They thumped down the dusty road, Gladys Knight's "Use My Imagination" blaring out of the Chevette's tinny radio. Margaret sang along, keeping in almost perfect tune with the song as the radio's signal came and went. Hawkeye, who'd walk a mile just to hear her voice, tapped along on the steering wheel.
In the back seat, Charles Winchester winced. To him it was like being trapped in a car with two excited chimpanzees. The flights were long and the two stopovers were in the outer reaches of civilization...Houston and Saint Louis.
"Honey, let me know when we get to Wheeless. Tex gave me directions from there but he says there aren't many road signs," Hawkeye said, squeezing his wife's hand. He was excited about seeing Ellie and even more excited about becoming a grandfather.
"Uh huh," she said, studying the map, her brow furrowed.
"Why did we have to get an economy car? I would have gladly paid for the Oldsmobile. Gladly," grouched Charles, trying to roll his window down.
Margaret ignored their cranky passenger and stared out at the flat land. She'd read about this part of the country but couldn't believe how desolate and unforgiving the land looked. They rolled past a shack surrounded by scraggly cottonwood trees.
"Rattlesnakes, tornadoes, dust storms, blizzards...I don't know why..." Charles droned on.
"What's that?"
Hawkeye through the windshield at a gigantic rolling shape that came to a stop in the middle of the road about thirty yards in front of them. Charles mercifully shut up and stuck his head out the window. Margaret still studied the map. Hawkeye rolled up slowly and let the bumper nudge the tumbleweed.
"It's the size of a dishwasher," Margaret marveled.
"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, Dorothy," said Hawkeye, guiding the small car around the big ball of weeds. "Charles, what do you think?"
"I think it's all a bloody mistake."
Hawkeye looked at Margaret and rolled his eyes. Minutes later, they rolled into the small town of Wheeless. It consisted of a flagpole, a small dry goods store, a bar and what was later identified as the medical clinic. To the untrained eye, it resembled just another prairie shack.
"I don't see any signs for Route 4," Margaret frowned, shading her eyes from the red glow of the sun.
Although there wasn't a soul on the street, they'd have to ask for directions. The dry goods store, with it's sign sagging over the sidewalk, seemed open.
"Charles, can I get you anything? I've got to ask directions," Hawkeye said over his shoulder.
"Yes, you can get me back to Boston and..."
Hawkeye was already out of the car before Charles could finish. Margaret followed him into the store. The abrupt change of light made her stumble into Hawkeye's back as their eyes adjusted to the murky darkness.
"Watch it. If you'd been in front of me we'd be committing an act of public lewdness," Hawkeye smiled. Margaret swatted at his chest and pushed her way in front of him. The store appeared empty.
"Hello? Anyone?"
"Maybe they've been abducted by aliens," Margaret offered.
"Maybe we could send Charles with them."
Something fell with a clatter in the back of the store and an old woman came out of the gloom, her hands covered in flour.
"Help you?" she asked, eyeing the strangers suspiciously.
"Yeah, we're here to see our daughter and we can't figure out how to get to Route 4," Hawkeye smiled. He could be quite a charmer, and was still very handsome.
"Who's your daughter?"
Margaret stepped closer to the old woman. Just as she was about to spill the beans, the woman smiled.
"Your Ellie Winchester's parents, aren't you? She was in here earlier today. Oh, we're happy to have Doctor Winchester and Ellie around here. He sat with my uncle the other night for hours as the guy died. My name's Orrie Andrews. I've lived here my whole life."
Hawkeye and Margaret breathed a sigh of relief. The locals were friendly. Tex had given them a warning to the contrary.
"Front Street turns into Route 4. Ellie and Doc live about seven miles down. Oh...and hang on...," said Orrie, turning and walking away quickly.
Margaret kissed Hawkeye's arm and he wrapped it around her shoulders. They stayed like that until Orrie re-emerged with a lumpy wad of Reynolds Wrap.
"Here's some fried chicken. Ellie likes it so much. It's the least I can do after all they've done for us around here. There's also some peach turnovers in there," she said, handing the bundle to Hawkeye.
"It smells great. They'll be glad to get this," Margaret smiled. Hawkeye nodded in agreement. They turned to leave.
"Y'all stop back by tomorrow and I'll give you the grand tour," Orrie cackled. She went back behind the counter and disappeared into the cool recesses of the store.
At the car, Hawkeye gave Charles the package. He was immediately aware there was a lot of dust flying around. Margaret flipped on the car's air conditioning and they all rolled up the windows as they headed toward Front Street.
"Close the windows! Dust storm!"
Ellie and Tex ran around their house slamming windows shut as the flying dust began to blot out the sun. A kitten had shown up that morning, and it tottered behind Tex as he frantically swept the dust out of the once-clean house. He almost swept up the little orange and white kitten in his haste.
"I hope they're okay. I hate to think of them driving in this crap," Ellie said, peering out the windows. "Just in case, let's wet some towels so we can run out and grab them."
"My God, this is unbearable," Margaret moaned as they inched down the dirt road. Hawkeye's knuckles were white on the steering wheel. Charles Winchester was asleep and snoring through his first dust storm.
"A white house, right? After a curve...there's the curve," Hawkeye said, concentrating on the road.
"There's the white house!" Margaret said, her excitement mounting. A huge blast of wind shook the little car as they came to a stop behind Ellie's familiar purple Jeep.
Charles woke up and quietly stared out the window. You could barely see a foot in front of you. No one could make out what the house looked like.
Two faces peered in the Chevette's windows and the doors were yanked open. Hawkeye felt himself being yanked out and a wet towel was thrown over his face. Margaret felt two powerful arms guiding her through the storm, and moments later, Charles was retrieved in the same manner.
They all stood in the front hallway of what Hawkeye immediately recognized as a very old house. His eyes were full of dust, but a steady hand grabbed him under the chin.
"Hold still, Dad," Ellie said, putting a few drops of Visine in each of his eyes. Tex helped Margaret and Ellie turned her attention to Charles. After they all wiped their eyes, they stood to face each other, not saying anything.
Margaret was relieved to see that Ellie had gained some weight. She looked better than she had in a long time. Tex, on the other hand, was pale and looking stressed.
Ellie broke the silence by practically jumping into her parent's arms. While Hawkeye and Margaret hugged and kissed her, Charles stared his son down in that narrow hallway.