8 Hours (Washington, DC)

Eric is angry. Not like violently angry, more like emotionally seething. He wishes he didn't have to make this trip. Hell, it's been 22 years since he's seen his dad. What's the point of bothering now? His mother had guilt-tripped him into making this journey. Some shit about closure.

So here he is. On a shitty Greyhound because while his mother decided this little expedition was necessary she didn't think she should have to put up the funds for it. The lady at the counter told him from Washington, DC it would be a long ride. 1 day, 12 hours and 35 minutes to be exact. His mother doesn't realize that gives him plenty of time to think and possibly abort the mission.

The bus is damn near empty. With only 9 passengers he wonders if Greyhound is even making a profit off this drive. There's an older married couple sitting in the very front and a woman with her two young sons a few seats behind them. A boy, probably still in high school sits in the far back near the restroom, a seat he'll discover wasn't the best choice. A middle aged man with a briefcase wearing a suit that looks 2 sizes too big sits a few seats in front of Eric. Then there's a young woman sitting across from him, maybe a year or two younger than him. She's wearing torn up jeans and a black jacket with the hood up. She's fiddling with a small backpack that she has squished between the window and her body. He's going to be with these people for over a day and a half. He almost feels the need to introduce himself.

The journey gets off to a smooth start. The bus is quiet, the kids are asleep and everyone else seems to have headphones in. Eric dozes off dreaming of possible scenarios for when he arrives in Dallas.

It's 2am. They've stopped in Richmond, VA.

Eric takes the opportunity to return the 3 missed calls from his mom. "Everything ok, Mom?" he asks.

"Hun, I was just rethinking this whole thing."

"Yesterday you cried over this. You begged me to do this." He sighs. The woman didn't know what she wanted.

"Eric, sweetie, I just don't want you to get your hopes up with this man. He's had plenty of opportunities to be a part of your life and he hasn't taken any of them."

"I don't have any hopes Mom. More than anything I just want him to know I don't need him. That I'm doing just fine without him." Because all that time spent on the bus had the opposite effect he thought it would have. Now he was actually all for it. He wanted to meet his dad.

"You're an adult. You're gonna do what you want. While I know you want to chew him out, remember he's human and he makes mistakes. I don't want you down there fighting or getting arrested over that man."

"Yes ma'am. You don't have to worry about it. I'm just showing face, that's all. Bragging about how well you raised me."

"Thanks dear. Call me and let me know how things went."

"I will."

"Love you sweetheart."

"Love you too Ma." Eric hangs up and heads to the vending machine line. The girl from the bus with the black jacket is having trouble getting the machine to accept her dollar. He watches her struggle for a while before trading her for a crisp bill.

"Thanks." She smiles a little smile for him and he finally sees her face. She's a lovely brown complexion with wide bright eyes. Her full lips are a natural shade of pink and Eric is shamelessly surveying every feature.

"No problem." He nods and steps back so she can retrieve her snack. She makes her way back to the bus and he has forgotten what he had a taste for in this vending machine. He picks a Kit Kat and shuffles back to the bus. Everyone takes a seat back in their usual spot. The girl is facing him with her back leaning against the window and her backpack on the floor. She's got her hood down again but he can feel her watching him. Normally he would have spoken to her. Complimented her even. But given the fact that they were in close quarters for hours on end, he didn't want to make her uncomfortable. If something needed to be said, she would say it.

The man in suit with the briefcase hasn't moved an inch. The elderly couple in the front are reading novels and conversing amongst themselves. The children are sneaking snacks and playing on their Gameboys. The teen in the back is fast asleep with one of his ear buds in. The bus starts and another hour of peace and quiet passes.

Eric can't fall back to sleep. And from the looks of it neither can the girl across from him. Her head is against the window and she's staring at the roof of the bus. She yanks her headphones out with a huff and a frown.

"You ok over there?" He asks before he can think about the consequences of striking up a conversation in an enclosed space with a woman who could be crazy.

"Ipod's dead." She shrugs as she attempts to shove it back into her bag.

"I have a solar charger. I mean it's dark out now but as soon as the sun comes up it will charge it for you." He doesn't know why he's offering to help her. He tosses the charger into the seat next to her.

"Thanks." She scoops it up plugs it into her Ipod and leaves it in the seat waiting for daylight he supposes. She turns her body and faces the window again. He's not sure what he expected. Light conversation perhaps? She said thanks, what else did he need?

"What's your name?" Because when someone gives you their shit to make your ride more enjoyable you should at least introduce yourself.

"Dani."

"I'm Eric." He reaches across the aisle with an outstretched hand. She stares at it for a few seconds before shaking it gently. "Am I creepy or something?" Eric took pride in not being ‘that guy'. You know, the creepy one that can't take a hint. He really just wanted to talk to someone on this bus. He was too alone with his own thoughts in this silence. She looked like the only halfway normal person around. He knew he was chancing it, but shit if she was normal like him she would know he wasn't a creep.

"No, it's just... that whole stranger danger thing you know?"

"Yeah I get it. But there's plenty of witnesses around" She laughs shaking her head.

"I'm sorry. Let's try again." She moves to the aisle seat. "I'm Danielle but everyone calls me Dani." She reaches out to shake his hand again.

"I'm still Eric," he nods.

"So Eric, why are you going to Dallas?" He's not sure why he thought he could make it to Dallas without this question coming up. Even though he knows he brought it on himself by making conversation in the first place.

"Hoping to see my deadbeat dad." He answers honestly. He could have easily said something simple like visiting a friend or a reunion of some sort.

"Me too!" She beams, probably happy to meet someone with the same goal. "I mean he's not a deadbeat... He's my dad." She calms herself. "My real dad."

"Care to elaborate?" That's not a statement you make without having a backstory.

"I was adopted. I recently found out who my biological parents are and I'm hunting them down." A woman on a mission.

"So you already met your mom?"

"No, she's dead." Eric flinches inwardly.

"I'm sorry." He doesn't know what to say when he learns of a death. ‘I'm sorry' is useless but it's the only thing he can think of to say.

"It's ok. I get to meet my dad now. I'm kind of excited." He takes note of the contemplative smile and is relieved she's not dwelling on her mother's death. "Why are you visiting your deadbeat dad?"

"My mom thinks it's necessary. He left when I was 2. It's just one of those things you need to do when you get older, find yourself and shit. You obviously know what I'm talking about considering you're doing the same thing."

"Weird right? What are the chances of two people on the bus searching for their father?" She leans across the armrest. "We should see who else is missing a parent." Eric is pretty sure this ride just got a little bit interesting.