by Al Sloane
"I thought you'd like the surprise of the girls being here. I know it was probably embarrassing to walk out pulling your pants up and have them all there. But did any of them make a big deal of it? No. Just hugs and kisses for you. And you weren't fighting it yourself. As soon as your pants were up you made sure they saw the shirt and started kissing them right back.
"So, maybe it's June. Well, I'm not going to feel sorry about June. She spent a lot of effort helping me to win you back after I did something stupid. Just admitting it to you and asking for forgiveness wasn't good enough. And she continued to help me out with the same professionalism she would show with any customer after we talked on the phone and she started to fall in love with me. And then you wanted to pull her right into bed with us. I didn't want it but that didn't matter. You spent a lot of effort trying to talk me into it until I agreed to let her make the decision. And you put just about as much effort into trying to convince her.
"So she wanted some time to think about it. And maybe even to get to know me. How about that for a unique concept - get to know someone before you swallow his cock. We started our trip with you sitting right next to me and the girls way in the back of the van. When we stopped for gas, you got in the back and she sat up front. What the hell was I supposed to do? Ignore her? Well fuck you. I like her. We have a lot in common. I can talk to her and she can talk to me. And I'll tell you something. I don't have to be afraid if anything I say is going to piss her off and I'll hear about it hours later. If she doesn't like something I say to her, she'll tell me right then and there. And she'll tell me to shut up or she'll tell me I hurt her feelings or she'll tell me that's not funny or whatever applies.
"I love you to death, but God Damn it, I'm afraid to do or say anything around you. So I'll take you home tomorrow or after the weekend I've planned and we'll go to your birthing classes and I'll rub your feet it you want it and I'll be there when the baby's born. But please don't put me through hell.
"One more thing and then I have to get some sleep. If you want to know what I've got planned for the next two days, I'll tell you. When I planned on it I was looking forward to seeing the smile, the excitement, whatever when you found out what each thing was. I don't care anymore. I think the girls would probably have been excited, too, but they aren't really in the mood for surprises after tonight. So you tell me if you want to know and I'll tell you."
By this time my shoulder was wet with her tears. She sniffed.
"I don't want to know anything, Pete. I want to be surprised. I just want it back the way it was."
"How was that, Wendy?"
"You know, you loved me and I loved you."
"I never stopped loving you, Wendy. Why, did you?"
"No. I... I don't know. I'm so confused. It seemed so right for me to me mad at you when I was talking to June. I had this idea you would hold on to me and tell me everything is going to be alright and we'd make love."
"Everything IS alright, Wendy. It has been since that night you got out here from Texas and I took you home. You've never had any problem getting me to hold you. You can always ask or you can just hold me. I always hold you right back. And we make love whenever you ask. And a lot of times you don't ask. I don't think you can find one time you let me know you wanted to make love and I didn't take care of you. Unless it was when we had to be someplace else and didn't have time. And I know I more than made up for it when we got back. So what do you want that you're not getting, Wendy? Do you want me to treat you like a baby and feel pity for you?"
"No, Pete. I want you to hold me."
I rolled over and took her in my arms, pulling her close. She cried against my chest. "Oh, Pete. I don't know what's happening. I see myself doing these things and I can't make myself stop."
"It's OK, Wendy. It's part of being pregnant. Your body has so many new hormones rushing through it you don't know how to act. Some men put up with it. Some try to figure out what the woman wants. They have a special name for them after they go through months of that - insane. Others disappear. I know one guy in the navy who would always volunteer for active duty when his wife was pregnant. He says being out to sea saved his marriage. Some people find lovers, others get a divorce. I'm going to try to fight back and live a normal life, where both of us can respect each other and not accuse the other of things we know aren't true. I'll probably be the first man in history to do so, provided I survive till after the baby is born."
"I love you, Pete. So much. I'll try. But it's tough."
"Look. I know you didn't have anyone there when Randy was born. I'll be there unless you push me away. And If you do push me away, I'll make you look at it, just like tonight. You know I wouldn't bother if I didn't love you, don't you?"
"Yeah, I know. Can we make love? Please?"
"Are you ready to be teased by the three girls next door. Have them complaining all day that they're tired because they couldn't get to sleep because of all the screaming? Without being a bitch about it?"
"Yes."
"Go brush your teeth and wash your face."
She ran into the bathroom. She was already using my toothbrush before I realized she hadn't had time to get her own stuff. I'd have to figure out a way to get back at her for that. Another day.
She ran back into the bed. Her hormones were good for something else. She came quick, she came often, she came loud. I don't know how many times she came before we heard pounding on the door between our rooms and June yelling "Knock it off. Some of us are trying to sleep."
Wendy yelled out "Spoilsport."
We were both between orgasms so I said "Let's get some sleep."
I lay on my back and Wendy assumed the position. And sighed a great big sigh.
Chapter 8
The alarm went off at 5:30. I pushed Wendy off my chest and climbed over her to get to the other side of the bed to turn it off. Wendy's moans let me know she wasn't thrilled about the whole thing.
