Chapter Nineteen
“Where have you been?” Jeff had answered the door as soon as Monica knocked.
“Relax. I went to buy us some Tylenol and had a coffee.” Monica hands the Tylenol to Jeff.
Jeff takes it, and watches her pass him and go lie down, on the bed. “Well it took you long enough.”
Without looking back at him, she says calmly, “Oh well, I figured you guys would be sleeping in, after all your drinking and smoking.”
Jeff lies down beside her, “Hey you said it was okay for me to have some. And besides, Pete’s finished his bag of weed and we’re all quitting.” He looks at Issy for reassurance, who is watching from her pillow a few feet away, “Right Issy?”
Issy looks at Monica, “Yep we all made a pact.”
“Ya whatever.” Monica turns away.
Pete gets out of bed, “Let’s get out of here. I want to see if they found my car yet, but I kinda doubt it.”
Issy sits up, “Let’s all go to the police station together, we can leave our stuff here for now.”
They are soon back in the lobby of the cop shop waiting for one of the officers. They don’t have long to wait though as a very tall man with a neatly trimmed mustache comes out of an office, “Are one of you Peter Shearon?”
Pete stands up, “Yes officer.”
“C’mon in here please.”
The four all crowd into the officer’s small office. “Good morning, my name is Detective Mike Kelly, and I have a few questions for you.” The tall detective motions to the only chair on the other side of his desk.
Pete sits down, “Is it okay if my friends stay?”
Detective Kelly sits at his desk and smiles at the girls, “Ya sure but sorry I have no more chairs.” He looks at Jeff, “In fact why don’t you grab a few chairs from out there, this might take awhile.”
Jeff and the girls all go out and grab a chair each. Pete waits until they are all sitting, then he asks the only question he has, “Did you find my car?”
Detective Kelly shuffles some papers on his desk, “Uhh... no. But what we did find is some interesting information on the two women who took your car.”
Pete is dejected, but intrigued, “Shit! That’s what I figured. What kind of information did you find?”
“It appears that these women are wanted in Arizona for a whole mess of crimes.” The detective shows Pete two sheets of paper. Each sheet has one the car thief’s picture up top. Pete looks at them with the other three peaking over his shoulders. “Are these the women?” Detective Kelly asks.
“Yes sir, that’s them all right.”
“Anna Keddy and Laquisha Sutton, are both wanted for a string of armed robberies, and the murder of a man down in Phoenix. You were dealing with a couple of desperate fugitives.”
Pete looks at the detective wide eyed, then looks at each of his wide eyed, and speechless companions. “Holy Shit!” Is all he can think of saying.
Detective Kelly retrieves the two papers, “We’ve already alerted the authorities in Phoenix that the girls are on the loose up here. Every cop in Montana is now on the lookout for your car.” He pauses and looks at each of his attentive listeners, “It’s doubtful they will be wanting to keep your car though, as it doesn’t exactly blend in. So I expect we’ll find it abandoned very soon.”
“I think we’ll take a bus to Seattle today and I’ll come back when you find it.” Pete sees that Issy is still in agreement with this plan.
“That will be fine; we will phone you if we find it. What number can we reach you at?” Issy gives him Uncle Mick’s phone number. “Okay I think that’s all we need you for, you filled out a full report last night.” The detective stands up and walks around his desk. “I hope you get your car back, and good luck in Seattle.”
“Thanks officer.” Pete shakes his hand and the four of them vacate the office.
Outside they are all excited about this new information about the fugitive lesbians. Except Monica. “Jeff.” She says to him on the sidewalk.
Jeff hears the serious tone and looks in her big brown eyes. “Yes baby?”
“I decided this morning that if Pete and Issy are getting on a bus then I am too.”
Jeff is dumbstruck. “What?”
“I just can’t handle your drug addiction. I thought you were over it, but you obviously aren’t. I miss my mom, I miss my cat, and I want to go home.”
Jeff’s world is quickly falling apart, “What are you talking about? We’ve come all this way.”
Monica is adamant, “And we had lots of fun, but we’re talking about the rest of our lives, and I just can’t commit to someone I can’t trust. I love you Jeff and maybe we’ll get married someday. But right now, I have to worry about myself. If you really love me and want to spend the rest of your life with me, then you have to stay away from drugs. And I think that means you should quit alcohol too. Because as long as you’re getting drunk it is obviously only a matter of time before you smoke your drugs. And I can’t live with that uncertainty. I’m sorry.”
