Van Life - On the Road (Closed)

[Rocket1010]

Mark was stunned by Alice's remarks. He was only saying they needed to discuss this issue before they made any kind of decision. The comments on the website were such that there was interest by individuals and couples to potentially meet. He was by no means saying they should. He wanted her opinion but he could tell she was in no mood to talk to him.

When she said they only managed two lousy days and the sex was lousy, the hair on his neck stood up and he was found himself getting angry. He found himself getting angry when she yelled that she hated him for thinking of her like a whore. That was the furthest thing from the truth. He loved her and would never do anything to hurt her.

Before he could defend his action, Alice stormed out of the bus in a rage, tears freely falling onto her cheeks. Mark sat motionless for a moment trying to take in all that she said and meant. He looked at the website and remembered his words, ..... "it looks like we may have opened a door that we need to discuss." He immediately had some regrets that he even found the website. He thought it would be a good way for them to make some money. Closing the laptop, he got up and quickly went outside, seeing Alice walking down the path to the lake.

Running after her, he caught her before she got to the beach area. Wrapping his strong arms around her he felt her body stiffen. When he began to talk, he felt her begin to struggle to get out of his grasp.

"Alice, all I wanted to do was discuss some things with you about what we're seeing on the website. I love you and would never hurt you nor do I want to whore you out to others." He let her go and watched her stand looking at the lake, her arms folded in front of her.

He tried reasoning. "We both knew that when we did the video and posted it on the website that we were going to some comments about you and me. Your pissed because I mentioned the possibility of swinging. For that I'm sorry and I shouldn't have mentioned it."

Then he remembered her cutting words about lousy sex. "I'm sorry too that you think sex with me is lousy. Maybe all those times in the past you were just faking and playing me." Mark felt anger welling up inside and felt the best thing was to not say anything more that might fuel the anger between them.

"Listen ..... I'm going back to the bus and I'll delete the website and we'll find another way to make some money for the trip. If you think the trip is lousy, we can go back and forget the whole thing. Turning on his heels, he said, "You know where to find me if you and to talk about it!"

 

[Biker_Faerie]

“You know that’s not what I meant,” Alice shouted after him. “I meant that all we managed was two days and one fuck before you ruined my world and raised the subject of whoring me out. I’d say that was pretty lousy wouldn’t you?”

Alice was in no mood to back down.

“How dare you hide that behind wanting ‘to discuss some things with you about what we're seeing on the website’. What do you take me for?”

Alice stopped for a moment

“Well I guess it’s pretty obvious what you take me for, isn’t it,” she said, answering her own question. “Now I see why you set out with that list of names and contacts for people along our route. Am I supposed to hook up with them along the way? Was that your plan all along. God I’ve been so stupid, haven’t I?”

Alice felt deflated. Clearly Mark thought he’d done nothing wrong. She was amazed he could be so brazen.

“I’ll sleep on the couch tonight,” she told him. “I’ll pack my things in the morning and get a taxi to the station. Keep the site going if you like. You can make videos of yourself and hopefully you’ll meet lots of women that way. Who knows you might even find one who doesn’t mind being whored out.”

 

[Rocket1010]

Mark listened to Alice's tirade and knew it would do no good to discuss anything with her. She was angry and felt hurt and blaming him for everything. And he could tell she was in no mood to discuss anything with him. Only accuse him wanting nothing more than whoring her out.

When Alice went to the bedroom to change, Mark went to the computer and saw they had a few more comments and subscriptions. He counted 50 subscribers and thought about the potential income. At $30 a month, they had made $1500 in one day and they got 80% of that for a total of $1200. It was evident to him that the preview video was a big hit. But it was all for naught. Their relationship took a nasty unexpected turn today and it looked to be over. He made a mental note to contact all the subscribers in the morning and tell them they site was closing down.

When Alice returned with a pillow and blanket, he could see she was still fuming. He saw her eyes avert him and he mentioned as if to thin air. "I threw all the names away and I'll contact the bank tomorrow and tell them to refund any money they receive from the website to refund the money to the proper owners. I'll also tell them to set up a different bank account and I'll put all your money into a separate account. That way you won't lose any money. If we owe the website any money, I'll take care of it so you're not out any money."

He thought for a moment and then added. "If you can stomach riding with a pervert, I'll take you back to New York. I can have you back in the city by tomorrow night. If not I'll drop you off in town and you can catch a ride back to the city." Then under his breath and thinking out loud, he added, "I think I can get a good price for the bus. And then I'll be out of her life."

He didn't wait for an answer because he figured there was none coming. Standing, he walked to the bedroom and prepared for bed. He was sad that their adventure came to an end so quickly. He made a mental note to call the VRBO owner and cancel the cabin he had reserved for them for a week. He planned on it being a surprise for Alice but there was no reason to keep it. The trip to New York was in the opposite direction. Laying down on the bed, he found it hard to fall asleep.

 

[Biker_Faerie]

Alice sat in Morgantown railway station waiting for her train. She’d refused Mark’s offer of a lift to New York. The journey would have been too uncomfortable.

She couldn’t believe how unrepentant he’d been. Like he couldn’t see how what he’d done could have hurt her. Even when he’d offered her a lift, he’d mocked her, saying something about if she could stomach riding with a pervert.

“Best to find out now rather than later,” she thought to herself.

She didn't have much to show for her time with Mark. Just some clothes and the cameras she’d bought to shoot her videos with. She’d left Mark the laptop. He’d need it to do whatever he wanted with the website.

She thought about how relationships could unwind so quickly and over the strangest of things. In a way, it wasn’t what Mark had done but the way he’d reacted afterwards that had made her so mad. There was no remorse. No understanding that he might have hurt her.

She could be hot-headed, she knew that, but she was also a romantic. She thought back to the sex they’d had after yoga and how magical it had been. Then the swimming in the lake afterwards. That was what she’d hoped the road trip would be about.

The irony was that in the right situation she’d have been open to inviting other lovers to share their bed. She’d have done almost anything for Mark in fact. But not on the second day of their trip and not through some faceless hook up on a porn site. You couldn’t get any less romantic than that really. And then there had been the list of people to visit. Mark hadn’t been honest with her about that.

But if Mark was unrepentant then she had to admit there was no future. She couldn’t live with a man who couldn’t admit when he’d been wrong.

