My Cousin Wendy (12 page)



By 9:00 Monday we were all up. No prodding or anything. All of us are usually at work or school well before that time. Somehow we'd all ended up sleeping in the same bed. I didn't remember anything after wrapping my arm around June when she lay her head on my chest.

We showered and got packed and were ready to go by 10. I dropped off the key and we went next door to Denny's.

Our waitress was there with a pot of coffee in her hand as soon as the hostess sat us down.

"So, you must be scrambled eggs to go?"

Wendy was caught off guard, it took a couple of seconds. "Uh... Oh... Scrambled eggs. Yes. Oh, I was hungry and they were just what I needed yesterday."

"That's good. Let's get something more substantial into today. When is the baby due?"

They got talking mom stuff while the rest of us drank our coffee to get going. She filled all our cups before taking off.

Wendy looked at me. "How did she know I was pregnant. Did you tell her?"

"No. It could be the WHO'S YOUR MAMA shirt or the (almost) MOTHER hat. Or maybe you have that pregnant glow.  That belly of yours might have something to do with it, too."

"Oh." She squeezed my hand.

We checked out the menu and figured out what we wanted. Wendy was all set to get an omelet with salsa on it.

"Aren't you afraid of getting heartburn?"

"Oh, yeah. I forgot." She decided on the bacon and avocado omelet like I did.

Our waitress was back with more coffee and her order pad. We all gave her our orders. She got to June last. You aren't showing but you've got that pregnant glow about you. Are you expecting, too?"

"No. Just happy. Very happy." She looked at me as she said it. Our waitress looked at me with new respect.

Breakfast was nice. Yesterday's had been OK but it was a little rushed and I had my attention on getting Wendy to the balloon on time. And, let's face it, getting her there without being pissed off at me.

I had to admit she had been wonderful since I chewed her out a couple of nights ago. Damn. Three months left. I wondered if I'd have any hair left and if all that was would be gray. Well, Wendy was the one with the hair. For the first time, I thought of our daughter running around with Wendy's flaming mane of hair trailing behind her.

I brushed the hair off the back of her neck and lightly kissed her.

"Stop It!" She held up her arm, displaying the goose bumps. "Why did you do that?"

"I just got a picture of our daughter running around when she was 3 or 4 years old with your beautiful hair."

She sniffed, then kissed me. "Oh. That's OK." She squeezed my hand.

"Well, thank you very much. Just give the word if you want me to stop being affectionate. I happen to be pretty proud I can kiss you and affect you like that. And I would hope you'd be happy you could get affected that way."

She leaned over and kissed me like we were in the bedroom, rubbing my cock until it was pushing out my shorts. She had a sparkle in her eye as she sat back, giving it a squeeze before she let go.

"You're right. Just don't make me come in public. That would be too embarrassing."

June wrapped her hand around me. "So, Pete. Are you ready to leave?"

"If we had eaten I'd have no problem leaving. Half the men in this place will get hard-ons when the four of you walk out, so having one doesn't bother me a bit.

The food came, the coffee was refilled, we talked and enjoyed ourselves.

It reminded me of dinners with my family, years ago. Especially when the three adults were talking and drinking more coffee and the two kids wanted a dollar to play with the machine.

The machine was a big glass box with a layer of plastic balls with little toys inside. Maybe a foot high layer of two inch balls. Up above it was a crane that had four claws the user could use to grab the ball of his choice. Or so it looked. There were some great toys in there but they tended to remain as all the junky ones got picked up. I'd never paid it much attention, I just knew it was rigged. When the family went out to eat years ago, the machines and the games were all a quarter.

I gave them their buck and they were gone for a minute. Beth came back with a ball with a small toy dump truck in it. "It's not fair. I was going after the watch."

I had to give Kathi another dollar. She came back with a magnifying glass.

Wendy couldn't sit there any more. "I wanna try."

I gave her her dollar and she came back with a plastic ring. She looked like any normal woman would if I'd given her an engagement ring.

I held out a dollar to June and she smiled. "No thanks. I'm fine."

We finished up, took a trip to the bathroom, and headed out after giving our waitress a twenty and a promise to stop by and see her the next time we were in the area. I had no problem making that promise. The balloon ride had been a big hit and I figured we'd be back for more.

We got back in the Aerostar. Wendy said "Now what?"

"More flying machines."

"Are we going on a helicopter ride?"

"No, not today. Palm Springs has an air museum and they have a special air show today."

Beth said "Damn. It would have been more fun to just go there and be surprised."

Wendy looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry."

We drove for a few miles down the freeway.

"Pete?"

"Yes, Kathi."

"Why do we have Memorial Day? I mean isn't it the same as Veterans Day?"

"Not really. Veteran's Day is for those who served in the armed forces and returned. Mostly for those who served in a war but also thanks anyone who gave up part of his life to serve his country. There used to be a parade in every town and every man who had served would put on his uniform and march with all the others. And the rest of the town would cheer.

"Memorial Day was originally established to honor those in the service that gave their lives for their country. It has degraded over the years to honor anyone who put their time in. There used to be speeches in the park and then the whole town would walk over to the graveyard and decorate the graves of those who had served accompanied by more speeches.

"Before the automobile took over the country, the town would throw a big party for each of these holidays, usually in the town park, pretty much a huge picnic. But that always took second place to the parade or the speeches and trip to the graveyard.

