Page 51 of Back to You
Chapter 16
“Turn left on Howell Avenue, then continue driving for six miles.” The monotonous British voice of the GPS had been our entertainment for the past two hours—yes, we were that bored. Every time she said something in her robotic voice, Dane would parrot her in an equally-terrible accent and we’d both laugh.
Custard lounged on the sun-warmed dash like he owned the place, his tail flicking every now and again. He curled his big paws around the little hula girl we’d bought, whose grass skirt swayed from side to side, and let out a contented sigh. It seemed he’d fully accepted his life on wheels.
“Do not pass go. Do not collect two hundred dollars. Cheerio.” Dane wrinkled his nose, glancing between me and Custard, who was taking his job as co-pilot very seriously. “Are we getting close yet? I really have to take a piss. As my dear old poppy used to say, my back teeth are floating.”
I snorted and smacked him on the arm. “That’s nasty.”
“You laughed,” he replied. “So, yes? No? How many more miles till we reach the stables?”
“Uh…” I fiddled with my phone.
“Turn right in one mile, then turn left. Your destination is on the left.”
“Hallelujah. Thank you, Karen.”
I cracked a smile. “She sounds like a Karen, doesn’t she?”
“Yeah, like from Spongebob? Plankton’s robot wife, her name is Karen, right? I think it is. Hah, it’s so fitting.” He squirmed in his seat, sitting up a little straighter but he couldn’t hide the fact that he was practically squeezing his legs together. “Jesus, I really have to pee.”
Custard let out a big yawn and stretched, arching his back and flexing his claws over the leather interior. With a rusty “Mrrr,” he hopped off the dash and disappeared deeper into the RV. A few minutes later, I heard the telltale sound of scratching in the litter box.
“Guess he had to pee, too.”
“Jealous.” Dane grunted.
“You can use the litter box, too, if you want. It’s a free country, but I ain’t scooping your shit.”
“Now who’s nasty?”
“You have arrived at your destination,” Karen bleeped.
“Finally.” Turning the RV into the dirt lot of Featherwind Stables, he parked and killed the engine. The keys swung from the ignition. “Be right back,” he said as he all but leapt over the center console, elbowing me on his way past. The bathroom door clapped shut behind him.
I looked out the window.
South Carolina really was beautiful, and it was perfect for what we had planned for the day. One of the things Mom had really wanted to do was to visit the ocean, and to ride horses again.
Gripping my hand tightly, she’d bowed her head and she’d cried because she realized she’d never get to ride bareback on the beach like she always dreamed of as a little girl. She cried for all the years she’d lost. We’d cried together.
So today, even though neither of us really knew how to ride, we were gonna live that dream for Mom. With a little Google-Fu, Dane found a stable that did beach rides, and while it wouldn’t be bareback, it was good enough. I wasn’t sure I wanted to get on the back of some giant hoofed animal without a saddle, anyway.
“Much better.” Dane reappeared a few minutes later, raising an eyebrow at me. “What are you thinking about, right this very moment?” he asked, suddenly serious.
I pursed my lips on a hum. “That I’m more than a little terrified of horses.”
“Aww, but they’re so sweet. You remember the ponies at the zoo?”
“I never rode them,” I replied honestly. “I always came up with some lame excuse, and your mom always believed me.” I think she realized I was scared when I’d gone stiff and stammered that I had to pee, then bolted out of the barn like my ass was on fire. I’d been seven. I totally hid in the bathroom and Mrs. Fisher had to coax me out with the promise of a snack. I shrugged. “Guess it’s time to face my fears.”
“We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to,” he said. “You know that.”
“I know, but it was something Mom was really upset over. It meant a lot to her, and maybe it’s stupid because she’s not even here, but I have to do this. Even if I cry like a little bitch afterwards.”
His lips twitched into a fond smile. “I love you.”
“I love you more,” I sang back.
