REKINDLED YOUTH

REKINDLED Part 8

 CHAPTER EIGHT

They separately hit the cold showers and got ready for their trip to Sandpoint, Sarah first. When Dale was through and dressed he noticed that Sarah was talking on the phone at the kitchen table. He refreshed their coffees and was smiling when she finished her calls. "What's happening, baby?", he asked. "Oh I had a little teleconference to work, put out a few fires, tap danced through the minefield and then called my Mom. She's looking forward to seeing you." "What did you tell her about us; that I live in my parents' basement, am unemployed and spend all my time watching porn and playing video games on the computer?" he joked. "Something like that", she chided, " Actually, I just told her that I am deeply in love with you and that we are engaged. I also told her that you have an airplane." "Can't leave out ze big, flying aluminum fetish, can ve?", he said in a Dr Freud accent. "You bet your boots, mister" she answered back in her Madeleine Kahn voice. "Lilly von Schtupp in Blazing Saddles", he smiled.

She smiled back and said, " I know a really good restaurant in Sandpoint named Hasheimers. It's got exquisite German cuisine, and great Bavarian atmosphere. Maybe we could all go there for dinner." "Sounds like a plan, and it might smooth the way for us to start a new chapter in our Family relations after the wedding", he warmly replied. She said, "I'd love that, and also for your Dad to be drawn into that loving circle." They packed a few things into daybags and locked up and took off in the Toyota. As they were leaving the neighborhood, they saw a big dog carrying an entire fried chicken in it's mouth. Sarah opened the car window and yelled at the dog, "OTIS, you get home." Dale laughed, "So THAT's the famous escape artist. Looks like you're eatin' good in the neighborhood tonight, Otis", he half yelled at the trotting pooch. She was already calling on the cell, "Hello Ben, I just saw Otis about two blocks south of your place, and he stole somebody's Dinner." They both laughed as they started toward the printing store in Spokane Valley where the Announcement cards were ready. They got there and the cards and envelopes were ready, looking very elegant in wheat with Teal lettering. Dale said, "if you get the cards, I'll fill the car up with gas". They stopped at a gas station, filled up and then drove northeast towards Sarah's Mom's place.

The Toyota had a GPS navigator and they put in her Mom's address. Dale started play arguing with the navigator's voice and Sarah just lost it. "Aren't you ever serious?", she whined. "When you screw up your first landing and my life flashes before my eyes, THEN I'll get very serious." "What if I make a better landing than you do?" she jabbed. "Since it will probably happen, I've already decided to move back in my Parent's basement, and play video games among the stale pizza boxes." he said sadly. "May I come along, I could clean up the pizza boxes and we could cuddle and play Candy Crush together", she sweetly offered. He laughed so hard he had to slow down and regain control.

"You have noticed that our personalities are melting together, haven't you?" he said in his serious voice. She said, "and a man shall leave his Father and Mother and cling to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." "You one-up me on the scriptures too", he complained. She snapped, "I sure hope you teach flying better than you drive, I think that State Patrolman is turning around." He quickly looked up at the rear view mirror, she responded, "SUCKER". He had to slow down and regain again.

They had driven about a half hour northeast, and he said " are you hungry?" She said, "Yeah, lets stop and get something small so we won't be stuffed when we get there. Mom will probably feel compelled to feed us, so we can't be rude." Boy you women sure over-think things", he retorted. She asked, "was that a cop back there?" He looked up quickly, and then turned to grin at her, they said in unison, "SUCKER". He pulled over at the golden arches and they got a couple of breakfast sandwiches and coffee. She remarked, "I sure like the coffee here." He kept driving and she unwrapped his sandwich and handed it to him, and placed his coffee in the cup holder. "Thanks, sweetheart", he warmly responded, "You know I could get really fond of this double-harness." "The team-of-horses metaphor, be still my beating heart" she said as Blanche Du'bois. He chuckled, and said, "well it could be romantic, two sensuous horses with Victoria's Secret harness on, pulling a Cinderella coach." She laughed, "This is getting worse by the split second, where does your Muse live, in the Twilight Zone?" He looked at her and proclaimed, " I have never been so understood, as I am by you". "Or loved", she said softly.