Vince let out a guffaw of laughter, “You can’t be subtle in a place this size! Everyone’s keeping quiet out of respect, though, and you managed to overcome their natural prejudices… so is that the plan then, you’re staying?”
Wentworth shook his head, “I can’t do that, Vince. You know about the storm that’s following me. I’ve got to be hitting the road again soon.”
“Wanderlust, eh? Hah! That’s what I thought. Have you talked to Raxx at all about it?”
“No, I haven’t seen him much lately. He’s been busy with Sherry and Michelle.”
“I’ve seen him with them. They’ve been keeping the lad pretty busy! But the reason I asked is because I talked to him the other day. You see, with all the money I’m getting from the sale of the cattle, plus what I’ve saved up over the years, I’ve decided it’s come time to retire. I’m going on one last trading mission around some of the larger burgs, and then heading back to Steeltown, my home. Maria’s good to come with me, and Raxx said he’ll come too. So you want to join up? I could use another caravan guard.”
Wentworth nodded, “Yeah. Yeah, that sounds like a good plan. It’ll be good to be travelling with someone who knows the area.”
“Have you told the Captain you’ll be leaving?”
“No. It never came up.”
“This — this isn’t fair. Not in public like this, not with me. Iain… you always respected my uniform before. This is cruel.”
They were sitting in the town square; Patricia was taking her lunch break. A couple of hotdog wrappers lay on the bench between them.
“You’re right. But I didn’t know where else. I’m sorry. Patty — I don’t have a choice about leaving — if I stayed it’d just put you, and the rest of Hope in danger. These guys who are after me aren’t all that forgiving. I’ve gotta keep moving.”
“Bullshit. You could deal with them if you wanted to. Who are these guys, anyway?”
Without lipstick her lips appeared thin, but to Wentworth the austerity only made her more beautiful. He didn’t answer her question. She wouldn’t believe him. He just held his neck straight.
“Oh, Iain…” she stared into the distance, dry-eyed, “here you are, leaving without reason. It started out as a wild night, and I guess that’s how it’s going to end. So here I am — not even knowing who you really are,” she sighed, “No hard feelings though, nothing lost…” She reached over and squeezed his knee without looking at him. “Where were you ten years ago? I have half a mind to go with you… but I can’t do that. And I guess you can’t stay, either.” Her hand remained resting on his knee.
“I’m sorry,” he said again, not knowing what else to say. Patricia was as good as any woman he’d ever known.
Memory flash. There’d been that other one, holding a compress over his femoral, telling him to breathe—
He felt shame for thinking of her right now.
Another memory flash. A young girl, sixteen maybe, eyes flecked with blood, with pain, her fingers blackening from—
He blinked hard, cancelling the memory. Sunlight, birds chirping, the smell of cooking bread; Patricia was speaking to him.
“Tell me it meant something? It wasn’t… it wasn’t just a collection of one night stands, was it? Iain, give me the truth — did it matter or not? I’m too old for you to lie to me about this.”
His eyes felt heavy. “Patty — it meant something.” He stared at her for a moment, then kissed her hand. She brought a hand to her face and held it there.
Patricia was… competent. In his own mind, he couldn’t think of a better compliment. She was competent, strong, and deep inside she was all woman. But there was no hope here. Not for him. The old loneliness swept over him again.
“Will I ever see you again?” Patricia was staring dully at the stones in front of them.
Wentworth tried to think of what he should say but he was at a loss. The dream-like nights they’d spent in each other’s arms washed up against his chest. He met her eyes and answered as honestly as he could. “I don’t know.”
Now she made eye contact with him, finally, a sad and wistful smile on her face. “Well, Iain Wentworth, take care. I don’t hate you. Though I probably should. I hope you find whatever it is that you’re looking for.”
He met her gaze but didn’t reply. After a few second she moved towards him, awkwardly and took his chin in her hands. They shared one last kiss, trembling, like nervous teenagers. Then she stood up and marched off.
Wentworth watched her go.
Raxx rolled out from underneath his truck. He got up and put away the wrench he’d been holding, then grabbed a rag and wiped the grease off of his hands.
He kneeled down by the back end and inspected the shot-out taillight. “Don’t know where I’m going to find another one of those,” he said to himself. Running his hand over the cargo door he traced the circles where bullets had punctured the metal, “Ah, it gives you character girl.” He stood up and patted the vehicle lovingly.
“Oh, I forgot my duvet. I can’t forget that. Are all the preserves packed up? I hope we can find a good place to set up shop once we get there. Did you make sure that Raxx will meet us on time? I don’t—”
“Sweetheart!” Vince grabbed Maria by the shoulders and planted a kiss on her forehead. “You’re worrying too much. We’ve got everything in hand.”
She sighed, and smiled at him. “I know. But I’m just so excited and nervous. I’ve never been far outside of Hope — you know that! Are you sure we’re going to be alright?”
“We’re going to be just fine, Sweetie!”
The sun had set but still she hadn’t turned on the lights. The bottle of whiskey was almost empty. She downed the shot in front of her and refilled it. She looked up at the prewar posters and caressed her glass. “Oh, Iain…”
The tears wouldn’t flow.
He’d done the full pre-driving inspection on his cycle and she’d checked out. Oil, coolant, everything was topped off and she was in perfect driving condition. Outside of Hope’s perimeter wall he sat on her, fully kitted up, rifle strapped to his back, with the bike humming underneath him, burning through the fuel.
His arms were crossed over the handlebars and his head resting on them as he watched the sun clear the horizon. The dawn winds had picked up and they were cool against his exposed skin. Red, pink, and black, the sky filled with colour as the shadows of lone trees and ruined structures spread across the land towards him. His goggles polarized with the light and tiny dust devils swirled around his feet.
By the time the sun had risen and turned the sky light-blue he heard the rumble of Raxx’s truck coming out the city gate. He pulled over next to Wentworth. Vince and Maria were in the cab with him, the back was piled high with goods under a tie-down tarp, and a trailer was hooked up to the rear.
“Hey buddy, been here a while, eh?”
“Just listening to the open road.”
“I’ve been dreaming about it all night. What do you say, ready to get going?
“Fuel tank’s full.”
“Right on. Let’s get out of here while the getting’s good, and maybe the pot-holes will leave us alone today.”
Wentworth nodded, did up the chinstrap of his helmet, and shifted the bike into gear, closing the kickstand in the process. With a roar he throttled up the cycle and Raxx followed, racing onwards, eating up the highway which stretched on endlessly in front of them.
They were still alive and the future was full of possibility. There were so many places left to see.
