We'd been driving for almost an hour before we had to make a bathroom stop. I pulled into a highway resturant's parking lot, and let the boys out. Two hyper 3-year-olds that had been in a car for an hour, running around like maniacs. I laughed, scooped them both up in my arms and walked into the resturant. We used the washroom, grabbed a quick bite to eat, and left again. On our way back to the car, a huge bus, a tour bus, pulled into the lot. I buckled the boys into their carseats and then watched as the bus came to a stop. I decided to fill the tank, since we had almost an another hour of straight driving. As I pumped the gas into my car, I heard loud voices coming from inside the bus.
"Should we get out?" someone asked.
"It's 9pm, we're in the middle of nowhere. No one will reconize us." another person answered.
I watched closely as three young men jumped off the bus. The first was short, wore bright orange track pants and a baggy sweater. The second was average height, and was wearing a wife beater with blue jeans. The last guy was the tallest, and wore a hat, black t-shirt and black pants.
I had no clue who they were until they walked closer and closer to me. The initial shock of who they were was bad enough. Other than the fact that one of them was... well... someone to me. And I knew. Hoping none of them would reconize me, I turned quickly and practically ran back to my car.
Just when I thought I was safe, hidden from them, there was a knock on the window. I looked up and saw him. The tallest guy. He was smiling in at me. I rolled down the window slowly.
"Can I... help you?" I asked him.
"Maybe. I'm sorry, but... can I ask you your name? You look so familiar to me." he smiled. Who the hell did he think he was? Like he could just walk up to anyone and ask them their name, just because he's rich and famous.
"My name?" I asked back. "It's... Emily." I lied. Hell, it was the first name that came to mind. Although I hated lying, I knew I had to.
"Emily? Oh... sorry..." he replied sadly. "You look alot like my ex-girlfriend Torrance, and she lives not far from here." he told me. I almost smiled. I'm Torrance, I'm his ex-girlfriend.
"Oh, no... I'm... I'm from Chicago." I lied again. "I'm just in Florida visiting... family."
"Ok, sorry again." he finished. Then he smiled faintly, turned and walked away.
I felt so bad. I wanted to just yell out his name, and fall into his arms. I wanted to forgive him for what he did and be happy with him again. But I didn't, I couldn't.
"Who dat, mama?" my son Eden asked me. Eden is 3 1/2 minutes older than his twin brother, Emery. They are 3-years-old now. I'm almost 19-years-old.
"That's... no one." I replied. How could I tell my sons that that was their father, walking out of their lives for the second time. He would never be their father, because he was never there for them. I couldn't tell them that.
I got back out and paid for the gas quickly. I had tears in my eyes as I drove away. Just another hour until we reached Tampa, our new home.
