Sunflowers Off the Highway

I stretch, groping for his lingering smell, and find a note beneath my pillow. I know I still owe you, it reads. Six scrawled words, two twenties and a handful of coins. That's all he'd left.

It's more than I deserve.

I take the note with me into the morning glare. When I can see again all I can do is stare at the mysteries of the Almighty.

On both sides of a road leading away from the highway are rows and rows of sunflowers, their yellow manes ablaze as far as the eye can see, saluting the sun, every one of them, from dawn till dusk, wherever it goes.

Knowing that Mac would have seen this too almost makes me laugh.

I put the note with the postcard and clip them to the dashboard. I dress quickly and fire up the ignition.

I look into the sun and remember -

He'd wanted to go east.