Chapter 67
“Three rooms, please. Kings, non-smoking.”
Dave and Beth shared a look.
The motel manager glanced at Dad’s license as he filled out a card. “I’m pretty full tonight – I don’t have three next to each other.”
Dad smiled. “I’m sure that’ll be fine.”
“Non-smoking? I have a room with two twins on the second floor, and a king on the first.... The only other king is a suite with a hot tub. You can have that for twenty bucks more.”
“We’ll take them.”
Dad gave him a credit card and signed the receipt.
“What’s the best pizza in town?”
“I recommend Roman’s. Their delivery menu’s in the rooms.” The clerk pushed three sets of keys across the counter one by one. “Twins, king, and suite. Checkout’s at ten a.m. Have a good night folks.”
Dad handed Jessie the key to the room with the hot tub. Beth got the first floor king.
“Stow what you need for tonight,” Dad said, “And we’ll all meet in the suite in ten minutes.”
I grabbed Olie from the back seat, and my gym bag from the truck bed. Jess opened the door to the room. She flipped on the light and nothing scurried, so we hung up our coats. I checked for signs of bedbugs and threw the bedspread in a comer. I’d heard they never wash those things. I pulled the spare blanket off the shelf – it smelled of laundry soap and drier sheets. It was cool in the room, so we turned up the heat. We looked at the hot tub and grinned at each other.
We both had to pee. When Jess was done, she asked if she could watch again.
“Fascinating,” she said, “You must be half bladder.”
I washed up and called in the pizza order. I was hungry and probably ordered too much.
Beth knocked and Jess opened the door.
“So what is this all about? What’s up with you guys? First you’re sick, now you’re fleeing the state?”
“Come on in. I think that’s what we’re here to discuss, but let’s wait for Dad.”
There was another knock on the door and Jess let Dad in. He looked tired.
“Okay, Beth, Dave? Make yourselves comfortable; it’s story time. You guys go right ahead – start from the beginning.”
“Okay, some of this might sound a little strange, but hang with us, okay?” They nodded. “Cory and I love each other – we have since we met. We always said we’d get married someday.”
“Aw! That’s so cute!” Beth exclaimed.
“That feeling has never gone away.” Beth and Dave exchange a doubtful glance. “Obviously I’m adopted, so there’s a legal barrier, rather than a biological...”
“Wait,” Dave interrupted. “You guys are in love with each other?”
We nodded.
Jessie continued, “Like I said, hang with us a minute. It turns out that’s okay...”
“How could you not tell me?” Beth pleaded, “I’m your best friend. I trust you with everything. I can’t believe you hid this from me!”
“So... what? You make out and stuff?” Dave wanted to know.
“So that guy you liked was literally the boy next door... in your house. Wow.”
“That’s a little creepy.” Dave said.
“I’m so sorry, Beth! I was dying to tell you, but it was too dangerous...”
“Dave,” Dad interjected, “You might want to be less judgmental. People who live in glass houses, you know.”
“I’m sorry, but making out with your sister’s pretty kinky.”
“So is knocking up a sixteen-year-old by screwing her without a fucking condom!” The room fell uncomfortably silent. “I’m sorry, Beth. That was crude,” Dad said.
“No problem, Mr... Mike. I agree. Honey,” she turned to Dave, “We’re in no position to judge other people, especially not our friends.”
“Look, I’m sorry, guys, I’m having trouble wrapping my head around this. Nobody knew, nobody even suspected, you never gave us a clue.”
“Except that they never dated other people, never fought with each other, and never even expressed opinions on who they thought was cute...”
I told Beth and Dave about the marriage laws and where we were going. Jessie told about how we snuck away and got married. We showed them our rings.
Dad said “I think it’s okay to wear them from now on.” We excitedly took them off their chains, and slipped them on each other’s finger. We kissed, but then realized we might be making the others uncomfortable. Dave just looked away. We needn’t have worried about Beth; she was practically in tears and hugging Jessie.
