*Author's Note*
Thanks for reading, faving, following, and reviewing.
The title for this chapter is taken from the REO Speedwagon song Take It On The Run. I advise you to listen to it before or after reading this chapter cause it screams Cap-Novella-Tolbert all over it.
Anyways, enjoy reading the road trip part of the wedding weekend.
Take It On The Run
Novella POV:
The Early morning sunlight was bright as we stepped outside. Cap had both of our duffels slung over his shoulders as we quietly walked over to his black Audi. I got inside while he popped the trunk and stuffed the bags in. I was only in the car for a minute or so before he joined me. Turning the engine on and backing out of the driveway he revealed, "I gotta stop for gas in Pikeville."
"What? Why there? Can't you get gas here in Mate Creek?"
"Gas's 20 cent cheaper cross the Tug, 'sides the highway we needa use to get us down the Appalachian Mountains runs straight thru Pikeville." Cap told me in a matter-o-fact tone to his deep rolling voice as we pulled off of his street and onto the main mountain road.
"Damnit. Cap, Parris McCoy works at the Gas 'n' Go. What if he's on and we get seen together?" I hissed, giving my boyfriend a nasty look. One I bet could rival Medusa's since I was pissed right now.
"Oh well, then we just get seen together." My boyfriend shrugged, not seeming to give a shit/
I folded my arms across my chest. I shook my head and rolled my eyes as I spat, "I can't believe you waited til this morning to get gas."
"Didn't think it'd be a big deal since we're gonna be on our way to Florida, but apparently it is." Cap sneered, his deep voice waving with a bit of nastiness.
"Yea, Cap, cause if we're seen everybody's gonna find out and then shit'll be hittin' the fan."
"Who fuckin' cares. Let shit hit the fan. Hell, when we get home from this weddin' trip you're tellin' everyone bout us anyways."
"Cap, waitin' til after the trial's over would be better tho."
Looking at me, his strikingly mismatched eyes studious, but slightly narrowed, he asked lowly and deeply, "Are ya ashamed of me or somethin'? Is that why you're not tellin' anybody bout us or movin' in with me?"
"No, god no, of course I'm not ashamed of ya Cap." I quickly answered him. I looked at him with disbelief shinning in my cornflower blues while I bit out, "Damnit, we're goin' to my sorority sister's wedding together and you've met my brother. How can you even think I'm ashamed of you?"
"I dunno, baby." He shrugged before sighing and going on to say, "Guess I'm just tired of bein' your dirty little secret in Pikeville when I got ya out in the open in Mate Creek."
"Like hell you do. I've only met your family, I know nothing bout your friends."
"My family are my friends, babe. And hell, ya already know my best friend, but I doubt you'd wanna hang out with him and his fiancé anytime soon."
"Why, who is he?" I asked, having the sinking feeling that I wasn't going to like his answer.
Keeping his gaze on the mountainous road we were on he told me flatly in his deep timbre, "Skunk Hair, and before ya start bitchin' I already figured out what happened with ya'll."
"Hell, you would be best friends with him." I scoffed before asking him, "He's like 9 or 10 years older then us, how's he your best friend?"
"He's been workin' for my pa since he was 15 or 16. Hung 'round the house lot cause his homelife sucked, was like a big brother to me. We just been best friends since I was little." Cap explained in length, causing me to just silently nod my head. I guess I can accept that answer. Just cause Skunk Hair was an ass to me when I was younger doesn't mean he's a bad person. Eh, maybe I was just trying to give him the benefit of a doubt cause he's my boyfriend's best friend? Yep, that's it. "How bout we just listen to the radio and calm down. Don't wanna be pissed on a road trip now do we?" Cap suggested with a slight smirk as he turned the volume up on the radio and scanned stations, bypassing morning talk shows, til he found some music for us to listen to.