"Wendy. Half hour till breakfast. If you want to shower you need to get up."
"Umpfffhh."
"OK. Your choice. I'm not going to baby you."
"Five more minutes."
I went over to the connecting door and tapped on it. I got a couple of taps in response.
I was done in the bathroom by 10 till 6. I shook Wendy and got a response similar to before.
Just before I left, I pulled the blankets off the bed. "Don't complain to me if you miss the surprise or you don't get any breakfast. I'm leaving the parking lot in 50 minutes."
June was waiting for me. Kathi and Beth had been as bad as Wendy to start but June had succeeded in getting them into the bathroom.
June was dressed in a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. Her hair was piled on top of her head and held in place somehow. This woman could dress in a burlap sack and make it look elegant.
We went over to Dennys and ordered. I love a good breakfast when I go out. Another area June and I had in common. We also need our coffee cups constantly refilled. Fortunately we had a waitress who took good care of us.
Beth and Kathi wandered in about 6:20. Beth was yawning and rubbing her eyes as she came in.
"Come on. I know you have to get up this early during the week, Beth, driving from Azusa to Anaheim."
"Yeah, but I don't have a couple of people howling in the room next door on work days. It was 3:00 before you let us get to sleep."
"I see. And of course you all went straight to bed when we got to the motel."
Kathi and Beth looked at each other guiltily. June just smiled. "They went to bed, yes." The girls both turned red.
"So, June. Are you ready to join our little band of gypsies?"
"I don't know quite yet. I want to make sure Wendy's still alive before I answer."
"Oh, she's alive. Not awake, but alive. That's OK, as long as we can drag her out with us, she'll wake up pretty soon."
"You must have something pretty special planned to still be ready to do it after all that's happened."
"It wa
sn't that bad. Wendy's heart is in the right place. She either needed to be whupped upside the head or a good talking to. Lucky for her I felt like talking."
Kathi whispered to Beth loudly enough for all of us to hear it "That's not all he felt like." Beth giggled, June smiled.
It was 6:30, no Wendy. I called the waitress over. "What can you make me to go in 10 minutes?
"We could do some scrambled eggs or pancakes."
"OK. How about some scrambled eggs and a few sausages to go?"
June grabbed my hand. "Make that ham instead of sausage."
"Good idea."
The waitress took off to get my order. She looked back at me after she'd put the ticket on the wheel and yelled out "Rush Order!" to the cook. I held up five fingers, pointed to my coffee, then outside. She gave me the OK sign.
"OK girls. Potty time. We won't be near a bathroom till this afternoon." We all took off to our respective restrooms.
Ten minutes later I was out the door with Wendy's breakfast and two coffees. The girls each had their own coffee and our waitress had a $20 tip. It would be interesting to see the service we got tomorrow.
We got to the Aerostar and I held up my room key. "Beth. Kathi. Your job is to get Wendy out here in the next two minutes. I don't care if you have to drag her out here naked and screaming. And make sure she goes to the bathroom before we leave. Whatever it takes. START!"
Beth grabbed the key from my hand and they took off like a shot. I heard some arguing from Wendy but Beth gave it right back. I heard Kathi yell "Then miss out, you stupid idiot!" then the two of them came out to the parking lot.
Wendy came out looking pissed, holding her shoes and socks. "Did you go to the bathroom?"
"Yes."
"Good. Get in the car. No, up front."
She got in and buckled up. The girls were in the back. "Everybody ready?"
"Yes."
6:47. Better than I'd hoped.
I gave Wendy the Styrofoam container with her breakfast and the plastic wrapped fork, knife and napkin. "Here. You're lucky I didn't let you starve."
I got a subdued "Thank you."
There was nothing wrong with Wendy's appetite. She reminded me of a Golden Retriever I used to have. I swear Bear was always trying to empty his dog food bowl before it hit the ground. The eggs took more than one gulp but not much. The ham took a little longer but it was gone before we turned onto the main road. Like she hadn't eaten in months.
I heard Kathi say "Damn." As if she was in awe.
Wendy covered her mouth as she burped. "Excuse me."
I drove a couple of miles and turned left. I went down a bit and made a right.
Kathi was the first to notice. "Oh, my God."
They all looked and then the excitement spread throughout the car.
Yes, we're all going up in the same balloon. No it won't crash because there are so many of us. Yes they know how to steer them.
We pulled onto the lot and a guy with a backwards baseball cap walked up to me with his hand out.
"I'm Joseph. You must be Pete."
I took his hand, assured him I was and introduced the girls.
"Well, you've got quite a crowd here. Looks like we'll have a fun trip."
He pointed to the balloon we were going to take. It was probably about half full.
Wendy said "I can't wait for it to be hard."
Beth shot back "You never can, Wendy" and got a laugh from the other two. It took about five seconds for Wendy to get it and turn red.
It took a while to get everything set up. At 7:20 Wendy complained she could have gotten more sleep. She shut up when I offered to let her drive back to the motel if she wanted to go back to bed.
