An adult stories – Running by RCPeterGabriel,RCPeterGabriel Note: This story has some but very little sex. It is about merging two lives on the run from seemingly inescapable problems.
Running.
A novella by R.C.PeterGabriel, all rights reserved.
I was northbound with Colorado Springs up ahead. Seeing several signs with the familiar red and green list of depressingly large numbers, I decided that I’d hit the exit ramp a mile ahead. I didn’t need fuel, but I was starting to feel a slight pressure on my bladder. That and I only had an hour and thirty-two minutes left on my drive logs before I’d be in violation. I figured I’d pee, get a bite to eat, and check Google Maps for a place to sleep. Knowing where you’re going before you get there is always wise.
I could usually find a remote on-ramp to park on, but I never slept well if I did. Between the possibilities of road pirates and the occasional Sheriff looking for someone to hassle, it isn’t worth it. Especially now that I had decided to retire.
Another couple of months and the weather would change to the point I’d need to chain up going over any mountains. The views are breathtaking, but the effort necessary for chaining and unchaining a semi every few miles greatly reduces the cost/benefit ratio. It was time. Not that I’m old. I’ve just done well for myself, at least money-wise anyway. At twenty I bought my first rig and haven’t stopped running since.
In actuality, I would have preferred to stop for the night at the travel center up ahead. But I’d regret it tomorrow if I didn’t use my full log time. I’d been at this stop many times and knew it had far more amenities than I would ever make use of. But it was always spotless and it buzzed with people coming and going. The energy always lifted my spirits from the drudgery of the open road.
Fifteen minutes later I had parked, planned a primary and secondary overnight parking spot, and was locking up my rig. A two-hundred-yard trek later I relieved my bladder before passing the rest of the way through the professional driver’s side of the travel center. They offered everything a driver could need if you didn’t mind convenience store pricing. The free showers with a fill-up were nice though.
Passing out of the CDL side, I paused to get my bearings. I glanced up and down the wide hall that reminded me of a shopping mall. Shops of all kinds lined the walls, selling all manner of touristy merchandise. I shook my head at the lawyer’s kiosk positioned conveniently outside the entrance to the “Mile HIGH Club”.
The kiosk advertised a specialty in helping drivers overcome DUI issues. The shop sells liquor and cannabis products. Who in their right mind would push drugs and alcohol at a travel center? My guess was some enterprising individual with no scruples. Just one more reason to get off the road.
I headed left as I spotted my destination at the far end of the hall. After passing several shops, a McDonald’s, an Arby’s, a Subway, and the archway leading into the non-CDL version of convince goods, I entered the center’s restaurant. The hostess glanced up, paused briefly as she looked behind me, and then stated “Right this way.”
We got to my table, with a window overlooking an expanse of cars and the city lights beyond. The view beyond the lot was decent enough that I paused several moments before sitting. That gave the hostess time to pick up two of the four menus and inform me that Shelly would be my waitress. Those same moments were also long enough for what I assumed was a lot lizard to slide past me into the booth.
She was attractive enough if you’re into goth girls of questionable age. The nose, lip, and trio of eyebrow rings did nothing for me though. I must admit that the bright purple hair was unusual enough that I didn’t instantly tell her she wasn’t welcome. I’d never seen a goth that didn’t have black or red hair before.
It was difficult to tell through all the makeup, but I thought that her facial structure and lips were appealing. Although, it was her eyes that froze me in place for a moment.
They were golden brown, almost amber, and shaped to hint at a Japanese descent. But they weren’t the eyes of someone trying to seduce her next john. They were the eyes of a frightened young woman begging for help. That didn’t keep me from letting her know I wasn’t interested in paying for sex.
“I’m sorry I’m not looking for professional company.”
“What? … No, I’m not a hooker. I’m hiding from my ex. If he finds me he’ll kill me. Just pretend we’re together for a while and I won’t bother you anymore.”
I tried to sound more curt than I felt. If she was lying to me I wanted to cut ties as soon as possible. If she really did need help, well, I’m just not the type to ignore someone in need. “What makes you think I care what happens to you?”
The question deepened the anguish on her face, but she watched my eyes for any clues. Finally, she spoke into her hope. “Because you haven’t sent me away yet.”
I nodded and slid in across from her … suspiciously, of course. “What makes you think he knows you’re here?”
She gave a thumb gesture out the window. “Don’t look too hard, but do you see the red Toyota out by the broken light pole? The one with the white fender?”
I glanced that way and spotted the car easily enough, even though it was at the far edge of the lot. “Yes.”
“That’s my car. I was stupid enough to think he wouldn’t see it in the dark. I’m a long way from home and I didn’t think anyone was following me. But he’s sitting in the beat-up blue Chevy pick-up truck two rows closer to us.”
It took me several moments to spot the truck because I couldn’t see anyone in any trucks at first. Then I spotted the glow of a cigarette silhouetting his head in the otherwise dark cab. “Ah, yeah. I see him. Why are you hiding from him?”
She looked into my eyes for a few moments before shaking her head. “Sorry. I don’t want to get into it. Let’s just say that he’s possessive, and I don’t want to be owned.”
I studied her for a few minutes, trying to decide if it was my business under the circumstances. “No,” was the answer my conscience responded with, so I suggested she figure out what she wanted to order.
While we waited for our food I introduced myself, hoping to find out what to call my dinner companion. But when I told her my name was Jacob Thomas, she failed to offer hers in reply.
Several minutes went by before I asked her directly what I should call her. She studied me for a moment then said, “Call me … … Lilith.”
I laughed when she suggested the obvious lie. “Forget your name or just decided to become goth on the spur of the moment?”
She paused, before sighing. “Look, you’re being nice but you don’t need to know my real name. I’ll be out of your life in a few minutes.”
We took our time eating with very little conversation. I did notice her glancing at my left hand more than once, trying to figure out if my wedding band was a good thing for her or not.
With dinner consumed, I told her I needed to move on. If I waited much longer my 14-hour maximum day would start pushing into the remainder of my 11 hours of drive time.
She didn’t look happy but nodded understanding. I was about to offer to pay for her to use the showers. That would give her an hour or so of hiding out before management banged on the door. I never got the chance. We both watched as her ex got out of his truck and moved into the shadows near her car. He seemed to be taking his time but suddenly sprinted back to his truck, got in, and sped away.
