| |
KHYLA
We stop at a cross road to allow a river of people to cross, including a limping woman and a blind man who’s whimping the air with his stick to avoid obstacles. I didn’t image that our escape would be like this. I thought there would had been chasing with hisses of shoot over our heads. Instead everything is all right. Matthew is driving safely and calmly, as if we went out for shopping, not escaping the law. I take advantage to look at the directions. The signs indicates San Diego to the right and San Francisco straight. I’m quite sure we’ll go to the right considering that San Diego is the biggest city nearer to Mexico border. But when we start moving again, I notice that Matthew is going straight, to San Francisco. I’m about to ask for explanation, but then I think he’s right. It is better to divert the path; otherwise we could have the cops on our heels in short time.
As I’m still reflecting about what could go to happen in the next hours, we are stopped by a block road. Scratch that, they already found us. They order alt and I begin to tremble with fear.
«Be calm, just remember agreeing with me» says Matthew holding my hand.
I decide to trust him for the upteenth time. I deeply breath trying to get a natural and serene expression.
Matthew put both his hands on the wheel and waits smiling for the agents.
«Driving license and vehicle registration.»
«Good morning, agent, what’s the matter? Why did you stop us? »
«Just for a check. We are looking for two fugitives. »
«Rose, love, pull out the documents from the dashboard. »
Rose, what a name. I wonder who had the idea to give me this name. It seems more appropriate for the nanny of the Looney Tunes, not for me. I keep on smiling as if I had a hemiparesis. I pull out the documents and hold them out to Matthew who gives them calmly to the agent.
«How many weeks are you pregnant?» asks the cop addressing me for the first time. What did he ask me? I don’t understand. Wait a minute...he’s persistenly looking at my belly. Oh God! He’s talking about the pregnancy! So... a month is made up of four weeks... this means that...
«She’s at the beginning of the sixth month.»
«Yes, she’s a female» I answer «Carl and I look forward to the birth. We have already chosen the name. It’ll be Clarice.»
«Good, I’m very happy for you. Mister Grasshopper, everything seems ok. You can go.»
Matthew starts the engine and we go. As soon as we are afar from the cops, we start laughing.
«Did you really would name a daughter Clarissa? » asks him with tears in his eyes.
«Certainly not. What about the name Rose? I hate it!»
«What do you think about my fake name? Do you think it’s better? This is Bart’s fault. He chose the names. »
Aha! Here is the culprit! It seemed strange to me that my Matthew could have so horrible tastes.
We pull ourselves together and move on in the journey, which proceeds without others interruptions. After a few miles we finally are out of the city. I look at the window feeling overexcited. I sing aloud the top of the hit, while Matthew drives calmly as if we were going at a picnic. Yet there’s something strange. Why, instead of getting closer to the border, do we move away more and more?
I don’t want to overwhelm myself with anxiety. Matthew has so far proved that he planned everything in the least detail. It makes no sense to upset him with unnecessary questions, but I can’t hold back...
«Matthew, why are we going to San Francisco? This way we’ll never get in Mexico. »
He suddenly changes his expression hardening his features and his gaze: «I never said we were going to Mexico. »
«Yes, this is true... But we are in California...» I blether without even listening to the bullshits that comes out from my mouth.
«So what? It seems to me that you saw too many western movies. »
Hearing these words, blood rush to my head.
«For your information, I get nervous when you make fun of me on the kind of movies I watch. You don’t know anything about me. Anyway is not a matter of movies. It’s logical to think that the only way to escape from the police is to go beyond the border, and Mexico is the nearest. »
«You could be right, but we aren’t going there anyway. First point: if we are out of Los Angeles it’s because the cops had your same thought and looked somewhere else. Second point: I have an affair to settle down in San Francisco.. »
«What kind of affair? Have you got a safety deposit box there? » I ask looking for a plausible explanation to his plan.
«This is not your business, Khyla! » he replies with a tone that broken no argument.
I can’t believe this! Since I know him, I’ve always gone along with his wishes and he treats me like that? No, I’m not going to undergo anymore.
«Stop the car! » I shout with all the anger.
«What do you want to do? » he asks scared by my furious tone.
«I want to get out of this car right away. You treat me worst than a cigarette flatten on the asphalt and I don’t deserve it. Now you stop the car and I’ll go back to Los Angeles. You yourself said that I’ve nothing to fear about. I’ll tell them that you no longer need me, so you freed me.»
«And what about me? I need your help, Khyla! » he responds choked up.
«Who doesn’t respect me, doesn’t deserve me. »
«Wait a minute...I know that I’ve been bad with you, but you are my last hope. Till you are beside me, I’ll be safe.»
«In short I’m just a safe-conduct. What a great consideration!...»
I can feel some tears stinging my eyes, about to come down, but I’m not going to seem weak now.
«No, it isn’t like this. If I turned to you it’s because something special unites us. »
«But it’s not as special as the one that unit you and Tracy, isn’t it? »
He shakes his head pretending to be talking with a deaf.
«Why don’t you understand? I like and respect you. I felt a strong attraction for you, but I love Tracy! And she loves me, I can feel it. »
I should feel even more offended by this statement, but the sweet tone he used talking about me before naming her, seems to be enough to patch my wounded heart. At least by now.
«You’re hopeless, Matthew. Let me tell you this: I know how these things works. And I’m even more hopeless, because I’ve been running after you as a cretin.»
«Do you mean that we are continuing the journey together?» He asks, keeping his breath in wonder.
«Yes, ok. Let’s continue this madness.»
He smiles, then gives me a slight pat on the cheek.
«Thank you, Khyla. I’m happy for your forgiveness. Just bear some more hours travelling. Bart booked a room for us in a motel just a few kilometers away from San Francisco. Once there, we can have some food and some rest. »
«Wouldn’t it be better to resolve your unfinished buisiness as soon as possible? »
«No, we’re too much tired. We wouldn’t have the necessary lucidity. »
I think he’s right. We’re really tired. I’m tired...Overwhelmed by the rhythm of the car, I close my eyes. I’m going to rest for a moment or two, just to regain strength. Just a few minutes...I just need a little rest...