The station tannoy announced that the train to New York would soon be arriving. From where she sat she could just make it out in the distance. She stood up and, grabbing her bags, made her way to the platform.

In a few hours she would be back at her parents house. She already called to explain to them she was coming home. They’d been understanding. Not asking too many questions. Those would come later and she’d have to admit that she and Mark had failed to make it work.

She felt her eyes begin to tear up as she boarded the train.

 

[Rocket1010]

Mark couldn't sleep, realizing he had made a terrible mistake with Alice. He loved her so much and he knew she was the one for him. Laying in bed, he thought of their argument and knew he was in the wrong. He had gotten so caught up in the website that he lost sight of what really mattered to him.

Getting out of bed, he went into the living area, seeing her sleeping soundly on the couch. He pulled up a chair and watched her even breathing, remembering how he loved to watch her sleep when he woke early. He didn't want to wake her but he couldn't resist the urge to kiss her. Leaning down, he kissed her softly on the cheek, smiling when her cheeks pulled back into a soft smile. Then, finding a pad of paper, he penned a letter to Alice;

My dearest Alice;
I was wrong on so many counts and I am so sorry for my actions. I got caught up in the adventure that I forgot what you really mean to me. You are my everything, my life, my world and I don't know how I can go on without you. We have something magical and I went and blew it with my selfishness. YOU AND ONLY YOU IS ALL I NEED.

Laying in bed without you by my side is torturous. I sat for the longest time watching you sleep on the couch and admiring your beauty. I realize that if I lose you, I am losing my whole world.

I hope in the morning when the sun rises and you read this, we can talk and I can express my deepest sorrow at having treated you so unfairly. I love you so much and want everything between us to be so much better than the way I treated you. I hated seeing you cry and it tears me up knowing that I may lose you forever.

Now as I watch you sleep so peacefully, I know in my heart that I was really wrong and I beg your forgiveness. In the morning I hope that we can patch things up and I hope you'll find it in your heart to forgive me.

ALICE ...... I LOVE YOU SO MUCH

ALL MY LOVE
MARK

Folding the note, he tucked it in the top of her handbag next to her phone, knowing she would see it first thing in the morning when she woke up. Going back to bed, he spent a restless night thinking of Alice and the dreadful thought of losing her.

Waking, he jumped out of bed and hurried to the living area. The couch was empty and her bags were gone. No note ….. no goodbyes. She was gone. He called her cell phone only to hear her voice mail. Was she purposely ignoring him? He called again only to get her voice mail. “Fuck,” he hissed in frustration.

Running out of the bus, he saw Julie sitting by their fire ring. Rushing to her he asked if she had seen Alice. “Yeah, she was crying and asked Rob to take her to the train station.”

“When did they leave?”

“About an hour ago,” she responded.

Mark’s mind raced with wild thoughts as he turned on his heels and sprinted to the bus. It took a few minutes to secure everything and then like a race car driver determined to win the race, he disregarded the speed limit. Relieved that he was not stopped on the way to the railway station, he hoped he was not too late to talk to her.

On the drive he thought of the note and wondered why she left without a goodbye. Surely she read it. How could she miss it? It was next to phone! The more he thought about her reading the note, the more he thought she really did hate him.

Arriving at the railway station, he ran into the lobby hoping to see her. He saw a train on one of the tracks as he ran to the ticket counter. The gentleman was friendly, telling him the train to New York was getting ready to leave the station.

Mark looked on hopelessly at the train to New York began to pull out of the station. He felt as though his whole world crumbled before his eyes.

Downcast and full of grief, he started to head back to the bus, but instead he sat on a long wooden bench watching the train leave. He lost the love of his life and felt utterly alone. What was he to do? He thought of driving to New York but he ruled that out. If she hated him that much there was no way she would see him.

Feeling lonely, he thought of the cabin he was going to surprise Alice with. He now had no partner, a partner he deeply loved. And in that moment of feeing rejected, he decided to head to the cabin in the woods. Maybe a week of solitude would help him decide what to do next with his life. He took one last look at the entrance to the train platform hoping to see her walk through it but he only saw a blank door. Mark felt the tears forming as he rose and headed to the parking lot doors.

 

[Biker_Faerie]

It was early evening by the time Alice arrived at the station in Brooklyn. Her father was was there to pick her up and he gave her a big hug when they met, which made her cry once again.

She felt bad for not telling him what had really happened between her and Mark, but how could she? Instead, she told him they’d had an argument that had spiralled out of control. Alice’s father accepted that. She wasn’t sure her mother would be so understanding.

Her mother and brother were waiting to welcome her when she got home. She was glad she had family she could depend on, especially when she felt like such a failure. Alice hadn’t seen them all winter because of Covid. Then, afterwards, she’d wanted to visit but had been caught up in the excitement of preparing the bus. Now she felt guilty about not making more effort.

Not much had changed though. The deli was still there and the Brooklyn streets looked the same as they always did. It was a world away from where she’d been living in West Virginia.

Her mother had prepared a big family meal for her return. Alice hadn’t eaten all day and realised she was starving. She went up to her old bedroom threw her belongings on the floor then came back down to eat.

It was like old times around the family dinner table and later that evening she opened up to her mom a bit more about what had happened, telling her how Mark had hurt her and wouldn't apologise. Her mother comforted her like mothers do but didn’t judge.

She must have been tired because she slept until 10 a.m. the next morning. The house was empty, everyone had gone to work. She made herself some breakfast then, afterwards, began to unpack her clothes to do some laundry.

Checking her phone she saw it was out of charge. She she rummaged around in her bag for the charger and that was when she found the letter from Mark. She plugged the phone in and then sat down to read it. As she did, the phone came back to life and the missed calls began to appear. She cried when she read the note, but this time it was with happiness.

With the phone now working she tried to call him but it went straight to voicemail and so she left a message.

"Hi," she began. "I only just found your note this morning. I love you so much too. i just felt hurt at the way you treated me and, well, you know what i'm like. I don't want you to think I'm a prude, because i'm not. It's just that, well... Maybe it's better to talk face to face. If you want to that is. Call me when you get this please?. I love you."

Then she sent him an email saying pretty much the same thing. If he was out of cellular coverage then he might use the satellite internet she thought. Hopefully it wouldn't be long before he saw her messages.

