Chapter 40

WEEK 25 DAY 3

I assume Carlette would say I followed instructions. Two nights of rest in Yuma, and one night in Las Cruces, NM gave me renewed strength. At least enough to get me through two nights of fun, games, and a little work thrown in on the side in El Paso. Follow that with two nights of fun and two days of sleep in San Antonio, TX, and I was feeling relaxed.

I pulled onto I-8 leaving Yuma at 9:10 a.m. and at 10:55 the 18-wheeler I was following slowed to 70 mph for a few minutes when we merged on I-10, and I do mean a few. I believe he was talking to a group of 18-wheelers traveling in the same direction because each time I passed one the driver had his mouth against a mic. At 2:05 p.m. we were not more than 25 miles into New Mexico when the two cups of coffee and large glass of juice began applying more pressure than I could tolerate. I saw the sign for the exit and seconds later another sign verified the existence of a watering hole. I hit my turn signals five seconds before my leader activated the blinkers on his trailer. We made the loop off the interstate and I steered toward the nearest, although definitely not the cleanest, establishment with indoor plumbing. I glanced at my lead pilot and two columns of smoke were shooting up through the chrome stacks although they didn't rise far before they were horizontal to the ground. I knew he was nearing the required RPM for maximum speed. The previous three hours, while watching my speed hover on 90, I envisioned him soon reaching a loving sweetheart and a cool set of clean sheets. I made the necessity stop a short one and was back on the road feeling much relieved.

At 4 p.m. my stomach must have known we were entering a town because it growled. I turned off when I saw a chain burger stand. I wanted cleaner facilities since I now had the option. After downing giant a sized burger and a heaping pile of onion rings washed down with a quart of cola, I decided I had enough time behind the wheel for one day. I drove through the lot and I was in the lot of a motel. It wasn't the Marriott but I required use only of the bed and bath. The added bonus of the burger stand close meant I could indulge in a midnight meal if I so desired.

That wasn't the case because when I got to my room I switched the TV on the news channel and relaxed on the bed. I didn't remember watching more than the intro to the news. When I woke I was hungry and when I could focus my eyes I saw it was 5:00 a.m. I slept twelve straight hours, and I was as stiff as a board. When I looked at my watch after I showered and dressed I realized I stayed in the shower almost an hour. The motel had plenty of hot water because it never cooled down.

The motel was shy a restaurant but the burger stand was available. I downed one of the limited choices of breakfast sandwiches and washed it down with a glass of watered down juice. I guided the van back to the interstate and within an hour I was in El Paso and hungry. I exited when I saw the food sign, made a selection based on exterior appearance, and went inside a clean restaurant for a sit-down meal.

I was drawn into a conversation with soldiers at a nearby table. It was Saturday morning and they were enjoying themselves. Actually I stared myself into their conversation. Three of the eight crowded around the table were females, and one I couldn't take my eyes from more than a few seconds.

My stare did not go unnoticed because I saw one girl elbow another and whisper. I saw two girls giving me a lot of attention while I watched a third. It didn't take long for the second girl to elbow the girl I was watching and when she looked in my direction she smiled. Her smile turned me on and I remembered I wasn't on a schedule; I had a week before meeting Carlette. Our eyes kept meeting, holding several seconds, and then redirected elsewhere a few seconds.

I heard the young soldier's conversation but I didn't understand much of it. They were talking about the previous week's difficult training and using military terms. I gathered from their conversation they worked in different jobs. They kept talking about what the first had to do, and then another would best that by telling what the third had to withstand. I knew it would happen but I wasn't prepared. The girls were smiling at me often and the boys picked up where their attention lie which invariably led to the first question to cross the vacant table between us.

"What squad are you in?" the boy doing most of the talking asked.

I didn't have a response but I heard them talking about the 2^nd, 4^th, 1^st, and 3^rd so in desperation I replied, "5^th."

For a second I thought I had them because they began looking at one another, mumbling to one another but they were smiling. I knew it was a big army so it stood to reason they couldn't know everyone.

When Blue Eyes, the girl I had been staring at spoke I thought I was in love. I knew she had to be from the south and that assumption gave me the courage I needed to respond quickly.

"Fifth, what fifth, I don't know of any fifth," Blue Eyes stated.

"Fifth, J. D.," I replied,

The talkative one turned and attempting to speak with military authority asked, "I've never heard of the 5^th JD, where is it located and what's the primary function of the 5^th?"

"It's located in the parking lot," I said pointing toward the door. "To be more specific, it's in my van. I would say the primary function is to get you high, if not drunk."

I could hear breathing although I couldn't identify the owner. There was hushed silence for thirty seconds before the table erupted with laughter. It was enough to have every customer looking in our direction, and solicit a stone faced manager. The manager wasn't as upset as his face indicated he would be. He spoke to the young soldiers respectfully, acknowledged their professional abilities, praised them for their deeds, and asked them to consider other guests who were having a miserable time.

The group collectively apologized and the manager walked from them satisfied. They began asking me questions, which I answered. When I informed them I was a photographer it got their attention. Two men moved to my table who professed to dabble in black and white. Blue Eyes and the girl sitting beside her stood and whispered to one another and then walked to the ladies room. When they returned they sat at my table. Blue Eyes pulled a chair up and sat by me and the other girl sat in the lap of one of the men. It stood to reason they would sit at my table because the third girl and two soldiers departed while they were in the ladies room, leaving the vacant table.

The conversation continued until I noticed we were the only patrons. The workers were waiting to clean the section we occupied. We walked outside and resumed the conversation in the lot but only a few minutes. Two guys kept insisting they check into the motel. They had rooms reserved in a motel in the next block. They insisted I join them. That's when I learned the two boys wanted to take a cooler into the room. I followed them, although reluctantly. I wanted to get to Houston but I wasn't rushed.