When I was a kid, we all knew that Lincoln was born on Feb 12 and Washington was born on Feb 22 because we got both days off school. Veterans Day and Memorial Day were specific dates, too. If one of them fell on a Thursday, people worked Monday through Wednesday, took Thursday off and went back to work on Friday. Somebody decided that wasn't any good so in the late 80's Congress got rid of Lincoln and Washington and came up with Presidents' Day. And a bunch of holidays lost their meaning to become parts of three day weekends. So, people leave town, go to the beach, watch a race or a ball game and have no idea what we're celebrating. It's become almost subversive to take pride in our country and celebrate those who put their lives on the line so we could sit back and grill our hamburgers and drive our SUVs out to the desert or the river. So, Kathi, are you sorry you asked?"

"No, Pete. That's what I like about you. You know stuff. And you don't mind telling other people about it and make it so they can understand. Like with that ride in San Diego. And now this. I feel proud to be an American. You know, my Dad was in Viet Nam. He doesn't talk much about it. I should talk to him."

"You should. Just don't push him if he doesn't want to talk. A lot of shit happened there."

By that time we were pulling in the parking lot.

"OK, Ladies, this is what I had everyone bring chairs for. I didn't realize they would have all these planes to see on the ground. Maybe we should walk around and check everything out and leave the chairs here. I don't know if they'll have all the planes fly in a short period or if they'll be spaced out though the day."

I got agreement from the group so we took off and checked out the planes. There were planes from the WWI era on up to the present, all in immaculate condition. I had Wendy on one arm and June on the other. Beth and Kathi were running around like a couple of teenagers, running from one plane to the other, holding hands, giggling.

Talking to various people we found out that they usually had a period of about a half hour around 1:00 when planes would fly over, do aerial gymnastics and basically show the crowd what they could do. On holidays such as this they usually went a little long.

Most of the planes had signs next to them giving some history of the plane, how it fit into the war it was part of, maybe who built it, who the heroes were that had the most kills flying it. All five of us were fascinated.

Just before 1:00 we noticed a lot of people going toward the parking lot.

"OK, girls. Time to get chairs if you want them."

We headed toward the lot. By the time we got there, most of the people were sitting in chairs close to their cars. Some had blankets and were laying on the hoods of their cars or in the backs of their pickups. I saw a mattress in one with four kids lying on it.

We pulled out our chairs and sat down to watch the show. A minute later a bi-plane flew over and did some dives and loops. The audience really got into it, oohing and aahing as the plane came down towards the ground and turned up.

There was a mock dogfight and a few planes flew in formation. No Blue Angels or Thunderbirds but it was an enjoyable show.

Toward the end of the show they played some songs over the speakers they had been announcing planes and fliers on previously. It was particularly touching to hear Sammy Hagar sing "Remember the Heroes."

There was a lull and the announcer thanked everyone for coming. "For our finale, please stand in remembrance of all the men and women who gave their lives in the service of our country so that we could enjoy the freedoms we now have."

A single bi-plane with an open cockpit flew over and the person in the back seat dropped flowers to the crowd. Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young sang over the speakers in four part harmony.

Find the cost of Freedom
Buried in the Ground.

I'd never gotten what they were singing before, in all the times I'd heard that song. All five of us had tears in our eyes as did most of the people in the parking lot.

We all remained standing after it was over and applauded for two or three minutes.

Plenty of flowers had been dropped during the flyover. All of my girls got one.

Kathi came over to me wiping her eye and gave me a hug.

"Thank you for bringing us here, Pete."

I got thank yous, touches, hugs and kisses from all of them.

We put the chairs back in the Aerostar. Wendy said she wanted to curl up on the floor between the seats. I got to drive home alone while all four women talked about woman stuff.

That's OK. I had a lot to think about.

I do my share of complaining about the way things are. But not once in my 50 years have I gotten off my ass to do anything about it. We'd just celebrated those who paid the ultimate price to make things right. Kind of humbling.

But most of my thoughts were about the four women in the back of my van. This weekend had changed things for us forever. Unless June said she didn't want to have anything to do with us when we got home, things would never be the same. Hell, even if she did.

Good or bad, I had two women I loved. Two more than the others, but I loved the other two as well. I realized I wasn't giving any of them what they needed from me.

I complained to Wendy that I was getting her scraps. Well, if that was so with Wendy, what the hell were Beth and Kathi getting from me?

Wendy had told me and June that she'd had to talk Beth out of getting pregnant by me. Kathi had made it evident this weekend that she adored me. I don't think it was stretching things to say she looked up at me as a hero.

I would be happy to spend my life with Wendy. And I would be happy to spend my life with June. I realized I needed to spend my life with both of them. Wendy had been back in my life a little over six months. June for a month or so. Yet I knew if either of them left it would be like ripping an arm from my body.

We got home at 4. I was way behind on my writing so they were all going home. Wendy ran into the house to use the bathroom as I started getting kissed goodbye. Each woman put her all into it and thanked me for the weekend. Beth told Wendy she'd see her tomorrow at work, Kathi told her she'd call her later in the week. June told me to give her a call. Wendy said she'd talk to me in a couple of days.

They all got in their cars and headed out of the housing development. I had a lot of thinking to do.