Part 7 - Seattle
The days before departure for the trip in the RV to Seattle passed quickly. Margo and I got our end of term work accomplished, and Edith had us in for a talk about next year.
"You are two of my best teachers, but what about your careers? Community college and babies is not good enough!" She frowned fiercely and then smiled. "Perhaps our trip will turn up something exciting."
We walked out, headed for the guesthouse, bouncing off each other as usual. "What was that about?" I asked.
I got an arm around my shoulder and a kiss on my cheek. "Mickey, she's telling us a story about herself. Wants us not to settle for comfortable choices. Thinks maybe she missed out somehow."
"So which of us is going to run for President?"
That got me an elbow and a laugh. "Better get that novel finished, lover, or there won't even be comfortable choices."
She was driving and I leaned back in the passenger seat with eyes closed. The end of the novel was out there, waiting to be grasped and brought to the page. Tom and Eunice and Eunice's crippled brother. I hadn't imagined a Gothic ending. No suicides. No random and meaningless murder. Perhaps lives salvaged from war and turned into hardworking middle class lives was sufficient? I needed to consult with my agent, who was busy stocking shelves in the RV.
Keeping my eyes closed, I said, "Let's offer to help Susan. I need to consult my agent."
"Do you want me there? Perhaps one on one is what you have in mind?"
"You are an evil teasing woman and will suffer!" I sat up and reached ...
"Stay away!" She was parking and running to safety in the big vehicle. I dashed after and up the stair. She shrieked and fell into Susan's arms. I rushed them to the big bed in the back, filling the air with threats and growls.
The agent sat on me, swatting. "Mickey, you can't abuse your future wife and your agent. It's just not proper!"
I wrestled and pinched and kissed and collapsed. They crouched over me, "What is the problem now?"
"Edith scared us. Said living here in a comfortable existence was not good enough..."
The curvy agent settled between us and pulled up the comforter. "Now see here..."
We interrupted with caresses and kisses from both sides. We hummed. I leaned over and gave Margo a fierce kiss. Susan relaxed into us as I said, "I am not giving this up. I am hanging on to the women who make life worthwhile..."
Later, someone poked me awake. "Hiding out, are we? I have a message from Edith. She apologizes for what she said to you this morning and wants a sleepover."
Susan and Margo sat up, hugging and giggling. "Do you suppose she needs comforting?"
Outside, on the way to lunch, I grabbed Emily and ran around in circles. "Put me down, crazy man!" Three women all pounded on me, laughing their heads off. "Mickey," Susan screamed, "the ending is in your head. Just relax and it will come tumbling out."
Emily had leftover barbequed back ribs for lunch. It was delicious and calmed me. Head down, I said, "Sorry for the theatrics, I'll get over it." Susan nudged my hip and whispered, "Let it go for a few days. You are piling block on top of block!"
I nudged her back and asked, "I thought you were angry with me for being late?"
Using my hair for leverage, she arranged me in her lap and leaned down to lick my ear. "You have upended my existence, young teacher. Every time I think of an agent admonition, my body betrays me..."
She hadn't finished her words when I was striding out the door with her body over my shoulder.
"Stop this. You are so rude!"
It took only moments for us to be naked and rolling on the bed in the rear of the RV. "You've finally admitted your body likes me?!"
"No! Never. Stop this awful attack!"
When I was properly inserted and we were tightly coupled, with Susan on top, she sighed, "Mickey, love me please."
We started slow and gentle, but didn't stay that way. The agent and her new author were tense and wound up. I flipped us to missionary and pounded hard. I wasn't lasting and neither was she. "Yes. More. Mickey!" She stretched my name into a wail as she came. I decided to hold back and have the talk we needed. I turned us on our sides and said, "For an agent, you are sure nice to me."
Her whisper was soft, "For an unproven author, you sure take care of your agent."
With clothes back on, we sipped a mug of hot tea together. "Mickey, the visit to the Boeing archives is a good idea. You can flesh out the story, and inspiration about the ending will flow through you and out onto the page."
"I need to tell you about the archives. I have discovered that they are not open to the general public. You have to have a special interest and be vetted before getting access. They are located in a special building in Bellevue with tight security."
"My goodness, what are you going to do?"