Chapter 10

This whole being naked thing? Yeah. I can get used to it. Easily.

We stayed in our room for the next two days. Not like we had any pressing destinations to get to, and the storm system had stalled over the area, so lots of rain. Perfect weather to stay in bed with a lover.

I don’t think that we had enough fingers and toes between the both of us, to count the orgasms we shared. I do know that I had to make a discreet trip to the pharmacy for a purchase. Usually when we were out for food.

Anyone who saw us could recognize the obvious. A young couple, deeply in love. Our hands were always laced together by our fingers and I seemed to be ready to skip whenever we were walking side by side.

We eventually left Knoxville and headed for North Carolina. We planned to stop for fuel in Charlotte, but then keep going. We didn’t have a fixed destination, just a deadline that we pretended to ignore.

“I might take a few minutes extra in the drivers lounge to check my email. It’s probably all backed up and full of junk.”

“Email?” I blinked. “We can check our email? Since when?”

“A lot of places now have a room with basic computers that you can log into to check email and conduct other business. It’s not free. Usually 25 cents per minute, but it’s handy to have.”

I hadn’t checked my email since the day I left Georgia. I had no clue what I might find waiting for me.

My inbox said “99+ messages” were waiting for my attention. Oh damn. Tons of it was spam (quickly deleted). Some from school about the start of the new term. One from Carol, and the rest from my parents.

I was a chicken and opened the email from Carol, first.

“Hi Melody! Oh, wait, Hi Patricia! LOL. I hope that you and Pat are safe, driving from one adventure to another! In case you’re wondering, I have NOT told anyone about what you shared with me. I’m waiting to hear back from you first. The main reason I’m contacting you is to let you know that the squad is getting new uniform tops. The cost is just under $50 each, and since YOU managed to bring in over $300 doing smoochie-face, we took a vote and want YOU to have a top of your own to wear. Our way of saying thank you. So please let me know what size you are and a new thing is we will have our names on the back, just like the guys on the other teams, like baseball or football. You need to let me know by 09/01/1999 so I can place your order. Then I can send it to you when it comes in. If I don’t hear from you in time I can guess the size but no name on the back. Not much happening here but I met a guy who started working with dad. He’s 23 and was in the Army but finished his 4 years and is inactive reserves. He was over in Desert Storm and came home after he was hurt. A stupid scud landed in his camp and he caught some shrapnel in his side and now he has an interesting scar or three. But he’s super cute! And when we met it was like OH WOW between us. His name is (don’t laugh) Mike Brady. (I said no laughing!) So yes if we got together we would be Mike and Carol Brady. (Hey! It’s not THAT funny! Stop laughing! Okay so maybe it’s a LITTLE funny.) So, I’m curious and if you say it’s not my business I’ll understand. But, you and Pat? Anything yet? Please keep me posted on anything that you can. Looking forward to hearing from you soon. GO MAVERICKS! With Love; Carol.”

I had to smile.

“Hi Carol! Sorry it took a little time to reply. Not easy to get to a computer while on the road. Maybe one day in the future they will be smaller and easier to use. Maybe even have them in cars and trucks? As for telling everyone about me and Pat, thanks for waiting. How about you wear the company shirt to school one day and when people ask you can say ‘Let me tall you a cool story!’ About the top? I’m a 34B but I’m thinking size large is okay because I don’t need it as snug as you girls do because I’m not going to be jumping around doing gymnastics and stuff. As for the name on the back? Walsh. That is Pat’s last name, and in the not too distant future it will also be mine. You read that correctly. We plan to be married next year after I graduate. Not enough time to go into the details, but we finally figured out how much we love each other, dancing to Shania Twain in a Nashville honky-tonk. LOL and as for being with him? Sugar, all I can say is that it was the most wonderful, magical, send me into orbit, experience I have ever had in my entire life. Every time seems to be better than the previous. I love him so much I can’t see right. LOL. Lots to figure out still, but we have a year. Please give everyone a hug from me and I will email more when I can. XOXOXO – Tricia”.

I hit “send” and with trepidation, opened the first email from my parents. The first was dated June 18, just a few days after I met Pat and Chica.

“Patty; Where are you? Are you safe? Are you okay? Is anything wrong? Your mother and I got home from work to find the house empty and no idea where you are. We called your friends. Nobody knows anything. PLEASE, tell us what is going on. Are you mad at us? Did we do something wrong? This is so out of character from how you usually are. Our sweet, calm and loving daughter. Wherever you are, when you read this, please call us. Collect. We’re both taking a week off to make sure one of us is here when you call. PLEASE. Your mother is a wreck, crying and unable to process anything. All she knows is that her baby isn’t here. We’re frightened that something bad has happened and we will never see you again. PLEASE CALL US ASAP. We will come get you, no questions asked, if you need us to, or get you a plane ticket. We love you. Daddy.”

Okay, looking back, I can see how I really hadn’t thought things through, and taking into account how my parents would react to my sudden vanishing act. I opened the next email.

“Patty, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for sending that post card from South of the Border. It let us know that you are still alive and unhurt. You wanted an adventure? Why didn’t you say anything? We could have figured out something. Summer vacations are easy to plan if you just tell us what you wanted to do. We called the police and filed a report, to be on the safe side. We were told that a girl matching your description was seen over at the ‘J’ and then left. No further details. PLEASE CALL US. We’re not mad at you. Just confused. We know that you’re growing up and want to spread your wings a little, like the saying goes. But still, we are frightened for your safety. Again, PLEASE CALL US COLLECT. We will pick you up or do what is needed to get you home, safe and sound. Everyone is praying for you. We love you! Daddy.”