CHAPTER SEVEN
Every Twenty Minutes
Friday finally arrived.
Luke walked through the front door carrying an overnight bag.
Emily looked up from the couch.
“You packed?”
Luke smiled.
“I thought we’d take a little road trip.”
Emily’s eyes lit up.
“Really?”
“Just for the weekend.”
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll find out.”
Emily grinned.
“I love surprises.”
An hour later, they were cruising east on Interstate 84 with the windows down and classic country music filling the truck.
Emily kicked her feet up on the dashboard.
“I forgot how nice it is just to get away.”
Luke glanced over.
“We’ve only been driving twenty-five minutes.”
“I know.”
She smiled.
“This is nice.”
Luke nodded.
“It is.”
A few miles later, Emily shifted in her seat.
Luke noticed.
“What?”
“…Nothing.”
“What?”
She sighed dramatically.
“I have to pee.”
Luke looked at the dashboard clock.
“We literally just left.”
“I know.”
He laughed.
“It hasn’t even been half an hour.”
“I can’t help it.”
Luke shook his head, trying not to laugh.
“I should’ve known.”
“What?”
“I should’ve mapped every restroom in Oregon before we left.”
Emily burst into laughter.
“Oh, stop.”
“I’m serious.”
“I’m sure you are.”
“I’m thinking of writing a travel guide.”
Emily smiled.
“’Emily’s Emergency Bathroom Stops Across the Pacific Northwest.’”
Luke laughed so hard he had to wipe a tear from his eye.
“That’d sell.”
Ten minutes later, Luke pulled into a small gas station.
Emily smiled innocently.
“You’re the best.”
“I know.”
She leaned over and kissed his cheek.
“Thank you.”
Luke watched her disappear inside.
A man filling his pickup at the next pump chuckled.
“Bathroom break already?”
Luke smiled.
“My girlfriend has the bladder of a squirrel.”
The man laughed.
“Good luck.”
“I’m gonna need it.”
Back on the highway, Emily climbed into the truck carrying two fountain drinks and a bag of gummy bears.
Luke looked at the bag.
“Bribery?”
“Peace offering.”
“I accept.”
She handed him a handful.
“I figured stopping every twenty minutes deserves compensation.”
Luke laughed.
“I’ll allow it.”
The rest of the drive was filled with laughter, terrible singing, and conversations that bounced from favorite movies to dream vacations.
Emily suddenly looked over.
“If we ever get rich…”
Luke smiled.
“When.”
“When we get rich…”
“There you go.”
“…I’m buying the biggest front porch swing you’ve ever seen.”
Luke nodded thoughtfully.
“I support this.”
“And flowers everywhere.”
“I can do flowers.”
“And a white fence.”
“I like white fences.”
“And a barn.”
“Definitely.”
Emily smiled.
“I can’t wait.”
Luke reached across the center console and took her hand.
“We’re getting there.”
She squeezed his fingers.
“One mile at a time.”
Luke smiled.
“Mile after mile.”
Neither of them realized how true those words would become.
The highway stretched ahead beneath a bright summer sky, carrying them toward another ordinary weekend that would become another unforgettable memory.