Fallout (Crank 3)

cleared from the last one.

Mom insisted I take the Jeep.

Good thing. My truck is a four-

by, but the tires lack tread.

Anyway, the Jeep has more

room for women and their

luggage. The freeway is packed.

Last-minute Santas rushing

to buy those last-minute gifts.

I finished shopping weeks ago.

Mom is always easy. T-shirt with

some pithy author-type saying.

Ditto Dad and his Beatles.

Jake, ski gloves. Leigh, perfume.

Kristina, a self-help book, not that

I expect it to do much good.

For the boys, games. And all that

barely left enough for what I got

Nikki. Not lingerie. A promise ring.

I’M NOT A JEWELRY EXPERT

But the ring caught my eye.

Small rubies (her) and sapphires (me),

set to look like a chain—the two

of us linked together. Forever.

It’s beautiful (like her). Cleaned

out my bank account, but I don’t

care. I just want to see her wear

it. How can I make that happen?

I have to wait almost twenty

minutes in the cell phone parking