Ozark Retreat by Jerry D. Young

going on. It wasn’t good. The local weather or the world news.
    He almost didn’t recognize her when Star approached the truck. Before she’d been red. Now she was blue. Blue jeans, blue shirt, blue denim jacket. What broke the color scheme was the St. Louis Cardinals baseball cap. It was red.
    She opened the second seat passenger door and set three shopping bags inside, and then climbed into the front passenger seat. She handed Brady some money. He was a bit surprised there was as much as there was.
    He put it away and started the Suburban. “Ready?” he asked, looking over at her.
    She nodded and buckled up. Brady headed out of town, finally picking up Interstate 70 west. Before they left the suburbs Brady pulled into a Bonanza Steak House and they ordered dinner while the sun was going down. Star had a healthy appetite, Brady noticed, though she didn’t gorge. She did pass on dessert, as did Brady. Then they were on the road again, the light almost gone
    “Can we listen to some music?” She asked after a while.
    “I really want to keep it on the news, with everything going in like it is.”
    “Sure,” Star replied. “I don’t really mind. What’s going on really brings out how petty I am about this doesn’t it?”
    Brady glanced at her, but brought his eyes back to the road. Traffic was heavy. He didn’t say anything.
    “Oh, it’s okay. I know how I am. I do it on purpose to get attention. Usual story, I won’t bore you with it other than to tell you I love my father and he loves me despite how I have made it sound.”
    Star was silent for a while and then asked, “What do you think about all this stuff that is going on? Are we at real risk of war?”
    “I think so,” Brady said.
    “It is history repeating itself. People just never seem to learn from the past,” Star said with a sigh.
    “That is so true,” Brady said, surprised and pleased at Star’s remark. “You seem to have a good grasp of history.”
    “I should. It was my major in college. I intended to become a teacher. Didn’t work out. The career counselor recommended against it. I was too independent minded, though she didn’t put it that way.”
    “I can see that,” Brady said with a smile directed at Star. “Seems like much of the education system is more interested in teaching a politically correct agenda than having independent thinking going on.”
    “Don’t get me started,” Star replied with a snort. “So. What do you do besides escorting devilish children home?”
    Brady found himself telling her all about his detective career. Star listened, keeping quiet, except for the occasional prompting question. Then Brady yawned hugely. “We’re going to have to stop,” He told Star. “I need some rest.”
    “Okay. I’m sleepy, too. I can’t sleep when traveling.”
    It was another thirty minutes before they came to a motel with a vacancy sign on. Star followed Brady inside the office when he stopped the Suburban. Star stood nearby, looking through the tourist brochure rack while Brady arranged for the rooms. She was surprised when he came over to her so quickly.
    “We’ll have to try another place. They’ve only got one room left.”
    Star was eyeing another couple coming into the lobby. “Single or twin?” she quickly asked Brady.
    “Twin, but…”
    Star gave him a little shove to hurry him back to the desk. “Take it. I trust you.”
    “But…”
    Star nudged him again. “Hurry, or that couple will get it.”
    Brady could usually think on his feet very well. He had to be able to, in his line of work. But Star affected him in some way he couldn’t quite define. He stepped over to the desk before the other couple got there. “We’ll take the room.”
    He came back over to her in a few minutes and handed her a card key. “I’ll just sleep in the Suburban,” he said, leading her toward the lobby doors.
    “Don’t be silly, Brady. We’re both grown-ups here, despite my somewhat childish antics at times.