Blood of the Rainbow (54 page)

“How the hell do you know that?”

“Because,” Lucy said, holding up her cell. “Remember – we have the same cell,” she laughed.

Steve’s eyes widened. “Oh shit! I forgot!” He started chuckling. Soon they were both laughing. “Lucy, I don’t want to fight anymore. I know you don’t love me, but I don’t want to lose our friendship. You were right about one thing. I have always been there for you, and I always will be. I’m sorry I acted like such a heel last night.”

Lucy was lost in thought.
We have the same cell phones. We like the same music. We enjoy each other’s company. I didn’t cry myself to sleep last night because of Jared. He wasn’t the one that haunted my dreams.
“I’m sorry Steve – that’s not enough.”

“What – my apology wasn’t good enough? What else can I say? I said I was a heel. I made an ass out of myself – especially when I got home. Picking a fight with part of the kitchen, and then trying to drown your memory from the bottom of a bottle wasn’t the answer.”

She turned and studied his eyes. “That wasn’t what I meant,” she said, stepping closer, leaning against his body.”

Steve rested his hands on her hips, staring into her blue eyes. “Lucy, if this is your idea of a joke… if you’re teasing… you need to stop… before I do something
else
stupid.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Like what - this,” she said and kissed him.”

Steve wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her close, deepening the kiss.

------------

Carl grinned and looked at the ground. “Ah – if you two aren’t done
battling
it out. I could always go back and have another piece of Jane’s apple pie….”

Steve and Lucy whirled. “Christ Carl – you scared the shit out of me. Let me borrow your cell phone.”

Carl furrowed his brow. “Where’s yours?”

Lucy started laughing.

Steve glanced at her and back at Carl. “It’s kind of doing the backstroke with my keys. I need to call us a taxi and get somebody to come pick up my jeep.”

Carl looked from Lucy to Steve. “So is this settled now?”

Steve smiled. “Yeah – it’s settled. Thanks Bro.”

Carl grinned and tossed Steve the keys. “Good, then we can go now.”

Steve narrowed his eyes and stared at the keys in his hand. He looked back at Carl. “How did you – I heard them hit – you were at the….”

“Toss them on the ground again,” Carl instructed.

Steve studied his eyes for a few seconds, debating, and then tossed his keys at Carl’s feet.

Carl reached down, picked up the keys and slung for the lake. Again a splash was heard. Carl’s face went ashen. “Ah - Steve – ah - oops. Sorry buddy – the key ring slipped off my pinkie.”

Steve groaned and reached for Carl’s neck. “Carl I’m going to strangle you!”

Lucy fought to keep a straight face. She saw what Carl had done. She snickered, and Steve turned. Once Steve looked at her, she couldn’t hold it in any longer. Steve whirled on Carl again.

Carl was twirling Steve’s keys on his index finger. “Two in one night – man you’re gullible,” he said tossing the keys to Steve.

Steve walked next to Lucy, pulled her into his arms and kissed her. He grinned and tossed the keys back to Carl. “You drive – I’m riding in back with Luce.”

Carl started the jeep and turned around. He looked in the rear-view mirror. “And what am I supposed to do while I watch you maul her in the back seat?”

Steve grinned. “Find yourself a girl – this one’s mine,” he said, kissing Lucy again.

Carl laughed, pulled onto the road, and headed home.

------------

Jared woke Sara up the next morning, earlier than she ever remembered getting up. She blinked, bleary eyed at the digital clock on the nightstand. “Jared, why are you waking me up at 4:30 in the morning?” she groaned, and tried to roll over.

Jared rolled her back over, and started tickling her. Sara giggled and kicked at him, but he wouldn’t give up. “Because, we’re going somewhere, and I want to get an early start. Now get out of bed, get a shower, get dressed, and stop giving me a hard time,” he called out from the bathroom as he brushed his teeth.

Sara was still half-asleep as she mechanically rolled over, and sat on the side of the bed. “Couldn’t we wait until after breakfast or a little later, like, oh, I don’t know – daylight maybe?” She grumbled as she slid on her bathrobe, and headed for the shower. Sara reached for the clip to put up her hair. If she was going to be up this early, no way was she washing her hair too.

Jared kissed her on the back of the neck, and down her shoulders. “We’ll get something to eat on the way. I’m going to go and make preparations. You just concentrate on getting ready. I’ll wait for you downstairs,” he said and left the room.

