What did I have to lose? Not much. Just the gas to get to Ohio.
“I’ll do it!” I slap my palms to the table and push up from the hard kitchen chair.
It was time to pack and then a quick stop at the Rainbow Market to gas up and load up on snacks, I’d need the fuel for myself and the car. Holiday City, Ohio was over a day's drive from Vegas.
Scribbling a note on a scrap of paper, I slide my apartment key from my key ring and leave it on top of the note. Hopefully, I’ll be able to send Mrs. Jenkins the back rent soon. The woman had been generous and I didn’t want to leave her in the lurch.
“Holiday City, here I come,” I yell as I turn to begin sorting through my stuff.
Chapter Two
My eyes were gritty as I glanced at my phone. My exit had to be up here somewhere. When I’d first programmed my GPS it had said the drive would take somewhere near twenty-eight hours to drive the two thousand or so miles. I was at least eight hours past that estimate thanks to miles of construction in every state I traveled through.
I’d only allowed myself a few hours of sleep at a rest stop back in Kansas and now my eyes were so heavy and my head bobbed as I struggled to keep my car going straight on the Ohio Turnpike.
“In one mile take the right lane to take the US-20 east, US-31 south ramp to Mishawaka/Plymouth.” The GPS’s feminine voice snapped my head up from where it had almost dropped to the steering wheel.
“Please let there be a hotel. Please,” I begged as I continued to follow the female voice’s instructions.
As I drove through a small town which seemed to be made up of hotels and gas stations I searched for a motel… a cheap place to stay.
“Rainbow Motel?” I read the sign as it came up on my left. “Started at one end of the rainbow and ended at the other,” I chuckled at my joke as I remembered stopping at the Rainbow Market in Vegas before leaving my old life behind.
I maneuvered my car around the curved driveway and parked in front of the lobby door.
“Hell, at this point I’d stay at the Bates Motel,” I yawned as I climbed from my car to head inside.
A cold breeze swirled around me and I shivered as my teeth began to chatter. I’d grown up in the desert. The temps would drop at night but Nevada was always pretty nice in general.
“Winter,” I groaned as I realized I’d have to get used to living in it. “I could head to Florida after Christmas,” I grumbled while digging in my back seat for a jacket.
Slipping on a heavy fleece I looked around what little I could see of Holiday City, Ohio. It wasn’t much but hopefully, it held my pot of gold.
**
A loud noise woke me. Damn loud neighbors. Snuggling into my blanket, I rolled deeper into my pillow. No way was I getting out of bed until my alarm went off.
Memories of losing my job and driving almost all the way across America slammed into me and I shot up in bed.
“Good morning, Dorothy... we’re not in Kansas anymore,” I whispered as I took in the worn but clean room I’d rented the night before.
The motel room had taken a large chunk of my remaining money which meant I’d need to swallow my pride and see if my grandmother would allow me to stay with her. I’d also need to find a job before I could make any decisions on where the wind would take me from here.
My wallet contained just enough to fill my tank and buy me something to eat.
A loud rumble came from my stomach and I groaned. No way would I get back to sleep with how my hunger was gnawing at my stomach.
Flipping back the covers I rolled from the mattress and headed out to my car. I needed to change and freshen up before checking out of the Rainbow Motel. I wished I could continue to stay… but when you’re broke you’re broke.
Maybe Grandma Wood would be willing to lend me some money. I could spend the holiday with her then head out to Florida. There was little point in getting a job if I was only going to move in a few weeks.
After dressing I reluctantly returned the room key to the lobby. I shivered as I looked up and down the street from beside my car. My stomach growled as if to tell me to get moving just as I saw a bright red and yellow sign — Angelo’s Pizzeria, Italian Home Cooking & Family Owned since 1959.
Glancing at my phone showed it was just after eleven in the morning. The place should be open and a pizza sounded good. Hopefully, it was cheaper than the places around Vegas. I hadn’t been able to eat out much back in Nevada. Everything was priced for tourists around the city I grew up in.
With a sigh, I got into my car and drove down the road while praying I’d have enough money. After I ate, I’d call my grandmother.
**
The warm scent of dough filled the air as I waited for the small cheese pizza I’d ordered. I would have loved to have had chicken and pineapple on it, but the toppings would have cost me another two dollars and I still hadn’t gotten gas. I sighed as I leaned forward and took a sip of my water.
A man stood behind the counter tossing dough into the
