Almost Forgotten

Chapter 27: Hamster's wheel

It's always one step forward and three steps back.

One phone call by him and the issue of her body and death was settled, at least it was what he said. He didn't speak much after it all, not ignoring the things I ask, just distantly keeping himself from the answers I seek.

The road we chose is long and dull, but the chaos awaiting us at the end of the path is more than enough to balance out the melancholy.

Three hours into it all, on the stop next to the highway, the engine starts slowing down as he pulls to the side. My eyes flicker to the left, where a small coffee shop with barely any lights working properly stands. The poor machinery is not any issue really, the night just barely set down, but the strange location and the suspicions flying around it makes my skin crawl.

"Why are we stopping here?" I lift myself into the seat, turning to Landon who is already opening his door.

"I feel lightheaded, I need something to clear my head." He tries to exit, but my hand is grabbing onto his forearm.

He is blinking down at the tight grasp then back into my eyes. "It's suspicious."

"What?" He shakes his head, dumbfounded.

"It's a bloody highway, Landon, then suddenly the rails suddenly stop for a coffee shop? Why not wait for a proper gas station to put it next to it?"

There is this thing I find more sweet and compelling than I should, when he smiles with teeth, dimples showing off as he scrunches his eyes. It used to calm me down, perhaps it still can, but he just shakes his head and adds. "Winter, love, you worry too much. Alena and the feds are not after us now."

"They are not only people we should be careful of."

"I know." And he says he knows, yet he still removes my hand and gets out of the car as he heads for there.

All I can do is sit here, staring through the window as I watch him interact with an older lady who just keeps nodding at his order, writing down on the paper as the younger gentleman takes it from her hand and disappears into the kitchen.

Yet the two continue their conversation, like two old friends catching up. Or perhaps an acquaintance, after all he spent most of his life on the road, either as a fugitive or into his all but legal line of jobs and their lives could have crossed easily.

It's probably why he wasn't worried about it, yet it did not calm my own nerves even a little bit.

One small smile for a farewell and he was back into the car handing me a cup. "Iced chestnut with white chocolate, yes, still the strangest pick in the latest history."

I laugh, the same way I did years ago when I heard the similar words when my order was asked. Strange, maybe, but I don't even know how the mix of those popped into my mind, but it never left since it entered. "I'm sorry Sir, just black coffee, so unique."

He smirks, taking a sip of his own as he starts the engine and the car is back on the road.

I am still looking down at the cup, as if something is tickling my neck and prying me away from it.

"Not thirsty or not your favorite anymore?"

"Neither, just a weird gut feeling." I look at the car mirror. "There's something weird about that place."

Landon sighs, placing his own cup into the holder. "It's just anxiety telling you the world is against you Winter, there is nothing wrong." he turns his eyes from the road at me. "Look, I drank mine and nothing happened."