“Trust that you’ve taught me well, Momma.I’m going to be just fine,” she said, hugging her mother once more and setting off for a grand adventure.
Sally Dootch knew her daughter had flown to New York seven months ago with her silly friend Carmine on a fool's errand.Carmine had paid for the companion fare and Megan had trotted along, returning three days later with stars in her eyes and foolish notions about love.Love had walked out on Sally in the middle of a cold North Dakota night, leaving behind a woman and a child with no means of support.Twenty-nine years later, ankles swollen from slinging hash as the local run through slop shop for tips and ass pinches, she had run out of hope for love and a happily ever after.What she had was a Tritt Wiley who enjoyed loving on her and making her feel like a woman.
Megan didn't like Tritt, or the one before him, or the one before that, but her Momma didn't enjoy things like reasoning or good conversation.The furnishings in the home came from Megan, as well as the matching dishes, silverware, and an adorable table cloth.All of those items were packed in a box, along with her crafting machines, the table, and her personal effects.She loaded all the items in her Rockwood pull behind camper that she used to go to trade shows to sell her quilts, teas, and quill art.Her supplies had gotten low, so there were no boxes of fabrics to bring except for a small container of fat quarters.The strips of paper used for quilling; she'd unloaded the last of her inventory on her Etsy shop.The herbs and spices used to make her specialty teas were down to two jars, but it didn't matter.
Megan Dootch was starting over in Alton, Illinois with her new husband.The drive from Keystone to Alton was a solid thirteen hours. A nice schedule rested on the passenger seat of her Ford Expedition.The schedule included a few stops along the way at quilt shops and crafting stores, but she wanted to save most of her money.She’d left enough in the cookie jar for her mother to get groceries for a week or two; as a courtesy for her Momma's inability to understand how to pay bills, she’d paid the rent for the upcoming month.If Tritt Wiley wanted to be Sally Dootch's man, he was about to learn a few hard lessons, and one was the woman had zero financial management comprehension.As much as Megan tried to get her mother’s help to pay the bills or even save for a rainy day, as soon as a dollar hit the woman's hands, she had to spend it on something, and it was usually something unnecessary and silly.In more ways than one, Megan was satisfied leaving the toxicity of the symbiotic relationship.However, her mother, as well as Tritt, was about to get a life lesson.Tritt, the tick that he was, would soon find her Momma's blood to be devoid of any nutrients, especially considering the source of iron was barreling down the I-90, hoping to make it to the outskirts of Sioux Falls before dark.
She knew well the campsites in the area since she'd worked several trade shows in Sioux Falls, and she was excited to reach Alton, Illinois, by Sunday afternoon.Sunday afternoon she was meeting her new husband, Thom Brown, getting hitched she hoped no later than Monday, and sharing his bed and passionate kisses by Monday night.In the meantime, in the back of her camper was a recipe book to make all his favorite dishes, and hopefully together, they could create a few more.
“I shall see you tomorrow, Thom, and we can begin our life,” Megan said, pulling into the KOA, ready to hook up the camper.The plan was to break up the thirteen hours into five-to-six-hour increments.Tomorrow she would drive from Sioux Falls, South Dakota to Kansas City, and Kansas City into Alton, which equated the last three hours of the drive.Pleased with her plans, she smiled, knowing soon, she'd be with her man.
****
MEGAN DOOTCH ARRIVEDin Alton, stopping first by the train station where her man made his living.Her plan was to take a look about the place to get a feel for the scope of his profession and all the details he oversaw in the station, getting the people boarded and on to the next destinations.She and Thom were to meet for lunch, then go over to his home, visit the train museum he was creating, and talk about their future.It took everything in her to tamp down the excitement of arriving at the train station to find her man actually there, working, looking handsome and ready for her to take care of his every need.
However, an emergency seemed to have taken over the train station, as fire trucks arrived, the train was pulling in and men in white coats were removing what looked like an unhoused man.She stood staring at it all, confused.Thom looked up as if he sensed her presence and raised his eyebrows in shock.
“Megan?”he mouthed.
“Yes,” she replied, waving at him.
Thom stopped what he was doing to trot over to greet candidate number three.He was covered in something that smelled horrific, his hair was on end, and a porcupine ran across the platform, making people scream.
Megan pointed and asked, “Was that a porcupine?”
“Unfortunately, yes.That is Petr Qwill.He's owned, I guess that would be the word, by the night manager, Jiminy, who unfortunately, is coming this way,” Thom said lowering his head.
“Hey, I'm having him arrested,” Jiminy said, looking at Megan, “Hey.”
“Hi.Who are you having arrested?”
“Mr.Stinky Butt over there, for destruction of property,” Jiminy said.
“What did he destroy?”Megan inquired.
“All the commodes in this place, but hey, I guess the men's bathroom wasn't enough.He wormed his way, again, into the woman's bathroom, clogged up all the toilets with the shit paper he stole.Who steals shit paper?”Jiminy yelled.“I don't know which garbage can he’s eating out of, but he needs to stop.Anyone who has diarrhea every damned day needs to see a doctor.He's going to jail for being a menace, if nothing else.”
Megan watched in disbelief.“All of this is over clogged toilets?”
The ambulance had a man strapped to a gurney, and he was fighting to get free.Three people were hobbling across the walkway, people were climbing off the train while others were trying to board, and the porcupine continued to scare people.
Thom shook his head.“No, our local unwelcomed shitter man, came out of the facilities and announced that he blew up the bathroom.The water came spewing out of the men’s room from the overflow, then a lady called the police and said a homeless man had a bomb, and now we have chaos.Jiminy, can you please get Petr?”
“Sure thing, but hey, we really need to look at the policies again on vagrancy.That man is barred from this station even if I have to work every day and night to run him off,” Jiminy said with pride.
“Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that,” Thom said as Jiminy walked away.Thom's attention turned to Megan.“I'm sorry, but lunch may have to wait.I'm going to be tied up here most of the day.I booked you at a local B & B if you want to go there until I'm free here.Again, I can't apologize enough.”
The Fire Chief waved at Thom.The Police Chief was waiting for him as well.She waved him off.
“I'm fine; call me when you're free,” she said, providing a warm smile.
Thom smiled back at her, but he was currently smattered in human waste.The train needed to get out of the station, and Petr Qwill was a spiky menace.He didn't get an opportunity to check after his latest candidate since there were fires to put out, passengers to calm, and a policy to review on his calendar for first thing in the morning.Currently, Thom had no idea it would take hours to get the matters at the station cleared, and four hours later, in a tee shirt from the gift shop, he made his way home.After a hot shower, he would call Ms.Dootch and get the evening moving.
Surprise covered his face when he arrived home to find the Ford Expedition in his driveway along with a pop-up camper, which had been extended.Further, he was also surprised to see the front door of his home open and music coming from inside the house.Thom walked up onto the porch, slowly opening the front door and stepping inside to the smell of lamb searing.
The barely decorated home now had a tablecloth on the plain wooden table, dishes set for an intimate dinner for two, candles that were burning, and napkins in napkin rings.A bottle of Pinot Noir rested next to crystal wine goblets.An exuberant, apron-wearing Megan came from the kitchen with a bowl of steaming hot mashed potatoes.
“Well, hello, Thom.I hope you got everything settled at the station,” she said.“Dinner is pretty much done.Grab a shower and come eat.”
