Bloodfang

Welcome to Durango

Ricky

Silence played its quiet tune for several miles as Ricky stayed lost in his thoughts. When he realized Uncle Steve was no longer offering his unceasing chatter, Ricky felt it was his turn to do his part and he searched his mind for something to talk about. The most obvious question popped into his head.

"So...?" Ricky started in his usual, hesitant manner.

"So...?" Uncle Steve drawled out when Ricky petered off.

"So... how long will it be until we reach Durango?" Ricky rushed out latching onto the first thing that came to mind, looking over at his uncle now that it was too dark to look out at the passing scenery.

"Oh, well let's see..." Uncle Steve paused as he glanced at his wrist watch. "Right now it's eight, so I'd say... around midnight."

"Midnight!" Ricky exclaimed shocked. He did not like the sound of arriving so late. He always went to bed at 11:00 and reaching the house later than that meant he wouldn't be in bed until way after that. He hated changes to his routine. He considered flying across the country a huge change! He would prefer avoiding any more if he could help it.

"Yeah the drive from Denver to Durango takes roughly six hours and we've already driven a couple," Uncle Steve explained when he saw Ricky's shock.

"Oh...," Ricky felt a little disheartened by this information. Nothing good ever happened after midnight Ricky quoted to himself from one of his horror movies.

"Don't worry, getting home late won't be all that bad. I know you like your routine and your Mom already told me your bedtime was eleven o'clock, but so what if we don't get there by then. It won't be the end of the world if you don't make your self-imposed curfew. It's summer time anyway. You should have an extended curfew during summer vacation." He glanced over at Ricky. "Only seems fair to me. You work hard during the school year and you've earned it."

Ricky was considering Uncle Steve's words but his thoughts were interrupted when Uncle Steve surprised him even further with his next words.

"Besides, it won't matter what time we get there because I won't be taking you straight home anyway."

"You're not?"

"Well I'm guessing you didn't eat on the plane, so you're probably hungry."

As soon as those words left Uncle Steve's mouth, Ricky's stomach growled. He looked down at the noisy betrayer surprised that he could be so sidetracked with everything around him that he had not realized just how hungry he was. Evidently stress and anxiety worked as an appetite suppressant. Not that he wanted that to happen to him again. When he looked up to face his uncle, Ricky could tell by the amused look on his Uncle's face that he had heard the loud growl emitting from his stomach.

"I'll take that as a yes," he said with a wink.

"Yeah, I didn't realize I was hungry until now," Ricky replied sheepishly with a hint of a blush on his cheeks.

"Well there's this diner called Heifer's in the town I live in. It's famous for its hamburgers. I thought we could eat there before driving the last fifty minutes home. Do you want pick up a hamburger there?" Uncle Steve shot a glance down at Ricky's belly that had been silent since the one loud grumble. "Can you wait that long? Or do we need to go ahead and stop now?"

Ricky didn't want to be that kid. The one that was never happy with the plans that were made for him and was always complaining, so no matter that he was pretty hungry right now and he hadn't eaten anything since the breakfast his mom had made him this morning Ricky assured his uncle he would manage just fine until they hit is hometown. Plus a burger did sound good. "That sounds great, I can make it," he said with a grin.