Despite her rush to get out, she looked pretty good. She had a pair of khaki shorts with a crease down the front and back. They came down 2/3 of the way to her knees. A white sweatshirt with smurfs on it but it worked for her. And of course her (almost) MOTHER hat, her hair hanging out the hole in the back.
Kathi had jeans and a Fullerton sweatshirt, Beth had shorts and a flannel shirt. All four of them had rosy cheeks due to the brisk weather. It would warm up soon but it was nice while it lasted.
The time came for us to board the balloon. The basket was sitting on the ground but the entry door's bottom was a couple of feet up. The floor was just below the door, so there must be some kind of storage beneath the floor. There were a couple of portable steps next to the balloon for us to get in. June and Kathi went right in. Beth and Wendy had to be coaxed when it came time to actually get on the thing.
Joe piloted the balloon. That had been one of Beth's questions. I'd told her that I'd read about ballooning and was going to steer us. She took me seriously and asked if I was sure I could fly it safely and I said I was pretty sure I could steer it but getting back down was worrying me a bit. The others were cracking up before she caught on and turned red. And then she hugged me and told me to quit.
There were five other balloons there, each with it's own pilot and passengers. I saw a couple of couples and two families with kids. There was one guy whose job it was to release the ropes that held the balloon to the ground and help as needed with takeoffs and landings.
There were four ropes holding us down. Joe told us to hang on just before the third one was released. The floor definitely tilted. Not as much as I thought it might but there were a few breaths sucked in despite Joe's warning. The fourth rope was untied and we straightened out and jolted as the whole thing shot up.
I'm sure all four of them were wondering what they'd gotten themselves into. Both Wendy and Beth had their knees bent, their arms over the top of the basket, pulling it into their chests.
Joe stood free in the middle of the platform. "OK folks. The worst is over. From now on it should be smooth sailing."
June had one hand on the rail and was pointing at something out in the distance. "Look at that."
There was a hawk soaring about a quarter mile from us. Swooping in circles, looking as if he was totally enjoying his flight. All of a sudden he seemed to almost stop, then went into a dive. We all rushed to the side and looked down to see him almost run into the earth. He definitely had something in his talons as he climbed back up and off into the distance.
I think we all realized that we were together on the same side of the basket at the same time. Wendy, Beth and Kathi grabbed on tighter, expecting the basket to tip sideways. The fact that it didn't did more than all the reassurance Joe or I could have given them. The rest of the trip was fairly relaxed. We all kept one hand on the rail for the most part but there wasn't any more frantic grabbing.
It never did get hot. It was warmer than it had been on the ground and we were able to take off our sweatshirts but it never to the hundred degree level that was expected today. The sky was a deep blue with some wispy clouds scattered throughout. Wendy's shirt exclaimed she was PREGGERS.
The Coachella Valley spread out from us in all directions. There are populated areas here and there, housing developments that have spread up over the last ten years or so. Palm Springs in the distance is more established. We could see the tram going up to the mountain near Palm Springs.
Most of what we could see was not developed. Interstate 10 looked like a black snake, making its way across the sand. Homes, trailers, even rusty shacks dotted the landscape but it was mostly sand and cactus.
We just spent the better part of the day floating as the wind took us. Not that it was windy. We felt a gentle breeze, very pleasant. We drifted back west. We saw the windmills in the pass and the casino where we'd eaten last night. There were a lot of cars in both the casino and the Hadley's parking lots.
We had a couple of emergencies, both having to do with Wendy.
About an hour after we were up and everyone was convinced we weren't going to crash and finally relaxed, Wendy hugged me. "I don't feel very well, Pete."
"Are you going to be sick?" I had visions of Wendy leaning over the edge, spewing her eggs onto whoever was
unlucky enough to be below us on the ground.
"No. I've got this heartburn. I've gotten it a few times lately. Usually when I eat too fast."
"Well, today would be the day to get it, then."
"Stop it. It hurts. I feel miserable."
"What can I do?"
"Just hold me tight."
I held her to me and she tightened her arms around my back. She would swallow ocassionally in an attempt to stop it.
June came over holding out a tube of Tums. "Here, Wendy. Try a couple of these."
Wendy looked. "I don't want to take anything. The baby."
"It's OK. They're mostly calcium and some flavor. The baby will be fine. All the contortions the heartburn's causing can't be any good for her."
Wendy took one, June convinced her to take three of them. Wendy continued to hold on tight.
After a couple of minutes she relaxed a bit, laid her cheek against my chest and sighed. I kept holding on.
We continued to float, taking in the sights. Beth pointed out what must have been a coyote going after something, probably a jackrabbit.
Shortly after 11, Wendy came up to me and whispered in my ear. "Pete. I have to pee."
"OK. I'll tell Joe to stop at the next gas station."
"I mean it. I have to go. Bad."
"Damn it Wendy, I told you to go before we left."
She was near tears. "I can't help it. I have to pee more now that I'm pregnant."
"OK. I'll do what I can. Joe. We have a problem. Wendy has to pee. Do we hold her over the side or what?" Wendy sucked air and grabbed on tighter. I don't think she liked that idea.
