Isabella drove down the freeway heading south after having driven for many hours westbound. She was exhausted, having only stopped for the night in a motel, slept merely a few hours before returning on the road. She hated the fact that she had not flown over, but considering everything she had packed, it would have been impossible.
For Sam, it was easy, he could sleep all he wanted. Even if he had his license and could drive for a few hours, it obviously wasn't on his agenda.
As she looked at the winding road, she couldn't help but feel nostalgic. There were times, when she looked at Sam, wishing she could be 17 again; about to start college in the fall, her entire future ahead of her. It wasn't that she would have made different choices in her life, but at that moment in time it had been easier, even if she had thought otherwise at the time. That was one thing kids never paid attention to when they were young…not listening to their parents telling them to take their time to grow and not wish they had more responsibilities. How naïve teenagers could be, and Sam, well, was no exception.
"Can you pass me the bottle of water?" she asked not taking her eyes off the road.
Seeing she wasn't getting a response, she shot a glance in his direction only to see him lost in his thoughts, headphones over his ears, listening to God knows what. She reached her arm out and placed it on his shoulder, making him jump.
He took off the headphones.
"Sam, I'm thirsty, can I have the bottle of water?"
He bent at the waist and picked it up from the floor space between his legs. "Yeah, here," he said handing it to her.
She raised a brow. "I can drive with no hands, buddy, but would rather not. Maybe you can remove the cap for me?"
He did as she asked and put his hand out for her to grab the bottle. She took a few sips, then handed it back to him.
"You want to tell me what's wrong?" she asked shifting lanes.
"We've been on the road for two days, slept in a motel, and have been eating out of diners and fast food. This sucks."
"Sounds like the life you have when we're at home," she said laughing, "thought you'd fit right in."
"You're not funny," he retorted annoyed.
"I think I am. I'm not ready to quit my day job and become a stand-up comedian, but you can't say I don't have a good sense of humor."
He rolled his eyes and looked out the window again. "Why are we even going?"
"Because grandma needs help."
"A grandma I practically never met or spent time with."
Isabella took in a deep breath and exhaled. She knew he was right, but ever since she had left home, her life had taken bends, twists, and turns and aside from a few occasions where her mother had come to see them in Texas, she had been MIA. As for herself, well between work and Sam, she hadn't taken the time to fly out, even though she should have. The mother-daughter relationship they had wasn't bad, but it wasn't ideal either. Her mother had never truly forgiven her for leaving and wanting a better life, nor other aspects of her life.
"Well, you know abuela doesn't like to fly and leave home."
"I don't see why. Corpus Christi is a beautiful place, much nicer than where we're going now."
"Sam, you need to understand that abuela comes from another generation. She met abuelo in Mexico when she was young and travelling. It's where they fell in love and got married. When things got rough over there, they moved to America and settled in the first presentable place they could afford. They made a life for themselves there and are part of a community. It's the only place she knows."
She reached her arm out and ruffled his dark brown hair. "Old people don't like change. You better get used to it; I'm going to be old someday."
"No duh, but at least you'll be living some place nice. Maybe even in Florida when you retire and go to a nursing home."
Isabella giggled. "Already planning my old days, are you? Make sure you put me up somewhere nice."
"This is going to be boring as hell. I won't know anyone, and I bet there is nothing interesting or remotely fun to do."
"It will be different, but it's not that bad."
"Must be, you left the first chance you got."
She frowned. "I didn't leave because it was bad, I left because I wanted to go to a good college and get a nice job. It was a nice place growing up."
"You have a great job; I just don't understand why we can't have a bit of a better life. We live in a modest house, have a normal car…"
"Oh, I'm sorry. Did you want me to buy a mansion and have a Rolls Royce with chauffeur to drop you off at school every morning?"
"No. I just don't get why you're so tight on money."
"Because I need to pay for your next four years of college, Samuel. How much do you think a year at NAU is going to cost?"
Samuel shrugged.
"Almost 50,000 dollars. That means that by the time you've graduated with a degree in biomedical science, it will be almost 200,000 dollars."
"I can not go to college."
"Samuel Hernandez, you're lucky I'm driving and can't beat the crap out of you right now! I want you to go to college. You're smart and brilliant. Cariño, I just want you to understand why I'm not throwing money out the window for things that are not necessary. I was the first in my family to go to college, I want to make sure you keep up that tradition."
"I know. I'm sorry."
"If I had been any good in science, I would have gone to med school, become some hotshot surgeon and then I could have bought all those things you so desperately desire."
"I'll buy you a Rolls Royce when I'm rich," said Samuel loosening up a bit.
"I don't need a Rolls Royce, Sam. Keep that money for yourself and your family. Just make sure the nursing home in Miami has all the amenities I need, and we'll be even."
Sam looked out of both windows. "How much longer before we get there?"
"Another two hours, I think." She looked at her watch. "We should be there mid-afternoon."
"I brought Trivial Pursuit. You want to play without the board? I could ask you all the questions on a card and keep score."
"Sounds like a plan. Fire away."
She felt relieved upon seeing a smile form on his lips. She only hoped that it would remain there for the next two months, before she dropped him off in Flagstaff. Otherwise not only would she need to take care of her mother, but she'd have to take care of him too.