We both stood to go our separate ways, but Lilith dropped back into her seat a second later when her car exploded. It took her several moments for the shock to settle before she exclaimed, “Oh fuck no! … no, no, no, no,” in a whisper. I didn’t think she even realized she was saying it as her eyes darted around in a panic.
I grabbed her shoulders and started pulling Lilith from her chair when I saw her ex’s truck make a U-turn near the Center’s ramp leading directly to the highway. He parked farther away but where he could still watch anyone approach her car. Also where he could be gone in moments if someone saw who blew it up.
The terrified girl let me get her walking towards the check stand before the trembling started. The low keening started a few moments later.
The cashier had run to the windows with everyone else, allowing me to stick our tab and three twenties under the edge of the register and continue leading her out. The sixty bucks amounted to a thirty percent tip but I wasn’t about to wait around for change.
The mall seemed to be emptying like water from a broken dam as almost everyone tried to get to where they could see what was going on. The explosion had rattled the windows in the restaurant and had probably been heard for a half mile at least. A few seconds later we heard a secondary explosion as one of the cars next to Lilith’s suffered the same fate.
My companion’s knees gave out and I had to practically carry her to a nearby bench. It took several minutes of simply holding her before she calmed enough to look at me. “I am so fucked! Everything I owned was in the car. And now, I’m positive that he will never stop hunting me!”
“I’m sure the police will show up with the fire department. They can protect you.”
I was interrupted with an emphatic “No!” causing me to study the shaking young woman.
“Why not go to the police?”
“I just can’t, okay.” She paused and studied me back for several moments before sighing. “You’re a trucker, right?”
I nodded.
“Could you give me a ride to wherever you’re going? The farther away the better. After that, you can forget about me.”
“Who says I want to get involved?”
Her shoulders instantly dropped along with her eyes as the obvious feeling of defeat washed over her. A moment later she looked up at me as a tear ran down her cheek. “No one, I guess.” She got up and started to walk away.
It was risky, but I figured that if she wanted anything but a ride she would have reacted with further pleas. Impulsively, I grabbed her hand to keep her from leaving.
It was a mistake. She panicked and yanked her hand away, taking a quick jump back. Her frightened eyes reminded me of a cornered animal, so I raised my hands in a surrender pose.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’ll give you the ride.”
She backed up a few more steps, but stopped, looking around before returning her eyes to me. She studied me for what seemed like several minutes and then resigned herself to whatever fate I was offering and nodded.
“Thanks,” was softly stated as I slowly stood in hopes of avoiding a second startle effect.
As we made our way through the CDL side, I asked, “Do you normally dress that way?”
She glanced at me and for the first time offered a half smile. “No,” was the simple reply.
Seeing her face relax, at least a little, I couldn’t help but smile back. If she lost the makeup and face jewelry, she might be attractive but I was suddenly worried about her age. “Please tell me you aren’t fifteen.”
Her smile grew a little more. “I’m twenty-four.”
She didn’t look anywhere close to that old but she was wearing a lot of makeup. “I probably should have asked you that before I agreed to give you a ride.”
“Worried about transporting a minor across state lines? I raised an eyebrow as her smile grew into a grin.
“Careful, ‘Lilith’ you’ll ruin your disguise. Goths never smile.”
“Common misconception, Grandpa.”
“Ouch,” I replied but didn’t offer my age. If she wanted to know she’d have to ask me directly. Besides, I couldn’t be her ‘grandpa’ even if she had been fifteen.
We made the hike across acres of blacktop to my rig without speaking again. Once I opened the door, I made the mistake of checking out my passenger. Before, I’d been concentrating on her face. But with her climbing into the cab, I had a close-up view of her body. The midriff top and short skirt made it hard not to notice. She was certainly nubile with a well-formed chest, sized to fit proudly on her petit frame, a tight stomach, and a round bubble butt that begged to be assisted up the next step.
Her tight body wasn’t what drew my attention though. There were a half dozen bruises in several locations. Most were healing into a light yellowish-green tinge, but one was fresh and deep purple. At least I knew why she wanted to make a run for it. Now I just needed to know why she didn’t want to get the police involved. The thought had me wondering if I would regret my good deed.
She scooted past the driver’s seat and stood looking into my bunk room as I hit the secret power bus that reconnected the main batteries to the business end of things. Then I cranked the engine over.
I chuckled as she squeaked in surprise at the sudden noise and vibration. She grabbed the headrest of both seats before looking at me with big eyes. When she saw me smiling at her she relaxed a little.
“First time in a semi?”
I could see her fear drain away as the majority of the vibrations settled to near non-existence, before offering me a self-deprecating smile. “What gave me away?”
“Just a guess. Please don’t touch anything. I’ll be right back.”
The fear in her eyes instantly returned. “Where are you going?”
“I have to check my lights and make sure nobody messed with my fifth wheel. I’ll make sure you can watch me in the mirrors most of the time, but I need to duck under and behind the trailer for a few seconds at a time. I promise I’m not leaving you.”
Lilith’s eyes settled again, and she gave me a nod as I snagged my flashlight from the pouch on the side of my seat and then closed her in. Admittedly, I rushed my external pre-trip a little and exaggerated my use of the flashlight along the side of the trailer so that she could follow my movements. Once I was sure the fifth wheel was securely locked, the lights were all functional, and the tires were all full, I returned to the cab and joined my passenger.
As I buckled in I asked, “Has your ex seen your new look?”
“No. Why?”
“Not even the hair?”
“No, not even the hair.” She was looking at me suspiciously again, causing me to sigh.
“If not, you need to sit up front. It’s safer with a seatbelt. Plus, if I get stopped you’ll draw a lot of attention just being a ride-along. Doubly so if you’re hiding in the back without a CDL.
“I assume you’re car was registered to you. And since you’re not standing next to it making yourself known, the cops will be looking for you once they run the VIN. I don’t need my rig impounded until they figure out why you’re running.”
She took the passenger seat and buckled in. “It … was, yes. Registered to me, I mean. I …”
Her downcast eyes told me she was trying to figure out what to say. She had to know I was sticking my neck out for her. I gave her time to think as I checked all my gauges. I knew my brakes were sound because I’d just had them serviced six thousand miles back. I just needed to make sure the air pressure was holding before pushing in the red and yellow stop valves that would allow air to force the brakes open. I checked my mirrors and started rolling forward.
