Page 52 of The Hitchhikers

Jenny reached out and placed a finger on the corner of the envelope. She dragged it toward her, paused to read. Footsteps in the hall. The doctor was coming back. Jenny lifted the envelope and folded it into her palm, then hid her hand in her lap at the same time the door opened.

“Lots of good information in these.” The doctor handed Jenny a couple of pamphlets. She took them with her free hand. “You should be able to find the vitamins at any drugstore.”

“Thank you,” Jenny said. “You’ve been very kind.”

“It’s always a pleasure to give good news. Now remember, you need to rest, and if the bleeding increases or if you’re having more pain, go to the closest emergency room. I know you’re traveling, but you might want to consider staying in one spot for another night or two.”

“Okay.”

The doctor turned to look at Alice. “Take care of this girl.”

Alice nodded and forced her lips into a smile.

“Make sure you’re eating lots of vegetables and fruit,” he said to Jenny. “You’re in luck. So much is in season right now.”

“We’ll stop at a farmer’s market,” Alice said, calm as could be on their lovely holiday.

Jenny, now holding her gaze, said, “That’s a good idea.” She turned to look at the doctor. “My aunt is a wonderful cook. We are blessed every day, always a surprise.”

Was Jenny being sarcastic? Alice was caught off guard. Jenny had been defensive, scared, indignant, and desperate, but she hadn’t ever been cutting.

Jenny rose to her feet, Alice following. They trailed after the doctor to the waiting room, where they said their final pleasantries. Jenny pushed open the door and they stood blinking in thedirect sunny heat of midday. Around them, the Bavarian theme was even more incongruent.

“He said I can buy the vitamins at a drugstore.” Jenny’s voice was vaguely disconnected, which troubled Alice, who was already deeply troubled.

“Do you want to find one?”

“Not now. I don’t want to see more people.”

Jenny began walking down the sidewalk, Alice beside her. Jenny stopped by a garbage can. She slid the pamphlets into her purse, then ripped the envelope with Alice’s note in half, again and again, until it was confetti that she let float into the garbage can. She looked at Alice.

“That’s why you offered to come. You wanted to find a way to escape.”

Alice didn’t speak. There was no reason to repeat the obvious. The proof was in the paper, which was now at the bottom of the garbage, along with their chance at freedom.

“You hate me,” Jenny said.

This Alice felt she could answer. “No. I don’t.”

“You should.” Jenny turned. “Come on. Simon will be worried if we take too long.”

“Are you going to tell him?”

Jenny kept walking. “No.”

She didn’t give a reason, and maybe she didn’t know, but Alice didn’t feel any safer.

CHAPTER 20ALICE

Alice sat in the driver’s seat, staring out the windshield as people strolled by holding pretzels and ice-cream cones, while Jenny filled Simon in on her appointment and the excitement of hearing the baby’s heartbeat. Alice’s eyes stung at the cruel irony. The trip that was meant to take her far away from her home, away from the constant reminders of their loss, and the taunting ghosts of what could have been, now smacked her in the face with them every minute of the day.

Simon decided they should stay another night to make sure that Jenny’s bleeding had stopped, so they drove around until they found a nature park and backed into a private corner parking spot. The area was surrounded by thick forest, the trees forming a canopy, so it was at least cool, and Simon allowed them to crack open windows. There were several other vehicles, all empty, parked closer to the trailhead where there was a sign with a map and an outhouse.

“Everyone will leave at dusk,” Simon said. “We should be okay for the night.”

Alice hoped for the opposite. Someone might smell the grill or notice smoke. Maybe they’d call the fire department. Or maybe the local police drove through the trailhead parking lot at night, looking for nefarious activities or lost hikers. There were toomany maybes. Alice needed solid answers. The endless waiting for the next terrible thing was exhausting.

Jenny went into the bathroom a few times and came out with flaming cheeks. “There’s no more blood,” she said in a soft voice.