Sara turned on the shower, and let it run while she brushed her teeth. She stepped under the hot water, hoping it would help to finish bringing her to her senses. She was wrong. The hot water had the opposite effect, making her want to crawl back in her soft, warm bed. She was still exhausted from last night’s show, not to mention the emotional display that came after the show.

Sara finished her shower, and went back in the bedroom to get dressed. She was surprised to find some clothes draped across the bottom of their bed. Sara wondered how Jared had managed to get all this out before he went downstairs, and without making a sound. Maybe she didn’t hear him because of the shower. She still wasn’t thinking clearly as she did her hair in a French braid, weaving the ribbon in it. She sprayed on a bit of perfume, and then went downstairs.

When she found Jared, he was outside securing his bike to a small trailer hitched to his BMW. He looked up as Sara approached. “Ready to go?”

Sara couldn’t believe how awake and alert he was this early in the morning. She was doing well just remembering how to walk and breathe. She yawned, and got in the car. “Where are we going?”

Jared started the engine. “It’s a surprise….”

“A surprise?” Sara asked, dubiously. “At 5:00 in the morning Jared, I would prefer to sleep, not be surprised. “Can I go back to sleep now?” she muttered.

Jared reached across and brushed Sara’s cheek with the back of his fingers. “Of course you can Angel. I’ll wake you when I stop for breakfast.” He turned the radio to a classical station. “Recline your seat, and go back to sleep. I thought we’d have breakfast around 8:00. Is that ok with you?”

“Sure,” Sara mumbled. That was the last thing she remembered, until Jared was gently shaking her awake.

“Sara, we’re here. Time for breakfast.”

She looked out the window. Nothing looked familiar. “Where is here?”

Jared got out and held the door. “Hudson Oaks. Come on, I’m starving!”

She blinked a couple of times as she yawned, and read the name on the restaurant. 
R&K Café? Where the heck is that?
“Do they serve intravenous breakfast here?”

Jared laughed, put his arm around Sara’s waist, and guided her to the door. A girl that looked to be in her late teens spoke, and led them to a booth in the corner. They ordered breakfast and waited. It still hadn’t dawned on Sara where they were, or where their unknown destination might be. A cup of coffee was put in front of her, and she slowly started coming to life, breathing in its aroma.

“So, did you have a nice nap?”

“Yes. I don’t function well at 5:00 in the morning, sorry.”

Jared smiled and eyed Sara over the top of his coffee cup. “I’ve been getting up early a long time, especially when I have a long way to travel.” He waited for some kind of reaction.

“You still haven’t told me where we’re going.”

“Well,” he said, drawing the word out. “We’re in Hudson Oaks – Texas now.”

“And that’s supposed to mean something to me. Where in the heck is Hudson Oaks, Texas?”

“Our next stop will be,” he said, consulting his watch, “Midland, where I thought we’d stop for lunch.”

Sara sighed. She was getting tired of his guessing games. The cognitive part of her brain was still back home, in Shreveport, asleep. “Jared,
where
are we going?”

“I’ll make you a deal. Our next stop after Midland, if you still haven’t come up with some kind of guess as to where we’re going – I’ll tell you – ok?”

“Fine,” she said, perturbed. “I’m going to the restroom and tidy up my hair. I’ll be back. Don’t wait on me.”

Jared slid off the booth and let her out.

------------

When Sara got back, the food was on the table. She sat down and started picking at her eggs. Jared watched her with curious eyes. “Aren’t you hungry?”

“Not really.” Sara wasn’t fond of powdered eggs, and she’d learned from experience, that most fast food places used powdered eggs, because they were cheaper. She put a bite in her mouth. Jared waited for her reaction. To Sara’s surprise, the eggs were nice and if they were powdered, they didn’t taste it. “These aren’t bad. I was expecting powdered eggs.”

Jared laughed. “Not with me, Sweetheart. It’s going to be real, or I’m not eating it.”

She finished the eggs and nibbled on the toast. “So you’ve eaten here before?”

“Many times,” Jared replied with a grin, hoping Sara would recognize the clue. She hadn’t so far. Sara’s brain just wasn’t firing on all cylinders this morning.

They got back in the car. “You said we had a long way to go did you want me to drive some?”

