21- Starting over… chapter twenty-one A
Sitting at their table sipping their flutes of ginger ale, the two couples talked of plans for the new year. Jake will be graduating and going into an internship with Elias Enterprises, space division, Gina spoke of the latest customer for Scorpion Security Systems. Marta talked of the next week to be spent touring the Elias Enterprises space division facilities, while Walter stayed quiet watching the conversation flow from one to another.
Richard and Sophia joined them. "Smart to wait till all the cabs, Ubers, busses and dedicated drivers thin out- traffic is crazy getting out of the lot, even with three driveways. LA drivers, what can you say," Richard said pulling a seat out for Sophia to sit then sat next to her. "What makes it really crazy- every cop in LA knows this party was going on so they are kicking back like spiders to grab anyone who does a bozo-no-no, drunk or not. And I have always made it quite clear anyone who drinks while here had better not get behind the wheel."
Gina smiled, "I am designated driver for Jake. I will ensure he gets to the condo safe and sound. Have no fear, I have a vested interest in his wellbeing. To be honest, with only three champagnes he won't even have a headache in the morning." Gina rose, "matter of fact, it is about time we hit the road- should be thinned out by now." Jake rising they both bid everyone a happy new year and walked toward the door to leave.
"Don't know about you three, but I am hungry. I just happen to know this great place that is open- wonderful steak and eggs breakfast. I call Sam, he will set a table aside for….. four…. or will I be all alone?" Richard asked pulling his phone out and holding it up. "How about it, Sophia….Marta….Walter?"
Walter looked to Marta. "I have a heavy jacket in the car if you want to go have something to eat. How far is this place, Richard?
"Just four miles, and the car has a heater even with the top down, or put it up,"
"Sophia, how about you? Up for a brisk drive or should I put the top up?" Richard asked. "This is SoCal, not Nome, Alaska."
Sophia nodded, "I could go for some breakfast. I think I can handle a drive of four miles with the top down- fresh air after being inside with a crowd of people all evening."
"Yes, sounds good to me," Marta said, "just a jacket should be fine, it isn't far."
Richard made the call so a table for four would be reserved. Everyone finished their drinks and stood to leave.
Walking out, Richard with his arm around Sophia, Walter with an arm at Marta's back said, "Where is this place?"
Richard laughed. "I know you Walter, you will just have to follow me, like it or not. Just follow the yellow car with the handsome driver and beautiful passenger, you will get there."
Getting to their cars, Walter reached in and got his heavy jacket and held it for Marta to put on, then opened the door for her to get in. Richard holding the door for Sophia looked over to Walter with a big cheesy grin, closed the door and got behind the wheel to start up. Walter got behind the wheel and started up then waved to Richard to pull out first and lead the way.
Arriving at the restaurant the initial after party crowd was already thinned out so they could park together not far from the door. Both men held the car doors for the ladies to get out of the cars. Marta took off the jacket and put her shawl over her shoulders, Walter held the door for the three to enter the restaurant then followed them in.
Richard waved to the man at the front tending the guest roster, "Sam, with all the crazies and drunks it was touch and go for a bit, but we made it- got a table for us?"
"Of course, Richard," Sam said leading the way to a table. "Front corner by the window as per usual. Have a happy New Year celebration as always? You have a very short time before last call, or is it coffee all around."
"Happy new year, Sam. You know it- fun had by all. That's why everyone is hungry. Think coffee is what is needed at this point of the morning."
Orders were taken, breakfast served and the conversation light, mostly by Richard, Sophia and Marta with a few direct questions asked of Walter who answered succinctly. Walter mostly sitting back again to watch the interplay of the other three.
"You all want to come up to the house?" Richard asked. "Have plenty of guest rooms, sleep as late as you want and jump in the pool in the morning- or afternoon. I very well may sleep until quite late. Start the new year off well rested."
"I do think I could sleep until late afternoon- been a long day, so yes, I will take you up on that offer," Sophia said.
"Marta?" Walter asked.
"I must return to the hotel, I have many messages to friends and relatives back home. Much as I hate to say it, they worry about my being in America, especially big city, and worry if I do not contact them every night. They know the time, but expect to hear from me. Would you mind, Walter?" Marta asked.
"Not in the slightest. Whenever you are up and around, message me and we can have lunch or dinner and talk design methodology, if you wish," Walter said with a smile rising to escort her to the car.
"Looks like we part company, then. Sophia, shall we?" Richard said rising. "Walter, careful driving- lots of crazies out there- drunks, too. Happy new year to you both." Richard and Sophia left the restaurant with a wave.
"I think they had in mind to continue the party, but to be honest I am very tired." Marta said. "Are you disappointed?"
