funeral scheduled. It would be good to be able to park the limos." He waved an arm showing where he wanted the limos to park. It was where we were parked.

I stayed just out of sight. I wondered if Sammi would handle it or call me. She said, "Father, We'll get our food and find another place to park. We can eat in the truck."

"Bless you. Thank you." He turned to go. Sammi turned and saw me standing in front of the truck. She said, "Was that a test?"

"No, and if it had been, you passed. Let's get our burrito and be gone." I put my hand on her back and guided her across the street. A tiny old man stood on the curb watching us approach. I knew it was Manuel, the owner and that he was at least eighty years old. He said, "Mr. Nick! I thought that looked like your truck. Chicken, beef or pork?"

"Manuel, this is my new driving partner, Sammi. Sammi this is Manuel. This is his restaurant."

He kissed her hand and winked at her. He said, "When you leave here, go to Las Vegas and marry her. If you don't, may I propose?"

"Manuel, you're married!" I jousted with him.

"She is old! I need young and beautiful!"

Sammi hugged him and said, "If he doesn't marry me, I'll be back for you."

"Pork, beef or chicken?" He asked again.

Sammi answered, "Chicken, this time and please not too spicy. Oh, and a side of guacamole please."

He bent his head and asked, "You have diet Cokes in the truck?" We both nodded.

A young woman came to us carrying a cardboard box that originally carried a case of soft drinks. It was heavy and covered in aluminum foil. She handed the box to Sammi.

Manuel said, "This one is a gift from me to you, my bride to be, if Nick is stupid." I shook his hand and we walked back across Evergreen Street and got back in the truck. In just five minutes we were on I-10 headed towards the desert. The smell of the Manuel Special filled the cab with odors from heaven.

"There's only one burrito in here?" Sammi asked.

"Only one."

"Is it full of chicken?"

"Chicken, rice, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, red sauce, a few jalapenos, and some guacamole."

"Find a place to park, Ok?"

"About five more miles." True to my word five miles later we were parked near the edge of a big mall. It was seventy degrees outside so we set up a folding table and two chairs. The Manuel Special filled the table. Sammi got silverware and diet Cokes from inside and we sat to our feast. No plates. We started at one end of the burrito and ate our way towards the middle.

We made the appropriate noises for something that good.

Suddenly I heard a car door slam. We had been so focused I hadn't seen or heard a vehicle approach. I twisted around and saw two security officers from the mall. Both were Hispanic.

"Why are you parked here?" One asked.

I said, "My lady has never been to Los Angeles before. We stopped at El Tepeyac and got dinner. The smell was too much. We had to get off the highway and eat!"

The other guy stepped closer and said, "Jose' look! It's a Manuel! A Manuel con pollo!"

Sammi said, "If you have something to carry it in, you can have a little. We don't mind sharing, but leave us enough for breakfast and lunch for tomorrow, Ok?"

They looked in their car and found two plastic forks. I said, "Good for one good bite each along with a chip of guacamole."

We let them savor their bites and chips. As they left they said, "We get off at nine. You need to be gone by then, Ok?" We waved and they were gone.

We packed up breakfast and lunch and Sammi stowed it inside. I folded the table and chairs and stowed them. As we drove out of the mall parking lot the sedan pulled up and honked. Our two friends waved and we waved back.

On the I-10 Sammi said, "You take me to the best places!"

"Yeah! Every woman I know wants to eat dinner in a parking lot with security guards." I was thinking how she deserved so much better than a life in a semi truck.

It was quiet in the truck all the way out to the turn onto I-15 to Las Vegas. As we climbed the Cajon Pass Sammi loosened her seat belt and knelt beside me. She said, "Keep your eyes on the road. There's something I want you to know. I have dreamed of living with you in a truck for most of my life. Your life is out here. I want to be a part of that life. I've had money and fancy cars and clothes. When you made love to me, held me naked in your arms I knew I was home, safe and loved. Momma knew it. I knew it. I think Dad knew it, too. All I ever want is to share your life."

She kissed my cheek and sat back in her seat. I didn't say anything. She didn't press.

Near Barstow I looked over and she was reading the notebook Danni gave her.

I said, "If possible, the best course is through Barstow and Baker without stopping. Prices are high and it's usually hotter here than in Vegas."

"I'll remember." She waited until we were past town and asked, "Can we talk?"

"Sure, Honey."

