The CEO's Wife

Chapter 22

Buses

Melody Young 

I have no idea what I'm doing. I've been sitting on this bench looking at the bus times on my phone for an hour. It would take me seconds to get a ticket, get on the bus, and be on my way, but for some reason, I can't make myself. I've been sitting here arguing with the voice in the back of my mind telling me to grab my bag and go home. Still, whenever I feel that I'm not doing the right thing, I just reach into my pocket and take out the picture.

You almost can't call it a picture, not more. It's been beaten up, folded up, and stuffed into the bottom of a box of old books for the longest time, but the overall image is still there. There was a tall woman with tanned skin sitting in one of the plastic white yard chairs. The kind of chair that you sit in for family cookouts. She was smiling, and the wind was blowing her hair in all directions, even though it was pulled into a ponytail. She had so much hair, just like I do; my hair is thick, but I choose to keep it cut short because if I don't, I wouldn't be able to control it. She had so much hair that it was almost easy to miss the tiny infant she was holding close to her chest. That was me, and I knew it was me because that outfit I had on was folded up in a box of things my grandmother kept from when I was a baby.

The woman in the picture was sitting in a chair in what looked like a small patch of grass in the middle of the desert. Behind her was a yellow building, obviously a motel, and at the top, in the very corner, there was a sign, The Oasis Inn. I know what the sign said, even though that corner of the picture had worn away years ago. I remember it from the first time I found this picture crumpled up in the pocket of one of my father's jackets after he had come home from months on the road.

As a little girl, I examined every part of this picture. Hid it and kept it safe for all this time. Sometimes when I felt alone or needed advice from a woman, I would sit with this picture in my hands and talk to her. It was silly, I know, but I was just a kid. A kid looking for her mom.

Now I'm an adult and about to be a mom, but I don't understand how I'm supposed to do that, and I never had one of my own.

It took me a long time and a lot of digging, but I finally found the oasis inn. Two states away and about a three-day bus ride. I couldn't find it before because it's switched owners a few times, and now it's a motel 6, but I'm sure if I go there, somebody can give me some answers. Somebody that might know something about her.

"Just do it, Mel. You keep sitting here; you never gonna figure anything out." I said to myself as I booked the ticket. It was the last one out of town for the night, and it leaves in ten minutes. "This is it. I don't know your name, and I don't have anything but this picture, but I'm gonna find you."

I picked up my bag from the ground and went to the counter to give the clerk my information and get my ticket. I was on the bus and on the way before I could blink twice. I was nervous, but I focused on taking deep breaths, mainly because that was the only thing that could keep me from wanting to vomit.

"Are you okay, ma'am," I looked up, and the driver was looking over at me. I was sitting close to him, two seats back, but he could see me in the oversized rearview mirror over his head.

"Yes, I'm fine," I replied. "Just a little motion sick."

"Well, there are bags in the little pocket behind the seat in front of you and a bathroom at the back of the bus. If you can help it, please try not to throw up on the floor. We got a ways to go, and bad smells only get worse with time." the driver said.

I smiled and pulled the little bag from the back of the seat in front of me. "You go, my word." I said to him.

"Where you headed, if you don't mind me asking," he said.

"Um, I don't really know," I replied.

"You running away from something?" I asked.

"No, looking for someone I lost," I replied.

"Oh," he said softly. "I was about to say, I don't know what kinda guy you're running from, but if he bought you a ring like the one on your finger, I'll turn this bus around and drive you home myself."

"No, not running from anyone." I smiled. I hadn't even realized that I was still wearing that ring. I should probably take it off. I don't know what kind of people imma run into out here that last thing I need to have on is a big ass wedding ring.

I slipped it off my finger and started to put it in my pocket, but then I stopped. If I drop it, Kirsnick is gonna kill me and then himself. I had on a necklace. It was nothing special, just a plain little silver chain I got from my grandmother before passing. I took it off and slid the ring onto the chain before placing it back around my neck and tucking it into my shirt.

"So, you not running from anyone. You don't know where you're headed, and you look homesick." the driver said. "

"Morning sickness," I replied.

"Oh," he raised his eyebrows. "You said it was motion sick a second ago."

"Yeah, I think that maybe it's a little of both," I replied.

"Hm, you far along?"

"No, just found out. I'm only like 8 weeks." I said to him. Anyone else would think he was too nosey, but he doesn't give me creepy vibes. He's a nice older man with classes, a long mustache, and a beard. He looked how you would imagine Santa Claus to look if he drove a bus the other 364 days of the year.

"So, who is it that you're looking for?" he asked.

"Uh, my mom," I replied.

"You looking for your mom?" He looked up into the mirror with confusion in his eyes.

"Yeah, she hasn't been around since I was young, and I really want to know why," I said to him. He nodded.

"So, you're on a journey of self-discovery," he said. "Well, I'm not gonna sit here and talk your head off, but I wish you luck, little lady. I hope you find who you're looking for."

"Yeah," I replied with a smile. "Me too,"