"News"

Amy was glad for the cover of darkness as they pulled out of the driveway. She glanced over at her husband, Paul, who was driving, as she worried her lip. What would he think of her news? She hoped he’d be happy, but she wasn’t sure anymore. Lately he’d been acting a little strange. There had been several times when she’s caught him just frozen in place over common things, like the view from their backyard overlooking the wooded mountains or turn around and find he was quietly watching her make the morning coffee in their kitchen. He always seemed like he was trying to soak it all in, memorize every detail. It was just different. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was going to happen. “Relax Amy,” she told herself. “You go out for dinner every Friday night. Nothing’s going to be different. You’re just worried about ‘the news.’ Just enjoy yourself!” Her mini pep talk were completely interrupted as Paul violently swerved to the left, muttering something under his breath. “Was it a deer?” she asked, but before the words were all the way out he swerved to the right and they were flying down an access road. 

“Paul? What’s going on?”

“Just trust me, Aim.”

Her heart rate began to slow back down as they followed the road and turned onto another highway. She forced a steady exhale but just then a truck came over the top of the hill from the opposite direction veering crazily in and out of their lane at high speeds.

“Really?” Paul asked. “I thought I’d lost them!”

Amy looked over at Paul’s white knuckled grip on the steering wheel and questioned “Who are they?” The question hung in the air, unanswered as Paul focussed on evading the approaching truck. Just when they would clear one vehicle another would pop out of seemingly nowhere and try to run them down or force them off the road. Turn after turn, road after road, the chase continued. Amy had long given up trying to keep track of where they were and was just grateful that Paul had grown up in this area. He knew each possible route like the back of his hand. 

Finally they turned down a a long dirt road that snaked its way into a darkened valley. There was no sign of their pursuers and Paul had slowed down a bit since turning their lights off. The back window was cracked so they would be able to hear anything out of the ordinary for the sleepy valley. He turned to her partway. “I’ve stayed too long already. I’m going to have to leave.” The silence hung between them. “For a while.”

“Not now,” Amy said, tears beginning to quietly course down her cheeks.

“Look Amy, I know this is hard. But we both knew it would probably happen at some point.”

“I know,” she choked slightly, “but not now.”

“Why not now?”

“I’m pregnant.”

The words finally out, she broke down. Paul slammed on the brakes and stared at his wife. He hadn’t expected this. The car stood in the middle of empty meadows interspersed with tall pine trees. For a minute, crickets chirped, then they heard it. Tires screeched and stones flew as their pursuers rounded the corner and began the decline into the valley. Paul floored the gas and they were off again.

Amy collected her thoughts. When it seemed they were clear from the pursuers again she said, “I’ll come with you.”

“You can’t,” he said, his voice riddled with pain.

“But Paul! It’s okay, really! We could get new names, start again, come back to this place in a year or so after all this has been forgotten...”

He raised his hand to stop her. “You know it wouldn’t work, Aim. Two people aren’t nearly as easy to hide as one. And besides, we can’t risk it.”

“Risk what?” she asked, incredulous.

All of the sudden Paul pulled the car to a stop behind an orchard. “I have to do everything I can to keep you safe. Both of you safe.”

Amy felt her world was a tangled mass of rope that had just been jettisoned off a cliff. 

“Get out of the car,” Paul began.

“What?!” Amy cried.

“This is the only way. Just trust me, Aim.” He squeezed her hand and hit the unlock button. “Through the orchard is Aunt Pat’s house. She’ll know what to do. Stay with her and listen to whatever she says. The lights are off now, but when you get inside safely flick the back light twice.”

Amy could only manage a quick nod.

“She’s expecting you, don’t worry. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”

Amy threw her arms around him and then ran for the house. Tears blinded her and she tripped and stumbled along the way. She raced up the steps and pounded on the door. Aunt Pat opened it right away.

“Oh Amy. I’m so sorry, dear.”

Amy rushed past her, knowing that each passing second make the difference in Paul’s escape. “The lights. The lights.” She flicked them twice and heard Paul fly down the lane. Her job done, she let herself slide down onto the floor and weep.