His face, if she could have seen it, was red and he cleared his throat and drove slowly off and she once more said, “Do I please you my man?”
“No comment,” he playfully said, while pulling out onto the highway making sure his driving was safe now that he knew maybe there were three in the motor home. The road was a little narrow and now and then logging trucks went by throwing tons of spray in the air. An hour later they came to a town that represented the region where by a large manufacturing of wood products sat along side the road. Ron spotted a restaurant with ample parking for a motor home and pulled in grateful for the break of pouring rain, but not so much wind. He fetched Sue’s rain coat and his too leaving Amy in the motor home hurrying to the door of the restaurant. Inside were many local drinking coffee and most turned to see the strangers. Ron noticed they looked at Sue and if he had been sitting there with them he would have stared at her too. He inwardly smiled and led her to a booth next to the window where the rain made long lines of wiggles down it.
A typical waitress dressed in a burnt orange uniform with the name of Sally brought two cups and a pot of coffee. Ron told her coffee for him and tea for Sue. She smiled with both coffee and cigarette stained teeth, left the menus and brought a tea bag and a pot of hot water for Sue. Ron made mental note to put in his pocket her favorite green tea in the future.
Waiting for a breakfast of hotcakes and bacon Ron looked the people over. Most of the men wore heavy flannel shirts and various ball caps with names such as Caterpillar and John Deere and all wore rubber boots. Not a rain coat in sight or umbrella was seen. Tough guys, Ron thought. Sue sat quietly and listened to the sometimes raucous conversation with her keen ears. Breakfast came and went, then off down the road on their adventure after stopping for fuel, and along side the gas station a small drug store sat waiting for Ron to visit. He picked up a pregnancy test and a big jar of multivitamins.
Back on the road again they caught a glimpse of the ocean and large bays of salt water where piles of oyster shells lay noting the industry of oyster beds. By the computer map Ron’s next destination was Astoria, Oregon. They had to cross a long bridge over the Columbia River to what the history said been the first settlement in Oregon. Astoria sat at the confluence of the Pacific Ocean and the river. On the way the rain continued and Ron described a bleak colorless landscape of logged off hills recently replanted by timber companies and small farm valleys running inland to what he thought as a lonely place to live. Sparse traffic most of the way to the giant bridge crossing into Astoria had wind warning signs out for motor homes and travel trailers. Ron said nothing and slowly made their way across the bridge with a nervous dialogue of chatter about what he saw. Now safely on the Oregon side he pulled into a supermarket parking lot and took a rest from the hours of driving. It was only middle afternoon and he felt beat up from the stress of driving. Sue felt his tension and asked, “Honey you ok? You seem a little quiet. Why don’t we buy some groceries and find a place to stay for the night. I have lots of writing to do and let’s take a rest.”
“Damn good idea and what should we buy in the market?”
Sue laughed and said, “Let’s buy all cooked food and deli stuff to tide us over for a few days.”
“Ok, you want to come with me?”
“Yes, I’m tired of sitting and let’s push the cart around and get some exercise. I want some yogurt, peanut butter, cucumber chips….my God I’m hungry as all get out. Let’s go!” There was no need to lock the door as Amy was inside not happy she was left behind as they walked to the store with raincoats on as the wind blew sideways and the rain followed in its path. Inside they shook off and with a cart started at the deli where they bought chicken strips and the list was endless. Also all things mentioned in the motor home by Sue stacked up in the cart. Cheese and crackers Ron wanted and Sue wanted cereal and milk. Back at the motor home, cart covered with Sue’s rain coat after she got in Ron stacked the sacks inside and then said he would take Amy for a walk to do her thing.
Ron, with Sue beside him looking at Goggle Earth found a State Park out on the tip of the land where ocean met river. An hour later they were nestled in a perfect place surrounded by evergreen trees protected by the wind and not far from the showers and restroom. Ron portrayed a good overview and then details color of their surroundings. She made quick notes and then told him before she had lost her sight she memorized the United States and where the major cities were located. She told him she knew where they were on a map and now that he put the details to her geography she had nice picture in her head.
Ron asked, changing the subject, “When do you want to take the test?”
“Right now and will you help me? I have no idea how to do this and read the directions to me please.” Ron read the directions and all she had to do was pee in a cup and place the litmus paper in it and wait a few minutes to see what color it turned. Ron gave her a cup and she went to the bathroom returning with a cup full of urine. Ron placed the test paper in the cup and waited. The test paper should turn blue if positive and they waited with bated breath the outcome. Ron held the paper in his shaking hand while Sue said not a word. She knew she was pregnant and no paper test was needed. Ron gave off a yelp and Amy looked up at them wondering what the excitement was.
Ron said, “Honey it is blue and we are going to have a baby.” He never felt this happy before and dug out his cell to call his parents with the news forgetting to give her a hug, and then he remembered, returning to smoother her with kisses. Sue forgave him in his excitement and hugged him back smelling the faint odor of his after shave. She heard him tell of the love he had for her and what a life ahead they had coming. He had tears of happiness and then she too let out with her emotions of the happy occasion. Ron told her the call could wait and made a cup of coffee and tea for her. He wasn’t hungry but Sue said she was a little hungry and the chicken strips sounded good with a three bean salad.