Lilith’s eyes widened again at the throaty growl pushing almost 2000 pounds of torque to the driveshaft. I had to give her credit though as they settled just as quickly when she looked at me.
I kept her in my periphery but was more concerned with maneuvering in the crowded parking lot. I had no trouble knowing what to avoid. The orange glow from the car fires and the flashing lights from the arrival of a dozen emergency vehicles could be seen reflecting off of trees and the high-rise signage. The large building wasn’t doing a good job of hiding the fire’s location.
The traffic was inching along and since she had been parked twenty yards from the street entrance we were being crowded to the highway ramp along with everyone else. Anyone wanting to exit onto a surface street needed to either wait or loop back at the next highway exit.
I risked a glance at my passenger and saw her studying me. I could tell she was getting more and more nervous as we neared the ramp. We had no choice but to pass right in front of her ex. All I’d have to do is stop and she’d be caught.
I almost smiled as she let out the breath she had been holding once we passed him. I gave her a sympathetic look. I couldn’t guess why she was afraid but that didn’t mean the fear wasn’t genuine.
“I really appreciate this. Everything I owned was in that car. I have about forty-five dollars in my phone case and that’s it. You’re welcome to it.”
I didn’t respond until I had fully merged onto the highway and was up to speed, then glanced at her again. She was still studying me. I just shook my head before saying, “Thank you for the offer. But, I couldn’t possibly take your money. Call whatever food you eat an entertainment fee.
“Other than my parents, I haven’t spent more than ten minutes talking to any one person in the last sixteen years. Usually, it’s some distributor or dispatcher. Occasionally a waitress will strike up a conversation if no one else is around. But they’re either desperate to find out about what’s beyond the county line or hoping for a bigger tip. Your company will be a welcome change.”
The look she gave me didn’t seem particularly relieved. I had no doubt she was trying to figure out what my angle was. And when she glanced into the bunk room, I had a feeling she assumed I was going to want to take things out in trade.
I didn’t try to reassure her. My words would be meaningless anyway. I’d show her my lack of intentions when we stopped.
It was about ten minutes later that I noticed a dark beat-up Chevy pick-up keeping pace with me. Since I was doing the limit, that wasn’t much of a coincidence so I thumbed my cruise control and dropped down a single mile an hour. It took a mile, but his following distance started to drop enough that I could tell the truck was blue.
I thumbed my cruise control again and sped back up to one mile over the limit. I was hoping he wouldn’t notice the increasing gap. There was a weigh station about five miles ahead and if we could reach it without him passing us, the ex still wouldn’t know what Lilith’s new look was.
I have a PrePass transponder, and unless I was very close to being overweight, the roll-over scales embedded in the road would signal me to bypass the station. And since I’d already passed two other scales without being pulled over, I knew I wouldn’t be required to stop. That didn’t mean I couldn’t pull in voluntarily.
I kept an eye on my tail and as soon as I hit my turn signal, the driver of the pickup stood on the gas. He was closing fast and I knew I wouldn’t get off the road in time. Moments later, Lilith’s ex blew past me and swerved into my lane, no doubt getting a good look at my passenger in his mirror. I thought about laying on the air horn to alert the Highway Patrol, but that would just guarantee Lilith would get questioned.
Lilith was clearly upset when she spotted her ex and looked nothing short of terrified. I told her not to worry pointing to the weigh station. When she realized where I was headed she freaked even more. She started crying and begging me not to stop because the cops couldn’t help and would just make it easier for her ex.
I took the ramp anyway, knowing it was the only place in a hundred miles that the ex couldn’t follow. What my passenger didn’t know was that almost every scale has a few overnight parking slots. I chose one in the middle and shut down before trying to explain how I was going to fix things. And yes, I was shorting myself thirty-one minutes of drive time. I figured it would be well worth it to keep us safe.
“There’s only one way your Ex was able to know where you are and that’s your phone. I’ll download your pictures and anything else you want to keep. Then I’ll see if we can get rid of him once and for all.”
I led her the few feet into my bunk room and booted up my computer as she stepped all the way in for the first time. I had her remove her boots and hop onto the bunk. Otherwise, it was like trying to share an airplane restroom. She did as requested while glancing around at my customized space.
Spotting the dozen photos of my wife Nina, was an easy thing to do. But she seemed captivated by a close-up of my wife’s glowing and grinning face. Her eyes were shining with tears of joy as she held up a positive pregnancy test. It was the happiest moment of our lives. Even more so than our wedding day.
I pulled her from her thoughts when I asked her for her phone. She was hesitant again but eventually pulled it from the clutch purse that was chained around her hips. She was either starting to trust me or she had gotten careless.
I flipped open the case and her DL was showing through the plastic window opposite her phone. I took the two seconds needed to verify her age and get her real name, Zoey Larsson. I pulled the phone out of the case and plugged it in. A few seconds later my computer asked if I wanted to share files and I clicked yes.
Her picture files didn’t take long to download as there weren’t more than a few hundred. When I asked if she needed anything else saved, she thought for a few moments and sadly shook her head no.
After verifying that she wouldn’t change her mind, I started the process of deleting all the data from her phone and sim card, and then reset it to factory settings.
“Will that keep him from tracking me?”
“No. Not as long as you’re using the same sim card.”
“Then what was the point of erasing everything?”
“To get you away from your Ex forever. We just need to wait for a cooperative driver and you’ll never need to see him again.”
Realizing that having customized my bunk space, I was short the usual upper bunk. I found myself suddenly shy about sharing the only bed and decided I’d sleep on the floor. With that choice made, I climbed out of the cab telling her I’d be right back.
She looked momentarily nervous but didn’t stop me. She watched me in the mirror as I opened my stowage compartment and pulled out an inflatable mattress and sleeping bag. Whenever I could find a safe enough space to camp, I’d sleep outside. Weather permitting, of course.
Zoey eyed me as I set the gear in the passenger seat and then started digging in my cabinets. Holding up some flushable wipes, I asked if she wanted to get out of her makeup to sleep. It was a good thirty seconds before she nodded. “I guess that would be better.”
