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Gertrude woke with a start and looked around wildly. “Where are we?”
“Massachusetts,” Calvin said dryly.
“So we’re almost there?”
He laughed. “No. Not even close.”
“But Massachusetts is pretty far, right?”
“Well, near and far are relative terms. Far from where we started? No. Far from South Dakota? Yes, Massachusetts is far from South Dakota. Have you actually looked at a map of the country you live in?”
“I have to use a bathroom.”
“All right. I’ll stop at the next service station I see.”
“Thank you, Calvin.” She leaned her head back. It was lucky that he was so into this plan. She wasn’t sure how she would have done this without him. Though maybe Fred Firtz would have taken her. He’d taken a real shine to her.
Calvin signaled and got into the far-right lane. Gertrude looked in wonder at how wide the highway was. She’d never seen so many lanes before. Why would any highway need this many lanes? Were there this many people in Massachusetts? If so, they probably had a lot of bad guys here.
He pulled up beside a gas pump. “Sorry, I can’t get you much closer to the building with this camper attached.”
She was touched that he’d had the thought. “That’s all right. I’ll manage.” She climbed out. “Could you get my—”
He was already doing it. He set her walker down in front of her. She grabbed it and headed across the vast parking lot, glad they weren’t trying this during winter.
She’d never seen so many bathroom stalls and hurried to take care of business so she could get back to Calvin and the cats. She washed her hands thoroughly and then looked around for a paper towel dispenser. Instead, there were giant hand dryers. She stuck her hands under one, and it exploded with so much noise that she jumped a quarter of an inch off the floor, yanking her hands out from under it. Then she stared at it. It had so much force it had almost blown her skin off. Gingerly, she stuck one finger under the blower. It shot out hot air at ninety miles an hour, and she yanked her finger away again. What a nifty machine! It was like a hand dryer from Star Trek! She stuck two fingers under the blower, and it roared to life again. Again, she yanked her hand away.
“My mommy says you’re not supposed to play with the blowers.”
Gertrude looked to her right to see a little girl looking up at her with scolding eyes. Then she looked around the room. “Where is your mommy?”
A woman came flying out of a stall, wrapped both hands around the girl, and, keeping two terrified eyes on Gertrude, dragged the girl over to the sinks. Gertrude shrugged, wiped her hands on her jumper, and left the bathroom.
By the time she returned to the truck and camper, Calvin was done pumping gas and was leaning on the truck talking on his cellular phone. “... Massachusetts ... Yes, I know ...”
She stopped walking, so he wouldn’t hear her approaching.
“... I couldn’t let her come alone ... yes, she would have ... you don’t know her ... you don’t understand ... I couldn’t let her come alone.”
Gertrude didn’t know who was on the other end of that phone call, but whoever it was, she was not impressed.
“I won’t be gone long ... it’s just a road trip ... relax ... I’ll be fine... I’m not a child. I’m perfectly capable of traveling ... enough! Thanks for your concern, but it’s unwarranted. I’ve got to go. We’ll be back soon. Goodbye.” He hung up and turned to see her standing there. He looked guilty.
“Who was that?”
“My daughter. She doesn’t like this idea.”
Gertrude put her walker in the back and climbed into the truck again. “Why doesn’t Heather like this idea?”
“She doesn’t think it’s safe.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know. I’m over seventy, so she thinks that means I automatically have dementia.”
“You don’t have dementia. You’re sharp as a tack.”
He laughed. “Thanks, Gert.”
“A rusty tack. But a tack nonetheless.” Gertrude waited until he got them back on the road. “Why did you say that we wouldn’t be gone long?”
“I was only trying to appease her. Make her worry less. She doesn’t like the idea of her aging father moving two thousand miles away.”
“But we are moving. I’m serious about this. I’m committed.”
He sighed. “I know, Gertrude. I know.”
