Day and Night

Lullaby and Goodnight

"Hi, Darlin', how was your day?" He asked as she picked up.

"Busy." She stated. "I had to rewrap the spring on the push mower for the girl mowing the law next door. She thought she found the button to fix it, but it just unsprung the coil. She was nearly in tears trying to figure out how badly it was ruined. I showed her how to fix it and what to do next time." There was a fondness in her voice.

"I'm sure she appreciated your calm, collected support." He offered.

"I hope so. I like to help others."

"That's what brought us together, I think. We both like to help people. Is David there?" He asked changing the subject.

"No, he has that evening class two days this week."

"That's right. I'll try to reach him in the morning late."

"That should work. He has news, but I promised to let him tell his Papa Bear himself." The affection for their son flowed through the phone line even though they were on wireless cell phones. Their connection felt direct and uninterrupted as they continued to replay the highlights of their day.

She heard the sleepiness in his voice but knew he wouldn't draw their call short so she said, "How about I sing Papa Bear a lullaby so he can get his shut-eye?"

"That would be amazing. You could sing the birds out of the trees." He praised her.

She began to sing and he softly chuckled as he relaxed into the bedding.

He was able to stay awake just enough to whisper, "I love you, Mama Bear." As she finished her rendition of Willie Nelson's classic 'On The Road Again.'

Most wouldn't call it a lullaby, but her soft, slow voice could soothe anyone and really what better song for a trucker? He retained just enough consciousness to push END before the phone slid out of his hand to nestle beside him. Her voice continued to play through his dreams and kept all nightmares at bay. A Mama Bear's love is known to be ferocious that way even when that Mama Bear is your wife.

Author's note: My plan had been to just have two chapters showing a deep contrast in the two main characters' relationship. With encouragement I decided to continue. This means the contrast might not always be as obvious and I will also be including other relationships with the truck driver. I have also been encouraged to put more of myself into the story. So, I confess, as a young woman trying to help fix our push mower, I found the special button and uncoiled a spring. Also, we had a dear friend that when we met up was always a fry thief, but only from my son's fries. We miss him dearly.