“No,” he said, turning around, and pulling back on the Interstate. “I’m good for a while longer. Besides, it seems I’m the only one who knows where we’re going.”

“Only because you won’t tell me,” Sara grumbled.

Jared laughed, changed the radio to a country station, and they were off again.

“Jared, can we talk about something?”

“Sure – what?”

“What did you think of my parents – really?”

“There’re… ok… I guess. Your Dad and I will get along just fine. Your mother – well - that might take a little more work, but she’ll come around. She really doesn’t like me – does she?”

“Gee – does it show?” Sara replied sarcastically. “I tried to warn you.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not used to someone like her. We live in an age of change and variety. I’m afraid, if your mother doesn’t lighten up on some of her ‘
issues’
, she’s in for a bumpy ride. No offense intended.”

Sara smiled. “None taken. I know what my mother is like. I think I should warn you. She’s not opposed to manipulating things in her favor.”

“Surely, she wouldn’t lie to you.”

Sara raised an eyebrow. “Wanna bet?”

Jared blew air between his lips. “Why is she so...?”

“Set in her ways?” Sara finished for him. “Once you figure that out, tell me. I’ve been trying to figure that out since I turned thirteen. She was the reason I broke up with my last boyfriend. Not that I care but.…”

“He was an idiot,” Jared said, taking her hand. “She
wouldn’t
have run me off – she
won’t
run me off,” he said, lifting her hand to his lips, and kissing it.

Sara smiled, “I hope not….”

Jared glanced at Sara. “I
know
.”

------------

For the next five hours, Sara watched the scenery blur passed her, hoping something would give her a clue as to where they were going. So far, nothing rang a bell. She probably should have suspected something when Phoenix started showing up on the overhead Interstate signs, but she didn’t pay them a lot of attention. Since Jared didn’t need a map, that wasn’t a giveaway either.

They stopped in for an hour in Midland and headed on. Sara turned in her seat. “So what’s our next stop?”

“I thought we’d spend the night in El Paso, and leave out again in the morning. I really don’t feel like driving all night long,” Jared said. “Especially when there are ways I’d rather spend my nights – like making love to you.”

“Good heavens, Jared. Where are we going, Las Vegas?”

“No…” he said, still being cryptic. “Not
quite
that far,” he smiled and concentrated on driving.

“Fine,” Sara said, leaning her seat back again. “If you’re going to make me play twenty questions, I’m going back to sleep.” Jared laughed. Sara had no plans on going to sleep, but he didn’t need to know that. When she wanted to, she could be just as difficult as Jared.

Jared pulled in the parking lot at the Holiday Inn, just off the Interstate10. Sara waited in the car while he arranged their room. Not knowing that he had packed their bags, including laptops and guitars, Sara was a little uneasy as he walked back to the car. “Jared, what am I going to… change in to?”

“Well,” Jared said, being silly. “You could change into
nothing
but it would be a lot more convenient and settling to the locals if you wore clothes,” he said, grinning as he held the door open.

Sara took his hand and stepped out of the car. A man with a luggage cart came out and stopped near the trunk of the car. “Excuse me a second,” Jared said, kissed Sara and walked to the back of the car. He popped the trunk and handed the valet their luggage.
Luggage? I don’t remember packing before we left Shreveport.

Jared slung a leather carry-all and their laptops over one shoulder, walked next to Sara and put his arm around her waist, leading her inside. Sara started working things out in her mind.
Leaving Shreveport at 5:00 in the morning, driving due west and already in El Paso, Jared’s cute little smiles and evasive clues. Where could we be going?
Then it hit her like a ton of bricks as Jared paid the valet, and they were alone in their room.

“So,” Jared said, putting their things in the bathroom. “Any clue as to where we’re going, yet?” he asked, smiling wryly.

Sara’s face lit, and she squealed like a banshee. “We’re going back – aren’t we?” she asked, jumping into his arms. “We’re going back to Arizona!” However, strange it may seem, Jared lost his balance, and they fell over on the bed. Good thing it was there, they might have hit the floor.

Jared gently rolled over on top of Sara, smiling. “I can’t put anything over on you. Honestly Sara, I can’t believe it took you this long to figure it out,” he said kissing her.

“Well, I knew we were coming back. I just didn’t know it would be this soon.”