Chapter 13
Leaden clouds advanced determinedly, pressing their way past waning rays of gold, across the spring sky. In the distance thunder rumbled. Trees shivered and turned over their tender leaves shining an eerie, iridescent shade of jade against darkening heavens. Branches whipped and lashed about as the wind began to gust. Gabriel and Yoshi were driving directly into a storm’s path.
The rising wind rocked the rental car as they traveled along Interstate 98, a highway canopied by American Sycamore trees that led directly to Harbingers Falls. Thunder growled again like a starved and angered beast, snarling and roaring a ferocious warning. Lightning flashed; the wind howled thrashing boughs as they surrendered new foliage to its might.
Outside, the light had been besieged, eclipsed. Inside the rented 2012 Jeep Cherokee, however, optimism prevailed.
Though time spent traveling did little to allay Gabriel’s worry, he couldn’t help but feel excited. Despite hours spent moving about that left him feeling powerless and incapable of defending Melissa, his frustration and restlessness abated as he moved closer to Harbingers Falls. Such feelings were a welcome reprieve from the more than fourteen hours spent flying from China to New York during which time Gabriel’s mind entertained various scenarios that would have been judged science fiction by most rational people.
Yoshi, on the other hand, appeared to be in awe of all he had seen. While Gabriel labored testily through the chaos of the airport terminal after they had landed, his travel companion chattered incessantly about the thrill of flying, the lights, the people, the shops, and more specifically, New York. With countless places to eat and shop, John F. Kennedy Airport functioned as a city within a city and did nothing short of amaze Yoshi. He stared with mouth agape at every site proffered.
From the passenger seat of the Cherokee, Yoshi remained enthusiastic and eager to discuss what he’d seen.
“I can’t believe how exciting this place is!” Yoshi said, enamored of his limited American experience. “I knew there would be lights and people, but I never imagined there would be so many. And the roads, they’re paved, all of them! They’re not paved in gold but, wow! How did you sleep, ever, in such an exciting place?”
“It’s a challenge, Yoshi,” Gabriel admitted recounting his many sleepless nights spent contemplating his growing feelings for Melissa, then agonizing over revealing his origins to her.
“And this place we’re headed, Harbingers Falls, is it as exciting as the terminal? Does it have as many lights and people as Kennedy Airport?”
“Not quite.”
“Does it have the restaurant with the golden arches?”
“Yes. Two in fact”
“Two arches or two restaurants?”
“Both, technically; there are two restaurants. Four arches total.”
“Excellent!” Yoshi said enthusiastically.
As far as Gabriel could tell, the apex of the many high points of Yoshi’s trip thus far, had been dining at McDonald’s. They stopped there to eat while in the airport. Yoshi had expressed his delight rather verbally, oohing and clucking throughout his meal.
“There are other restaurants, too, you know,” Gabriel offered.
“Are they as good as McDonald’s? Do they have the French fries? If so, I would like to try them all,” Yoshi declared.
“Some do, some don’t.”
“We will go to the ones that do, right?”
“Um, we’ll try. We have to find Melissa first.”
Thunder rolled once again, closer this time. Lightning struck in the distance, lit the horizon. Large droplets of rain began to fall slowly at first, then faster.
“I can’t wait to meet Melissa. I’ve heard so much about her,” Yoshi said.
“You’ll like her. She’s,” Gabriel began.
“Beautiful,” Yoshi teased.
“Yes, beautiful,” Gabriel agreed. “I just hope she still likes me.”
“From everything you’ve told me, there is no need to worry.”
“I’m not so sure. A lot of time has passed.”
“It’s only been five months. That’s nothing.”
“She may not feel the same way for me anymore. Five months to a teenage girl is a lifetime,” Gabriel worried aloud.
“Not where I’m from, a man could leave his wife and go on a journey for years, and when he returned, it would be as if no time had passed.”
“It’s different here, Yoshi.”
“What do you mean different?” Yoshi asked puzzled.
“I mean that people are different, there is so much going on, and they are much quicker to move on with their lives.”
“After only five months? Not possible if she felt about you the way you said she did.”
“Maybe, but we weren’t married, we weren’t even together very long. I probably took it a lot more seriously than she did.”
“I doubt that,” Yoshi said
“When I was with Melissa it was the first time I had ever experienced feelings, it’s no wonder that I haven’t been able to think of anything but her, but it certainly wasn’t like that for her”
“Okay, but you told me that she felt the same way about you?”