"Not at all. Whenever you are up and around, message me and we can have lunch or dinner and talk design methodology, if you wish," Walter said with a smile rising to escort her to the car, help her on with the jacket and got behind the wheel to drive her to the hotel.
After dropping Marta off, he took a long leisure drive around the city to the garage to find an MGB blocking the garage door. Pulling up, he got out to find Sarah asleep behind the wheel, bundled up in a jacket. Opening the man-door he entered to open both garage bay doors. Easily pushing the Malibu farther forward in the bay, he then reached in the MGB to release the parking brake, pushed the MGB in behind the Malibu, reset the brake and closed that door, then pulled the Ferrari in and closed up. Standing there looking at Sarah he just shook his head and decided to let her sleep. Went up to the loft, said happy new year to Megan's picture as he passed through the den, continued into the bedroom to strip, shower and go to bed.
Around dawn, Walter came semi-awake to wrap his arms around a chilly body climbing under the blankets with him, "more comfortable here than in the car, huh?" he murmured, "warmer, too," and went back to sleep.
Around nine in the morning Walter awoke to find himself laying on his side with Sarah's back against his chest, and her clutching a pillow against her chest his arm over her and the pillow. He smiled, kissed her shoulder and, being comfortable, dozed off again.
Ten in the morning Walter again awoke due to Sarah moving to sit up. Opening his eyes, he smiled at her.
"You know sleeping in an alley like that could be dangerous- someone, not so much a gentleman as I, could have taken advantage of you."
"I should be so lucky that you would ravish me…. were you even tempted?"
"Come on, would a frog do that?" Walter asked with a grin. "Want to tell me what prompted you to block my garage? The way you left I figured you would be avoiding me like the plague."
"That's just it, Walter, you ARE a plague. Every damned thing I do, YOU pop into mind. I work on my programming- Walter, the super computer guru pops into my mind. I drive around town and look at the MGB's odometer numbers and Walter, the damned math guru pops into my mind. I drive around and see a sign for some houses being built that shows the framework and Walter, the damned design guru pops into my mind. The other day I saw a damned billboard ad for something that had a damned FROG on it and WALTER the damned FROG popped into my mind."
"Alright, alright, gods, let me get some coffee going," Walter said laughing. "YOU have a mental problem and it's MY fault? What a way to start the new year….. happy new year, by the way." He got up and headed to the kitchen to get the coffee started. "You going to get your butt up or continue to sit in MY bed and complain about me?"
"If I stay here will you come back with coffee?" Sarah asked. "Warm in here, especially where you were laying. 'Course now, every time I find a warm spot WALTER the damned bed heater will pop into my mind."
Walter, coming in from the kitchen, two cups of coffee in hand gave one to her, put the other on the bedside table and climbed in to sit up in the bed pulling the cover over his legs next to her. "You done, or are you going to continue listing everything in the world that bothers you and it being my fault?" He reached over to get the coffee cup and take a sip. "Go ahead, I am comfortable now, so don't stop, get it ALL off your chest- start the new year with a clean slate."
"How the hell did you DO this to me?" She took a sip of coffee and put the cup on the bedside table to turn to him. "Every damned thing I do, YOU pop into mind. I see someone with curly hair, Walter with the oh so damned lovely curls pops into mind. I see someone in a green car, Walter, the damned green convertible driver pops into mind. It is like whack-a-mole, I get you OUT of my mind and =poof= up you pop again every damned where I LOOK!"
Walter put his arm around her shoulders to pull her against him. "That is quite an affliction you have, think there is a cure?"
"Why do you have to be a damned frog? I don't want you to be a damned frog, damn it!"
"Wait, YOU are the one who said I WAS a damned frog," Walter said chuckling. "And now you don't want me to be a frog? You REALLY have to make up your mind as I am getting mighty damned confused."
She sat up, then straddled his legs. "Walter, if I kiss you, will you turn into a prince for me? I do so want you to be my prince."
"I do not know how to be a prince."
"Walter, Walter, quit thinking….." she whispered, wrapped her arms around his neck to kiss him deeply and with passion and he responded without thinking so passionately it took her breath away.
Sometime later, tangled up with each other Sarah totally sated, smiled. "Ah, my prince, see how much more satisfying it is when not calculated, just what comes naturally by triggered raw emotion?"
"Hhmmmmmm," was all Walter could respond before dozing off.
"Nope, certainly not a frog anymore, not a prince, either. Drift off to sleep my king and before long you will see me as your queen… life is going to be very good, I am starting to discover love is such a wonderful thing." And she drifted off to sleep as well.
Two-thirty in the afternoon they both woke up. Sarah looked at him, "Walter, shall we take a shower and start the day?"
"Gods, I was supposed to get a message about discussing design with one of the ESA people- lunch or dinner." He turned to Sarah, "you never did tell me why you were blocking my door. Care to explain?"
