Cross-Country

Chapter 3

I'd barely been on the road for ten minutes when my phone started going off like crazy. I glanced at the caller ID and groaned. It was my best friend, Sophie, and I just knew she'd ask questions that I didn't want to answer. I picked up anyway. "Hello?"

"Claire, where are you? We were supposed to get lunch today, remember?"

I mentally slapped myself. In all honesty, I had completely forgotten, which was rather unlike me. "Um, sorry, Soph. Can we do that another time? I'm not feeling well."

There was a pause on the other end, and then Sophie snorted. "Yeah, right. I've known you for years, Claire, and in all that time you've only called in sick for work once. And that was when you literally had to go to the emergency room because you broke your leg. Now stop lying, and tell me what the hell you're doing."

I sighed, defeated. "Alright, fine. I found this old journal and now I'm on a cross-country scavenger hunt for the owner."

I couldn't hear anything for a while, and I grew worried. "Um, hey? Soph?"

I just knew she was shaking her head, even though I couldn't see it. "Seriously?" she asked, voice dripping with incredulity.

"See? I knew you'd make it sound stupid."

"No... no, I'm pretty sure you did that yourself, Claire."

Before I could say anything, she went on. "But, you know, if this gets you out of that rut you've been in, well. Whatever works for you, I guess."

"What are you talking about?"

Silence again on the other end. She was probably searching for words to say. "I don't know. You've just been kinda down lately, and I figured you needed a break, so I thought I'd take you out. But this is much more entertaining, so by all means, go ahead."

"Well, I'm glad I have your blessing," I said sarcastically.

"Uh huh. Well, I gotta go. Talk to ya later, hon."

I tossed the phone over to the passenger seat, shaking my head and smiling.

~~~~~~~~~~~

August 18, 2010

The first day of school was today, and it's just like I predicted. We're all at that stage where we haven't resigned ourselves to another boring year of school yet, so none of the teachers managed to get us under control.

Do you ever feel like you just want to abandon all your life plans and go hide out in a cabin in the woods for awhile? I mean, damn, Henry David Thoreau had the right idea.

- Sam

~~~~~~~~~~~

About twelve hours later, I finally decided that it was time to take a break. I found a 24-hour diner on the side of the road, in one of those small highway towns that only has a few restaurants and maybe a motel.

Light was pouring out of the small building, and there was some subdued chattering drifting out through the open door despite the time. As soon as I walked in, a harried-looking waitress handed me a menu and told me to seat myself. I obliged, picking out a brightly lit booth tucked away in a quiet corner.

I opened the menu and closed it again. I wasn't very hungry, thanks to the cookies Rebecca had packed for me, but I knew what I wanted all the same. I set the menu down and tapped my fingers lightly against my thigh - a nervous habit of mine. My eyes trailed across the pattern of the wood on the table, and I managed to catch a few snippets of hushed conversations happening nearby.

There was something strange about being there all alone, in a small-town diner at eleven at night, and knowing I should have been in my bed fast asleep, waiting to return to work the next morning. This, I decided, was infinitely preferable.

Eventually the waitress came by again. "Sorry about the wait, sweetheart," she told me, "Have you decided on something yet?"

"Yeah, that's fine. Um, could you just bring me a slice of apple pie with ice cream?"

She smiled and winked at me conspiratorially. "Of course. That's my favorite, too, you know."

She bustled off with my menu, and I settled down to wait again. In the booth behind me, I heard a couple whispering and laughing to each other, and I smiled. Across the room, an older woman was taking several bills out of her wallet and getting ready to leave. Outside, the occasional car drove by, breaking the strange quiet. It was nice, I decided, just having time to watch the people around me. To realize that they had goals, and hopes, and lives of their own, and to wonder about what they were.

The waitress came back after a while and set the pie down in front of me. She hesitated for a moment, then spoke. "If you don't mind my asking, where are you headed to? We don't see much in the way of travellers here. I've been seeing mostly the same faces for about six years, now."

"Oh," I said, not really knowing what part of that she wanted me to respond to, "I'm sorry?"

"Don't be. Everyone's friendly, mostly, but it gets a little boring after awhile, you know?"

The old woman who had been about to leave spoke up. "Now, now, Carolyn. I'm hurt that that's how you think of us all."

The waitress - Carolyn - laughed. "Oh, you know I didn't mean it like that, Fi. Are you leaving already? Alright - take care, now!"

She paused to wave cheerfully, and then turned back to me. "That was Fiona, one of our regulars. She's a peach."

I nodded, but Carolyn didn't give me time to respond before chattering on. "So, you know my name, but I don't know yours. Care to share?"

"Oh, uh, yeah. It's Claire."

"Oh, that's pretty. Where are you from, Claire?"

"Philadelphia."

"Ooh, a city girl, huh? So what are you trying to find in a place like this?"

"That's kind of a long story."

"Oh, alright. Don't worry about it. It's late, and it's not my place to ask about other people's stories if they don't want to tell them. Even though I might seem like the type to gossip." She slid into the seat across from me and leaned forward on her elbows, chestnut hair falling into her eyes. "I suggest you check into the motel across the street and get a good night's rest, and maybe you can come by again in the morning."

I nodded. "Alright, thanks. Sounds like a plan."

She smiled apologetically and rose to her feet again. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I do have other things to tend to. Anyway, whatever it is you're looking for, I hope you find it."

And with that, she turned back to the kitchen. I decided to take her advice and headed to the motel across the street, and I barely managed to check in and find my room before I was sound asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~

September 2, 2010

Bad news. My parents told us that they're getting a divorce over dinner. I mean, I guess I could see it coming, but I'd hoped... Never mind.

I can hear Becca crying in her room next door. I don't know, I just... I need a little time to process things, I guess.

- Sam