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So far, driving the truck was fine. If it got a little windy you could feel things wobbling, but overall I thought I was doing pretty good as a new moving-truck driver.
Natalie navigated us to a rest stop that also had a few fast-food places, so we decided to get lunch.
I kept looking around and wondering who the other people were eating at the other tables and what their stories were. Where were they traveling?
“Look at these two,” Natalie said, leaning in and then jerking her head at the table next to us. It was a guy and a girl that I assumed were married or partnered. He was saying something to her and she was disagreeing with it vehemently, but she clearly didn’t want to make a scene.
“He should just tap out,” Natalie said. “Just take the loss.”
I agreed, but this guy didn’t look all that bright. He was doing that thing where guys think if they talk to someone slowly, as if they’re a child, that they’ll get their point across better. All that did was just piss this woman off more, and she stood up, pointed at him, and then stormed toward the bathroom. He rolled his eyes and started looking at his phone.
“Yikes,” I said. “That’s going to be one awkward ride.”
I was glad I wasn’t in her shoes.
“Seriously. Hey, do you want the rest of these?” She pushed the last of her fries at me.
“Sure.” Even when we’d been kids, I’d always been the one to finish her food. It had always worked for us.
I finished the fries and Natalie hit the bathroom one more time before we got in the truck.
“I definitely think we should find a park or even a parking lot for our next stop so we can get some exercise,” I said. My back was a little stiff, so I stretched a little bit before getting back in the truck.
“Ready to roll?” I asked and Natalie saluted me.
Back on the road.
* * *
“Let me guess, there’s only one room booked,” I said when we checked into our hotel that night.
“I’m sorry,” the desk attendant told me.
“No, it’s fine. Do you have brothers?” The attendant looked confused for a moment before answering.
“Two,” they said.
“Well, then you get it,” I replied.
I took the room keys and thanked the attendant.
I still hadn’t heard from Wyatt, but Natalie had heard from Gretchen and had mentioned the hotel issue to her, so we would see what happened. I thought about tattling to my parents, but they would just take his side. Like they always did. Things were even worse now that he was getting married and having a baby. His golden child status had rocketed him even higher in their esteem. I would never win, so there was no point in trying.
“Same room?” Natalie asked as I gave her a key.
“Same room,” I said.
I was exhausted and sore from the driving and all I wanted to do was eat and stare at the TV for a few hours.
“Do you want to have dinner in the restaurant?” Natalie asked, and I shook my head.
“I just want to lay down. My butt’s just getting sensation back,” I said.
I’d hit my driving limit just before the hotel when my butt had gone numb.
“Okay,” she said, and we took the elevator up to the room. It was extremely similar to the last room we’d been in, not that it really mattered. I flopped on one of the beds and closed my eyes. Relief.
“You can turn the TV on,” I said, not opening my eyes. Natalie did, but kept the volume low. More murder stuff.
