The Road Home

by Annie Reynolds

  “I don’t have anyone, Em. It doesn’t seem fair to ask someone to wait for me back there when I have no idea where home is. I hadn’t met anyone who has made me want to stay in the one place so I decided that until I did I would keep going. Besides, I wouldn’t have let you kiss me back on the beach like you did if I had a girlfriend.”

  “I kissed you?”

  “So you admit it?”

  “That’s not how I remember it. If I remember correctly it was your last dying wish to kiss me.”

  “It was, until you kissed me back, Emmy.”

  Oh heck, he was right. I did.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have.”

  “Don’t be, it was nice.” I wasn’t expecting the warmth that was in his eyes when I looked at him, or the way his lips curled into a lop-sided grin. “Just to clarify, no, I don’t have a girlfriend and no, I am not seeing anyone. My martial status is a very much: Single.”

  “Okay.”

  “You sound disappointed.”

  “No, not at all. I just wondered is all.”

  “What about you? What happens when you get home and see Mark?”

  “I honestly don’t know what to expect. There will be a lecture from my mother of course but beyond that, a lot of awkwardness maybe. I mean, he’ll be at the wedding after all and so he’ll be at the rehearsal dinner as well. I guess there will be no real way to avoid him. With Amelia being the bride and all I will be left without a wing-woman.”

  “How about an offer of a wingman?”

  “Who? You?”

  “Yeah, why not? I have nowhere else to be.”

  “Thanks for the offer, Gabe. But no.”

  “Why? Would your mother not approve?”

  “Probably not, but that’s not the reason I have to say no.”

  “Are you embarrassed by me?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. It’s just that I like you too much to subject you to that kind of punishment.”

  “C’mon, Em. I would be my honour to accompany you to your sister’s wedding. You’ve done me a huge favour by letting me hitch a ride.”

  I hold up a finger to him, “I had no choice about that.”

  “Well. Maybe. Let me be your mother slash Mark buffer.”

  “Do you even have anything to wear?”

  “What’s wrong with what I am wearing?”

  I take in what he is wearing and I have to admit, not out loud, though, that there is absolutely nothing wrong with what he is wearing. His singlet and shorts are covering and exposing just enough flesh to be perfect. But my mother would definitely scowl and make a scene.

  “Maybe I can borrow a shirt and pants from dad.”

  The sun was getting lower in the sky before we got to Princetown. Gabe had the forethought to call ahead to find some accommodation for the night.

  “Em, they’ve only got one room but it has a couch. That will be okay, right?”

  Shrugging, it seemed like we had no other options so he booked it. We spent the last fifteen minutes driving along in the dark following the obscure directions Gabe had written down in his notebook.

  We were greeted by an older lady standing under the single globe porch light. The hairs stood on the back of my neck. Gabe sensing my hesitation grabbed my hand and pulled me along behind him,

  “Good evening, you must be Mr. and Mrs. Carter? The honeymoon suite is ready for you, if you would like to follow me.”

  Honeymoon suite? Gabe and I exchanged glances but followed the lady without comment to a cabin at the back of the complex. The cabin was surrounded by a white picket fence at knee height with a quaint cottage garden and path leading to the door.

  Pushing the door open reveals a queen sized bed with rolled guest towels at the foot and a small two seater couch which she referred to as the love seat. Neither, Gabe or I were going to fit comfortably on that, not to sleep anyway.

  “There is a corner spa in the ensuite but it’s advised not to use bubbles in it, they aren’t very environmentally friendly or good for our septic system. The television will get two channels when the weather is good and there are more towels under the vanity. Tea and coffee is complimentary. Breakfast will be served at 7-am sharp in the main building. If you need anything, the phone beside the bed will call the house directly if you press nine. We are doing dinner now if you folks are hungry.”

  “Thank you,” Gabe takes the key when offered. “We’ll be right over.”

  As soon as the door clicks closed behind us Gabe turns to me, “So, Mrs. Carter.”

