Page 43 of Tangled Threats on the Nomad Highway
“And you wouldn’t change a damn thing. Behonest.”
“You’re right, as always. That’s why Icall you Einstein. Smartest man among us, always.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’d like to point out thatshe’s still a teen, for another while at least.” Grief hit him inan instant, coming out of nowhere to sideswipe his chest, throat,and eyes on its way past. Choking, he ground out, “Hold on to thatwith both hands, brother.”
“Fuck, Jim.” Silence followed by a quietclearing of his throat, and Retro asked, “How old would she betoday?”
Einstein didn’t need to ask who.
“Not quite fourteen. Close. Couple ofweeks.”
“And you’re headed to Bane’s for a bit oftime off the road?”
He grunted in response, unable to rollvowels and consonants into words.
“Jimmy’s got a game next weekend, butthen we’ve got a break. I’ll load up some brothers, and we’ll comedown. Truck’s been asking me to give him a date when he could planto do a big feed. Maybe we’ll call in some other folks, make it abig to-do. Just another Baker Mini-Rally.” He could hear somethingin the background, and away from the phone Retro said, “Just aminute, baby. On the horn with Einstein.” There was a soft sound,like the echo of a kiss, then Retro whispered, “Sure thing, I’llgive him your love.”
“Tell her it’s coming right back at her.”Trina was a great old lady for Retro, understanding of the timeneeded to keep the club healthy and the members engaged, and happyto take care of not only her man but their extended family. “She’sa good woman, Retro.”
“I got lucky.” Heaviness gone from hisvoice, Retro chortled. “Call me a lucky, lucky man.”
“I’ll see that lucky man in a couple ofweeks. We’ll sit and chat, but in the meantime, you know where tofind me.”
“That I do.” Another silence hung betweenthem, this one less painful. “Be safe, brother. Roll easy and keepthe rubber down.”
“You know it.” He disconnected the calland threw the remaining rancid coffee into the trash, lifting ahand to the guy boxed in behind the counter. Then Einstein did whathe always did these days. He got in the wind again.
The sun wasn’t close to being up. He spied ascarce line of lighter darkness along the edge of the world as heswung a leg off the bike and stood, stretching. Above him, a lightflickered on in the kitchen window, and he caught a glimpse of afigure moving out of sight towards the door.
With any luck, it’ll be—
The door swung open. There was a pause, thena vibrating, “Einstein.” It was too shadowy to make out herface, but Marian’s pleased call of his name made him grin. Herbedroom was near the kitchen, in a little room along the back wallof the house, so pulling up where he had, it wasn’t surprising he’dwoken her. He’d earned the sharp edge of her tongue more than oncewhen he’d tried to creep in silently to keep from doing the same,so these days, he just followed her repeated directions. “Come in.This air is cold on my feet.” Sure enough, she was barefooted, thehem of her nightgown sweeping against the skin of her ankles.
“If you’d wear socks to bed like any saneperson, your feet wouldn’t be cold now.” The bag on his bike wasretrieved with a few economical movements, and he paused on thebottom step, taking the edge of the door in his hand. “Mornin’,Marian.”
“Come in,” she repeated, and this time hewas close enough to see the welcoming smile stretching her lips.“What can I do for you? Breakfast and coffee, or want quiet,blankets, and the guest room?”
He paused by the door and toed off hisboots, bending to set them to the side. “Depends. If you go back tobed, you think you can sleep after I woke you?”
Marian had a job in town at a flower shop.According to his memories from the past year, they did a briskbusiness during the fall, so she probably had to go in today.
She yawned behind a hand, shaking her headas she moved towards the coffee maker. “I’m up now. Randy’ll starthis nonsense soon as it gets a little lighter outside. That fool isbetter than an alarm clock.” A flick of a switch and the machinestarted humming. “Was an early night for me. Everyone was out ofthe house for a change, and I fell asleep reading before they gothome.”
Through the years and months, he haddeveloped a strong friendship with Marian, built on hisunderstanding that she was as true in her heart as she was strongand resilient. His faith in her never wavered, even if hers did,and for a while, it had been him holding to that knowledge untilshe would accept it as truth.
It all began that first day as he’d watchedher fall into a natural caregiver role around her family; then,recognizing how he’d felt, she’d taken on trying to make him lessof an outsider.
Marian was the glue that held the housetogether, whether she’d admit it or not.
During his many visits, they’d cooked forthe house, standing at the counters hip-to-hip preparing meals,Einstein quickly falling into a comfortable routine. In theirconversations, he’d uncovered her deep-seated fears of being aburden, something that couldn’t be overcome with arguments.
Once he had a grasp on the issues, he’dhelped her plot out a path that would move how she saw herself tothe other side of the line. Everyone he’d enlisted in the effortshad willingly assisted, in whatever way made sense. Over thefollowing months, he and Horse had taken turns teaching her todrive, then cheered her on when Truck had bought a subcompact carfor her use. That had led to her applying for a job in town,excited as a schoolgirl when they’d hired her, then sick withnerves before reporting for her first day.
“No, I’m serious. I don’t know what I wasthinking. I don’t know anything about flowers or arrangements, andI don’t know people in town to even recommend something they mightlike.”
Einstein had taken a chance that she’d stillbe up, hearing through thirdhand accounts that she was nervousabout her first day at the flower shop. Now, recognizing thetension in her voice, he was glad he’d called.
“You got the job because you showed themyou were willing to learn and could work hard.” When she didn’trespond after a second or two, Einstein forged ahead. “You told methey had a test, even if they didn’t call it that, and if you’dflunked out they wouldn’t have hired you. Trust, woman. Trust inyourself, yeah?”
