The Sauna Part 308

We finally got out of the house by ten thirty as it took a bit longer getting the cats settled down and packing up their supplies. We were blessed with another beautiful, sunny California day and I was glad for Jon and Jim as there was nothing more miserable than riding the bike in the rain. We turned up the radio and Cherie sang along while I mouthed the words. No matter how many times Jon had tried coaching me over the years, I still couldn’t sing a note and I was hopelessly tone deaf. That hadn’t changed.

We made a brief stop for lunch and got fresh water for the kittens before resuming our journey. They were good little travelers and slept most of the way. I was curious whether Cherie had ever heard from Dave after she moved away, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to bring up a sore subject. But Cherie mentioned it herself when she told me what she’d heard.

Apparently Dave had hung himself several years ago after his second wife had finally pressed charges for spousal abuse. Cherie kept in touch with many of her old friends back in Buffalo and one of them had told her that they’d seen his arrest in the paper. He’d gone to jail, she had heard later, and another friend had seen his obituary in the newspaper and had asked around until she had found out what happened. Cherie recounted the story with uncharacteristic calm and I was glad to see that she’d taken the news pretty well. It had served to validate that she had done the right thing when she left him and she was able to finally accept that it was really never her fault.

“I used to wonder, you know, after I heard he’d remarried, whether someone else had been able to please him or make him happier than I could. I didn’t dwell on it, but I always wondered. When I heard the news, I finally let go any lingering doubts and I don’t blame myself anymore. It was, well, sort of a relief in a way-to know there was nothing I could have done differently” she finished.

“I’m glad for your sake that it helped put any doubts to rest once and for all. I admit, I was curious, but I was almost afraid to ask. I didn’t want to stir up any bad memories” I explained.

“I’m okay, really. It was a shock at first, but the more I thought about it, that’s where I landed. I’m also glad in a way that he’s gone. I had nightmares for years that he’d find me and drag me away with him, but they finally stopped once I knew he was dead. I guess I never really felt completely safe until then” she added.

“And you and Jim? Things are good? No regrets?” I asked as I just needed to know.

“I love Jim with all my heart, Trish. I can’t believe how lucky I am sometimes. He’s really wonderful and he takes good care of me. And you and Jon? You two still act like newlyweds half the time” she laughed.

“Cher, I’ve been blessed beyond measure. Some days I wake up and pinch myself when I see him there, sleeping beside me. I couldn’t be happier” I smiled.

We pulled in to Richie’s driveway at five o’clock, an hour after a rather frantic phone call from Jon. They’d all expected us to arrive sooner, but I assurred him we’d be there within the hour and I was as good as my word. I grinned when I saw the bikes in the driveway, parked side by side.

“Baby! You made it!” Jon beamed with delight.

We’d only been apart for a day, but after so many years without separation it seemed like an eternity. Richie was standing behind him, waiting patiently for his hug and a kiss, and grinning with pleasure.

“Trish!” he cried when Jon finally released me.

“Richie! Gods, how I missed you!” I responded and he caught me up in a hug that raised me straight off the ground.

“Now stop trying to make time with my lady” Jon warned, but he was still smiling.

“And how’s my little Richard doing? Think he’s ready to meet his new brother?” I joked.

“Only one way to find out” Richie replied as he led me up the steps toward the house with Jovi squirming wildly in my arms.

I gave him his freedom as soon as we were inside and he puffed up like a balloon when he caught sight of little Richie. We all had to laugh at the confrontation as little Richie sniffed him disinterestedly before rubbing up against my leg. I reached down and scooped him up in my arms.

“Momma’s here, sweetheart” I purred in his neck and I was rewarded with a “meow” and a head bump in greeting.

Carla emerged from the kitchen, followed by the enticing aroma of homemade spaghetti sauce and garlic bread warming in the oven. Between her talents and Richie’s, it was a wonder they weren’t both as huge as houses, but she was trim and attractive as always.

“Carla! It’s so good to see you! Something smells wonderful!” I said as I hugged her.

“Are you hungry? I can get everything ready in about fifteen minutes” she offered.

“No, no-no rush. We stopped for lunch” I assured her.

“Hey, speak for yourself! I’ve been drooling since we got here at one” Jon chided.

“Always the drama, this one” she sighed, gesturing towards Jon and we all laughed.

Cherie was chasing after Gracie, her kitten, who was racing around like a mad thing after being confined in the car for most of the day. Jim was chasing after Cherie and Jovi appeared to be a bit deflated that he’d failed to strike fear into Richie and was sulking in a corner, pretending to clean himself while both Richies looked on with amusement.

“The circus has arrived” I said, summing up the situation.


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After dinner we retired onto the deck where Richie and Carla had had a new hot tub installed. We’d changed into our suits and climbed into the bubbling warm water. The old stories flowed as freely as the wine we were drinking and we reminisced about the days on the road. Jim recalled some of his first impressions of Jon and Richie. We all laughed hysterically now about the time when Jon had flown home from Europe to surprise me and mistook Jim and Cherie for me and Jim.

“Yeah, well, speaking of first impressions…the very first time I met you, you were the biggest dick I’d ever seen!” Jon said, reminding Jim of the first Halloween party.

“Oh my God, I’d almost forgotten about that! That was the best costume ever!” Cherie giggled and Jim actually blushed.

And so on it went, as we recalled the glory days from the past. Carla enjoyed hearing the stories, having come into the fold a bit later, although it was no surprise to her that Richie had been a wild one.

“D’ya think David and Elena still go back to New Zealand every year to go flying?” Richie wondered after he’d finished the tale of our Kiwi adventures.

“It wouldn’t surprise me. I know they still go visit there every year to see Elena’s family” I shared.

“Has anybody heard from Tico lately?” Jim asked, having not kept in touch over the last several years.

“Teek spends his time golfing for the most part and working in his studio, but he and Eva just bought a new boat and he was thinking about taking up fishing” Jon supplied.

“They’re doing well, then?” Jim followed up.

“Yep. Tico still complains that Eva gives him no peace, but we all know he loves it” I grinned.

“Hugh had a heart attack last year, but he’s doing better now after the bypass” Richie contributed and we all quieted down as we nodded.

Hugh had been the first one to develop more serious health problems. While we were all glad he was doing well now, it reminded us of our own advancing years and the likelihood that it wouldn’t be long before we began to experience similar problems. But for the moment, we were all relatively healthy and we didn’t dwell on the fact. “Que sera, sera” as Tico (and Doris Day) would have said.

It was heading towards two o’clock in the morning when I started to yawn. As much fun as we were all having, it had been a long day and the wine and the hot tub had taken their toll and I could barely keep my eyes open. Jon noticed and smiled, yawning himself, as he stood up and took my hand.

“I think that’s our cue. Some hard partying rock stars we are, eh?” he teased Carla.

“Trust me, I’m right behind you, but you’re all welcome to stay up” she said graciously to Jim and Cherie who were still lounging in the hot tub.

Jim finished his wine and nodded his thanks, but he was ready for bed too and took Cherie’s hand. We gathered our respective feline companions and made our way up the stairs. It felt good to climb into bed and snuggle into Jon’s waiting arms. There was a brief scuffle over sleeping arrangements as little Richie asserted his authority, but Jovi backed down and curled up over my pillow and we all settled in for the night.