going, just keep going, but at the three-hour mark made herself get off the highway. The Happy Meal put a grin on Callie’s face, and food in her tummy.
Another two hours, Shelby thought, then she’d be over halfway there. They’d stop for the night. She already had the motel picked out, the route in the GPS.
When she stopped in Virginia, she saw she’d made the right choice. Callie had had enough, and was getting her cranky on. The adventure of jumping on a motel room bed changed the mood.
Fresh pajamas, Fifi and a bedtime story did the trick. Though she doubted fireworks would wake her little girl now, Shelby went into the bathroom to call home.
“Mama. We’ve stopped for the night, like I said we would.”
“Where are you, exactly where now?”
“At the Best Western around Wytheville, Virginia.”
“Is it clean?”
“It is, Mama. I checked out the rating online before I headed here.”
“You got the security lock on?” Ada Mae demanded.
“It’s on, Mama.”
“You put a chair under the doorknob, just for extra.”
“Okay.”
“How’s that sweet angel?”
“She’s sound asleep. She was so good on the drive.”
“I can’t wait to get my hands on her. And on you, sweetie pie. I wish you’d told us you were starting out today before you did. Clay Junior would’ve come up there, driven you down.”
She was the only girl, Shelby reminded herself, and the baby of three. Her mother would fret.
“I’m fine, Mama, I promise. We’re fine, and already halfway there. Clay’s got work and family of his own.”
“You’re his family, too.”
“I can’t wait to see him. See all of you.”
The faces, the voices, the hills, the green. It made her want to cry a little, so she worked to bump up the cheer in her voice.
“I’m going to try to get on the road by eight, but it may be a little later. But I should be there by two o’clock at the latest. I’ll call you so you know for sure. Mama, I want to thank you again for letting us stay.”
“I don’t want to hear that from you. My own child, and her child. This is home. You come home, Shelby Anne.”
“Tomorrow. Tell Daddy we’re all safe for the night.”
“Stay that way. And you get some rest. You sound tired.”
“I am a little. ’Night, Mama.”
Though it was barely eight, she crawled into bed, and was asleep in minutes like her little girl.
• • •
S H E WOKE IN THE DARK , shocked out of a dream she remembered in bits and pieces. A storm at sea, drowning waves swamping a boat—a rolling white dot in a thrashing sea of black. And she’d been at the wheel, fighting so hard to ride it out while waves lashed, lightning flashed. And Callie, somewhere Callie cried and called for her.
Then Richard? Yes, yes, Richard in one of his fine suits pulling her away from the controls because she didn’t know how to handle a boat. She didn’t know how to do anything.
Then falling, falling, falling into that drowning sea.
Cold, shaken, she sat up in the strange dark room, trying to get her breath back.
Because it was Richard who’d fallen into the water, not her. It was Richard who’d drowned.
Callie slept, her cute little butt hiked in the air. Warm and safe.
She slid down, lay for a while stroking Callie’s back to comfort herself. But sleep was done, so she gave it up, walked quietly into the bathroom. She stood debating.
Did she leave the door open so if Callie woke in a strange place she’d know where her mama was? Or did she close the door so the light and the sound of the shower didn’t wake her baby, which they were all but guaranteed to do?
She compromised, left the door open a crack.
She didn’t think a motel shower had ever felt so good, warming away the last chills from the dream, washing away the dragging dregs of fatigue.
She’d brought her own shampoo, shower gel. She’d been spoiled on good products long before Richard. But then she’d been raised on them, as her grandmother ran
Another two hours, Shelby thought, then she’d be over halfway there. They’d stop for the night. She already had the motel picked out, the route in the GPS.
When she stopped in Virginia, she saw she’d made the right choice. Callie had had enough, and was getting her cranky on. The adventure of jumping on a motel room bed changed the mood.
Fresh pajamas, Fifi and a bedtime story did the trick. Though she doubted fireworks would wake her little girl now, Shelby went into the bathroom to call home.
“Mama. We’ve stopped for the night, like I said we would.”
“Where are you, exactly where now?”
“At the Best Western around Wytheville, Virginia.”
“Is it clean?”
“It is, Mama. I checked out the rating online before I headed here.”
“You got the security lock on?” Ada Mae demanded.
“It’s on, Mama.”
“You put a chair under the doorknob, just for extra.”
“Okay.”
“How’s that sweet angel?”
“She’s sound asleep. She was so good on the drive.”
“I can’t wait to get my hands on her. And on you, sweetie pie. I wish you’d told us you were starting out today before you did. Clay Junior would’ve come up there, driven you down.”
She was the only girl, Shelby reminded herself, and the baby of three. Her mother would fret.
“I’m fine, Mama, I promise. We’re fine, and already halfway there. Clay’s got work and family of his own.”
“You’re his family, too.”
“I can’t wait to see him. See all of you.”
The faces, the voices, the hills, the green. It made her want to cry a little, so she worked to bump up the cheer in her voice.
“I’m going to try to get on the road by eight, but it may be a little later. But I should be there by two o’clock at the latest. I’ll call you so you know for sure. Mama, I want to thank you again for letting us stay.”
“I don’t want to hear that from you. My own child, and her child. This is home. You come home, Shelby Anne.”
“Tomorrow. Tell Daddy we’re all safe for the night.”
“Stay that way. And you get some rest. You sound tired.”
“I am a little. ’Night, Mama.”
Though it was barely eight, she crawled into bed, and was asleep in minutes like her little girl.
• • •
S H E WOKE IN THE DARK , shocked out of a dream she remembered in bits and pieces. A storm at sea, drowning waves swamping a boat—a rolling white dot in a thrashing sea of black. And she’d been at the wheel, fighting so hard to ride it out while waves lashed, lightning flashed. And Callie, somewhere Callie cried and called for her.
Then Richard? Yes, yes, Richard in one of his fine suits pulling her away from the controls because she didn’t know how to handle a boat. She didn’t know how to do anything.
Then falling, falling, falling into that drowning sea.
Cold, shaken, she sat up in the strange dark room, trying to get her breath back.
Because it was Richard who’d fallen into the water, not her. It was Richard who’d drowned.
Callie slept, her cute little butt hiked in the air. Warm and safe.
She slid down, lay for a while stroking Callie’s back to comfort herself. But sleep was done, so she gave it up, walked quietly into the bathroom. She stood debating.
Did she leave the door open so if Callie woke in a strange place she’d know where her mama was? Or did she close the door so the light and the sound of the shower didn’t wake her baby, which they were all but guaranteed to do?
She compromised, left the door open a crack.
She didn’t think a motel shower had ever felt so good, warming away the last chills from the dream, washing away the dragging dregs of fatigue.
She’d brought her own shampoo, shower gel. She’d been spoiled on good products long before Richard. But then she’d been raised on them, as her grandmother ran
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