SYNCHRONICITY (Dream Walker) 🖋

Home Sweet Home

Sebastian woke Alison by placing a steaming cup of coffee beneath her nose; he smiled when she opened her eyes, wincing at the sun shining on her face through the windshield.

"What time is it?"

He looked eastward. "Arse-crack of dawn."

She chuckled. "Tired?"

"Yeah...you want to take over?"

She nodded. "Sure," she replied yawning.

"Still not through Kansas..."

"Oh no," she groaned.

"What Love?"

"Have you ever driven all the way through Kansas on this road? It's a boring drive. Ya see a lone tree a half mile away and get excited..."  She laughed. "As long as I don't come upon any twistahs, I'll be good." She held up the cup and saw the golden arch trademark. "How fortuitous," she purred. "Did you bring me noms?"

He knelt by the Jeep and cozied up to her, smiled and nodded. "I hunted and gathered for you...." he whispered sensually.

"And what did you bring me, my mighty hunter," she cooed. She breathed in deeply.

"Big breakfast with extra hash browns and extra sausages..."

"Ooo..."

"You like sausages..."

"Yes I do," she cooed.

"I know..."

"Do I have to hear this," James groaned with mock aggravation, reaching for the cup of coffee his father placed in the cup holder next to him.

Sebastian looked up and playfully sneered at him. "How the hell do you think you came to be here!"

"Toosh, Pops. Toosh..." He yawned and took a sip of the hot coffee. "Did you Bring something for me?"

"A knuckle sammich..."

James nodded and rolled his eyes as he gnashed his teeth. He yawned then took another sip from the coffee cup.

Sebastian chuckled and reached over Alison's lap, producing a large plastic bag and held it up.

"Hot cakes and eggs?"

"Of course," Sebastian replied smiling.

"Sweet. Thanks Dad."

Sebastian nodded. "You're welcome, Jamie," he said quietly, as he smiled toward his son.

Jamie...Pop's in a good mood, he thought.

Sebastian switched places with Alison but was unable to get comfortable. James reminded him that their gear was stowed behind the rear seat so, he couldn't lower it and Sebastian realized his only other alternative was to place his legs between the seats, which meant he'd have to remove his boots...his feet had been in them for over twenty-four hours and he honestly felt horrible for what he was about to do to the two of three people he cared most about..."Sorry guys," he said as he removed his leather cowboy boots and socks, garnering him a worried look from his son.

"Incoming..." James groaned and he grimaced.

"What," Alison asked innocently. She followed her query with a colorful exclamation of disgust. "Sebastian! Good lord!"

"A good soldier always takes care of his feet," James said, mimicking his father's voice. "Obviously, father-dear has been neglecting his toesies..." he pressed the button on the arm rest of the passenger side door, thinking that the window couldn't lower fast enough.

_____

Alison played her 70's mix from her phone and quietly sang along to the various selections. James was texting back and forth with Alexis about Max trying to escape the bedroom she shared with Elizabeth. She informed them that they'd returned to the apartment and when she placed his harness on him to take him for a walk, he kept pulling her toward the rear building where he thought they should be going. This of course, caused James a fair amount of guilt, having been away from his cat.

He texted his best friend Alex making inquiries as to how he was doing, and to his where-abouts. He hoped that he'd hear from him soon.

He stared out the window as they drove by the fields of what appeared to be a wasteland of nothingness, empty and dried up, then looked toward his mother who was still singing quietly, and finally looked to his father who seemed to be fast asleep.

"What do you expect to find once we get there," he asked.

She shook her head. "I have no idea. I feel like I ought to call her to see if she's okay or something..."

"Might want to talk to Dad about that before you do it?"

"You think we should just show up unannounced?"

"The element of surprise does have its advantages," James replied quietly as he took a sip from his empty cup and grimaced. "Damn."

"I know," she said. "I'm out too."

"Should have brought a thermos with us," Sebastian uttered sleepily as he slowly wiggled his sock-covered toes, groaning his lament, as sensation finally returned to them. He pulled one leg back and then the other as he groaned from the obvious stiffness. As if on cue, James grabbed at his father's cigarette case and silver zippo lighter, and held it back toward him.

Sebastian grumbled his thanks and Alison watched him in the rear view mirror. James did too, chuckling inwardly at the mop of long, wildly curly hair haloing his father's head.

Sebastian Matus was, for all intents and purposes, a military police-trained civilian for hire and made it a point to remain to all, to have the appearance of a coiffed professional yet ominous-looking rogue. He had the look down pat...this was one man that you just didn't want to cross even on a good day; it was the same, day in and day out...twenty-four-seven...three-hundred-sixty-five...no one save a lucky few have or would ever see the Lone Wolf in such a sorry-looking state.

James smiled, counting himself as topping the very short list.