After lunch Ron tried his cell, but the weather must be affecting the signal so he put on his rain coat and took Amy for a walk and Sue came too to use the restroom and spacious shower. From the payphone Ron connected with his mother who when found out she was going to be a grandmother had to pass the phone off to his father who lauded the news with profound expression to his son and soon to be daughter in law. Ron told them where they were and would be for the next week or so driving down the Oregon coast. Ron with Amy waited for Sue to come out and then he walked her back to the motor home. He took his shower bag and a half an hour later was back finding Sue working away on the computer. Ron had already set up level for the night and delved back into picture taking. He thought if the rain stopped he would start taking pictures and noting time of day and light. He was now more than ever determined to be the best he could at photography.
Darkness came early and their motor home was lit up like a normal home. The heat was on and warm and nice inside. Sue he noticed was very dedicated to her writing and he later found out how good she really was. She was paid thousands for her magazine articles from all the leading publications. He found her on the internet quite by accident when he was searching for noted photographers and two in particular she used for her pictures. He read with interest how Sue wrote with such passion and detail for the readers. When she took a break he asked her for the first time about how she got started doing what she did.
Sue moved to the table and sat across from him and said, “I got started quite by accident I guess. Father was showing a guest one day; let’s see I was about twenty four then, his work in the garage. As father told me later, the guest who was an expert in art asked if father had some written articles describing his work. Father said yes, I do, but right now it is in process and will be finished in a couple months. The guest who later I found out took the articles I wrote about father’s work and they were published under a pseudonym, but in reality it was my writing. That is how it started and now my agent tells what they want and I fill her needs via the internet. I really didn’t know how famo
us or rich I was until you told me about how much money I have. I don’t pay any attention to the notoriety and never promote my work such as book signing or things like that.”
Ron held hand and played with her ring and then said, “When do you want to get married, or wait a minute. Sue Lyons would you be my wife and mother of our kids?”
Sue had a flood of tears and through blowing bubbles mixed with tears and salvia said, “Yes, oh yes I will till death parts. I love you so much Ron Filbert and now I want you to make love to me and from head to toe like you do so well.”
“Honey let me take you by the hand and lead you to a place where only you and I know and only you and I know where it takes us to.”
Two hours later after a true love session of love making, something was nagging at his brain. He left her sleeping and went to the laptop for some research into eye diseases. Too many articles later and only a brief mention of what she told him happened to her, he found on a site in Switzerland where a Neuro Ophthalmologist wrote an article on this rare phenomena. Through the technical jargon he deduced that with laser technology coupled with some regeneration applications sight could be restored, but no guarantees. By now Ron was sitting upright and at full attention. My God, he thought what if Sue regained her sight! Her life would be changed forever. She would be able to see her new born and even me! He inwardly laughed as Sue came out and went into the bathroom with a sleepy look about her wearing only a sweat shirt and nothing else under the just below her pubis it rode teasing him to no end. Then she came to the table feeling her way then sitting down asking what he was doing.
Ron said, “Honey with the best memory you have of losing your sight tell me all you can about the experience and what the doctors told you or your parents.”
“Why do you want to know? I’m sorry I said that so bluntly, but I’m blind and bringing up the past is not a good feeling for me.” Ron was listening closely and like he had ants in his pants he wanted her to give him new hope for her regaining her sight. She continued saying, “Well soon to be husband I guess it won’t hurt much to tell it one more time. Really the story is not long as I said before my sight started going when I was about sixteen and finally I was totally blind by twenty. The doctors said it was a rare thing to happen and only a few had the same symptoms as I had. My father asked if an operation would help, but the answer was no, they didn’t know what to do even if they discovered the source; now eleven years later I live in a world of darkness with only the past hurt of once having sight to remember. I’m happy and I have you and Amy in my life and soon a child will be born to make my life totally full.”
Ron said, “Honey I been searching the internet looking for your rare loss of sight and since its been eleven years a lot has been done in he field of science and eye related problems. I found a young man from Switzerland how wrote an article about your disease and says it’s possible to regain some or all of your sight with use of a laser and certain drugs of regeneration.”
“Why get our hopes up. It took me a long, long time to come to grips with my handicap and if I got my hopes up only to see the procedure fail would be a real set back with depression and maybe something we never thought of. I think you love me for who I am and without the pity most heap on a handicapped person. I will do this for you my husband in the future, after the baby is born and I feel good about everything, I will consider what you propose. Is that fair?”
“Yes it is my mother of my child. However I will investigate this a little further as time goes on. It’s only nine months from now that the little child will be crying for mother’s milk,” he said with sounds of true feelings escaping his lips. His gut hurt so much he loved her so. So beautiful on the outside only to make the outside dim compared to the beauty of the inside.
Both hungry and Amy too with a softer rain that Aberdeen coming down with little or no wind, they raided the ice box and loaded up on cheese, yogurt and various other items to fill up on. Crackers with cheese and salami were Ron’s favorite and everything seemed Sue’s favorite as she sampled them all giggling as she wolfed down whatever she ordered and he fixed for her.
