Chapter Six

Sleep didn’t come easily to either of them, but they eventually dozed off, Jon shocked awake by the sound of an alarm clock - something pretty alien to him for the past few years. Dot was more used to it, though, and she just stretched out a hand, slapping the clock into silence before rolling over to look at Jon.

“G’mornin.” He mumbled sleepily.

“Morning, baby.”

They shared a sweet good morning kiss, but both knew they had to get moving today, so they rolled out of bed, Jon heading into the bathroom while Dot went downstairs to switch on the shiny new coffee maker she’d bought. She started the coffee, then opened the fridge, bringing out the bacon and eggs that were still there. They might as well eat them as throw them away.

Jon exited the shower to the tantalising smells of coffee and frying bacon, and he just threw on a robe, more interested in food than clothes right now.

After they’d eaten, Dot went to shower while Jon washed up. Well, stacked the dishes into the dishwasher, anyway. By just after eight o’clock, they were ready to go. One saddlebag each held jeans, a couple of clean tops and necessary bits and pieces like toothbrushes. Dot had underwear, too, though Jon hadn’t bothered in years. The only other thing they’d packed, other than credit cards, was Dot’s camera.

While Dot tossed all the perishable food into the trash, and unplugged anything electrical that she didn’t think should be left switched on, Jon opened up the garage and wheeled his baby outside, a heavy push on the gravel of the drive. He left the bike sitting at the front door and went back into the garage, pulling down the door and locking it. Dot was just walking to the front door, carrying the tough leather jacket he’d bought her when he bought the bike, so Jon grabbed his from where he’d dumped it on the stairs and they headed outside.

Locking the door behind them had a sense of finality, somehow, but before melancholy could overwhelm them they heard the approach of another bike. Another Harley, to be precise, then it appeared, the round figure of Doc sitting solidly on the saddle.

“Good morning, fellow travelers!” He yelled, braking to a halt as he approached them.

Flipping down the kickstand, he clambered off the bike, walking across to grab Jon in a bearhug, glad beyond measure to see his friend looking so much more like himself.

“Hey Doc.” Jon hugged him back.

“And Dorothea. The Rose of my life.” Doc enthused, grabbing her instead.

“Hi Doc.” She laughed. “You’re way too cheerful for this early in the morning!”

“I know - it’s a worry.” He grinned. “But, then, I’ve been up for hours, so it feels like the middle of the day. We ready to rock n roll?”

“Yep.” Jon nodded instantly.

“Good. Now I just have to get my fat ass back on that bike.” Doc groused, and the younger couple laughed at his pained expression.

“Doc, you’ve only ridden for, what, twenty minutes?” Jon teased. “Just think how you’ll feel after twenty hours.”

“Dead.” The shorter man replied flatly.

While he levered himself back into the saddle, Jon reached to the handlebars of his bike, unhooking two pairs of oversized goggles he’d hung there before bringing the Harley out. He handed a pair to Dot, who grimaced at the unflattering appearance of them, but she put them on anyway, knowing they were a necessary evil. Jon climbed on as she double-checked the house was locked, then she swung her leg over the back of the bike, tucking herself against Jon’s back. They’d both put on their leather jackets against the wind - even here in California, the chill could be brutal - and Jon started the bike by simply flipping the ignition - not bothering with anything showy like kickstarting.

Doc did the same, and their tiny convoy rolled slowly away from Jon’s house, heading toward the highway. For the moment there was just the two bikes, but there was a fair chance of some of Jon or Doc’s other buddies hooking up to join them for at least part of the trip. Right now, though, it was just Jon, Dot and Doc. Or, in Dot’s mind, pressed against Jon, just the two of them.

“Where are we going?” She asked suddenly, bringing her lips to Jon’s ear through the tangled hair.

“I don’t know.” He admitted, pausing at the edge of the highway, turning his head to look at her with a crazy grin. “I don’t know, and it feels fuckin’ great. Left or right, baby?”

Laughing at him, at the freedom in his expression, Dot shrugged.

“Left feels good to me.”

“Left it is.”

So they headed north, up the highway, following the coast road as it snaked along the contours of the shoreline. The road rose away from beach level, high above the shore now, and with tiny movements Jon and Dot adjusted their positions until they were comfortable with the bike and with each other. Dot’s hands just rested forward on Jon’s thighs - not holding on, but just wanting to touch him, and when she turned her head she saw Doc following them happily, behind and slightly to the side. He saw her looking back and just raised one hand in a laconic wave, and Dot waved back, then almost fell off the bike in surprise when Jon suddenly let loose with a rebel yell, throwing his head back and screaming it at the top of his lungs.

“Dammit!” She yelled in his ear, slapping her hand onto his thigh. “Will ya warn me if you’re going to do that?!”

“Sorry, babe.” Jon laughed. “Couldn’t help myself. Damn, this feels good!”

“Yeah, well, like you told Doc, wait until you’ve been riding for twenty hours!”

Laughing again, Jon opened the throttle a little further, the bike responding instantly and accelerating smoothly along the flat, straight road they’d finally reached at the top of the cliffs. He flicked a glance at the mirror, seeing Doc still holding station behind them, and he shifted slightly in the saddle again, leaning into Dot’s warm body as he drove.


It was early afternoon before they called a halt. They’d passed a sign advertising the ‘best roadside burgers in California’, and Jon twisted his head slightly to yell back to Dot.

“You hungry, darlin’?”

“Starving.”

“Okay. We’ll stop up here.”

Watching Doc in the mirror, Jon raised his arm, fist clenched, then gestured to the side of the road. He saw Doc nod in understanding, pulling his bike into line directly behind Jon’s, then when they reached the diner they pulled into the lot, stopping the bikes side-by-side.

Jon killed the engine of his Harley, patting the gas tank surreptitiously, but Dot saw him and laughed.

“Stop petting your baby.” She laughed at him.

“Jealous, baby?”

“Of a bike?” Dot asked, then leaned closer to his ear. “Not a chance.”

“If you two are quite finished, could somebody help me get off this fuckin’ thing?” Doc yelled to them, and Jon laughed as he lithely swung a leg right up and over the front of his bike.

Before he helped his buddy, though, Jon turned to steady Dot as she climbed off the bike, moving a little stiffly, but her fitness level keeping her fairly loose and relaxed. They both hung their goggles on the bike, laughing at each other’s faces - dirty to the level of the goggles, then sparkling clean. Still laughing, they got Doc off his bike and headed on inside the cool of the diner.

Inside, the place was empty of customers, and Jon hoped that wasn’t a bad sign. Dot made a beeline for the ladies room, and the two men headed to a booth, sliding down onto the leatherette seats.

A waitress approached, dropping menus on the table and taking their order for ‘three cokes, biggest you’ve got’ without even blinking at their dusty appearance. The cokes arrived at the same time as Dot reappeared, her face now clean and her leather jacket in her hand. Jon excused himself, disappearing off to the bathroom, returning a few minutes later having also splashed water on his face until the worst of the road dirt was gone. When he sat down, Doc looked from one to the other, then shook his head, a soft rain of dust falling from his shaggy hair.

“That’s nice. You’re all nice and clean again.” He snorted. “And what’s the fuckin’ point? You’re gonna get covered in dust again this afternoon!”

“I know.” Dot shrugged. “But I feel better for now anyway.”

When the waitress came to take their order, she did a bit of a double-take on Jon, now that the dust was gone and he was more recognisable. She didn’t say anything, though, but just took their order and yelled it through to the cook.

After lunch, they headed back out on the road, still without a clue where they were going. Destination anywhere, Jon laughed as they drove away from the diner.