  I swat at him, “Come on, let’s go get the bags. I’m worried if I sit down I won’t get back up.”

  The dining room was a mix-match of furniture and we could hear the television blaring from the sitting room. The walls are lined with faded paintings of different country scenes. We were the only guests left to order, with all other guests already eating or finished and chatting at their tables.

  The menu was limited but my mouth was watering at the selection of home cooked meals listed.

  Whilst we are waiting for our meals, the lady from before come to sit with us at our table.

  “I do love it when honeymooners come to stay with us.”

  Gabe reaches across the table to take my hand. “We’re so excited to be here.”

  “Where are you folks heading?”

  “We’re actually heading back to Emerson’s parent’s house. They don’t know we are married yet so it’s going to be a bit of a surprise for them.”

  “Oh really? So they weren’t at the wedding?”

  “No, we couldn’t invite them, they don’t like Gabe and it was kind of a last minute thing. They don’t even know I’m pregnant.” I play along with Gabe adding my own embellishments to his story.

  Shocked he turns to me. “You’re pregnant?”

  The older lady turns to me and then to Gabe and back to me, completely gob smacked. “He didn’t know?”

  “No, ma’am. I only found out myself this morning.”

  “Oh, Snooky-bear. I can’t believe it. You’ve made me the happiest man alive for the second time today. First my wife and now a baby.” Gabe leans forward to rub his nose against mine.

  “Twins, Gabe.”

  “Twins? Can this day get any better?” His over-acting is borderline hilarious but I do my best to stay composed as to not give away the joke.

  A voice booms beyond the dining room, interrupting us, “Edna! The honeymooner’s meals are ready.”

  The older lady excuses herself from the table and after a short time, returns with our meals. It was clear that Gabe and I weren’t the only ones embellishing in this room, our meals had come from a packet in the freezer and simply been reheated and transferred to a plate. So much for boasting home cooking, famished we tuck in.

  “Gabe, something has occurred to me and has me wondering.”

  “What’s that, Mrs. Carter?”

  We were back in our cabin after our complimentary dessert.

  “You seem well versed in lying.”

  “Bending the truth.” He corrects me.

  “Married and pregnant, complete lies. It seems to come awfully easy to you.”

  “I have what can be described as, an adaptive imagination, kind of like my super power. Besides, I wasn’t the only one lying at the table Mrs. Carter and if you ask me, I think you enjoyed yourself.”

  “Yeah, I guess I can’t deny that.”

  “Don’t worry, Em, I don’t make a habit of bending the truth.”

  “Okay, so sleeping arrangements?”

  “I don’t mind taking the couch, Em.”

  Standing in front of it now, we both survey it. I’m sure Gabe can see just how absurdly cramped it would be for someone of his size.

  “I’ll take it, it will fit me better anyway.”

  “Not in your current condition.” He turns to me with a smile spread across his face, before he rests a hand over my stomach where our imaginary children are thriving.

  “Fine, how about we s
hare the bed. But don’t you go getting any ideas, mister.”

  “No, ma’am. Although, I can’t knock you up twice.”

  Nervously, I giggle before grabbing my bag and heading toward the bathroom, “I’m going for a shower.”

  The spray of the shower feels like heaven, the grime of the days travelling washing away. The feeling of clean hair is easily taken for granted on so many other occasions but today I appreciated it more than a cup of morning coffee.

  A light rap on the door brings me back to reality. “Em, your phone is ringing.”

  “Thank you, I’ll be out in a minute.” I call back.

  Pulling the door open I see Gabe sitting on the bed with his back against the wall, the TV is on but his attention is on the laptop in front of him as he vigorously types.

  “All done.”

  He smiles up at me. “Thanks.”

  Wrapping my hair in a towel I pad over to where my phone was charging. The missed call was from Amelia, I press the call button just as Gabe climbs from the bed for the bathroom. Taking the call outside on the porch, I pace backward and forward waiting for the call to be answered.