Jeff’s whole world was officially coming to an end. He has never been more confused or scared in his life. He stares blankly at Monica. Monica is defiant. He looks at Pete. Pete is confused. He looks at Issy. Issy is concerned. He looks back at Monica. “Could we talk in private about this at least?”
“Sure Jeff but my mind is made up.”
Pete and Issy say nothing as Jeff and Monica walk up the sidewalk by themselves. After they’ve gone about thirty feet Jeff turns to Monica. “Please baby. I am sorry. Please give me another chance. We’ve come all this way, we can’t split up now.” He tries to grab her but she shrugs him off.
“You knew very well how I felt about the drugs, so whining and acting like a baby isn’t going to change anything. Like I just said, I do love you, and I may even want to marry you someday. But I have to be sure that you’re going to stay away from the drugs. I want a family of my own someday and I’m sure not having kids with a druggie. I’m going to quit drinking, for now anyway. If you want me as much as you say you do, then you’re going to have to quit drinking too. That’s the only chance you have to stay away from your drugs.”
Jeff is getting more scared. She really means it! He tries to put his arms around her but she backs off, “No Jeff. No more hugs.”
Jeff’s mind is in turmoil. His subconscious suddenly chooses another strategy. “Fine if you don’t want me, to hell with it. You think you’re so special. Well you’re not perfect either you know.”
“No I’m not Jeff, you’re right. But I am trying to do what is best for myself.”
“Thanks for nothing!” Jeff heads back to Pete and Issy, who are patiently waiting. Monica quietly follows him. Jeff tries his best to regain his composure on the short way back. He stops in front of Pete. “Well it looks like I’m on my own from here. Can I ask a quick favour from you before I go?”
Pete tries to give a reassuring smile, “Sure buddy what’s that?”
“Well you still owe me sixty-three dollars for the speeding ticket. I’m wondering if you could use some of that money to buy me another bottle of rye. I’m going to get fuckin ripped tonight.”
“Jeff please don’t.” Monica touches his arm.
Jeff ignores her, and keeps looking at Pete, who responds, “Ya sure dude I can do that for you. I can’t blame you for wanting to get wasted.”
Issy turns to Monica, “A bus ticket back to Ottawa can’t be cheap. You told me you were broke. Is Jeff buying it for you?”
Monica looks at Jeff with that question showing on her face. Jeff provides an answer, “Ya fat chance that’s happening. You can hitchhike back for all I care.”
Issy didn’t want that answer, “Hey there Jeffy boy, you have to take some responsibility for this mess. Monica is only doing what she already told you she would do. You did smoke last night and she made it clear that she would leave if you did.”
“Hey she said I could.” <
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Issy doesn’t buy it, “The poor girl was drunk and you should have known better.”
Jeff hesitates and softens, “Fine, let’s go see what it costs and I’ll pay some of it. She can get her parents to wire her the rest. I know they’ll be glad to do that.”
Issy looks to Monica for her reaction. Monica states her approval, “Sure that sounds fair.”
Suddenly our Fantastic Foursome don’t feel so fantastic anymore.
They first head back to the motel room and pack their few belongings, and eat a little left over pizza. With very little conversation between them they head out to get through this unhappy day.
The guy at the front desk directs them to the local Greyhound Bus depot. Pete stops in a liquor store on the way for a quart of rye for his heartbroken friend. There is still a little beer and a few ounces of rye left over from last night. Pete figures he will need that to survive his own bus ride. The two bus tickets to Seattle cost sixty-five dollars each. And they are in luck as one is leaving in just over an hour. To get back to Ottawa Monica is told that it will cost her five hundred and seventy-two dollars. She’ll have to transfer in Chicago. And her bus isn’t scheduled to leave until six pm that evening. That’s not so bad as she has to get a hold of her parents and get the money wired.
