A Few More Nights (Slice of Life) (7 page)

Marc returned to the site at exactly 2 p.m.; considering everything that had transpired in the past hour, he felt it was pretty good timing. Vincent was waiting for him on the loading docks to remove the items which had come in on the plane with Nadine. The fellow he had left at the office had called for another truck to transport the materials back to the site. The two men worked in silence as they unloaded and sorted the materials.

Vincent had tested higher on an exam than Marc, which gave him more points, along with three months seniority in the company, which qualified him to be site supervisor.  The two had arrived at Prudhoe Bay at the same time, and pretty much were inseparable; the relationship was based more in friendship than a focus on job titles. Whereas Marc was a supervisor for a crew of fifty men, Vincent oversaw five supervisors.

Supplies sorted, they climbed into the truck to make the afternoon run to check on Marc’s crew who were working the Eight Dash. The oil pipeline was sorted into seventeen sections, each equaling fifty square miles.  Each crew would rotate to check the lines, ensure maximum output and check for wear and tear from nature. Vincent rode out each afternoon with a different supervisor, today wasn’t Marc’s turn but he understood why he was in his vehicle.

“So, Deasley, you are now married?”

“Yep.”

They continued to ride in silence. Vincent was trying to find the best tactic to enter the conversation, “So, what made her fly all the way to the Artic to see you?”

“It’s my birthday.”

“Really?

“Yep.”

Technically, they were 1,200 miles south of the Arctic Circle, but Marc didn’t correct him.  Vincent drummed on the door panel with his fingers, Marc’s eyes stayed on the road. He was not going to let it go.

“So, Deasley,” he blew out a deep breath as if to clear his lungs, “you and I have worked together for six years. We have fought off poachers, natives who tried to puncture the lines, and even fought off a pack of wolves once.” Marc still said nothing as Vincent continued on with his “
we are brothers
” speech.

“We have even shared sleeping bags and have, more than once, I might add, slept uncomfortably close for two heterosexual males, to keep from freezing to death.”

“Your point, Vincent?”

“My point is, would you have shot me if I continued toward that room?”

“Yep.”

“Really, Deasley?  You would have shot me over a woman?”

Marc was calm in his answer when he looked Vincent square in the face, “Nope, I would have shot you over my wife.”

At seven o’clock, Nadine heard a truck pull up.  Marc had put the ever-loving fear of man into her and she eased her way to the window and peered out at a crack in the curtains.  It was him!  He was home.  A quick look about the Spartan cabin, and she grimaced at the lack of hominess to the place.  The furniture was poorly crafted from cut timbers on the site.  The mattress was lumpy, the pillows were frightening, and what she found in the night stand would haunt her for days to come.  Although she knew what a butt plug was, she had never seen one used and had no interest in finding out the technicalities of such a tool.  However, the last user of the device had failed to clean it before sticking it back in the drawer.  Tonight was about her and Marc, their future together and love that needed to be made; nasty butt plugs were not a primary focus.

She added two logs to the fire and double checked her settings. In her suitcase, she snuck in a fresh pineapple, some spinach, kale, grapes, and fresh berries.  All of the pre-measured ingredients for his cake had been packed with the butter, eggs and sugar in separate, travel friendly containers. She had made him a chocolate birthday cake, with a fresh spinach and berry salad, with grilled pineapple.  In the fridge, someone had left two venison steaks that she had tenderized and cooked as part of his birthday dinner.

Marc stepped on the porch, “Beauty, it’s me.”

She unbolted the door and stood behind it as he entered. He looked behind the door to find her standing there in an apron and a pair of red high heels. Her hair was up, she wore red lipstick, and he had never been happier to see anyone in his life. “Happy birthday, Baby!”  She presented him with the cake adorned with one lit candle, but his eyes never left her. The reaction she had wanted earlier when he saw her was now being played out.  He locked the door and started to disrobe.  Nadine was smiling as she sat the cake on the table.

“I think I am going to put something on before I catch a cold in my ass,” she turned to leave and the sight of her walking away was more than he could bear. He bolted and blocked the door, blew out the candle, kicked off his boots, removed his parka and unzipped his pants. “Dear Lord, woman!”

He swept her up in his arms and headed towards the small bedroom.  Nadine had already turned back the covers on the bed and had drawn him a warm bath.

“Marc, what about your cake?” She asked as she giggled a bit.

“I will have my cake,” he said as he planted small kisses down her torso, “and eat this too.”  He attempted to bury his face in her cupcake, but she stopped him.  She had planned this evening in her mind for three months; everything needed to
be perfect. Slowly, she finished undressing him and led him to the tub. The birthday boy was not very happy when his wife had dressed herself in long johns and bulky socks. The smile came back to his face when he lowered himself into the tub of warm water and Nadine washed every inch of his body with an oversized sponge. Her new husband was left alone to soak a bit more in the tub before he joined her at the table for dinner.

