Beautifully Broken

I tell myself to stop staring - it’s not polite, and who am I to judge?

“But no,” Annie continues, “she kept saying it was good for her ailments. Well, she ain’t got no ailments no more.” Annie sighs, and I finally tear my eyes from her rosy cheeks.

“So yeah, I’m heading back home.” She glances at me and then says, “It’s in Lackawaxen, a small historic town in Pennsylvania. Moved up there when I got married. The old man used to work for the local lumber company, but then he went on to greener pastures. I have a few acres of land outside of town. It keeps me going. I work the ground, or hell, the ground works me.” She lets out a bubbly chuckle. “We have an understanding. What I put in, it gives back.”

Annie keeps quiet for a moment, and I glance at her. She takes a deep breath, and my stomach ties up in knots. Then she murmurs, “I sure don’t know where you’re heading, but that’s where the road’s taking me. You’re welcome to tag along.”

“You’re okay with me going with you?” I ask to make sure I heard right.

“I don’t sit in church and pretend to be what I’m not,” Annie says. “I believe that the Lord works in mysterious ways. It’s not what you give Him between those four walls that matters. It’s what you do to his children when they come asking for your help. I’m sure as hell not gonna be saying no to my Lord when He sends me one of his flock to take care of.”

All her rambling is oddly comforting.

“I won’t be asking what you’re running from. You’re welcome to come my way. There’s work I can give you. You’ll feed yourself. Annie sees a lost one, and she sure ain’t gonna show you the door.”

Oh my god. I’ve never been lucky in my life. Not until tonight.

“Thank you,” I whisper, just grateful Annie stopped to give me a ride.

We’ve stopped three times for gas before I get out to go to the restroom. I relieve my bladder quickly, and after I’ve washed my hands, I take the passport and I.D from my pocket so I can inspect them.

I need to know what my new identity is so I can at least give Annie a name. When I open the passport and see the information, I feel a piece of my heart crumble to pieces. The face is mine, but it’s a much younger and happier me.

Damian must’ve gotten it from Uncle Tom.

But the name … Karen Weston. Damian gave me his last name. Back when he hardly knew me. The little card shows my face, my new name, and his address. Chesnee, South Carolina.

I look at the passport, and I swallow hard.

Damian did all of this for me. He was going to take me in and look after me from the start. It wasn’t just a fly-by-night, hero trip he was on.

And it only tells me I made the right decision to leave because I can’t give anything back to repay all he’s done for me.

“Honey, did you fall in?” Annie calls from outside.

“No,” I croak and quickly clear my throat. “I’m coming.”

I shove the documents back into my pocket and flush the toilet, so Annie will think I was using it all this time. I square my shoulders, and when I walk out, I lift my chin and smile at her. “Sorry I didn’t introduce myself earlier. I’m Karen Weston. Thank you for letting me come with you.”

“Pleasure meeting you, Karen.” Annie smiles warmly while her eyes search my face as if she knows I’m giving her a fake name.

But she doesn’t say anything as we head back to the RV.

The road is long, and I can’t sleep. We drive forever and then some. Night becomes day, which becomes night again. Time just blurs right by me while I keep staring out the window at the passing scenery.

Annie talks a lot. After a while, her voice is a hum. I nod every now and then to show interest until she hits the palm of her hand on the steering wheel in excitement. My eyes dart to her, and I frown when I see the huge smile on her face.

“Really? You think that would be a great idea? I think so, too,” she babbles.

I lift my head from the window and look at her. Her brown hair is graying at the sides, her brown eyes soft and friendly.

“Why did you think it’s a great idea?” I try to fish because I have no idea what I just agreed to.

“Well, I’ve wanted to try the wholesale thing for a while now, but I never had someone to help me work the land. With you there, it might just work,” she explains.