So here is a story about Susie, for him, following on from her conversation with Frances on the beach. Frances was worried that Susie was neglecting her husband Martin and spending too much time with one of the fathers at Beth's nursery school.
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As Frances and Susie walked back along the beach the wind tousled their hair and stung their eyes. Their eyes locked and a feeling of deep complicity passed between them. Susie hugged her mother-in-law and they both were aware for the first time of their great affection for each other.
'Thank you Frances. I really enjoyed having a picnic on the beach with you. I'm going to fetch Beth from nursery school now. Maybe you and Bill could go and get her Tomorrow?'
Frances beamed.
'I'd love that, dear, and so would Bill.'
As Susie drove away she decided on an impulse to pass by the garage and see if Martin could spare the time to come with her to fetch Beth. Frances had stirred some feelings of guilt in her and she wanted to clear things up.
She parked her car by the office and went to say hello to Marion who did all the office work.
'Just thought I'd surprise Martin,'
Marion smiled. 'He's working on Julie Tate's wagon, she's always round here with a problem, brakes, oil whatever, tossing her hair around and offering him cigarettes near the gas pumps. She's trouble if you ask me.'
When Susie walked in the garage she saw Martin's legs sticking out from under Julie's red Dodge pick up, his jeans splattered with oil. Her heart missed a beat and she felt the same thrill of passion as when she first met him. Julie was standing there watching Martin . She was wearing tiny shorts and a tight sweater. She looked at Susie, smiled quickly and scuttled off to Marion's office. Susie stood looking at her husband and thought back to when she first met him.
She'd come here to the garage with her brother to fix the brakes on his old camper van.
They were planning to go to San Fransisco, both flower power children whose motto along with many others of their generation was 'make love not war.'
When Martin slid out from under the car he'd looked at her and sat up with such force that he'd bumped his head. He told her afterwards that he was astounded by her beauty and it was love at first sight. They'd laughed at the time but the force of their passion overwhelmed them both. She never went to San Fransisco and had married him within six months. They had lived next to the garage ever since.
Susie knelt down and spoke gently, her voice a whisper.
'Hey there. I can see a great pair of legs from here. Don't bump your head now as you come out.'
There was silence as Martin stopped fiddling around with the mysterious realm of the engine. Then he slowly slid out and looked at her in such a way that she felt faint and dizzy.
'I just came by to see if you could come with me to fetch Beth. We could take her for an ice cream soda at the cafè near the school.'
Martin stood up and rubbed his hands on a rag then put them on either side of her face and kissed her full on the mouth.
'Just give me five minutes to clean up a bit and I'll be ready.'
He went off whistling and with a spring in his step that she hadn't seen for awhile.
That evening when Beth was asleep and they were on the porch watching the sun go down, Martin took hold of Susie's hand and squeezed it.
'Are you happy Susie? I know that a garage mechanic is a far cry from your upbringing, all those clever people in your family.'
Susie turned to him and he caught his breath at the expression of desire and love in her eyes.
'I saw your mom today and I've been doing some thinking. I always admired my mom and dad. You know what a brilliant man my dad was. He was a researcher at Havard during the war and that's when he discovered his genius at healing people with burns and shock. His skill has won him many awards and saved many lives. When I look at your hands Martin I see the same gentle skill that my dad has. You make cars safe for people and you have passion. I admire you and your dad. Our parents had traumatic early years with the war.They didn't want any more of that and neither did we. We wanted to change all that and live in peace.'
She stopped and looked at Martin. His big handsome face was half in shadow but she was sure she saw a tear glisten on his cheek. With one fluid movement she hurled herself onto his knee.
He held her away.
'I don't know whats got into you honey. Is there someone else?'
Susie threw her head back and laughed, releasing all the confusion that had been whirling around inside her lately.
'Oh no quite the opposite. I only ever want you. For ever and ever.'
Martin kissed her and she pressed herself hard against him.
When they came up for air, Martin cleared his throat and took a deep breath.
'It might not be the right time to say this, but Marion is retiring soon and I thought you might like to do a book-keeping course and take over the office work. you could fit it in round Beth's school. It would be kind of nice to have you there near me. I can just call out any time, hey woman do this or that, get me a coffee.'
His broad grin was contagious and she grinned back. They sat there like that for some time, just looking at each other and loving each other with their eyes.
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