Amtrak. I pick up the phone.
“I need a favor.”
“Ngh. Yes?”
“I have to go out of town on business.”
“Everything alright?”
“Just a minor accident.”
“Okay. What can I do for you?”
“Pet sitting, Chucho and Dulce, they’re both at my house.”
“Oh, that’s not a problem. Do you want me to stay at your place too? Just in case? I wouldn’t mind, your house is close to where I work.”
“That would be fantastic. I’m leaving in a few hours. You know where the key is.”
“That I do. Happy travels.”
“Thanks Neal.”
“No problem. I remember how it is.”
“Alright, I’ll see you.”
I trudge back to my room, where Don put Chucho and Dulce to sleep. I pull out my emergency bag, and look around to see if I need anything else. Nothing catches my eye, so I take my bag and lug it to the front door with the others. I grab another bag and stuff my work laptop and charger in it. Then I head back to Don’s room. He’s sleeping heavily, and the bloody blankets are on the floor. I don’t want to leave them there to become little havens of disease; I put them in a basket, dump them into the washing machine, super load, hot water, power wash, and plenty of bleach. I remember that I’m not exactly clean either. I take a brisk shower to rid myself of the grime.
I’m keeping myself busy. Afraid to fall asleep, just afraid. I begin to chuckle maniacally around 6 am. It’s the feeling you sometimes get when you’ve passed the milestone to completing an all-nighter. It makes you more than a little crazy with victory. Especially when you’re the only one left awake, and you know you have the power to do bad things. As I struggle with my inner dark side, I decide to make breakfast. The smell of bacon does wonders to people who are sleeping.
Breakfast: bacon, eggs, toast, and a cup of orange juice. Even Don manages to get out of bed on his own. Rebecca straightens up her kids’ hair, and pats her own in disbelief. Don changes his blonde for a brown before we head out. I just put on a hat and sunglasses. Everyone says good-bye to the still sleeping dogs.
Rebecca and I load up the car Caroline used, while her kids ease Don down the path. I take the wheel, there’s no way he’s driving. Before we go, I text Granny to let her know that I’ll be coming to see her tomorrow. She sends me a smiley face. We make it to the train station ten ‘til nine. This part of our plan goes by effortlessly and smoothly. I’m exhausted, and collapse on one of the beds in our room. Don goes to sleep across from me. The ‘girls’ and Rebecca have their own room next to us. We’re all exhausted, no one wakes up until it’s dinnertime, and even then we’re all groggy.
Dinner is a quiet affair. Until the kids get up to their shenanigans.
“My hair is prettier than yours Sarah, isn’t it Mommy?”
“No it’s not! No it’s not! You are such a liar! You aren’t even a—”
Rebecca clamps her hand over Sarah’s mouth. “You both have beautiful hair. Joan, apologize to your sister.”
“Sorry, I was just kidding.”
“How about some movies? There are a ton on these,” I show them the magic devices. “How about it? They’re yours to keep. You don’t have to share, look your names are already on the back.”
Sarah and Joe grab them eagerly, and I hand the last one to Rebecca. She smiles, a real, free, smile. I help Don back from the dining car, and we both go back to sleep.
Delivery
Saturday morning I wake up disoriented to the sound of the train and no Chucho. I hear someone else’s breathing, and I see Don. I’m not sure when he has to change the bandages over his chest. I pull up his shirt, and don’t see any blood coming through.
“Aren’t you the regular creeper?”
“I was just checking your bandages! Don’t be weird!”
“How does it go…something along the lines of ‘protesting too much’?”
“You are so difficult.”
“I know you think I’m sexy.”
“Psh. I know you have a head too big for your body.”
I get up and check up on our neighbors. They tell me that they’ve had breakfast, and are enjoying the ride. I smile, and I know they’re on their way. Recovery will be long, but worth it.
I’m not that hungry, so I go back and snack on some chocolate with Don. I remember that I have to shoot George the weekly report, and give him an update on our shipment.
“You know, I’ve been thinking, I’m getting tired of being attacked.”
“Austin doesn’t seem to have been the best place for avoiding that.”
“Yeah. I like it there though, despite our mishaps. I’ve been thinking of working with Neal.”
“Working with Neal? Are you sure? It’s a big change.”
“I know. I want to settle down somewhere. Why not Austin?”