 

[Rocket1010]

Mark drove the bus north toward the Allegany National Forest. The four hour drive was fraught with remorse and anger at himself for hurting Alice. He relived their arguments as one is prone to do, blaming himself and then blaming her, and then blaming himself. But in the end he knew he was wrong and now he didn't know how to make it up to her. He called her multiple times but it only went to voice mail. He had left one message telling he was sorry and then made numerous subsequent calls that went to voice mail. Knowing she would not answer, he just hung up without leaving a message. He knew she always had her phone close by and after a half dozen times trying to reach her, he quit trying thinking she didn't want to take his calls. A thought that kept nagging him was why did she run away and not talk it out with him?

Also during the drive he realized he hadn't deleted the website, called the bank, or sent messages to the subscribers. But he was in no mood to do anything but drive, figuring he would take care of it later.

Arriving at the cabin in mid-afternoon he was met by Marge and Troy Anderson, an older couple, who owned a lot of acreage in the area. They built it as a fishing cabin years ago. It was built on a lake on property they owned and decided that they would not allow any other cabin or structure to be built on the lake. For years they fished the lake and hunted the land but now in their golden years, they rented it out. When he saw it for the first time he knew Alice would have loved this place.

Marge was impressed with the bus and kidded him about not needing a cabin. He smiled and gave her and Troy a quick tour of the bus, telling her it would be nice to stay in one place for awhile. He saw her spy the sports bra tucking half in half out of the couch but she didn't say anything.

Afterwards, she gave him a tour of the cabin, telling him the cell phone reception in the cabin could be spotty at times. The best place to get good cell reception was at the lake. He could sense she wanted to ask about the sports bra and near the end of the tour, she asked him if the other person on the application was coming later. He told her something came up last night and they had to go home. It would only be him for the week. He could see her questioning look but she didn't press him for any more information. Before she and Troy left, she told him that if needed to stay longer, they had open dates for an next month. Mark smiled and said he didn't think he needed more than a week.

Sitting on the porch in the evening, he thought of the website but he was too tired from all the mental anguish he put himself through. He made a note to take care of all the business tomorrow, but right now he just wanted to watch the sunset and try to forget about Alice. But as everyone knows thoughts of loved ones can't be simply whisked away in the brain. Every time he thought of something else, his thoughts returned to the one he loved. After a few glasses of wine, he decided that tomorrow morning he would go fishing, something he had not done in a long time. In bed, he thought of Alice, wondering what she was doing in New York. Was she out with friends celebrating her new found freedom? How he missed her. The ache in his heart hurt at the thought of losing her. The more he thought about her out of his life, the more mentally exhausted he became until much needed sleep overtook him.

Early the next morning he awoke as the sun was rising. Making eggs and toast, he looked forward to going fishing. When he was younger, fishing was one way of being able to sort things when things troubled him. Nature has a way of soothing the hurt. And he especially loved fishing in the early morning when it was totally peaceful and the only sounds were the birds singing their songs. Before leaving the cabin, he checked his phone hoping Alice called. But there were no messages or missed calls. With a little sadness, he figured Alice would not call so he decided not to take his cell phone.

The small row boat with a 10hp motor was just fine with him. Usually there were other fishermen on the lake but on this lake, he was the only soul. He admired the scenery and was glad he rented the cabin for a week. he spent the day on the lake, catching enough fish to clean and have for dinner. As he motored back to the dock, he thought of the website and his promise to delete it. Checking his watch, he saw it was again too late to call the bank. But he figured he could at least take care of the website, deleting it and sending notices to all the subscribers.

After making short work of cleaning the fish, he decided it was time to delete the website. When he opened the site he found they now had 105 subscribers. He quickly did the math calculating that they had made about $2500 in just two days. It was a shame to delete it since the site was catching on. A sense of sadness overcame him knowing the main reason for the popularity of the site was Alice. But without her, there was no reason to keep it.

Glancing at the top of the screen, he saw he had 15 email messages unread. Clicking on the email, he saw Alice's name pop up. Curious, he opened it and read what she wrote. He felt a sense of relief that she at least read his note and he smiled when she said she loved him. Forgetting about the website, he picked up his cell phone and walked outside and down to the dock and listened to her message. Hearing her voice made him smile but he was unsure how they would talk face to face. They were over 6 hours away and it would take a full day for him to travel to the city. He was sure she told her parents about their fight and what would they think of him?

Optimism and fear hit him as he quickly hitting her name in his favorite file. As the phone began ringing he wondered if she would answer. When he heard her voice, he felt nervous.

"Hey Alice this is Mark," he knew it sounded stupid since he knew his name would pop up. "I saw you called this morning. Sorry but I was out on the lake all day fishing." It occurred to him that she had no clue as to where he was staying. "I'm glad you got my note. I even went down to the train station to see you but the train was pulling out." He took a moment and then added, "I assume you made it back home to your parents. Are they doing ok?" After a moment of silence he said, “I love and miss you Alice!” He hesitated and then added, "I want you to come back Alice and let me make it up to you."

 

[Biker_Faerie]

After Alice had left Mark a message that morning she decided that she would pay a visit the on-line fitness studio. She needed to record some more yoga videos for them. Alice worked about a week in advance on her videos so she had some slack but not much.

The on-line studio's New York gym was its flagship centre, where many of the real time filmed classes took place, mainly spinning but now also running as well. They also did a small number of face to face classes for members. If you were attractive enough you might even be invited to appear in one of the online classes next time and a lot of 'wannabe's turned up for just that reason.

It was easy for Alice to book a yoga studio for the next day. She explained that she'd needed to come back to New York to see her parents for a family emergency. Everyone was understanding and while the studio didn't have the backdrop of the great outdoors, at least it wasn't Alice's childhood bedroom.

After sorting out the yoga studio, Alice went shopping. You could buy everything in a big city and although she didn't need much Alice bought some more lycra leggings and sports tops. You couldn't keep wearing the same thing in front of the camera. She already had far too many but she used the older outfits as daywear and sometimes for going out in too. Then she went back to her parents' delicatessen and spent the rest of the day with them. She told them about the note from Mark and they looked relieved for her. She kept checking her phone but there was no call from him.

Eventually, that evening, Mark called. She rushed upstairs to her bedroom to take it in private. The tone of his voice was contrite. Very different to how it had been when they'd argued.

"I want to come back," she told him. "I love you too. But i need to know that it's me that you love not just some swinging lifestyle."

