You, Me & a Jukebox

You, Me & a Jukebox| 1

"... authorities are saying this could just be the most intense snowstorm over the next few days and are urging residents to stay indoors unless you are seeking emergency shelter..."

"Blah, blah, blah..." I mumble as I switch the radio to CD, having had enough of the warnings and precautions.

I've been driving for three hours already and it's been light snowfall and some wind. They always seem to over exaggerate the weather, all the time. Last month was supposed to be thunderstorms and hurricanes.

That did not happen.

The drive to my family home is almost six hours away from where I live now as a 'responsible adult'.

To be honest, I only did learn to drive a year ago. Thanks to my accident, I held off on a lot of things. On 'adulting'.

I'm half deaf for one and I have a bolt holding my left knee in place with a disgustingly large scar over it.

Car accidents suck.

In my twenty-four years of being alive, nothing has ever made me cautious, not even the accident. Not even when my mother insisted I do not go cliff diving with my cousin's because I was too small to jump out a greater distance.

I never listened.

That's why I have scars running down my back, now covered by tattoos. I needed something to distract me from reliving the memory.

EXIT NEXT RIGHT

"Exit to where?" I stress as the snow outside begins to thicken and road signs are being lathered by the storm, "great, the one time you should have listened, you didn't, nice going, Snow"

Who am I kidding? I never even listen to myself, intrusive thoughts for the win.

As I continue driving, this time slowing to a more cautious speed limit and just up ahead I can makeout a few neon lights illuminating the gloomy weather outside. The lights wrap around a one story building like a halo and by the looks of it, from my distance, it's a diner.

In the middle of nowhere? Strange.

"Please don't kill me. Please don't kill me..." I say as I am now forced to pull into the secluded diner.

The chains on my tires didn't help much along this drive. God, could this night throw literally any other curve balls at me?

Coming to a stop as I find a less slippery parking spot right by the doors, I shift into park and unbuckle my seatbelt. Now that I turn my car off, the low hum that once was TLC's; Unpretty fades into the dull surroundings.

Because, yes, at the end of the day, I do have myself to blame for getting myself into this situation.

I knew I should have just let my brother book the flight for me. It would have been an hour plane ride at the most with less frostbite and more alcoholic beverages before I land so, that I would have the guts to face everyone.

I guess, I am my father's daughter, leaving things to the last minute.

My features visibly screw together as I wish to not reminisce about what was and what could have been, instead I began my search for a runaway charger.

Having my phone on only ten percent of charge in the middle of a snowstorm is not ideal.

If I didn't answer her call, my mother would literally have my head on a spike to display in the middle of her front lawn for the neighbours to see all year round.

What's also not ideal is having a minor heart attack as a thickly gloved hand knocks on my driver's side window.

I cannot see beyond the sleeve that's covered by the moss green jacket.