After a few songs and a few miles, we pulled into Pikeville and, to my horror, into the fucking Gas 'n' Go. Cap knew why I was leery bout this gas station, but he didn't care. It had the cheapest gas 'round the Tug. I was nervously chewing on my lip as we came to a stop at pump 3. Cap cut the engine and shifted in his seat, grabbing his wallet from his back pocket. Openin' the wallet and handin' me his debit card Cap simply told me, "Grab us some coffee an' donuts while I fill up the tank."
Taking the card from him I sighed, "I'm gonna need your code."
He took out his Capital One card before putting his wallet up, all the while telling me, "Ya already know it babe. It's my birthday."
I just nodded and stepped out of the car. Cap was emerging from his side as I shut the door. As took a few steps to the pump I walked off towards the convenience store on the lot. I took a deep breath as I reached the double pane glass door of the small building. I opened the door and quickly walked inside, noticing Parris behind the front checkout counter from the corner of my eye. He was sitting and reading a magazine, not noticing me. Eh, he'd notice once I needed to cash out.
My flip-flops padded against the linoleum floor as I walked to the back corner where the coffee pots were at. Eh, gas station coffee. At least it was Folgers. I grabbed two of the largest cups at the coffee station and filled them up before proceeding to fix them they way that me and Cap liked.
Grapping the coffee I went over to the display case that housed various donuts. I grabbed a few, bagged them up, and then walked over to where Parris was at. As I placed my things on the counter he looked up from his hunting magazine to look at me. "Novella, thought you're headed t'a weddin' in Florida." He remarked, grabbing the scanner and waving it over the side of the coffee cups.
"I am, just stoppin' in for some gas and breakfast." I answered him with a tight smile and a shakiness to my flowing tone.
"Ah." He nodded, counting the number of donuts in the paper bag on the counter. "Geeze, ya got half-dozen in here."
"Yea, it's a long ride til a stop for lunch." I told Parris, scrunching my face at him in annoyance. Why is he so worried bout how many donuts I'm buying? Weren't for me buying shit he wouldn't have a job.
"That's $9.93." Parris simply told me after typing in the number of donuts into his register's computer system.
I silently nodded and swiped Cap's card. I punched in 0206 and hit the green button. A few seconds later the transaction was approved and Parris was handing me over my receipt. I grabbed the donuts and coffee and smiled, "Have a nice day, Parris."
"Yea, same t'ya. Safe travelin'." He called back after me as I walked away and out the door.
Parris POV:
I watched Novella walk over to pump 3 where a tall blonde guy, couldn't see his face since his back was turned t'me, was fillin' up his fancy black car. Knew it was his since she drove her uncle's old refurbished Challenger. She's had it for years. I watched her place the coffee and donuts inside of the car 'fore goin' over to the guy and hand him the card she used to buy the stuff with. He took it and gave her a kiss 'fore motionin' her to get back into the car. As I watched her walk back into the passenger side of the car I noticed that he had placed the gas nozzle back into it's holder. He pulled his wallet out of his pocket and placed the card back into it 'fore grabbin' the card from the pump-pay system and puttin' that back into his wallet too. He shoved the wallet into his back pocket, grabbed his receipt, and popped his cap back on his tank 'fore gettin' back into his black coup. I still couldn't get a good view of his face, he moved to face for me t'make out any details. I did notice after he got into the car he tucked a strand of hair behind Novella's ear and kissed her, guess on the cheek or temple, 'fore crankin' up his car an' peelin' out of the lot. He turned so fast that I couldn't even read his plate.
One thing was certain an' it was that Novella was seein' somebody, somebody that wasn't Tolbert. She lied 'bout goin' down to Florida wit' her friend, she was goin' down wit' a boyfriend instead. Quickly I spun 'round in my chair and grabbed the phone hangin' on the wall an' called up my brother, Squirrel.
"'Ello?" Squirrel answered, his voice raspy from bein' woked up.
"Lil brother, Novella just came in here for coffee an' donuts while her new man was pumpin' gas in a fancy black coup."
"Say what?" My brother's voice dropped, his question hangin' in the air.