I pulled out my shower bag and tucked the wipes figuring that she could take it into the bathroom to use. I set the bag on the seat before sighing. Looking her up and down I realized she looked nothing like any authorized ride-along that I’ve ever known of. And the bruising would certainly not go unnoticed by the Highway Patrol Officers manning the scales.
“You need to change, and now that I think about it, you shouldn’t use your license to gain entry either.”
“Entry to what?”
“Sorry, Zoey. This is a Highway Patrol substation. You can’t get inside without an ID just in case you’re here to cause problems. You’ll have to use mine. Tell them you lost your purse at a truck stop in Kentucky or someplace and haven’t gotten your ID replaced yet.”
“And why would I have your ID, seeing as you’re married and all?” She tapped the glass over my wedding picture as she asked.
It wasn’t whether or not I was married. It was whether or not Zoey could pass as my wife. A postpubescent-looking goth wasn’t going to pass, no matter how old she actually was.
I sighed pulling the wipes back out of the bag. “You’re right,” I agreed as I handed them over. “Do the best you can. When you think you’re done, you can check with the mirror on the inside of this cabinet door. In the meantime, I’ll get you something else to wear.”
“I can see why you don’t want my makeup on your sleeping bag but why do I need to change?”
I smiled. “First: you’re taking the bunk, I’ll take the floor. And second: you’ll never pass as my wife looking the way you do. How hard will it be to remove all of the … face … rings?”
Zoey grinned at me and pulled all five of the rings from her face in a couple of seconds. She held them out, showing me that they were fakes and not real piercings. Even with the heavy makeup, losing the jewelry greatly increased her looks. “Okay, why do I need to pass as your wife?”
“I’m assuming you’ll need to use the facilities at some point. You can’t get inside without ID, and we both know you can’t use your own. If you don’t want us both arrested, you for prostitution and me for solicitation, you’ll need to look like my wife. I’d say ‘or sister’ but we look nothing alike.”
“Can’t we just go somewhere else? There has to be a gas station at the next interchange.”
“I don’t have enough time left on my logs to get to a safe place to park. And your ex is no doubt waiting for us at the next ramp anyway.”
“So what does that mean? Can’t you just fake your logs?”
“They’re electronic. I can’t alter them. And I can’t move the rig without tripping them back from off-duty to driving. We’re here for at least eight hours.”
She sighed and started pulling wipes from the package while I got out a pair of sweats and a tee shirt. They would be comically too large but at least none of her bruises would show.
I picked up her phone and told her to change while I was gone, but she looked panicky again. “What are you doing with my phone? You’re not going to turn me in are you?”
“No Zoey. Why would I give you my clothes if I was turning you in? I’m not going to do that to you, now or ever. I’m taking your phone to hand off to another driver. That way your ex will follow the wrong truck and we’ll be on opposite ends of the country in two days.”
“That phone is all I own! It cost me nine hundred dollars!”
“I know, and I’m sorry. But if you want to be rid of your ex, you need to sever all ties.”
“Couldn’t I just take out the sim card? He wouldn’t be able to follow us that way.”
“No, but he knows what my rig looks like. And, he probably has my LLC name and D.O.T. number. If he doesn’t think you switched rides, he’ll eventually find us.”
Her expression shifted suddenly with something I said. She seemed to inflate slightly as well. Almost like some of the oppression she’d been living under lifted from her shoulders.
She glanced at Nina’s pictures momentarily before meeting my eyes again. Hers held a question that didn’t match what next came from her lips. “If he has your D.O.T. number, shouldn’t I get another ride anyway?”
Strangely, the thought of losing my companion to an unknown fate bothered me. I had chosen to protect her and didn’t like the idea of letting her out of my sight until I was positive she’d be okay. But if I could have been honest with myself at the time, I would have realized my desire to keep her by my side was far more personal.
“Not every driver will treat you well. A lot of them use lot lizards, uh prostitutes that is, and would expect you to put out for them. Or worse, they could even try to sell you to a pimp. You’re better off with me.”
She paused her makeup removal to study me again. Her eyes roamed over my face for several moments before glancing at Nina’s picture again. “You’re not worried about what your wife might think?”
I turned and sat next to her where I could view Nina’s pictures, and started playing with my wedding ring. It suddenly hit me that I’d been running from my past just as much as Zoey was trying to do with hers.
It took me a few minutes to work past the unexpected tightness in my throat before I could speak again. “Her name was Nina. We’d been high school sweethearts, and being insanely in love we couldn’t wait to get married. We graduated in May and married that same June. By twenty we’d decided to get pregnant, and five weeks later we were celebrating and I took that photo.
“Eleven weeks after that, I was watching her ashes being locked into their vault. The sudden pains she felt as we prepared for bed were attributed to bad Mexican food. I woke the next morning to the worst day of my life. The pregnancy had been ectopic and had ruptured. She bled out internally during the night. At least she died in her sleep.
“After that, I couldn’t stand to be in my hometown a second longer, so I got my CDL, used the insurance to buy my first rig, and ran away. I’ve been running ever since.
“I stop by and see my parents about twice a year whenever my runs put me close enough. And I go by my in-laws whenever I’m there. That way we can relive our pain. Nina’s dad always seems to find something else to do. But her mom dotes on me as a link to her only daughter. I know it opens old wounds every time I go, but I can’t help it. They’re as much my parents as my own are.”
I looked at the woman sitting next to me and found that she’d gone back to taking off her makeup. But a second later I realized she was only pretending. She was actually wiping tears away. When our eyes met she, leaned forward and hugged me. “I’m so sorry, Jacob.”
I almost jerked back like Zoey had when I grabbed her hand, but I forced myself to accept the sympathy the way it was intended.
She hugged me for far longer than I expected until I realized that I’d been clinging to her right back. Embarrassed, I pulled away and quickly jumped up to leave, drawing the privacy curtain as I went.
Minutes later, I was about to give up finding the help I needed when another rig pulled into line. Five minutes later and twenty dollars poorer, I felt much safer. The new arrival was headed north to I-80 and then east to Boston, while I was headed north to I-70 and then west to Provo. He promised he wouldn’t pull the SIM card until he got there. He seemed like ‘good people’ so I felt confident that he’d do what he said. Especially considering I’d technically paid him nine hundred and twenty dollars.
After climbing back aboard, I asked, “You decent?”
