Don't Stand By Me (COMPLETE) - Chapter 26: Chapter 26

August 5th: 10.21
Kiara
"No, no, not again!" I snapped, smacking my fist against the dashboard and wincing at the feeling shooting up my arm as I did so, "You hunk of shit."
"Jeez, what'd the RV do to you?" Dixon yawned, coming up behind me, "Out of gas again?"
"Nope." I grimaced, pulling over to the side of the road as black smoke began to pile out of the engine, Dixon whistling lowly as I did.
"There's a mechanic two miles from here." Dixon said, swiping through his phone, "I'll give him a call, see if he can fit us in today."
"Offer to pay whatever he wants if he can get it done within the hour." Pearl called from the couch, gaze fixed on the TV, "I have cash."
"Of course you do." I rolled my eyes but bit my tongue.
We were so close to the canyon I could practically hear the novelty bobbleheads rattling, but of course it wouldn't just be smooth sailing. This was going to add at least a day to our trip that we could not afford to lose. We needed to get there sooner rather than later, before everyone was on our tails.
The RV was silent save for the hushed conversation Dixon was having on the phone and the low drone of whatever reality TV show Pearl was watching. Elvis, Cassie and Violet were consistently ruining their sleep schedules by taking a nap in the queen bed while Brent was curled up on the couch in a ball beside Pearl. I was uncertain whether he was asleep or just blocking all of us out.
"Okay, he said, bring it straight to him. He'll have it done before the evening for eight hundred - maybe more depending on the damage."
Pearl gave a thumbs up but gave no other recognition that she was paying attention, twirling her hair around her pointer finger.
"Might be good to take a trip into town. Get some food so we don't have to stop tonight. Also I need more socks." Dixon scrunched up his nose, "I miss being able to wash my clothes."
"You and me both." I sighed, "We can divide and conquer."
I pulled the RV back onto the road, keeping the speed as slow as possible to ensure it wouldn't start smoking again. I ignored the various cars honking furiously as they cut us off.
"Dixon." My eyes widened as I noted the town slowly appearing in the distance, "The car."
"Fuck." He muttered from the passenger's seat, rubbing his hands down his face frustratedly, "Nothing's ever easy anymore. Look, we can detach it and get someone to drive it a safe distance away, hide out there."
"I'll do it." Pearl called, "I don't care."
Dixon raised an eyebrow at me and I shook my head, "Nice try, princess."
"I'm not dumb." Pearl snarked, "Leave someone with me, leave all of you, I don't care. I just don't feel like getting covered in grime and weird mechanic oil today. The smell alone will send me into a coma."
"Look, I'll go with you to the mechanics. They're usually less of a dick if you have a guy with you. Leave Pearl with Cassie or Brent in the car. Violet and Elvis can do our shopping. Probably the best two for the job."
"Yeah, if you don't mind waiting a week." I sighed, "But yeah, you're right. Okay, let me pull in. Will you wake the Brady Bunch back there?"
"Sure thing."
By the time everyone was up and about, complaining and bitching as usual, I had pulled in behind some trees at the side of the road, leaning back.
"Who's going where?" I called, standing up and stretching my arms above my head, relishing the crack it sent down my spine.
"I'll wait with the car." Brent grumbled, "I could use more of a nap."
He also likely wanted to stay the hell away from the rest of us.
"I'll come to the mechanics." Cassie gave Dixon a thumbs up which he responded to in kind and I resisted the urge to snort at their cheesy antics.
"Guess that leaves us shopping." Elvis trills, giving Violet a wary look out of the corner of his eye that she was too busy scribbling a list to notice.
I knew he didn't fully trust her, not after the Fitz debacle but witnessing it was sad in itself. They were so close and it seemed like Violet didn't even realise the wall she had built between them.
"Add socks to that list. And boxers." Dixon pleaded, pushing his curls back off of his forehead.
"Also shampoo. Brent's been using my good shit." Elvis snarked.
"Not true!" Brent exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at Elvis, who simply raised an eyebrow in response.
"I can smell it from here. Peach-tree coconut?"
Brent glowered but remained silent, lowering his hand. Dixon tossed him his keys wordlessly and Brent caught them with one hand, surprising me with his deftness. As much as I ribbed Brent for being a mindless football jock, I forgot that he had been one for years.
