A Way West Read online

  Chapter Six

  July 4 Monica Martinelli - Hi CHRIS!!!!! I am in a small restaurant in Fargo North Dakota. It has been fun so far, but I already miss you too. Did you get a chance to drop by my house? How is mom and Juniper?

  July 4 Christine Cunningham - Monny!!!! You’re alive!!!! Thank god. Your mom is freaking out. She was in hysterics the whole time I was there so I didn’t stay long. But your cat is fine, she just ignored me as usual. Your mom and I are both hoping that you come back before the summer is over. You can have fun all summer out west then be back here in September to go to school with me...... PLEASE!!!

  July 4 Monica Martinelli - I am not sure what I will do anymore, I will let you know how it goes. I really want to stay with Jeff, you know how much I love him. I guess I don’t have to decide for a little while, I just may still go to Ottawa U with you this fall after all but no promises. When we get to his cousin’s farm I will try to figure out what to do next. I really don’t think I will be able to convince Jeff to go back home though. What about you? Did you start that new job?

  July 4 Christine Cunningham - Ya working at McDonald’s isn’t as gross as I thought it would be. They started me on fries. It sounds like that is where most people start. I also have to clean up the tables and stuff. My bosses all seem real cool so far so I think I will be able to stomach it for the summer. It will be nice to get a pay check. I really want to buy that new lap top before school starts. I sure hope you are there with me.

  July 4 Monica Martinelli - I really don’t know Chris, I have told you I like the idea of taking some time off. And it is real awesome to see the country. Jeff and I both really like the idea of spending the winter working and being ski bums in Banff. That would be sooooo cool. We are staying tonight in a motel with an American couple. She seems pretty cool but he is a bit of a jerk. Jeff is back at the room now with them, I left to go for a walk because the other two are smoking drugs. I sure hope Jeff doesn’t have any, but I have to start learning to trust him if we are spending the rest of our lives together.

  July 4 Christine Cunningham - OH NO Monny! you shouldn’t have left him alone with druggies.

  July 4 Monica Martinelli - Believe me we wouldn’t be with them if I knew they were druggies. Jeff promised me he wouldn’t have any. Tomorrow night we can go back to camping like we did the other two nights. It was real fun to camp with Jeff, I haven’t done any camping in a long time and it just seemed so perfect with my sweetie. We stayed at a place called Batman’s Campground on Manitoulin Island at the top of Lake Huron if you can believe it. Jeff and I just love the outdoors. It will be real nice spending the summer in wild British Columbia, I know the scenery will be breathtaking.

  July 4 Christine Cunningham - Alright Monny I know you are a smart girl and will figure out what is best for you. I have to go to bed soon, I have to wake up at FIVE THIRTY in the morning to get to work for seven. Yuck! Please let me know how you are doing every chance you get. You know I worried about you on his motorcycle and now that you are so far away I worry about you constantly. I can only imagine how much your mom is worrying.

  July 4 Monica Martinelli - I promise every time I get to a computer I will send you an email and check my Facebook. I think I better send my mom an email to tell her I am fine. Night Chris and thanks for still being my best friend.

  July 4 Christine Cunningham - I will always be your best friend no matter how far you are away I love you! take care. Chow

  July 4 Monica Martinelli - CIAO!

  That made Monica feel better. It sounds like Christine and Jupiter are going to be fine. But Monica is starting to feel guilty about her mom. She knew the whole time that her mom was going to take it real hard. She re-opens her mom’s email and reads it again slowly, trying to think what to say.

  From: Monica Martinelli,

  To: Victoria Martinelli,

  Dear Mom, I am so sorry that I hurt you, but I couldn’t possibly have told you about this trip or it or you would have never let me leave. I love you and miss you as I know you miss me! But I really had to do this. I am going to be okay and you will be proud of me someday. I promise I will still go to university...soon. Please take care of Juniper. In a couple of weeks when we are settled into our new place I am hoping you will send Juniper by airplane. It’s only $230 by Air Canada. We can wire you the money. And Mom, Jeff is a really, really great guy. I hope you love him some day as much as I do. I promise to send you lots of emails. As soon as we get to the farm I mention in the letter I promise I will phone you.

