by Elle Casey
Sarah nodded, looking like she wasn’t sure whether she should laugh or cry at Candi’s orders. But she put on her brave face and nodded, apparently deciding doing neither was her best option. She got out of the car wearing the disguise Candi had suggested, walking with her head down to the rest stop building entrance.
True to her word, Sarah got back much faster than Candi expected, and no one was leading her out in handcuffs. Candi watched her through the windshield of the truck next to them, just barely able to make out her slim form as she made her way back past the smashed bugs and other gross stuff on the glass that stood between them. Sarah had a fast-food bag in her hand and kept her head down all the way back to the car. She opened the door and got in, slamming it shut quickly behind her. “Let’s go,” she said breathlessly.
“What’d you get?” asked Kevin, waking up from his nap.
“Fries.”
“Jonathan’s going to be pissed.”
“Too bad.” Sarah dove her hand into the bag and came out with three fries, cramming them all in her mouth at the same time. “Heeve buff gonna haffa beal wiff it.”
“What are we doing? Where are we?” asked Jonathan.
Candi put the car into reverse and began backing out of their spot. “We had to make an emergency stop. Sorry.”
“Wait! Don’t go yet!” said Jonathan.
Candi stopped. “What?”
“Pull back in!” he said, gripping Candi’s headrest and yelling right in her ear.
“Chill, Jonathan, geez,” she said, shifting the car into drive and going forward. “What’s the big deal?”
“Sorry for yelling. What I’m thinking is that they won’t have cameras out this far, and the way you’ve parked - good job by the way - isn’t visible from up there. So if there’s a longer wait between when they see her leave, they’ll assume she’s in another car that goes by, not this one.”
“I don’t get it,” said Candi.
“I do,” said Kevin. “If the camera caught Sarah, and the cops want to know what car she got into, they’ll guess that it would be the next car coming by or one coming by in the next couple minutes. So we need to wait here for longer than that.”
“How much longer?” asked Candi, swallowing the lump in her throat as a police car cruised by behind them. The officers inside weren’t looking at the Camry, but just seeing them nearby was making her feel sick.
“Ten minutes.”
“But … lots of people go to a rest stop and sit in their cars, just to relax or take a quick nap,” said Candi, worried she’d really blown it by listening to Sarah and coming in here.
“Not kids on the run. Not kids who have alternate drivers who can take over when the other one is tired,” said Jonathan.
Candi shut off the engine.
“I can’t believe you thought all that out,” said Kevin, shaking his head slowly. “You were asleep when she started to leave.”
“Don’t be too impressed. I thought of all this before, when the girls wanted to go into a rest stop earlier. It just stuck in my head as I played out the various scenarios.”
“You play out scenarios in your head?” asked Kevin. “For real, dude?”
“Oh, yeah. All the time. I learned from playing chess. You always need to try and predict what the other player is going to do several moves ahead.”
Kevin smiled vaguely. “That’s an expression … I’m several moves ahead of you.”
“Exactly. It comes from chess. We need to stay at least three moves ahead of law enforcement in order to stay safe until the trial. If they get within one move of us, we will lose. They have too many resources at their disposal for us to succeed at remaining invisible in that situation.”
“So how do we stay three moves ahead?” asked Sarah.
“For one, we cannot be careless, like you were by coming here. And we can all change our appearances. Or those who can, should. Candi already did that, so she’s helping us. People are looking for a blonde girl with dreadlocks, not Shirley Temple. Kevin, you could make your hair dark, and you’d blend better. My hair won’t go blonde without looking fake, so I’m afraid I’m stuck how I am. Sarah, you could cut your hair, but using dye isn’t a good idea when you’re pregnant. I’ve read some documentation that suggests that it could be unhealthy, all those chemicals, and I’d rather err on the side of caution.”
“I’m not dying my hair anyway,” said Sarah. “I had it highlighted before I knew I was pregnant, and I’m not going to ruin that on the very slight, off-chance that it might help.”
