Page 26 of Highway To Destiny

My current trip included cities and towns along Interstate 5, up and down through Washington state. I noticed I had more freight pickups on that route; many were all the way up to southern Oregon. After my Bellingham delivery, I had time to stop in Seattle to see Claudia’s parents, Jack and Sylvia.

I parked my rig at the last freight pick-up location, which gave me time to spend a late afternoon with my old in-laws. Although Jack and Sylvia hadn’t been considered my in-laws since Claudia’s death, I still referred to them as such out of respect.

I used a rideshare to take me to their waterfront condo in downtown Seattle, below the Pike Place Market. I’d always loved their place and its magnificent view of Elliott Bay. They’d lived there a little over twenty years. I’d called them yesterday to let them know I’d be coming through town and ask if they had time to visit. They were overjoyed.

Before I left my truck, I made myself presentable.I put on nice jeans, a button-up shirt, and a navy sports coat. I preferred dressing up when I saw them, even though I wasn’t ashamed of my usual trucker attire of T-shirts and flannel.They hadn’t seen me in almost seven years, and theycarried a formality that radiated class and grace. Claudia had inherited the same attributes, andI’d often reminded myself that I married up.

Once I left the Uber, I rang the callbox to their residence. The security gate buzzed, and I entered. It was a beautiful day but quite cold, and the light breeze off the water brought the wind chill down even further.

I rang their doorbell. No more than a few seconds went by, and the door opened wide; Sylvia had her arms out, beaming with the biggest smile I’d ever seen from her.Time had been good to her. She’d kept her brown hair long but tucked back into a tight bun. It was now streaked heavily with grey, but she didn’t try and cover it up. Her eyes were a bright hazel and held barely a hint of green. Not the intense green that captivated me with Claudia.

As always, she was smartly put together in slacks, a matching blouse, and her signature string of pearls. She brought me into a tight hug and held me for a long time. “I’m so happy you reached out to Jack and me. This is a lovely surprise and extremely overdue.” She pulled back and lightly swatted my arm. I noticed she had unshed tears in her eyes, and my throat tightened.

“I-I know, it’s been a long time,” was all I could get out. I smiled and looked down briefly, not wanting to get emotional in front of her.

“Come in, come in,” she said as she took the crook of my arm to lead me into their home. “Jack is finishing up a call and will join us when he’s finished. Let’s sit in the living room to catch up.”

Not much had changed over the years with their décor. They had an aesthetic that was contemporary but leaned toward Asian in style. It had subtle tones throughout, with splashes of color, mainly from silk pillows and graphic artwork. They had a kimono in bright red on the wall, illuminated by a well-placed spotlight. Most of their pieces came from travels they’d taken through the Far East, and in front of a large bank of windows facing Elliott Bay sat an ornately decorated Christmas tree that reached the ceiling, making it the focal point of the room.

No sooner had we entered the living room than Jack walked in and stopped abruptly with a drink in his hand. He gave me the once-over, the same as he’d done every time we’d got together. He had a dry sense of humor that had taken me a while to understand. His appraisal of me was the finest joke we shared. I looked at Sylvia while Jack looked me up and down. She had covered her mouth to stifle a giggle. I knew his gesture touched her memories.

Jack had never looked or acted his age. He had a full head of hair, cut in a fade that had gone mostly silver from almost black over the years. His skin was tanned, which had to do with his weekly tennis and golf games. He was fit and loved his outdoor sports. Standing before me, he wore a blue sweater vest emblazoned with a country club logo over a white polo shirt and khakis. I wished I would look half that good when I hit seventy-five.

After his humorous appraisal, Jack placed his drink on a side table and walked up to me with an outstretched hand, grinning from ear to ear. When I took his hand, he immediately pulled me into a tight hug, not letting go. This visit was going to do me in.

He finally stepped back and put both his hands on my upper arms. “It’s so great to see you, Mason. Syl and I were so happy to get your phone call yesterday. I knew there was a reason we decided to stay home this year instead of our usual trip to the desert during the holidays. We would have missed you otherwise.”

“I’m glad I had the opportunity to swing through Seattle on this trip,” I replied. “I know it’s been a long time. I-I just felt it was right to reconnect and see you both.”

We’d stayed in touch by the occasional email or a birthday card over the years. Still, the last time I’d seen these beautiful people was the third anniversary of Claudia’s burial. She was their only child. Continuing to visit that cemetery, year after year, was just too painful for me, and I couldn’t do it anymore.

Sylvia offered for me to sit with an outstretched hand and asked what I’d like to drink. Jack had his scotch in his hand, and he jiggled his glass, clinking the ice.

“I’d love a bourbon on the rocks,” I said, knowing I’d need it.

She walked over to the wet bar and deftly pulled down a tumbler, filling it with ice. I think she realized I’d need more than a single shot, and I watched her give me a very generous pour. She turned back and handed me the crystal tumbler. Again, the epitome of class.

I thanked her, and the aroma of something from the kitchen made my nostrils twitch in pleasure. Sylvia was a fabulous cook, which Claudia had also developed. “I smell something good,” I said as I looked toward the kitchen and gave her a wink.

Sylvia beamed. “Well, you’re staying for dinner, Mason and I thought you’d enjoy a home-cooked meal. I know being on the road doesn’t always afford you the luxury. Excuse me a second while I go check on it.” I smiled and nodded as I peered into the amber liquid caressing the ice in my glass. She stepped out of the room.

That gave Jack and me the chance to catch up on his endeavors and the pro football standings since we were approaching the playoffs. Jack was a diehard Seattle fan—I preferred San Francisco. That was the only rivalry Jack and I shared over the years. I enjoyed ribbing him every time San Francisco beat Seattle, especially on their home turf. Things never got heated talking sports with him. He and I understood each other.

As usual, Sylvia’s food was outstanding. We dined on Irish stew, homemade soda bread, and a vintage bottle of Cabernet—a perfect meal on a winter’s night. After dinner, we adjourned to the living room, wine glasses in hand.

“Mason, I know we haven’t seen you in quite some time, and it’s been ten years since Claudia left us.” She paused. “I know being on the road can steal much of your time, but do you have anyone special in your life?” Sylvia asked. I saw Jack look her way.

“Sylvia dear, I know it’s been a while since we’ve seen Mason, but do you think it’s appropriate to be questioning him about his love life?” Jack knew I kept things private, and I could sense he wanted the conversation to go in a different direction. I wasn’t sure I wanted to go down her line of questioning, but I decided to answer anyway.

I huffed a laugh. “It’s fine, Jack. It's been a while, and you’re both curious about what I’ve been up to besides driving my rig up and down the western states.” They sat comfortably across from me on the sofa, and I took a healthy swig of my wine.

Is this the time to talk about Connor and his eye color?

I swallowed my wine noisily and continued. “Something interesting happened late this summer in eastern Oregon. I headed south, out of Washington, stopping at a roadside rest area outside of Pendleton. A college student, who’d been hitchhiking, approached my cab and asked if he could get a lift to the university in La Grande.”

I could see they weren’t sure where the story was headed, so I cut to the chase.

“What startled me was he had the exact same emerald-green eye color as Claudia. I’ve never seen anyone with eyes that matched hers before.”

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