Syncopated Rhythm (13 page)

Amber looked at me standing by the restroom door as she started toward the exit.  “Coming Potato?”

I squinted an eye and shook my fist at her.  “Watch it Cornfed!”  Her eyes were twinkling with mischief as I got to the door and she looped her arm with mine.  We waved at a smiling Maribel then we exited into the cold and biting wind.

We rushed over to the car and jumped in.  She grinned.  “Holy frickin' wind!”

I shook my head at her and smiled fondly.  “You're from the mid-west lady, you should be used to this.  Just what are you like in the middle of winter?”

She gave me an evil smirk. “I'm warm.  In my hotel room.  As God intended.”

I chuckled. “Wimp,” I  said as I slowly coaxed Baltar to life.

She said in an overly dramatic voice, “He's alive!”

I slapped her shoulder playfully then put the car in gear and backed up.  Moments later we were driving back into Vantage.  The instant we were back on the freeway, her hand snaked into mine and she laced our fingers.  I took a chance to glance over and saw her just staring down the road and absently rubbing the necklace I had bought her between her fingers with a small smile on her face.

I pointed out the billowing windsocks on the bridge over the mighty Columbia River.  Even at this point, a thousand miles from its point of origin, it was still a huge and awe inspiring site.  She was looking between the windsocks that looked ready to tear off their mounts and the majesty of the river so powerful they wrote the Roll On Columbia song about it.

Then we were rising up from the canyon, I pulled over at the scenic view area and pointed to the ridge.  “See the wild stallion sculptures up there along the ridge?”  She was smiling and nodding as I continued while smiling at the childlike amazement on her face.  “The monument is called 'Grandfather Cuts Loose the Ponies'.  It represents a Native American tale about the Great Spirit releasing a herd of wild horses above the Columbia.”

She stared at the silhouettes for a moment then turned to me smiling.  “This is like an episode of The Secrets of Washington with Babette Stevenson.”  She chuckled at her own humor and then smiled. “But really, this stuff is cool.  And here I thought it was going to be a boring ride.”

I shrugged and blushed as I backed out and we were on our way again.

We started talking about everything again, the topics were flowing smoothly for about an hour.  She broke out some drinks for us and we munched on the apples.  I had to keep reminding myself to watch the road, not her lips.  We were up to V on the alphabet game now.

She cued up some music and we sang.  I don't think I have laughed like this in years.  We had just crested the hill above the valley that hid the large city of Spokane, Washington when a thud, whump whump, whump sound came from the rear passenger side.  I muttered, “Crap, a flat.” I pulled over into the shoulder.

We zipped up then got out for a look.  Sure enough, the friggin' tire was flat.  I shook my head and glanced at the pink haired imp with her scrunched up face.  She said, “Call triple A?”

I don't know where the confidence came from but I winked at her with a cocky smile and said, “Sure thing.  Why don't you get inside where it is warm.”  She did and then I popped the hatch back and dug around under the carpet with Amber shooting a confused look at me over the seats.

I pulled out the spare tire and wiggled my eyebrows at her and then the jack and tire iron.  I got to work changing the tire.  Amber was looking back watching me the whole time. 
Holy crap Batman!  Who tightened these lug nuts?  The Hulk?
  I finally got the lug nuts loose by almost standing on the tire iron and jacked the car up until the tire just cleared the ground, then took the lug nuts off and removed the flat.

I slid the spare in its place and hand tightened the lug nuts and lowered the jack until the ground just pushed against the tire.  Then I tightened each lug nut a half turn, alternating side to side like my high school auto shop teacher taught me.  Then I let the jack down the rest of the way and then tightened the lug nuts as much as I could, pulling up so that I could use the ground for more counter force.

Moments later I was putting the flat tire and the tools back into place in the back and I rejoined Amber in the front seat.  I grabbed a napkin and started wiping the dirt from my hands.  She was just staring at me.

She licked her lips.  “Is is wrong that I want to take you right here and now Ky?  That was so hawt!”

