Lance yawned and shook his head. The car clock read ten so he took the next available exit and pulled into the Days Inn. Marie was curled up in the seat, fast asleep. He pulled up next to the door, put the car in park, and went in to get a room. She was still asleep when he came out so he rapped his knuckles against her window.
Marie jumped, nearly knocking her head, and looked out the window sleepily. She rubbed her eyes and Lance waved the card key, grinning. She made a face at him and he chuckled before making his way around to the driver�s side door.
Marie opened the door and walked in without hesitation. It was your average hotel room; two full beds with floral print comforters, a table and chairs by the window, a small dresser with a tv, and a little area that was meant to be a closet. The only things decorating the walls were a light fixture over the television and two landscapes over the beds, trying and failing at making the room look homey.
She turned around to see Lance standing in the doorway, a grim look on his face. �What�s the matter?�
�It looks,� he said, looking around petulantly, �cheap.�
Marie snorted. �It�s a Days Inn, whadya expect? Besides, you�re the one who picked it, not me.� When Lance showed no hint of moving she walked over, grabbed the front of his shirt, pulled him in, and shut the door. �Don�t worry, I�m sure it�s been inspected for bugs.�
Lance�s eyes widened and his eyes darted around in inspection. Marie tossed her bag onto the table next to the window and launched herself onto the nearest bed. After a few minutes, Lance walked stiffly over to the other bed. He sat down and rolled his head around, cracking his neck and groaning.
�You can go shower first,� offered Marie.
�You don�t mind?�
�I wouldn�t have offered otherwise,� she replied. �Besides, I�m going to call Dad and check in.�
�All right. I wont be long,� he answered. He grabbed his overnight bag and made his way into the bathroom. A few minutes later Marie heard the water start up and a satisfied groan echo. She grabbed her cell phone out of her purse and hit speed dial.
It rang for a few minutes before she heard her father answer, �Hello?�
�Hi, Daddy, it�s me,� she said.
�Me who?� he joked. Marie rolled her eyes. �How ya doin�, baby?�
�I�m doing good,� she answered. Then added softly, �I miss you.�
�I miss you too, sugar. How�s the trip going?�
�It�s going good. We�re somewhere near Buffalo, I think.� She stretched out onto the bed and kicked her shoes off. �Lance drove most of the way so I�m not sure.�
�Ahhh. How�s he doing?�
�Good. He�s in the shower,� she replied. She paused for a second. �He was acting funny earlier.�
�Funny how?� he asked, wary.
�Well, he kept looking at me funny.� When she realized how ridiculous it sounded she added, �I don�t know. I just got this weird vibe off of him. He kept staring at me as if I grew a second head.�
Mr. Andrews made a thoughtful noise in the back of his throat. �I don�t know what to tell��
Marie interrupted him, talking a mile a minute, �And then when we were eating lunch he was being weird, too. We were talking about California and he basically told me that all he does is go to clubs. So I told him he needed to start going to more normal places and then he said that he wasn�t normal. He seemed to get pretty riled up when I argued that he was.�
�Well, baby, you gotta understand. He�s been in this business for�how long?�
�Seven years,� she offered.
�Seven years. That�s a long time. He�s used to not being able to have privacy and doing the things you and I would do in any given day. He�s probably gotten so used to having people think of him as not normal that he thinks the same way himself.�
Marie sighed. �You�re probably right, but that�s just not fair.�
�Not much is,� he answered.
Marie frowned. �How are things at home?�
�Everything�s fine here.�
�You don�t need anything? You ate dinner, right?� asked Marie. Then added in a motherly tone, �You took your medicine, right?�
Mr. Andrews let out a soft chuckle. �No, the house is in shambles and I�m so hungry that my stomach feels like it�s going to eat itself. I didn�t take my medicine and I�ll probably drop dead any minute now.�
�Daddy!� screeched Marie. She knew he was joking but. His laughter echoed in her ear and she frowned. �That�s not funny.�
He coughed, attempting to stifle his laughter, and said, �You�re right. It�s not funny. But I�m fine, honey, honest. Mrs. Territola sent over some meatloaf and mashed potatoes so I didn�t go without food.�
Marie heard the shower go off and the curtain being pushed open. �All right, Daddy, I believe you.�
�I�m going to let you go, sweetie. It�s late and you should get to bed.�
Marie smiled softly. �Yes, Daddy.�
�You tell Lance I said hi and you have a good trip tomorrow.�
�I will. I love you.�
�Love you, too.�
She flipped her phone closed just as Lance came out. He tossed his overnight bag onto the dresser and sat down on the bed, rubbing his hair dry with a towel. He was in a pair of dark blue sweatpants and a white t-shirt with a large Taz on it, which caused Marie to giggle.
He looked up. �What?�
�Nothing�,� she replied. �I�m going to hop in now.�
�All righty.�
Lance was tucked under the covers by the time she closed the bathroom door. His neck hurt something awful and he was exhausted. Who knew driving made someone so tired. His phone began chirping and he grabbed for it. �Hello?�
�Hey there,� boomed Chris, his voice high and light.
�What�s up, man?�
�Not much, just calling to see how your little road trip is going.�
�It�s going,� answered Lance. �What�re you up to?�
�Same old same old. Avoiding being recognized by the public and annoying the shit out of anyone I come in contact with,� he answered, laughing. �How�s Marie doing?�
�She�s doing good. She�s in the shower,� replied Lance, and immediately winced.
Chris smirked. �Oh really. How come you�re not in there with her? All nice and wet, makes for great accommodations.�
�And how would you know about that?� countered Lance.
�A gentlemen never tells,� Chris replied haughtily.
�Since when did you become a gentlemen?�
Chris paused for a second before saying, �You�re right. Ok, this chick��
Lance groaned. �C�mon, man.�
Chris laughed. �So I finally get to meet the elusive Marie, huh? You better believe my ass is going to be over at your house when I see the U-Haul pull up.�
�Chris, give her a day to adjust. You might scare her off or something.�
�Dude, you keep telling me that she�s a female version of me. What�s to scare off?�
Lance bit his lip. �True, but y�all could get together and plan something extremely devious. So stay far far away.�
Chris burst out laughing and Lance yawned widely, his jaw cracking. �Damn, dude, that sounded like it hurt.�
�No more than my neck.�
�I thought Marie was the one who was supposed to have a crick in her neck.�
�Hey!�
�Kidding, kidding. Dude, go to sleep. I�ll talk to you when y�all get in.�
�Far away, Chris,� answered Lance.
�Sure, whatever, man,� Chris said, laughing. �Love you.�
�Love you, too. Night.�
Lance flipped his phone shut and tossed it on to the nightstand. All second thoughts about the room�s cleanliness washed away as he snuggled deeper under the warm covers. He shoved his right arm under the pillow and let the other hug the comforter closer. He let out a content sigh as his eyes drifted shut.
When Marie came out of the bathroom she saw him fast asleep and she couldn�t help but smile. His mouth was open and little soft snores came out every once in awhile. His hair was sticking up all over the place except for a clump that stuck to his forehead, and she reached over to brush it back. He made a noise of contentment and smacked his lips together, smiling.
He looked so young. Innocent, even. He looked different but she couldn�t quite put her finger on it.
She crawled into her bed, folded her arms under her pillow, and just stared. Soon her yawns became more frequent and she was forced to turn the light out, darkening the room and hiding Lance from her, although the image was clear behind her eyes when they finally slid closed in sleep.