Jumping Trains (Short Story)

Ch. 7

*Recap*

They were nice enough to give me the address of where she works rather than where she lives since you can't be too careful on Facebook. I jotted it down on the back of a map we printed and wrote my thanks to her friends.

We'd be leaving the 17th of November. Nothing should stand in our way.

"Are you ready babe?" Benson asked, slipping his jacket over his shoulders.

"You sure you don't want to stay?" I asked, remembering he was on bed rest.

"I'm not going to let you go alone." I nodded. "Now let's go find your mom."

*End Recap*

The train ride from Oregon to LA was unbearably long. Six hours sitting in a claustrophobic seat with two strangers across from you was not fun. It was all going to be worth it when we found my mother though. Finally, we stopped in LAX and would resume an hour later. I stepped out onto the platform and stretched, yawning at the same time.

"What do you want to do now?" I asked Benson.

"We shouldn't wander around."

I sighed. Of course Benson was going to be the responsible one. "Ok...well...let's get some coffee or food at least."

Benson skimmed over the map. "There's an In-N-Out Burger not too far from here. But we have to be back before ten."

"We better get moving then."

I trotted off in search of the exit. Benson caught up and grabbed hold of my hand.

"I don't want to lose you," he said when I looked at him questioningly.

I shook my head and grinned. Benson wasn't too big on PDA so it surprised me. I guess he was changing. Frowning, I thought about how I haven't really changed at all. Hopefully after this trip I would have changed for the better. We took a cab to In-N-Out Burger and I was the first to run inside. I'd heard so much about this place but had never once been to one.

"I'll have a double cheeseburger, no onions, extra pickles, fries, and a chocolate shake," I chirped excitedly.

"Same," Benson echoed.

I attacked my food once it arrived and was done before Benson. He smiled at me and offered me his fries. I declined, not wanting to look like a fat ass in front of my boyfriend. After Benson finished eating, we hurried back to the station and waited for fifteen minutes before the train resumed moving. Staring out the window, I watched the world flit by in blurs of navy blue and black. There were no stars out but if there were, I didn't see them. My head bobbed up and down and I soon fell into a peaceful slumber on Benson's shoulder.

"Wake up," Benson said, gently shaking my shoulder.

We made it to Arizona. I hadn't even realized I'd slept through the whole second half of the train ride. Wiping my eyes sleepily, I stretched and stood. Benson and I walked out onto the platform. I shielded my eyes from the sudden bright light.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"Nine in the morning."

My mother should've been at work at that time. I suggested to Benson that we head there first. Still half asleep, we took a bus into the city and walked the rest of the way, locating the salon my mother worked at. I stood outside the shop window with the sun beating down on my head, looking through the glass. I couldn't tell which one was her. Walking out from a back room came the brown-haired woman from the picture. That was her: Rachel Quinn, my mom. I suddenly felt sick.