Cheryl Tardif - Submerged

Ella and Colton knew their family had problems. That’s why their dad had moved out. But they thought it was temporary, that he’d come home. Even though they visited Wesley in his new apartment, they still thought he was coming home.

She bit her bottom lip. How do I tell the kids?

She was a child of divorce, though she’d been an adult when her parents had split. It had left her feeling hurt and betrayed. By both parents. How could they split when they’d been married so long? She’d always known their marriage had been anything but perfect. But still…

And now she was going to do the same to her own kids. Hurt them.

They’ll heal over time.

She knew that was true, but it didn’t make things any easier.

When they returned home from this trip, she and Wesley would sit the kids down and explain to them as gently as possible why Mommy and Daddy couldn’t stay married. She couldn’t give them all the facts. Ella and Colton needed to know that they were loved. Nothing would ever change that.

Then she and Wesley would head to Carter’s office and sign the final papers. Wesley would most likely put up a bit of a fight, but even he had to know deep down that their marriage was over. There was no salvaging something so damaged and broken.

Driving down the highway, she listened to the drumming of the rain and tried to convince herself that Wesley would see reason and sign the papers. Then they each would be able to go about their lives, separately. No more drama. No more angry, bitter words. No more accusations. No more beatings or late night hospital trips.

Her life would become… hers.

She smiled. My life, my rules.

Rebecca had been driving almost two and a half hours when she spotted the signs for Edson. Cadomin was about an hour and a half from there.

“Anyone need to go to the bathroom?” she asked.

“I do,” Colton said.

“Me too,” Ella chimed in.

She took the Edson exit and found an Esso station. She parked in front of the washroom doors, then got out. Ella and Colton followed her inside the station, where they picked up the washroom key.

“Me first,” Colton said, squeezing past her as she unlocked the door. He went inside, locked the door and she heard the toilet seat bang.

“I really need to go, Mommy,” Ella whispered.

Rebecca groaned. “Hurry up, Colton. Your sister has to go badly.”

A minute later she heard the toilet flush, then the tap running. Good boy!

“Wait in the car,” she told him when he emerged from the washroom. “And don’t forget to lock the doors.”

As Ella ran into the washroom, Rebecca remained outside until Colton was safely in the locked vehicle. She took a cautious survey of the gas station parking lot. Four vehicles were parked nearby—three cars getting gas and a dirty truck that was idling near the car wash. No one lurked outside. It was far too cold, due to the rainstorm.

“I can’t reach the sink, Mommy,” Ella called out.

With a quick glance over her shoulder, Rebecca opened the washroom door and stepped inside. She kept the door ajar so she could keep an eye on Colton. Once Ella had finished washing up, they returned to the car and climbed inside.

“I’m going to tape my stick while we’re driving,” Colton said, grabbing a roll of white hockey tape from his bag.

“Just be careful you don’t accidentally hit Ella,” Rebecca replied.

It was darker when they left the gas station and headed out of Edson. Within seconds, Mother Nature unleashed a torrent of wind and rain. Rebecca slowed the car and stayed in the right lane so faster traffic could go around her. Two cars passed her, an unusually slow day for the area. Visibility was so bad she could barely make out the brake lights on the vehicle in front of her. Then it disappeared. Except for one vehicle behind her, she was alone on the road.

Damn. Why couldn’t the rain wait until after our trip?

She’d been on the road for about a half hour when a bright light flashed in the rearview mirror. “Ella? Put the Kindle down, please.”

“She’s asleep, Mom,” Colton replied.

She squinted at the light in the rearview, then took a quick look in the side mirror. Someone trailed behind her in a large vehicle. The rain and dark sky made it hard to see whether it was a van or a truck. Every now and then the driver would inch up on her back bumper, far too close for comfort.

The light reflected in her rearview mirror was blinding. She blinked twice to clear her vision. “Go around me,” she muttered beneath her breath.

Though there were a handful of vehicles in the lane to her left, they were further up the highway. The idiot behind her had plenty of room to cross over and drive past her. Maybe the rain was messing with his vision.

She cranked up the wipers and checked her speed. “I’m doing the limit, buddy. Go around.”

“Mom, who you talking to?”

She eyed Colton in the rearview mirror. “Myself.”

Behind her son’s head, the headlights flared. The guy was right on her tail.

Back off, buddy. You’re not going to make me go faster.

From the high position of the lights, she guessed he was driving a truck. Should she pull over and let him pass? She couldn’t see much ahead. No signs to indicate an off -ramp.

She racked her brain. What was the last sign we passed?

God, she hated driving at night.

She opted to pull over at the first exit. It was pitch black outside. The highway lights did little to illuminate a road or wide shoulder where it would be safe to pull over. From what she could recall last time they travelled the highway, the next main exit was a ways down the road. They were in the middle of nowhere.

She drove another five minutes. The truck stayed on her bumper. It was unnerving to have someone so close behind her. What if she had to slam on the brakes?

And why is this driver so persistent?

The thought niggled at her. Being followed like this made her think of those horror movies in which the unsuspecting friends are harassed by a trucker, then tortured and killed.

Don’t pull over until he’s gone.

Rebecca slowed the car to under the speed limit. Hopefully the guy in the truck would give up on following her. It wasn’t as if her little Hyundai was sheltering him from the onslaught of rain.

Go past me, asshole.

Yes, Mr. Truck Driver had now graduated from buddy to asshole .

“Are we there yet, Mom?”

“Not quite, Colton.”

“I wish it wasn’t raining.”

“Me too, honey.” More than you know.

Up ahead a highway light illuminated a gravel road. It probably led to private property, but that didn’t matter. It was a perfect place to pull over, providing there wasn’t a chain across the road.

She blew out a pent-up breath. Yes! Finally!

She signaled right and reduced her speed. The truck slowed with her, and her heart skipped a beat. “Go around us.”

She pulled onto the gravel road, the tires kicking up water. The truck pulled in right behind her. She slapped the steering wheel and muffled a curse. Of all the roads to choose, she’d picked the one belonging to the owner of the truck. Really?

She attempted to pull over on the dirt road, but it was barely wide enough for one vehicle. She had no choice but to keep moving. Somewhere ahead there must be a place where she could turn around. She hoped the truck driver wouldn’t be too annoyed that she’d turned off on his land. Some people were very protective of their property.

There was a dull thud and the car lurched.

What’s this guy doing?

“Mom?” Colton cried out. “What was that?”