“Oh, that’s brilliant,” said Candi. “You’ll sacrifice our lives for your hair. Nice.”
“Shut up, Shirley! I didn’t say I wouldn’t do anything. I don’t mind cutting it. A little.” She looked at the guys one at a time, pointing with her thumb at Candi. “But I’m not going as short as Shirley, here.”
“Stop calling me Shirley!” Candi couldn’t believe Sarah was being so casual about the whole thing. They were hiding from the law - the law that could be trying to kill them right along with some Russian mafia guy - and Sarah was worried about her stupid hair.
“Girls, girls … no fighting,” said Kevin in a calming voice. “I know hair is a sensitive subject, so let’s just drop it. Move on to the next thing, Jon. What else can we do?”
“Leave false trails elsewhere, create distractions, stay off the radar, keep to ourselves, be vigilant, have an escape plan in case anyone gets close. There’s a lot we can do. They have eyes everywhere, thanks to the public that always wants to help find kids. We have to always be aware that someone looking at us could be the one who turns us in.”
Candi slouched down in her seat, noticing a man in a track suit nearby, gazing off into the distance. Maybe he’s just trying to seem casual or something. She looked to her right and noticed a lady sitting in her car a few rows down. Is she looking at us? She’s on her phone! Is she calling the police?! Candi started the car again.
“What are you doing? It’s not time to go yet,” said Jonathan.
“I’m going. That lady’s on the phone, and she’s making me nervous.” Candi looked behind her as they started to reverse out of the parking spot and had to slam on the brakes to keep from hitting the car that was barreling past. It was a police car with its lights on.
The car rocked with the sudden stop. Candi thought she was going to barf in her lap, she was so freaked out. For a split-second, she was sure the cop car was just going to stop and block her in, but it continued on, allowing her to breathe again.
“Time to go,” said Jonathan. “Go, Candi. And don’t speed. Sarah, lie down - put your head in my lap.”
Candi watched Sarah’s head go by the rearview mirror as Candi backed out of the space, very carefully now since she was completely freaked out about getting into a traffic accident. One wrong move and they’d be done.
As they pulled out of the parking lot and back onto the highway, Candi tried not to look at the three police cars that had converged on a dark SUV, not unlike the one they’d abandoned before taking the Camry. Candi swallowed the bile that rose up to burn her throat. Just keep going and don’t stop until you’re at a cabin in the woods, surrounded by trees and wind and nothing else.
***
The french fries Sarah had eaten did the trick. She didn’t feel sick for the first time in days. She watched the scenery go by, smiling at all the beautiful trees and lush landscape that appeared as they got closer to their destination.
“What are you so happy about?” grouched Candi from the front seat.
Kevin had taken over the driving again, while the poor Shirley Temple wannabe was looking at her pitiful hair in the small mirror on the back of her visor. She was using the reflection to give Sarah the evil-eye.
“I was just thinking that it’s really pretty out here. I could get used to this.”
Candi sighed, pushing the visor back up before looking around. “It is nice. I just wish we were here for a real vacation and not running from s
omeone trying to kill us.” James thumped his tail rhythmically on the emergency brake handle, happy with whatever Candi was doing to his head. She looked down with a smile, giggling when he jumped up to lick her chin. Her expression quickly went back to one of concern.
Sarah stroked the giant head of Xena, pit bull doggie warrior. The dog’s butt was half on the seat and half on Jonathan. “Yeah. The murderous villains part sucks, but the rest of the trip has been pretty decent. I mean, you even got a new hairdo.” She smiled, thrilled at being able to tease Candi and be out of her reach at the same time.
“This dog is a space hog,” said Jonathan, trying once more to nudge Xena over. She ignored his efforts, merely twitching an eyebrow and snuffling a couple times before going back to sleep. Sarah’s touch seemed to mesmerize her. She’d been quiet the entire ride so far.
