Читать книгу The Legend Unleashed - L.S. Strange - Страница 6

Chapter 2

Scott pounded the steering wheel of the van in frustration at the rush hour traffic. He had less patience today because he was excited about the camping trip staring tomorrow morning. The gridlock that had taken over the freeway might put a halt to the world as we know it.

The traffic was not this bad a few years ago, but since Denver had become the new “Silicon Valley” with many tech companies relocating to the Mile High City, everything was different. With it, came the influx of people, mostly from the mass California migration as it came to be known. Along with the people, came their high salaries, pushing up the price of goods such as food, rent, and gasoline. The only good thing was that property values had skyrocketed. The worst byproduct by far was the traffic. I-70 and I-25, even after the expansion, were now parking lots, rendering the expansion obsolete shortly after it was completed.

The afternoon sun cruelly beat down on the van as the traffic inched along. Thoroughly frustrated, he pounded the steering wheel again. Even angry, Scott was a devilishly handsome man. He was of average height, and his light-brown hair, trimmed in an attractive style, complemented his high cheekbones and slender nose. Scott’s captivating blue eyes were his best feature. With one look, he could rivet you to the spot or make you melt. His appealing appearance coupled with his abounding charisma got him anything he wanted. The only thing that stopped him from controlling the world was his humility and honesty.

After fifteen minutes of inching along, the traffic suddenly began to move. Scott stepped on the gas. As he jetted forward, he expected to see an accident on the shoulder of the highway that had caused the backup. The traffic loosened, and he continued to pick up speed until, low and behold, he was actually doing the speed limit. Scott was unable to locate the cause of the traffic jam. Determining it was only volume, he shook his head in disgust as he continued down the highway on this ride home.

Half an hour later, he pulled into the driveway. Laura was relaxing on the porch. She stood up and walked over as Scott turned off the engine. After he stepped out, she greeted him with a warm smile and a kiss.

“You look wiped out,” Laura said as she slipped her arm around his waist.

“It’s the drive home. I wish there was a back way to take other than the highway. How was your day?”

Scott’s arm was draped over her shoulder as they walked up the steps to the house.

“You know…the same old working-from-home grind. I had two conference calls that went on ‘forever!’ Extremely boring.”

“I bet Michael is bouncing off the walls.”

“Sure is.”

Laura gave Scott a hug and then pulled away and looked up into the face she dearly loved. “Go relax while I make dinner. Have a taste for anything in particular?”

“No. Surprise me.” He turned and drudged his way upstairs to get out of his “business costume” and into jeans and a T-shirt.

After changing, Scott went down to the kitchen. Laura had the door to the refrigerator open, and her head was buried deep inside. The open door blocked Scott’s entry to the kitchen, so he stood there silently waiting. She closed the door, and immediately behind it was his smiling face. The unexpectedness of it caused Laura to jump, almost dropping the food in her hands.

“Shit! Don’t do that!” She snapped. Scott smiled playfully.

“I don’t understand why that scares you. You know I’m home.”

“Right, I know you’re in the house. I don’t expect to see you right there when I close the fridge door!” They both chuckled.

“Is everything ready for tomorrow?

“I pulled all the camping stuff out of the shed. It’s on the back patio. I also washed the sleeping bags. They were nasty! The only thing left is to pack the coolers in the morning. I put together a bag for you. Mostly your old clothes. I made sure to pack sweats for the cold nights.”

“That, my dear, is why I love you so much!”

Laura smiled and started preparing dinner. After a few moments, she grimaced as she said, “Bob and John will be here first thing in the morning at five.”

“What?” Scott exploded. “Why does that obnoxious, fat, overbearing, bully, butthead brother of yours, B-O-B have to come? I’m trying to spend some quality time with our son, and he’ll ruin it! I can’t stand him.”

Scott’s face was turning several shades of red as he bellowed his objections.

“Now calm down. You’re in your heart attack years.” She knew it was the wrong thing to say the moment it was out of her mouth. You never tell someone that’s worked up to calm down. It only makes things worse.

“Calm down? Calm down? That brother of yours is a menace, and everyone would be happier if he weren’t around! And by the way, who invited him anyhow? How did he know we were going?” Scott sputtered.

“Bob is tough to take sometimes, I’ll give you that. But he doesn’t have anyone, and he enjoys going along. He asked me last week what I was doing this weekend, and I told him I was painting because you and Michael would be camping. He wanted to go. He said he liked everyone who was going,” Laura cooed, knowing she was on shaky ground.

“Did you ask any of us if we liked him? He doesn’t have anyone because he is such an asshole! He only enjoys himself if he is making someone else’s life miserable!” Scott tried to control his anger, but the words shot out in bits and pieces like projectiles being launched. Laura stroked Scott’s hair and continued in her soothing honey voice.

“Please put up with him for me, okay?”

Scott, shaking his head back and forth, said, “There is no way. No way you both came from the same gene pool. He has to be adopted. Was he left on your parent’s front porch by aliens?” He looked into her heavenly pleading eyes, and his will crumbled. “Okay, okay, but this is the last time, and I mean the absolute last time!”

Laura smiled and said, “It won’t be so bad. Besides, your brother is going.”

“Don’t even go there. John’s been moving all over creation because of his job, and I haven’t seen him in years. Now that he’s finally home, I’m going to spend some time with him, and nothing’s going to stop it. Not even Bob, understand?”

“I can’t help that he chose to be a computer nerd.”

“He’s not a nerd. He’s a software engineer. He makes a hell of a lot more a year than B-O-B, who was lucky to have enough money to go pick up his minimum wage paycheck! No one wants to hire his lazy ass!” Laura had no response. Scott was right.

Instead she said, “Awe, you can do it baby ’cause ‘you da man.’” She hugged his neck, and he smiled.

“Yeah, I’m da man all right. I’m da man who’s gonna have a lot of trouble for the next fourteen days. Didn’t you say these were my heart attack years? What are you trying to do to me?”

Laura smiled at him and said, “Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. Go round up Michael.”

As Scott left the kitchen, Laura’s brow furrowed. She had a bad feeling about the trip. Nothing she could put her finger on. Just bad. She certainly couldn’t ask Scott to reschedule without a valid reason. Must be woman’s intuition.

They had a nice meal, and the rest of the evening was uneventful. By 10:30 p.m., the Smithfield household was asleep.