Doctor's Orders

The Seductress Cometh

"Your dad has a shotgun?"Justin asks in alarm. We're on our way to Lacey, almost twenty miles outside of Seattle, with nothing but long stretches of highway all around us. We'd originally entertained ourselves by guessing who sang each song that came on the radio; Justin won that game, but only because it was an oldies station and he has a freakishly good memory.

Now he wants me to prepare him by telling him things about my father.

"He has four, actually, but he keeps them locked in a cabinet," I calmly explain. "If he decides to shoot you with one,  you'll have at least a three-minute head start while he finds the key. Now his police gun, on the other hand..."

"Police gun?"

"I told you he's a cop."

"He's off duty," Justin grumbles, clearly distressed, as his eyes rest on the pavement in front of us. It's a cool, overcast day, but dry- it hasn't rained in almost a week, and the clouds above us are white and nonthreatening.

"Chief Bryant is never off duty, Justin," I remind him.

"You did tell him about me, right? He knows I'm coming?"

"Nah, I figured we'd surprise him."

"Are you serious?" He looks downright panicked, and I laugh openly, not even bothering to hide my amusement. Justin scowls tries to punch my side, and in his distraction he pulls the steering wheel and swerves the car towards the center of the road. Luckily, there's no one around us.

That doesn't stop me from chastising him like my firstborn. "What the hell, Bo Duke? Keep your eyes on the road! Killing me won't make my dad any less likely to shoot you."

"He'd have to find me first."

"You clearly underestimate him." I settle down in my seat, trying to soothe my frazzled nerves. "Will you pull over at the next exit? I have to pee now, thanks to you."

"We only have about forty more miles. I think you can hold it."

"So help me God, Justin, you better pull over."

"Or what?" he challenges.

"I'll pee in your car, that's what."

"That'd be just like you to pee on my leather seats, Aspen."

"Don't try me, Justin."

Fortunately for his leather seats, he pulls over. I use the bathroom, stock up on Combos and bottled water, and we pile back into the car, ready to complete the remaining thirty five miles to Lacey. Our conversation continues much the same way, with occasional bantering and tidbits here and there about my father. My dad has started seeing a woman named Dawn, a single mom who used to be friends with my mother. She and my mother haven't spoken in years, but it's strange nonetheless.

Dawn is supposed to be coming to dinner tonight. Well, technically she's cooking the dinner. At my dad's house.

Dad seemed so pleased at being able to give us a home cooked meal our first night there that I can't help but feel somewhat thankful for her. Lord knows, a man can only survive so long on dry cereal and breakfast pastries.

As we enter Lacey, I begin pointing out various landmarks from my past. "Down there is where I went to elementary school," I say, and "If you go down that road, there's a campground where me and my dad went camping."

"Your mom didn't go?" Justin asks.

"Nah, she hated that kind of stuff. Occasionally one of my dad's friends would come, and we took Dawn's son sometimes."