Full Rights Reserved 2009
Thank you to Tim who was the inspiration for this story.
*
Victoria continued to drive even though she had already been on the road for hours. At times tears blurred her vision and at other times the winter air outside obscured the windshield until she turned on the defrost. She knew she would have to stop soon. She waited until her gas tank hit E and pulled over at a deserted looking gas station. She knew he wouldn't follow this far or have any idea which direction she was headed but she couldn't help but glance around looking for his all-too-familiar face. She paid for gas and food with cash and sped off again, willing the miles to pass faster, for the memories to stop their nightmarish flashes through her mind as she put distance between her and the man who started it.
She didn't want to be easily found and took turns away from any large city, wanting to be lost where no one would find her. She didn't look at any map but felt herself becoming safer as the number of houses diminished and the number of barns increased.
She would need a place to sleep that night and guessed she could drive until six or seven before giving in to her exhaustion. She found herself winding up into the mountains, where the snow was blowing around the car, and piling up on the side of the roads.
Her fear prevented her brain from thinking logically about the effect of snow and wind on the roads until she felt her rear tires swerve and slide her car four to five feet across to the opposite side of the road. Her hands started shaking as she became aware of her surroundings and she rushed to drive onto her side of the road. She was grateful no one came. She slowed down and looked out for a hotel.
The first lights she saw were not a hotel but a diner. She pulled in and closed her eyes to rest a few moments before zipping up her coat and heading into the warmth. The diner was empty until the bell above the door rang and a waitress walked out, popping her chewing gum.
Victoria chose a booth near the door and ordered some comfort food that she wouldn't usually indulge in. Yes, a big juicy burger first, then she'd ask for help finding a hotel. It wasn't that she planned on staying hidden forever. She knew Philip would stop caring when he found another attractive woman he could manipulate, but until that happened she wanted to be unreachable. She would rather suffer the inconvenience of disappearing for a while, than risk him showing up at her door and exerting his anger on her face.
What must be in Philip's past that he would act so deceptively? She felt sorry for him for a moment, wondering who had manipulated and hurt him that he couldn't enjoy a relationship for the beautiful thing it was, without feeling the need to control it. The wondering didn't last long. Victoria was too innocent, too trusting, awarding good motives to everyone. She was an idealist, and imagined that with love, compassion and attention most people would reciprocate the love she put out into her world.
It was easy to let her thoughts drift because she was the only one in the diner, her meal was taking a while to cook and she noticed the snow piling higher and higher.
The quiet was broken by the sound of the bell above the front door ringing as the door opened. The wind had picked up since she'd been sitting there and she pulled her sweater closer around her.
A handsome man walked in, she thought it strange he wore dark glasses after dark. His pleasant voice called for Dina who must be the waitress she had met earlier.
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Tim pushed on the door of the diner, not sure it would open because he wouldn't be surprised if Dina had closed up early. He should probably eat quickly and get back before the snow made it difficult to walk. After the bells at the door finished jingling he called out to Dina to get a sense of who was in the diner. He didn't hear any sounds so he walked the three steps to 'his' booth, slid his hand along the table edge, felt the adjoining seat. He shrugged off his coat, pushed it ahead of himself into the seat, and sat down.
Dina still hadn't made an appearance and he rubbed his hands to warm them. Instead of hearing steps and a door slamming from the back, his hearing tuned in to a light breathing sound. He had thought he was alone. Then the breathing turned into a giggle and he was surprised at how close the other person was. Obviously a female. This was awkward. Had he really sat down at a booth where someone else was sitting? Neither one of them knew what to say. He turned towards the voice completely embarrassed.
Tim extended his hand towards where the giggle had originated from. He found it easier to initiate the handshake quickly so the other person could find his hand easily. "Unless I'm hearing voices in my head I think I have just sat in a booth that was already occupied. I'm Tim."
"Yes, I think I was here first. I'm Victoria." she grasped his hand and enjoyed the firm handshake.
"I am so embarrassed. This wasn't the first mistake I've made because of my blindness and I'm sure it won't be the last, but I am so sorry."