The curtain pulled aside, leaving me with a surprise vision. Zoey stood there momentarily looking like a little girl in her daddy’s clothes. But with each passing second, I realized more and more that although petite, the baggy clothes couldn’t hide her feminine curves. She somehow looked even sexier without all the skin showing. By the time I got to her face and saw it for the first time without the goth covering, I couldn’t help but smile. She was stunning. “You clean up well.”
She giggled, and replied teasingly, “Oh, please. This old thing?”
I didn’t seem to be able to break eye contact and just stared for who knows how long. She broke the spell by glancing down and blushing slightly. She stepped back and scooted across the bed and against the back wall as far from me as she could. It didn’t seem that she was afraid, only propping herself. “Did you find a driver for my phone?”
“Oh, yes, sorry. Tomorrow you’ll be on your way to Boston. I also made sure to describe the truck your ex is driving. He said he’d make sure that he never parked where his truck could be approached without being witnessed and or on camera. He also promised to always eat in his truck and get extra bags to make it look like he had food for two.”
She blew out a slow breath, cleansing herself of stress. “I’ve never really thought about Boston. Or the east coast for that matter. Too many people, I guess. I’d rather read a book than deal with a crowd. Where are you really taking me?”
“Utah, to start.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Start? You’re not dropping me off at the first homeless shelter you come across?”
As I watched her lips move, I realized that for the first time in sixteen years, I wanted to kiss someone. The thought of abandoning this beautiful and fragile woman was … inconceivable. I found it difficult to find the words, finally settling on a shrug.
We continued to study each other for a few moments more until I declared, “No. I’m not abandoning you. I promised not to, and I won’t. You can leave any time you want, but I won’t dump you off like an unwanted puppy.”
Her smile reached her eyes. “Thank you. I know you’re risking a lot.”
I shrugged again and started setting up the inflatable mattress. I didn’t have the space to inflate it completely and it was going to look more like a canoe than a bed, but it would work.
Zoey watched the mattress inflate as far as it was going to and shifted her eyes back to me.
“I’m going to shut down the main power. But there’s a rechargeable reading light on the wall by the pillow. There’s going to be a lot of strange noises from traffic and the generator kicking on and off to keep the heat on. You probably won’t sleep well, and you’ll be disoriented if you wake in the dark. I’d practice reaching for the switch a few times before you go to sleep. But if you need to keep it on, I understand.”
“Are you sure I can’t sleep on the floor? I hate the idea of taking your bed. Plus, I’m guessing you’ll be all scrunched up.”
I smiled, “My house, my rules … Oh, wake me if you need to use the restroom. I’ll need to go with you.”
I could see her eyes twinkle as she fought the urge to comment. “What? Go ahead and ask.”
She smiled warmly and shook her head. “I just wanted to tease you about needing me to escort you to the restroom.”
I chuckled and leaned into the cab to shut down the power and pulled the privacy curtain. Because it is a black-out curtain and has a magnetic strip on the side, it got dark instantly. A few seconds later the reading light switched on as I was trying to work my way into the sleeping bag with no ability to twist on the weirdly shaped mattress. It took a good minute to find a position to sleep in.
As I was about to close my eyes, Zoey leaned over the edge of the bunk and whispered “Good night, Jacob. Thank you for helping me. I’m really grateful I found you.”
I just smiled up at her angelic face for several moments studying her features before responding. But when I did, my words seemed to come from my heart instead of my head. “I’m glad you did too. Sleep well, Beautiful.”
She stayed leaning over for a few more seconds smiling at me, before she bit her lip and rolled out of sight. The light went out a moment after that.
I woke, confused and disoriented before remembering I was curled up in an air-mattress ‘hammock’. I realized the reading light was on and spent the next few moments trying to focus my sleep-hazed eyes.
When I could see, I was treated to the heavenly sight of my apologetic passenger leaning over me.
“I’m so sorry, but I need to go.”
I fought my way out of the sleeping bag, found my shoes, and slipped them on. Then I noticed that at some point Zoey had taken off my sweats and now was only wearing my tee shirt and her black leather ankle boots with their thick four-inch heels.
With our height difference, the shirt hung down halfway to her knees and easily covered everything. That didn’t mean the sight was anything less than sexy. The thin material emphasized her lack of a bra and drew attention to her shapely legs even more than her goth skirt had.
I followed the slope of her thighs past her knees and smooth calves to the obnoxious boots that no ride-along would ever own. My sweats would have hidden the boots styling well enough but without them, they stood out too much.
She noticed me staring and blushed. “I kept getting tangled in your pants so I kicked them off.”
“Those shoes won’t cut it.” I opened the curtain and grabbed my shower bag from wear I’d left it and pulled out my shower shoes. Most truck stop showers are kept very clean but the thought of athlete’s foot grossed me out. Crocs can get wet and were the simple solution to protect my feet and it would seem, a convenient camouflage for my ‘wife’.
Without thinking I told her to sit and when she did, I knelt and started removing her boots. In the process, I held first one and then the other calf, feeling how truly smooth they were. I was thinking that she must have waxed them recently. I glanced up and met her eyes between pulling off her second boot and slipping on my Crocs. She was studying me again but with a slight smirk this time, so I asked what was so funny.
Her smirk disappeared and her eyes softened. “Just thinking about how lucky I am to have met you. You’re a good man Jacob.” With that she pulled on her shirt, holding it down between her legs protecting her modesty.
It surprised me a little. Not that she would cover herself, but that she had tested me. With me moving her legs around, the shirt had ridden way up on her thighs. I’m sure I would have gotten a nice view if I’d simply looked.
Still meeting her eyes, I slid my Crocs onto her feet. They were a simple open-healed design, almost one-size-fits-all. They were still too big but wearable.
When I didn’t let go of her leg, she smiled drawing my eyes to her mouth. I was reminded that I very much wanted to kiss her, but I nodded and stood instead. When I did, my chain tugged my neck, so without thinking I drew it out of my shirt and untangled it from the small cloth bag it held.
I was about to tuck it back under my shirt when Zoey asked what it was. I studied her face and found only curiosity, so I lifted the chain from my neck and sat next to her on the bunk. Unclasping the chain, I slid the bag off and spent the next several minutes undoing the knot that sealed it shut.
I had to smile when Zoey started fidgeting. I could tell the urgency for us to get her to a restroom was increasing. But the combination of events gave me an impulsive idea. I glanced at the photos of Nina and heard her voice tell me it was okay.
