Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Short Love Stories | Highway Time | Jennifer Jenkinson 11

Short Love Stories | Highway Time | Jennifer Jenkinson 11

Highway Time
by: Jennifer Jenkinson

-- 11 --



"Yeah baby," he assured her. "They'll be upset, of course, but it'll be fine."

"I'll think about it, Evan. "Cause Ryan, ya know, he's too scared I think." she said into a silence made more profound by the fact that the CD had just ended. Evan smiled in the darkness.

Sky changed the CD again, sliding Goo Goo Dolls into the player. Shortly after that, Evan noted that she had slipped into a far more relaxed posture. Within a couple of miles, she had slumped over onto her backpack which made a good pillow. He reached behind him and pulled the blanket down from the back of the seat, spreading it across her sleeping form as best he could. Evan hummed to himself as the big Pontiac continued eat up the miles, winding down through the Fraser Canyon towards the coast.

Hours later, as Evan decelerated into a service road in Abbotsford, Sky stirred beside him. She yawned, stretched and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. When she sat upright, he saw her glancing around, trying to get some bearings, the post midnight darkness combined with the nearby brightness of street and neon lighting completely hid any landmarks from view and Evan wondered if she would have recognized them in any case.

"We're in Abbotsford, sleepyhead." he told her. "Almost there. Thought I'd stop for a coffee and maybe if you still wanna make that call...." he trailed off, leaving the thought unfinished.

"Umm Evan, I'd have to call collect." she said softly. "I really didn't bring much with me."

He pulled in to an all night diner parking lot and parked next to the building where a neon blue strip lit up a pay phone. He turned to face her, reaching across the back seat for his jacket as he spoke, "So call collect. I'm betting they won't mind much about a few bucks for a phone call, just so they know their girl's okay, ya know?" Without waiting for her response, he slid from the car and she watched his retreating form enter the diner.

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