Against All Odds

Chapter 4

KILLIAN

Nine hours later, I was still in a car with Stella Huxley.

I couldn't tell if I was annoyed, amused, or so confounded from exhaustion that I was losing my damn mind, but if I had to compartmentalise this journey with her to use later in my defence testimony, it would go a little something like this:

6:45am

We finally left the bed and breakfast. Stella insisted that she still smelt like a dog and had a bath, then fell asleep in said bath. I am not sure how she fit the explosion of clothing lying around the room into her one backpack, but by the time she dragged it to the car, the sun had well and truly risen. At least, I conceded, we were leaving before the morning rush hour traffic besieged the city of Bloemfontein.

7:10am

Returned to the bed and breakfast.

Stella forgot her glasses on the bathroom sink.

In light of recent developments, I insisted that a thorough inspection of the room be completed before attempting to leave again. Once she had acquiesced to that simple request, with no less than three eyerolls, she found a pair of her socks under her bed and one of her rings on the nightstand.

7:45am

Left the bed and breakfast for the final time.

Hit the morning rush hour traffic.

Stella wisely chose silence until we left the city.

8:15am

Stopped at the first petrol station outside the city because Stella had to pee.

Upon checking the dashboard, I was somewhat dismayed to note that we had not travelled fifty kilometres yet. We had about seven hundred to go.

8:30am

We had an argument about the music being played in the car. Stella insisted that she enjoyed listening to Cardi B's WAP, claiming that it was an artistic portrayal for the vindication of the rights of women.

She was lying.

About liking the song, not about the latter bit. I honestly do not think Ms. B was trying to do anything more with the lyrics to her song other than make it what it was... seeing as the subtlety of innuendo appears to not have been bothered with as well.

When I pointed this out to Stella, she promptly informed me that I was only thinking with my dick and I wouldn't understand because I was a man.

I chose silence that time.

9:00am

Stella refused to stop at a station when I had to pee.

She said that we needed to make up for lost time because we were running late.

9:05am

Stella stopped at the next petrol station when I reached for the polystyrene coffee cup she had drank from yesterday and began unbuckling the belt of my jeans.

9:15am

We bickered about the route.

I maintained that continuing on the N1 motorway towards Colesberg would be quicker than taking the N6 towards Aliwal North.

Stella made the argument that her route was more scenic, and we would drive through mountain passes. She also brought up the snow we had seen during one such trip over seven years ago.

When I pointed out that it was summer and therefore 100% likely that there wouldn't be any snow, she turned Ms. Cardi B on again and the volume max.

We took the N6.