“If I give you something, do you promise to give it back before you leave? This is very important to me.”
She raised an eyebrow and cocked her head to the side in a cute little gesture that made me smile more. “You’ve been nothing but nice to me. Of course, I will.” As she spoke, she put a sympathetic hand on my knee.
The touch sent a jolt through me and probably Zoey as well, because her eyes widened a little and she pulled her hand back from the intensity of it. Blushing, she glanced at her hand before looking back to my eyes.
I turned slightly so she couldn’t see what I was extracting from the bag and reached across her lap to take her left hand. “If you’re going to play the part, you should have the right costume.” With that, I slid Nina’s wedding set onto her finger. It fit perfectly.
Zoey’s free hand instantly covered her mouth as she gasped in a breath. “Oh my God, Jacob. Are you sure about this? I mean, do you trust me that much?”
I was studying her face and found nothing but wonder and disbelief. I realized she could disappear from my life as easily as she’d entered it, but I decided to trust her with my most valued possession. “All I ask is for you to return it when you decide to go on your way.”
She sat with her hand out looking between the ring and my face for several moments, when suddenly her face contorted and she squeezed her thighs together. “Sorry. We need to talk about this, but I really need to pee!”
I laughed and proceeded her out of the cab. When she started down I took her hips and lifted her to the ground. I noticed that she didn’t pull away and held my hands on her hips for longer than necessary. But her urgency to relieve herself overrode anything more.
As we approached the door to the station, the intercom crackled slightly and a voice instructed us to hold our ID against the blue highlighted rectangle above the call button. When I did, there was the distinctive sound of a photo being taken before the voice simply said next.
Zoey leaned closer to the camera showing off her new finger decoration. “I’m sorry, I lost my purse in Kentucky and haven’t been home yet to get my license replaced. I’m Zoey Thomas, his wife.”
“State your business in the station?”
“We just need the restroom,” replied my ‘bride’, just before the door buzzed and I pulled it open.
Having trained my bladder to quickly empty at every opportunity, meant my hands were washed and I was soon waiting in the lobby for Zoey to join me.
In the meantime, the officer who had buzzed us in asked how long we were married. I almost responded reflexively with mine and Nina’s wedding date. Not quite knowing how to respond, I was forced to stumble for an answer.
Fortunately, Zoey had emerged in time to rescue me. She tucked herself under my arm saying, “Ask him how to get to any one horse town in America, and he can tell you the fastest route off the top of his head. But ask him about our anniversary and you’ll get a blank stare every time. It’s frustrating but I love him. To answer your question, three years last September, fourteenth.”
I shrugged and looked apologetically down at the woman on my arm and found her simply stunning. I got a naughty rush a second later when I noticed her nipples wanting to tear through my shirt and the fact that I had no idea what else, if anything she wore under it, left me wanting to explore.
She grinned at my expression and reached up to pull me down to her. I didn’t resist, and our mouths joined in our first kiss. It was surprisingly tender under the circumstances. I think we both wanted to extend it but we separated. Glancing at the officer watching us, we both cleared our throats from embarrassment.
He just grinned at us saying, “You two have a good night and try to get some sleep. I’d hate for you to be too tired to drive after your break.”
I nodded to him as Zoey grinned and we walked out holding each other. The speaker crackled behind us as we made our way back to my truck with “Drive safe,” drifting across the lot.
Zoey was trembling slightly as I lifted her to the top step of the cab. Glancing at her luscious legs, I realize they were covered in goosebumps. By the time I climbed in and locked up, she had returned my shoes to the shower bag and climbed under the blankets.
“Cold?” I asked as I started the wrestling match with the sleeping bag.
“A little,” she admitted while grinning at me with the covers pulled tightly under her chin. “But walking into a police station wearing nothing but a tee-shirt was more exciting than I expected.”
I raised both eyebrows and stared at her, not sure if I believed her or not. “You had spanks on under your goth skirt. It was too short for me not to notice the first time you climbed into the truck.”
Her eyes sparkled, and her grin spread even more as she shrugged. “I took them off when I put on your sweats. If you want to see if I’m wearing panties, check your hamper. They’re right on top.”
I glanced at the cabinet door, being very tempted to look, but didn’t. With the air mattress in the way, it would be too big a hassle and indicate miss-trust. Instead, I just shook my head.
“Very risky. I could have gotten a look helping you in and out of the cab.”
Her eyes softened again while she studied me with a gentle smile. “You’re too much of a gentleman. You didn’t look when you were kneeling between my legs. Why would I worry that you’d pull the shirt up high enough to see things in a parking lot?”
I just nodded, seeing her logic for what it was. Especially since the thought of doing something that disrespectful was not in my nature. I settled back into the ‘hammock’ and wished her “Good night.”
I woke as I usually did when my logs beeped. The annoying little noise indicated that I’d completed my legally required eight hours of off-duty time. I didn’t even try to get up. I needed to wait another forty-five minutes for Zoey’s phone to get at least a fifteen-minute head start. That was assuming the other driver left after his legal minimum break time. Most drivers would, being parked at a scale but regardless, I resolved to get a little more sleep.
I smiled to myself, as I drifted back to sleep hearing only the sound of soft breathing coming from above me.
I woke Zoey, two hours later, when I involuntarily groaned in pain trying to extricate myself from the torture device I decided to sleep in. She asked if I was okay, as I braced myself against the wall and tried to crack my back. I was only partially successful. I groaned a non-committal response, before opening the curtain and gaining enough light to look at her.
I couldn’t help but smile as I took in her neon purple-colored bedhead covering one eye. She had pulled herself up to one elbow, causing my tee-shirt to pull tightly around her perfect teardrop-shaped C-cups. She made several attempts to brush the hair from her face before giving up and flopping back onto her pillow.
“You sleep okay?”
She rolled her head in my direction. “Once I got to sleep. But it was at least a couple hours after we used the restroom.”
“Sorry, do I snore?” I asked while making several more unsuccessful attempts to loosen my back.
“No, just not used to the generator kicking on and off. But I enjoyed watching. You smiled a lot in your sleep. No doubt dreaming about your wife. You even called to her.”
