The Odd Family's Book of Bedtime Stories

Home on Time

Sharon hadn't had her license for very long, but she considered herself an excellent driver. She was relaxed where a lot of her friends were still nervous and crowding the steering wheel. Her parents were confident in her ability as well, allowing Sharon to go out on her own as soon as she was able.

It was the first night she'd been able to drive alone, though, and she was a little nervous. The last thing Sharon wanted was to run into one of the deer her friends worried about so much. She hadn't seen one that night but knew they could be anywhere, waiting to total her jeep. She scanned the road and made sure she kept to the speed limit. The night was clear, and the moon was bright, making her task a little easier.

Because she was watching so closely and the moon was so bright, Sharon could see the woman on the side of the road from far away. She had seen no cars on the side of the road and there were no buildings that the woman could have walked from. They were in the middle of nowhere, so it was very unusual.

At first, Sharon passed the woman. Her father had warned her a million times about the dangers of picking up hitchhikers. The woman didn't appear to be trying to get a ride, however. In fact, it seemed more likely that she had been stranded somehow. She'd been dressed nicely and had barely even glanced up. Then Sharon remembered what her mother had said as well. Women were supposed to stick together.

It was dangerous to be out alone at night, even more so on the side of the road and in heels. Thinking of this, Sharon turned around. The woman was still walking, looking down at the side of the road. She seemed so determined to get where she was going and wasn't much older than Sharon herself.

"Need a ride?" Sharon called out. The other woman looked up and studied Sharon briefly before looking up and down the dark highway. Then she nodded and got into the passenger seat. "I'm Sharon."

"Emily." The girl smiled, pulling on her seatbelt.

She told Sharon that she had wrecked her car before the last bend. She had been driving too fast and lost control. The car had gone into the brush and wouldn't start again. Emily was incredibly grateful it was Sharon that had stopped and not anyone dangerous. The two girls talked as they headed into town. It turned out that Emily's destination was on the way, not too far from where Sharon lived, although they had never met.

They found they had a lot in common and conversation came easily. Sharon loved Emily's vintage sense of style, and Emily thought Sharon's corny jokes were hilarious. It was late when they reached Emily's house and the lights were out. Emily sat in the car for what seemed like a long time, looking at the house. She seemed almost sad. Before Sharon could ask if she was okay, Emily hopped out and said goodbye. She stood on the stoop and waved as Sharon pulled away.

But Sharon couldn't forget about what Emily had said. None of the cars parked on the street could get to Emily's car, possibly stuck in the brush. It would be incredibly expensive to get a tow truck out there to get it out and Sharon had a Jeep. It was built to go off-road, and she had always wanted to test that out. She would also get to see Emily again and would remember to ask her for her phone number or social media info so they could stay in touch. She hadn't been able to find her on Facebook or Instagram.

The next morning, she got up bright and early and let her parents know where she was going. They agreed it was a good idea as long as she called and let them know when she would be back. With that, Sharon was off. It was easy to find Emily's house again, and she bolted up and knocked on the door.

An elderly woman answered, possibly Emily's grandmother. She had a kind face and a sweet smile.

"Is Emily here?" Sharon asked, hoping she had the right house. The woman cringed a bit and clutched at her heart when she looked away.

"Emily?" An older man came out from behind her. "Emily isn't here."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Sharon replied, "my name is Sharon. I picked her up on the side of the road last night-"

"Right." He replied with a brief nod. He seemed exhausted. "Her car came off the road and you wanted to help, so you brought her home but you never saw her come inside?"

"Did she not make it inside?" Sharon asked, worried. She actually hadn't seen Emily reach the door. "Did something happen?" The man sighed and gestured for Sharon to come in. She stepped in and his wife shut the door. She would not meet Sharon's eyes. "Is Emily okay?"

There were pictures of Emily on the mantle and the walls, with her parents and with friends. Various trophies and ribbons were displayed as well. Sharon frowned as she spotted one of Emily with the same two people in the room with her now. Only in this photo, the couple was much, much younger, but Emily was the same age.

"Emily never made it home." Her mother mumbled.

"What?" Sharon looked away from the photograph and back at them.

"Emily passed away," her father told Sharon, handing her a newspaper clipping. He looked exhausted, his shoulders drooping. Sharon couldn't believe what she was reading and hearing. "She lost control of her car and crashed. By the time anyone found her, Emily was gone. She had been speeding... she wasn't paying attention."

"But I just saw her last night!" Sharon protested, shaking her head.

"Oh, you aren't the first." Her mother said, "Emily has been trying to get home for a very long time. Every now and then, someone will pick her up and bring her back to us. It's been twenty years, but Emily never let us down. She was always home on time."