There were only five in number and they wanted to get three doubles. I officially joined the group for the weekend when I chipped in and made the sixth. I reluctantly joined but only because Blue Eyes nudged me with her elbow.

The guys were into the cooler of beer the minute they carried it in the room. The girls wanted to swim, rather lay in the sun. They couldn't get the boys to take them to buy a swimsuit. That's when Blue Eyes turned to me. She didn't get the words out before I was nodding. I expected to drive them to a Wal-Mart or something similar. I didn't know the area and had no idea what stores were available. I followed their directions and drove them to a downtown store, with for sure uptown prices. Blue Eyes whipped out an American Express card and didn't flinch when two tiny bikinis totaled over $200.

I was hoping they would let me see them modeling the suits. After all, I drove them to the store, and at their insistence trailed along with them. No such luck however.

We returned to the motel and the boys were deep into the beer from the cooler. The second girl convinced the boy she seemed to favor to accompany her to the pool. Blue Eyes, it was at her request I use that name, did tell me her real name was Penelope but I figured that out when her friend called her Phoebe. Blue Eyes asked me to join her at the pool. I knew things were looking pretty much in my favor. She walked with me to the van for my suitcase, and naturally began asking about the cases holding my cameras. I couldn't deny her request to bring a camera along, but she didn't ask if I would photograph her. I brought a digital and a video camera just in case I got lucky. She also asked me to bring the bottle of JD.

We stayed in and around the pool until around three. It was unbearably hot and I was happy to get back to my room. I drank one beer before noon but I knew the hot sun didn't agree with me drinking more. The other couple seemed to have a drink in their hands each time I looked at them.

I returned to my room and I didn't know where the other couple wandered off to. I showered and was in skivvies when the knock came on my door. I was expecting my roommate and opened the door without looking. I walked back to my bed and sat down before I realized Blue Eyes was standing in the doorway holding her suitcase at her side. I grabbed my trousers and pulled them on quickly. She walked in, closed the door behind her, and set the suitcase inside the door.

She was smiling when she asked, "Can I use your bathroom? They passed out in our room."

I nodded and motioned toward the bathroom.

"I have three brothers and they run around the house in their skivvies all the time so don't worry," she remarked.

"I'm not your brother," I said replying quickly.

"Thank goodness, because half the time they chase me when they're wearing them," she said and began laughing. "You did have a shocked expression on your face when you saw me standing in your door."

"Well I -- I was expecting the other guy,"

"The other guy, you weren't expecting the girl?" she said and the way she said it caused me to laugh, and then we were both laughing.

I motioned toward the bathroom with my thumb.

"Can I trust you or do I have to take the door off the hinges?"

She caught me flatfooted and it took a few seconds for me to catch on.

"I promise I won't knock the door down," I said and again she caused me to laugh.

She walked to the bathroom, turned and said, "Wait until I say, Red rover, Red Rover, send Hal right over."

"Would you like a drink," I called just after she closed the door.

The bathroom door opened and she stuck her head through the door and said, "Yes, thank you but could you make it a little stronger than the one this morning."

She had removed the top to her bikini and I was staring at her swaying breast as she spoke. I knew she approved of my stare by her smile. I'd forgotten I made the drink before we went to the pool. I remembered her strong drink and I remembered making mine light because we were going out in the hot sun. I made the drinks and sat at the small circular table. I heard the shower first and then I heard the tub filling. I didn't have an idea what she was doing.

I was mid-way through with my drink when I heard, "Red rover, Red Rover, send Hal right over."

I picked up her drink and went to the door, knocked, and asked, "Do you want your drink?"

"Yes please, and I need someone to wash my back," she said.

"Do you want me to call room service?" I asked facetiously and opened the door.

I didn't walk in; I just stuck my arm through the door with her drink.

"Is that what they call a short arms inspection because it definitely won't reach my back?"

I pushed the door open and peeked in. She was reaching for the glass with one hand and extending a bar of soap in the other. I was getting an eyeful because two breasts were just hanging there looking so beautiful.

"Have you finished your drink?" she asked.

I passed the plastic cup to her and walked back for my drink. I certainly wasn't going to turn down an opportunity of a lifetime. I can think of very few things more enjoyable than looking at a beautiful woman, a naked beautiful woman, sitting back relaxed with a drink in your hand.

"I've caused you a lot of work today," she said when I was washing her back, soapy rag in one hand and a drink in the other.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well this morning you were thorough when putting suntan lotion on my back, you didn't miss a spot. Now I am asking you to undo your painstaking effort."

"Oh, I can think of much worse tasking," I said laughing.

"Perhaps I can repay your effort by letting you remove the lotion from my front," she said lifting the cup to her lips and looking over the rim with a smile.

"That could settle half your debt I believe -- don't move -- hold that exact look," I said and rushed for my digital.

I returned and took a dozen snaps but I failed to get that perfect look.

"I'm sorry," she said after she realized I wasn't happy with the shot.

"You needn't be, it could have been my imagination but at the time I thought it was perfect," I said.

"What type of pictures do you usually take?" she asked.

I looked at her but when I didn't respond immediately she said, "You don't!"

I nodded.

"Nudes?"

I shook my head and said, "Action shots."

"You mean -- like action with two people?"

"Or three -- or four."

Her mouth dropped and she said, "You do that and you blushed when I let you see one tit -- how -- why?"

"I have a personal side, and then there's business, but let's not talk about that," I said.

"That bed in your van, is that where you..."

"No, never," I stated before she finished asking.