Find Me >> Wattys2016

one >> the ride

- PART TWO -
now

COLE'S P.O.V

Date - March 25th
Time - 11:03
Location – Highway I-10

I was honked continuously by the cars behind me. I honked back. It was a Monday morning, and I was on my way to my hometown of New Orleans from LA.

The cars behind me honked harder, and out of annoyance I rolled down the window and yelled out, "Shut up, you bastards!"

That didn't help matters.

I leaned my head back onto the seat, trying to find a decent radio channel. It was a pretty rough day for me, especially when I couldn't get neither a plane nor a train ticket to New Orleans and was forced to drive instead. Interstate 10 sucked.

It was a dead stop in that highway, with everyone moving an inch every thirty minutes. It was urgent, and the sweet Lord blessed me with traffic instead.

I felt my phone buzz inside my pocket and I slipped my hand inside to retrieve it. The screen pulsed with a single name on it,

Kathy

A sigh escaped my lips before I pressed the accept button and placed the phone onto my ear. "Hello?" I greeted uneagerly.

"Cole! Where are you? It's one hour before the burial and you just missed the speeches!" my sister hissed onto the phone.

I gripped the steering wheel a little harder. I was wearing a black shirt and pants, with my suit hanging in the back of the car. "Kath, have you checked the news yet? I-10 isn't moving a single inch!" I spat at the phone, annoyed by her obliviousness.

"You are nineteen! You should've known better to book three days in advance!"

"I was told just yesterday, Goddammit!" I yelled back, managing to advance forward. The car in front of me halted suddenly, and I hit the brake just fast enough to avoid collision. I cursed and honked furiously.

"Where are you now?" she asked me again, and I looked out to find the kilometer sign, but I was too far away to see it.

"Not quite sure, but I'll get there, I promise," I said, trying to end the conversation.

"Kathy! Kathy, is that Cole?" a small voice entered the conversation, and soon after the small voice became clearer.

"Can I talk to him please?" he asked in a sweet voice, and I heard Kathy agreeing before a rustle came and the phone was in his hands.

"Hello brother Cole!" he exclaimed in childish excitement.

"Hey Miles," I replied in feign excitement. It was hard not to sound all brotherly over him.

"Where are you? I can't find you anywhere here. It's a really big place, but I have to be quiet all the time," he exclaimed, and I laughed a bit.

Miles was just a five year-old kid, my little brother. I left for college when he was four. "Yeah, wait for me, okay little guy? I just have a little problem to get through," I answered.

"Cole?" he asked again in a small voice.

"Yeah?"

"Why is cousin Edwin sleeping in a weird wooden bed?" he asked innocently.

That name brought me grief. Edwin was my cousin and my best friend. He was two years younger than me, so I left for college before him. Edwin lived near my house, and he used to play catch with Miles ever since Miles was able to walk. Edwin died in a crash during the night when he was taking a late bike ride. It was his funeral that day.