I was headed home and had every intention of cheating on my logbook. I was going to turn a three and a half day, twenty two hundred mile drive into slightly less than a two and a half day trip.
I left Atlanta, just before five Wednesday morning and dropped my trailer at the TA plaza in Ontario, Friday, just a little after ten in the morning. From there I bob-tailed, back to Pine Valley. Of course, gaining three hours worth of time changes didn't hurt.
I was excited to be home, to be able to spend time with Melanie and Carol. The very first thing I did when I got to the Holiday Inn was to take a cell phone picture of me with the hotel in the back ground and sent it to both of them.
Melanie was the first to call. "Are you really back? You told me you couldn't make it until late Saturday."
"Melanie, if the DOT ever looked at my logbook, I'd be hit with a fine so big I couldn't afford to buy that house."
I told her when I left Atlanta and when I got into Ontario. She responded with an "Oh my God, John, it feels like it takes me a day to drive up to Palm Springs and when I get there I'm so exhausted, all I want to do is take a nap.
"What made you come home so early?"
"You were my motivating force." I said and then realized I had better modify my words. "Yeah; just the thought of you and Carol was enough to make me break every speed limit and bypass every scale house in seven states."
"John, don't you ever do that again," she reproached me. "I never want to hear that you put yourself at risk to, well, at any kind of risk."
"I did it so I could spend extra time with you," I caught myself again. "You two beautiful women, who treat me with the awe and respect I disserve."
"Carol's right, you are a real ass at times."
"Funny, every time I talk to Carol all she says is, I'm dumb and you're stupid and she doesn't know why she waists her time with either of us."
Melanie sounded a little down now as she spoke. "Yeah; she tells me pretty much the same thing, but I have a lot of trouble believing her.
"Ok, John, I have some clients..."
I interrupted, "Melanie, when can I see you."
"Aah; look John, Aah; let me get with Carol and either she or I will give you a call, maybe we can go out for dinner tonight. OK John, I have to go now, talk to you later. Bye."
Why, did I feel like I had just been patted on the head and then told to go away. One minute she was glad to talk to me, happy that I was back and the next she was giving me a brush-off.
"What happened," I asked myself.
I needed a shit, shower and shave, so I stripped and went into the bathroom. No sooner, did I have shaving cream on my face and my cellphone rang. A quick look and I saw it was Carol.
With a silent prayer, that this would be a more congenial call, I opened my phone only to hear, "Get your ass back out on the road and don't come back till Saturday night."
"Hi Carol. It's always so nice to talk to you as usual."
"Don't be an ass. We had the entire evening planned out, reservations at The Starlight in San Diego, a play and then the rest of the night of unrestrained sex. And now you have gone and ruined our plans. I expect you to pay for tonight's dinner at the Viejas Indian Casino and a show."
"Yeah, Carol, that sounds great to me. I'll make the reservations, what's a good time."
It was hard for me to be up beat, even though it was good talking with Carol.
"Snap out of it. Make them for 7:30 and get some rest."
"Ok, that sounds good. Is Melanie coming?" No sooner had I said that and I knew I fucked up.
"That's it!" Carol said in a raw hard voice. "You two have just pushed me over the edge.
"Yes John; Melanie will be there; you will be there; I will be there and we will, once and for all put an end to this crap so I can get a full nights sleep. And John, when I see you next, you had better be the same John I last saw. I have some big plans and you two aren't going to fuck them up.
"Oh; one last thing. I need to laugh, so be sure the show is a comedian.
"Good Bye John, see you there at 7:30." With that, the phone went dead. ----------
At 7:00, I was sitting at the upstairs bar, sipping a whisky sour, and waiting for 7:30 to roll around, so I could go downstairs to the restaurant. Hopefully they would be there, waiting for me.
There was a down stairs bar, next to the restaurant. For some unknown reason, I didn't want to be there when Melanie came in.
I was pulled from my doldrums by the sound of Carols voice. "So John, there you are. Was the bar downstairs filled when you came in," she said sweetly as she walked over to me.
She put her arm around my neck and with all her body weight stepped on my foot as she whispered in my ear, "If you don't turn back into the sweet and wonderful John I know, I'll knee you in the nuts. Trust me; I know how to make it look like an accident."
"You're breaking the bones in my foot."
"Yes, I know," she said with a smile. "Now, let's see a big smile for me and Melanie over there. Come on, wave to her."
I did as requested and my foot was released.
"I'm so glad I didn't have to knee you in the nuts, I have plans and it would have distressed me if you hadn't cooperated. Oh; and John if it makes you feel any better, I had to threaten Melanie with worse."
We walked over to Melanie and she stuck her cheek out for me to kiss. I saw the smile leave Carol's face as she took a big step forward and planted her foot on Melanie's, quickly prompting Melanie to put her arms out and kiss me on the lips.
Very nice, I thought, as I began to respond to Melanie's kiss and I could feel her responding to mine.
I heard Carols voice, "Shall we go down to dine?"
Carol went ahead of us as Melanie and I walked down holding hands. I don't know who took whose hand first, but it felt comfortable and warm.
Carol was talking with a woman, then walked back to us, noticing we were still holding hands. "Well," she said, "that's a start, but no matter. Come on you two, we have a table waiting."
I said, "But it's not 7:30, we haven't been called."
Carol didn't respond as we were led to what I could only call a very discrete table, well away from the others. I held the chair out for Carol, then for Melanie and seated myself.