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Ruth was pleased to know she was such a source of aer door opened and Bethanne climbed down Ruth ran over to her

"I was so worried," she blurted as she pulled Bethanne into her ared her hard

"I’m fine, Ruth, just fine"

Bethanne stretched out one arm to Annie and they held hands "I talked to ato fix the car We’ll need to spend the night in Wells, but we should be able to leave sometime tomorrow"

Annie nodded "As soon as we’re soe, I’ll find us a hotel roo we shouldn’t go to Vegas," Ruth said "We went off course and look what happened"

"Not go to Vegas?" Annie wailed "Oh, Grande our plans now"

"Why can’t we?"

"I--" Annie turned to Bethanne "Moas and so was Annie," Bethanne said "I’ will be fine now We’ll pick up a new rental car while we’re there and continue on our trip"

Ruth seemed unconvinced "I don’t know…"

"Please, Grandas will be fun, and after today that’s e need"

"Oh, all right" She felt she’d succumbed far too easily, but it wasn’t in her to disappoint Annie or Bethanne

"Good" Bethanne returned to the tow truck and reot the driver to take er-and-fry coine ould’ve done if they hadn’t stopped by the lake when they did"

"You bought thehtened her out of several years of her life, and her daughter-in-laanted to feed the over to the bikers ere, thankfully, dressed by now At least Bethanne had been spared that sight

"You should know Grandma there tried to abscond with our clothes," Rooster said as he helped hi of fries His eyes twinkled with merriment "She assumed that was a major threat"

"We showed her," Willie said

"That’s just it," Ruth snapped, unwilling to be the butt of their jokes "You did show ainst that I should’ve rinned, and Ruth decided it would be best to simply drop the matter

Annie distributed the rest of the food, and the ether while the three women went off to relax under the tree

Ruth hadn’t realized how thirsty she was until she drank a bottle of the water Bethanne had brought back They’d already eaten lunch, but even if she’d been ravenous, she couldn’t have ularly unappealing Not so with the bikers and the tow truck driver, olfed down their food so fast it made her feel nauseous

Bethanne and Annie thanked everyone for their help Although the men on bikes hadn’t turned out to be ax

Fortunately, the tow truck had a backseat so they could all fit inside During the ride into town Bethanne seemed unusually quiet and Ruth could only speculate on what she was thinking

"Those bikers weren’t so bad, noere they?" Annie said

Ruth nodded reluctantly "They weren’t as bad as I feared"

"Oh, Grand us like that"

"Cool guys?" Ruth glanced at Bethanne She could do with sohter-in-law hadn’t noticed

"Actually, Max was a real gentleentleured it was better to be prepared

Eleven

There wasn’t much to recommend Wells, Nevada, as a tourist destination The entire town consisted of two casinos, gas stations, a fast-food joint and a featering holes After the vehicle was repaired, with the proas, Bethanne, Ruth and Annie found a rooht

"I think we should call Dad," Annie said, sitting cross-legged on one of the two queen-size beds "He should knohere we are"

"You can if you want," Bethanne told her daughter She propped her suitcase up on the luggage holder, unzipped it and took out what she needed for the night

"He’s not going to be too happy with us," Annie htful She nibbled on her lower lip "Maybe I should wait until we’re in Vegas"

Bethanne ht as well face the e of the bed, obviously worn-out from their unexpected adventure "Guaranteed, Grant will et read the riot act"

"The riot act, Grandma? What’s that?"

"Oh, it’s an expression based on an old English law It justto let us know it I don’t care She can say what she wants We’re safe now and that’s all that matters" Ruth set her pajamas on the second bed and sank into theyou, after a day like this, I’m completely exhausted"