The lady at the bus station tells her she can get that done at the Walmart. Jeff doesn’t want to stay any longer than he has to. “Okay I want to get the hell out of here. I sure as hell am not giving you six hundred dollars after you dumped my ass. I paid for this whole fucking trip up til now, don’t forget. But since I am such a sucker for you, and love you a whole lot more than you obviously ever loved me, here’s a hundred and fifty dollars to pay for whatever. I guess consider it an early birthday present. I can’t believe you’re pulling this shit the day before your birthday.” With that, Jeff hands Monica one hundred and fifty American dollars. Pete had already given Jeff the money for the speeding ticket.
Monica takes it, “I’m sorry you’re so hurt, maybe you’ll understand someday that I am hurt too. I will mail you a letter to your cousin’s farm. I really do love you Jeff. I wish you realized this wasn’t an easy decision for me. And who knows? In the future maybe I’ll come back, if I am sure that you want to stay clean and sober.”
“As you would say, whatever!” Jeff turns to Pete, “It was really nice meeting you Pete.” They shake hands. Jeff looks at Issy. “And thanks Issy, you guys were a lot of fun. If you want my cousin’s phone number and address you can get it from her.” He indicates Monica. Jeff sadly puts his helmet on, straddles his bike and gives a quick wave to the three standing there. And with a brief roar of his engine he takes off down the road.
Monica is holding her sleeping bag and has her school back pack with her clothes on her back. Pete is carrying a plastic bag with a few beer, the bottle of rye with a few ounces in it, and that is all. They lost everything else to the fugitive car thief lesbians. “I guess it’s time to go phone my mom.” Is all Monica can think of saying.
Victoria once again accepts the charges for a call in her kitchen. “Hi mommy it’s me!”
“Monica? Thank heavens. It’s so nice to finally hear your voice.”
Monica can’t help herself and starts to cry softly, “I miss you mommy. I am so sorry I hurt you.”
“What’s wrong dear? I thought you were having fun. Did something happen?”
“I’m okay mommy; I just decided that I want to come home.”
There is silence for a few seconds, “I don’t understand dear. Is Jeff bringing you home?”
“No mommy we had a big fight and I decided this was a mistake after all. I have to take a bus home. Jeff paid for part of it but I need you to wire me four hundred and fifty dollars so I can get the bus. I promise I will work hard to pay you back. I’m so sorry to let you down.” Monica spoke fast through her tears before she lost her nerve.
“Where are you? Is Jeff with you?”
“I’m in a place called Butte Montana, and Jeff has already left for his cousin’s. I’m with my American friends right now.” Monica stopped herself before going on about the lesbian carjackers. She figured she had given her mom enough drama to digest for now.
“Fine, I will send you the money if you’re promising to come back. Where should I send it?”
“Send it to the Walmart here in Butte. Check with a Walmart in Ottawa I am sure they will tell you how to send money here. I don’t have to catch the bus for another seven hours, so I will phone you in exactly three hours so that we can make sure it will work.”
“Okay dear that sounds fine. I will be so glad to have you back home. And I know your father will be thrilled too.”
“Thanks mommy, could you put Juniper on the phone so I can tell her the good news.”
“Fine dear, just a minute.” Victoria puts the phone down, rolls her eyes and smiles to herself, and goes to fetch the cat.
This hallway is so very long. The red carpet stretching out far ahead of me is absolutely gorgeous. All these catservers that are standing at attention along the sides of the carpet are all dressed so strangely. And they all are staring at me. And cats! There are cats everywhere. All kinds of cats. I even see them up high in the balconies. This palace is truly magnificent. And...and what is THAT? I don’t believe it! Finally I get to meet The Great Sphinx. Nocat is behind me. The Great Sphinx is waiting just for me it appears. I have so many questions to ask of her. She is even more majestic than the pictures that kittymommy showed me of that statue in Egypt. And I just knew that statue was wrong. The Great Sphinx doesn’t have a catserver head, she has an humungous beautiful cat head. Those ridiculous catservers who carved the wrong head were playing some cruel joke. The Great Sphinx probably punished them horrifically. I wonder why I have been summoned here. I must be at the age where my great many questions will be finally answered. Oh The Great Sphinx is so grand and beautiful. She is staring right at me. I am getting so nervous. Okay I think I am supposed to bow down now. I hope this is low enough. Yes she looks pleased. She is waiting. I guess I am expected to speak, “Meooww!” Oh The Great Sphinx it is such an honour to... “Meeooww!?” What!? I’m in my own little palace again? “Meeeoooww!” Catserver what are you doing? How dare it wake me from my dream that was going to finally reveal to me all the secrets of the world? I’m not hungry, why is it bringing me to my food chamber? “Meow!” Thank you for putting me down. What? Oh it is that device with the very small catserver inside it. And yes I can hear it again. It must be asking for my help... See my paws can’t open it. “Meeowww!” I can’t help you! Catservers are such imbeciles. “Meooww!” See? My teeth can’t penetrate this contraption either. I’m going back to my royal perch. I would like to get back to that dream now. That is an infinitely more important endeavour than dealing with these pathetic catservers.