Alice thought for a moment.

"I've been thinking about meeting other people and i think it would be fun. But I don't want it to be like we're on some sort of a schedule. And we need to be more open with each other from now on. Tell each other what we're thinking. I want to make you happy Mark. Did you cancel the website? I hope not."

Alice listened to carefully to what Mark had to say then told him.

"Now that I'm in New York I'm going to spend the rest of the week with my family and catch up on recording some yoga sessions. Then on Monday, I can catch a train and meet you somewhere. There's no point in you coming to me because its the wrong way really. How does that sound?"

 

[Rocket1010]

Mark was a bit nervous just before Alice spoke. But when she began talking, telling him she loved him and she too wanted to come back, his heart leapt and a big smile creased his face. He let her continue, listening carefully to her telling him she was not opposed to meeting other people but they needed to be more open and tell each other what there're thinking.

"Alice I promise you ....... you are the only one I love. As for meeting other people, you're right, we need to be open and honest and discuss it first and then agree on whatever we decide. And no babe I too don't want to be on a schedule and I want to make you happy too.

When she made the comment, "Did you cancel the website? I hope not." he was glad he had put it off.

"No ...... I was going to do it tonight. Alice we are up to 105 subscribers and we've made about $2500 in two days." He stopped for a moment to reflect on his earlier thoughts. "Alice, I think we have a good thing going and I don't want to mess it up. I hope you'll come back soon so we can start posting again. Those subscribers won't wait forever and will probably want more pictures of our adventures." He thought of all the possible photo and video sites at the cabin. "So as soon as you can get back, the sooner we can start shooting again and increase our fan base."

He listened to her tell him about staying in New York the rest of the week and then catching a train. He wanted her back with him right now but knew that was impossible. It was only fair for her to spend the week with her family. His brain started whirling with ideas as to where they could meet.

"That sounds great. You spend some time with your family. Tell them all I said hello." He had enjoyed spending time with her family when they both lived in New York. Then he added, "Honey .... I want you to see this place. I'm staying in a cabin that I wanted to be a surprise for you." He stopped for a moment. "I'm sorry Alice, I should have told you about it when we started out. I promise from here on out, I'll tell you about the places I hope we can visit."

He waited for a moment and then added, "When I checked in, the owners are a very nice elderly couple. They own a large chunk of land and live about a mile and a half from here. The cabin is an old fishing cabin they used to use and they told me I could have it for longer than a week if I wanted." Excitement filled his voice and he was sure she heard it. "This is the only cabin on the land and there is a large private lake. I'll get with them tomorrow and see about extending our stay for a week or two. Alice I think you're going to love this place. There are so many places to shoot your yoga exercises."

He wanted her to see this idyllic place in the woods and hoped Marge and Troy Anderson could tell him where the closest train station was located and he also wanted to talk to them about staying longer than a week. "Let me put some thoughts together and I'll call you tomorrow with the plan. I can't wait to see you babe, I miss you so much."

They talked for a few more minutes. She told him about the gym and he mentioned he wanted to take her fishing. Afterwards they hung up and he looked at his watch. It didn't seem too late to call Marge. When he called and told her about his call with Alice, she told him that tomorrow morning would be a good time to meet at their home.

That night Mark had a tough time falling asleep. It was not like the night before when he was totally confused but it was the excitement of seeing Alice again.
*************************
The next morning, he walked the 1 1/2 miles to their house. Their home was on the same lake but situated on a hill amongst a lot of old trees. They had a beautiful view of the lake but Mark could see that the cabin was well hidden from their view. He told them about his conversation with Alice and she was planning to meet him next Monday. Marge asked to see a picture of her and he proudly showed her a picture he carried in his wallet. He smiled when she told him she was beautiful and that he was a lucky guy.

Afterwards, Mark called Alice from the cabin and when she answered, he told her about his visit with Marge and Troy Anderson. "There is a train station in Johnstown about 2 hours from here. Let me know the train you're planning to take and what time it arrives and I'll be there to meet you." Then as an afterthought he added, "And Troy said I could use their spare car to pick you up. That way I don't have to take the bus." There was a brief moment of silence as he waited for her answer.

 

[Biker_Faerie]

"I'll look forward to it. It sounds lovely," Alice told Mark. "You know, you should try and do some videos for the website on your own. Just to let the subscribers know we're still here.They don't have to be rude, but they can be, of course. I'll try and record something too and send it to you if i get the chance. I'm filming yoga classes tomorrow. If I work at it all day then i reckon i can get five in the bag and that will keep me going for a few days."

Alice thought for a moment, before adding.

"I wish we were together now, then i could show you how much i want to make you happy. But we'll have to wait until after the weekend."

They chatted for a bit longer before Alice thought she should probably go back down to her parents.

"Everything alright?" her father asked when she walked back into the living room.

"It is," she said. " I think i might have overreacted a bit, but it's good now."

"That's your mother's side coming through," he laughed and Alice's mother huffed even though she knew it was true. The female line had always been a bit fiery and Alice's father had always been the peacemaker.

"If it's alright i'd like to stay until Monday," Alice told her parents, "then i'm going to catch a train to Johnstown and Mark's going to meet me there. We're going to spend a couple of days in a cabin apparently."

"You're very welcome dear," Alice's mother told her. "It's been nice seeing you. But you know you don't have to have relationship troubles to visit us."

"I know mom," Alice confessed. "I'm sorry I left it so long."

 

[Rocket1010]

When Mark heard Alice tell him, "I wish we were together now, then i could show you how much i want to make you happy. But we'll have to wait until after the weekend." He smiled knowing what she meant.

"And I can't wait to see you again and hold you in my arms," he responded wishing they were together now. But he knew there was nothing he could do but wait for Monday.

After they hung up, he thought of her suggestion to take some videos and post them on the website. She was right in the sense that the subscribers were looking for some content. The day was bright and sunny and only a few clouds in the sky. He grabbed the video camera and went outside and began filming.

He knew the viewers would be wondering where Alice was since she really was the reason they subscribed to the website. He was sure there were a few women who wanted to see more of him but the majority of subscribers were men. He told them she was called away for a few days and would return soon. The thought of Alice in New York made his heart ache. He wanted her here with him.