“Think about it Yoshi, we were only together for a short time, and now I have been gone for five months, I have barely even been able to contact her, anyone would have moved on.”
“I still don’t get what being gone for a few months has to do with your relationship. Feelings are feelings. They don’t change that quickly.”
“But they do, feelings diminish over time.”
“I don’t believe it, not if they were real.”
“Well if I’d been here this conversation would be far less relevant. Being on the same continent would have helped. Having unlimited Internet and phone access would have helped.”
“But you didn’t. So?”
“So maybe she forgot about me. I couldn’t even tell her where I was. I wasn’t reachable.”
“You had to do what you had to do to survive. It’s not like you picked up and moved to Motuo County for fun or something, though I am partial to my home just for the record. You never would have left her if you didn’t absolutely have to.”
“She was the only person I ever loved, I shouldn’t have left.”
“Are you saying you don’t love me?” Yoshi asked sarcastically as he leaned toward Gabriel and batted his eyes dramatically.
“Not even a little!” Gabriel retorted.
Yoshi laughed then added, “Don’t worry about it, when you see her you’ll see that I’m right, that nothing has changed.”
“I doubt it.”
“Wow, you’re really difficult. And acting kind of like a girl. Maybe after this car ride, I will be an expert on girls,” Yoshi mocked.
“Shut up! You don’t understand,” Gabriel said irritably.
“Oh no! Miss James is getting mad. Look out! She may throw one of her high heels,” Yoshi continued.
Gabriel kept one hand on the steering wheel and launched the other into Yoshi left arm.
“Ouch! You’re a testy little girl, aren’t you?”
Gabriel raised his fist again and Yoshi raised both hands meekly.
“Okay, okay. Point taken. No need for violence. I know you’re sensitive,” he railed again and promptly deflected a blow intended for his bicep.
“Cut it out Yoshi. I’m serious,” Gabriel said plainly.
“All right, all right.”
“Don’t you get it, Yoshi? Just as quickly as it began, it could have ended; for her.”
“Stop worrying. Everything will be fine, Miss J–,” Yoshi began but was interrupted by Gabriel’s balled fist blasting against his shoulder.
As Gabriel leaned and punched, his other hand on the steering wheel jerked to the right as well. The Cherokee lurched dangerously on the rain-soaked highway, veering into the adjacent lane. Fortunately, he and Yoshi were the only ones driving on the r
oad at that moment. Other motorists appeared to have headed the warnings issued by the National Weather Service that advised against traveling in the path of the dangerous storm.
“Whoa, man! Focus on the road! You can’t help Melissa if you’re dead,” Yoshi declared.
Gabriel did not respond. Instead, he took his friend’s advice and concentrated on driving.
Rain pelted the windshield and the wind blew more forcefully. After flexing its muscles temporarily, the fiendish storm confronted intensely, became fierce. Silvery streaks flashed threateningly across the iron sky, tearing at ashen heavens until they hemorrhaged furiously.
The wipers on the Jeep Cherokee worked frantically to clear the windshield from the assault. A formidable vehicle in most weather, the Cherokee proved an excellent choice. Gabriel had never selected a vehicle himself, his maker had chosen for him. When the moment arrived at the rental station in the airport terminal, he opted for a vehicle that closely resembled his hunter-green Ford Explorer. A midnight-blue Jeep Cherokee was the closest match.
After picking the vehicle he desired, Gabriel was informed that cash was not an acceptable form of currency and that a credit card was needed for insurance purposes. He had quickly contemplated the ramifications of such a transaction before nervously offering a credit card to the teller.
Before leaving Terzini’s residence in Harbingers Falls, Gabriel had procured a substantial amount of cash and several credit cards. He was reluctant to use the cards as the accounts were linked directly to his maker’s; a paper trail would begin. Certain that Terzini would closely monitor the activity of the missing cards, Gabriel had used them only a handful of times. He was loath to announce his arrival in America much less his arrival in New York.
Horizontal rain blustered as the storm raged on. Gabriel’s eyes remained on the stretch of road before him but his mind wandered.
With Yoshi silenced and only the weather to contend with, the rest of the trip passed quickly. In what felt like seconds rather than just under an hour, the exit sign for the neighboring town of Darling appeared.
In just a few short miles, Gabriel would be in Harbingers Falls and with Melissa Martin again.