I was stunned as the memory of my dream flooded back. Yes, Nina was in it, but so was Zoey. We were camping in the mountains and as the sun went down I watched Zoey’s incredible rear end as she crawled into her tent. The scene changed at that point and Nina was laying under me in our tent. We were making sweet tender love to each other, when she stroked my cheek saying, “It’s okay, Jacob.”
I eased my thrusting to a stop and asked, “What’s okay?”
She smiled gently with complete love in her eyes. “It’s okay for you to love her too. I’ll still be waiting for you when it’s your time.”
Then she vanished from under me and I called out her name. The scene changed again and I was lying on my back with Zoey sleeping with her head on my chest. I felt comfortable like being together was the way things were supposed to be. I don’t think I dreamt after that.
I’m not sure how long I stood there trying to sort my feelings, but Zoey brought me out of my contemplation by asking if I was still awake. I managed a grunt, took to my seat, started the rig, and began my pre-trip inspections. It’s a good thing I can do them by rote because, for the most part, my mind was on Zoey.
I knew my dream meant that I had mourned long enough. Plus, I couldn’t get past the feeling that I was meant to protect her. Her being smoking hot didn’t hurt either.
It took a few minutes but after moving around a bit my back cracked in several places and the tension simply flowed away. I felt like a new man, physically and emotionally.
I was almost done with the outside pre-trip when Zoey climbed down fully dressed in a clean tee shirt, my rolled-up sweat pants, and Crocs. Her hair was at least finger combed but still looked rather sexy with mild bedhead. She smiled at me as she strode over, and slid her arms around me in a hug.
I was a little surprised but I didn’t want to discourage her advances even though I worried she might be rebounding. A moment later I was trying to figure out why she was feeling around my rear. She was definitely copping a feel but her confused expression told me that exploring my ass wasn’t all she was doing. She was looking for my wallet.
She soon realized my wallet was in my thigh pocket and not the back. When she did her grin brightened with a sparkle in her eye as she pushed her hand in and extracted my wallet.
I didn’t say anything, just watching her playful expression. She broke eye contact long enough to flip my wallet open and pull out my CDL before forcing my wallet into my front pocket. She didn’t feel me up but the coy expression implied a desire to.
Looking back up to my eyes she bit her lip, grinning, and started backing away, almost daring me to chase her. She was at least twenty feet from me before she spun on her heels and said over her shoulder, “I need to pee again.”
As soon as she stepped out of sight I ran up and snatched the keys from the cab and started after her. She was halfway across the lot and didn’t hear me coming until the last second. When she did, she spun around just in time for me to tuck my shoulder into her waist and hoist her over my shoulder.
She squealed and started kicking and playfully beating on my back. “Very naughty Mrs. Thomas,” I declared giving her rear a light swat. She stated giggling a second later when one of her shoes flew off. I kicked it sending it about halfway to the door so that I wouldn’t have to put her down. Instead, I reached back and started tickling her. She squealed louder and her giggles turned into full laughter between pleadings for me to stop. I finally did when she threatened to pee on me.
I just kept kicking the shoe to the door instead of putting her down, and as we approached the door it buzzed before we could use my ID on the security panel. I pulled the door open and kicked her shoe into the lobby while carrying her through.
She was giggling and grinning when I put her down.
“Good morning,” I greeted the officer who buzzed us in with a smile, realizing that it was the same one from the night before. “I’m surprised you’re still here.”
“Twelve-hour shifts. Pretty sweet schedule actually. 9 PM to 9 AM, three days on, four off, then four on, three off. Plenty of downtime and guaranteed OT every pay period.
“Anyway, I’m just as surprised that you two are still here. Figured you’d be down the road a couple of hours ago.”
I smiled at Zoey as she slipped her shoe back on. “Yeah, we … slept in.”
The officer nodded with a knowing smile, making Zoey blush over events that didn’t happen. “I have to say, you two are like a rainbow on a stormy day. Most drivers are depressing to deal with, but you’ve been married over three years and are still on your honeymoon.”
Zoey smiled and started backing playfully away towards the restroom as my expression turned serious. “I know what you mean. It’s like I married her just yesterday. Finding her was the best thing that could have happened to me.”
Zoey reversed course, running back and jumping into my arms. It was a few moments before I even realized her legs were around my waist as we kissed deeply. Of course, I was thinking solely of protecting her from falling when my hands naturally cupped her rear. Did I mention how great her rear is?
She broke the kiss with a sighing moan. Her eyes were still closed with a dreamy look on her face, basking in the moment. Her smile grew as she turned her head to the officer, but she didn’t open her eyes for several seconds. When she did she put her feet down saying, “He’s been trying to get rid of me since we met, but that’s never going to happen. He’s stuck with me.”
We smiled at each other for several moments and then she held up a finger saying, “Um, the next minute doesn’t count.”
The officer and I laughed as she hurried into the restroom. One minute of separation turned into almost three, but that was my fault. I had relieved myself, washed my hands and face, and stood asking my reflection how I could have gotten so lucky.
Meeting back in the lobby, Zoey squeaked as I scooped her up in my arms before we grinned at the officer and I carried her out of the building. Five minutes later I had stowed the camping gear and was nuking a couple of breakfast burritos.
“How do you stay so fit, eating junk food and sitting all day?”
“I rarely eat actual junk food. The burritos are deli-made, without all the preservatives. Same for my lunch meats. I eat yogurt and gluten-free to avoid stomach issues. Whole grains, for the fiber, plus several supplements. My snacks are all high protein and low carb, and I stick to water or juice, never soda. Plus every two or three days, if there’s a YMCA in the towns I pass through I stop for a workout and a shower. Their memberships are good anywhere in the country, even Canada.”
“You’ve been to Canada?”
“A few dozen times, but only once where I put more than five miles on my rig. Usually, you just get inspected and drop your trailer in the customs yard, pick up an empty, and come back across the border.
“The parts I’ve seen were beautiful but similar to most mountain states.”
“I’ve always wanted to go,” Zoey confessed.
“I’d try to get a run up that way but it wouldn’t do any good if you don’t have an enhanced driver’s license or a passport. Maybe after I retire, we can get you a passport and see the world.”
“Retire? You can’t possibly be that old. I was teasing you yesterday with the Grandpa comment. What are you? Twenty-eight, thirty?”
I laughed. Didn’t you look when you took my license?”
