Escaping Reality

Chapter 20: Cajun Interrogation

We pulled back into her quaint little neighborhood, this time I was behind the wheel. I was a little bit nervous. Usually, I handled parents pretty well but with such a fabricated back story I was scared of slipping up in front of them and exposing myself. Her parents were waiting at the door as we walked in. They introduced themselves as Daniel and Pam.

Each of them held a worldly aura similar to Lola's. Something about them screamed that we are entirely different people but work incredibly well together. Their body language, mannerisms, and speech spoke volumes about their relationship. I could tell that they had come together as one and genuinely lived life.

Daniel was around average height and unintimidating. He wore round-framed glasses that seemed appropriate for his face and sported a nicely groomed beard with the occasional grey streak. A Patagonia flannel was his top of choice and some grey cargo pants and wool socks completed his look. If Lola hadn't told me he worked for the Air Force I would have assumed he was a college professor or avid outdoorsman author.

Pam stood around the same height as her husband and had incredibly kind features. She struck me as the mom who was everybody's second mother. Her hair sat just above her shoulder and was tucked back by a sporty headband. She wore a Patagonia quarter zip and some hiking pants with similar wool socks to her husband. Dang either this family had a borderline unhealthy obsession with Patagonia or somebody was sponsored I thought to myself.

"Nice to meet you Lincoln, we were planning on making a cajun pot mix for supper with andouille sausage, shrimp, potatoes, corn and such. That sound good to you?" Pam asked.

"Sounds great" I responded.

"Great Dan, and I will get it going right away. Lola also told us that you need a place to stay for a couple of days. You're more than welcome to crash in the guest bedroom downstairs. Lola can show you the way and you can get all situated and cleaned up."

"That's so kind of you, thank you so much" I offered back, beyond surprised by their hospitality. After checking out of my hotel that morning

I was pretty much down to sleeping in my car if Lola's family hadn't offered to put me up for a couple of nights. The thought of sleeping in my Porsche was weird enough for a light chuckle - wouldn't that be something.

A cool shower on my sunburnt skin sounded magical as soon as we finished up formalities I practically sprinted downstairs to the shower. Lola tried to keep up, directing me to my room with voice commands from behind.

"Left, left, left. Second door on the right."

She finally caught up to me as I was already half-naked and on my way to the shower. She laughed.

"Ah so excited to get in the shower, you must be a dirty grimy little boy. Are you all good? Need anything else?" She asked.

"Nope, I should be all set, thanks again" I shot back.

"Of course." She smiled "Shower up and be upstairs by 6:45, that's when dinner always starts."

She gave me a quick kiss through the opening in the door, turned on her heels, and skipped up the stairs. I retreated to shower shedding my final layer of clothing. I turned the shower on and debated if I wanted a soothing cold shower or a scorching hot one. Each had their pros and cons and I eventually settled for both, starting with cold and gradually cranking up the heat.

Even though my hotel room the previous night had been the nicest room the hotel had to offer their showers still had wacky pressure. It was nice to take a shower and not get pelted by beads of water traveling at dangerously high speeds. I stood there like a statue letting the water fall over me, cascading down the outline of my body. The sand swirled around on the bottom of the tub before making its way down the drain in an entrancing pattern like manner.