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“What I do know from everything I’ve gone through is…we all have the power within us to fix a tortured soul. And you know how, don’t you?”
“I do,” she said. She didn't want to say the word, but she didn’t need to… They both knew what it was.
“I will wait for as long as it takes, Edie…because I know when you’re ready to shareallof you with me, I will be ready to share all of me with you.”
As she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, the words he told her, “We really are more than skin deep,” were already soothing her tortured soul.
14
NOT MY FAULT
Fuck,it wasn’t his fucking fault.Brian was lying on his back in the tent he’d bought earlier in the day when they’d stopped in Houston.Too bad. If he hadn’t been cheating with my wife, she’d still be alive. Fuck him.
He got off the airbed he’d bought at the same time and crawled out of the tent and stretched his legs. He headed towards where the bikes were parked, stopping beside Cruz’s bike. He looked around. It was dead quiet.They’re all asleep.After looking over Cruz’s bike he walked to his and reached into the saddlebag looking for what he was after.
Cruz was restless. He didn’t like that Eden had been so upset, but as he looked at her in the dim light that was filtering into the tent, he smiled at how he’d gotten so lucky to have her there with him.
Her long wavy hair had a glossy shine to it as it lay cascaded across the mattress. He watched the gentle rise and fall of her ample breasts as she slept soundly. She was so beautiful. He was mesmerized by the sight of her. He knew there was something she needed to tell him, but something else was holding her back. Maybe it had to do with her ex.Why would any sane man leave someone like Eden?
He decided to go for a walk, to get some fresh air. As he pushed the tent flap aside, he caught a glimpse of Brian walking away from his bike. He stayed crouching down low to make sure he couldn’t be seen, as he crawled out of the tent and watched to see what Brian was up to.
* * *
It was a full moon,so Cruz stepped back out of the light into the shadows of the trees that lined where they were camped.
He crept along the treeline to get closer to where Brian was, hoping to catch him off guard if he was meddling with any of their bikes. Cruz didn’t know why he was suspicious of Brian, but like he and Eden had thought and discussed, there was something that wasn’t quite right…why he was there, and what he was up to. This seemed to confirm his suspicions.
Cruz saw Brian look at his bike, then search for something in his own saddlebag. Cruz couldn’t see what it was because Brian’s back was facing towards him. He continued to creep closer along the trees. He wondered whether Brian was reaching for a wrench to meddle with his bike…or maybe a gun.
Eventually after looking inside both of his saddlebags, Brian flipped his seat and pulled something out from under it. Cruz was trying to see in the dull light what that was, but he couldn't make it out. Brian was still facing away from him. He needed to get around in front of him to see what he was doing…that was hidden by his body…but if he did that Brian would know where he was. He had to wait and hope that Brian would turn around so he could see what he was up to.
It was only a few seconds before Brian turned back towards him and then sat on the seat of his bike and lit a cigarette.
Cruz let out a silent sigh of relief. The guy was only out to have a smoke in the middle of the night. Maybe he couldn’t sleep. Brian took a long drag of the cigarette and blew the smoke out before looking up at the night sky.
Cruz was so close now, that he could hear Brian sigh and mumble, “Fuck.”
Cruz wanted to make his way back to the tent, but Brian flicked the butt on the ground and started walking back to his own tent. He must have sensed Cruz there, because he took a few steps and stopped…then looked directly at Cruz. “Fuck, man…you scared the shit out of me.”
“Yeah, sorry, man,” Cruz said. “Couldn’t sleep.”
“Me too,” Brian said.
“You smoke?” Cruz said, trying to make light conversation.
“Tried giving up, but fuck…it’s hard. I hide them, but what’s the good when I know where they are?”
Cruz laughed. “At least it’s a nice night for not sleeping,” Cruz said.
“Hmm…I've had trouble sleeping for years now. Get these fucking nightmares so I’d rather get up and have a smoke to settle down. It's crazy,” Brian said. “Maybe I shoulda smoked more of that weed you guys gave me, but I’m worried about riding tomorrow.”
“You just need to start early,” Cruz said.
“Thanks, man. I might take you up on that offer.” Brian kept walking towards his tent, and when he got there, he turned back to Cruz and said, “See ya in the morning.”
“Yeah, man. Sleep well,” Cruz said.
“I’ll try. You too.” He chuckled as he climbed through the flap.