“Hush, Barfy Barbie,” said Candi to Sarah. “My hair issue is only temporary, but soon you’re going to be a big roly-poly, so I’d watch it if I were you. Karma is a you-know-what.”
Sarah narrowed her eyes at her friend. “Me? Fat? No way. Never gonna happen.”
“Chances are you’ll gain between twenty-five and fifty-five pounds,” said Jonathan.
Sarah stared at him aghast as Candi laughed. She leaned forward to tweak Candi’s hair while she shot death glares at her boyfriend. When she finally recovered enough to speak, she said, “Like hell I will.” Fifty-five pounds? He must be smoking something.
He shrugged. “It’s a simple fact. You can’t fight nature.”
“Oh, yes I can,” said Sarah, sitting back against the seat, giving up on messing with Candi’s hair in favor of scowling out the window. The landscape that had so thrilled her earlier now looked ugly. Stupid grass. Stupid fat trees. Stupid fat flowers.
“It won’t be so bad, Sarah,” said Candi, sounding chagrined. “You’ll probably be one of those lucky girls who just has a tiny little bump and then pops out the baby like no big deal.”
Sarah was surprised Candi was being so nice, considering how much Sarah had been teasing her about her horrible hair. It took some of the wind out of Sarah’s angry sails. “Whatever. Even if I do gain some weight, and I’m not saying that’s going to happen, I’ll work my butt off after and be back to normal in a week. No problem.”
Jonathan cleared his throat and opened is mouth to say something, but Sarah shot her hand out and clapped it over his lips. She stared straight ahead, growling, “Don’t. Say. A word. Or I am going to eat your stupid TMI face off.”
“Daaaamn,” said Kevin, whistling in respect. “I heard about mother instincts and everything, but that’s off the hook, sister.” His barely controlled snorts had her seeing red.
“Say one more thing, and see what happens to you, Kevin. I’m not kidding.”
He lifted up a hand and waved it. “I’m done. I surrender. Don’t eat my face off, please.”
Sarah shook her head at everyone - they were all laughing at her brother’s antics. Idiots. “You guys have no clue, you know that? You’re just running away from some bad guys. I’m not only running away from ugly-butt assassins, one of whom I had to nearly kill, thanks to sleeping beauty over there, but I’m also growing a life inside me and protecting both of us from being murdered, the whole time sick as crap and starving at the same time. I’d like to see you do it.”
The car went silent.
“I’m sorry, Sarah,” said Candi. “We’re being insensitive, and I know that’s not cool.”
“Yeah, sorry. Lost my head there for a second,” added Kevin, sounding sincere.
“I have the utmost respect for what you’re doing and going through for us and our child, Sarah. I want you to know that. And it would be very easy for you to succumb to the pressures put on us by this situation we’re in and the effects of the hormones you have swamping your system right now, so I just hope the levity that everyone is providing can be something useful to help ease your stress.”
Sarah frowned at him. “A word to the wise … you may want to keep your so-called levity about my weight to yourselves.”
“Noted,” said Jonathan, pressing his lips together and nodding.
Sarah reached over and took his hand in hers, knowing he was just trying to help in his own awkward way. “You guys are forgiven. For now, anyway.”
“The queen has spoken,” said Candi, turning to grin at her, taking the sting out of her words.
“Exactly,” said Sarah, nodding very regally at her subjects.
“Hey, there’s the sign for the town,” said Kevin. “Where do I go from here? Should I get off at this exit?” He turned to look at the traffic behind them, his finger poised on the small lever for the turn signal.
“Yes,” said Jonathan, grabbing some papers from behind his seat that were sitting on the shelf under the back window. “Follow the signs to the main part of town, and then pull into the first fast food place you see.”
Kevin followed Jonathan’s directions, and five minutes later they were sitting in the parking lot of a burger place. Sarah looked around, thinking they were probably at the only restaurant of this kind in the whole town, since it was so small and very old-school quaint - hardly a place where a bunch of junk food places could make it. Her mother probably would have labeled it very pedestrian, but Sarah liked it. It had an old soul. She smiled, thinking about the idea of raising a child here. Not that I’ll be here that long.
