Passing Through

Chapter 3: The New Game Plan

August 25th.2017

You and Maya sit on the bench outside of the hotel, while Sam looked at flowers, and James stood just looking bored. Your attention suddenly goes to the entrance when you spot a familiar Grand Prix pulling up in front of you. Everyone starts heading to the door of the car to get in, again leaving you to sit in the front.

"Hey, sorry I'm late, I needed to talk to my sister about something."

Maya looks at her watch, "It's one thirty-two."

You look back at Maya and smile and look back at Clyde, "Preparing your sister for a uncomfortable chat with Jesse Jr.?" you smile and chuckle at the idea that you have no idea what this Jesse Jr. or Clyde's sister looks like but you feel bad for both having to be part of most likely the most awkward conversation of their lives.

Clyde looks at you confused at first, "Huh...Oh yeah, yep just as suspected, very angry that I pawned her off like that, but she understands at the same time. By the time I got back to her place she already heard about the mysterious four people who came to Duck Tape.

James leans forward in his seat, "So we are already famous, eh?" Clyde chuckles and looks in his rearview mirror to look behind.

"Unfortunately, you're in a small town where if anything goes on regardless of the time, it's passing like wildfire." He takes his eyes off the rearview mirror and back on the road. "Don't worry, someone will do something stupid or careless and y'all will be yesterdays news."

James leans back in his seat. "Yeah leaving will also do that too." Clyde does a quick glance up at the rearview mirror before putting his eyes back on the road.

As you already have your eyes on Clyde, you glance down at that big hand of his on the gear shift and notice a horseshoe ring on his finger. You're not sure why you didn't notice it before when you shook his hand, well you kinda already knew why. Why did that hand distract you so much? "What's the ring about?" You twist your head to get a better view. "You a crazy horse guy or something?"

Clyde does a quick glance at you like you just ask him a personal question or something, unless it was, like the person who gave it to him like a significant other. "I actually believe in luck and signs for luck." He glances back at you again. "Like the horseshoe."
You twist your head to get another look at it and say nothing. You're afraid to ask, what if you don't like the answer... better yet why do you care so much about what the answer is, you don't care.

"My Ma got it for me on the last Christmas we had with her before she passed." He said not looking at you at first, then glancing to look in your direction and looking away again, "You wanted to know who gave it to me?" looking straight ahead. "That's usually the next question brought to my attention."

"Clyde I'm so Sorry, I didn't mean to bring up a sore subject." You really did feel guilty for prying in something that felt private, something he definitely did not need to tell a stranger he was never going to see again after today.

"It's ok Y/n, actually it's not a sore subject, well the ring I mean. I went into my second tour with it and it brought me luck until..."

You suddenly without thinking about it you traced your eyes down to the other hand, it all started to make sense now, the demeanor, the tall stance, the walk and now the left hand. You look up to Clyde and notice he has been looking at you the whole time. When you both make eye contact is when he looks away towards the road again.

"Until What?" a tiny voice is heard in the back. You look behind and give Sam a shut up glare. You somehow gain the courage to look back at Clyde, "I'm sorry that happened, it was very brave of you to fight for us when many didn't." he gives you a soft smile that's says thank you without having to say it out loud.