Chapter three

Jordan checks his hair in the mirror of his truck before he got out. Joe walks out carrying a cooler bag. Liam carries his stuff the same as Elana. Jordan runs to her and takes her bag from her. He's only trying to be a gentleman.

"No special bag for make-up," he teases her. There's a smirk on his face such as a naughty five-year-old boy. Some men know exactly how to pull on a woman's strings and how to make them feel good or embarrassed. Jordan isn't that type of man that would take a promise someone made and make a joke out of it. He is usually a very serious man.

"Do I look like I need any?" She asks with a giggle. He takes her bag looking into her bare legs. She's wearing shorts and a tank top. He looks up to her face and smiles at her when she notices him scanning her like some sort of scan machine. Perhaps he got what he didn't expect. He didn't underestimate her girly personality, but what did he expect then? A lady wearing high heels, a short dress, and a ton of makeup? The results have him choking.

"No," he smiles at her. For a second he was about to hit himself. How can he be so weak around her? He barely knows this girl.

"Good," she reacts and walks past him to the truck. He helps her put the bags on the back of the truck then the rest of the stuff.

Jordan awkwardly looks at the road then at the radio to skip the song that came up next. It's a song by The Beatles, Come together. The song is perfect for the long road ahead of them, but not everyone has the same taste in music or so he thought.

"No leave it," she stops him. He gives her an odd look. When he realized how much she enjoys it, he began tapping his fingers along to the beat on the steering wheel. The two boys give them an odd look and shake their heads continuing to play games on their phones.

"Here come old flat top. He comes groovin' up slowly. He got Joo Joo eyeballs. He one holy roller. He got hair down to his knee. Got to be a joker. He just does what he pleases," she sang out of the blue with the song. They look terrified at her that ignored them. Even her natural response towards her music taste is fascinating for him. "He wears no shoeshine. He got toe jam football. He got monkey finger. He shoots Coca-Cola. He says I know you, you know me. One thing I can tell you is, you got to be free. Come together, right now. Over me."

"This is competition," Jordan laughs and starts to sing with her. Her amazing nature makes him feel comfortable being himself and enjoy the little things that she does. "He bad production. He got walrus gumboot. He got Ono sideboard. He one spinal cracker. He got feet down below his knee. Hold you in his armchair. You can feel his disease. Come together, right now. Over me."

"Yes! Finally, someone that enjoys dad's music," Joe laughs. Elana gives a little giggle and puts her arms behind her head resting her head back. She looks at Jordan that also looks at her then at the road again. The last thing he wants now is to get caught staring at her. If he had the chance, he'd take the advantage to lay down and just admire her. The sudden wonder of what it would be like to wake up next to her hits him- to see her eyes closed, mouth half-open, rosy cheeks full of folds from the pillow, tangled hair, and warm half sweaty body.

"You like The Beatles?" She asks him and raises her left eyebrow.

"Just some of their songs," he replies.

"Gosh, it's a long time since I've heard that song. I can't believe I still remember the words," she giggles and tries to stretch her legs. The long drive has her extremely exhausted. She's not used to long roads. He immediately noticed it and decide to slow down. "Music is so amazing. What are we doing?"

"Taking a break," he smiles pulling aside from the road. Joe gives his father an odd look. It's unusual for his dad to pull over when they go somewhere. Elana jumps out and walks to the road laying down.

"Elana, what are you doing?" Jordan asks and climbs out. He's a nervous wreck. All his life it's like he's always been expecting the worst. He runs to her and looks down at her face standing in her sun. "Get out of the road."

"I need to calm my spine," she replies and throws her arms out. Elana loves heating her body and resting her spine in the weirdest ways.

"Vehicles move here. It's not a place to make a bed," he said and look around. His nerves are on the last drop.

"Good," she replies and stood up. She slams her hands against her thighs. He gives her an odd look that just giggles and walks past him to the boys.

"Miss. O'Reilly, Liam says you like today's music too. How do you feel about dubstep?" He asks raising an eyebrow. Listening to someone else's opinions brings perspective and that's exactly what Joe needs. He needs more perspective the same as a woman since he never had that much of a mother.

"They're good. I haven't got a favorite, but I like the amount of beat and sounds they can put together," she giggles. Jordan looks at her with a big smile and walks closer. Has Joe ever gotten so close to any woman before? "The four of us should hang out more regularly."

"Wait till the end of the camp," Joe laughs sending his dad a wink. It's just a test to see their reactions. "My dad snores."

"Which means, he is breathing. If he isn't breathing, he is dead," Elana smile at Joe and looks at Jordan that stood next to her. "My father choked in his sleep next to my mother. She didn't wake up in time to help him. Things like that can ruin everything for you."

Jordan looks terrified at her that looks down awkwardly and walks around the truck to her side to get in, but the dry fields instantly got her attention. The thought of what she lost and may just lose scares her.

Jordan gives her an odd look and walks around. She looks so beautiful standing in the wind.

"It's odd how when you're abandoned, you end up alone and later die without anyone caring," she whispers and looks at him. He walks closer to her and looks at the dry fields then back at her. Perhaps there's more of an untold story left inside of her. Could it be that she's afraid of being left abandoned by everyone?

"I know that fear," he replies. She gives him an odd look. He knew exactly that there will come a day where he has to choose to let his son go and he'll be all alone. When one changes your perspective towards life and love, it'll take more than a few simple words and actions to give you a new perspective. It's not promises and doings that catches the heart, it's the person in the quiet. "Your son is all you have left. If he goes, what will you have? He'll always be your son, but children go out of the house, follow their ways and that's okay."

"The thing is, Jordan," she smiles softly and pleads her fingers in front of her stomach. "Being a single parent is hard, but you have something of your own you don't have to share with anyone."

"Sometimes it feels like it's not enough," he whispers and looks down. She sighs and shakes her head.

"I understand you, Jordan. For the first time, I understand someone even if we barely know each other. I don't know you, but from what I can say is, you are a damn good father. I see that when I look at your son and the way he looks at you. He adores you, Jordan," she says and touches his arm. He looks at her. There's a painful look in his eyes.

"I'm very hard on him," Jordan says and open her door for her. She looks at it and nods slowly. "I just want what's best for my son. Why is that so wrong?"

"It's not wrong," she whispers and climbs in. The boys climb in the back of the truck and get on their phones again to continue playing their games. "Come on, we've still got a long way to go."

He closes her door and walks around. The sooner they get to the river, the better. If they get there too late, it'll be a pain to struggle in the dark and he won't get the chance to show them around.

Elana lays back in her seat and stares out the window. The truck drives down the road in the heat. The shadows fall on the road and the vehicle and the blue sky above them are empty. There are only a few cars traveling the same road they are.