Page 106 of Years in the Making

“We’re making good time, and I didn’t want to ruin it.”

“Are you going to piss your pants?”

“Possibly,” she says guiltily.

“Is that better than stopping briefly?”

She shakes her head and pouts. “I don’t want to ruin Bennett’s truck.”

“There’s a gas station in a few klicks, so we’ll stop there. I’m sure the dogs have to go too.”

“Maybe that’s why they’re so chatty,” she says hopefully.

When we arrive at the station, Nellie runs inside, and then I see her scurry out and around the building to where the bathroom is. In the meantime, I manage to get each dog out one at a time for a pee break. Both huskies are quiet after I get them back in the truck, and I think maybe Nellie was right.

Ten minutes pass, and Nellie still hasn’t come back. Another five minutes, and still no sign of her. I text her onlyto hear her phone ping from inside the center console. Now I’m worried so I pull the truck up to the bathroom and jump out.

“Nellie, are you okay in there?” I call through the door.

Her reply is muffled, but at least she’s able to reply.

“I didn’t hear you.” I try to turn the knob but it’s locked. “I’m going to see if they have another key, just a minute.”

I head into the station, and the guy hands a key over way too easily. What if I was some creep wanting to break into the bathroom?

“I’m coming in,” I shout as I turn the key and slowly push the door open. I keep my eyes closed though just in case there’s a situation she doesn’t want me to see.

“There’s no toilet paper,” she whimpers, and I open my eyes to see her holding an empty roll.

“Oh…I’ll just go.” I point to the door and leave again.

Shockingly the guy gives me a harder time about the roll of toilet paper than the key. His priorities are alarmingly skewed.

“How long were you going to wait?” I ask when Nellie gets back in the truck.

She shrugs. “However long it took to air dry down there?”

“Take your phone next time.”

“Ew, no. I mean it’s iffy in a normal bathroom, but a gas station bathroom? The grossest.”

“That bathroom had nothing on some of the ones I’ve seen,” I say as I pull back onto the road.

“Oh? Do tell,” she goads.

“I’d really rather not. But let me just say that a lot of people aren’t great with aim when it comes to squatting over a hole.”

Nellie shudders. “Okay, say no more.”

The silence between us on the way home isn’t like it was on the way up. For one thing, Nellie’s hand is in mine. When I look over, she’s got her head turned towards me, smilingserenely. I wonder how many smiles I’ve missed over the years. Knowing Nellie, millions.

“Question,” she says after an hour of quiet.

“Yeah?” I ask, looking over at her briefly.

“You know the song ‘Dead or Alive’ by Jon Bon Jovi?”

I chuckle. “Do you mean ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’ by Bon Jovi?”

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