"So, where are you headed?"
"No where in particular." Beth shrugged. "Just need a vacation."
Tiffany hesitated as if considering her words. "Well…normally, I wouldn't accommodate an employee so easily - especially at the last moment like this. But, you're a faithful worker. I think this is the first time you've asked off in over three years. And…you always take shifts for others. You've definitely earned some time off…"
Beth let silence reign, waiting for Tiffany to continue.
"Have any idea when you'll be back?" Tiffany's eyes pinned her.
Beth cringed. "Honestly? No…I've no idea."
Studying her for a full minute, Tiffany softened in understanding as she nodded, "Don't do anything stupid, Beth. You know you can call me anytime for any reason. I really wish you would invest in a cell phone. I'd worry less."
"Maybe I'll get one down the road somewhere." Beth trembled as she stuffed her cash into her purse. What would it be like to be as self-assured and matter-or-fact as Tiffany? "I'll call and let you know if I do."
"Do you still have my cell and home numbers?"
Tiffany knew of Beth's dilemma. Did she suspect that she was running? Panic clutched at her, sucking the air from her lungs.
"Yes, they're in my purse. I'll be fine…really. Thanks for everything." Gripping Tiffany in a brief hug, she hastened out the door without a backward look.
"No where in particular." Beth shrugged. "Just need a vacation."
Tiffany hesitated as if considering her words. "Well…normally, I wouldn't accommodate an employee so easily - especially at the last moment like this. But, you're a faithful worker. I think this is the first time you've asked off in over three years. And…you always take shifts for others. You've definitely earned some time off…"
Beth let silence reign, waiting for Tiffany to continue.
"Have any idea when you'll be back?" Tiffany's eyes pinned her.
Beth cringed. "Honestly? No…I've no idea."
Studying her for a full minute, Tiffany softened in understanding as she nodded, "Don't do anything stupid, Beth. You know you can call me anytime for any reason. I really wish you would invest in a cell phone. I'd worry less."
"Maybe I'll get one down the road somewhere." Beth trembled as she stuffed her cash into her purse. What would it be like to be as self-assured and matter-or-fact as Tiffany? "I'll call and let you know if I do."
"Do you still have my cell and home numbers?"
Tiffany knew of Beth's dilemma. Did she suspect that she was running? Panic clutched at her, sucking the air from her lungs.
"Yes, they're in my purse. I'll be fine…really. Thanks for everything." Gripping Tiffany in a brief hug, she hastened out the door without a backward look.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A shrieking siren flew down the road and broke Beth out of her haze. Swallowing her last bite of burrito, she piled all her trash on the tray and got up to throw it away.
After leaving the bank where she worked in Kansas City, Beth had headed east. She stopped in Columbia to grab some lunch and route her trip before moving on.
Climbing in her car, she flipped to the full page map of the United States in her road atlas and looked it over. Mountains…I think I'll head to some mountains. The Appalachians are east, but it's huge…a lot of places to choose from? Trailing her finger from top to bottom of the mountain range, her finger rested on the Smoky Mountains.
"Smokies…they're closer than any other part of the mountain range and I've always wanted to see them… OK…Let's see how far I can get today."
Having determined to travel no more than five hundred miles a day, she traced her finger over a route to the Smoky Mountains - calculating the miles as she went. Nashville is almost six hundred miles from Kansas City... I could stop at Paducah, Kentucky. That would be just over four hundred miles.
"Hmm... Well, let's give Paducah a shot."
Jotting down the names of highways and towns where she would need to turn, she placed her list within easy reach. She filled up with gas and started toward St. Louis.
"Lord, please guide me. Thank You for going with me…" Filling with anticipation, she death-gripped the steering wheel and pulled out. "Smoky Mountains…here I come."
~Linnette R Mullin
2 comments:
Hi Linnette,
This is Kim from yahoo360. I do like the stories. They leave you wanting more, of course. Thats the way YOU want it, right?
As for me I am sick also and have been since FEB. Can't seem to shake it off. My husband and I are going to Hershey, Pa.this weekend, to the Weekend to Remember Conference. My daughter works at the hospital, so we are staying at her house. Keep up with the stories they are real good. You may be able to publish a book too.
Thanks for the encouragement, Kim!!!
Linnette
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