central Louisiana, slumped in the front seat of the Caddy, and slept. When he awoke it was midday, the rain now a light drizzle, the sky the color of nickel. He kept driving, had to stop again at nightfall. This time he stretched out in the backseat, kicked off his shoes. The belly wound was sticky, probably needed cleaning. The leg needed fresh bandages. Mike didn?t have the energy.
He put Texas behind him the next morning, and when he reached the Oklahoma line, he vowed to keep going until he made it.
* * *
Mike?s face felt hot, body sore. But he was warm and dry, and he felt soft hands on his stomach. He opened his eyes. Bright sun, blue sky. Linda.
?I didn?t even try to take you inside. You?re too heavy,? she said. She was doing something to his belly.
Mike remembered now. The long push for home, stopping only for gas, coffee, or a quick sandwich. He?d been exhausted, nearly delirious, when he?d finally turned the Caddy onto the gravel road for home. His cabin lay in ruin, so he?d come looking for Linda. She wasn?t home, so Mike had collapsed into one of her lounge chairs on the back deck, where he lay now.
Linda had cleaned the knitting needle wound and was now applying a bandage. His pants had been cut open to the belt, fresh bandages on his leg. ?Let?s get you inside, and I?ll do something about the bandage on your eye. It looks nasty.?
Mike supposed it did.
?You could have let yourself in,? Linda said. ?I wouldn?t have minded.?
?Didn?t want to intrude,? he croaked. His mouth and throat were so dry.
?You and that polite shit again.?
He smiled weakly. ?Andrew??
?They left.?
?They??
?It?s all in the note. You can read it later. Basically he and his girlfriend took off to live happily ever after.?
?A lot happened while I was away.?
?Understatement of the year.? She grabbed him by the arm, helped him up. ?And you better believe I have some questions for you.?
?I?ll come clean. Coffee first.?
?Right.?
Together they stumbled into the kitchen, and she helped him into a chair. Soon she had coffee brewing. She set a copy of the
Mike read the headline.
Linda put a tentative hand on Mike?s shoulder, squeezed. ?Mike, I?ve been scared. It?s too much. Don?t lie to me. Is it over? Any more surprises??
?It?s over.?
She searched his face another moment, then nodded, handed him a mug of coffee. Mike sipped, sighed relief.
?I?m taking my suitcase upstairs,? Linda said. ?Don?t do anything. Just sit there and take it easy, okay??
He nodded as she left, didn?t bother to ask about the suitcase or where she?d been. Later. It could all wait until later. Right now there was only coffee and Linda?s familiar kitchen and the Okie sun streaming in through the window.