“Happy?” asked Jonathan, squeezing her hand and pulling her out of her thoughts.
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. For some reason she felt like crying, and it made absolutely no sense, which only served to piss her off at herself. She should have been crying earlier when everyone was talking about her getting fat. Now she wanted to cry because she was finally feeling some hope. Pregnancy sucks.
“So what are we going to do next?” asked Candi.
“Well, you’re the one who looks the least like our pictures, and you’re the one who spoke to the owner,” said Jonathan, “so I think you should be the one to go talk to her again and give her the money. We’ll all just wait at this restaurant, and you can come get us once you have the key.”
“What if she wants to drive me to the place? Should I just go and leave you here?” Candi sounded very nervous, and her eyes looked huge in her pale face.
Jonathan shook his head. “No, just tell her to give you directions because you have to do some grocery shopping first. Then when you’re sure she won’t see you, come get us. If you have to act like you’re going to the store first, do it.”
“Okay … but don’t blame me if things don’t go according to plan.”
“We’ll be here whenever you’re done,” said Kevin, leaning over to kiss her on the cheek. “Take whatever time you need. We’ve all had some sleep and food, and we’ll be right here by the fries if Big Momma back there gets hungry.”
Sarah leaned forward and flicked him on the ear.
“Ouch! Son of a …” He glared at Sarah, his anger turning immediately to joy when he saw how annoyed she was. He winked at her which only made her madder.
“Kevin, stop,” said Candi, opening up her door. “Come on, let’s do this before I wimp out.”
Everyone exited the car, Jonathan taking James’ leash and Kevin taking Xena’s. The dogs stood quietly next to the humans’ legs, watching their faces for clues of what they were doing or where they were going.
Sarah got a strong urge to eat another bag of fries when the smell of the restaurant’s cooking hit her nose. A tiny voice in the back of her head told her that fries for every meal was the surest way to grow a fat butt, but she didn’t care. Her appetite was so hit-or-miss these days, she had to take advantage of it when it was on hit.
“Let’s go, boys,” she said, grabbing Jonathan’s hand and nearly dragging him to the door.
“Do you need any money?” Candi asked as they walked away, leaving her by the car.
“Nope. Got some,” said Kevin, waving at her.
Sa
rah pushed him in the back to get him walking again. “Come on, Romeo. Time for fries.”
“Time to feed the baby again?” he asked.
“Mmm hmmm,” said Sarah, hoping it was the baby ingesting all those fry calories and not her.
“Give me the leashes,” said Jonathan, holding out his hand. “I’ll keep the dogs out here. Just get me a meal deal. Hamburger and a bottle of water.”
“You got it,” said Kevin, giving him the thicker leash. “Xena, protect your master. I’ll be back in a few.”
Sarah bent down to pat the dog and give her a quick hug before disappearing inside. She had to force herself to not run up to the counter. The crunchy, salty goodness of the fries was calling out to her by name.
***
Candi pulled into the designated meeting spot, drumming her fingers nervously on the wheel as she scanned the area, searching for an old lady in a dark green sedan. Her heart nearly stopped beating when a police car went by at a leisurely pace. Is it my imagination or are there cop cars everywhere out here? She’d never noticed them before when their job was to protect and serve. Now that their job was to find her and bring her in not only to testify against drug dealers and the Russian mafia, but for stealing a car too, their patrol vehicles had a certain menacing quality to them they’d never had before.
A tapping on the glass near her left ear made her jump and squeak with fright. An older lady stood at the window, smiling to reveal the perfectly white teeth and pretty pink gums of her dentures.
Candi turned the crank to lower the window.
“Are you Cathy?” the woman asked. Candi nodded, almost forgetting she’d used that fake name over the phone. She felt her face go red with the disaster she’d come close to causing by saying, Hi, my name’s Candi!