He was quiet as he cut into the venison.  She watched his face closely as she sliced into the grilled pineapple. He said nothing as he stuffed a wad of the spinach berry salad into his mouth.  The dinner portions were small because there needed to be room for cake; cake which melted in his mouth.  How she managed to get it impeccable at this altitude was a question in his mind, but this evening was sitting on the edge of faultless already.

Extra logs had been placed on the fire and the cabin was nice and toasty leaving little room for a great deal of clothing. Marc only wore the towel that he had used to dry off. This would be the perfect end to the evening.  “Beauty, this was the best birthday I’ve had in years!” She smiled as she closed out the evening by kneeling in front of him and raising his towel; within seconds he was ready for the party.

Her mouth covered him as she slowly, methodically brought him pleasure. Even when Marc thought she was going to stop, she continued until he was finished.  A quick exit to the ladies room was needed to empty and rinse her mouth only to return minutes later in edible undies. “I hope you are not too full,” she told him as she lay back on the couch.

“I have always been a bit of a snacker,” he said as he lowered his head to return the pleasure she had provided to him earlier.

A plane was chartered to take Nadine back to Fairbanks on Sunday. However on Saturday, they joined the Bishop and his wife at the Prudhoe Hotel for lunch. Initially, Nadine had thought to book a room there for a few more nights, but Marc thought it best to get her back to safety.  He did want her to meet the Bishop’s wife before she left Prudhoe. 

The Bishop’s wife had to be the ugliest woman Nadine had ever seen in her life. There were Muppets that were cuter than this poor lady. Initially, it appeared as if the gentlewoman was wearing a Halloween mask, but once you got up close, her face had skin like a Shar Pei.  Despite her looks, she had the warmest spirit and Nadine immediately liked her. Marc helped Nadine clear the table and she had to ask, “Why is she okay to be here and no other women are?”

Marc’s face was scowling when he answered, “Maybe, it is a religious thing.  He is ou
r only clergy man and she is his wife.” The commentary was ended when the doorbell rang.  It was Vincent.

Vincent managed to work his way into town and dropped by the hotel to introduce himself to Marc’s wife. Nadine was very uncomfortable with the way the man consistently insinuated himself into their conversations. Finally, she’d had enough, “Vincent was it?”

“Yes, Nadine….you can call me Vincent.”

“It’s nice to know that you are keeping an eye on my man’s back.  I truly love and am dedicated to him; you make sure he gets home safely to me, okay? Can I trust you to do that for me?” She touched Vincent in the small of his back as she smoothly escorted him out the door. She visibly shivered when he exited the room.

Once back at the cabin, it was obvious that someone had been inside of the conjugal love nest. It was an uncomfortable feeling. Nothing seemed to be missing until she checked her suitcase.  When she left L.A., she had packed at least seven pairs of underwear; now she only found four pair.  “Marc, some of my underwear are missing, this is too weird. Even my two dirty pairs…….”

He walked over to check the suitcase and she saw him slipping a pair into his pocket, a wrinkled brow was her response to him.

“Don’t judge me, it is going to be a long three months.”

“I won’t judge you, but I may charge you.  The big man offered me ten grand for a pair.”

Marc only laughed as he gathered her in his arm to make love to her just once more before she left to return home. “I’ll write you a check when I’m done.”

Vincent was waiting for Marc when he returned to work.  This was not going to be a pleasant conversation but it really wouldn’t matter much, his contract was almost up. “So, Deasley, I always thought you were one for blondes.”

“Shows how much you actually know about me, Vincent,” he answered as he continued to focus on his task.

“So…..uhmm….Deasley…” Marc turned to face the man dead on, holding up his hand to stop whatever insensitive, inappropriate or offensive statement that was about to leave his mouth.  The wrong words would make Marc lose his temper, punch hi
s supervisor in the face and lose his job.

“Nadine is one of the best things that have happened to
, and for me, in a long time, Vincent; choose your words carefully.”

Vincent was taken aback by the aggression. “I was just going to tell you that you were very lucky and she is a beautiful and sharp woman.  I was only going to ask if she had a friend.”

Marc laughed and pulled his friend in for a bear hug. His eyebrows went up when he asked Vincent, “She is a mighty fine woman, isn’t she?”

“Yesssss, Lawd!”

Marc began to count down the days and months before he could be with her again.  Three months felt like a lifetime.