  Talk Soon, Love Monica

  Monica reads it over and corrects a couple of small spelling mistakes. She quickly clicks the send button and immediately closes her email. She sees that the clock on the computer says it is almost 9:30 PM. She had been on the computer for an hour and a half already. She figures she better head back, Jeff will be getting worried. She shuts the computer off and gets up to head to the cash. She hadn’t noticed that the restaurant had a few more customers now. The original couple by the front were still there and two other tables were now occupied with people laughing and drinking, mostly beer it seems. Monica pulls out her money and pays her bill. She then counts what’s left. Twenty seven dollars. She doesn’t like being so dependent on Jeff but figures she has no choice for now. She plans to start saving some money for herself as soon as she can. She puts the few mostly Canadian bills back in the front pocket of her jeans. She looks around one last time and heads to the door.

  She is reaching for the front door when one of the guys, that had been eating nachos at the front with his buddy, jumps up. He rushes over and grabs her arm. Monica looks at him a little startled. “Hey there pretty lady why don’t you join us for a drink?”

  Monica grabs his hand on her bicep, and starts to pull it away. But then she looks into his eyes and freezes all movement. They were the most beautiful big blue eyes she had ever seen. Monica is unable to look away. The eyes grab her and suck her in. With her hand still holding his on her arm, all time seems to stand still.

  He is smiling wide, but she doesn’t notice, as his eyes won’t let go. “So what do you say? Please join us, will you?” “Uhh... that is very kind of you but I have to get going.” The guy looks to be in his early twenties and is unable to hide his disappointment, “Hey a guy can’t help trying... you have a nice night.” He gives her one last little smile and a little mock bow. Monica returns the smile, and with a little uncertain nod of her head she grabs for the door.

  As soon as she is outside she is feeling all kinds of mixed emotions. She gets her bearings and without anymore hesitation starts walking in the direction from which she came.

  “At the rate you are going through that bag, you are going to run out before we get to Seattle.” Issy is watching Pete roll yet another joint. All three of them are still in the same places. Jeff and Issy are leaning against their headboards, and Pete is sitting near the end of his bed with the pizza menu on his lap.

  “Ya well this is a special night Issy, and I am thinking that our friend here is finally ready to join us this time.”

  “Just leave Jeff alone already. Are you still serious about trying to quit after you finish that bag off?” Issy’s mood is getting a little more serious, and she puts her half-finished beer on the little table between the beds.

  Pete flashes her a big grin. “Ya sure pumpkin, we are both going to make a fresh start, I promise. But you were good with me partying it up a bit until then, so sit back and chill.”

  Issy wishes she could believe him but he had been promising to quit ever since she first met him two years ago. She had tried to quit smoking pot herself a few times since, but was unable to get Pete to join her. But she doesn’t smoke near as much as he does.

  Jeff had drunk half of his twelve pack by now and was getting pretty buzzed. And he drank one of Pete’s weak beers, so really eight or so. When Pete hands him the newly lit joint, he grabs it without any hesitation or thinking. He holds it between his fingers, s
taring at it, and enjoyed the thick familiar smell of the burning weed.

  Issy pipes up, “No Jeff don’t! Monica will be back soon and you just know you will regret it!”

  Jeff looks at Issy and then back to the joint. He moans a little, and hands it back to Pete, “She’s right dude, it wouldn’t be worth it.”

  The front door flies open wide and with perfect timing Monica appears. She is staring straight at the outstretched arms of Jeff and Pete... and a JOINT! “NO! How could you?!” She stares beams of anger at the startled Jeff. Jeff tries to stammer out his innocence but Monica is already turning and heading back out the door that she hadn’t even closed yet. With a slam she is gone again.

  “You are both such dumbasses!” Issy jumps up, grabs her Nikes by the door and runs outside in her stocking feet. Monica’s emotions are now in overdrive. How could he? What can she do now? Heading back to those beautiful blue eyes was as good an idea as any. She starts heading that way. Behind her though, she hears Issy’s frantic voice. “Monica wait!”

