He sat in his car, pulled off to the side of the highway, watching the headlights approach through the darkness.
They came closer, closer, before drawing level and speeding past.
He sighed, and checked the rearview mirror, again.
She was still there, parked about 30 meters behind him.
He checked the time on his phone. There were some more messages from his friends, telling him to hurry up.
He started to scroll through his phone and then stopped, remembering he was trying to conserve his battery. He wasn't sure how much longer he would have to wait.
But he'd promised he would stay, so that's what he would do.
Another set of headlights came over the crest in the far distance and approached. He couldn't help but get his hopes up with each and every one.
This one passed them too.
He sighed again.
But then - a screech of tyres. His head snapped around.
The car that had flown past them was doing a u-turn and coming back.
It pulled up behind the car he'd been waiting with.
They all got out almost simultaneously.
A woman got out from the car that had just arrived and approached the younger woman from the middle car. He hung back.
'Lily, I came as soon as I could. What happened to the car?' the woman asked.
'I don't know, Mom. It just switched off. I had to pull over.'
'Why were you coming back so soon? I thought you were going to stay out there all weekend with Jackson?'
She looked down.
'We broke up.'
'Oh, I'm sorry honey,' she moved in and gave her a hug.
'This is the guy that was waiting with you?'
Lily glanced over.
'Yep.'
Lily's mom walked over.
'Hi,' she said. 'I'm Jenny, Lily's mom. You waited here all this time with her?'
He nodded his head.
He shifted his position to get out of the glare of the headlights Jenny had left on. He got a better look at her. She looked about 40, was wearing exercise tights and a thin sweater. Her long, brown hair was tied back in a ponytail.
'Sorry I took so long to get here.' She paused. 'You don't know how much it means to me that you waited with Lily. When she called me and said where she was, I knew I'd take a few hours to get here and the thought of her being stranded out here all alone would've been terrifying.'
He smiled.
'Not a problem at all. When I saw her pull over, I figured no one would do that at this time of night unless there was a problem, so I stopped too. I had a quick look at her car but I think whatever is wrong with it is well above my skills I'm afraid.'
'That's ok, we'll have to get it towed. Thankyou so much again for waiting, it must've ruined your entire evening, having to wait for me to show up.'
'It's ok, really.'
'Did you have anything planned tonight that you missed out on because of us? I feel so bad.'
'Don't worry, really. I was just heading into the city to catch up with some friends. One of my friends is getting married soon.'
Her eyes widened.
'A bachelor party? We made you miss out on a bachelor party? Oh, I'm so sorry.'
'It's ok. I was going to stay in the city all weekend so I'll still have tomorrow to hang out with them.'
Jenny turned to Lily, who had hung back.
'Lily, come over here.'
Lily walked over, her arms drawn across her body. She was young, maybe 20 or so. Her hair was to her shoulders, dyed pink, cut in a jagged fashion. She was short, shorter than her Mom, and petite.
Jenny turned back.
'Sorry, I didn't even ask for your name?' she said.
'I'm Matt,' he replied.
'Lily, did Matt explain to you he was missing a bachelor party to wait out here with you?'
Lily shook her head.
'I feel we need to make it up to you somehow. Lily,' Jenny said sharply, 'have even said thankyou?'
'Thankyou,' Lily said quietly, not looking up.
Jenny shook her head. She paused, thinking.
'Matt, do you have a girlfriend?'
He blushed.
'No, no I don't.'
Jenny leant into Lily's ear and whispered something.
'Mom!' Lily said. 'I'm not doing that!'
Jenny raised her eyebrows.
'Matt stayed out here for hours to make sure you were safe, and he's probably missed out on all kinds of things at the bachelor party. I think it's the least you could do.'
Matt held his hands up in front of him.
'You really don't need to do anything for me,' he protested.
'Please,' Jenny said, 'just something small to show our appreciation.'
She looked at Lily and raised her eyebrows.
'Why don't you do it?' Lily said.
Jenny stepped in close to her.
'Because he's 22,' she said quietly. 'I think he'd prefer it coming from someone your age rather than mine.'
Lily looked away.
'Fine,' she said.
She reached under her shirt and unhooked her bra.
Matt's eyes widened.
Lily started to pull up her shirt. He could see the creamy, pale skin of her flat stomach.
Then suddenly, she stopped.
'I can't do it, Mom.'
She dropped her shirt back down.
'I can't do it,' she repeated.
Jenny nodded her head.
'It's ok, dear. Go and wait for me in the car.'
Lily walked back to the car, bra in hand.