Fairy Rings

12. The Long Haul

Naveaha stared out the window into the dark night. The sun was soon going to rise over the fields, and she couldn't help but think of the livestock that the authorities were soon going to collect. Thinking about a few of her favorite sheep and pigs being adopted and wearing cute little outfits, she giggled, breaking the silence in the hearse. Ciaran's gaze fluttered over to her, their eyes briefly meeting before she went back to staring out the window. "What's so funny?" His question was met with a confused look.

"Oh, nothing important." Shifting in her seat to better look at him, she watched as he popped the cap of a fine whiskey he had pulled out of an ice chest. Pouring the drink, he shook when the car bumped along the road, spilling some on his pants.

"Nothing? Girls don't usually giggle over just nothing." Ciaran smiled; the drink he held somehow worked its way into her hand. Ambrosia stole a quick glance at the rearview mirror, and a slight shake of his head followed suit. He didn't utter a word, but his expression spoke volumes. "Here. Sip on that."

"No, thank you." Navaeha sat it in the cup holder, "I don't like alcohol." Pulling out other things from the ice chest, he watched her with amusement as she became increasingly uncomfortable. The bag he had pulled out and placed in front of her was filled with little white rocks, crystals, basically. "I don't do cocaine either. . ." Ambrosia leaned forward and reached for the center console, his fingers deftly pulling it open. He rummaged around momentarily before finally retrieving a can of grape soda. With a practiced motion, Ambrosia closed the console and turned to face Navaeha, a look of understanding on his face. As he handed her the drink, their eyes met and he offered a sympathetic smile along with a playful wink. Navaeha watched as her father effortlessly retrieved the glass from the cup holder, filled it to the brim, and downed the contents within seconds. The hot liquid seemed to melt the tension from his face as he took a deep breath and leaned back. For a while, this was how they continued, Navaeha being offered a declined drink, her father drinking it instead; he finally discarded the glass and drank from the bottle while Navaeha simply sipped on her soda, her eyes getting drowsy as the night grew on. She didn't need to look at the time to know she was beyond tired. Rubbing her eyes, she leaned back in her seat, hoping for a little bit of rest.

"So, what are you going to university for?" Ciaran asked. His face felt warm from his drink. "Are you going to be something fancy like a doctor?"

Navaeha gave a lazy nod, half in his direction, her eyes closed, "If you ever let me go back, I have a track scholarship. If all had gone well, I would be running in the Olympics in a few years. I'm not sure what I'd do after that." Jolting awake, she tried to steady her drink as the car shook, but it was too late. The jacket she wore and her pants had fallen victim to its purply, sticky goodness. "Why do you ask?" Hesitantly, she pulled the wet clothing off and laid it on the floor.

"I just want to get to know you better. You obviously know a lot about me, but I've only gathered from you that you are an incredible athlete who loves coffee." Ciaran's eyes lulled at her as he rested his head on the back of the chair. "I'm sorry our first meeting went horribly. Are you sure you don't want a stronger drink?"

"Don't worry." Waving her hands in protest, trying to convince him that her soda was all right, she shook her head.

"Ah, well, I might have to have another glass then." Pulling out another bottle, he popped the cap, put the ring straight to his lips, and quickly downed half the bottle. Whether he meant to or not, the motion was fluent enough to convince anyone that it was a regular habit.

There was a hiccup, a little more drinking, and then she saw something she had never thought she'd see. The big man laid his head back on the chair, his eyes rolling back into his head in an insentient slumber. Sitting there for a moment, the realization of freedom dawned on her, and suddenly. . . Ambrosia seemed too lonely in the front seat. The bumpy road that stuck her in her seat was no match for her determination. Climbing slowly, she hadn't realized how difficult the feat would be as she bounced around, her body slowly crawling over the center console. "Good morning." Her soft smile startled him, his eyes meeting hers briefly before returning to the road. "Thank you for the drink." She whispered in his ear in an attempt to not wake her father.

"Don't worry about it." Helping her the best he could, Ambrosia slowed down the car a bit and avoided the potholes. "What brings you all the way up here?" He tried his best not to look at the beauty in the front seat; it was nearly impossible with her gaze fixated on him.

"I was wondering how you knew grape my favorite soda." Pulling the center console up, she bit her lower lip nervously.

"Call it a wild guess." Ambrosia chuckled. He stole a quick glance; her eyes weren't focused on his face anymore; in the dark, it almost seemed like they were trailing his chest. Surely they weren't. "And at the frat party last month, you were drunk and not so silently, whispering something about how you wanted me to pour it over my chest and let you pretend you were a vampire." A wide grin spread across his face. He didn't need to look to know that her eyes were wide, and she was biting her lip in that cute way she did when she was nervous.

"I did not!" She exclaimed. She inched closer, stopping when she heard a grumble from the back seat.

"Don't worry, he's out for a few good hours. Tonight hasn't been the best for anyone. . . except me." Stealing another glance, he saw the soft glow of a phone. "What are you doing there, little lady?"

"It doesn't matter; cops are corrupt, and I'm sitting with my best friend." Putting her phone away, she leaned over ever so slightly. "The backseat is so uncomfortable. . . would you mind if I turned up the heat and rested my head in your lap?" Shocked at the boldness of the question, Ambrosia kept his eyes on the road. "I mean, I only ask because when you usually take me home, and I've drunk too much, you always let me. I wasn't sure if it was only for the occasion or if I could ask for it." Unable to form a complete thought, he simply nodded till he could come up with the words.

"I don't see the harm in it." He finally stumbled out. As she settled into the car's seats, her pink, fluffy shirt trailed behind her, its soft texture brushing against his legs. She let out a contented sigh as she nestled into the warm embrace of her blanket, feeling its weight envelop her. She cuddled up to him with a sleepy yawn, resting her head on his warm lap. She closed her eyes and let herself unwind as she felt the gentle rise and fall of his breathing against her face. The weight of her blanket above her and the familiar warmth of her favorite pillow was all she needed to drift off into a peaceful slumber. A few sweet, mumbled words escaped her lips as he rested his arm on her chest. That was the first night.