Life - Message From The Past

31-Out of the Frying Pan

Jeremy ducked as he passed the car on the side of the highway. "I don't need anymore help from that woman!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Pete looked at his friend hiding his face. "It's raining so hard no one could possibly see inside these windows!"

Jeremy looked up at Pete. "I am not taking any chances, Pumpkin."

"Gonna be down there long?" Pete laughed.

Jeremy decided to sit back on the seat, he looked to Miguel, and his friend. "I elbowed the woman in the mouth and stole her phone." He felt shame for his actions. "I'm not proud of it, but it happened."

Jeremy cleared the text messages, phone logs, and reset the cellphone to its factory settings. He grabbed a t-shirt to wipe his fingerprints from the outside.

"Looks good, Boss!" Pete smiled. "Now what?"

Jeremy twisted the cellphone cracking it wide open. Removed the battery, opened his window and let it go. "I'll toss the phone when it's dark. No trail."

Pete's jaw hung open as he watched his friend. "You are serious, Boss!"

"Well, seems she helps people only to make them pay later." Jeremy left the conversation right there.

Miguel tapped the fuel guage. "Amigos we need gas and I am getting kinda tired."

"Pumpkin, you pay for the gas. I will drive for a while." Jeremy acted like the boss but the two were having none of that.

"No, I need a bed for my back, Amigo." Miguel looked exhausted.

Pete agreed with Miguel. "Miggy's right, Boss. We need a hot shower and a comfortable bed."

Jeremy pressed his lips together then looked out the window at the rain starting to ease off. "Okay! Let's find a motel and fuel."

As the traffic thinned out Miguel pointed to a roadside motel that flashed a vacancy sign in neon. "Here!"

"Looks good." Jeremy nodded.

"Good? Good? It looks like heaven to me! Eh, Miggy?" Pete laughed with excitement and anticipation. "Pull in right here. Look out Boss, I'm gonna book us a room."

Pete playfully pushed his friend out of the truck then ran to the motel office. Jeremy sat back in the truck and looked to the driver. "Looks like Pumpkin is crazy for this place. What do you think, Miguel?"

Miguel did not look at Jeremy. "I think my back is tired, my head is pounding and my truck will never be the same." Then he turned to the younger man. "I understand you want to save Harmony's mother. I want this too."

Jeremy felt Miguel had more to say. "But?"

"But remember to appreciate your friends." Miguel got out of his truck and stood in the light rain.

Pete smiled as he ran from the office. "The manager will bring a cot to unit three. Come on boys time to shower. The food smells great in there!"

Jeremy slid to the middle as Miguel and Pete quickly hopped back into the truck. Both were laughing knowing a hot shower would wash the mud and the cold from their bodies.

Inside the room Pete opened the bathroom door and nodded to Miguel. "Age before beauty, amigo." The older man just laughed as he entered the bathroom.

Pete excitedly spoke to his friend. "Man this shower will feel so great! What are you gonna order for dinner?" He continued without noticing Jeremy zoning out. "I could smell the steak, the fried onions! Boss, I am so hungry!" He ran to the bathroom door and yelled. "Hurry up Miggy! Time to eat, amigo!"