Sarah
When we got off the plane and I saw Rage's unmistakable dark Jeep, my stomach started spinning like a damn washing machine. I wasn't ready to see him yet, and even less so with Bruno by my side. Thank God, it was just Carter, which made me wonder if their rivalry had calmed down after our little trip, because if not, I can't explain why Rage had lent him the Jeep.
Bruno had rented a minivan, and I keep asking myself if this is his way of introducing me to motherhood or what.
Ben is strangely silent during the trip, I had offered him food, juice and even tried to sing songs, but he just doesn’t want to talk, just like Bruno.
What the hell is going on?
“Does anyone need to go to the bathroom?” I ask. No one answers. “Hello? Is anyone there?”
Bruno wakes up from his stupor and smiles at me.
“Hey beautiful, what's up?”
What's up?
“You didn't talk the entire trip and the ‘Mini Bruno’ back there is your fucking mirror.”
“Fucking,” Ben repeats.
Damn it!
“Oh no, Ben, that's a word only adults can say,” I say.
Bruno is laughing out loud, because Ben repeats the word as if it were a children's song, I die of shame, how am I going to explain it to the parents?
“You're encouraging him, Bruno!”
“Kids do that all the time, don't beat yourself up, he'll forget it later,” he says as he touches my leg.
“His parents are going to kill me.”
He stops caressing and squeezes gently. “They’re not; we saved their child.” He says with an aggrieved tone.
Bruno has a lot of emotions going on today. Last night he had fallen asleep with a smile on his face. This morning he had woken up with his bad temper and his furrowed eyebrows. He didn't want to say goodbye to the boy, and I think he hates me a little for making him do it.
As I leaned over the window, my body felt the pain of the wound in my stomach.
Mental note number whatever: I must not forget to tell Bruno about this pain as soon as we come back.
The dead silence and the lines of the asphalt passing in front of me are like a hypnotic session.
I yawn.
“We still have a long way to go, why don’t you sleep a bit?” Bruno encourages me.
“Because that’ll make me a terrible shotgun, I won't leave you alone.” I shake my head, trying to wake up.
“Don't be stubborn, sleep, I'll wake you up before we get there.”
His insistence makes me wonder if what he really wants is to have time alone with Ben, so I’m going to listen to my hunch.
“Alright, let me know when we arrive.” I cross my arms and tilt my head to the side. My body relaxes, but my mind is still alert. I know how to pretend to be asleep, I had practiced this many times when I was in captivity.
Is it weird that I'm using it now with Brunoagain?
Just as I had expected, once I get a paused breath, Bruno starts talking.
