Read Online Innocence Taken by Janet Durbin - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Janet Durbin
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the sight of the big rigs with their many lights. They reminded him of his favorite holiday, Christmas. He smiled as he slid behind a small convoy, humming holiday melodies as he drove.
* * * *
Fast food wrappers covered the dash of the camper as they continued across the states. They were close to Eau Claire, though Nature knew they were not going to make it there tonight. It had been close to noon by the time they left her house.. It was just past midnight now. Westerly was tired. He did not admit it but she could see it. A sign glowed in the headlights as they drove past. It was one of the green ones that showed how far it was to what lay ahead.
"A rest stop is just up the road. Why don't we pull in for a couple of hours? We both need some sleep."
"I can make it a bit farther."
"Web ... you're tired. I'm tired. After some rest, we can make it to Atlanta before we have to stop again. Please?"
The last word was the one that sunk in. “Okay ... we'll stop for a short time. But not for long. We need to get there before the trail gets cold.” He glanced at Nature. She nodded her head in agreement.
Westerly put the right turn light on when the off ramp appeared. He exited from the highway, slowing as they neared to parking area.. Pulling into a spot made for larger vehicles, he turned the camper off. The clicking from the cooling engine and the roar of trucks as they passed by were the only things to break the silence that filled the cab.
Nature opened her door and got out. She stretched her tired muscles and said, “There's room for two in the back. I have a bed over the cab if you want to use it."
"I'll stretch out here."
"Are you sure? You'll rest better in the back."
"I'll be fine.” Westerly pulled his long legs from under the steering wheel and stretched them out on the recently vacated seat.
"If you change your mind, the offer stands."
The sound of snoring was his response to her words. She saw Westerly's chin was resting on his chest, his arms crossed in front of him. She smiled as she made her way to the back. Returning with a blanket, she draped it onto his sleeping form. He mumbled something in his sleep as he changed positions. She could not make it out. She shrugged her shoulders.
The air was cool once the sun dipped below the horizon. She shivered as she made her way to the back of the camper and got it. Once inside, she moved to a bench seat located behind the table. She transformed the area into a bed, and was sleeping soon thereafter.
It seemed as if she had just shut her eyes when a hand shook her awake. She opened them to see Westerly standing there. He had a cup of vending machine coffee in his hand.
"It's strong and black. For machine coffee, it tastes okay."
"What time is it?"
"Almost two in the morning."
"Already?"
"Come on sleepy head. We need to get moving. We have a long way to go.” He set the coffee on a counter beside her and exited.
She groaned as she sat up. Every joint ached from sitting too long. Picking up the coffee, she took a sip. It tasted awful. She set it down again. The urge to pee motivated her to get up more than the lousy coffee did. Or Westerly for that matter. Flipping back the covers, she got up and moved to the closet sized bathroom. After completing her mission, she picked up the stuff she referred to as mud and exited the back.
Westerly was leaning against the driver's door. His cowboy hat sat forward on his head, a similar cup of mud was in his hand. She watched as he guided it to his lips, grimaced at the taste, and lowered it again.
"Tastes okay, huh? Boy was that an overstatement."
"Hey, what can I say? At least it wakes you up."
"You want me to drive?"
"No."
Web turned around and grabbed the door handle. He opened it and sat down before she could object. Shrugging her shoulder, she moved to the other side and got in.
"You're not one of those chauvinistic types are you?” she asked as she buckled her seatbelt.
"Not to my knowledge."
"But you
* * * *
Fast food wrappers covered the dash of the camper as they continued across the states. They were close to Eau Claire, though Nature knew they were not going to make it there tonight. It had been close to noon by the time they left her house.. It was just past midnight now. Westerly was tired. He did not admit it but she could see it. A sign glowed in the headlights as they drove past. It was one of the green ones that showed how far it was to what lay ahead.
"A rest stop is just up the road. Why don't we pull in for a couple of hours? We both need some sleep."
"I can make it a bit farther."
"Web ... you're tired. I'm tired. After some rest, we can make it to Atlanta before we have to stop again. Please?"
The last word was the one that sunk in. “Okay ... we'll stop for a short time. But not for long. We need to get there before the trail gets cold.” He glanced at Nature. She nodded her head in agreement.
Westerly put the right turn light on when the off ramp appeared. He exited from the highway, slowing as they neared to parking area.. Pulling into a spot made for larger vehicles, he turned the camper off. The clicking from the cooling engine and the roar of trucks as they passed by were the only things to break the silence that filled the cab.
Nature opened her door and got out. She stretched her tired muscles and said, “There's room for two in the back. I have a bed over the cab if you want to use it."
"I'll stretch out here."
"Are you sure? You'll rest better in the back."
"I'll be fine.” Westerly pulled his long legs from under the steering wheel and stretched them out on the recently vacated seat.
"If you change your mind, the offer stands."
The sound of snoring was his response to her words. She saw Westerly's chin was resting on his chest, his arms crossed in front of him. She smiled as she made her way to the back. Returning with a blanket, she draped it onto his sleeping form. He mumbled something in his sleep as he changed positions. She could not make it out. She shrugged her shoulders.
The air was cool once the sun dipped below the horizon. She shivered as she made her way to the back of the camper and got it. Once inside, she moved to a bench seat located behind the table. She transformed the area into a bed, and was sleeping soon thereafter.
It seemed as if she had just shut her eyes when a hand shook her awake. She opened them to see Westerly standing there. He had a cup of vending machine coffee in his hand.
"It's strong and black. For machine coffee, it tastes okay."
"What time is it?"
"Almost two in the morning."
"Already?"
"Come on sleepy head. We need to get moving. We have a long way to go.” He set the coffee on a counter beside her and exited.
She groaned as she sat up. Every joint ached from sitting too long. Picking up the coffee, she took a sip. It tasted awful. She set it down again. The urge to pee motivated her to get up more than the lousy coffee did. Or Westerly for that matter. Flipping back the covers, she got up and moved to the closet sized bathroom. After completing her mission, she picked up the stuff she referred to as mud and exited the back.
Westerly was leaning against the driver's door. His cowboy hat sat forward on his head, a similar cup of mud was in his hand. She watched as he guided it to his lips, grimaced at the taste, and lowered it again.
"Tastes okay, huh? Boy was that an overstatement."
"Hey, what can I say? At least it wakes you up."
"You want me to drive?"
"No."
Web turned around and grabbed the door handle. He opened it and sat down before she could object. Shrugging her shoulder, she moved to the other side and got in.
"You're not one of those chauvinistic types are you?” she asked as she buckled her seatbelt.
"Not to my knowledge."
"But you
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