“A lot more packing and a lot less singing,” Zane said with a chuckle.
A short while later, Xavion returned and by then, they were ready and all bags were packed. They headed down and left the hotel in the SUV that had been commissioned for them by their label. The roads to Menora were filled with several views of the countryside and several ranches. Their driver turned out to be a chatterbox as well as he filled them in about Menora and a lot of what they were passing by.
“Trust me, you are going to enjoy Menora, famous for its hot sauce and fast horses. And oh, the sugar over here is an absolute delight...” the driver was at it again.
Xavion’s eyes followed the fields as they flew by and he took delight in the beautiful landscape. The air out there wasclean and unpolluted unlike the bigger cities they had toured. Spending their vacation at some ranch was not his first choice for a vacation but he was open to it. It had been Chan’s turn to pick out their vacation destination and he had gone with the dude ranch in Menora, a little town in Texas that was slowly gaining recognition.
Just then, they drove past a straw-colored signboard which held the words,‘Welcome to Menora, home of sauce, fast horses and beautiful landscapes.
“Is that really all they can boast of?” Kai grunted beside him, and Xavion smiled to himself.
They came across more fields and farms when they passed the signboard but this time, more houses were interspersed within. After a while of driving, they left behind the ranches and met clusters of close-knit houses, all boasting of colorful gardens. The buildings increased and it became obvious that they were passing through the town center when the saw the city hall which was followed by a bank and then a gallery and then, more buildings.
The roads were traffic-free and there were only few cars out. They drove past the town’s hospital and were going around a curve in the road. Suddenly the car sputtered and rolled to a stop on the roadside. They were flanked on their side of the road by several trees, lined up neatly, for miles. And across the road were several blocks of buildings in a fenced compound. The etching on the building at the front was bold- Menora Community College.
“What’s going on?” Xavion asked the driver who was still trying to get the car to start.
His eyes widened as he turned to look at them, “I am sorry, I think the engine has overheated but I’m not sure. I will have to head over the auto shop and get Carl.”
“Oh just great...” Kai groaned and he pushed the door open and jumped out. The others followed him.
“How long is that going to take?” Zane asked.
“Well, give or take, twenty to thirty minutes, the shop is just a couple of blocks away. I will be back in no time.”
“What is over there?” Lay asked, jabbing a thumb towards the tree-lined area.
The man smiled gleefully as he said, “That is the park. It is a great place to unwind. Hey, you can wait for me there. Start seeing all Menora has to offer.”
“Sure,” Zane said with a nod.
“Hand over the keys,” Chan said as he stretched his hand. “Why look so surprised? All we own is in there, surely you don’t think that we will let you just go without securing all we own. Hand over the keys.”
“I am no thief,” the driver said with a shake of his head. He handed the keys over and headed across the road.
“Really Chan?” Xavion quirked a brown brow.
“What? It needed to be done,” Chan argued.
“True that but there are better ways to proach situations. Being diplomatic and having tact is important,” Xavion told him and he headed towards the park.
They moved in a group as they entered the park but before long, they had split up. Xavion hummed a tune under his breath as he walked down a paved path. Around him were stone benches and lawns followed with people. Some were picnicking and others sat alone on the benches and in groups. His brown eyes flitted around as he searched for a food truck. He was starving and had barely had enough breakfast.
The ding of an ice cream truck’s bell caught his attention and he looked towards the direction. The white truck with swirly colors and ice cream cones became more visible as he turned the corner. Just as he got there, he saw a woman with medium blonde hair high up in a ponytail. She was dressed in flannel shirt, wearing jeans and black ankle booties. He did not need to be told to know that she was a local. The perfect difference between them could be seen in their attire. His leather jacket, sneakers, and expensive pants said all too well that he was not from around here. The girl was probably from around here or else she was a visitor that had really blended in with the people.
He shook his head. He could not understand for the life of him why he was analyzing a complete stranger just at the sight of her back. As he walked closer, he noticed the tan-colored double stroller that was beside her. He was close enough now and he was able to see the occupants. It was the kind of stroller that had the seats facing each other with a tray in between. He caught sight of a blonde boy and girl. They looked about three and were grinning. Seeing their smile made him smile too.
“I’m sorry, do you want to go first? The kids have still not made up their mind about what kind they want,” the woman whose back he had been watching he said.
Xavion looked in her direction and finally saw her. Her lips were turned up in a smile that gave her green eyes a twinkle. She is beautiful, the words resounded in his head before he could stop them.
“Uh… did you hear me? I said you can go,” she said with that same smile.
“Yeah, yeah, sure, thanks.” Xavion said and he stepped aside while she rolled the stroller out of the way. He was less into the order he was making and more interested in what she was cooing at the kids,
“So, strawberry or chocolate?”
“Choco!” The girl said. Xavion smiled and made his payment.
