who’d been to Las Vegas before. Both Betty and Aggie were excited to see someplace new, even though Aggie wasn’t a big fan of road trips or the couple that was getting married. At least Las Vegas would be a new and exciting experience. And on top of that, it rid her of her company. She couldn’t help but wonder how long it would be before Sarah called her and begged for her to take them back.
“We’re going to cut through the Hi-desert,” Roger said from the backseat. He sat directly behind Betty who was up front in the passenger seat. They were going west on the 10 freeway headed for the Highway 62 exit. “We’ll take Amboy. It’s a shortcut.”
“Okay,” Aggie said, turning on her blinker and taking the Highway 62 exit. “Now what?”
“Follow the 62 until we get to Twentynine Palms,” he said. “Then I’ll show you where to turn left.”
Twentynine Palms was a good sixty miles from Palm Springs. Aggie knew the way well. That’s where her son-in-law, Everette, had been stationed before his recent transfer to Camp Pendleton. She drove up through the five miles of winding mountain roads known as the grade. When they got to the top they entered a small town with a population of about 1500 people called Morongo Valley. There was a large gas station on the right that looked out of place in the small desert town. Aggie pulled into the station per Roger’s request. She got out and topped off her gas tank while he and Betty ran into the gas station store to stock up on snacks and sodas.
Roger came back carrying several white plastic bags and Betty had three bottles of diet soda and three bottled waters in her arms. “This should last us a little while,” Betty said, as Aggie helped by opening the passenger door for her. “Thanks.”
“They had a sale on the candy,” Roger said. “Buy two candy bars and get one free. There was also a sale on chips.”
“And the beef jerky,” Betty said. “We should have more than enough munchies.”
“No stopping until we get to Vegas. So if you gotta use the little girl’s room, do it now,” Roger said, crawling into the backseat. “We’ll get dinner when we get there. No reason to waste time and money. They always have really inexpensive all you can eat buffets that are open all night.”
“Oh,” Betty said, sliding into the passenger seat and pulling her seatbelt on, “sounds wonderful! This is going to be a fun weekend! I can just feel it!”
“Sure is!” Roger said, making a fist and playfully punching the air. “Vegas or bust, baby! Vegas or bust!”
Betty scrunched up her nose and repeated him, “Vegas or bust, baby? What does that mean?”
“It’s a saying,” Roger explained. “It means we’re going to Vegas!”
“Oh,” she said, mulling it over for a moment. “Still doesn’t make sense. Why would you want to bust? Wouldn’t that be a bad thing?”
Roger groaned. “Yes, it would. That’s why you choose Vegas instead.”
“Oh!” Betty perked up. “I get it! Vegas or bust!”
Roger shook his head. He figured she didn’t get it at all, but wasn’t in the mood to explain it to her further.
They drove through Yucca Valley which was the next town down the highway. It began at the top of a steep mountain and gradually came down in elevation as you drove towards Twentynine Palms. Yucca Valley was known as the Hi-desert. Aggie’s thoughts drifted again to Sarah. She’d bought them a house there in town while Everette was stationed in Twentynine Palms. She hoped the renters that were now living in the house were taking good care of it. She then wondered how Sarah was going to handle Linda and Jill when they arrived. The train should be getting there any time now. She was pretty sure she’d get a distress call from her daughter sometime soon.
Betty switched on the stereo and plugged in her iPod. “What would you like to listen
“We’re going to cut through the Hi-desert,” Roger said from the backseat. He sat directly behind Betty who was up front in the passenger seat. They were going west on the 10 freeway headed for the Highway 62 exit. “We’ll take Amboy. It’s a shortcut.”
“Okay,” Aggie said, turning on her blinker and taking the Highway 62 exit. “Now what?”
“Follow the 62 until we get to Twentynine Palms,” he said. “Then I’ll show you where to turn left.”
Twentynine Palms was a good sixty miles from Palm Springs. Aggie knew the way well. That’s where her son-in-law, Everette, had been stationed before his recent transfer to Camp Pendleton. She drove up through the five miles of winding mountain roads known as the grade. When they got to the top they entered a small town with a population of about 1500 people called Morongo Valley. There was a large gas station on the right that looked out of place in the small desert town. Aggie pulled into the station per Roger’s request. She got out and topped off her gas tank while he and Betty ran into the gas station store to stock up on snacks and sodas.
Roger came back carrying several white plastic bags and Betty had three bottles of diet soda and three bottled waters in her arms. “This should last us a little while,” Betty said, as Aggie helped by opening the passenger door for her. “Thanks.”
“They had a sale on the candy,” Roger said. “Buy two candy bars and get one free. There was also a sale on chips.”
“And the beef jerky,” Betty said. “We should have more than enough munchies.”
“No stopping until we get to Vegas. So if you gotta use the little girl’s room, do it now,” Roger said, crawling into the backseat. “We’ll get dinner when we get there. No reason to waste time and money. They always have really inexpensive all you can eat buffets that are open all night.”
“Oh,” Betty said, sliding into the passenger seat and pulling her seatbelt on, “sounds wonderful! This is going to be a fun weekend! I can just feel it!”
“Sure is!” Roger said, making a fist and playfully punching the air. “Vegas or bust, baby! Vegas or bust!”
Betty scrunched up her nose and repeated him, “Vegas or bust, baby? What does that mean?”
“It’s a saying,” Roger explained. “It means we’re going to Vegas!”
“Oh,” she said, mulling it over for a moment. “Still doesn’t make sense. Why would you want to bust? Wouldn’t that be a bad thing?”
Roger groaned. “Yes, it would. That’s why you choose Vegas instead.”
“Oh!” Betty perked up. “I get it! Vegas or bust!”
Roger shook his head. He figured she didn’t get it at all, but wasn’t in the mood to explain it to her further.
They drove through Yucca Valley which was the next town down the highway. It began at the top of a steep mountain and gradually came down in elevation as you drove towards Twentynine Palms. Yucca Valley was known as the Hi-desert. Aggie’s thoughts drifted again to Sarah. She’d bought them a house there in town while Everette was stationed in Twentynine Palms. She hoped the renters that were now living in the house were taking good care of it. She then wondered how Sarah was going to handle Linda and Jill when they arrived. The train should be getting there any time now. She was pretty sure she’d get a distress call from her daughter sometime soon.
Betty switched on the stereo and plugged in her iPod. “What would you like to listen
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