“Did you know that Rosie and Jack were dating?” Sal asked Carl as they were driving down a lonely, two-lane highway with no gas station in sight. Civilization seemed like a distant memory out there. They passed endless miles of asphalt running toward distant mountains in a beautifully desolate desert. They'd packed some survival supplies and brought an extra can of fuel along.
Carl reached out for his water bottle and took a sip. “What do you mean?”
“Holding hands, kissing, laughing, and going out together.” Sal turned up the air conditioner in the bus. The rain was on a fast retreat, and the heat and dry weather had returned.
“What are you talking about?” Carl studied the note with Louise’s address as if it was a secret map. The GPS had found the place through some alternative routes, and Sal hoped it would turn out to be accurate. He'd hate to be stranded out in the middle of nowhere.
“I saw them together on Friday night, down by The Old Gnome.” He immediately regretted his words.
“What were you doing by The Old Gnome?” Carl looked up at Sal with great interest.
“It's a long story. I was there with…” Sal searched for the words, “…him.” He could feel Carl studying him, getting ready to give him the third degree, so he continued to talk.
“He wanted to see Strong Edge, so I showed him around. He seemed interested in the old Strong Edge Plaza.”
“You went to a shopping mall that's been closed for years?” Carl had a big smirk on his face. “Is that where you sealed the deal?” Carl emphasized the last three words. “By the way, did he kiss you or did you kiss him?”
“What?” The questions had left Sal thoroughly perplexed.
Sal stopped the bus and got out. He stood on the side of the road with his arms crossed and his eyes fixed on the horizon.
“Sal, come on. What’s up with you? These are easy questions. We've always shared this kind of stuff,” Carl called out of the window.
“I’m sorry. I won’t mention the ‘unnamable’ anymore. Besides, it’s fucking hot, and we've got a long way to go.”
“You promise?” Sal yelled over his shoulder. He looked like a child who'd been promised a trip to an amusement park but had ended up at the doctor’s office instead.
“I promise. Cross my heart and hope to die. Now, come on.”
Sal turned around, faced the bus, and yelled, “He kissed me, okay?”
Carl held up his thumb. “I've never seen anyone wipe the floor with you this way before,” he added after some hesitation as Sal entered the bus.
“Do you want to walk to Limestone?” Sal flicked Carl the Vs while Carl just laughed.
Though Sal was annoyed, he set the bus back in motion. He'd checked his phone a million times for text messages from Seth—he couldn’t help himself. It sucked, big time. His unresolved situation and feelings left him absolutely frustrated. “And who are you to talk about wiping the floor? We're driving through a fucking wasteland to get to the back of beyond because of a girl you like.” The words flew out from him like steam from an overheated kettle.
Carl was quiet as he considered his brother's words. When at last he spoke, it was with great patience. “I tease you because you're my kid brother, but what I'm trying to say is I'm not walking away from this. I think she's worth fighting for, even though there's a chance I’m going to fail and look like an idiot.
“I just don’t think you should give up on He-Whose-Name-We-Shall-Not-Speak. Don’t walk away, not just yet.”
“Oh, he’s doing all the walking, I assure you,” Sal said rather miffed. His voice softened, and he said, “But I hear what you're saying.”
“All right.” Carl punched Sal on the shoulder. “On that note, here's a little music for the road: Hopelessly Devoted to You by Olivia Newton-John.”
Sal turned his head and glared at Carl, giving him a hostile stare.
“Just kidding.” Carl grinned.
The brothers raced toward the lonely town containing a certain person of interest to the tones of Rage Against the Machine.