For you, Lucy. (On Hold)

Chapter 3. Janis

"So...A road trip huh?" She asked as she walked beside him to his faithful ride.
"Yeah." He replied.
She opened the passenger door and spotted Lucy's picture frame with it's seatbelt fastened around it securely. She looked up at Robbie.
"You can hold it in your hands when you sit." He said gruffly.
She nodded uncertainly and got in slowly, holding the frame carefully in her two hands. They started off and she cleared her throat.
"Umm..I don't know your name...Sir." she said.
"Robbie Albert. You can call me anything except Rob or Bertie." He replied.
"Oh. How about Albie?"
"Except Rob or Bertie or Albie. Or any other such name." He said sneaking a sideways glance at the girl who was smirking to herself.
"I'm Janis. And you can call me Janis." She said.
"Okay."
"Who's she?"
"Who's who?"
"In the picture."
"That...that's Lucy. My wife."
"I'm sorry about what happened to her..."
Robbie looked at her.
"I didn't tell you something happened to her." He said.
"Well...why would you carry such an old picture of her if she was perfectly fine?" Replied Janis.
Robbie hid the shock he felt and drove on, saying nothing.
"Mind me asking what happened?" Asked the girl softly.
"She died...motor accident. Someone ran into her while she was walking back home from buying groceries. It was 16 years ago." He replied quickly, not wanting to remember that night for any longer than necessary.
Janis said nothing. After all, there was nothing to be said. They drove in silence for a while.
"Robbie Albert?" She said after a while and Robbie looked at her. She had clear green eyes. Just like Lucy's. He looked away.
"Yes Janis?" He asked.
"Can I come with you?"
"Come with me where?" Asked Robbie even though he felt he knew where she wanted to come with him.
"On your road trip." She said matter-of-factly.
"Kid, won't your parents be worried?"
She seemed to shrink into her seat and her expression darkened.
"I've got no father and my mom's a drunk who hates me." She said, her voice sounding pained and small.
"I'm sure you're exaggerating. Why would she hate you?"
"She tells me she hates me. Says I'm the reason my father left her. She was a teen when she had me. My father, her boyfriend, freaked and left and her parents turned her out of the house. I ruined her life. She calls me names and stays home, drinking most of the time. We used to live on the unemployment money and the money I got in from my summer job. But no more. I'm not going back." She said, looking steadily out the window.
Her words took a few seconds to sink in. He felt a bit sorry for her but she looked like someone who didn't like being sympathised. But, what exactly could he say to her? He decided to ask her a question instead.
"What's your plan?" He asked.
"To be honest, there's no plan. Leaving was the only thing I could think of. I thought I could've stayed till I was 18 at least, but it just got too much. I can't handle her. She doesn't want to handle me." She said and then the severity of her situation began to set in.
"Oh my holy God. What am I going to do?!" She cried at herself and Robbie stared at her blankly.
"I'm telling you kid. I can drop you off at the police station."
"No. Please don't. Please take me with you on your trip. I'll take the time to think of what I can do next." She pleaded.
"But kid-"
"If it's how much my living expenses will cost you, I swear I will pay you back every penny. Please just take me along. I could do with the change too" she ranted.
Wasn't running away change enough?
Thought Robbie but he didn't voice it out loud. He was shocked. His road trip hadn't included picking up a stray teenager. He parked at the edge of the road and stared at her and then at Lucy. How similar their green eyes were. It was eerie.
Janis. Lucy. Janis. Lucy. Janis. Lucy.
He cleared his throat.
"Alright."                  

Note
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