Chapter 13 – Part 1
Kyle fought to maintain control of the steering wheel through the shouts of ”Quit touching me!” coming from Kevin in the back. They had barely been on the road an hour, the after image of Vegas still imprinted on the rearview, when Mike and Kevin started hammering on each other like petulant children.
“I’m not touching you,” Mike roared back at Kevin. Kyle jerked the wheel in surprise at the yell and caused the car rock violently to one side. Mike looked at Kyle in the mirror and then back at Kevin, “This seat is tiny and the guy steering this thing can’t keep it steady. I’m not touching you on purpose!” Mike’s voice returned to a normal volume and took on a guilt inducing tone, “I just have a big body, okay.”
“Okay,” Kevin said and folded his arms across his chest.
Christine turned to look at Kyle. ”Really?” she asked rhetorically. ”Really, Kyle?” He shrugged. She continued, ”You realize that we still have like…” she checked her watch, “ten hours left?” She sounded like she couldn’t believe it herself. ”What is with these two?” Kyle shrugged again shaking his head. He wanted to grab his notebook and write some half notes, but he couldn’t get to it where he’d thrown it back early. Instead, he decided to try to rely on remembering his side of the note while he played it out in his head. He did it sometimes while he was driving until he had a chance to stop. This wasn’t really that different.
Right?
Well maybe I would make up a few things if I forgot what I was thinking, but honestly, how would you even know? Why would you even care?
Okay. Good point, I didn’t think about the children. Right now I’m trying not to think about them. I’m trying to distract myself, so I don’t have to listen.
At that moment, he overheard Mike telling Kevin, “The way you sleep at night, you’re lucky I’m not kicking and punching you right now while I have the chance, okay?” Kyle used his extensive training with the music at the Fabrics R Us to rapidly tune them out.
That’s true, but what am I supposed to say to her?
Ha, tuck and roll! I don’t think I’ll go there, but thanks. I suppose you’re right though, duder. Regardless of what I say she can’t really escape without diving out. I’m going to test it out. Let’s see what happens.
“H–” Kyle tried to say. His voice was caught behind the phlegm that had gathered in his throat while he hadn’t been talking. He coughed and cleared it out, “Ahem. Uh, hey,” he said and then paused awkwardly when he realized he sounded like he was reading lines. ”Uh–Christine?”
“Yes, Kyle?” she said brightly, a false enthusiasm clouding her smile. She maintained the expression at him expectantly while he decided his reply.
“Have you ever seen a snake?”
She blinked. Involuntarily, she looked down and then closed her eyes and breathed one long outward exhale. ”I really don’t know how I want to answer that.”
“What are–” Kyle glanced up at the mirror and saw Mike and Kevin had stopped arguing, and both were watching, bemused. ”Uh, nevermind,” Kyle said, “Sorry.”
“If you say so,” she said, rolling her eyes as she turned away to look out the window.
Not at all, duder. Not at all!
