Perchance (2 page)

             
“I don’t have a big enough suitcase.”

             
“I bought you a new one today while you were at work.”

             
“I need some new clothes.”

             
“Let’s go now and buy some.”

             
“I hate flying.”

             
“You’ve never flown on a plane.”

             
“I don’t want to…”

             
She let out the longest breath ever. 

             
“I know. “

             
I scrubbed my hands up and down my face with a fury. 

             
“Fine.”

             
I got up and walked the span of the room and began throwing clothes out of my dresser and closet onto the bed.  Mom started to fold them as I threw them.  She walked out into the hallway briefly and returned with a new army green colored suitcase and started filling it.

Remi

             
After we dropped the twins off at daycare the next day, we made our way to the bus station.  She gave me the safety run down on the way.  Don’t talk to strangers; don’t go in the bathroom by yourself, keep your purse in your hands at all times.  But let’s face it.  I was getting on
a bus, going to a place I had never been
.  I was going to have to speak to a stranger; everyone I was going to come in contact with for the next two days was going to be a stranger, including the aunt on the other side of my destination.  And what was I supposed to do, only go to the bathroom when other people were in there?  I know she meant well, but I had been taking care of myself for a while now.  She worked her butt off to provide for us and I had filled in the gaps the best I could. 

             
We arrived at the bus station and I went to the counter and provided my driver’s license to claim the pre-paid ticket Aunt Brenda had sent for me.  The lady at the counter gave me a look.  I’m sure she had
a million internal theories as to why I was travelling alone at my age and I’m sure that most of them included me being some type of delinquent.

             
I kinda felt like a delinquent.

             
I picked up my ticket and my suitcase
and did a clumsy walk to the departing buses.  I had to use my leg and kick my suitcase out at every other step to make it move.  Not that it
was filled with tons of stuff
but it was probably the bulkiest, ugliest suitcase I had ever seen and of course it was made way before suitcases with wheels. 
Abraham Lincoln probably owned a better suitcase.

             
Tuesday
was f
iling her nails while she followed me
and when I stopped in front of my bus, matching the number on the ticket with the number flashing inside the window of the
bus
,
she stabbed me in the back with the nail file.

             
“Jeez Tuesday, why don’t you watch where you’re going with that thing?”

             
“Ugh, come on Rem..it was an accident.”

             
“Yeah? I’ll show you an accident…”

             
We were held apart by Mom’s hands and shushed. 

             
I was already pissed off at Tuesday to the point where I couldn’t stand to look at her so this didn’t help.

             
My Mom stared at the bus and then turned back to me.

             
“Ok, Remi, best behavior and watch yourself on this bus.  You know how men are.”

             
“Yeah Mom, I know.” Then I turned the meanest glare I owned on my sister.

             
“And by the way, my behavior is not the one you have to worry about.”

             
With that I hugged my Mom and got on the bus quickly, but not before handing my big lug of a suitcase to the man standing by the door.  He loaded into a cargo space under the bus and before I knew it the bus took off making the most disturbing noises I have ever heard.
             

             
“I hope Aunt Brenda isn’t a hag.” I whispered.

Cooper

             
Leaving my Mom crying a
t the Charlotte airport was gut wrenching
.  I thought that I was so angry with her that I wouldn’t even be upset, but it was out of my control.  She looked so torn.  I felt like she was sending me away somewhere as a punishment.  Why was I being punished because this man in Po-Dunk, Louisiana all of the sudden wanted to claim that he had some right to see me?

             
I hugged her as hard as I could before I boarded a plane to Baton Rouge.  I gave the security people my boarding pass and driver’s license and made my way to the gate.  And just my luck there were not one, not two, but three families with crying babies.  Maybe they would all be cried out before the plane took off.  Maybe they would cry the whole way and it would give me a headache
so excruciating that I would pass out and stay that way through the whole flight.   Whatever the case, I was about to be thrown ri
ght into it.  The flight person,
whatever you call him, announced that the flight was boarding and everyone lined up like it was first come first seat.  They probably weren’t going to see their long lost loser Dad. 

             
“Nope, not calling him Dad.  I’m calling him Eric.” I said to myself as I got in line with the other passengers.
 

             
I wondered how mad Mom would be if I turned around right now and went home.  I sighed and looked at the airport ceiling, moving inch by inch on my way to what seemed like hell.  She’d be pissed, that’s what.  She’d feed me my rear end on a spoon and make me say I like
d
it.

             
“Boarding pass and ID please.
” The guy said.  His name tag said ‘flight attendant’.  At least I knew what they were called now.
I handed it to him and he scanned it and wished me a good flight. 
Yeah right
.

             
I made my way down the aisle and sat in my seat.  At least he had gotten me a window seat.  I’ve never flown before, but I’m pretty sure I would be pissed off if my elbow got removed by that cart that was being pushed up the aisle. 

             
I looked out the window and watched
as
the men pile
d
the suitcases into the back of the plane. 

             
I blew out a great huff of breath and it fogged up the window. 

             
I got my iPod and earbuds ready for the flight and tried to relax.

Remi

             
My eyes were closed and my head butted into something hard, like concrete.  I opened them and looked around, disoriented from being asleep.  That concrete was not concrete at all.  It was metal, the metal that encased the window beside me on this God forsaken bus. 
We had stopped, where, who knew.  The bus driver was standing and making an announcement, but there was a drummer by the name of headache in my head stopping me from hearing him.  I squinted to try to make out the words and barely heard ‘Shreveport’. 

             
Ok, Shreveport, that’s only about six hours away.
 

             
I wonder if
I packed any headache medicine.

             
I dug through my purse and the older lady next to me looked amused. 

             
She cleared her throat and said “What do you need honey? I’ve got everything but the kitchen sink in this big ole’ bag.” She patted her bag and looked on it proudly.

             
“Oh” My voice was still
sounded like I had swallowed cotton before going to sleep. I tried to clear it.  “Thank you.  I woke up with a killer headache.  Do you have anything?”

             
“That’s all?  Why sure I do.” She pulled out a plastic bag and inside of it were bottles and bottles of every kind of medicine.  This woman was a freakin’ Walgreens. 

             
She took a smaller squatty bottle out and handed me three blue oval pills. 

             
“Do you have anything to drink?” Her voiced almost creaked as she spoke.

             
“No Ma’am, I’m gonna get out here and get something.  Can I get you anything?”

             
She smiled and patted my hand. “No thank you honey
girl
. I’ve got to use the bathroom.  I’ll get myself something.”

             
I smiled back at her and stepped over her knees to exit the bus.

             
Stepping down those four steps towards the concrete be
low was a feat since my legs had
been constricted to the small space between seats in the bus.  I was a little wobbly and had to hold on to the
han
dle on the side of the bus door to get my balance.

             
I looked out and we were st
opped at a truck stop
.  I made my way into the gas station area, bought a bottled water and took my pills right there before paying for it.  I paid for the water and a pack of gum since my mouth tasted like a
gorilla had crapped in it.

             
I used the bathroom and washed my face off before making my way back to the bus.  I sat in my seat and noticed that the older lady still wasn’t back.  I was kinda worried since the bus
driver looked ready to go.  Then I heard her voice before I saw her and leaned back in my seat no longer worried.

             
Six more hours, six more hours, six more hours.