CHAPTER 8

I kiss her on the lips lightly and we resume our resting when a light knock stirs our attention, it's Katy coming in to rest from her project. Mathilda helps her out of the majority of her clothing and the two of us cuddle Katy on either side as we three chat lightly and relax. It's a few hours later and almost dinner time when we get notice from Vinnie that we just crossed the Washington/Oregon border. A few messages between vehicles come and go but generally we're all starting to realize that while we're gonna be free and able to relax the trip is looking at boredom with bouts of sex. I head up to the passenger seat to talk with my driver.

"Hey there chief, need something," Vinnie asks me as I sit down.

"Yeah man, I got all these plans but I gotta be honest we've never been on a road trip before and I get this feeling that one stop isn't going to do it for us. I mean my girls are cool but they'll go stir crazy if we just drive the whole way only stopping for gas and the one rest night you said you guys needed," I half explain half ask my question.

"Okay well regardless of what you thought we'll stop once or twice a day to stretch and relax a little when able. Also kid, consider spending some of the travel cash on food, microwave is fine but we're going across the country and real food is best," Vinnie tells me without looking away from the road.

"Thanks man, we'll do that. Just let us know when we're going to be stopping for an extended period," I say before turning back to the rear of the RV.

First night on the road with the girls in the RV is a decent one. Aside from the rocking of the RV from time to time, the second day goes by uneventfully, aside from getting through Oregon and Idaho by the corners and finally into Utah. Anyone who says Utah is a tourist area lives in a hut in Outer Mongolia, we pull into a truck stop with some food options for refueling and to stretch our legs and aside from the food there is nothing around to even look at. Even the truckers are all staying inside and my girls and the whole crew head in and get more face time considering the division of vehicles. I get something from the burger place while the girls all head over to a sandwich area before the whole group sits down and goes over our 'trials' of the journey.

"Personally I'm loving driving the big truck," Devin starts in," I get to sit and relax with Masha and she's teaching me Russian, I'm having fun."

"It's been pretty cool in the front as well, we're all getting adjusted even though I still don't know how we all fit comfortably on that bed," Rachael adds with a shrug.

"It's because Guy's face is like this the entire time," Ben says, doing a Joker grin and getting a laugh.

"So we get through Utah and then into Colorado, then we get a rest stop for the drivers somewhere in there then a few more days to Texas," Jun says going over the time plan out loud.

"Sorry he's been like this since about an hour into the trip," Lilly says smirking.

"Why are you not having sex with him," Katy says, getting a laugh from everyone and snapping Jun out of his 'calculations'.

As much fun as we're having, I catch Natsuko again sitting away from everyone and looking depressed. We all finish eating and mill about while the driver's get the vehicles taken care of, never thought a road trip would take so much time in a stop but with fuel and septic it's kind of needed before we all start smelling our own shit. I watch Natsuko head off and give Kori a heads up that I'm stepping away for a bit and head after her. I find her around an empty side of the stop away from people just standing when I walk up and set up opposite of her by a couple feet. She isn't looking at me at all and her hands are holding onto a binder as I wait for her to address me.

"Are you doing okay," I ask my sidekick concerned.

"I'm here," my Asian sidekick responds quietly.

"Could have fooled me, you've been distant and quiet the entire stop and from what I can tell you are about a thousand miles away waiting for something bad to happen," I say closing the distance.

"I'll be here when you need me," Natsuko says, finally looking at me with a little hesitance and fear.

"What is it," I asked, confused as to her fear.

"Nothing I'm just homesick I guess," Natsuko replies, getting distant again.

I reach to take the binder gently and watch as Natsuko goes into full defense mode cringing at my attempt to touch or get near her. It causes me to back off immediately and as soon as I do she rushes back to the bus to get inside. I am stunned and slowly head back to the RV and as soon as Kori sees me she pulls me inside and to the bed so I can sit down. I let her get me out of my coat and all the girls sat in a circle on the bed with me. Kori is concerned and the rest of the girls are following in suit as I sit and try to figure out what is going on. I explain what happened during my brief conversation with Natsuko and I get odd looks from the rest of them when I sum up.

"I think I've finally started to scare my friends," I tell my girls quietly as we head down the road.

"Baby if that were the case everyone would be afraid of you," Rachael reassures me.

"Yeah and they'd be scared of Hard-Kori too," Imelda jokes, getting a chuckle from everyone except Kori.

"Hard-Kori? Is that the best you could come up with," My first girl asks in retort.

"Honestly girl, that was the exact moment I knew we all could be sisters for real," Imelda says smiling," when someone other than me stabs a bitch."

We enjoy the moment and the rest of the girls disperse to continue their busy work save for Kori who still sits with me. I don't normally worry about things but someone as close to me as Natsuko being afraid of me has me more concerned than I care for. Kori lays me down and pulls the blanket over us just holding me and helping me feel better but I'm still concerned as we roll into the night.

Morning of day three on the road trip and all of us in the back of the RV are woken up by my phone going off, it's Lilly saying that she and I need to talk privately when we get to the breakfast stop. The girls wake up slowly save for Matty and Katy who are up and more active when it comes to the mornings and are with me as we stretch out in the main section of the RV.

"So you think something is wrong over there or is it just Jun not relaxing," Katy asks, stretching her legs.

"Knowing Lilly it's something important, she texts Guy directly and she only does that when it's necessary," Matty says, working her shoulders.