Chapter 28 Dark Roads, Old Scars #2
I glanced around and realized we had pulled over onto the shoulder, the soft glow of the hazard lights pulsing like a heartbeat in the darkness. Aiden caught my eye, a hint of a smile playing on his lips as he shifted back into motion and started driving again.
I sat back, trying not to let the shadows reach for me again.
I must have drifted off at some point during the drive. Aiden had been at the wheel for what felt like an eternity. Twelve hours, at least. Guilt twisted in my stomach, but whenever I attempted to voice my concern, he merely shrugged it off.
As dawn crept in, the first light seeped through the trees. The once menacing silhouettes faded into a gentle gray, revealing a small highway town emerging from the night. A solitary gas station stood sentinel beside a diner.
By the time I came fully awake, we were pulling into the diner parking lot. The neon sign buzzed faintly in the morning light: “Best Pancakes East of the Ridge.”
I turned back to check on Mateo and found him stirring awake. Relief surged through me, and I leaped from the passenger seat, flinging open the back door.
He blinked up at me and squinted against the light. “Where are we?”
“Road trip,” I said.
He studied me for a second too long, like he knew that wasn’t the whole story. When he slid out of the car, I pulled him into a quick, tight hug before I could stop myself.
squeezed back once, awkward but solid, then stepped away. “Mom. I’m fine.”
Aiden stepped up beside us, his eyes crinkling into a warm smile. “It’s good to see you awake, kid,” he said, his voice genuinely warm.
“Mom, I feel tired,” Mateo murmured, rubbing his eyes.
I brushed a stray curl from his forehead. “I know, sweetheart,” I said softly. “Let’s grab some breakfast, and then you can recharge.” He blinked up at me, the promise of food coaxing a faint smile to his lips.
The air inside the diner was thick with the aroma of coffee and bacon. We settled into a corner booth. Mateo pressed his hands against the window, watching a semi-truck roar past. I glanced at the menu; this unexpected road trip was going to put a dent in my savings.
“Pancakes for him,” I told the waitress, “and toast for me.” My gaze drifted to the steaming pot of black coffee on the counter.
“Coffee for her and me,” Aiden said, “and eggs, scrambled, with a side of bacon and hash browns, please.”
“Coming right up, hon,” she chirped warmly.
While we waited for our food, I fished my phone from my bag and signaled Aiden that I was going to step outside and call Emily.
It was almost eight in the morning when I hit the call button. On the second ring, Emily’s voice burst through.
“Josie!” she exclaimed. “It’s early. What’s going on?” She asked, wary.
“I’m on my way to Oakville,” I said, lowering my voice. “Should be there before noon.”
Emily paused before her voice broke through, tinged with disbelief. “Here?”
“Yeah.”
The silence on the line stretched too long. Then a sharp inhale, “What happened? Why the sudden visit?”
I stole a glance at Mateo through the window. “It’s… complicated.”
“Complicated how?” Her voice sliced through the air. “Are you in trouble?”
I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of her concern. “Not the kind you’re thinking.”
“Then what kind?” Her tone was insistent. “You haven’t been here in over ten years.”
“I know.” The truth sat heavily in my chest. “I just… need to talk to you. In person.”
A moment of silence stretched between us. “All right. Drive safely. I’ll be here. You remember the address?”
“Yeah. I’ll explain when I get there.” I paused for a second, “Thanks, Ems.”
“Josie…” she started, but I hung up before she could say anything else.
When I slid back into the booth, Aiden glanced at me over his mug. “She take it well?”
“As well as she could.” I reached for my coffee. “Oakville’s not exactly the place you breeze back into without people noticing.”
He smirked faintly. “Good. Let them notice.”
We ate in companionable silence, Aiden sharing his bacon and hash browns with Mateo and me.
When the waitress slid the check across the table, Aiden took it and reached for his wallet.
He didn’t say a word, his focus steady as he counted out bills.
I watched him, a mix of gratitude and unease swirling in my chest.
Once paid, we left the diner. The sun broke through the morning mist, casting golden rays. As we settled back into the car, Mateo climbed into the back seat, shoving the quilts aside. Aiden and I slid into our seats in the front, resuming our journey toward Oakville.
“Are we moving?” Mateo asked before Aiden put the car into drive.
“Just visiting Auntie Ems for a bit,” I replied while I buckled up.
He watched me for a second, then nodded once. Then he tugged the blankets up to his chest, and a few minutes later, his breathing evened out.