She almost hurt her head by turning it so fast. It was the first time I had called her Honey.

"If you don't want to get married in Las Vegas it's Ok." She said.

"I don't. I've been thinking and this is what I propose: Let's stop in Denver on the way to Portland and get the license. In Portland we'll call Momma and invite them to meet us in Denver for the wedding. That will give them three days to get three hours drive away from home."

"I'll bet Momma is packed!"

"Call her when we get to Las Vegas. I'll ask Dad if she's packed."

As we crossed Stateline and headed for Las Vegas our cell phone rang. Sammi hit speaker and said, "Peterson Trucking, may I help you?"

Momma laughed. "I have an idea. How about you stop in Denver and get a license and on your way back to Los Angeles you stop again in Denver and we come to the wedding?"

"How do you know where we're going and that we're coming back to L.A.?" I asked.

"Momma knows everything. By the way, call your lawyer sometime tomorrow. He has interesting news for you."

"Can't you just tell us?" I asked, "Momma knows everything."

"I could, but it wouldn't be right. Oh, Son, Linda called. She says if you don't stop and see them they'll have you barred from Nebraska for years. I recommend you stop."

"Thanks, Momma." The connection ended.

Our plan to stop and get married had changed. Stopping in Vegas was no longer necessary. I kept going north. In St. George I was timed out. I found a place to park and we slept. My road normal was eight hours and an alarm would wake me. I didn't set an alarm. I wanted some extra time with Sammi.

She became the aggressor when we got into bed. She moved me onto my back and got on top of me. She opened her legs and gripped my hips with her thighs. We kissed and when the kiss ended she said, "Way back in California I gave you a whole speech and you didn't say anything."

"I'm a quiet kinda guy, sorta like Dad. You want a speech?" She nodded and slipped me inside her. I said, "Here's my speech. I've loved you all your life. I watched you grow up and knew what my role was. Every time I looked at you I heard Dad's voice. "Love her, protect her, teach her." By the time you were changing into a woman I knew I loved you less and less as a sister. I used to spend a lot of time in the barn. Some of that time I was doing chores. Lots of that time I was trying to get my erection to go away. All the time I was away, at college, the military and then in a truck was partially so I wouldn't ruin your life."

"I didn't need your help. I screwed it up on my own." Her hand was on my cheek and she squeezed my cock inside her.

"Momma knew why I left. She knew why I stayed gone as much as I did."

"She knew I didn't love Bill as strongly as I love you." LeeAnn said. In this conversation she was my sister again.

"Why didn't she tell us?" I asked.

"We had to find each other on our own. We had to be ready to stop being "normal"."

"Do me a favor?" I asked.

"Anything!"

"Ruin my life!"

"On one condition."

"Name it."

"Make me scream!"

The conversation was over. I moved my woman on my shaft and LeeAnn was gone. I loved being inside Sammi and she must have enjoyed it too. Before we slept she screamed three times.

Breakfast was a slice of Manuel's. Warmed and slathered with guacamole it was heavenly.

As we drove Sammi waited until it was nine-thirty then she called her lawyer in Winston-Salem. She put the phone on speaker so I could listen.

"Mr. Walcot, this is LeeAnn."

"Good! I'm glad you called. I need instructions from you and I need to give you some information."

"Ok. Shoot!" LeeAnn said.

"It sounds like road noise. Are you driving?"

"No, Sir. I'm a passenger."

"Ok... but I think you should pull over and stop before I continue."

I pulled off to the shoulder and stopped. I put on my flashers. I nodded at LeeAnn and she said, "Ok, we're stopped."

"I'm sorry to give you this news, but your husband has been killed."

There was a pause and finally LeeAnn asked, "How? When?"

"When his secretary was served with a subpoena to testify in the divorce she was with her husband. He's pretty good at math and put two and two together pretty well. The police don't know what his wife told him about the subpoena but the next day he caught Bill and his seccretary having sex in your husband's office and all three are now deceased."

"When?" LeeAnn asked.

"Day before yesterday. You need to call the police here in Winston-Salem and answer their questions." He gave us the number. LeeAnn said she would call.

She asked, "You said you also needed instructions."

"Yes. All the property that would have been divided in the divorce is all yours. The house, furnishings, his stocks, bank accounts, retirement accounts and two cars. What do you want me to do with them?"

She paused and then asked, "Can I call you back in an hour?"