  “Oh, Emmy! It’s so good to hear from you.”

  “Hi, sweetheart. How are you?”

  “I’m fantastic. Where are you? You’re still coming home right?”

  “Of course I am. I’m in Princetown at the moment, we’ll be there tomorrow.”

  “We?” Crap, I hadn’t realised I had slipped up until Amelia had picked up on it.

  “Yeah, I picked someone up a couple of days ago and we’re travelling together. Well, he kind of forced himself into the car,” I wasn’t really sure of the most accurate way to describe how Gabe and I came to be travelling together.

  “What!” Clearly, my description had not been the best way.

  “Not like that, I had car trouble and he’s been helping me out. In return, I’m giving him a ride.”

  “Em, you’re being careful, right.” Softly, I laugh at the concern in her voice.

  “Of course, Gabe is harmless. It’s been really nice having him around actually.”

  The noisy pipes alert me to Gabe finishing in the shower.

  “Look, I’ll be home tomorrow, we’ve got a couple of hours left to drive in the morning, but I will be there sometime early afternoon. Really can’t wait to see you Mils.”

  “I’m excited to see you too, Emmy. I love you. Be safe.”

  I tell my sister I love her too before we hang up. I was excited to be seeing her as well.

  Hearing the door open, I turn to find Gabe standing in the doorway wrapped only in a towel. He's hair still wet, dripping little rivulets of water over him, causing my mouth to suddenly go dry at the sight, his eyes find mine, he raises a questioning eyebrow at me.

  “You okay, Em?”

  “Mouth is dry. Thirsty.” I stutter out. I’m transfixed, the view of his chest and the towel riding low on his hips has turned me into a complete mindless idiot. Doing my best to jump start my brain, I quickly think of something else to say. “Ah, how was your shower?”

  “So fucking good.” We continue to stand there. “I, ah, better go get dried and dressed.”

  “If you have to.” I mutter, a whisper to myself.

  I had already climbed under the covers when Gabe reappeared in the doorway. The light from his bed lamp was the only illumination in the room as it cast a soft yellow glow around us. I force my attention back to the phone in my hand. Amelia had texted me after our call, she had started an interrogation on Gabe. I told her she was getting more and more like our mother every day and she’s replied with an angry emoji which causes me to stifle a laugh, she’d just made my point.

  I feel the bed dip as Gabe climbs in, and sighs. “This is already so much better than the car.”

  “Hmm? What’s that?”

  “The bed. Feels so good to lie in a proper bed.” Gabe wiggles under the covers before settling. “So twins?”

  “Of course, because triplets seemed like too much.”

  “Yeah, right. Because getting married in secret and having twins is just the right measure of crazy.”

  “Hey, I’m not the one who booked the honeymoon suite.”

  “I never planned it. So names for these kids of ours?”

  “Gabrielle and Emmett.”

  “Ah right, the opposite version of our names. I like it.” Gabe holds his fist out to me, waiting for me to return his bump. When I do, his grin causes my body to flood with warmth.

  “Gabrielle would be blonde like you, with your streak of stubbornness. A real heartbreaker, Em. Boys would follow her everywhere but she’s always going to be daddy’s girl. Emmett, everyone would like him, a genuine and loyal kid. He would love animals and be so much better at sport than we ever were. He would dote on his mumma and sister.”

  “Don’t you find this all a little weird?” I ask him, letting out a little uncomfortable laugh.

  “Says you, who already named our imaginary children.

  “I was only kidding, you’ve gone ahead and created these whole little personas for them.”

  “Of course I have, we have a cookie cutter marriage, living in our cookie cutter house with our white picket fence and golden retriever, with our perfect children. Isn’t that the dream? I’d probably work as a car salesman, where we would own the business and you would do the accounts whilst making dinner in a frilly apron with glossy red lips and sensible shoes.”

