Love Knows No Color Pt. 04

Kenny and Calvin had Shavonda on the back porch. They had guitar and banjo out. They were teaching her the word to songs they knew. She looked happy.

"Jason," Calvin called. "Come play with us. We need some bottom. Grandpa's old bass is in the back room. You know how to play it, help us out."

I walked over. "I haven't played one in years," I said.

"We'll take it easy on ya," Kenny laughed.

"Jason, please. It'll be fun," Shavonda pleaded. She looked at me with those big brown eyes. How could I say no? I wrestled the upright bass out to the porch, and tried to remember where all the notes were. Soon we were doing a version of 'Take me to the river' with Shavonda singing lead. Her voice was as beautiful as she was. With the rest of the family gathered round, we played and sang until well after dark, Shavonda even taught them a few slow r&b jams. It was funny hearing Rihanna's 'Umbrella' done on upright, guitar and banjo, but somehow it worked. I guess music is the universal language after all.

We fell asleep to the sound of trains passing in the valley below, snuggled the way we usually did but fully clothed. I did cop a feel of her titties, but that's all we did. They were lucky Shavonda was on her period. Otherwise we'd have snuck off in the bushes at least once during the picnic.

We left in the morning, with Shavonda remarking about listening to the trains all night.

"Welcome to my world," I said.

"Can you show me that tunnel, the one where you fell in love with trains?"

I took her to Ray Tunnel, Traffic was, as usual, a little light on the railroad in the morning hours, but we were lucky to catch a westbound climbing the mountain. The sun angle was the opposite from the photo I'd taken. The tunnel was not backlit. I took a photo of the train entering the tunnel, with Shavonda posed in the foreground watching it. After all, she once told me she likes watching trains entering tunnels.

We needed to be on the road, but the train was moving so slow I decided to chase it to KR at the top of the mountain. Once we got out to the main road we quickly overtook the train, visible on the mountainside far above us. As the valley steepened, the road climbed the side of the mountain and we soon crossed the railroad tracks. We were far ahead of the train now, and we went through the gap at the top of the mountain, descending the other side. I turned back the dirt road that led to KR and the summit tunnel.

I explained to Shavonda that KR was the old telegraph call sign for the station that once stood there. It controlled the switches between the two main tracks, and the passing tracks where lower priority trains were held back in the old days, the station was closed and its functions moved to a dispatcher's office many years ago, KR was now controlled from many miles away.

The road ended just west if the summit tunnel, drilled to save the railroad from having to climb the last several hundred feet to the ridgetop, and keep the grade down. The track was plenty steep enough as it was. The tunnel itself was a couple hundred yards east of us, and the tracks had a noticeable arch to them as they topped the summit and descended into the tunnel. We were in a small valley, in the middle of nowhere. Off to the west we could hear the distant growl of a train climbing the mountain from the other direction.

"This place is so peaceful. "Shavonda said. "I could stay here all day."

We could hear the buzz from the tunnel as the original train worked its way inside. Far down the line, a headlight came around the curve as the second train made its way towards us. This was going to be good. Shavonda watched as the train drew ever closer. I stood there with my arm around her, watching her reaction. She had goosebumps. The buzzing was growing louder as the first train neared the end of the tunnel. We turned to watch as the locomotives burst out of the tunnel in a cloud of white smoke. Just as they neared us, the other train was upon us, and two sets of hard working diesels passed by mere feet away from us. Shavonda looked and me and mouthed, "I understand," above the din. Loaded and empty coal cars passed in opposite directions, then the helper engines on the loaded coal train passed by, throttling back and going into dynamic brake just before they entered the tunnel.

"Now I know why you are fascinated by trains. Watching them was a beautiful experience," she said as quiet descended once more on the secluded valley. "Look," she grabbed my arm and pointed excitedly as a buck emerged from the forest a quarter mile down the tracks. It was impossible to tell how many points he had at that distance, but he had an impressive rack. He stopped at the tracks, looking in our direction, as two does emerged behind him. They casually made their way across the tracks and disappeared into the forest again.

"I am so horny right now. You're lucky I am still on my period, or I'd have you bend me right over the hood of the car."

We kissed, tongues entwining, I fondled her breasts. We knew we had to stop but it wasn't easy. "Next year," Shavonda said, "We'll make this spot our own."

Yes, I smiled to myself. There will be a next year, and a year after that, and many more to come. we were still young. We had a lifetime ahead of us. And we were in love. We'd cleared the hurdles of family, and won them all over. Our futures were never brighter.

We got back in the Jeep and began the long journey back to Pittsburgh.

To be continued.....