She was about his mother's age, Eddie figured, but there was something more worldly about her. And what a body! Holy Shit! It was all Eddie could do to keep his eyes from her large firm breasts which strained nakedly against the thin material of her tight blouse.

"Where are you heading," the man asked.

"San Francisco," Eddie answered, feeling guilty for admiring his wife.

"Well, so are we," the blonde smiled warmly.

"Do you know anyone there?" the man asked, looking at Eddie as if he suspected something was wrong.

"Uh-huh… I'm going to see my mother actually."

"Oh, does she live in San Francisco?"

"She lives out side the city in Mill Valley," he answered.

"Well, that's interesting. So do we," the man told him. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Carl Bradley and this is my wife, Cindy."

"I'm Eddie Granger. My mom's name is Lily… uh, Lily Granger. She makes jewelry or something like that."

"How long are you going to be staying with her, Eddie?"

"I… I'm not sure," the boy answered hesitantly. His delight at finding a ride all the way to his final destination was changing to concern as the truth of his situation came home to him.

"Oh?" said Carl, lifting an eyebrow.

"Well, you see… I mean, well… my mother doesn't exactly know I'm coming and I'm going to sort of surprise her."

"And it depends on which direction her surprise takes, the length of time you'll be staying," Carl said. "Is that right?"

"Well, sort of," he answered hesitantly.

The woman laughed softly, but in a conspiratorial kind of way and her eyes met Eddie's for just a brief moment, then flickered away. "Running away, huh?"

Eddie studied the voluptuous woman and the man for a long moment, trying to decide whether or not to confide in them. Then he decided he needed a couple of friends, someone he could maybe crash with if things didn't work out with his mother. After all, he hadn't seen her in almost two years now, since she had visited New York. And they had had dinner and a wonderful time walking and talking, until his father refused to let her see him any longer and she had gone back to California. His father…