Filled up both emotionally and physically, they went to bed where once two slept now three filled the bed.
Ron woke first and heard birds making morning sounds of chirping and he even heard little feet on the roof signifying the rain had stopped. It was still mostly dark, but the day was dawning. Ron went to he bathroom and came back to put on his sweats and take Amy for a walk. He put on his down coat and quietly left closing the door gently so as not to wake his pregnant future wife. So few campers around he took off Amy’s leash and let her run around a little. Ron felt the chill of the damp morning but a red glow to the east made signs that maybe a day without rain and light good enough to take pictures heightened his mood. Ron and Amy made their way around for a while and then returned to a warm motor home with the sun now rising to he east amid broken clouds lazily floating to the north east. Entering he found Sue making hot water and cups were on the table waiting for them. Somehow she found a way to make toast and a stack of English muffins hot was sitting on the table. She said, “Can’t find the strawberry jam or butter, but soon I will figure it out,” as she raised her lips to be kissed and after that gave Amy a good morning hug too.
Ron sat down with the fresh cup of coffee and looked at the map of Oregon on the laptop. If the promise of good lights they would stay until noon or so and then move down the coast over a highway that looked like a very twisted highway? “Honey let’s walk around this park and see what it has to offer. The brochure says there are some old fort walls built many years ago to keep the Japanese from invading and that would make a nice picture as the light will behind us coming up from the east.”
“Sounds nice to me and it are good for Amy to get some exercise in and me too. I must control my eating now and take care of our baby,” she said with lowered head playing a little coy he thought.
Off they went camera and bag full of wide angles and zoom lens with Sue on his arm and Amy on a leash. Sue had her cane making sure she didn’t trip on anything to let Amy off the hook leading her around. Ron kept the conversation going and soon they spotted the old fort where cannon stood facing the Columbia River and where the Pacific Ocean came together. The river was wide like maybe a mile or more across the mouth and a muddy color from the rains washing down the soil from its many tributaries. Ron started snapping pictures of anything and everything. Close ups and wide angles he noted each shot in a notebook. Every once in awhile he took Sue and Amy’s picture and two hours later and a notebook full of exposures they made their way back to the motor home as the clouds started rolling in from the southwest announcing another storm coming.
They pulled out and drove west and south on highway 101 with the next stop somewhere for lunch and then Cannon Beach where the highway met the Pacific Ocean. Along the way farms spread out ubiquitously sporting green grass and lots of milk cows grazing the fresh grass. Grass grew here pretty much year around as frost was rare and snow was even rarer. Ron gave Sue the deep green colors of pastures and with the sun still breaking through the clouds before the storm flashes of red barns and gold farm houses seem the colors of the area. Must have had a paint sale recently, Ron thought. Traffic was light and it was easy driving.
About one o’clock they pulled into Seaside a fair size town on the coast. Ron pulled into a gas station where they fueled up and asked where a good place to park and view the ocean from. Inside where Ron paid, an old timer told him a place just not too far from here and drew a quick map for him to find the place mentioned. Not long after those following very good directions they found a parking lot for cars and motor homes. Not many motor homes and fewer cars were there and Ron pulled parallel to the ocean and parked.
The sound of the ocean still rough from the last storm made a roaring noise and Sue cocked her head listening while Ron told her what he saw: big waves tumbling onto the beach and deer colored sand coming from the surf to whi
te sand above the high tide mark. Drift wood logs dotted the beach along the bank telling her they were white as ghosts and some had roots still attached making it look like an Edgar Allen Poe story if seen at night. He asked her, “Sue, want to walk on the beach before lunch or after lunch?”
She told him after lunch that she would be hungry again, but she would only eat a little now and maybe more later. Ron dug out an assortment of meats and cheese, bread and crackers and chips and dip. Eating lunch it looked and sounded like the wind was picking up as the motor home swayed a little with a larger gust once in awhile. Salt air seeped in and mixed with the smell of salami and cheese.
Dressed in sweats and windbreakers; with wool stocking hats on; Amy on a long leash, Sue for the first time in her life stepped foot on a sandy beach. She was holding Ron’s arm so tight it hurt as the soft sand made her unsteady, but soon walking closer to the surf, the sand firmed up and she relaxed a little. The sun was hiding behind the clouds and a strong breeze was blowing, but Sue took a deep breath and said, “I love it and the heavy salt air is invigorating and tell me what you see of the ocean and the waves spilling over each other.”
They stopped and Ron looked for details like a good photographer and said, “The hissing sound is the end of a wave with lots of white foam running across the sand and then retreating back forming a back stop to the advancing wave coming. The water is a mix of light blue and brown as the surf stirs the sand and swirls it around inside the water. Out further bigger waves build against a blue that is more of a sky blue on a hazy day. The white of the water mixed with oxygen I think is the cause of the breaking waves. Out further on the horizon are rolling swells making their way to the beach. Because of the past storm and heavy winds large swells are evident and they are blue in color mixed with a faded green color. The sand is a dark brown color the closer you get to the surf and the drier it gets the lighter brown in color, until it is mostly white above the high tide mark.”
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