In Embers (The Ember Series Book 3) (12 page)

Standing in the exact same spot I had just days before, I stared out to the darkening sea. Dangling from a black silk ribbon on the lowest branch of the cherry blossom tree was a single red rose. It gently rocked inside its simple hammock. My body covered itself in a bone chattering chill. Asia had left Maui too. She had tried to contact me but I was too busy to talk. Now, as I stood here, devastated and alone, I fell to my knees.

“Asia…” I whispered to the ocean. I tried her number again with the same results. With a shiver running along my body I tossed my mobile phone over the edge and into the water below. It disappeared into the depths just like my inferno. Painful tears cut down my face as I forced myself to accept the unbelievable truth. No more masquerades, no more safety nets. I was alone and I had no one to blame but myself.

“Say goodbye, Max.”

~ Don’t Look Back In Anger: Oasis ~

ONE YEAR LATER…

Dusk - 5:57 p.m. - February 23
rd

The thirteen months since I had left Maui were the hardest of my life. My exiled heart was now numb to all things that had do to with love. Losing every person who I cared for in the span of twelve hours was more than I could take. The only thing I knew to do, was run. Leave the island, and never look back. My mother didn’t support the decision at all, but she let me go without much of a fuss. She needed to get back home to the states anyways. She had put her other family on hold for long enough. Even she could see that my fires were almost completely gone. The only spark left inside was for my faithful, but weary travel companion, Oz. The first couple months of our new nomad life he was all yips and tail wags, but he quickly grew tired of the gypsy lifestyle. I think he missed his bed…my bed.

The first three weeks we spent in the small deserted town
,
Punta Alle
n
, on the coast of Mexico. It was the same place Asia and I had spent together years before. She discovered the hidden town when she ran away from the island after the events that left me dead when I was eighteen. Thankfully, my death was not permanent and I hunted her across the globe to that spot. I found that she had spent her time there mourning me. So, with Oz and my guitar, I returned to the haunted beaches of Mexico to mourn my breaking heart. It didn’t help much. Part of me hoped maybe Asia would show up one day and ease my pain. The idea was silly at best, and Oz and I moved on for better days and new beginnings.

Next, we spent six months on the road in an old pickup truck, seeing most of the states. Spending only a few days in each new city, we made good time across the country. That was until we hit the small town of Dunedin, Florida. Once there, Oz managed to jump from the passenger side window as he tried to chase a wild crocodile from the middle of the road. My furry little hero broke both his front paws in the process, and forced us to hold up in a hotel until he healed enough to travel again. It was a tough time for both of us. I had sworn off almost all human connection and he seemed to blame me for not being able to heal him anymore. We watched a lot of bad TV and ate too much microwave food.

The last couple of months had been better, not good by any means, but manageable. Oz was all healed up, but his aging body now got along with a limp and the start of wiener dog arthritis. We travelled the back roads of the North, circling back toward Colorado. Once there, we looked up my mother and her other family in the scenic town of Ouray. When we finally made it to her house in the beginning stages of Spring, she wasn’t home. We waited two days for her to return home, but she never did, no one ever showed up. I figured she and her family were on vacation, or moved. It was impossible to know anymore. I didn’t have a current phone number for her. She must have changed it. So, with a sigh of relief I scribbled her a quick letter and tucked it at the foot of her front door. Basically, I told her I was doing great and leaving the island was the best thing I had ever done. I lied.

Oz and I returned to the road and drove down into Northern Arizona, finding our way to the top of the Grand Canyon. My old truck had seen better days and barely made it to our newest destination. As we rolled up to the first available motel, its engine died just outside its parking lot.

“Shit.”

Just as my vehicle coughed its last breath, the radio rang out in an old familiar song that reminded me of Sam. I reached out to shut the sound off
, but caught the radio DJ’s first few comments. He mentioned the band and the year the song was released. Then, he commented on the day’s date and it occurred to me that it was Sam’s birthday. If there ever was a sign, this was it. Sam’s song, Sam’s day, Sam’s revenge.

“Stop thinking about her,” I scolded myself, and concentrated on the task at hand. Smoke roared from the corners of the hood and I stepped from the truck. Oz whined from his seat as he watched me rip the hood open in a fit, still wrestling with thoughts of green eyed blondes. Chunky white clouds with gray curls spun all around me as I swiped my arms through the air in a useless attempt to clear it out.

“Looks like she’s had it,” I groaned at Oz, and peeked around the hood of the truck. I smiled at the motel sign in the distance that flickered with the neon letters, VACANCY.

“Hey, Oz, looks like we
’re home,” I teased. He barked once at me and I walked over and let him out of the truck. He bounced down to the graveled dirt and stretched his legs as best he could. I leaned over and ran my hand through the scruff of his fur.

From behind us came a voice, “Sorry, but you can’t park that here.”

Turning to find a man with a smile and a polite handshake, I said, “It’s okay, I’m not parking this here.” I grabbed his hand and shook it firmly. “I’m burying it here,” I said, with a soft laugh. The man was at least ten years older than I was and in decent shape. His eyes were hidden behind thin eyeglasses and his hair was nowhere to be found. The sun playfully bounced along the barren skin. He surveyed the situation quickly and smiled bigger.

“This a ’78…’79?”

Scratching my head, “Umm, I have no idea. I just liked her smile, so I bought her last year,” I said, removing a dead bug from the trucks grill.

“Oh, okay,” he laughed. “I’m Lewis.”

“Max,” I nodded, politely. Oz barked from behind one of my legs. He puffed out his chest and stood as tall as physically possible. My little bodyguard. “And this is Ozzy.”

