Chapter 282 - 282 A Calm Time

282 A Calm Time

The car filled with a comfortable silence, and my thoughts went to my mother once more. I remembered all the years that she’d been by my side, never wavering in her strength and her love for me.

I thought about the times she’d comforted me through the dark days, when it felt like the world was against me. I thought about the laughter we’d shared during the good times, when everything seemed so full of joy.

I was thankful for my mother’s love and guidance, and I was determined to live a life that would make her proud.

Glancing out the window, I noticed the first few stars twinkling in the night sky. I stared at them for a few moments, captivated by their beauty.

Even though I was far away, I could feel my mother looking down at me from the stars, as if she was sending me a wordless message of hope. I closed my eyes, wishing that I could see her and hug her one last time.

But I knew that I wouldn’t be able to.

The only way that I could feel close to her now was by continuing my journey and never giving up, no matter the obstacles in my way.

As I looked up at the stars, I made a vow to myself: I will be strong and brave, and I will never forget the love that my mother had for me. I will honor her memory.

“Ay, Earth to Connor!” I heard someone shout, which was unsurprisingly Brie. I blinked, slowly pulling my thoughts back to the present. “Yeah, sorry,” I said, giving Brie a sheepish grin. “Just got lost in thought for a moment.”

.....

Brie’s eyes softened, and she reached over to give my hand a reassuring squeeze. “It’s okay,” she said gently. “Sometimes, we need to let ourselves remember and reflect. It helps us stay strong.” We continued to drive through the night, the stars above guiding our way. As the miles rolled by, we took turns sharing stories of our families – the good, the bad, and the funny. It felt therapeutic to reminisce, and we found solace in each other’s company.

As the hours passed, the first light of dawn began to break on the horizon, casting a warm glow across the landscape. We knew that we’d need to find a place to rest soon, and decided to look for a small town or motel where we could catch a few hours of sleep.

Up ahead, we spotted a sign for a town called Willow Creek, and decided to give it a try. We took the exit and began to navigate the sleepy streets, hoping to find a place to rest our weary heads.

As we approached the town’s center, we noticed the charming atmosphere and friendly faces of the locals. It felt like a place where we could find comfort, if only for a little while.

And so, we pulled into the parking lot of a small motel.

“Okay, you guys stay in here while I check us in for the second time in a row,” he said, muttering the last part. He closed the door—in fact—slammed the door before entering the motel. The motel was shaped in a circle, with a few buildings side by side with each other. There were a few cars, a red pickup truck, a little green hatchback, and a skateboard.

Brie raised an eyebrow at Hans’ annoyance but decided not to comment on it. Instead, she turned to me and smiled. “Hey, do you want to stretch your legs for a bit? We’ve been cooped up in the car for a while.”

I agreed, and we stepped out of the car, taking in the quaint surroundings. The circular layout of the motel gave it a unique, cozy feel, and the well-tended flower beds added a touch of color to the scene.

As we strolled around the parking lot, we couldn’t help but notice the skateboard leaning against one of the buildings. It seemed out of place among the cars and trucks, but it also piqued our curiosity.

“Do you think someone just left it here?” I asked Brie, eyeing the skateboard.

Brie shrugged. “Maybe? Or it could belong to someone staying at the motel. Either way, it’s been years since I’ve ridden a skateboard. How about you?”

I chuckled, remembering the scraped knees and bruised elbows of my teenage skateboarding adventures. “It’s been a long time for me too,” I admitted. “But it might be fun to give it a try again.”

All of a sudden, she started snorting, as if she was laughing and snoring at the same time, and I can’t say I liked it.

“What’s so funny?” I asked, a hint of amusement in my voice.

Brie grinned. “Let’s check into the motel and get some sleep, and then you can try out that skateboard,” she suggested.

I agreed, and we made our way back to the car. Fortunately, Hans had already secured us a room, so we quickly checked in and headed up to the second floor.

We dropped off our bags, and then Brie gave me a playful shove towards the bed.

“Alright! Time to hit the hay!” she declared cheerily.

I nodded, too exhausted to protest. It seemed like we had been on the road for days, and the thought of finally getting some rest was too tempting to refuse. The room was a bit weird not gonna lie:It had a quirky layout, with a small, round window on one wall that offered a view of the parking lot below. The wallpaper was a faded floral pattern, giving the room a nostalgic, vintage vibe. A couple of mismatched chairs were tucked into one corner, and an old, wooden dresser stood against the opposite wall.

Despite its peculiarities, the room had a certain charm to it, and we couldn’t help but smile at its eccentricities. We quickly settled into the squeaky, yet surprisingly comfortable, beds.

As we lay there, Brie turned to me, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Tomorrow, after we’re well-rested, we’re gonna have a skateboard showdown. You in?”

I laughed, feeling my exhaustion momentarily abate. “You’re on,” I agreed, unable to resist her infectious enthusiasm.

Then her eyes met with mine, as she chuckled once more, her face stuck on mine. Eventually, my head froze, completely contained by her gaze. “Your eyes are scary,” she said abruptly.

I blinked, surprised by her comment, and felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment. “Oh, um, sorry about that,” I stammered, quickly averting my gaze.

Brie’s laughter softened, and she reached out to gently nudge my shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. I just meant that you have really intense eyes, like you’re always thinking about something. It’s not a bad thing, just… noticeable.”

I let out a nervous chuckle, trying to play it off. “Well, I guess I do tend to get lost in my thoughts sometimes.”

With a warm smile, Brie reassured me, “It’s okay. It’s just one of those things that make you, well, you. Now, let’s get some sleep. We’ve got a big day—”

All of a sudden, someone knocked on the door, causing us both to jump in alarm. Brie shot me a knowing look and I quickly got off the bed and made my way towards the door, pressing my ear up against it to hear the muffled voice on the other side.

“Room service,” the voice said.

I glanced over my shoulder at Brie, who was already shaking her head. I knew that we had already missed dinner, and the last thing I wanted to do was to pay for something that we weren’t even hungry for. As if sensing my thoughts, Brie waved me away, murmuring that she would handle it.

After a few moments of muffled discussion, she returned with a tray of food in her hands.

“Lucky us,” Brie declared, her voice full of surprise. She explained that the manager had felt bad about us missing dinner and had kindly sent us some leftovers as a complimentary gesture.

We dug into the warm food eagerly, our exhaustion momentarily pushed away by the promise of a satisfying meal. After we finished our dinner, we gathered our things and found our way back to our beds.

“Well, I guess the night wasn’t a total waste after all,” Brie said warmly. I nodded in agreement, thankful for our good luck.

Now, I thought, I could finally get some sleep and be ready for tomorrow. Brie was right: we had a big day ahead of us, filled with new adventures and unexplored possibilities. With a deep breath, I settled into my bed — my thoughts slowly fading with the gentle lull of the night. As I drifted off to sleep, I couldn’t help but feel surprised at the unexpected turn of events. After all, it’s not every night that you get a surprise dinner.

Or, maybe you do and I’m just being weird. Although I doubt any of you guys actually get surprise meals. Maybe you bring ones from home or still pay a bunch of money for room service. It all depends though.