The ride home

Part IV

Amie Cato-Remer EDITOR

When our time was over in Ohio and it was time to say our goodbyes, my daughter took us back to the rental place where we picked up another rental car to drive back to Oklahoma.

My ex-husband loaded everything from her vehicle to the rental as I hugged Sydney’s neck and told her we would see her again soon. I said soon because I have a secret to reveal…Sydney is pregnant with her first child and I will be a grandma in June 2023. Sydney got her dad and I something to shoot off that revealed the gender while we were there, and of course I couldn’t get mine to go off but her dad’s did and it’s a boy! I can hardly wait for him to get here.

My ex-husband and I hit the road again with me driving and because of all the big dead deer we saw on the way there, I literally scanned the highway as I was driving just like Arnold Schwarzenegger did in The Terminator movie. I was sure it would work and it did but the car in front us hit a deer as it was crossing the highway and they weren’t so lucky.

After a downpour of rain in Missouri my ex-husband acted like my driving was scaring him. I let him know Jesus took the wheel a few miles back and to hold on because I was doing the best I could. I thought I could drive another five hours but decided it was probably best if we stopped for the night and we did.

As my ex-husband was booking the room, I opened the hatchback of the vehicle to get my CPAP machine and luggage. I looked and looked but never found them, and asked him where he’d put them. He insisted they were in the car but after looking for some time, he realized he’d forgotten them in the back seat of Sydney’s vehicle. I have to admit, I was ready to choke him but there was no way I was driving back that far to pick up what had been left behind. I let Sydney know what happened and she stuck my CPAP machine in the mail and we decided we’d worry about the rest of my stuff later.

I knew I wouldn’t be getting much sleep without the CPAP machine and about that time, my phone went off. It was a message from my niece Ashley who was pet-sitting for me while I was away. My oldest dog Betty, a Bassett/ Beagle mix had died by the front steps of my house and she didn’t know what to do. I was devastated to say the least and I laid in the hotel bed that night in tears as I thought about the loss of poor Betty and my CPAP machine.

Thank goodness I had kept a separate overnight bag out of my regular luggage because I ended up needing it. My mother had always told me to keep a pair of clean underwear on hand for emergencies and this time, it paid off. I had the necessities I needed and we hit the road the next morning.

I took a wrong turn somewhere on the way back and instead of coming back through Arkansas, I went through Oklahoma and saw a sign that read Vinita. It was there I threatened to drop off my exhusband but I kept driving. I was ready for home but couldn’t believe what I saw when I pulled up in the driveway.

To be continued….