Trains

He stared at her from time to time and openly looked on occasion. Suzanne saw him looking but did not make a point of saying anything about it. He never said very much to her, though. That wasn't really unusual; he rarely spoke while working and he worked all of the time she saw him. He almost seemed obsessed with doing his job as well as he could and she tried to help him do it (or stay out of his way if he didn't want to be bothered!). Still, she did notice him watching and it brought a good feeling. Now, three months past her divorce, Suzanne was ready to look for someone to get to know and, maybe, start another life. Lord knows, she needed to be 'moving on'. And, that pleasant tingle from direct eye contact with him was a sure sign that 'moving on' wasn't the only thing she needed...

There. Again, he's looking at her but Suzanne pretends not to notice and only watches him surreptitiously, just a glimpse from the corner of her eye. Suzanne can play 'cat and mouse' with the best of them but she works with this guy. What kind of problems cans this cause? Well, plenty! But, still, she knows that something is there! The question of how to reach him pokes around in the back of her mind all day but no easy solution presented it. Well, she's patient and he's not going anywhere she can't find him.

The next day, a vacation slip is on the boss's desk as Suzanne came in to use the phone. Looking at it, she sees that it's his. He rarely takes vacation and this one is for a week off! She'll just have to razz him about that. Suddenly remembering that she had some hours to take, too, she filled out a request for herself. Since two people can be off work at the same time, the request won't be denied, not this far in advance. But, looking at the finished form, she sees that she put exactly the same days off that he requested. The only people that would be suspicious of that would be management because nobody has ever heard of him taking time off to be with someone. Still, she tears up the request and fills out another, this time, cutting the two days at the beginning of the week from it. Now, smiling, she places her slip on the desk and goes to work thinking that she's got the beginnings of a plan. Now, with a time limit set, she had only to find the right approach. A piece of cake. Not! She still went about her day with a constant smile and tingle that refused to go away.

The day went just like all others, though: no closer than an occasional word and, even then, it's hard to try to talk to him. Maybe tomorrow, Suzanne thought, knowing that tomorrow would be the same as today unless she came up with something.

Returning from lunch, he looks shocked and is more irritable than usual. Most of the others ignore him (as he prefers) but Suzanne takes a risk that this is the opening she needs.

"What's the matter, Gene? You look like something is wrong." Trying to get him to look at her is impossible but standing there will make it as easy possible to get a response, any response.

A deep sigh and a short glance her way, show that he is listening. Then, he surprises both of them by turning to face her and say,

"I had planned to go on a train ride with a friend. She just canceled and I can't do the trip alone. It was to be part work and part relaxation but I need help on the work part. I'm not sure what I'm going to do now."

That he spoke was surprising. That he said so much was absolutely amazing. But, that he handed the perfect opportunity to her on a silver platter was too much. Suzanne stood there completely stunned. He stood there, too, a lot longer than he ever stands in one place. Then, he went back to work, leaving her standing there, still too stunned to say a word.

When she finally found her senses again, she slowly walked away thinking she could still make the best of it somehow. He did not appear to notice that she never responded and that was good. Mentally working on the perfect set of words, she went back to work.

Gene always goes out for lunch and comes right back to use the phone, read, or write. When he's doing anything other than going to or from one of them, getting his attention can be difficult. So, Suzanne stood outside in the light drizzle and waited for him to come back from lunch. He approached just as she had the perfect thing to say running through her mind. He never even looked up. For all she knew, he didn't know that she even existed! As he passed, Suzanne bit her tongue and really tried to say something but the chance slipped away as quickly as it had come. Frustrated but not discouraged, Suzanne went back inside and to work.

Suzanne got the idea in a rush, which threatened to leave her too dizzy to stand. She grabbed an envelope and started writing: 'we need to talk. You'll know when so don't ask me about it. Destroy this note as soon as you've read it!' It was relatively easy to slip it to Gene without anyone seeing her do it and Gene almost never missing anything around his work area.

She watched from across the room as he read it and smiled, searching for her almost immediately. He boldly started towards her and she could not hide the smile that resulted from seeing his, too. Of course, he asked about the note! Of course, she wouldn't talk about it! Of course, she left him frustrated and confused: the best way to get Gene thinking!

*****

Spring turned to summer and Gene never mentioned the note again. Suzanne was sure that he remembered because he seems to remember a lot. Still, she hoped that the plans he'd made for the vacation (now just two weeks away!) remained open and she felt that she still had a shot at getting him to consider spending some of it with her.