"Well, it seemed like everyone in LA was at a party but me. Seth and his wife even though she is seven months along and can't drink. Everyone but me in the whole of LA, so I went and sat with Pilot for hours, saw him with straw in his hair and damn if I didn't think of YOU…. with straw in your hair. And I figured you, antisocial, garage dwelling hermit in the middle of LA might be up for company… to find even YOU were out at a party somewhere."
"Who the hell is Pilot? Couldn't he party with you?"
"Pilot's my horse, they don't party much, and new year is just like any other day or night to him. Did like his bagel, though. He has a fondness for bagels- really blows bubbles and foams up."
"HORSE?! Who the hell has a horse in Los Angeles?"
"Well, me, for one. There are more horses in SoCal than in many states. I told you we were from Arizona- parents have a ranch. Once Seth and my business got cranked up well, I brought Pilot and Seth brought Obie, short for Obsession, over. Here in crazy LA we missed the animals."
Walter looked her with a slight frown, "There are animals galore all over LA…. not all on four legs. Gods, let's take a shower, I gotta' check mail and get things done before this whole day is lost."
"A shower it is- first in gets soaped up by the other…. "Sarah said leaping out of bed to run into the bathroom. "Ha, ha, waters on, I win! Get your slow butt in here so you can get me covered in bubbles."
"Thought taking a shower together was supposed to save water, just blew that idea all to hell. Showering with you sure is fun, though. Never felt quite so clean before… much less relaxed and refreshed," Sarah said drying off Walter's back then wrapping the towel around his waist giving him a hug.
"You can dig around and get a pair of my shorts and a t-shirt on while I go check mail."
Walter pulled on some boxers and went to the den to sit at his desk opening the laptop to check a string of new messages from Richard, Cabe, unknown, Gina, and Marta. Opening them in order.
Walter- wanted to make sure you got in OK, a lot of accidents all night long on the news. Richard
Walter hit reply.
Richard- dropped Marta off and made it home just fine. Walter
Walter- hope you are having a good new year's eve. Happy new year! Cabe
Walter hit reply.
Cabe- went to the Elias new year party- happy new year to you and Allie. Walter
Checking the unknown message routing, from Ralph.
Walter- happy new year. Thinking of you. Ralph
Walter hit reply.
Ralph- happy new year to you as well. Closer to getting into university full time. Going to be a good year here, too. First outside customer scheduled for the third- more to come. All is well- know I love you. Walter
And last on the list from Marta.
Walter- thank you for a lovely night. Was up for a few more hours messaging with relatives wanting to know all about my attending the party. They were wanting to know all about you. May not be up until quite late. How about dinner after the tour around the space complex on the third? Think everyone is spending today recovering. Marta
Walter hit reply.
Marta- send me time and place, I will pick you up for dinner. Walter
"Well, looks like nothing is going to get done today. Shall we go have dinner, Sarah?" Walter asked standing up to go back to the bedroom but movement downstairs caught his attention. Standing at the arched openings to see Sarah running with but a towel around her waist heading for the MGB. "Holy crap, woman, what are you doing?"
Sarah stopped and looked up, "I always have a change of clothes in the trunk when I go to the stable to see Pilot. You were supposed to be busy at the computer and not see me like this."
"I read and type fast," Walter said with a laugh. "You have ANY idea what would happen to my reputation should anyone happen to look through a window and see a naked woman scurrying around my garage?"
"Yeah, people would be even MORE impressed by you!" Sarah giggled pulling the towel off, "may as well let it all hang out, huh?" She popped the trunk of the MGB and pulled out a small duffle bag and went back up the spiral staircase and into the bedroom to meet Walter there. "You weren't supposed to see that."
Walter smirked, "Sarah, I have seen everything of you, and I like it," pulling her into a hug. "As I was saying, shall we go have something to eat….. but you can't go like that," he said holding her at arms length and looking her over. "You DO like to live dangerous, sleeping in an alley in LA, running around naked in a bachelor's place….. especially with the bachelor home." He pulled her to him, to kiss her, one hand holding her butt, the other behind her head to keep her from mouth to hip pressed tightly against him…. until his stomach growled and they both broke the kiss laughing.
"Yeah, better get you fed," Sarah said laughing. "Give me a minute- nowhere fancy, as I don't have an evening gown in here."
"You can manage to get some clothes on, I'll go get the car out," Walter said going to the den and down the stairs to pull the Ferrari out. He pulled out and closed the bay door leaving man-door open waiting for Sarah. Shortly she appeared in jeans and t-shirt to hop in while Walter held the door for her then get behind the wheel and take off for a drive until spotting a mom-n-pop restaurant to pull in and try a new place.