"Alright, kiddos. Let's get this on the road. I want to be at that canyon by tomorrow night."
Brent managed to disconnect the car with ease, tossing the cables into the backseat and opening the door for Pearl, something Violet rolled her eyes at. Even though she would never admit it, I knew well that she was frustrated by how thick Brent was laying it on. She didn't want it aimed at her, she was just annoyed by how he hadn't made an effort with her, but it was seemingly effortless with someone else. I would be pissed too, in her shoes.
After waving goodbye to the pair, I put the RV into drive and followed Dixon's attempts at directing me to the mechanic, keeping a straight face as he kept getting things wrong. Eventually, Cassie snatched the phone from his hand, pushing his face away when he tried to snatch it back.
"Cassie!" He whined, stretching his arms towards the phone like a child being deprived of a toy, "Give it!"
"Shut it." She quipped, "Right up here, Ki."
"Thank you, caramia." I smiled, ignoring Elvis and Dixon's simultaneous chorus of ooooooh behind me, "Shut up, losers."
"Yeah." Cassie retorted, "Losers."
Pearl's wad of cash safely stowed in Dixon's back pocket, we parked the RV in the small repairs bay and all clambered out, coming face to face with a balding guy in a trucker cap and a plaid shirt, who grinned at us jovially.
"Name's Burt." He stood wiping his hands on a filthy rag, glancing at the RV over our shoulders, "This that beast you were telling me about?"
"Yessir." Dixon took the lead, fixing the man with a jovial smile.
"Awesome." He tucked the rag into his back pocket, "Pop the hood, let me see what we're dealing with."
We stood awkwardly as he stuck his entire upper body into the engine, humming as he poked and prodded with it.
"Right. Easy enough fix." He took off his hat and scratched his bald head, watching us all carefully, "Gimme two hours and she's all yours."
"Awesome." Dixon handed him the keys, "Thank you so much for doing this on such short notice."
"No problem, bud. Can I ask, what's the rush?"
We all froze until Violet quickly piped up, "It's a rental. Have to have it back by tomorrow morning."
"Fair enough. There's a cafe just next door if you want to wait out there. Tell 'em Burt sent ya, Mabel will give you a free slice of pie."
"Thank you, Burt." Dixon nodded, "We'll be back around one."
As the man walked away, Dixon and Cassie turned to each other and instantaneously exclaimed, "Just like dad!"
We all watched them fondly but didn't comment, happy to let them banter amongst themselves. This continued into the cafe, the pair of them now bickering about some old neighbour. They had been so caught up in their discussion they hadn't even noticed Elvis and Violet's departure until they were sat across from me in the booth.
"Oh shit, El?" Dixon craned his neck, as if I was hiding Elvis behind the peeling diner chair I was currently slumped into.
"Whipped." Cassie masked with a cough, squealing as Dixon poked his finger into her side.
"You two are like toddlers." I snorted, smiling at a waitress who was coming down to us, "Hi, just a black coffee please."
"I'll take a tea, please." Cassie smiled.
"Do you have pancakes?" Dixon beamed and the lady grinned back at him, nodding.
"Anything for you, peach."
"Peach." Cassie mocked as the lady walked away.
"You're just jealous." Dixon said smugly, folding his arms, "I'm a peach. You're more like...a sour grape."
It was comical watching them interact with each other; if I didn't know any better I would have assumed they were twins. My eyes trailed around the diner, taking in the peeling vinyl on the countertops and aged records hanging on the walls.
"So lovebirds," Dixon cooed, "What's the plan for you two?"
I froze, eyes flitting to Cassie who was flushed, staring at me wide-eyed. It was a question that had been on my mind a lot; sure, under some cosmic circumstances we were going to wind up in the same country, but how close? Would we be together there? Or was this just for the trip?
"We've been together for like a day, Dixon." Cassie said when I remained silent, "I'm sure we'll figure it out."
"I'm going with Elvis to France."
"You what?" I gaped while Dixon looked sheepish, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand, "He asked you?"
"Well...no not exactly." Dixon's shoulders stiffened, "But I want to travel anyway and this is too much of a sign not to, you know?"