"I'll be right here." The call ended. She turned and was ready to talk, but I raised my hand. She waited.

I said, "I think you should make two calls before we talk. First call the police. Deal with their questions first and ask them if they notified Megan. Either way she's your next call. I have no idea what you'll say to her about us. Maybe deal with Frank's death first."

She nodded and dialed the police in Winston-Salem. I stayed quiet. They wanted an accounting for her whereabouts for the last four days. We gave it to them. They hadn't located Megan, so she had not been told. LeeAnn told them she'd find Megan and tell her.

She got off the call with the PD and crawled into my lap. "I hated him and a long time ago I loved him! He brought himself all the troubles in his life. Why am I crying?"

I held her and stayed quiet. She needed to be with her feelings, not have me trying to fix things. I knew my job: Love her, protect her, teach her. This part was the love her part.

When she had regained control she called Megan. The phone was still on speaker.

"Hi Mom! How's Wyoming?"

"Wyoming's fine. Honey, are you sitting down?"

"Did something happen to Granddad?" Her voice sounded instantly afraid.

"No. It's your father."

"What?" Megan asked, her voice a whisper.

"His secretary's husband killed your father, his wife and himself."

The silence lasted a full minute then Megan said, "I'm not going to the funeral. I don't think you should either."

"I haven't decided what I'm going to do, yet."

"Want advice from a twenty year old?"

"Yes." LeeAnn said.

"Even when you said you'd left him I kept my mouth shut. I didn't want to say anything and then have him somehow convince you to go back. I've been afraid for your safety and mine for years. Mom, when I was sixteen Dad raped me the first time. He blamed you because you "cut him off." We owe him nothing! He hurt us both, over and over again. Now I can finally rest easy."

"Oh Megan... I'm so sorry. I..."

"Mom! It's finally over! We did the best we could with what we had to work with. Can I ask a question or three?"

"Sure."

"You're finally with Nick, aren't you?"

"Finally?"

"You've loved him since you were both babies. The only one's who didn't know it were you, my father, Nick and the people who never saw you together."

"Yes, I'm with Nick."

"Can you send me some money?"

"For?"

"For a plane ticket so I can be at the wedding! Where will it happen?"

"You're OK with it?"

"Ok? Mom I've prayed for it since I was eleven! Are you with him right this second?"

"Yes, he's right here."

"Tell him I love him, too."

"You just told him."

"I meant it. I love you Uncle Nick. Thank you for loving my Mom." There was a pause.

Megan added, "Nick... After the wedding, you're no longer my Uncle. You're my Dad. I had a father, now I'll have a Dad. Can I call you Dad?"

Tears ran down my cheeks. I was glad I wasn't trying to push the truck down the road and have the conversation. I said, "You can call me anything you want, except Uncle. I love you."

Megan and LeeAnn talked about property, burial, and the wedding. We promised to send her money and the date we'd be in Denver. LeeAnn ended the call and immediately called Mr. Wilcox her lawyer.

"Sell everything. What won't sell, give away. Give things to people who will use it. Arrange to have him buried with no ceremony, no headstone. Oh, can you send Megan five thousand dollars, please?"

"Done." He said. "I'll settle the estate and get back to you. Give me your cell and emails."

She gave them and the calls were over. She plugged the phone into the charger and relaxed back into her seat. I started the truck and we headed down the road. An hour later she jerked and said, "I was supposed to call Momma back!"

She dialed and they talked for a while. It didn't need to be on speaker and it wasn't. I got the gist anyway.

In Denver I dropped Sammi at the courthouse and twenty minutes later picked her and a big envelope up. That night we filled out the papers and put them in the mail from Nebraska the next day. I had her walk the envelope into the truck stop in Grand Island. I called earlier in the day and asked the male voice that answered if Linda and Donna worked there. He said that Linda was the night manager and Donna worked the late shift. I asked if he could get a message to them for me. He got a pen and paper and wrote it down. It read, "Your big brother is on his way to Grand Island." I said sign it "N".

Later, we pulled our rig to the pumps beside another rig that blocked us from being seen by the cashier at the big desk just inside. They weren't very busy with only six trucks fueling up. Sammi knew what to do.

She mailed the paperwork to Denver at the big desk and checked both Donna and Linda out. She asked Donna if they had a book about weather. Donna took her to the area where books were kept and handed her the one she liked. Donna looked her over carefully and asked, "Have you been in here before?"