“How did your interview with the reporter go?” Martha asked. Everyone knew Hugh and Jenny had driven to Sandpoint to meet a reporter named Charlie.
“There were a few surprises,” Hugh replied. “First of all, Charlie is a female reporter.”
“Nothing wrong with that,” Mary said. At eighteen, Mary was finishing her last year of college getting a degree in architecture. She had been homeschooled all her life, and was a Type A, getting through high school by the age of sixteen with a lot of college units already to her credit.
“No. Not at all. It was just a surprise when we were expecting a Charlie guy to show up.”
“So, how was she? Is it going to be a good story?” Martha asked.
“We aren’t sure there will be a story. We didn’t exactly leave under pleasant circumstances. She wanted to dig into some of the worst parts of our hijacking experiences, and wouldn’t let up when we told her we didn’t want to go there.”
“I’m betting she’s right in there with today’s media. Light on integrity, objectivity and journalistic ethics, and heavy on bias and agenda,” Hugh senior said.
“My impression is you are probably right, Dad.”
Hugh senior was the most conservative member of the Mann family.
“Her newspaper put a lot of money into this interview,” Jenny said. “They flew her in their private jet from Boise to Coeur d’Alene, and put her up at the Bucks Spring Hotel, which is owned by the newspaper, by the way.”
“I’ve heard of that hotel,” Hugh senior said. “It’s a four and a half-star hotel, usually the first one listed in the top ten of ‘best hotels’ lists for Northern Idaho.”
“I’m glad it’s over,” Hugh said.
“How are preparations coming for you to get back to driving, son?” Hugh senior asked.
“Good. My truck is repaired, and it checks out as being good to go.”
“And you obviously are feeling fit again, recovered from your concussion,” Martha said.
“Yeah, obviously,” Hugh said, as he looked at Jenny. She grinned and made a punching gesture toward Hugh’s chin.
“Really, all I need to do now is call dispatch and get back on the schedule,” Hugh said. “I have to admit I miss being on the road. I’m wanting to get behind the wheel again.”
Even though it had felt longer, it was only a few weeks earlier since Hugh had brought Jenny to the ranch in his damaged Freightliner Cascadia semi-truck. At the time, Hugh and Jenny had been feeling as wrecked as his poor truck, and as much in need of repair.
It had been only a week earlier since Hugh had fully recovered from the concussion and other injuries he had suffered in a final hijacking confrontation with Jenny’s uncle and the one remaining member of the hijacking gang.
Hugh’s recuperation had been capped off by a visit from his friend and trucking mentor, James, and with the visit from the representatives of the Idaho State Police to give him the commendation.
He had enjoyed the time off, and relished being inaccessible to the world. No cell phone. He stayed off the Internet, and only occasionally checked his email. But now he was ready to hear the rumble of the big diesel engine, and feel the satisfaction of piloting the big rig down the road, always heading toward some distant horizon.
Later that evening after dinner, Hugh and Jenny sat in comfortable chairs on the large wrap-around porch of the massive two-story log ranch house. Of an evening, they enjoyed being out there soaking in the crimson rays from the sun as it set behind the tall hills that rimmed the ranch property.
“Hugh, are we really ready to leave pretty soon?” Jenny asked. “I hope so, because I want to. I love your family, and I love the ranch, but I am ready to hit the road too if you are.”
Hugh didn’t respond. Instead, he stared off into the distance, building an uncomfortable silence between them.
“Hugh?”
“Listen, Jenny. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking.”
“Uh, oh.”
“Here’s the way it is. I plan to start driving again tomorrow if I can get a load. But you won’t be coming with me.”
“That’s where you are wrong, mister. You remember what happened every other time you tried to leave without me? It didn’t ever go your way. Did it!”
She sounded a lot like the Jenny he remembered from their first days together that felt like ages ago, but was only several weeks earlier.
Hugh was surprised by the vehemence of Jenny’s reaction to this news.
“Jenny, can’t you see I can’t take a chance on anything happening to you? I love you, and you are going to be my wife. I would never forgive myself if something happened to you because I took you on the road with me.”
“But Hugh, all that crazy stuff is over. Nobody wants to hurt us, or hijack us, or whatever.” She had changed her tone to pleading.
Hugh stood up and leaned against the porch railing, looking out over the darkening hills. After a while he said, “As hard as it is for me to say this, I’ve made up my mind. You aren’t coming with me. Period.”
But when he turned to gage Jenny’s reaction she was no longer there. Her chair was empty.
The pleasant evening was over.
As he walked through the house to go upstairs to his bedroom, he saw his mom standing at the bottom of the stairs. Her look signaled Hugh wasn’t going to get past her without him submitting to a “Mom” intervention.
“OK, Hugh, what’s going on?” I saw Jenny going up to her room. She didn’t look happy.”
“Mom, I really don’t feel like talking right now, but I know you aren’t going to let it go. So what’s going on is I told Jenny she isn’t going to ride with
