Plague

Chapter Fifteen

Nicola Prescott drove through the Holland Tunnel at daybreak. The empty road ahead of her seemed eerie. It felt as though she were in another world. She had never experienced as straightforward a trip. Only one vehicle proceeded her while two followed at a distance.

Milt Kromesky died a week previously. The news upset Nicola. When she first arrived in Manhattan, the elderly gentleman befriended her. Somehow, the city felt empty without him. Social distancing put a proper funeral out of bounds. Although her group of friends gathered on Zoom, his remembrance wake seemed flat, unreal. Nicola wished she could have provided him with a better send-off.

Nic desired companionship. However, the plague spread quickly, preventing get-togethers. Facetime did not take the place of real time. Stephanie Malone and Gabby Sanchez kept in touch. The rest of her companions dropped off.

Nic's fiction writing kept her busy. Cricket Madison and Chadwick Mars became the closest people in her life. However, they lived solely in her imagination. In Nic's opinion, fictional characters never took the place of real ones. However, they were her bread and butter. She could take them to Florida if she wished.

And she wished. Beyond the grave, Milt Kromesky convinced her. Nicola did not wish to stay in NYC if Milt were not there. Florida beckoned. Therefore, she packed up her three cats and hit the road.

Exiting the tunnel, Nicola navigated onto the Garden State Parkway. She intended to travel to Cape May, New Jersey, then cross on the ferry to Delaware. Interstate 95 would take her to her home state.

Muffin, Tangerine, and Samantha rode in their carriers on the backseat. Their endless caterwauling came to a halt with a soft whimper from Sam. The cats provided good company once they settled down. Nic spoke softly to soothe them. Usually, she flew when she transferred homes, and her furry companions traveled in the hold. The road trip might prove challenging. However, with many flights canceled, driving seemed the better option.

"Good kitties," Nic gently crooned. "Good kitty kitties."

Muffin ma-wrawled in return. Then he began to purr softly. Peering into the rearview, Nic smiled. Tange groaned and stretched; Sam rolled over on her belly. Nicola could only see a little of the tuxedo's white chin in the dark carrier. The rest of her black fur blended into the shadows.

"At least they won't argue over their tablets and snacks," Nic spoke to herself. She considered the cats her children.

Smiling, Nicola Prescott thought of her childhood vacations. Forced to spend hours on the backseat, she and her sister, Noelle, often fought over trivial things. Boredom drove them to it. The punch buggy game provided the catalyst for many a backseat fight.

"Yellow punch buggy," Noelle screeched, peering out the window. Turning on her sister, she hauled back her arm and punched.

Nicola took it squarely on the upper arm. By the evening, a blue-black bruise would appear. It would remain for the entirety of their summer vacation. She would look stupid in tank tops and bathing suits.

"Watch what you're doing," Nic hissed, slamming her younger sibling in the same place. 'There, now we're even,' she gleefully thought.

"MOM!" Noelle yelled, grasping her arm. Tears stood out on her honey-colored lashes.

"What did I tell you about hitting each other?" Nadine Prescott, their mother, sharply asked. Hoisting herself between the front bucket seats, she glared at her daughters.

"Noelle started it," Nicola answered, pouting. Her younger sister usually started their fusses.

"You don't have to finish it," their mother retorted, sitting back into her front seat.