"Yea, she's seein' somebody rich 'hind Tolbert's back." Before I could say anythin' else somebody walked inside the store. Damnit. "I gotta go. Just pass it 'long t'Jefferson or Tolbert himself. Bye." I told my brother 'fore hangin' up on him an' waitin' for my customer to need cashed out.
Novella POV:
I was thankful and relieved that Parris didn't noticed that I was with Cap, that he didn't bring it up. When I got back to the car Cap asked how it went and I told him good and that Parris didn't suspect anything. He just smirked, took his card, and gave me a quick peck before telling me that I was worrying over nothing and that I should get into the car cause he was done. A few minutes later we were off and riding down the highway.
Half a cup of coffee and two donuts later we were now driving through Asheville, North Carolina. Our 3-3 ½ hour mark and my first childhood home. I'd never been back after my mama died and I was given to my uncle at nearly 8-years-old.
"Babe, somethin' wrong?" Cap asked me, his mismatched eyes full of concern as they drifted between me and the road.
Before I could even think up a lie my mouth opened and out came tumbling the heavy truth of, "I used to live here 'til my mama died. Fred, my step-daddy, tossed me and Moses off on Uncle Perry right after the funeral was over."
"Oh, I'm sorry." Cap told me, a look of empathy on his rugged face.
"I know, it's okay, Will."
"But ya don't sound okay."
"I'm just melancholy I guess." I admitted, my voice a bit deflated.
"Um, if ya want we can stop by the graveyard and visit your mama. Can even stop at a flower shop an' bring flowers." Cap offered, looking between me and the road with a suggestive smile on his stone-like face.
"Okay." I nodded my head, a sad smile on my face.
Cap just nodded and patted my thigh before making a turn off the upcoming exit and bringing us into downtown Asheville. It didn't take long for us to find a florist and pick up some flowers. Cap bought a small bouquet of mixed fall flowers. They were nice flowers, different varieties of reds, oranges, and yellows. I was surprised that I remembered where the graveyard was at, or that I even remembered where my mama was buried. Reckon I remember cause she was my mama.
Once Cap parked his car by the edge of the cemetery's green grass we got out and quietly made our way to the grave of my mama. A grave I hadn't been back to in about 20 years. When we reached the stone etched with Rihanna Elsbeth C.L. Quincey- Beloved Mother & Wife, I nearly had a stroke cause I saw my step-daddy Fred standing there, visiting.
"Who's that?" Cap asked, jutting his chin towards the tall man with dark hair and a salt 'n' pepper beard.
"Fred." I simply told him before we came to a stop in front of my mama's headstone. Silently I bent down and placed the flowers to rest on the grass. Cap bent down with me, next to me, while keeping a supportive hand on my shoulder.
"Never thought I'd see ya here, Novella." I heard Fred's deep raspy voice break the silence as me and Cap stood up.
"We're passing thru, decided to pay respects and bring flowers." I answered my step-dad, pointing to the autumn themed bouquet to prove my point.
Fred nodded his head before pointing between me and Cap and saying, "He who yer with?"
I laced my fingers with Cap's as I took his hand in mine. Nodding I told Fred, "Yea, he's my boyfriend."
"Will 'Cap' Hatfield." Cap introduced himself, holding his hand out for a shake.
"Fred Quincey." My step-dad clasped his hand in Cap's, giving it a firm shake. "Perry don't know bout this, do he?" Fred asked as his handshake with Cap broke.
"No." I answered while at the same time Will said, "He will when we get back from our trip."
"Don't take what yer uncle says to heart." Fred told me before continuing with a long indless and half-drunk rant of, He and yer mama had a fallin' out when she married yer daddy. Perry, along with his long dead daddy, insisted that Brenton Landon was a measly factory worker that didn't deserve bein' part of the Cline family." Fred let out a scoffing laugh before ending his rant with, "Hell, Perry didn't even talk to yer ma much when we got t'gether after yer daddy died. Only time I'd really seen him was at Rihanna's funeral."
"Oh…" I trailed off, not really knowing what to say.
"Ya seemed to talk to him long 'nough to give him your kids to raise." Cap bluntly told Red, staring at with a chilling dead coldness in his lone icy eye and it's milky-white twin.