“Are you saying that just because I got made?”
“No. I mean it.”
“Well, I’ll tell you, the selfish, that is, biggest part of me is happy that you might stay.”
“So, yeah I just wanted to tell you.”
“College. Well golly gee, you’re going to be a real boy!”
Don grins, “I’m laughing really loud on the inside now. It hurts too much to do it for real.”
“Ah. Laughing on the inside, it’s a good idea to practice that. So you don’t ruin your dignity.” I chuckle.
“How much longer until we reach Chicago?”
“A couple of hours, we’re getting in after one. Want to watch some more Buffy with me?”
“Sure.”
“Scoot your big butt over then.”
We watch until Rebecca knocks on our door. We let her and her kids in, they have their bags, and are looking nervous. Joe keeps messing with his ribbons. Sarah puts her arm around him and keeps him close. I pack up, the train is twenty minutes away from the station. I’m anxious, I want them to be happy. Don goes to the restroom to change his bandages again.
I pass around chocolate bars, and fiddle with the gold wrapping on mine. Don comes back just as the train arrives at the station. We leave the train quickly, and I look around for that distinctive flaming red hair. I spot it, weaving towards us in a crowd.
“Granny!”
“Rosie!”
People turn, they aren’t used to a twenty-five year old woman being called ‘Granny’. She rushes toward me, and gives me a big hug. She gives a kiss to Don, and beams at Rebecca, Sarah, and Joe in turn, giving a full blast to each. It’s part of her technique. ‘Awe and conquer’, she says. She ushers us out into the northern sun, so much weaker than the one in Texas.
“Come come! Let’s get you rested and cleaned up!”
Her dynamic force drags us along; she’s like a bursting supernova. She takes us to her apartment, her driving wild and erratic. We’re a race car on the highway, in the shape of an SUV. I’m thankful she doesn’t like convertibles. Rebecca closes her eyes, but Sarah and Joe love it. It’s like a ‘video game or the movies except real’ and I agree. I think Granny learned how to drive from those exact things. Don, is surprisingly at ease, but then he drives like this too when the urge takes him.
We arrive to our destination quickly, no surprise there. She owns the building, and shows Rebecca the apartment they will live in. She tells them they should settle, wear in the bathrooms, and then marches us to her loft and tells us to shower. It seems like a whirlwind of activity in comparison to the lazy hours on the train.
I am in the shower when she pops in for a chat.
“So, you had some unexpected trouble Friday? I don’t mind, I’ve been wanting to see you for weeks now. How do you like the new shampoo I bought? Doesn’t it smell wonderful? I thought you might like it. There’s a new razor in there if you need one. Oh, I’d better go check on my new tenants! Have fun!”
I try the new shampoo, and it does smell wonderful. The scent remains with me as I step into my clothes, and I rea
lize that I no longer smell the tang of blood. I go to Granny’s kitchen table and pull out my laptop. I type away filling out my remaining paperwork. I detail the complications, and the adjustments. When I’m done, I send it off.
Granny rushes in, tugging her new charges through the living room. “I have an announcement! We are going Shopping! Come with us.”
I take a look at Rebecca, Sarah, and Joe (dressed as a boy again). I take pity on them, but say no. Shopping with Granny is exactly like driving with Granny. Terrifyingly exhilarating and exhausting. I’ve had enough of exhausting for the past week.
“Monday then, I’m sure there will be things that we forget.”
Oh, Granny’s good all right. She’ll ship whatever she ends up buy for me back to Austin, because there’s no way it’ll fit in a suitcase. I go to check on Don, he’s passed out on the couch. I head to Granny’s kitchen and help myself to some salad from the fridge. I’m tired, and it’s almost five. If I go to sleep now, I’ll probably end up waking at some unusually early hour, but I’m going to risk it, I still haven’t really recovered completely from Friday’s adventure. I go to my room and fall asleep fully clothed on my bed.
Awake
I wake up a little after six in the morning, my body’s trying to get back to it’s regular rhythm. Sunday. The memorial is today. I don’t think I’ll be able to make it to the New York meeting, but Granny will be organizing a get together here.
After sleeping for almost twelve hours, and being cramped on a train, I need to get some excise. I look through my bag trying to find my swimsuit. It’s crammed into one of the corners. I snatch one of Granny’s towels and head to the