I think I eeped, I'm not sure because my pulse was roaring in my ears and my face heated up in a blush.  I whispered, “Please don't tease.”

She looked away, breathing deeply.  “Why do you always think I am teasing.  I already told you I'm not.”

I sat there for a few long seconds trying to get my breathing under control and spoke more to myself as I coaxed Baltar to start.  “I wish.”

I swear she raised one eyebrow before Baltar backfired and she squeaked in surprise and started giggling like a woman possessed again.  I grinned.  She gets so much pleasure out of Baltar.

I kept stealing quick glances at her as we continued our journey.  The silence was threatening to swallow me whole... hmmm... I wonder if this is how Amber feels in the silence.  So I started babbling about stuff.  I pointed at downtown Spokane looming up at us as we traveled down into the city. “Spokane doesn't look very large from here but it is really a sprawling city.  It is the second largest city in Washington, second only to Seattle.  The city proper has just a couple hundred thousand people, but the metropolitan area has over a half million.  I know that's small compared to Seattle and the like but when you come from a town of twenty thousand, it is downright huge.”

She was tilting her head at me in concern as I babbled at warp speed.  Then her hand was in mine, calming me.  “Ky.  You never have to be nervous around me.  You can slow down and breathe.”

I glanced over and nodded.  I swallowed and turned back to the road.  She said in a thoughtful tone, “I actually didn't know that about Spokane.  And I played here once like four years back.  I heard about a park I wanted to see but didn't get a chance since we were on a tight schedule.  Seven cities in seven days.”

I chanced speaking again and found I could control myself now with her hand in mine.  “Riverfront Park or Manito Park?  Both of them are gems in the city.”

She shrugged.  “I don't know.  It was supposedly a few blocks from the hotel.”

I grinned at her.  “That would be Riverfront Park then.  Cool story there.  It used to be a super industrialized train yard until Spokane won its bid to host the World's Fair, Expo '74. The city had cleared out the train yard and all of the support structure and buildings except the clock tower.  Then they built a spectacular park to host the World's Fair in.  After the Expo, they kept the park and revitalized the downtown area using the gem of the park as a centerpiece.”

She was grinning at me and listening intently.  I felt like an idiot, like I was giving a lecture.  I blushed a little then nudged my glasses farther up on my nose and continued.  “They even have one of the oldest carousels in the country there, the Looff Carousel.  All hand carved horses.”

I shrugged.  “Sorry.  All stuff my mom once told me.  I have visited that park hundreds of times during my life.”

She shook her head.  “Don't apologize.  I think it is amazing how much you know about things that most people wouldn't bother learning.  I can also see your mom's love for you each time you bring these things up.”

I took a deep breath.  She looked alarmed.  “Umm... so this other park... Manito?  You have 'A Dummie's guide to Washington' facts on that one too?”

I grinned then stuck my tongue out at her.  “Yes.  I just happen to.  It is possibly more beautiful than Riverfront Park.  It used to house a small zoo.  But now it has sunken rose gardens, rock arch bridges, duck ponds and one of the most spectacular Japanese Gardens you will ever see.  It is in one of the richest and oldest areas of town, the South Hill.  Most people that drive past it aren't even aware of how old the park is or that they pass historical things right by the road like the oldest water trough for horses in the city.”

We smiled at each other as we passed through the city.  I was about to break the silence when she blurted, “V!  Valley!” as we passed a sign announcing we were leaving Spokane and entering Spokane Valley.

I started laughing to suppress the giggle that was threatening.  She waggled her eyebrows and started up some music.  “How much longer?”

I smiled.  “Well we are almost to the State Line, about twenty minutes to Post Falls.”

She smiled back and mouthed “Hi.” way to cutely then asked,  “So are there waterfalls and stuff there?  I mean your town has Falls in the name.”

I shook my head, I couldn't get the smile off my face.  “Not so much.  A long time ago they figured that it was a good place to build a dam.  So, no falls anymore.  But we have a spectacular view of the Rocky Mountains on the horizon if that helps.”

