#46b
The café was busy and it took a long time to give their order and then for the food to arrive. "Ya know," Bruce had Tricia squeezed next to the wall in the small booth. "It occurs to me that this has been awful sappy, almost gooey as a matter of fact. I'm glad to feel more normal."
In a low voice, Tricia explained in detail how she expected Bruce to act every night when their bedroom door closed. "Sappy is only the beginning," she warned.
"You are such a dangerous woman," He smiled, "I take it that my innocence is in jeopardy?"
"Every bit of it," Tricia flipped his attitude right back at him. It went that way all during the meal and an hour after. They were so delighted with each other that they didn't notice the time slipping away. Finally the waitress was standing at their table, clearing her throat and waving the check.
"Sorry," Bruce mumbled as he paid for the meal, and it was clear he wasn't.
Bruce had forgotten he had money in his wallet. He had bummed from Warren, when in the drug fog, he could have paid for it himself. In fact he had a lot of money, more than three thousand and it was a curious thing he couldn't remember where he got it. All of a sudden he remembered. That was witch's money. He smiled, it would spend just the same.
"Tomorrow, we need to do several chores;" Bruce was planning. "I need to find a bank branch and a set of wheels. I am never, and I will not allow you to ride with Warren, again. I don't intend for either of us to die in a car crash, and it's going to happen."
Is Mama in danger?"
"Not once he gets home, but he's a menace on the highway. City driving, he doesn't get up enough speed to create such danger. He drives 80 on the freeway, and I'm not getting back in a vehicle with him, and that's final.
Have you thought about the fact that he may stay here?" Bruce was testing Trish about the awkward situation that might evolve.
"It's weird, I've never seen Mama act this way before, she's...always been so uptight. I guess that's the word I'm looking for. Actually I'm kind of shocked." Trish shrugged, it was really strange.
"I think it's only natural for children to be surprised that their parents are sexual. Just as long as you understand our children will be shocked when we're Warren and Luce's age."
Trish chuckled, "OK," she agreed and leaned close to Bruce as they walked to the apartment.
"Do you know what else we have to do tomorrow, we have to get a marriage license. We have to wait three days here in Mississippi, and then we can be married on Monday. I'm not waiting any longer than that, and that's too blasted long." he growled.
"OK."
"That was suspiciously quick as a come back." Bruce teased. It was getting so easy to tease and make Tricia blush.
"This is so much fun to do," he remarked to Trish. "I never knew teasing was so much fun and created such tension of a really good kind." he said suggestively in a deep voice. "However little girl, you are going to sleep in your room tonight with a chair propped under the door knob so the big bad wolf can't get in. And as wolves go, I'm bigger and badder than most. This is your warning."
Tricia laughed, but she could see Bruce was serious. "OK." she replied.
Warren's car was gone from it's spot so they had an empty apartment for some serious kissing practice. Bruce was sitting on the couch with his arms folded behind his head and his stocking feet up on the coffee table. Trish was investigating his face, the soft and gentle touches driving Bruce crazy. "Honey, you need to stop please. I can't take any more. Get your sweet little fingers out of my hair and behave for a while."
Tricia was enthralled with her new found power. She never knew it was so easy to make a man beg for mercy. "well it is," Bruce smiled a warning when she announced her discovery, "but there are paybacks."
They talked, kissed and talked some more. Finally Tricia was yawning almost non stop. "Go to bed sweetheart, Please," Bruce nearly begged. "I've got to cool down and you need to sleep."
Neither one of them knew what time Warren and Luce came in, but they were there in the morning.
Trish went to the hospital to check on Julie, Bruce went to the bank and a couple of car lots before he found what he wanted. A battered and bruised looking Chevy Tahoe that was a 'sleeper' much better mechanically than in appearance. They had talked about what they needed, to move Julie, and the room in the back of the Tahoe for a bed seemed to be the best idea.
They had also tackled the problem of where they were going to live. Tricia preferred to live around Raleigh, she liked the area better than Jackson, and Bruce had no personal tie to any place. "Ideally, a small farm close to the city so it's not too far into work." Trish had breathed into his ear with a light kiss and Bruce would have lived anywhere for another one of those.
"Do you want to live with Mark and Clora? They told me I'd be welcome." Bruce offered and Trish thought for a moment.
"We might have to go there for a while, until we find a place; but no, I want my man all to myself. We are starting a new chapter together and Mama maybe surprised, but she's not going to live with us either."
That bit of news brought an immediate sense of relief to Bruce, who had been putting off tackling that particular problem. Luce might be a good Mama, but to Bruce she was a strange woman. He had proof that Luce could speak very well in English, but that she always spoke Italian to deliberately exclude him from the conversation. Warren, the bugger, wasn't any help, so Bruce figured they deserved one another.
They had their license, the vehicle, and enough desires that Bruce spent the next couple of nights in a motel.
Sunday morning, Bruce went to church with Tricia and Luce. The Catholic service or whatever it was called, was OK, but Bruce didn't get any special vibs from it. He was especially upset when the resident priest refused to marry them, because Bruce hadn't taken instruction in the church. He didn't give a fig, but it meant a lot to Tricia, so that was why he was mad. He was about done waiting.
Practical Tricia had a solution. They would be married by a Justice of the Peace, and when they got to Raleigh, they would go visit Father Shaun from her old parish and she was sure he would marry them.
"Good save sweetie," he complimented Tricia, looking at her with hungry eyes.
"Wolfy, your fangs are showing," she had whispered in his ear, and Bruce had growled. They were having a grand time learning about each other. Life, when they got to Raleigh would be busy with both of them needing jobs and a farm to find and a little girl to take care of.
Bruce, when he had a plan and solid emotional support, went from 0 as a pitiful man; to 100 miles an hour as the hard driving, type A personality that he was. It was the difference between night and day, and Trish just smiled and loved her man.
Monday finally came around, and Bruce hadn't ever seen time move so slowly. They had asked Warren and Luce to stand up with them, and when he stopped to pickup Trish, they were no where around. Trish looked like she wanted to wait for them, and Bruce cooled his heels until noon.
"Trish, honey, if they were coming, they'd be here by now." he finally said, disgusted at the couple for taking some of the joy out of Trish's day. They got married, went back to the motel and hung the 'do not disturb' sign on the door.
Three days later, they had their loose ends tied up, Trish's things from the apartment and Julie in the back of the Tahoe, headed for Raleigh. They didn't give Warren and Luce another thought. Or at least, Bruce didn't.
Getting to Mark and Clora's late at night, they had to call the house with Bruce's brand new cell phone, and were welcomed in with open arms. Wild little Julie was scared to death of all the big people and the dogs and the noise; until she happened to see TJ. Wild, maimed children seemed to recognize one another, and she let Bruce carry her to bed.
Clora turned off the light and snuggled close to Mark, as his arm came over her. "You do good work cowboy," she had whispered. And modest as ever, Mark replied, "I do, don't I."
. Very nice 