“Nice to meet both of you.” Lewis seemed to be a genuine nice guy. I found the walls I had put up with most people these days, lowered a bit. Quickly, he said, “I guess I can get a tow service out here in the morning.”

“That would be fantastic.” I smiled.

“Looks like you need a place to stay the night,” he hinted, and pointed his thumb over his shoulder toward the motel.

Laughing softly, “Looks like it.” He motioned with his other hand to follow him and he escorted us toward the front office.

“I take it this is your motel,” I said, as we walked through the glass door and a bell chimed as we passed through the doorframe.

“Nah, but I am close with the owner.” He winked. “Play your cards right and I might be able to hook you up with a discount.”

“Sounds good,” I said. Just then an older woman strolled up to the front desk with a smile and enormous glasses. She had neatly styled silver hair and a flowery dress.

“Lewis, you brought me some guests,” she announced, with a sweet but raspy voice.

“You know it. This is Max and his sidekick, Ozzy. They’ve run into a bit of automotive trouble outside and nee
d a place to stay for the night.” He smiled our way.

“Just one night?” she asked.

“Yes,” I agreed.

“I promised them you would treat them right. Best room in the joint! Money is no object!” he joked.

She glared up at him and frowned. “Lewis, settle yourself. Stop showing off for your new friend,” she said, bluntly.

Lewis adjusted his glasses in embarrassment and shrugged my way.
“Sorry, Mom.”

“Enough of that.” She tossed him a set of keys. “Room 13, best one we got,” she said, cheerfully.

I reached out and placed a wad of money on the counter, enough to pay for at least two weeks in this place and she nodded politely and walked away.

“Tonight is on me,” she announced before disappearing around a corner.

I looked over at Lewis and he just watched me curiously. Quickly, I scooped up the cash and slid it in the front pocket of his shirt.

“Make sure she gets this,” I said.

He looked at me surprised. “Are you sure?”

Scooping Oz into my arms, I said, “Completely.”

Lewis walked us to our room and handed us the key. “Here ya go, Max.”

“Right on.” Oz and I made our way inside the room and examined our temporary home. It was cozy and clean with a small bed and a table with two chairs. Old western wallpaper covered the walls and it smelled like one of those scented candles. Peach, I think. I fell on the bed, letting the long week finally catch up with me. Oz joined me in a huff of exhaustion. His torso curled up underneath one of my arms. Lewis excused himself and closed the door. I quickly jumped back up and jerked the door back open.

“Lewis,” I said. He turned back around with an inquisitive smile. “Thank you…for everything.”

“No problem. I’ll let you know when the mechanic will be here in the morning,” he said.

“Until tomorrow.” I smiled, then returned to the comfort of my new strange bed. Oz was already asleep and snoring. I cleaned up in the tiny bathroom real quick and then ran back to the truck and gathered our things before he even noticed I was gone.

Later that night I found it impossible to fall asleep. A curse of being a road warrior, I could never sleep the first night in a new bed. Frustrated, I opened the one bag I had and pulled out a crinkled, unopened envelope. The one from Uncle Frank. I ran my hand along its seams daring myself to finally open it, only to give up on the idea quickly. Just like every
day before then. With a stretch and a yawn, I reached over and turned on the TV. Immediately, a news report came on describing the Ten Best Places To Live in the United States and number nine on the list was Maui, Hawaii. With a grunt and a sigh, I clicked the television back off and sat in silence until the sun came back up.

Next morning - 7:01 a.m. - February 24
th

Lewis fulfilled his promise from the afternoon before and showed up at my door first thing in the morning. He had two coffees and a box of doughnuts in his hands.

“Morning, Max. You ready to get that beautiful truck up and running again?”

Relieving him of one of the coffees, I smiled. “Beautiful, huh? Never heard anyone describe my truck like that before.”

“I was right, it’s a ’78…great year.” He smiled, then took a short sip of his java. “Come on, Earl will be here any minute.”

Unfortunately, Earl wasn’t as punctual as Lewis and after a half-hour I began to wonder if anyone was going to show up. At least it gave me some time to get to know Lewis better. I hadn’t socialized with anyone this much in over a year. I guess I missed it more than I thought.

“Where you from, Max?”

“Far away…very far away…” I grimaced.

“You mean like another country?” he asked.

Looking out at the dusty road as the sun began to paint it with its bright rays, I shrugged, “You could say that.”

“It’s okay, you don’t have to tell me. I didn’t mean to pry,” he apologized.

“No worries. I’m just not used to opening up to anyone. It’s been a quiet couple of months,” I tried to say with a smile.

He nodded my way and changed the subject. “You enjoy the room?”

“Of course, it was perfect. Please, thank your mom for me. She really lucked out having her son as an employee,” I said.

“Ha!” he laughed out loud. “I don’t work for my mother.”

Feeling stupid, I mumbled, “Oh, sorry…I…”

“It’s all right, no harm done. I don’t work here, I work down in the canyon. You know, giving tours and other things. I just make sure my mom is okay and has everything under control. She’s getting older and I worry about her well-being…that’s all,” he shrugged.

“That’s awesome, Lewis.”

“Dad died last year and it’s been hard on her…on us. I just don’t want her to feel alone, ya know.” His body language changed and I knew the posture all too well.

“I lost my uncle over a year ago too,” I sighed. Man, had it really been that long since he passed? We looked at each other and back out to the road as a white utility truck appeared at the end of it. And as if we were sharing the same brain, we both said…

“Small world.”

And that’s how our new friendship began. This was the start of me picking up the pieces of my life, or what was left of it. I liked Lewis immediately. His personality, his humor, his good nature. But most of all, I liked that he had nothing to do with exotic islands, supernatural powers, or anything from my past. For once, even if it was only briefly, I thought maybe I could start over again.