She nodded staunchly.  “Yes it does.  I mean waterfalls and mountains are basically the same thing right?”  She rolled her eyes.

I shook my head with a grin.  “Ok, Miss Sarcastic.”

She squeezed my hand and started singing with the music. 
What the heck, why not?
  I joined in sounding like a wounded seal on the beach.

A few minutes later we were exiting the freeway and down into my home.  Hmmm... that doesn't sound right anymore.  Seattle is my home now.  The only thing left for me here is that wonderful woman who raised me.  I smiled fondly at the thought of seeing mom again.  Last week seems like a lifetime ago.

I glanced over at the pink haired beauty.  “Lunch first, or visit first?”

She said cutely, “Visit.  It is why we are here after all.”

I grinned the imp beside me and said,  “Let's go see mom.” 

She looked genuinely eager and a little... nervous?  “Yes, by all means!”

Ky navigated the roads and up to the Terrace Ridge Nursing Home.  I kept glancing over at her as she drove, gawd her neck was so graceful... I just wanted to leave a trail of kisses along it.  I reveled in the heat coming from our clasped hands.  How is it we have known each other for such a short time when it feels so natural to do this?

We pulled into a parking spot and she turned off the car.  Though Baltar didn't agree with that line of action as he sputtered, trying to cling to life.  He died in a backfire.  God help me but it caused me to burst out in a fit of giggles... again.  I simply
LOVE
her car!

She shot me one of her lopsided grins with a squinted eye then broke out into a genuine smile as she grabbed her bag, making sure her iPad was in it.  Then she made a show of zipping up her jacket and exited.

I opened the door thinking, how cold could it possibly...
Jesus!
  I quickly zipped up my coat and watched my breath fog in the air.  I guess that answered that question.  “You didn't tell me you lived in the Arctic Ky!”

She grinned and made some odd reference.  “Suck it up, Buttercup.”  I rolled my eyes then looked around, it was gorgeous. We were surrounded by an evergreen forest and towering mountains off to the east.  The nursing home looked to be a large one story four wing building.  There looked to be about fifteen rooms per wing if the number of window air conditioning units on this wing was any indication. It was well kept and looked almost inviting.  I bumped hips with the read headed pixie as we went into the building.

She waved at the silver haired woman in a pretty plum blouse and matching professional skirt as we unzipped our coats.  The woman grinned and said, “Hello Kylee, she's in the rec-room watching her stories.  We miss seeing you around here the past few months.  But I'm glad you still make the weekend visits.  It means the world to her on her lucid days.”

Kylee's face looked both grateful and sad as she nodded and pushed her glasses up farther in that adorable habit.  “Thanks Wanda.  Oh, and this is my friend, Amber Lee.”

The woman shook my hand and I saw a glint of recognition in them but she just smiled and stayed professional.  “Pleased to meet you Amber Lee.”

I smiled back.  “Likewise Wanda.”

She turned back to her desk and grabbed some paperwork off the desk and walked off, giving us another smile.

I was watching her depart when I was suddenly jerked down the hall with Kylee's voice full of mirth as she dragged me with her.  “Come along, Cornfed.”

I had to suppress a laugh.  I took a page out of her book and squinted an eye and waggled my other hand in a fist at her as I mimicked her voice. “Watch it Potato!”  Gawd I loved to watch her blush.  I think I'll make a habit of it. 
Settle down Amber Lee!

She navigated the halls with ease and brought us into a large recreation room.  There were various people sitting about in the mega clean but inviting space.  I think they tried to make it feel like a giant living room.  I liked that.  I'd hate to feel like I was spending my last days in a clinical, hospital environment.

There were some old men playing chess near the entrance that looked up and gave us a smile.  The bald one waved at Kylee and the silver haired, liver spotted man just went back to the game.  A nurse was standing with a woman using a walker by one of the huge bay windows looking out to the forest. She looked to be reading a note written on pink paper to her.  The woman was just smiling off into the distance as she listened.  Others looked to be visiting with family.