"Listen up, bub, I'm a cross-country trucker an' had'a give up my kids cause I didn't 've no one to care for 'em. I'm gone a lot, ain't 'round much, due to workin' so I made sure they got raised up well-off with a rich uncle. No harm in that, don't be judgin' me."
"Ain't judgin', just stating a hard fact."
Fred's eyes narrowed and his jaw trembled, a clear sign he was ready to snap at Cap. I tilted my head at my step-daddy, cutting my cornflower blues at him, while advising, "Don't argue with him, Fred. He's a lawyer."
"Oh, course ya'd get with a lawyer considerin' yer one." Fred clucked as he rolled his eyes. "Last I heard from Moses he's studyin' pre-law." That must've been a long time ago since Moses barely talks to Fred. Moses always refers to Fred as a drunken piece of shit that didn't want us.
"He was, but he's taking some time off to work as a clerk for Uncle Perry." I informed my step-dad nicely. I figured it was the least I could do since Moses wasn't going to give the man an update anytime soon.
"Ah, well I'm gonna go. Let ya visit wit' yer mama." Fred told me before he started to walk off. Suddenly, from a few feet away, Fred turned around and told me, "Ya look like the spittin' image of Rihanna ya know."
Cap held onto my hand as tight as he could while I turned my head to look at the man that sent me away a good 20 years ago. "I know." I simply told him, causing him to just nod and leave.
"Well, seems like I met the deadbeat step-dad I never thought I'd meet." Cap chuckled, trying to lighten the heavy mood that was wafting in the air.
"Yea, ya did." I nodded, a barely there smile crossing my face. "Well, reckon we met each other's parents now."
"Mhm." Cap's throat deeply vibrated. Looking at me with a softness glinting in his mismatched eyes he asked, "Ya ready to go, baby?"
Nodding I softly told him, "Yea, I'm ready to go."
Without a word we walked back to the car hand in hand, ready to carry on.
After leaving the cemetery we got back on the highway and continued our road trip. By noon we were halfway to our destination. We pulled into a McDonalds in some South Carolina town to go to the bathroom and get lunch. Lunch that we ordered as a take-out since Cap didn't want to be off the road for too long.
Currently we were driving across South Carolina, heading towards Charleston and the eventual merge onto I-95, eating Big Macs and listening to a classic rock station on the radio. The atmosphere between us was pleasant while the scenery surrounding the highway was a serene painting of greens, yellows, and oranges. I was lookin' out the window, chewing my burger, whenever I was brought out of my musings when Cap's deep rollin' voice remarked, "Penny for your thoughts, babe?"
"No thoughts, just admiring the beautiful scenery of the different colored trees." I answered Cap, looking at him with a small smile, before going on to take a bite out of my Big Mac.
"Ain't as beautiful as you, Nova."
I just rolled my eyes and teased, "Of course, you'd say that."
"Cause it's true." Cap replied around a mouthful of Big Mac. "You're the most beautiful thing I've ever had the pleasure to run into." He told me, honesty laced in his deep waving timbre, after swallowing the food he was chewing.
"Didn't I run into you?" I asked him before taking a bite out of my burger.
"Kinda, but I made sure to walk right in front of ya so I'd have an excuse to talk to ya."
"Oh, real smooth. Could've just said 'Hey I'm Will, who're you?' instead."
Between eating his burger, he told me, "Nah, that's more Johnse's forte. I' not too good with the words and introductions. Running into ya was easier, made breakin' the ice less tense."
"Well, Cap, I'm glad that we ran into each other." I smiled as I grabbed my large cup from the cupholder near me.
"Me too, baby. I can't imagine my life without ya." My boyfriend told me as I drank some of my Coke.
I placed my cup back before grabbing my carton of fries out of the bag on my lap. "Me either. No matter what I feel a strong pull to you."
