Pele's Fire

Part 22-Samuel Ray Bolger, Jr.

SAMUEL RAY  BOLGER, JUNIOR

I dug out the money I had saved, then put the few things I had brought to Louisiana in a bag. It would be crowded with all four of us on the seat, but I reckoned it would be all right to be snuggled up next to MegAnn's full body.

I also reckoned me and Georgie ought to share the drivin’, so we wouldn’t have to stop every night. It would save lots of money if we drove straight through. Besides that, I needed to avoid havin’ Georgie find out I been screwin’ our sister.

Hell! It don’t matter now. If Georgie can't handle it, he can run back to Pop. Georgie ain’t too swift about that sorta thing, anyhow.

Early Monday mornin’, I put everybody’s bags in the back of the old truck, tied them down, and asked MegAnn to make up a sack lunch for us to take along.

“I’m way ahead of you, Sammie. I already done that. See?”

God, how I loved to hear her giggle like that.

When everything was piled in, I got behind the wheel as MegAnn and Pearlie gave Pop a farewell hug. There were tears in the old man's eyes, as the four of us piled in the front seat and slammed the door. I backed out of the driveway and waved once to Pop and Stevie standin’ in the yard.

I hope I never have to come back here. This whole bayou sucks.

I pulled onto the wider road in front of the house. I drove on without sayin’ a word for a few minutes, thinkin’ about the activities I had to look forward to in Arizona. Suddenly, I banged on the roof of the truck and gave an ear-piercing “Yipee-ee-ee-ee-ee!” It was echoed by three other “Yippees” and as we all laughed about our adventure, I put my foot down heavier on the accelerator.

About lunch time, MegAnn reached under the seat and brought out our sack lunch with a jar of sweet iced tea. We were all starved. As the girls napped later, Georgie drove for a while. Pearlie sat on her Daddy’s lap with her head restin’ on my chest and MegAnn leaned her head on my shoulder.

Here are my two women! How am I goin’ to keep ‘em both to myself in Tucson? What a happy problem.

The trip began to get a little borin’ and hot as we crossed Texas. Me and Georgie were both gettin’ too sleepy and groggy to drive any more.

“I think I'm goin’ to find us a cheap motel where we can all get some good rest,” I said. “We oughta be able to finish up the trip in a good, long day after that.”

The others agreed with me and MegAnn said she was lookin’ forward to a hot bath. We all piled onto one big bed and promptly fell asleep, Pearl with one arm around my neck and MegAnn curled up close to me on the other side. George nestled up to MegAnn’s warmness behind her. We slept for about ten hours straight.

I felt Georgie and Pearlie movin’ around, but I pretended to still be asleep, and MegAnn hadn’t moved a muscle it seemed.

“Uncle George, can we go for a walk?” I heard Pearl whisper. “It’s awful boring around here just waiting for them to wake up.”

“Sure, Pearlie. Let’s leave them a note. I got some money and maybe we can bring them a treat. How about that?”

They tried to slip quietly out the door of the motel, but the click of the door let me know they were gone. I saw the two walk past the window, glanced at the note they had left on the little table by the bed, then reached for MegAnn.

Within two hours we were back on the road and before long we could see the outskirts of Tucson. Georgie bought a bottle of wine to celebrate, which we all promptly devoured. Then I drove them to my little shack on the edge of town.