Two days before his vacation started, she began to doubt. One the Friday before, she got another chance to talk to him (and hope to get an answer!). Alone together in the room for lunch, Suzanne asked Gene if he'd gotten anyone to go with him on the trip he'd planned. He said, 'no', and seemed reluctant to say much more. Gently pressing on, she asks about the trip itself. He told her that it was the Skunk Train; a two-part steam train ride through the mountains and forests between Fort Bragg and Willits. It sounded like a blast but he didn't seem to notice her interest in it. He did say that it was a three-day trip; he planned to leave the station at Fort Bragg on Wednesday, spend the night in Willits on Thursday, and return on Friday. He still did not seem to notice Suzanne's interest(s?) so she tried her last chance. Remembering that the note got a response, she jotted down her phone number on a small scrap of paper (omitting her name) and placed it in his Stephen King book, under the bookmark. That done while nobody was looking, she went back to work.

Saturday, sitting by the phone was difficult, then unbearable, then impossible. Having no idea when (or if) he'd call to find out whose number he had, she left the machine on and went to the store. Sure enough, he called seconds after she'd left but left a message, recognizing her voice. She called him back and he answered. They actually chatted for a few minutes before he said he had to go. Then he really surprised her by inviting her to the park, which was where he was headed. She agreed readily, met him there, and they had a great time playing with the squirrels. They went to lunch and, before she said goodbye, she told him that he could keep the number (She had no idea how it got in his book...). He thanked her and she went home. The message that greeted her on the machine said he'd like for her to go with him on the trip and she pumped a fist in the air and shouted!

They met at his apartment (though he would not let her inside) and packed her bag into his van, before heading towards the bay. The ride up was a lot of light talk and they got along surprising well. Gene was a lot easier to be around once he was off the job and they had much in common.

The Fort Bragg train station was quaint and picturesque. Gene started taking notes almost immediately and Suzanne let him work in peace, offering assistance only when asked. The view from the steam train's open rail cars was breathtaking! She took scores of pictures and was very sorry to see the first ride end.

Disembarking at the other end of the line, they were having a nice dinner when Gene suddenly looked up to her, pale. His plans for overnight had included two beds (The woman he had planned to take on this trip was not his lover, thank goodness!) but only one hotel room! Suzanne didn't even suggest the hint of a smile when she said that would be fine with her if it were fine with him. He looked doubtful but there really was no other option. Letting him check into the room alone, she waited by the van and then followed with her bag once he had the key. The room was designed to look like it was still 1850 and so cute that Suzanne almost didn't mind that there were two beds. It was now cold, as it usually gets in the mountains, and they unpacked and struggled with a small wall heater.

By 11:30 p.m., the room was only heated up to 53° F. and they were both cold and shaking. Gene gave up trying to squeeze more heat out of the heater and suggested that Suzanne used the hot water in the bath to warm up and then they'd just go to bed; both beds had handmade quilts, spreads, and blankets along with flannel sheets that would easily keep them warm. Suzanne readily agreed, but as she headed for the bathroom, she saw Gene lie on one bed and begin wiggling like crazy. As cold as she was, she had to ask what he was doing. Never stopping his frantic movement for a second, he said he was heating up the linens. She had to laugh as she closed the door and took a hot shower that felt sooo good but it couldn't last long enough.

Getting out of the bath, she debated what she should wear back into the room and decided that full nightclothes and a robe was the best, though she would have preferred nude, no matter how cold it was! He was still wiggling but stopped as she came out and rushed past her and into the shower.

It only took a moment for her to decide what she wanted to do.

When the door opened to spill hot steam into the room, he saw her, even in the dark. She was slowly wiggling under the covers in the bed that he had been wiggling on! His mouth fell open and he stood there staring before asking what she thought she was doing. She answered without any hesitation: "I'm keeping your sheets warm for you."

The cold air finally got him moving and he almost went around to the other side of the other bed. Instead, he walked between them and laid his bathrobe on the other bed. Just to make sure he had no room for doubt, Suzanne reached out and touched his bare thigh with a very warm hand. She feigned surprise and told him that he was freezing. She suggested that she could wiggle for him to warm him up, too! He laughed and she pulled his hand until he turned to her, very slowly climbing into the bed. She faced him and pulled him into her arms, where she kept her promise. Slowly rubbing her now (blessedly) nude body against him, he warmed and warmed to her. When she was sure he wouldn't talk, she rolled away from him, then gently pulled him to her, atop her. And, as she closed her eyes and opened to him, he moved to her, and into her. The room was still very cold but two people in it stayed very, very warm for hours.

When Gene woke the next morning, it was still dark in the room. Suzanne was already awake. When he turned to her, she put a finger to her lips, gesturing for silence. Then, she smiled and pulled him to her again. This time, there was abandon neither of them thought possible.

* * * * *

The ride back to Fort Bragg was much faster but still spectacularly beautiful. Gene started to work right away but quit after a few minutes. He told her that he had seen enough to work with. Suzanne smiled and nodded. Sitting there by his side, she still caught the stolen glances he gave her. She counted the times he bumped into her side, although the train ride was smooth. And, she knew that, no matter what he said about 'seeing enough to work with' was a lie. He just had something better to look at, now.