Chapter Three

Henry Heller grabbed tight at the handle above his window as he watched his wife Mary try to hide her struggle to keep control of the truck. His feet were pressed as hard as possible on the floor in front of him, the hope being he would unlock some sort of magical hidden brake.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to drive, dear? I really don’t mind.”

Mary laughed and turned to him. Henry wished he had stayed quiet; he hated when she took her eyes off the road. “You kidding? This is great!” She checked the highway in front of her, then took another look at her husband. “Henry, you have to calm down. I’ll get us there.”

Henry grinned, but could not relax a single part of his body. He started a thought that Mary interrupted and answered.

“Yes, in one piece.” She looked his rigor mortis up and down again and just shook her head. “God,” she said, half under her breath.

For Henry’s sake, Mary decided to not pull any more fake swerves. The first time she drove, the wind and the weight of the vehicle she was controlling really did take her by surprise. But that was two days ago. Eventually she just got a kick out of her husband’s panic that she would flip them off the road. But now she thought it was sort of pathetic.

They drove in silence for about the next ten miles. She didn’t swerve once, but her husband still remained stiff and nervous. Until he turned his head, she thought to say something to her, and became distracted by something in the distance.

“Oh wow!” He sat straight up in his seat. “Pull over, pull over!”

Mary turned to see what the hoo-haa was about, and when she saw, could only gape and slow gradually. Henry had his window rolled down and hand stuck out, wildly motioning to the kids to follow their lead.

The instant she had stopped on the gravelly shoulder, Henry popped the lock and jumped out of the cab. He ran around to the driver’s side and excitedly helped Mary step down. She was still transfixed on the sight in the distance and practically fell into her husband’s arms.

Henry was looking at her to say something.

She shook her head. “Incredible.”