After the brief introduction about Alice, he narrated the video, showing the cabin and explaining how he and Alice would be spending a few days relaxing and providing more videos and photos of their trip. He then turned the camera to the path leading to the beach and lake. He explained the size of the lake and how they were the only cabin on the lake. As he filmed he thought of Marge and Troy Anderson and wondered if his video would provide more interest in their cabin rental. He made a mental note to talk to them about it.

At the beach he got in the boat and motored out to the middle of the lake, all the while filming the landscape, telling the viewers how large the lake was and what kind of fish were in the lake. When he got back to shore he had an idea and smiled the more he thought about it. He was sure Alice would enjoy what he was about to do.

Going back to the cabin, he found one of the cameras Alice didn't take with her. Setting up the tripod near the cabin, he snapped a couple of pictures of him. Mark, Mark relaxing.

And then he went to the beach and took a few more pics, Mark on the beach. And the last one of him lying on the beach with a dream-like look was meant definitely for Alice. Thinking of my special gal

When he was done, he went back to the cabin and saw they now had 150 subscribers. The site was growing and he was sure that when Alice returned, it would grow even more. He uploaded the video and photos to the site and then sent an email to Alice.

My sweetest Alice;
I took your advice and did a video but it's not as good without you in it. I hope you enjoy the photos and video.
You are my star and the star of the website. I can't wait for you to return to my open arms. Let me know when your train will arrive on Monday. Until then, sending thoughts and love your way.
All my love
Mark

 

[Biker_Faerie]

The morning after the phone call, Alice got up early and, weighed down with cameras and costume changes, she headed off to the fitness studio. She worked the whole day, stopping only for lunch and by the end she had filmed and edited five more half hour yoga sessions. Enough to keep her going until she she got back to Mark.

She decided to shower at the studio and thinking about what she'd said to Mark about trying to make content for their website she decided to film herself undressing in the shower cubicle then taking a shower. She had to whisper her introduction, as the changing room was full of people arriving at the studio after work, then she let her body do the talking as she soaped herself down. To be honest she had no idea what the video turned out like but she would post it to Mark anyway and he could edit it if it was any good.

Afterwards she rushed back to Brooklyn to meet a friend for a drink. Jenny was her oldest friend and they'd grown up together on the same street. Jenny worked for one of the investment banks in the city, she wasn't a high flyer or anything but she was doing ok. It was a very different life from Alice's. They chatted about old times and Jenny was very keen to hear about how Alice was doing in the bus. Alice confessed that she and Mark had had a row and that was why she was back in New York.

She wouldn't have told anyone else about what had happened but she found herself telling Jenny everything. It felt good to be able to share her secret with someone other than Mark and she knew she could trust Jenny.

"You always were the wild one," Jenny told her.

"Do you think I'm doing the wrong thing?" Alice asked.

"No, you go for it," Jenny reassured her.

When she got home it was late. She saw Mark's email and logged onto their website to see what he'd posted. It had got favourable reviews which pleased her, but it also reminded her of what she'd been missing. She and Mark had been having sex almost daily and for the first time in a while she'd had to go without for a few days. She sent Mark the video of herself in the shower then turned in for night.

Sleep didn't come easily however and she found herself thinking of sex. She rubbed her pussy as she fantasised about making out with Mark. But all of a sudden there was a third person in the fantasy. Another man. She found herself serving both of them, first orally and then in her pussy. She was wanton and she let them use her body for their pleasure. They spit roasted her, taking turns at each end before eventually both finishing off in her pussy. She'd never had a fantasy like that before and she shuddered as her orgasm passed through her body.

Then she relaxed and fell asleep.

 

[Rocket1010]

After sending the email to Alice, Mark spent the day fishing. The bass in the lake were huge and he reasoned it was because no one fished the lake except Marge and Troy and their cabin guests. He couldn't remember the last time he went fishing alone. As a youngster, he fished some of the lakes around the area he grew up. Then later on, he and his buddies would take fishing trips which were filled with fishing all day, drinking and card games late into the night. But now on the lake by himself once again, his thoughts turned to Alice.

When he returned to the cabin, he remembered Troy had told him they didn't have television but there was a radio if he wanted to hear the news or listen to music. When he gave Troy a funny look, Troy told him they weren't that backward and the radio had blue tooth and he could listen to any music he might have on his phone. Mark had a good laugh about that, realizing the elderly couple were not as backwards as one may think.

Later, after a meal of fish, potatoes, and veggies, he hooked up to the radio and poured another glass of wine. His music tastes varied widely and included hard and soft rock to ballads to supper music. He found when he was in certain situations, he selected a music genre that seemed to lift his spirits. Tonight the music was soft and soothing as he sat down to review the website and sipped his wine. He saw they received a few more subscribers, upping the number to 160. It seemed a bit slow to him but then he reasoned that it had only been a few days. He was sure that once Alice returned the number of subscribers would increase dramatically.

Some of the comments received today from men and women were very complimentary about his video. Some of the men asked about Alice and when she would be posting. It was clear, she was getting the most comments. But the comments on his self photo shoot were from women and some of the comments were very salacious. Just reading the comments brought back memories of their big fight. That was one thing he didn't want to happen again ...... having a huge blow out and then splitting for even a few days. He didn't respond to the comments like they did the first day. It was better not to respond unless he and Alice decided on which ones to answer. No responses meant no expectations.

As he was reading the comments, he noticed an email from Alice along with an attachment. Seeing her in the shower stall stripping off her yoga clothes while whispering where she was, sent ripples of lust through him. He couldn't divert his attention from the screen as her ripe flesh was being revealed. How he missed her. Seeing the water cascading over her while her fingers and hands rubbed soap on her body made his cock thicken. And she was giving the camera that come-hither look and he knew so well. Monday couldn't come soon enough.

Watching Alice in the shower gave him an idea. It was dark but Troy had installed outside lights and one of them happened to be over an outdoor shower. Setting up his equipment, he began a slow teasing striptease trying to emulate a Chippendale dancer. As he talked into the camera, his body swayed and he remembered how Alice would laugh and enjoy how he suggestively rolled his hips. The sex afterwards was always wild.

After soaping his broad muscular chest, his hands moved downward until they captured his semi-erect cock. Slowly and deliberately soaping it, he felt it growing thicker and longer, wishing Alice was in the shower with him. He made sure to turn so the full length and breadth of his muscle was no display. Stopping short of shooting a load, he rinsed off for the camera, telling the prospective audience that the sequel will be much more enjoyable.

