The rain poured down as it could only in March. Steadily, persistently, undeviatingly, straight down as if it would never cease, taking all of the warmth, liveliness and hope out of the air.
Gabriel Bell sat glumly, his right hand barely touching the steering wheel of his Lexus, wasting the phenomenally over-priced gas with which heâd filled the tank this morning. The car inched forward, one vehicle in the endless line stretching in front of him heading south on the New Jersey Turnpike.
âSome beginning to whatâs supposed to be our big adventure,â his fifteen-year-old brother, Drew, complained, moving restlessly in the passenger seat.
âYesterday at breakfast we talked about leaving today,â Gabe said. âRemember that?â He slid a glance at the man-child next to him.
âYeah. So?â
âYou had nothing to do after school but finish packing your things so we could get an early start this morning. Early. No later than eight, we agreed.â
âI couldnât help it if the guys came over to say goodbye, and I did some stuff while they were there.â Drew was defensive.
âRight. Then you fell into bed and didnât get up until seven and spent the rest of the morning running around the apartment finding your CDs and video games.â Gabe kept his tone mild. No point in getting himself upset over this skirmish. What he intended to do was win the war.
âHowâd I know it was gonna take so long to find things?â Drew said indignantly.
âThere was no rain this morning when we were supposed to leave. So deal with it, Drew. Complaining wonât make the rain stop or the traffic go any faster.â
Maybe he shouldâve taken the Garden State Parkway. It was definitely more scenic but I-95 would take them the straightest way from New York City to South Carolina. To a place heâd never seen and, as Drew had said, to their big adventure.
As if the very idea of thinking about it energized the atmosphere, there was a sudden acceleration in the line of cars and they resumed their usual highway speed.
âYes!â Drew said and sat up straight.
âItâs still raining, so there must have been an accident holding everyone up. Watch for it on your side.â Anticipating Drewâs reaction if he did see signs of an accident, Gabe moved into the far right lane.
A few miles down the road, Drew exclaimed, âMan! Look at that. Someone must have been hurt really bad!â
The whole passenger side of a small blue car was smashed against a guardrail, apparently pushed there by a large SUV that skidded on the wet pavement. The ground was littered with broken glass around which flares were set. A highway patrolman was sitting in his car out of the rain and writing in his notebook.
âHowâd they get mangled together like that?â Drew asked, turning back to get one more look.
âIâm not sure, but it looks like the SUV was trying to pass but he skidded on the wet road and hydroplaned into the blue car.â
âThey probâly had to get more than one ambulance,â Drew said thoughtfully.
Although Drew said nothing more, Gabe noticed that he kept glancing over toward the speedometer.
âWhat?â Gabe asked.
âItâs still raining hard and I was wondering how fast youâre going,â Drew replied.
âYouâve got a right to ask. Itâs your life as well as mine. Iâm staying at fifty until we get past this rain.â
The rain began to lighten a little at the same time that Gabe saw a restaurant exit coming up.
âLetâs get off here for lunch and maybe by the time weâre through, the rain will have gone.â
âSounds good to me.â Drew was always ready to eat.
A busload of people began entering the restaurant, cutting between Drew and Gabe. They milled around chattering and looking at a few craft items for sale in the lobby. Gabe couldnât see Drew for a few minutes. A group of men moved and there he was, looking anxious.
âWhat happened to you? I thought maybe you went back to the car,â he said.
Gabe slung an arm around his shoulder for a second. âI got caught in the middle of this crowd. Letâs try to beat them or weâll be here all afternoon.â