Truck Stop (14 page)

The sky at the Cedar Mountain Truck Stop was beginning to glow with a dull grey light. It wouldn’t be long now before the sun rose.

“Roger. Roger, stay with us,” Kat pleaded as she held Roger’s hand; there were tears in her eyes as the policeman frantically did compressions on his chest and listened for any signs that he would resume breathing.

“Come on. Come on, breathe for me!” the policeman gasped.

Kat clung to Roger’s limp hand. “Roger! Roger, please.”

The policeman paused, put his ear to Roger’s lips and heard a long, slow exhale. He did several more pumps, then turned to Kat, exhausted. “It’s no use, he’s…I’m sorry.”

Kat placed Roger’s hand on his chest. She reached up and gently brushed the hair from his eyes, and that’s when she noticed that there was a warm smile on Roger’s lifeless face. He was somewhere else now, seeing something else…

He was seeing Lilly.

The dead-world had never looked so beautiful to Roger. The sun was breaking over the mountains surrounding the truck stop as he kneeled in front of his daughter with his arms outstretched.

The little girl ran to him and he held her tight. “I’m sorry, honey. I’m so sorry. I won’t leave you with your mommy again, I promise. I know it’s not safe there.”

Lilly clung to her father, and there was wisdom in her eyes far beyond her years as she whispered into his ear, “It’s okay, Daddy. I came with you. I’ve been with you the whole time. I’ll never let you go.”

Tears brimmed in Roger’s eyes. He was home now in her arms, right where he knew he was always meant to be.