  Monica turns and sees Issy jumping around on one foot trying to put a shoe on the other. She slowly heads back in that direction. “What is it Issy? Are you going to blame it on your boyfriend, or the beer? Jeff is a big boy and is responsible for his own actions.”

  Issy manages to slip the second shoe on. “He didn’t smoke any. He was thinking about it but I told him not to, for your sake!”

  Monica doesn’t know what to believe, she was getting more confused by the second. “Well it sure looked to me like he did.”

  “Well I promise you he didn’t, but maybe we should get back in there before he does. Pete has been bugging him to smoke and as Jeff drinks more beer he is getting more tempted to give in. Pete sometimes likes to cause a little trouble for people, but really, Jeff is trying to be good. And I am hoping that Pete is going to quit the shit with me when we get out west.” They are walking side by side up the sidewalk, still away from the room.

  “Hey baby wait up!”

  Monica and Issy look behind them and sure enough Jeff has almost caught up to them. He stops running and with a little huffing and puffing reaches his arms out to hug Monica.

  “No Jeff I am not in the mood for one of your hugs.”

  “But Monica I didn’t smoke, I admit I was tempted but Issy here talked me out of it. Please forgive me for being tempted, but I’m only human. I promise it won’t happen again.”

  “I’ll tell you what Jeff. You go back to your new friend Pete. I believe Issy that you didn’t smoke. But you sure as hell almost did. So how about letting me talk some more with Issy and I will meet you back in the room in a little while. If you do smoke I am leaving, it’s as simple as that.”

  Jeff puts his outstretched arms down, and with a frown says, “Ya okay but don’t worry, you leaving would destroy me so I won’t get tempted again, no matter how much beer I drink, or how much that Pete keeps bugging me about it.” Jeff heads back to the room by himself.

  Monica and Issy walk up and down the sidewalk for another half an hour and talk about everything. By the time the two girls get back to the room they are both laughing and enjoying each other’s company. They started out on a negative note back at the gas station only twelve hours earlier, but now they both were starting to feel like they were already old and dear friends. They found out they have much more in common than having a couple somewhat messed up guys, that they are in love with.

  They enter the motel room to find Jeff and Pete quietly watching a movie on TV. Issy goes to her boyfriend, and Monica to hers. The two young couples finish the evening without anymore drama. They all settle into enjoying the silly but sweet Adam Sandler movie, “Mr. Deeds.” Jeff had found it on the room’s television.

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  Victoria was just putting her Stephen King book down, and about to shut the light off beside the bed. Her husband was already snoring softly beside her. “CRASH!!!” She thinks it came from the kitchen. Victoria slips softly out of the bed, not wanting to wake her still snoring mate. With her slippers and housecoat on, she heads down to investigate.

  “Ohhhh Nooo! You managed to break the one thing in this house that I happen to really care about! I can’t believe you!... The first day I have it out in over a year, and you manage to break it!” Victoria looks from her Grandmother’s crystal vase that lay shattered on the floor to three feet over, where Tony’s friend Stephen is sitting, giving her a big sheepish grin, putting his arms up in innocence. She was just beginning to comprehend the role the cat was playing in the scenario.

  Juniper had paused for a second when she first came in, but her son and his friend didn’t stop throwing the Nerf ball. And now Juniper is bouncing off the fridge, sailing clear of the broken glass, landing with her legs still moving, then runs smack into Victoria’s shins. “Anthony! You promised me you wouldn’t feed her catnip ever again. Monica almost killed you the last time, she was so angry.”

  Tony had barely glanced at his mom, as he was much too busy laughing and playing his little game of monkey in the middle.

  “Rroowwwwrrrhh!” Let GO of me catserver!...Where is it where is it?...there it is there it is... get it get it “rruuww”....where is it where is it?...there it is there it is... get it get it “rrrowooo”...where is it where is it?...there it is there it is...get it get it “rrwuwf”...