  “Wow, how incredibly insulting.” With one blasé statement, Gabe had managed to pinpoint the problem with equality and set us back about fifty years. “I suppose I should be grateful for a job in that scenario?”

  “Would it make a difference to you if I said you paid for the frilly apron out of your own wage?”

  “You’re a dick, Gabe.”

  He throws his head back and howls with laughter. “This escalated quickly. I was kidding too, Em, don’t be pissed at me. Living in the perfect house with the perfect wife and children sounds like my idea of a nightmare, one where the faces fall off the wife and kids to reveal they are really cyborgs or something.”

  “You’re not really helping your case here.”

  “If I were to get married; a huge if by the way, I would want to be with someone who,” he searches the low-light room for his answer. “Is happy. With me, with our life together. I don’t want to be with someone who feels obligated to be with me or is just going through the motions, you know?” I did because just like that Gabe had explained to me in his own words the exact reason I couldn’t agree to marry Mark. “Good night, Em.”

  “Night, Gabe.” Gabe’s words were running through my mind, the images creating an old black and white movie of what my life married to Mark could’ve looked like, complete with a frilly apron and sensible shoes. For the first time since I had put home in the rearview mirror of my VW, I felt like I could understand the exact reason why I had to give his ring back. Gabe had summed it up perfectly, better than I could have ever explained to him or anyone else. I had been content with Mark because I was settled but settled and content didn’t always equal happy or satisfied.

  I woke up cloaked in warmth, it was cosy and made me smile. A strong arm pulled me in closer, and the little hairs on Gabe’s chest tickled my nose. Quickly, with my body tensing, my eyes flew open. The room still covered in darkness I could make out the outline of the Gabe’s body, where I was currently resting my head against his chest and his arm tucked around me, holding me at his side.

  His hand rubbing down my arm caused the skin to goose bump in awareness whilst the rest of me relaxes.

  “Emmy,” Gabe’s voice is soft and low. “Are you drooling on me?”

  I pretend that I hadn’t been laying there on him listening to his breathing or slow heartbeat for the last few minutes. Stirring I stretch. “Hmm?”

  “My nipple is hard and wet. Were you dribbling on me?”

  “What?” No need to pretend any further, I was genuinely shocked. Wiping my
mouth it does feel a little wet. Had I been dribbling all over him? My plan was to deny it all. “No!” Neither of us moves, we stay curled up in each other’s arms.

  “We need to get up, there is something I want to take you to see.”

  “Outside?”

  “Yeah, Em. Outside.” He answers me dryly.

  “Where it’s going to be cold and dark?”

  “Yes. It would be nice to stay here like this but I promise it will be worth it.”

  Our eyes meet and even through the darkness I can see the smile in them.

  “Fine.” Against my better judgment, I leave the comfort of the bed and dig out some warm clothes from my bag, pulling on two pairs of socks.

  “Em, you’re cute when you pout. Adding that to the list.” He taps the side of his head as he leans forward to pull his own socks and shoes on.

  The car bumps down the road in the darkness, the headlights shooting two beams of light ahead of us.

  “Are you going to tell me where we are going?”

  “Nope. You’re just going to have to wait and see.”

  Watching out the windows I try to determine where we are headed. Everything that whizzes past is dark and unrecognizable once out of the glow from the head light.

  There are no other cars on the highway as we head west away from the direction we had come the previous day. I was about to ask Gabe again where we were headed when he indicated to pull into a deserted car park.

  Shutting off the car, Gabe turns to me. “Trust me?”

  “You haven’t really given me a reason not to, right?”

  “Come on then, I promise you won’t be disappointed.”

  With the headlights shut off the only light comes from the street lights spaced throughout the car park.

  Gabe slips his hand in to mine and tugs me along gently behind him, he has his phone lit up for us to highlight the path in front. It gave me an uneasy feeling stumbling along behind him through the darkness, with the blind faith of where we were and what it was we were doing.