She blushed and dug in her pocket, pulling out my CDL. She checked my date of birth and rolled her eyes skyward for a few seconds while she did the math.
“You’re thirty-six? You don’t look it, but now I need to reevaluate some things.”
“Like what?” I asked, suddenly worried she’d think I was too old for her.
She looked serious but had a hint of a smirk, so I wasn’t sure how she felt about what she was saying. “Like whether or not I want a divorce. People might think I’m just into you as a sugar daddy.”
I was relieved, thinking she was joking about the need. “A divorce? Mrs. Thomas, you wound me! Shouldn’t we at least plan a wedding first?”
She raised both eyebrows, watching my face as she held up her left hand. “Didn’t you promise to never abandon me?”
“Yes, and I meant it.”
“Haven’t you, called me Mrs. Thomas several times? And didn’t we both present ourselves as a married couple, before state authorities?”
My eyes got a little wider as I was starting to see the implications of what she was saying. But, if she wanted to push the idea forward, I was strangely okay with it.
I had lost any remnants of a smile for a few moments while I churned things around in my head. Zoey watching me closely had started to look worried. My heart was pounding in my chest as I suddenly just knew I would do anything to stay with her. I hadn’t even known her for twenty-four hours, but when you know, you just know.
I’m sure my face registered as concerned when I asked, “Does Colorado recognize common-law marriages?” I was hoping that they did, but if not I’d be willing to take a trip to Vegas.
She gave me the same terrified look she’d offered on the bench in the mall right after everything she owned had been taken from her. I was suddenly just as afraid. I couldn’t tell if she wanted to say yes or no.
“Would it bother you, if I said they do?”
I didn’t answer for a few seconds trying to guess her desires. Then I realized that she had come to me broken, but was showing remarkable improvement and even joy in my presence. Even so, she wasn’t strong enough and simply couldn’t take the chance of being crushed again. I needed to be the vulnerable one and let her choose to accept me or not.
I stood, turned, and took both of her hands, then knelt. Looking into her eyes, I felt her start to tremble. She was simply terrified again. The only difference was she now had hope in her eyes. I smiled gently as she bit her lip.
“Zoey Thomas, I would be overjoyed if Colorado recognizes common law marriages. If they don’t, I would be honored and completed if you would marry me the regular way.”
When I used her ‘married name’ she started trembling even harder and by the time I’d stopped talking she was crying. She stared into my eyes for so long with tears falling that I started to feel like she was about to reject me. Suddenly she pulled both of her hands free and swiped the tears away. After sniffing once she squared her shoulder, cleared her throat, and leaned forward touching her forehead to mine.
After a good thirty seconds she whispered, “Jacob Thomas, your wife wants you to make love to her.”
I desperately wanted to tear the clothes from her body and fulfill her desires, but I didn’t. Instead, I gently cupped her face and drew us together in a tender but lengthy kiss.
When I broke the kiss, she whimpered with her eyes still closed. I waited until her smile eased and she opened her eyes. “You have no idea how wonderful I think making love to you would be, but I can’t.”
My wife was suddenly crushed with glassy eyes and a panicked expression. She was trembling again as she pushed back across the bunk and whispered, “How could I be so stupid?”
I sat on the bunk, but that only served to make her hug herself for protection.
“Zoey, I’m not rejecting you. I would love nothing more than to spend the rest of my life holding you, touching you, kissing you, and making love to you. I desperately hope that you want the same thing.”
She brushed a few tears away before asking, “Then why won’t you? I want the same thing.”
“Because I need to know what you’re running from. You won’t be free of your past and we won’t have a future if you can’t be honest with me.”
She gave me a briefly terrified look before it slowly eased. Several minutes passed before her face settled on sorrowful resignation. When she spoke it was almost a whisper. “You’re right. You deserve to know everything.”
She scooted forward and enveloped me in a hug that grew desperate. I could tell she wanted to hide inside me and I wanted to wrap myself around her like a protective cocoon. Finally, she kissed my cheek and looked into my eyes. “This will take a while. I should probably tell you on the road.”
……………….
I didn’t push, although I wanted to. I figured she’d open up when she was ready. She sat staring out the passenger window, occasionally wiping a tear from her eye.
We’d made it twenty miles without a word, but more importantly, without a sighting of the ex’s pickup. That wasn’t a guarantee we’d never encounter him again, but it was a very good sign.
I jumped off I-25, onto the 470 bypass, finally prompting Zoey to look my way.
“You promised not to leave me, right?”
I smiled but didn’t look at her since I was merging. Once it was safe, I glanced at her just long enough to catch her eye and return mine to the road. “That would make me a real sucky husband if I didn’t? Yes, I promised you. And I meant what I said.”
I glanced at her again and winked. “Unless you killed your last six husbands, ground them up, and fed them to your cat. In that case, I might be a bit concerned.”
I saw her smile out of my periphery. “Well, I guess you have to keep me then because I only did that with two of them. I used a wood chipper for the rest.”
“Oh, so how many husbands have you had?”
She was showing teeth now, and her voice was playful. “I lost count at twenty. I think it’s somewhere around thirty-two or thirty-three.”
“Well, that’s not that many. So why not just kill the last one like all the rest?”
I glanced at her again, seeing her smile turn serious and I knew she was about to open up.
“Jacob, I’ve never been married, but I do have a past. I don’t want to hurt you, and … I know you’re going to think I’m just using you.”
She paused looking worried again. “I guess I’ve finally found something I want and I’m scared you’re just trying to be nice out of some white knight complex or something.”
“I’m fairly sure that if I suffered from that compulsion, I wouldn’t have spent the last sixteen years alone.”
I couldn’t look at her for a while as the traffic suddenly seemed to consist of nothing but teenagers bent on killing themselves and us in the process. I gave them a wake-up call with my air horn. Several times to be honest. It didn’t seem to help but at least they sped ahead enough that they no longer worried me.
Zoey slowly relaxed her white knuckle posture and started to recount her past. We had merged onto I-70 and were halfway to Grand Junction by the time she had finished her tale with downcast eyes.
Long story short, she came from loving but struggling parents. Got mostly A’s and a few B’s in school. Kept to herself, for the most part, preferring a small group of close friends instead of large numbers of acquaintances. She likes the out-of-doors and keeping in shape, reading more than movies, and likes to cook when she can afford proper ingredients.