Dave reached out and shook my hand. “Congratulations. Look, Cory, I’m sorry about...”
“Forget it,” I said, as Beth smothered me with a hug.
There was a knock on the door, startling us. I opened the door cautiously. It was just the pizza delivery girl.
Beth wanted to know all about the wedding. As we ate, Jessie was happy to fill in the details. Even though Beth understood why she couldn’t be there, she was bummed to have missed it. I told them about the inheritance and its conditions, though not how much it was. They were very excited, and admitted they’d felt guilty about the cost of the hotel room.
“No need – there’s enough to share.”
“Mr. Laine?” Dave asked hesitantly, his cheeks suddenly crimson. “I need to ask. Are we splitting the rooms by couples?”
“Thanks for checking. It’s up to Beth; she has her own room because it wouldn’t be appropriate for her to share a room with the newlyweds or with me. If she asks, you may join her. She’s of legal age for consent, and as her temporary guardian, I have no objection. There’s no law against it, and I don’t think you’ll get each other in any more trouble than you already have. Or you could go out and sleep in the truck.”
“Okay. Thanks for clarifying.”
“Anyway,” I continued, “We didn’t know about the inheritance until afterwards – Dad wanted to make sure we married for love.”
Beth asked, “Why didn’t you just wait a couple years?”
“Because we don’t have a year. Dad’s sick. He’s dying. Not right now, but soon, a few months.”
Dad told them about the tumor, and Beth and Jessie both got up and hugged him. He explained what it would’ve meant for Jessie and me if we’d been orphaned. I got that bowling-ball-in-the-throat feeling.
“That’s why it was urgent,” Beth said. “So were you thinking we could come with you for a while?”
“I’d love that, Beth. Would it be okay, Daddy?”
“Beth, you’re a minor, and in my custody. You’re better off staying with us for now. Dave, you can choose what you want to do.”
“What do you think, Babe?” Beth asked.
“I’m on a camping trip. If you all don’t mind, I’d like to stick with her.”
“That’s fine.” Dad said. “Beth? Why don’t you give your dad another try? Then Dave, call your folks, let ‘em know what’s up, and find out what’s happening back in town.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, are they taking Georgia’s accusations seriously; have the police stopped by looking for you?” Dave nodded. “And kids, I think we should stay here two nights. I need to make some arrangements for when we get there, and I’m sure the newlyweds would appreciate some alone time.” He gave us a thin smile, but his eyes were hard.
“Beth, if you get hold of your dad, I need to talk to him, too. It’s important. Give me the number, and call me in room two-twelve when you’re done, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Cory, maybe you could walk me upstairs.”
“Uh, sure, Dad.”
Outside, I asked “What’s up?”
“I wanted to make sure you have what you need for tonight and tomorrow. Other than time and privacy, I mean.”
I gave him a quizzical look.
“There’s an all-night pharmacy a couple blocks from here.”
“Oh. No, Dad. We’re good, thanks. We aren’t taking any risks.”
“Alright, I just wanted to be sure.” He stopped and turned to face me. “I’m happy for you two, but this is really hard for me. She’s still my little girl, Cory. Can you understand that? Not only that, but in my mind she’s still your sister. I’m really struggling here.”
“I know. I can see it in your face when we kiss. Is there anything we could do to make it easier on you?”
“I don’t think so, thanks. I knew intellectually what it meant to give consent, but I wasn’t prepared for such a strong gut reaction. It’s my issue to deal with.”
“Okay. I wish I could do something to help.”
He laughed. “Just go get some of it out of your system, okay? I don’t know if I could spend two more days on the road with you two wound up tighter than a pair of eight-day clocks.”
I grinned back. “You could ride in the Jeep.”
His smile was genuine. “I may have to. Not that those other two are much better.”
“Goodnight, Dad. I love you. And thanks.”
“I’m planning to have lunch at the diner across the street. Maybe I’ll see you guys around noon. Tell your… tell Jessie goodnight for me.”