The American Eagle airline flight 3351 from Dallas arrived at Mobile Regional Airport only five minutes behind schedule. "Not too bad," Vivian thought, leaving the plane with the rest of the passengers. "This should only leave him another twenty five minutes if he's still as late as he used to be."
Leaving Gate 4, Vivian picked up the bags she'd found waiting for her in her prearranged vehicle back in Dallas. "I can't wait to ake a real shower, with real soap, and not have to. . ." She cut off the thought, not wanting to finish it. Prison had many ways of scarring people.
She boldly walked out of the airport, scanning the parking lot for her ride before a familiar voice interrupted her. "Been a while, Viv."
She saw the car first. The rusted out, dust covered 69 El Camino had seen far too many days. He leaned against it, arms folded over his chest, sporting a shit eating grin. He needed a shave. Probably a shower, too, judging by the rumpled black jacket and grey slightly stained button up shirt.
"You're on time for once, Seth." She walked over to the car and shoved her case at him. "Let's go."
"I came straight off the highway," he said, loading the case into the car before strapping himself behind the wheel. "You had the luxury of flying in. I was on the way back from a job in Florida."
"I think I deserve a little luxury affter what I've been through." Then, after a brief pause, "Where in Florida?"
They pulled out of the lot and onto Airport Boulevard, Seth knowing the route to Schillinger Road like the back of his hand. "Pensacola."
She couldn't help but laugh a bit. "Pensacola's not Florida." She teased him.
"Somebody should tell whoever makes those signs saying "Welcome to Florida" then. As I was saying, I came straight from Florida, after just getting back from Louisiana. I've been driving for most of the last two days."
She was beginning to loosen up a bit. Just a bit, though. "Where are we going, Seth?"
"My brother owns a rental property just ouside the city. There's nobody using it right now. He's letting me stay there for a bit while I'm in town."
"Look, don't get any funny ideas, Seth. . ."
"It's a two story, three bedrooms, two bathrooms. You won't even have to stay on the same floor if you don't want to."
His drifted over to her for a bit, before going back to the road. "But I'd hope after all this time. . ."
"Motherfucker!!!!!!! You abandoned me!!!!!!!!!!" She screamed at him.
"NO! I FOLLOWED THE PLAN! YOU GOT GREEDY AND GOT CAUGHT!! THAT WASN'T MY FAULT!!!!"
"MAYBE SO, ALRIGHT!!!!!!! MAYBE I DID!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT DOESN'T MEAN I DESERVED WHAT HAPPENED TO ME!!!!!!!"
". . .I never said you did."
They drove in silence after that, until they arrived at the house. "Here we are, 9226 Lake Woods Drive, home sweet hell." Pulling up into the driveway, he stopped alongside the house, rather than pull further back to the garage behind it.
She followed up the brick path and onto the porch, noting the green paint job. "Could've gotten a better color." She offered.
"I'll bring it up the next time I see Richie. Oh yeah, Richie, btw, my convict ex-wife says you have lousy taste in paint jobs."
"I'm just saying. Where's the closest bathroom?" She dropped the case as Seth flicked on the light switch.
"Take your pic, you can go down the hall, and on the right, or up the stairs and slightly left. Down the hall's nicer."
Vivian disappeared down the hallway quickly. "Same old Viv." Seth thought before walking down the same hallway and into the kitchen for a beer. "She'll probly wanna sleep down here and make me go up the stairs, too. . ."
A few minutes and another beer later, Vivian reemerged and found her way into the kitchen.
"So what now?" Seth asked, polishing off his second beer and moving towards the fridge for another.
"Now I'm gonna take a long shower, then lay down in a real bed for six hours, and when I get up I'm gonna make a few more phone calls. We're putting the band back together."
