Shadow

Chapter 6 - An Unexpected Passenger

The engine revved vigorously when the car sped up over ninety-miles-an-hour. The Ford Mustang GT continued heading east on Route 58 on the Bakersfield-Barstow Highway, going from lane to lane, passing the other cars that occupied this stretch of highway. No matter how fast he wanted to go, Jimmy couldn't reach the city of Vegas fast enough.

He thought about filling the tank with gas when he passed the Kramer Junction about a mile back down the road, but it still had a long way to go. It wasn't full, and the red indicator showed the fuel level was a little down on the halfway mark, due to the consistent speeding, but he figured the car would make it. He simply had no time to waste; he wanted every minute — no, not minute — second to count. The faster he reached Vegas, the faster he would be done with the whole sordid affair. He was lucky to have this car. He had bought it on an impulse before Charlie was born. The color of the car — metallic silver — and specifications seduced Jimmy to a point where he had to have it, no matter what the cost. At the time he was working and so money was coming in. Jimmy and Rachel rarely used their credit cards, and by only paying the household bills and the mortgage on the house, Jimmy wanted something else he could pay monthly. After all, he could afford it. Rachel thought it was pointless at the time since they already had their own family car, a red Honda CR-V, designed for families, which they had just finished paying for. Jimmy had bought a baby-seat in the back for Charlie, but the innocent child never had the chance to try it out.

Jimmy wanted a vehicle of his own, and so, he managed to convince Rachel when he took her for a test drive. In the end, the total of the car equaled to over $44,000. Another added expense to pay on a monthly basis. He wanted the best of the best and he got it: 5.2-liter V8 engine that produced 526 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. The salesman told Jimmy that this model offered many performance upgrades, including a stiffer suspension and larger brakes. Although it was street legal, the car was designed to be more track-focused.

Jimmy had his reservations whenever he would take the GT out for a spin; the car had a lightweight feel to it since its wheels were made from carbon fiber instead of aluminum. He figured — heaven forbid — some truck bashed into him by the side, the car would be totaled in a matter of seconds. It had been a while since Jimmy drove the vehicle; he was used to automatic on the Honda and not manual on the GT, so whenever he upped a gear from two to four (usually forgetting what gear he was using), an irritating, grinding noise would occur.

His mind was running circles. Not just about what he would do to Richie when he arrived in Vegas, but the repercussions that were likely to follow. Then the last image he had of his wife popped back into his head. He still loved her; he knew nobody could magically fall out of love with someone by the click of a light-switch. But to choose between his wife and his desire for vengeance, it cost him his marriage. Whenever he gripped the leather steering wheel, his eyes would take a glance every now and then to his ring finger where the wedding band was. Now that his finger was free, all that was left from the marriage was a dry and flaky white circle.

(this is the end of the road for us)

That was what she said.

Jimmy had accepted that now, and in a way, he felt relief. The biggest weight on his shoulders had finally been lifted. The side of the bed where Rachel lay had been cold for years, and even with her slightest touch on his flesh, he would shudder and move away from her embrace. Some days he couldn't imagine his life without seeing her on a daily basis; some days, he wished she would leave for good whenever he thought of Charlie. His feelings toward her were always uneven. He realized he had gone too far when he blamed her for his death. It wasn't just the wedding band he left on the staircase that finalized the end of the marriage, it was years of memories and the love they shared between them.