HARMONY

Part 45 "Go home Dorothy"

The moon was the only light Claire could see. She stood silhouetted at the window with a single tear making its way down to her chin. Not usually a crier, she let herself enjoy the sensation.

With the quietest of movements, she pulled on her jeans and tied her shoes. The creak of the door made her body freeze. No other sounds. She closed it behind her.

She grabbed her bag and fished around for the keys. She gave the bag a shake, then flipped it over. No keys. The kitchen light clicked on.

"Hey Claire."

Claire turned to face Pete. "Hey."

"Sorry," he said. "I took your keys."

""Fraid I'd make a break for it?" She smiled and sat at the table.

"Something like that." He sat across and took her hand. "I can't imagine how hard all this has been on you." He grabbed the Kleenex box and put his arm around her. Her loud sobs filled the room.

"I hate him so much, but I love him too."

"I know."

"I mean how could he just leave us like this?"

"No one really knows, but him."

She blew her nose and added the slimy tissue wad to the mounting pile. "I have to find him."

Pete nodded. "I actually know where he is."

"You do?"

"I've been following the tour, figuring, at some point, we'd have to go get your dad." He looked at the clock. "I gotta get my beauty rest, but if we leave at six, we'll be there by sunset."

Claire attempted a smile. "I don't suppose you'll let me drive."

"Not on your life."

The afternoon sun crashed into Pete's Range Rover. Claire leaned against Sophia in the backseat. No one spoke. Although Pete had spared the girls his usual favorite Jazz station and tuned to Pop, they barely lipped words to their favorite songs. Claire wasn't even totally sure where they were going and she didn't really care.

"You girls wanna do lunch?" Pete said, his eyes looking for any sign of life in the rear view. "These little road side diners are the best, ya know."

"Not hungry."

"Me neither."

"Well," he said. "Anyone need to make tinkle?"

"Make tinkle?" Claire sat up. "Ya, I guess I need to pee."

"We almos there Pops?"

Pete pulled into the parking lot of a diner and parked next to a rickety school bus. "We're close. It's about two hours up the road," he said, proudly pointing to his GPS. "According to the solar panels on the lunar module, it's exactly 102 minutes."

"Oh Lord," Sophia said. "Why'd we let you bring that thing?"

Claire stretched and began walking toward the diner. As Pete and Sophia followed her, Sophia grabbed Pete by the arm. "Look," she said and pointed to the bus.

"What?"

"The giant WS painted on the side—Pops, it's their bus."

"We've got to stop her."

Two steps after Claire entered the diner, Sophia and Pete burst in. They looked left and right. No Claire.

"She had ta pee," Sophia said. She headed to the restroom and walked in on Claire washing her hands.

"Hey," Claire said. "I'm thinkn' we should get like a garden salad or something."

"Uh huh, ya, um Claire."

"Why do you look so weird and everything?" Claire pumped the empty towel holder, shook a few drops from her hands and headed for the door. Sophia jumped in front of it.

Claire reached for the door handle. "What's wrong with you?"

"You can't go out there."

Claire studied her friend's face—looking for the sign of understanding that comes from knowing one another's thoughts. Within seconds, Claire's eyes blinked wide open. "My dad's here?"

Sophia nodded. Claire grabbed the door but Sophia pushed it shut. "Hol on girl," she said. "Whacha you gonna say?"

"Gonna say get your sorry ass in the car," she said.

A slow smile followed by a nod. "That'll work." Sophia hugged Claire and stepped aside.

Claire scanned the mostly empty diner. No sign of her dad, but she noted two tables of roadies shoveling in fried chicken. Midway to their table, she heard Pete clear his throat. Claire turned and he pointed to the men's room, just as Sophia came to her side.

"Got it," Claire said.

Sophia grabbed her arm. "You gonna just walk in the men's room?"

"Yep." She pushed open the door. Assaulted by the smell, she wrinkled her nose and let out a groan. "Gross."

Just pulling up his zipper, Steve turned to the sink.

"Um, hey." Claire said. She tilted her head and studied her dad. Steve's hair stuck out randomly from too many shampooless days. "Dad?"

"Claire?!" His arms formed a half circle looking for a hug. "How did you...when did you...is your mother here?"

Tears pooled in her eyes. "Just me." She hugged her dad. "And Sophia and Pete."

He smoothed her hair and tucked his chin on her head. "I missed you."

The door opened and in walked Sophia and Pete, followed by Vance. Vance took a quick look around and then stared directly at Steve. "Time to go home, Dorothy."

"But I need to finish the books from the last—"

"No ya don't." He glanced toward Pete and Sophia. "You got some crazy-ass circus of a family, but I ain't letting you any where near the bus."

"But my stuff..."

Vance unzipped. "You got nothing and I gotta pee." He faced the urinal. "Get on outta here Dorothy—sometimes my aim ain't so straight."

Steve patted his friend on the back. "You're dead on."  

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