Hustling inside, he sat at the computer with a smile on his face. Alice was sure to like this video. Besides being a good mechanic, Mark was excellent at slicing videos together from different sources. Working quickly and efficiently, he sliced parts of Alice's video and his into one. When he was done, he reviewed the video seeing her stripping and then him followed by some scenes of her in the shower intermixed with his shower. He had to admit it looked pretty good.

Sharing it to the website, he looked at his watch seeing it was after midnight. He figured she was probably asleep by now so he sent her a text, telling her to look at the website. Then heading off to bed, he lay thinking about Alice and he couldn't help but stroke his cock, thinking of her hands, lips, tongue and mouth slaving over it until she sat on it and rode it as if he were a stallion. The sensations grew stronger until a climax claimed him and for the second time today he thought that Monday could not come soon enough.

 

[Biker_Faerie]

Alice Caught the train from Brooklyn on the Monday morning. She'd spent the weekend with her family, working in the Deli on Saturday then going out for a big family meal with them on the Sunday. It had been good to spend time with her folks and she felt glad about having come home to see them, even if the circumstances had been a bit unusual.

It was going to take all day and several stops to get to Johnstown. Alice didn't mind though. It was nice to have some alone time. She'd bought the latest 'Jack Reacher' at the station with the intention of reading it from cover to cover on the journey. She also thought she'd make a video for their website. Nothing smutty, just a bit about her journey and how she was looking forward to seeing Mark again.

The last part, while true, wasn't quite the whole story though. She was nervous about seeing Mark. They hadn't left on the best of terms and although they'd talked on the phone she felt it was still going to be a bit awkward. They probably needed to talk things through a bit she rationalised. For a start she wanted reassuring that he wasn't going to take her wishes for granted and that there weren't going to be any more secrets or nasty surprises.She needed reassuring that she meant more to him than some swinger girlfriend.

At the same time however she needed to let him know that she wasn't a prude either. She was quite willing to have fun with other guys, possibly even with other girls too, but she wondered if the people who signed up for their website were the sort of people they'd really be wanting to meet. Alice would rather have met people who didn't have to pay for their porn. Regular normal people, or perhaps even the ones doing the same thing as they were. Maybe they could collaborate. It was a tricky one but it needed talking over.

 

[Rocket1010]

Mark woke up on Monday morning at dawn, seeing the bright sunshine filtering through the leaves. He wore a smile and with good reason; Alice would be on a train headed to Johnstown. Alice's train was due into the station in the late afternoon and he hoped the Amtrack train was on time. He had heard they were late sometimes and he hoped today would not be one of those days.

He took his time cleaning up around the cabin to make sure Alice had a good impression of the place. With time to kill, he listened to music while reviewing the website. He couldn't suppress a huge smile when he saw their subscriptions went to 225 almost over night. He had posted the shower video on Friday night and it seemed to be a huge hit with the viewers. As he read the comments, he wondered why Alice had not mentioned his text message about the shower. Surely she saw the video. He was sure she had a good reason not to tell him her thoughts on the video. Was she not impressed? Mark pushed any negative thoughts to the back of his mind. Today he was to be reunited with Alice and that made him happy.

Later in the morning, he walked to Marge and Troy's house to pick up their spare vehicle. They invited him in for coffee and during their visit, Troy recounted the story of the Johnstown Flood, or as it was know locally as the Great Flood of 1889. He told Mark how the South Fork Dam, 14 miles upstream of the town, ruptured after several days of extremely heavy rainfall. Mark got the impression Troy relished in retelling the story even though he wasn't alive at the time. But to hear him tell it, it was as if he was an eye witness. Mark was captivated by Troy's retelling of how the water released from the dam temporarily equaled the average flow rate of the Mississippi River and killed 2,209 people and accounted for $17 million of damage (about $534 million in 2022 dollars). After what seemed a long time, Marge nudged Troy, telling him Mark needed to get on the road.

The two hour drive through mostly forest areas gave Mark more time to think about the reunion with Alice. They had left each other with hurt feelings and it seemed they had patched things up. But that was over the phone and through emails. It's totally different when you are face to face with the person you love.

He knew he was wrong about some of the thoughts he had about the trip. He got into a rut when he read the comments and when he tried to talk to her about it, he felt she didn't understand. It was not like he wanted to meet everyone who wrote a salacious and suggestive comment but it did trigger some thoughts about meeting other people and possibly enjoying something more than a social interaction. The more he thought about it, he knew he had to show her that he loved her and didn't want to hurt her or subject her to something that was uncomfortable. One thing he reasoned was the subject was very sensitive. Would she balk at the thought of discussing it again. Was this now a taboo subject?

Mark arrived well ahead of the train's arrival and sat at small outdoor café, enjoying a coffee and the warm weather. He hoped Alice would like the cabin and want to spend a few days relaxing in the forest setting. The closer the time came for the train to arrive at the station, the more nervous he became. He wanted this relationship to work and he would do almost anything to show her he loved her for who she was and not some slutty woman.

Mark was sitting on the wooden bench on the train platform when the train began to materialize out of the east like a giant snake. His palms were sweaty and his mind was going a mile a minute thinking of their reunion. As the train slowed, he had a terror seize him. What if she wasn't on the train and decided to stay in New York? God, he hoped she didn't have any last second regrets.

The train finally came to a halt and it was almost like one would see in the movies. He saw people getting off and then she stepped off the train step onto the wooden platform. His smile was wide as walked briskly and then he broke into a run, seeing her look around and when she saw him, he saw the bright smile on her face. The only thought on his mind was to take her into his arms, hug her, and then kiss her.

 

[Biker_Faerie]

Alice picked out Mark easily at the station. There weren't too many people waiting to pick up passengers. She gave him a big smile then let him lift her up off the ground to hug her.

"It's good to see you again," she told him. "I've missed you."

Mark seemed genuinely keen to see her, which relieved Alice a lot. She let him carry her bags and they headed off to his borrowed car

"So tell me all about this cabin?" she asked. "It sounds nice, but why are you in a cabin when we've got the bus?"

Alice hadn't realised that the car journey would take so long. They talked for a bit, telling each other what they'd been doing but both of them avoiding the elephant in the room. After an hour they passed a diner and Alice suggested stopping for some food as she hadn't eaten all day. It was a cosy little 'off the beaten track' sort of place but quite busy considering its location.

