Road Trip

Saturday, July 22nd 2006, 10:33am

It was time. Poppy and Gregor were both ready to go, to leave and never look back.

Gregor placed his suitcase in the trunk of the car next to Poppy's and slammed it shut. They had both eaten and Poppy had found a fresh set of clothes to change into. They had their money, passports, food, everything ready to go.

Poppy was about to get into the car when she saw Daniel standing on the doorstep, a cup of coffee in hand. She wished she had something, anything to give to him. Hands tucked in her jeans pockets, she walked over to him.

"Thank you, again," she said with a grim smile on her face. He only shrugged. "You were like my real father all those years and I don't think I can ever repay you."

He seemed to weigh her words for a moment. "You don't have to," Daniel sighed, "cause you were like a daughter to me." He opened his arms for her.

Without flinching, without hesitating, Poppy let herself be swallowed in a hug by Daniel.

When she pulled away, it seemed to finally make sense. It had been thirteen years and more in the making, but her father should be behind bars.

"You know, now that I'm leaving, you could probably call the cops on my dad," she said hesitantly, her face flushing a bit.

"Really?" Daniel looked surprised. "I can't do that though, he'll kill you."

"Well, he could try, but he'd probably be too drunk  to get very far," she reasoned, avoiding eye contact with him. "I mean, when he realizes that I'm gone, and gone for good, he'll probably do something big and dumb so that'll be your chance to call with evidence I guess."

She looked up into Daniel's eyes and noticed they were watering. "Pop, that's all I've ever wanted to do for you," he said and grabbed her into his arms one more time. What she didn't need to say was that if her father was gone, then she'd be able to come home again. Maybe not right away, but she could bring Gregor back to his family.

When he let go, Poppy found Gregor standing beside them and walked to the car to give them some space. She hopped into the driver's seat and closed the door. Goodbyes were personal, so Poppy tried not to invade and made her hands busy, arranging the interior of the car so it would be comfortable.

She looked up and saw as Gregor fiercely wrapped his arms around his father. When he finally parted from their hug, he swiftly walked to the car and got in, swiping his fingers under his eyes.

Not even a week ago did Poppy finish this car. So much had happened since then. She glanced over to Gregor sitting in the passenger seat. "Ready?" she asked.

He took a deep breath and sighed. "Yeah, let's go."

She turned the key and the car grumbled to life. They waved at Daniel as they rolled down the driveway, setting off on their Journey.

In a few minutes they were flying down the highway heading away, far away from the place they used to call home. They were sitting in comfortable silence when Poppy opened her mouth to talk, but stopped herself at the sight of Gregor pulling out a CD again.

When she glanced at it, she noticed he had written a title on it in black sharpie. Poppy's Escape Mixtape, it read. 

She turned and faced the road, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. She let the music play. The first song passed, and the second and the overwhelming feeling of love that passed over her during every second made her want cry.

She had escaped. Poppy was free. Finally.

Her hand seemed to have a mind of it's own when she reached over and took Gregor's hand.

He looked at her, a question in his eyes that didn't need to be spoken.

"I love you," she said, just loud enough for her to hear over the music.

In response, Gregor lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it sending an electric shock through her body.

Barrelling down the highway, hand in hand with her best friend and love of her life, her escape mixtape playing on the car stereo, Poppy finally felt happy. Everything felt right.

This is what it's supposed to be like.