For Nadine, it was the longest three months of her life. It felt as if she was eating her way through her feelings, and the office staff was trying to be supportive.  If someone gave her the wrong look, she cried.  If someone gave her the right look, she cried.  Rolland was beside himself with understanding what to do.  He did not want to concern his little brother and he kept an eye on her as best he could when she was at the office.

Few details had been shared by either Nadine or his brother when Nadine returned from her trip four days early, vacillating between bouts of joy and fits of tears. Bena had been in his office so many times during her crying spells, that Rolland almost offered her a job. A board had been placed in the break room with a countdown to the days that Marc would return. Since Nadine didn’t follow sports, she was told it was a Fantasy Football board. “As long as no money is being used,” she told them since gambling was against company policy.

Selena had come off the road to be at her daughter’s side. A mother understood the signs of the changes Nadine was experiencing, but she waited for her daughter to open the subject.  She never did.  Any attempts to speak on the life changes she was facing, was met with tears and melancholy. When her daughter wasn’t crying, she was singing, or reading out loud. Selena wasn’t sure how she felt about Marc now, but would wait and reserve any thoughts when he returned home.

The conversation only danced around the plastic zip ring that she wore on her finger.  Anytime anyone asked about it, Nadine would burst into tears. The campaigns she worked on were flourishing because the new Nadine was full of insights and was in touch with her feelings. These feelings were connecting with the public and sales were booming. She truly had a golden touch.

The golden touch was appreciated even more when Rolland received the call at 9:30 am.  Relief was all over his face. Simply because Bena had been such support, he immediately called her.  Bena called Selena, and everyone was in route to the office. It was now only a matter of time. 

Lunch was ordered in; it was a quiet afternoon until he arrived.  A hush fell across the office as a travel-weary Marc Deasley walked into the offices of Deasley and Associates to see his wife.  Rolland shook his brother’s hand and noticed the similar plastic ring on his brother’s left hand.  He had been right, she could not visit the site unless they were married, but neither Marc nor Nadine had mentioned their union to him in the past three months. This made his reunion brief with his brother, since Marc’s main concern was getting into the office with Nadine.

She looked up with amazement when he walked into the door.  She pointed to the chair for him to have a seat. Marc wanted to hold her but she had not risen to meet him halfway.  The plastic ring was still on her finger which was a relief.

“Marc, we really need to talk, I was planning to tell you some things when I came to Alaska….” The words were interrupted by a very anxious Marc who rose and closed the door to her office.  He sat down impatiently and leaned forward on her desk.

“I know we started all wrong, Nadine, but we have something here.  I didn’t marry you because I had to, I did it because I wanted to and needed to make sure you would be here when I returned.”

Tears flowed down Nadine’s cheeks; she felt so stupid.  Every day she was crying.

“Nadine, you and I were supposed to meet.  Somewhere out there, the universe aligned for you and me to be together.  I want to stay married to you, buy a house in the Valley, and make some beautiful children with you.” She cried even harder.  Marc was at a loss, were these tears of joy, anxiety, regret?

Finally, she collected her thoughts long enough to get out a sentence, “You want kids, Marc?  Honestly?”

“Yes, Nadine, I would love to start a family with you.”

She cried even harder and rose from behind the desk.  “I am so happy to hear that, we started a family about six months ago.”

His eyes followed her body as she stood. “I would like to introduce you to our son; he’s still baking, but he’ll be done soon.”

Marc was at a loss for words.  He stared at her enlarged belly and realized that her pooch in Alaska wasn’t from bloating from the long flight.  She had come to him on his birthday to give him the gift of fatherhood. He was choked up with emotion but tried to gather her in his arms.  The embrace must have been too tight and Marc felt a small kick, which made him turn completely goofy. “Did he just kick?” His hand went to her stomach and the little one inside kicked at him again. A lowered conversation was started with her stomach as father and son shared some first words.

Everyone in the office clapped, applauded and hooted. She looked up to see her mother and Bena in the crowd. The office assistant walked over, looked at the scenario and asked Rolland, “So she’s pregnant by your brother, I thought she was just getting fat!”  Rolland wanted to fire her on the spot because she was a numbskull. As luck would have it, she was partly the cause that had brought Marc and Nadine together by inadvertently causing a chain reaction of events that sent the mom-to-be to Vegas for the two nights that changed her life.

A watchful eye had been kept over his right hand, who became his sister-in-law, whom was now carrying his nephew.  It still amazed him at the paradox of the whole situation. Maybe out there in the universe, if we are paying attention, the perfect person is waiting to meet us. The love between his brother and Nadine was something that only happened when you allowed yourself the freedom to love and trust; even if you have to step out of your comfort zone.

-Fin-