"Cause you love me." Cap smirked, causing me to blush before plopping a fry into my mouth. Cap looked between me and the road as he finished his burger. Grabbing a napkin from the middle console and wiping off his mouth he told me, "I ain't too good with expressin' my feelin's, and I know you're okay with that since ya keep yours close to your chest too, but I-I guess what I'm tryin' to say is I love you." He looked at me with a raw exposure in his mismatched eyes and a soft look on his otherwise stone-chiseled face as his deep rolling voice softened with the declaration of, "I love you, Nova."
I nodded before looking up at him and softly confessing, "I love you too, Will." Before I could stop myself I poured my heart out with, "It scares me cause I never thought I'd feel so deeply for somebody to the point I'd keep running back no matter what."
Cap reached over and grabbed my hand. Running his thumb across my knuckles he told me, "I know, baby, cause I feel the exact same way."
Nearly 5 hours later when we pulled off our Florida exit I noticed that we were suddenly thrust into a suburb, a fast paced one. Right by the I-95 exit was a Wal-Mart, 3 gas stations, a mega-church, and a string of chain restaurants. The traffic was flying by and it took us forever to turn East on SR-44. As we drove down the highway in the middle of a thriving sunny town I noticed how not one piece of forest or trees could really be seen. Everything was developed. Gated housing communities, medical plazas, shopping plazas, gas stations, and restaurants filled every square inch of land framing the roads.
When I lived in Baltimore I was surround by metropolitan life, but every since moving back to Pikeville and spending my weekends in Mate Creek I grew used to being surrounded by trees. Not seeing much wasn't making me feel weird or anything, but it did make me realize that my home's in the woods. I've gotten used to them too quickly, or perhaps I just accepted them so easily cause of the man sitting next to me. I knew that Cap was setting his roots down in the back hills of West Virginia, so subconsciously I grew attached to the woods in order to be with him.
"The hotel's up 'head over this upcoming bridge." Cap told me, pointing ahead, before flipping on his blinker and making a quick lane change.
It was still light out, just a bit or so after 4, and too early for dinner. Looking at my boyfriend, who was wearing his orange round-wired sunglass, and asked, "You wanna got to the beach after we check in?"
"Sure." He nodded, stopping the car at the red-light front before the bridge. "Haven't been to a beach since that date we had at Ocean City."
"Date? Cap, it was more like an entire day." I told Cap as I felt the heat from the sun beat down on me thru the car's windshield. Thankfully I had on my pair of oversized Chanel sunglasses, fear the sun would burn my eyeballs out if I didn't. That's how melting hot the rays seemed.
"Guess it was." Cap chuckled, his deep wavin' tone bouncing in the car and overpowering the DJ talking on the radio. "You packed your bikini didn't ya?" He asked with a smirk and an eyebrow waggle.
"Yea and I hope you packed your swim trunks."
"Of course, I did. Can't go to a Florida beach town without doin' that." He chuckled, making me smile too. He was right about that. Florida was known to be hot all year round, abnormally so. Swimsuits were a must for a trip to the Sunshine State.
"I think our hotel's that large building by the beach." I remarked as we were on the top of the bridge, about to drive down the other side.
"Yea, that'd explain the price I'm payin' for our room."
"I thought you got a discount booking under the wedding part guest thing?"
"I did, but it's still pricey." He explained while also making sure to leave out the exact price he'd book our room under.
"Well, it's in a prime location." I pointed left and right while stating, "See shops, restaurants, and a couple of 24-hour drug stores are on the strip before it."
"Ooo, Outback." Cap lit up as his eyes fell onto the large building with the red lighted sign Outback Steakhouse on the roof. "Haven't had that since we moved back to the Tug."
"Cause there ain't any of them on either side of the Tug." I told him as I spotted a donut shop right out my window as we drove up the road.
"Wanna do Outback for dinner tonight, babe?" He asked while staring at said restaurant via his review mirror.
I knew he wanted to go, I could tell by the way his lone icy eye shined brightly and how his deep rolling timbre hitched up a tad bit, so I just smiled and nodded while telling him, "Sure."
