Page 123 of Goose

Epilogue

Iwas witnessing nothing short of a miracle. We’d been on the road for seven days, with no plan—that I knew of, anyway—of where we were going, or what we were going to do when we got there.

It was the best vacation I’d ever been on.

The unbelievable part?

Goose was driving a cage.

A red cage.

“This fucker’s actually fun to drive,” he said. “Plenty of power, handles good, and is pretty responsive. It’s like driving a four-wheeled motorcycle.”

I rubbed my eyes and gazed out the window. “Where are we now?”

“In the mountains,” he said. “If you wouldn’t have been sleeping, you’d know.”

I reached for the navigation button to activate the map. He slapped my hand before I touched it. “Keep your hands off my buttons. You’ll know where we are when I stop.”

I pulled my hand away. “I love you, too.”

“We’ll be there in an hour,” he said.

It was three o’clock in the afternoon. “Are we staying all night, or just eating dinner and leaving?’

“Depends, I suppose.”

“On what?’

“If you want to stay, or if you want to go.”

“So, I get to decide?” I asked.

“Suppose so.”

I rubbed my eyes. “I stayed up too late last night.”

“That movie was good, though.”

“The Hustler is an awesome movie,” I said. “I can’t believe you’ve never seen it.”

“Wasn’t as good as that one we watched the other day. The boxer that testified against that guy? What was it? The Waterfront?”

“On the Waterfront,” I said. “That was Marlon Brando.”

“I like that one. Movies like that make you think. Made me think, anyway.”

“About what?”

“Life. Been thinking a lot, lately. Since Ghost’s death, anyway. And, since meeting you.”

“Good things, or bad things?” I asked.

“Both.” He glanced over his right shoulder. “I don’t want to die like this.”

“Like what?”

“With unfinished business. I want my life to be in order when I die.”