"You're going to move halfway across the world for a guy you just met?"
"What's life without some spontaneity? If it doesn't work or I hate it, at least I tried. Then I'll bug Cassie and Nonna. No harm, no foul."
"You're crazy." I chuckled, "I kinda love it."
"I just...this thing with Elvis. It feels special...am I crazy for that?"
"No." Cassie soothed, putting one of her hands over his on the table and squeezing it, "You'd be crazy not to when he's clearly head over heels for you."
"It's true." I chimed in, "Elvis is never like this with guys."
"Oh really?" Dixon raised an eyebrow, smirking at me and I realised I was now caught, "What is he normally like?"
"Ugh...where's that coffee?" I asked, craning my neck towards the counter to see the waitress chatting idly with a trucker, giggling as she did.
"Ah ah...avoiding the subject. Come on, give me something."
"He uh...he never dates."
"Oh?"
"Guess he's never found someone worth dating before."
"Ah...he's a slut."
"Hey. We don't slutshame."
"I'm not shaming!" Dixon held his hands up innocently, "Simply stating a fact."
"Alright, he's a slut. Though clearly not anymore. One flash of your doe-eyes and he's whipped."
"Well, it's more than that. I do this thing where I put my-"
"Ah ah ah!" Cassie shook her head rapidly, slapping her hands over her ears and fixing her brother with a glare, "Stop it right now."
"Please, I had to hear you two getting it on." He rolled his eyes.
"What?"
"When?"
Dixon smirked, folding his arms, "Well, well, well."
"God, Elvis is rubbing off on you way too much." I muttered.
"Speaking of rubbing-"
"Jesus Christ, Dixon! No!"
We fell into an amicable silence once our laughter died down and Dixon got his pancakes, happily munching and making small comments every now and then, crumbs forming around his mouth that Cassie moved to swipe away. He glowered at her and dodged her hands as she giggled, her smile lighting up her entire face.
"We're back!" Violet exclaimed, sliding into the booth next to me and holding a small paper bag.
Elvis rolled his eyes and slid in next to Dixon, propping the massive bags he was carrying on the ground.
"Do I even want to know how much you spent?" I eyed up the bags disdainfully.
"Nope!" Violet beamed, squeezing my shoulder gently.
Elvis snuck a bite of Dixon's pancakes and he didn't protest, sliding the plate further towards him and giving him a wide crumby beam.
"Whipped." Cassie and I muttered in unison, meeting each other's eyes over the table.
Sitting there, surrounded by the idiots I had come to hold so close to my heart, I felt warm inside. Like this was a moment I would embed in my mind forever. Despite the short time, I already knew this was something I didn't want to live without.
—
Burt, thankfully, had done a standup job, trying to wave away our cash but Dixon was insistent, shoving it into the baseball cap he was holding. Burt shook his head fondly but thanked him, patting the hood of the RV and sending us on our merry way.
"There you are, girl." I patted the dashboard as I slipped back into the driver's seat, "We were worried about you!"
Violet slid into the passenger's seat beside me, "They're singing Beyoncé, I can't do this today."
"You love it!" Elvis called, blowing her a kiss before continuing his twirling of Dixon around while the other boy giggled and sang along with him.
I raised my eyebrows, "You guys kissed and made up?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Violet said primly, raising her nose at me in an action that brought me back years, seeing the uptight bitch from the mixer.
"Whatever. At least everyone is finally not fighting...except Brent."
"He'll get over it. He always had a soft spot for you, you know."
I snorted, "Sure he did, V."
We settled into amicable silence, Violet's head slumped forward as she drifted in and out of sleep by my side. I hummed along to the sounds of pop music blaring from the back. Every so often I would glance in the rearview mirror, catching sight of everyone dancing around the couches. Pearl and Cassie were twirling each other around and falling into fits of giggles while Brent tried and failed to look disinterested - but I could see the quirk in his lips as he watched them. Elvis and Dixon were shimmying and playfully shoving each other to be in the centre of the room as they sang along at the top of their lungs, as if they were the only two people in the room.
I smiled to myself and glanced back at the road as the sun began to set in the distance and let out a long slow breath. Things were okay, for now, and hopefully above all else maybe they could stay that way.