“Just a few more minutes,” Ruby says, leaning toward me. Her shoulder bumps mine, and I take the opportunity to peek at her.
“Isn’t that what you said like a half an hour ago?” We speed around another curve, and then we begin our descent. I glance over her shoulder out the windshield, seeing nothing past the bikers but a flat concrete strip nestled between scattered redwood trees and the occasional house or barn. I let out a deep breath and thank God about a hundred times.
“So sue me. I was trying to be comforting,” she says with a wistful smile. The closer we get to Fort Bragg, the more she relaxes. Her jaw has loosened up, her brows have finally become two distinct units, and her mouth turns up slightly at the corners. Catching my look, she gives me a real smile and says, “What?”
“You’re relaxed,” I say. Having been caught staring is a little uncomfortable, but trying to lie about it or cover it up would only prolong the conversation.
“I just wanted to get you home is all. You’re much safer here.” I nod my head, letting the conversation end there. The bikes start up on their horns again, and Duke, Diesel, and even Bear break out into an excited laughter. Just as I’m looking around trying to figure out what all the fuss is about, I see it. A wooden sign with the words WELCOME TO FORT BRAGG, CALIFORNIA is up ahead. Beneath that, carved into the wood, it says POPULATION 7,723. My eyes nearly bug out of my head at the prospect of living in a place with such a small population. I’ve spent my entire life in Brooklyn, New York City’s most densely-populated borough.
Intuitive in only the way a mother can be, Ruby picks up on my change in mood. She pats my knee and offers me a smile, accompanied by a soft laugh. “It’s small, and not very cosmopolitan, but it’s safe. It’s home now.”
“I don’t know what I was expecting,” I admit. “But I’m sure it’s going to be cool.”
For the first time in hours, Duke addresses me. “Fuck yeah, it’s going to be cool. Ain’t no place like it.”
I meet his eyes and shake my head, trying to fight off the smile that’s threatening to overtake me.
“See, you like me,” he says. I tighten my jaw, but it’s no use.
With a smile, I say, “I’ve gotten used to your particular style of conversation.”
We come to a dead end that intersects at the left and right. Far off in the distance, beyond the low-level houses, beyond the road before me, beyond several hundred feet of land, is an expanse of blue sky as far as the eye can see. Diesel rolls down his window and the fresh, salty ocean air wafts in through the open window, leaving a heavy dampness to settle on my skin. I’ve never smelled anything this pure and unfiltered before. Even at the beaches on the New Jersey shore and Long Island, which have always been favorite spots of mine, the natural scent of the ocean is covered by the smell of sunscreen and sweat, and the rhythmic sound of crashing waves is diluted by the volume of the people. I’m excited to explore my new home.
“Is that,” I ask, but I’m cut off before I can finish my thought.
“Pacific Ocean,” Ruby says, a smile covering her entire face. I’ve never seen the Pacific Ocean before.
We hang a right at the light, turning onto South Main Street. We pass a few blocks of strip malls that house everything from local relators to attorneys’ offices right beside buffets and fast food restaurants. I can still smell the salt of the ocean to our left. We drive over the Noyo River on the right, which spills into the bay on the left. The bay is a large alcove that spills into the Pacific. It’s absolutely gorgeous the way the rocks jut out against the tide and curve inward, creating a definitive line between the bay and the ocean.
Beyond the river, the strip malls give way to local businesses and street signs that proudly hold banners on either side that welcome us to downtown. Here, the streets are formed in tight grid patterns off of Main Street to the right. From what I can see beyond the commercial buildings, small, older homes make up the local area. To the left, the coastline shrinks the closer we get to the heart of town, providing a better view of the water and the pure blue sky.
Ruby takes the time to tell me as much about what I’m seeing as possible, and even though our first few days were rough with her being so hot and cold all the time, I’m so grateful I have her. Even if I didn’t know she existed a week ago, I can’t imagine not having her in my life now.
Just as the van makes a right down Oak Street, the bikes both in front of us and behind continue forward. My heart sinks in confusion. Until this moment I hadn’t realized how safe I felt with the rumble of the bikes embracing our journey westward. Now, as we make our way through a residential part of town, the cacophony of Harleys fades into the distance. I look at Ruby, searching for answers.
“They went to the club house,” she says.
“Oh.”
“We’re safe. I promise.”