Eric Flint: Grantville Gazette.Volume XVI

After a while, the excitement died down and Mike nudged Arlen in the ribs to gently remind him of the passing time. "Don't forget our evening plans. You know that Dee and Mimi are waiting for us to take them to Tyler's Restaurant tonight and we both need to clean up before we meet them. What time are the reservations for?"

The deer in the headlights look that Arlen got told him everything he ever needed to know. "Move! I'll help Martin check that everything's cleaned up with the paint sprayer. He can lock up and I'll meet you at your house."

The shop crew hurried to clear the shop before the boys' girlfriends ended their short, yet exciting lives. Tonight was the informal rehearsal dinner for Arlen and Mimi, who were getting married on Sunday. Mike had gotten leave to be there as the best man and Deidre Hardy was going to be Mimi's maid of honor. All the workers razzed Arlen for his forgetfulness as he hurried off, but they were also proud of what they and Arlen had built. Martin was the proudest of all.

When Arlen arrived at his parent's home, out of breath, his mother greeted him at the door. "You make sure you don't get any of that grease and paint on the bed. Last time you were late, you just tossed everything and you almost ruined the comforter!"

"I'll be careful, Mom." Arlen responded light-headedly. "Can you call Tyler's and make sure everything is set for the dinner, please?"

"I already did. I also called Mimi and Dee at the new apartment and told them that you and Mike were working at finishing the Goose. I called her back when you came in and they'll meet you at Tyler's in forty five minutes."

Arlen called out, "Thanks, Mom! I've got the coveralls in the basket. I'll start the laundry before I go."

Just as Arlen finished dressing after his shower, Mike arrived and the whole process was repeated. He and Mike checked each other's appearance, flattened Arlen's cowlick for about the fifth time, put on their best winter coats, and walked to Tyler's.

On the way, Mike went over the plans for Sunday's upcoming nuptials. "Just remember, Arlen," Mike started his lecture, "You've got the easiest part in the whole thing. Make sure you're there by noon. Then, you stand at the front of the church, smile from ear to ear as Mimi walks down the aisle, turn around, say 'I do,' put the ring on her hand, kiss her, turn around and walk down the aisle without tripping. Got that?"

Arlen chuckled, "I think so. Just don't forget the ring, okay?"

"Right."

The friendly banter on wedding plans continued. As they approached Tyler's Mike asked apprehensively, "Are we on time? Dee said she'd skin me if I got you here late."

"Funny, Mimi told me the same thing about you! We've still got five minutes. Wouldn't it be funny if they were late this time?"

"Not a snowballs chance. Speaking of snowballs, I think we're in for some snow. You can almost taste it in the air." Mike loved snow. He'd spent quite a bit of his winter breaks skiing at Snowshoe Mountain before the Ring of Fire and had a knack for sensing when snow conditions would be good.

"I just hope if it does, that it doesn't spoil the service on Sunday. Mimi and I don't have a lot of family that can be here." The thoughts of just what the Ring of Fire had cost them carried Arlen and Mike into Tyler's. Once across the threshold, the aromas from the kitchen woke them from their reverie. They looked anxiously for their dates.

Herman Bartig, the doorman, greeted them as they walked in. "Mimi and Dee are waiting in the bar area for you. They just got here five minutes ago. Don't let them tease you that they've been waiting. They sounded mischievous as they came in!"

When they entered the bar, Mimi spotted Arlen and made a bee line for him. The un-ladylike, full-body kiss drew a round of applause from the regulars at the bar. After the wolf whistles died down and Arlen got his breath back, he asked, "Do I know you, ma'am? My fiancee is supposed to be around here somewhere and she's the really jealous type."

"Just wait 'til Sunday night!" she said with a sly grin. "You ain't seen nothing yet!"

"I hope I'll see nothing on Sunday night. The wait since our betrothal in June has been killing me. Cold showers only work so long!"

Dee came up and greeted Mike with only a slightly more demure kiss. "Maybe next year, Mike?" she asked with a wiggle of her eyebrows. Dee and Mike had been going together since their junior year in high school and were starting to get serious. All four young people had been friends since they were in grade school and the last three years had brought them even closer together. Mimi and Dee were both starting teaching careers and Mike and Arlen had worked on trains since their volunteer days at the Cass Scenic Railway.

The maitre-de came up at that point and interrupted to tell them that their table was ready. The table they approached was covered with a crisply ironed white tablecloth, elegant porcelain plates, stainless steel flatware, crystal glasses and a silk rose in a vase. As they sat down, a waiter arrived with a tray of appetizers. "Compliments of the management, Thuringerwald Oysters, for the bride and groom."

Mike responded with laughter. "After the earlier demonstration, I don't think Arlen will need them, but please, give the chef our thanks!"

The rest of the evening was a complete success. Arlen and Mimi had a chance to have an evening to relax after all the preparations of the past few weeks. When Arlen started to try to talk shop with Mike, Dee fixed him with a withering glare and the subject quickly changed. Around midnight, the celebration broke up and Mike and Arlen escorted the girls back to the new apartment, each couple pausing frequently to embrace and warm up.

The snow started falling softly in large, fluffy flakes. The world seemed to narrow down to just them as the snow muffled the sounds of the evening and visibility decreased

Arlen sighed. "Looks like I'll have to stop by in the morning and shovel."

"I'll have something to warm you up when you're done."

"You'll probably still be asleep. I've got some paperwork to finish if I'm going to get next week free. We've got one engine in for a major repair and I need to show Joachim and his crew how to braze and refinish the broken part. I should be done by noon. I'll stop by afterward to help get the last of my stuff moved into the new place."

They were covered by a light white blanket by the time they finally said good night. Mike and Arlen hurried back to Arlen's parent's home because the snow was now starting to come down in earnest.

Saturday morning dawned gray, cold and snowy. Even though it was only late November, it looked like the storm was going to dump a lot of snow. Arlen and Mike shoveled out his parents' house and the new apartment. Mimi and Dee had a big breakfast ready for them and then shoved them off to work.

"We've got a ton of stuff to finish up today and it's looking like we'll have to fight the snow as well as time. You guys go do what you need to at the shop and we'll see you later this afternoon." Dee looked like she would brook no argument, so Arlen and Mike set out for the shops.

After trudging through ankle deep snows for fifteen minutes, they were huffing and puffing, just like the engines they worked with. They weren't the first to arrive that morning. They were greeted by a toasty fire in the office's pot belly stove and the aroma from a large pot of coffee warming on top.

"Everybody in?" called Arlen as he walked out to the repair bay. The steam engine sitting there had its piston rods out. The rod from the engineer's side was on the work bench due to a stress crack that had been found during routine maintenance. An instructor from the tech school was coming by to show Arlen and three of his senior down-time shop machinists how to handle the brazing and heat treating. The informal class was set to start at ten. Over the next hour, Arlen was planning to finish his reports to Hugh Lowe, the GRS president, on the Goose and develop a plan for testing the railbus.