That phrase Cal said to Jamie comes to mind. Universal convergence. If that’s true, I hope there’s some good intervention coming up for Jamie and me.
“And we can both feel it,” Rocky Horror continues. “We spent the night talking. The whole night.” He leans against a tree, bracing himself on his knees, smiling. “I honestly haven’t done that since... maybe college. After?”
“Okay, but why don’t you ask if they want to come with us?”
His face clouds. “For one, they have their own plan, and I don’t want to be the person who changes that. He and Hector went from Cabo to the Grand Canyon to Vegas. Along the northern border and down south again and up the coast.”
“Where are they going next?” I ask.
“He says he wants to show Hector everywhere he can drive to. They have general locations in mind all the way up the coast, then through Canada and back down to Mexico and maybe beyond. Basically, they’re going to travel until they can’t find any more diesel or the truck breaks down.”
“Are you sure they’ll let you go with them?” I ask.
“Ramiro asked me last night. I already said yes. I don’t think I’ve ever said yes to something so fast in my life.” He blushes as he says it.
I’m happy for Rocky Horror. But I also know how much I’m going to miss him.
“Who’s going to help me when I have an existential crisis?”
Rocky Horror pulls me into a hug. “It’s cute you think I’d care about your crises.” There’s the Rocky Horror I know and love. And am going to miss so damn much.
We say goodbye later that morning. Rocky Horror already has an arm around Ramiro’s back, holding him at his side. He takes it away long enough to hand me Jamie’s rifle.
“You sure?” I ask.
“We’ll be okay,” Rocky Horror says.
“Hector,” the Kid says, “you can have Albie.” He holds out the stuffed Pokémon—which Hector has explained is a Bellibolt.
“Thank you,” Hector says. He and the Kid hug, and he kisses the Kid’s cheek. Then he goes down the line and kisses each of our cheeks, saying bye along the way.
Rocky Horror gives us the food out of his pack—as well as a fewmore cans from Ramiro and Hector, since they have more than enough in the truck.
Then he crouches next to the Kid. “You’re in charge now, ’kay?” Rocky Horror points to me with his middle finger. “Try not to let this one fall off a cliff or anything.”
The Kid nods and gives him a hug. And if I’m not mistaken, it looks like Rocky Horror might be sad to see the Kid go.
When he hugs Cara goodbye, I hear her whisper, “Adios, Mary Poppins.” Rocky Horror snorts and moves on to me.
“What’s the plan after you all get to Bethesda?”
I shrug. “Guess we have to talk about it.”
“Something you’re not great at.”
“I’m trying.”
He opens his arms and I step into his hug. “Try harder. I know you can do it.”
With that, we say goodbye and head back to the road. If we find another car, we can be in Bethesda by the end of the day. For the first time in a long time, I’m full of food and hope. But it’s not enough because Jamie isn’t here.
Our little fellowship is getting smaller and smaller. And each time, the hole left by Jamie’s absence feels bigger.
Jamison
“ON YOUR KNEES!”
My nose whistles with clotted blood, and the handgun shakes in my sweaty hands as my heart races. Niki and I drop slowly, setting our guns down on the ground in front of us. Everyone else does as they say. As some of the Fort Caroliners hold us at gunpoint, a few others run to pick up our weapons.