“There, did you hear her? She seemed very excited to hear your voice.”
“Yes, thanks mommy, I am sure Juniper will be so glad to see me in a couple of days when I get home.”
“Okay dear I will get that money to you and please be sure to phone me back in three hours so we can confirm the information about the transfer.”
“Bye mommy I love you lots.”
“I love you too dear, talk to you soon.”
Monica hangs up. She feels a little better now. She turns to Pete and Issy who are waiting, “Okay now what?”
“We might as well go hang out over in that little park and chill out for a bit. Our bus is pretty soon.” Issy points to a bench under a tree across the street.
Jeff is on the interstate by himself heading west towards Spokane. He’s keeping his speed at exactly sixty-five miles an hour. He is completely numb. All he can do is keep asking himself the same question over and over again. How can his life go from being totally awesome to totally shitty in a flash? And the only answer he can come up with is- fuck fuck FUCK! He has no idea what to do. He has no choice but to head to Tom’s farm. Hell, Tom
is expecting two new farm hands to show up...yesterday. He’ll have to settle for one though...tomorrow. Jeff speeds up a bit, then remembers the big speeding ticket still in his pocket. It says he can mail in the fine, so that’s what he’ll do from British Columbia. He now wants to get the hell out of the States as soon as possible. But he also really wants to get totally drunk by himself at some campsite tonight. He’ll make sure he’s past Spokane at least so he won’t have far to go tomorrow to the get to their destination. HA! That’s a joke! The dumb bitch is heading back to Ottawa. He once again tries to figure out what went wrong. All Monica had to say last night is no don’t smoke. Sure she was a little drunk, but so was he. And there’s no more drugs for him to smoke anyway. What a dumb bitch! Why does he have to be so crazy about her? Fuck fuck FUCK!
A large Greyhound bus with Seattle written on the front pulls into the gate the three are now waiting at. Issy and Monica share a long hug. “I hate it that we’re going in opposite directions, I’m going to email you every day.” Monica says as she lets go of Issy.
“Hey there girl we’ll be together again soon, I just know it. And the four of us are still going to start that charity together remember.” Issy tries to be brave for Monica’s sake.
“Ya she’s right Monica, you just know that after Jeff stops feeling sorry for himself he’s going to want to be involved in our charity. And we’re spreading it across the whole wide world so it doesn’t really matter much if we’re only a couple thousand miles away from each other.” Pete gives Monica’s shoulder a little friendly jostle.
Monica gives Pete a big hug and even a little kiss on his cheek. She chuckles despite the tears that are starting to run down her face, “Who would have thought you would turn out to be so cool Pete? I’ve got to admit I thought you were a big jerk when we first met.”
Pete gives a mock shocked expression. Issy laughs, “Yep that’s my Pete for ya, he can come across as the biggest jerk sometimes, but inside he’s the biggest sweetie you’ll ever find.” And then Pete gets another kiss on his opposite cheek, this time from his pumpkin.
Pete and Issy get on the bus waving to Monica. Issy says back to Monica, “You make sure you phone me the minute you get home.”
Monica’s smiling and waving, “For sure! I promise!” Monica keeps waving even as the door closes and she can’t see them through the long row of large tinted windows. Not til the bus pulls out and disappears around a corner does Monica put her arm down.
She goes back to sit down on the same bench under a tree. A powerful wave comes over her. One that she has never experienced in her life before. Not this strong anyway. A Tidal Wave of Loneliness. She has never felt more alone in her life before. How unfair. Now she misses her mom, her cat, her boyfriend, her old friends, her new friends. Heck, she has to admit she even misses her dad and her brother as well. She sits quietly on the bench. Alone.
A Way West Page 19