By the time we crossed the cracked “Welcome to Oakville” sign, it was almost noon. The streets were exactly as I remembered, only emptier.
Aiden shot me a sideways glance. “Straight to Emily’s?”
I nodded, my grip on the seatbelt tightening. Emily’s address slipped from my lips, my voice steady despite the storm brewing within.
As we pulled into her driveway, Emily was waiting on the porch. She looked exhausted, but when our gazes met, a flicker of relief ignited her expression. “You’re here,” she breathed.
I lifted a hand in greeting to Emily and turned to wake Mateo up. At first, he resisted with a groan, but eventually I got to draw him out. He shuffled behind me, rubbing sleep from his eyes as we headed toward the porch.
Emily stood at the threshold. She had always been the most grounded of us both, never quite leaving Oakville except in small increments: summer jobs at the gas station two towns over, night school at the community college in the city.
Now, looking at her, I saw the years since high school etched into her features.
“Come in, come in,” Emily said.
The screen door moaned as she opened it. Inside, the air was thick with cedarwood and something sweet baking. I hesitated on the mat just a moment before stepping inside, filled with the sudden, overwhelming sense of being a teenager again.
Mateo stopped short at the entryway, taking in everything: framed photos lining the walls, a cluttered bookcase sagging with paperbacks. Even the maroon carpet felt like an artifact from another version of my life.
Aiden followed close behind, his eyes flicking between the details of the house. I could tell this place was alien to him; here, every surface was layered with small-town nostalgia.
Emily’s kitchen was just as I remembered, with green ceramic tiles and a monstrous refrigerator covered in magnets. This had been Emily’s childhood home, inherited from her parents after they passed some years ago, and it still carried the layered warmth of a place lived in for generations.
She poured coffee into mismatched mugs and ushered us into the living room. The living room hadn’t changed: same worn sofa, same crocheted throw over the back.
Mateo made a beeline for the plate of pastries left out on the coffee table.
He hovered for a second, glancing at me for permission before grabbing one.
He tore into a cinnamon roll like he hadn’t eaten in days, frosting catching at the corner of his mouth.
He wiped it away with the back of his hand without looking up.
I felt guilty for dragging him into this old chapter of my life. But the anxiety softened when Emily pressed a mug into my hand and squeezed my shoulder.
Aiden and I exchanged a glance. He looked almost comically large on the edge of the dainty wing-back chair, careful not to disturb the delicate covers Emily’s mother had crocheted.
In that moment, the present and past collided: my son, sugar-high and wide-eyed; my childhood friend, brittle but loyal; and Aiden, whose presence in my life still felt like a dare to the universe.
For one dizzying second, I saw my story refracted through all of theirs: the bruised edges, bright flashes, the possibility of something new.
“This is Aiden,” I said, gesturing toward him. Emily’s gaze shifted, curiosity brightening her features. Aiden offered a small smile, his charm effortlessly radiating.
“Nice to meet you,” he said, his voice warm and inviting.
Emily’s brow relaxed slightly. I could see the wheels turning in her mind as she assessed him: his rugged appearance, the way he exuded quiet confidence, and the undeniable connection that hummed between us.
“Emily. And you’re…?” Emily nodded slowly.
“A friend,” I said quickly, maybe too quickly. “He drove us here.”
Emily’s eyebrows lifted, but she let it go. “Well, welcome to Oakville, Aiden.”
Aiden nodded in response.
Then, Mateo tugged at my sleeve, his eyes heavy. “Mom,” he said quietly, not meeting my eyes. “Can I lie down?”
“Yeah, sweetheart.” I turned to Emily. “Is the spare room free?”
“Always.” She led us down the short hall, flicked on the light, and I guided Mateo inside.
He kicked off his sneakers and curled up on top of the quilt. I brushed his hair from his forehead, kissed him, and left the door cracked so I could hear him if he stirred.
Back in the living room, Emily took her mug of coffee and asked. “How have you been, Jo? And why the sudden visit?”
I shrugged and stared into my coffee. “Oh, you know… same old, same old. Just… thought I’d drop by.”
Emily’s brow rose. “Uh-huh. Twelve hours on the road for a casual drop-in? Try again.”
I fumbled for something to say. “Well, Mateo’s on summer break, and I figured… maybe a change of scenery would be good for him. And, uh, me. Plus, I missed you.” The words tumbled out too fast.
Emily shifted in her chair as she leaned closer. “Jo, what’s really happening here? You’ve been silent for weeks, and now you waltz in with a stranger at your side? No offense, big guy. I need you to be honest with me, Jo.”