The Last Laugh novel Chapter 14

***

Early the next morning, Uncle Victor and I left his little house in the woods. He hadn't come with luggage since he'd only planned to spend the weekend. He had only a backpack.

Once he'd locked the house, he turned to me.

"Carry this on your back." he said, handing over the backpack. I took it in confusion. He wanted me to carry it when I was the one  with wounded feet and a bad knee? Without a word, I hung the bag on my back.

Then, he squatted to my surprise.

"Get on my back. We won't be able to leave these woods fast if you walk with that knee."

Oh. Maybe I shouldn't have judged him that fast.

I did get on his back. He carried me as we walked through the forest.

"How are we gonna reach Tennessee? I believe you didn't come with a car." I said in wonder.

"There's this farmer I pay to drive me up to Tennessee and back here whenever I come for or return from weekends."

"Oh. And where is he?"

"Waiting for us out of the woods."

"Okay."

I was silent until uncle Victor and I finally left the forest. And he wasn't wrong, there was a man of about 50 years old with a cowboy hat, leaning against his truck.

Uncle Victor let me down and went over to greet the man.

"Hello, Mr Thomas. How's it going?" They shook hands.

"I'm fine, mate. Leaving already?" he asked in that rural accent people from our area and hometown had.

"Yup. Business." Uncle Victor opened the back door of the truck and turned to me, "Cmon."

I came over, greeted the man before getting into the backseat.

Uncle Victor then closed the door.

"Your son?" the man asked.

"Yes. Long story." he replied and they both laughed before he got into the front seat. Mr Thomas got into his own seat and started the car.

I was leaving. I was going far far away! Away from aunt Christina.

***

After a three hour journey, we stopped at my hometown. I'd misses it so much. Uncle Victor and I went to our ranch, that now belonged to aunt Christina, and took my papers and passport. I never believed I'd be using that passport one day. My dad had done it recently before dying. Maybe he'd planned on us travelling. Now I would never know. I took my traveling bag full of clothes that I'd left before going to high Meadows. I also gathered some precious belongings along with pictures of my mom and dad. And with that, we resumed on our journey to Tennessee.

--

When we'd reached Tennessee, we got a room in a motel to spend the night. Uncle victor paid Mr Thomas.

"Thank you, Victor."

"Thank you too for having driven us here. You can go home."

"Okay. Goodnight, little boy."

"Goodnight, sir."

It was only 8:00pm.

Just when Mr Thomas was about to leave, uncle Victor remembered something.

"Oh, I forgot! Please, drive me to one last place."

"Um, okay."

He turned to me.

"Stay in the motel room and eat the food I bought and watch TV. I'll be back. Don't open to anyone. Okay?"

"Okay."

And with that, he took his wallet and left.

I sat down on the bed to eat.

**

About an hour later, uncle Victor returned.

"Hey, buddy." he locked the door behind him.

"Hey. Where had you gone to?"

"Oh, I asked Mr Thomas to drive me to the airport not far from here so I could pay the plane tickets."

"Plane tickets??"

"Yup. I finally allowed Mr Thomas to go home."

"Back to Barnville?"

"Hahaha, no. He lives here in Tennessee."

"Oh, okay."

"Better get some sleep, boy. Tomorrow we're heading for Los Angeles, California."

I couldn't believe my ears. A little rural boy like me, I was going to Los Angeles. That night I hardly closed an eye.

***