Page 41 of Miles. Alton & The 9:04
He watched her resting in the bed and slowly pulled himself from her embrace.After slipping on a pair of loungers and boots, he pulled a shirt over his head and headed out the back door.There were still a few rays of the day remaining as he looked out over his land.
Twenty-five thousand acres didn't seem like a lot initially when he thought of the jazz festival he wanted to have on the property.However, when he factored in the cost of laying railroad tracks to go inside Mae's barn for her diesel engine, the idea of the jazz festival seemed, well, kind of dumb.
“She's right, let the City of Alton foot that bill,” he mumbled, looking at the train depot.
Thom walked off the porch to climb the small incline, then the stairs to his personal train museum.He thought of opening it to the public, and people wanting to touch his toys.He considered the hours needed to open the museum, staff, and people wandering in off the highway.His home was too close by, and he wished he'd planned it better because now all he could see was some weirdo, circling back to his home, wanting to go after Mae because she smiled at him and passed the creep a free lollipop.
“Maybe it should simply be virtual tours of the museum with facts and history of the train, the sets, and the collection,” he said to himself.“It wouldn't need to be open to the public.I wouldn't have to pay staff or work on the weekends and would be free to travel with Mae on her train engine.”
He made his way home, looking at the house which now had curtains on the main windows—a nice home on a good plot of fertile soil, perfect for growing veggies.In the backyard, under the cover of darkness, the motion sensor lights kicked on.Thom reviewed the area where he wanted to plant a small garden of leafy greens, beans, and maybe some squash.He considered tomatoes but thought those would be better on the deck in pots along with hanging berry baskets.
“Thom?”he heard Mae call for him.“Thom, are you out here?”
“Yeah, heading in,” he called back.He stood a moment longer, staring into the darkness, wondering if there was anything in the darkness staring back at him.Suddenly, an idea hit him.“What if her family wants to come for a visit?Do I want them in our home?Thanksgiving?Oh God, the idea of arguing over dinner and I can’t escape them is not going to work.”
A knot formed in his stomach at the thought, then just as the fear appeared, it eased off.“What am I thinking?I have twenty-five thousand acres.I can put a double wide over there and let them stay in it when they come.”
He thought of Kimbrae's husband Peter, whose family had a separate building where everyone met for the holidays to share meals.It was the building where they held the wedding reception for Peter and Kimbrae.The idea of the kids being able to ride bikes and run and play in the open fields made him smile.He thought of fireworks on the Fourth of July and a big cookout with water slides.Aunt Sue had badminton sets for them when they grew up and tennis rackets that people often donated.A great deal of that stuff was still in the barn.
“A barn,” he said.“I can buy a barn-like building for when the family comes.We have cookouts there, and no one is in our bathrooms.”
“Thom?”Mae called again.
“Coming,” he said, walking onto the back deck.The light from the bulb backlit him as he walked up, making Mae smile.
“You are fine looking man, Thom Brown,” she said, noticing the wide shoulders.He had lots of sinewy, corded muscles from physical labor and just enough height.No one would consider him to be classically handsome, but to her, he was simply stunning.
“Are you trying to make out with me again, Miss Lady?”
“No, but I would like to know what you were thinking about out there,” she inquired.
“I was thinking, I got it all wrong,” he said.“I got it all wrong, but you're showing me right.You're right for me.You feel right.”
“I don't know what that means,” Mae said, feeling unsure of what he was saying.
He entered the back door and secured it for the night.He led her to the couch and took a seat.He held her hand in his own, looking her in the eyes.Carefully, he strung together the words.
“Most men have a rough plan for their lives,” he said.“Eight times out of ten, it includes a wife and some kids.Preferably planned, but hey, life can make decisions for us and we go with what is correct versus what we know in our hearts is right.I've always gone with what is correct, and for the first time in my life, I am going with what feels right.You feel right.This feels right.”
“And the jazz festival, haunted train ride, the museum?”
“Yeah, that was some wishful thinking and some bullshit,” he said, laughing.“I get sick of dealing with the people who come through the train station being rude and nasty.I sure as shit don't want them on my land or touching my train collection.And heaven forbid some creep comes through here looking at you, fantasizing you want him because you gave him a free branded lollipop.”
Mae's eyebrows arched, “You lost me at the lollipop.”
“I just need a new plan, Mary,” he said.“Or maybe no plan at all, and we allow life to unfold for us esoterically, but there has to be a barn.I don't like a lot of people in my space.”
“Thom, why would we need a barn?For my engine?”
“No, for when your family comes for the holidays and cookouts,” he said, frowning at her.
“My family is going to stay in the barn?”
“No,” he said, chuckling.“The barn will be for the meals, the cookouts, and storing bikes, slip and slides for the kids, and sporting equipment.I am going to get a double-wide, and your family can stay in it when they come.Oh, maybe there is another idea I was considering as well.Either way, your Mamma is not going to be rambling through my stuff and making comments about my underpants.”
Mae burst into laughter.“I have no idea where you're getting all of this, Thom.”
“In-laws ramble, Mary,” he told her.“They come into your house, and the moment your back is turned, they are in the cabinets and your good liquor and taking shit they like.We're not going to have that problem because they are not coming in my house.They will have their own.We can eat in the barn.”
