The Last Road Trip

He was dragged from his thoughts by a poke in the ribs and a finger pointing to a road side stop. Rage looked down and saw he was low on fuel so indicated he would stop.

Easing off the motorway onto the exit ramp, he dropped back through the gears and eased up to the bowser. He suggested Darcy go and order a coffee for them in the restaurant attached to the service station while he fuelled his ride.

Parking the bike and paying for his fuel, he joined her for coffee and ordered a burger and chips (Hell! Stuff the diet the Dr had him on. It was his last road trip after all!).

They chatted and he explained to her where he was going and asked her where she wanted to be dropped. He was staying for a week before moving on.

She asked if he could drop her at the central rail station. She had people here she would look up before moving on.

With that decided, they finished their meal and headed off, closing in on their final parting. He was saddened as he had grown accustomed to her and found he liked having a woman sat behind him after all these years of riding solo.

"Such is life." He mused.

Darting easily through the traffic, he made good time into the city centre and they spent a little while parked outside of the station. He was reluctant to leave her, and she reluctant to say a final good bye.

Eventually they kissed, said their farewells and he roared off alone again. She stood looking after his receding figure disappearing into the distance and heading to his only family.

It was dark when he approached his daughter's house, and he rode quietly up the drive, well as quietly as his monster chopper would allow.

There at the big window were two little faces peering at him. He waved and killed the engine and stepped off as the door swung open and his grand boys came running towards him arms wide and screaming "Grandad." "Grandad." He smiled as they cannoned into his big frame and wrapped his arms around them.

That night, as he drifted off to sleep, he thought of the red headed woman, he had known only 24 hours and wondered in his last conscious moment, "What if?"