In less them a minute we drove straight into the hotel's parking lot, which was right next to the drive-in beach approach. "Come on, babe. Let's check in so we can hit the beach up to kill some time before dinner." Cap told me, turning off the car and getting out of it. I just smiled and got out. By time I slammed my door shut Cap was already getting our bags out of the trunk.
After he shut the trunk we made our way into the building, with him carrying both bags of course, and checked in. We were told that most of the other guests had already arrived, but a few were still straggling. We politely gave our thanks before heading up to our room.
Our room was on the third floor. When we walked inside of it I took in the bright décor, deeming it nice and beachy-like. Like most hotels our room was equipped with a full-sized bed (covered in a palm pattered blanket), side tables with an alarm and phone on either one, wall mounted lamps flanking the bed, dresser with a tv, mini fridge, bathroom, and sliding glass door/balcony. We quickly changed into our bathing suits, grabbed some towels, and headed down to the beach.
*Meanwhile in Pike County, Ky*
Tolbert POV:
I was blinkin' my eyes in shock. I couldn't believe my ears, what Jefferson had just told me. My phone slipped from my hands as I sat in my chair, frozen. No way did my cousin hear from our other cousin who heard from his brother that my Ella was seein' some tall blonde guy. Some tall blonde rich guy. It weren't true. Couldn't be, not when I knew she still loved me.
"Tolbert? Tolbert, cuz, you there? Tolbert?" Jefferson's slightly slurred voice echoed from the phone on the floor by my feet.
I wanted t'pick it up, but I couldn't. I was too busy reelin' from what I heard. Jefferson's drunk accent was still bouncin' 'round in my head as I replayed his sentences of, 'Squirrel call me earlier an' I ended up talkin' t'both Nancy an' Sarah t'see if I should tell ya what he told me he heard from Parris this mornin' an' they says I should tell ya. Tell ya that Novella was at the Gas 'n' Go this mornin' wit' a tall rich blonde feller in a fancy black car.'
"Tolbert?! Cuz?!" Jefferson shouted out, still on the other end o'the phone.
I bent down and snatched up my phone. "I'm here. Don't believe what yer sayin' tho."
"She's seein' somebody. Why she won't commit t'ya. She gots herself a weekend lover."
"Don't say that. She don't, she hangs out wit' a friend on the weekends." I seethed, feelin' anger boil up in me.
"Bet she don't. More like she hangin' wit' her new rich boyfriend."
"Shut up, she ain't got no boyfriend!" I screamed, most likely wakin' my daughter up from her after school nap.
"Not what Squirrel an' Parris says." Jefferson told me over the swishin' sound of his flask raisin' After he took a drink he snickered, "Maybe he somebody that works 'round the courthouse."
I had 'nough of Jefferson's tall-tales. Without even a goodbye I hung up on him. Bastard, spreadin' bullshit rumors an' lies 'bout my Ella. Can't take what Squirrel says he heard from Parris seriously. Parris ain't that bright. Maybe he thought he saw Ella an' it was somebody else, 'notha small-framed redhead. Lotta Irish an' Scottish blooded people in these hills, easy t'mistook one redhead for the next.
I don't believe that Ella's seein' somebody. She would've told me if she found somebody other then me t'love. Hell, I know she ain't back wit' that man she was movin' on wit' I Bal'more cause she's livin' here Pike County an' he's 9-hour 'way in Mar'land. Ain't nobody 'round the Tug in'rested in her like I is anyhow.
I know she loves me, she's even told me she'll always love me. I know that what my cousins says just a pack of lies. I refuse t'believe it.
AN:
OMFG Novella & Cap are in love! I know I know it wasn't a big romantic confession, but with Cap I don't think he'd be the type to do some romantic confession. Novella's been burnt bad before so she's not going to be swayed by sweet words, just a simple blunt confession's good enough for her. Eh Parris opened up a can of worms…Tolbert's clueless 'bout who that moving on with boyfriend from Baltimore was/is…Tolbert also refuses to believe the word going 'round town thanks to Parris. Oh boy drama drama drama in the works!