Let's Ride

Chapter 14

Mrs. Winters and I continued to discuss the current situation, until she asked to speak to Jessica. "Jessica, your mother want's to speak to you," I handed her the phone, and for the next half hour the conversation ranged back and forth from screaming, to sobbing an attempt to hang up the phone, more sobbing and screaming, finally in the end, a young girl forced to confront reality. Jessica handed me the phone, then sat down next to me, "Hello Mrs. Winters are you still there?" "I'm here, look Nikki, Jessica has agreed to return, I've promised her to hear her out, I've been short sighted lately, and have been thinking too much of myself, I don't want to loose my daughter, which is what might possibly happen if protective services gets involved. Like I told you, I don't have a lot of money I could afford a bus ticket for her, but "thing's happen on buses' same with airlines, plus flying would be so expensive, I don't live near a major airport to take advantage of cheaper airfares, how about renting a car? I could probably pay for that if you could bring her back, I'd feel a whole lot safer if you could accompany her back." Wow! This was certainly a new twist I would have to think about this, "Listen Mrs. Winters can I call you back, I have some things to discuss with my dad and Jessica." "All right, I'll wait for your call." I hung up and leaned back in my chair and stretched, if I still smoked, I'd be lighting one up right now, I explained the situation with dad and Greg, "I don't blame her with the bus situation," said Greg, "They're not safe for young girls…Say, why don't you take her on the bike?" "What! My Sporty? Over fifteen hundred miles, we'd be complete wrecks." Greg chuckled, "No Nikki, on my bike, the Road King, she's runnin great, you're a damn good rider, I'm not worried, you could travel farther on less gas, the ride wouldn't beat you to death Jessica could ride in back, what! Two days, two and a half days out and the same back, piece of cake." Looking at my dad, I replied, "Yeah but I've got a job to think about." Dad smiled and put his hand on my shoulder, 'One week, then you'll owe me two weeks, " he started smiling about something, 'I've got a place in mind, I've always wanted to visit, two weeks, yeah, that should do it, all right young lady you will owe me two full weeks, I have complete faith in you, what say you?" What could I say, two weeks of getting up early working until seven at night, Oh well, "Sure dad, it's a deal." He patted my shoulder and smiled, "I wouldn't expect anything less from a fellow marine!" "That's just great dad!" I thought. "Well Jessica, I hope you like riding on motorcycles, because that's what you're going to be doing for the next fifteen hundred miles." Jessica looked at me with a wan smile and shrugged her shoulders.

I've got a spare helmet, and I know where I can borrow a helmet to helmet com set so you two can talk," said Greg, "I'll need to get the bike in for an oil change tomorrow, they know me down at the shop so that won't be a problem, plus I gotta get the mileage recorded, riding that many miles I want to be sure it goes towards my mileage rewards." Greg and I belonged to the Saddleback Chapter of H.O.G. Harley Owners Group and I was a road captain in Ladies of Harley, so Greg wanted to be sure the miles I would be racking up would apply to me. Greg left around eleven, I got Jessica situated, for bed, "Everything's going to be fine, Jessica, we'll get you home, I just want you to get back together with your mom, I'm telling you this, because I lost mine, and I miss her every day, your mom is a part of you that's something you can't change, you two will just have to work it all out." "I can't believe you're going to take me all the way back home on a motorcycle, you hardly know me, why are doing all this for me?" questioned Jessica.

I sat down next to her, "Because Jessica, when you get older and see more of the world you realize there are just things you have to do, you offer help where it's needed, and who knows, maybe it will come back to you, but regardless. I don't know, maybe God's testing me, maybe not; this is just something I've made up my mind to do. This might sound strange, but I'd really like to be your friend, it doesn't matter that you're fifteen hundred miles away; you can tell people that you have a good friend that lives way out in Utah. I will also tell you this Jessica, If things ever get so tough you can call me anytime, I'll be here for you, you can even think of me as an older sister, and if for some reason you feel you have nowhere else to go I want you to come here, do you understand?" Tears had formed in her eyes and she silently nodded as we hugged. "Now you get some sleep, we'll get you outfitted for the road, day after tomorrow we ride."

I was up early making breakfast for dad and Jessica, "So you're not going to tell me where you're going on your vacation?" "Nope, are you sure you're going to be OK with me being gone for two weeks?"