Alice ordered a burger. She was starving, and when the waitress left their table she whispered to Mark, "I think we need to talk about what happened last week."

There was no objection and so she continued.

"You hurt me," she told him bluntly. "I know you didn't mean to but you did. I agreed to do the website because i thought it was a good way of making some money. But i don't want it to rule our lives. I can see you're already getting obsessed with how many subscribers we have and what sort of comments they're making and it worries me. I know we have to keep them satisfied if we want to keep them subscribing but that's as far as it goes. I'm telling you now, I don't want to meet any of them. I'm not interested in having sex with the sort of guy who subscribes to porn sites. They're just a source of money as far as I'm concerned and I'm not going to prostitute myself for them any more than i already am. You need to understand, because its important to me."

Alice thought she could see disappointment in Mark's face.

"But I am up for spicing up our sex life," she continued. "With people we meet along the way, or perhaps with other people making content for these sites like we're trying to do. I want to make you happy Mark. I want to have fun and i want to be appreciated. But i'm not a slut and i won't do it just because somebody has some lousy subscription to our site."

Alice realised she’d blurted this all out without giving Mark a chance to respond, but it had been building up in her mind in the train and it felt like she had to say it as soon as possible

 

[Rocket1010]

Mark saw the joy on her face when he picked her up and then gave her a big kiss. In the car, she asked about the cabin and he told her all about it's private location. "The reason I'm staying in the cabin is because it's more comfortable than the bus." He thought for a moment and then added, "There may be times on our trip when we want to stay somewhere other than the bus. I don't know where that is right now but I want to keep our options open. Besides when I got to the cabin, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson insisted I stay in the cabin and I didn't want to disappoint them." That seemed to satisfy Alice and when they hit the road, they stopped at a restaurant.

Mark was surprised when Alice wanted to talk about their issue in a crowded restaurant. He knew by her body language in the SUV and now in the restaurant, that something was bothering her. When she started talking, he didn't say a word, just listened. This was no place to have an argument if one erupted.

When she finished, he held her hands from across the table. "First, I don't think you're a slut. I told you I made a mistake by thinking of wanting to meet up with other people. As far as I'm concerned if we don't meet other people that's alright with me. That is in the past and I don't want to meet the people from the website. I have no clue if they are really the person commenting. It's possible the person is some totally different that what is portrayed on the site." He squeezed her hands and said, "Look ..... I'm not disappointed about not meeting other people, We're on this trip together and all I need is you."

"Alice you say your open to meeting other people and I'm fine with that. Whatever we do should be agreed by both of us." Mark could see her thinking about what he was saying. Then he added, "As for my obsession with the website. I don't think it's an obsession. I look at as an investment and like any investment, I check it a few times a day. I am not on the site all day and night but I do check because the more subscribers .... the more money we're making."

"And as for the comments. Some of them are crude and rude but other comments suggest seeing you or me in different settings or clothing. Those persons are basically suggesting we should add some variety to make it more appealing for them. Other than that, I'm not interested in responding to them and know most of the comments are just men and women who are lonely and want to escape their real world for a little while. I have no interest in meeting those kind of people."

Alice was silent and they were interrupted by the waitress asking if they wanted dessert. Mark told her no and she said she would prepare the check.

When she left to get the check, Mark told her. "I never intended to hurt you Alice. That's the furthest thing in mind. I love you and want to see you happy." He saw a soft smile form and then he said, "I think our shower video was very well received. But I never heard back from you when I texted you about it. What did you think of it?" He thought of telling her some of the comments but kept his mouth shut.

 

[Biker_Faerie]

“It was fine Mark. Honestly, I’m not sure what you expect me to say. I don’t think we need to hold a focus group meeting to discuss everything we post do we? I think this is the difference between us, Mark. I don’t get turned on by watching a video of you in the shower. Watching porn doesn’t really do anything for me. Even or perhaps especially, when I’m in it. This is what I don’t understand about guys. You seem to like watching porn as much as the real thing. And I didn’t say I’m not interested in meeting other people so please stop twisting my words. I just said not from the website.”

Alice felt herself getting frustrated again.

“I wanted to come away on this trip to have an adventure with you on the bus that we built together. I don’t really want to spend time in a cabin especially after having lasted one night in the bus. And I don’t really understand why you do Mark. It’s just another thing you decided to do on your own without involving me. And I wanted to be having sex on the bus, not discussing our videos or reading comments that other people have made about them. It just seems like everything i dreamed of for this adventure is turning out different, including you. I fell in love with this rugged confident outdoors guy who wanted to look after me. Not someone chained to a keyboard fixating on porn, checking out subscribers and comments all the time You’ve changed since we left Virginia, Mark and I don’t like the new you. I want the old Mark back. If the website is going to do this to you then either we should stop it or I’ll take it over and you can get back to you being the man I fell in love with.”

 

[Rocket1010]

Mark kept his mouth shut as he listened to Alice go off on a small tirade. This was not the place or the time to have this discussion. He saw a few patrons turn their heads as if listening to her. These were matters best suited between two people in private, not in a public setting and certainly not with people sitting easily within earshot.

When she said she didn't want to spend any time in the cabin, he began to bristle. She was pissed because he wanted to surprise her and she wasn't asked or told about it. What the fuck was a surprise if one couldn't keep it a secret. It just told him that the woman he fell in love with in New York was not the same woman who wanted to see the country. Who was this woman he thought he loved? Right now he wasn't sure and he didn't like it. Did she really think they would spend every night and day in the bus traveling?

It took all the restraint in his body he could muster to not to get up and leave her sitting alone. He thought when he picked her up from the train station things might be different. But he could see he was mistaken. She wanted nothing to do with the cabin and her only fixation was the bus. He saw the stares of other customers and the look of concern on the waitresses face when she brought the check.

"It's time to go," he said gruffly getting up and walking to the cash register, not waiting for her to scoot out of the booth.

In the SUV, he was still silent, her hurting words rambled around in his head, cutting deep, causing more anger to the surface. As they drove, he finally said, "Listen to me and don't say a word." He had never talked to her this way but she had pushed all the right buttons.

