Weekend Warriors (Sisterhood #1)(32)

Yoko looked across at Kathryn, noticed the grim set of her jaw, the white knuckles on the steering wheel, the stiff set of her shoulders. “I swear,” she said solemnly.

“I’m afraid. Every time I get in this truck, I’m afraid. I’m afraid to fall asleep for fear someone will break in and attack me. I’m afraid to go to strange places. I’m afraid of everything. I tried to put up a good front for Alan, but he knew. He did everything he could humanly do in his condition to help me but it wasn’t enough. I tried to be so strong and so tough but it was all an act. I bluster, I say outrageous things just to get me over the bad moments.”

“I know that. We Chinese are an intuitive lot, you know.”

“So I’ve heard. I’m turning off here. This place is called Sam Slick’s Truck Stop. There is no Sam but there is a Samantha. Everyone calls her Sam. She owns the joint. Nice lady. A little hard around the edges but she’s good people. Good food, too. She likes to deck out in diamonds and spandex. Beats the hell out of me how she’s never been robbed. Course she could be lying by saying they’re diamonds when they’re really zircons, but who cares. She says she likes to sparkle for the drivers. You’ll like her, she’s a hoot. The best part, though, is she’s got clean showers and bathrooms. That counts when you’re on the road. I’ll gas up and meet you in the shower, okay?”

“Okay, Kathryn.”

An hour and a half later, Kathryn slid into the booth across from Yoko. “What looks good today?”

“Actually everything sounds good.” She pointed to the chalkboard over the cash register.

“Kathryn, long time no see,” a pretty waitress with rough, red hands said.

“Hi Penny. Yes, it’s been a while. How’s everything? Did you get married?”

“No,” the waitress sighed. “One of these days. Sam’s out back. She’ll be real happy to see you. Now, what can I get you?”

“I’ll have the fried chicken, mashed potatoes, carrots, French dressing on my salad and cherry pie for dessert. Coffee of course, and I need an order to go for my dog. Three hamburger steaks, double order of carrots, and a cherry pie. Two bottles of water and fill our thermoses.”

“Miss, what will you have?”

“I’ll have the carrots and string beans. Cherry pie, apple pie and chocolate cake. Ice cream on all three. Coffee, too,” Yoko said.

“Whoa, little lady, that’s some dinner. Did you ever hear of the three food groups?”

“Yes, but I do not care for them. Thank you, my order stands.”

Kathryn was finishing her pie when she felt a poke to her shoulder. “Move over, sister. Hey, hey, what’s the matter? You turned white as a ghost. It’s me, Sam. Sorry, kid, I didn’t mean to spook you.”

“You didn’t, Sam. I guess my mind was somewhere else. Sam, this is Yoko. She’s riding as far as San Fran with me. It’s good to see you.

”Sam Slick was as flashy as her neon establishment. Today she wore her waist-long hair piled high on her head with little ringlets cascading around her ears and down her back. Diamonds winked in her ears. Not just one but three to each lobe. Alan always said she put her makeup on with a trowel. He was probably right. She had a perfect smile and beautiful teeth that glistened when she talked.

Sam wiggled inside the lemon-yellow spandex dress that was two sizes too small. “We were just talking about you not long ago, Kathryn. Haven’t seen you in a while and then one of the boys told me about Alan. I’m real sorry, kid. I didn’t know. I would have sent flowers but none of us knew where…where you were when it happened. The boys took up a collection. Yeah, yeah, they did. They wanted to, Kathryn. All the girls kicked in, too. You okay, kid?”

“No. It’s hard, Sam. Alan was part of me. Now I have a dog. It’s not the same.”

“Of course it isn’t the same. I felt like that when Beau passed on. Life didn’t have any meaning for a long time, but time has a way of taking care of everything. I know you don’t believe that right now, but in time you will. Let me get that collection for you. I’ve been keeping it in the safe all this time.”

“I see what you mean about her being a nice lady,” Yoko said.

“Salt of the earth. Did you see those diamonds on her hands?”

“I felt like putting my sunglasses on,” Yoko giggled.

“Here you go, kid,” Sam said, holding out a shoebox that said Pappagalo on the side. “We collected over ten grand. You’re not going to bawl and embarrass me, are you, Kathryn? If you start howling then I’m going to howl, and I don’t feel like gluing on these eyelashes again much less applying my makeup all over again.”

Kathryn struggled for the words but her tongue felt too thick in her mouth. “I didn’t have enough money for flowers and I had to put his funeral on tick. Will you thank everyone for me?”

“No. You just get on that CB and thank them yourself. Listen to me, kid, don’t ever be too proud to ask for help. You should have called me.”

Tears burned Kathryn’s eyes. “I wish I had called you. No one came to the funeral except me and a local trucker named Carl Manning. Maybe it was better that way. Thanks, Sam.”

“My pleasure, kid. Drive with the angels. You hear.”