Oh, that explained the strange mistake and the dark glasses. She hadn't seen any clumsiness or confusion in his actions which might have served as a cue. "And here I thought you sat down to flirt with me." She laughed trying to make him feel comfortable, and his light laughter joined hers.
As the laughter ended the back door opened and Dina walked in carrying Victoria's lunch. "Tim, I didn't hear you come in. I hope you haven't been waiting long. Oh, I didn't realize the two of you were together. Are you going to introduce me to your friend?"
Tim and Victoria laughed again. "Yes, of course. Dina this is Victoria. Victoria this is Dina. The sign outside says this is the "Zoriah Diner" but it's really "Dina's Diner". This is her place." Dina's curly gray hair was held loosely in a bun in the back of her head with a plastic rose emerging from her curls.
"Nice to meet you, Dina. This looks like a great place, I'm really looking forward to that delicious looking burger."
"It's nice to meet you, and I will give you ten percent off your bill, since you're here with Tim." Dina was extravagant in her friendships.
"That is very generous, but if the burger tastes as good as it looks, I'll happily pay full price. Thank you."
"Well, I hope you enjoy it, let me know if I can get you anything else. The peach pie was made fresh this morning. Now Tim, I didn't expect you this evening with all the snow out."
"I had no idea how thick it was until I was already out my door so I figured I'd just continue on my way. I needed to get out of the house. Since I'm here could I get your vegetable beef soup to help me warm up?"
"Of course. Well, you be careful and take care of your beautiful friend here as well."
Dina walked away and again awkwardness increased. "I think I've embarrassed myself enough today, and you came to eat alone so I'm going to find another place to sit." Tim started sliding towards the end of the booth as he finished his sentence.
Victoria surprised herself as she quietly spoke the words, "I didn't come here to eat alone."
"No? Well, then I better leave quickly in case some jealous boyfriend comes in and finds me here."
Victoria felt sad again at the reminder of her boyfriend and why she was here anyway. Maybe she should send him away because if Philip did come in he would act out every stereotype of the jealous boyfriend in the book. She had forgotten Philip for brief moments of feeling awkward.
"No, please don't. I meant that you can stay if you want. I don't have anyone coming and I would enjoy the company."
"If that's said in all honesty then I will stay because I'd much prefer a dinner with you." He meant what he said.
Tim slid back into the booth but there was still an awkward pause. He heard the music playing in the background. He wondered what conversation he could have with a woman he didn't even know, and felt himself growing nervous.
To break the uncomfortable silence, Victoria decided to be brave and ask a question. "From what you were saying to Dina, I gather you live close enough to walk here. Is that right?"
Tim nodded his head while shrugging off his jacket. "That's right. I have a place near here. It's close to the diner, and close to the school where I teach music. I get around pretty easily in this area. I know where everything is, and everybody knows me." He liked the sound of her voice, and wanted to hear more of it, so he asked her a question in return. "I gather the snow's pretty bad, huh? I shudder to think about you driving in this, but you must to get here."
Surprisingly as they talked about the snowstorm, and touched a little on his blindness the awkwardness evaporated, replaced by a comfortable easy. If he had to describe this stranger he would use the words, kind, educated, nervous, and entrancing. Her voice and smell was like a song.
As she finished her dinner, knowing a little more about the stranger she sat with, Victoria realized that there would be a few people who would worry about her if she just disappeared. She reached in her purse for her cell phone and purse for her credit card. She shuffled around and couldn't find either one. The cash she had used earlier was cash from her jeans pocket that she grabbed from her apartment before leaving. She checked the pockets of her jacket and jeans. She started getting frantic as she was hours from home.
She said to Tim, "I'm sorry I can't seem to find my cell phone, I'm going to empty out my purse here to try to find it."
"Sure, go ahead." Tim said as he finished sipping his soup.
Even with the contents of her purse emptied on the table, and each side pocket unzipped, she realized it wasn't there. Only when she hadn't taken it out and she knew it wasn't in her car or at home did it sink in that the only place it could be is in Philip's hands.