"That was not the time or place to have this discussion and let's get a few things straight." He took a deep breath and then continued, "I told you I loved you and I didn't care about meeting other people through the website but you can't let it go. You think all I do all day long is be chained to the computer. And now you want to take it over. It's all yours if you plan to hold this over my head and can't get past the fact that what I said is true."

Another deep breath and he could feel his heart racing and his anger rising to the boiling point. Turning into the long lane that led to the cabin. When he stopped the vehicle, he said, "And let's get something straight. You say you don't like watching porn, but you sure like making it. What the hell did you think when you made a video in the shower and and send it to me." His breathing was becoming rapid. "You like showing off your body and enjoying men and women staring at it. I've seen the look on your face when you do your yoga exercises knowing that whoever is watching has ideas about having sex. You are no goody two shoes that you claim. You knew other men and women would enjoy seeing the sex we had on the lousy day and so on one hand you don't like watching it but you sure like to show off your body."

Mark got out of the SUV and got her bags from the back end. He put them in the bus and then walked into the cabin. He sensed her behind him and turned with the bus keys in his hand. "You hated staying in the campgrounds, you hate this place and you've never stayed here and gave it a chance. All you want is to stay in the sacred bus and now you think it's the only place to have sex. Well it's all yours Alice."

Throwing her the keys to the bus, Mark said, "You want to be the boss, well you now own a bus and you can do with it whatever you want. Drive it back to New York and sell it. I don't care. I'm sure you can get a good price for it." Quickly exiting the cabin, he got into the SUV and gunned the engine. He was leaving everything behind, his clothes, his computer, his love but he'd had enough. He realized that no matter what he would say she would find a way to throw it back at him in a negative way and hold it over his head.

Driving down the dirt lane, he called Troy, asking if he could possibly keep the car for a day or two, telling him that things didn't work out so well. Troy said it was alright and Mark drove into the night angry and looking for a motel. He let out a soft sarcastic chuckle ...... last week it was her and now it was him leaving the relationship. He didn't know where he was going but if she really wanted him back, and truly loved him, she would find a way to find him.

 

[Rocket1010]

The next morning Mark woke with thoughts of Alice on his mind. Was she ok? He checked his phone and didn't see a missed call or text message. He had left in a huff last night and now, the morning after, he was concerned about her. He skipped breakfast and drove back to the cabin, hoping to find Alice. The way he had stormed out of the cabin was very uncharacteristic of him. He had chastised her about running away and then he did the same, running away from an argument that was brewing. As he drove, he thought of how he wanted so much to mend their relationship. But in the restaurant, she pressed all the wrong buttons. Instead of being happy to be back with him, she inferred that maybe she should take over the computer. For Mark, it was the last straw. He had told her he changed but she seemed to not want to believe him. He admitted, he had gotten sidetracked with the website and he actually changed but to him it was still a business venture that needed attention. But he sensed that was not good enough for her.

Arriving at the cabin, his worst fears were realized. Alice and the bus were gone. He hoped she left him a note but after searching, there was no note, just his computer on the floor. He felt the tears begin to form and then he felt a stream of water sliding down his cheeks. Oh, how he loved her but something changed and it all centered around the bus. He tried calling her but after a few rings, it went to voice mail. He sent her text telling her they needed to talk. He doubted he would ever hear from her. A huge sadness came over him when he realized he had lost Alice in his life. He had a sinking feeling that it was over and it made him sad. As he looked around the cabin, he thought ..... if she really wanted to stay with him, all she had to do to find him was call or text him.

Sitting outside in the morning sun, he thought of their relationship. In the city it was great but it all seemed to unravel when they took off in the bus. He didn't know she didn't like camping and he thought of the couple they met at the campgrounds and her thinking he wanted to hook up with them. And then her sharp comment, questioning why they were staying in the cabin and not the bus, confused him. To him the bus, while having some amenities, was a transportation vehicle to get them to the different places they wanted to see. He now realized she was a city girl. It was his idea about the bus and traveling across the country seeing the sites. He was a country boy at heart and loved the outdoors while Alice was a city girl. It was apparent she didn't like idea of staying in a campground or staying in the cabin, if even for a few days.

Mark thought of going back home but that held no excitement for him. He still wanted to see the country and if Alice wasn't going to answer her phone, he knew she didn't want to be with him. He recalled how he took the initiative to write her a note, call her repeatedly when she left. But when he left there was nothing from her about wanting to talk and make up. He could only assume she was heading back to the city and he realized it was a one-way street with him chasing her all the time..

Mark called Troy and made arrangements to take the car back. He asked if everything was ok and Mark had to admit that it was not. Later he would confide in Marge and Troy about what happened but for now, he was happy to hear he could stay in the cabin for another week.

Mark made the most of his free time. As administrator of the website, he was the only one who could post unless he gave someone else permission. He posted that the website would be closed immediately and he would inform the bank to refund their subscriptions. After notifying the bank, he drove to the nearest town and opened a bank account, taking out half the money he and Alice had in a joint account. He noted that he had enough cash to last about three months.

Mark returned the car to Troy and they talked about what Mark would do. When Mark told him he still wanted to travel the country and needed a van, Troy smiled, telling him he had a friend who was a car dealer. Mark and Troy took a trip to town and after some discussions, Mark purchased an extended van. Mark was in for another surprise. Troy had a large barn on his property and enjoyed tinkering with cars in years past. Mark and Troy tore the van apart and made it somewhat livable with a matress and some other necessary amenities for cooking, etc. It was not like the bus but it would do for him.

When the van was complete, Mark headed out to see the country. Over the weeks, he enjoyed the sunsets on the Great Lakes, the beauty of Niagara Falls, and the openness of the Midwest. He missed Alice and often wondered how she was doing. When he arrived at Yellowstone National Park, he got a call from Tom, a mutual friend or his and Alice when they lived in the city.
Tom told him how surprised everyone was to see her in the bar recently and when pressed she told everyone that Mark had run out on her. She mentioned she drove the bus back to New York and sold it within a few hours. Tom continued telling Mark that she was now working exclusively for the yoga gym. Tom pressed Mark for his side of the story and when he vowed not to repeat it to anyone, Mark told him. He didn't elaborate and left out the part about the videos and the website. Tom asked him where he was headed and Mark told him that after Yellowstone he was headed for the Canadian Rockies and then down the west coast into wine country. After hanging up, new memories of Alice flowed through his mind and he still wished she was with him, but then realized it was not to be.