Toward journey's end

I got the call from my brother at about noon yesterday and within an hour I was packed and on the road for Florida. Driving to Florida by myself was not how I'd planned to spend Mother's Day weekend, but someone says this may be my last chance to see Mom, what else can I do?

Which is how I ended up here at the Florida welcome center on I-95, enjoying free orange juice and wi-fi. I figure on about four more hours of driving, but I needed a break. Yesterday the time flew by with the miles; I still felt alert when I stopped for the night in South Carolina, but my eyes were giving out on me. In fact I continued to feel alert through a good part of the night, but here I am on the road again.

It's a beautiful day for driving--clear skies, pleasant temperature, not much traffic. I've seen this stretch of I-95 bumper-to-bumper with cars moving at parking-lot speed, but this morning it's been clear sailing all the way. That doesn't make it fun, however. My eyes hurt and my hip hurts and I've got this nagging headache, but the worst, of course, is that I don't know what I'll confront when I get to the end of the road. My brothers will be there and so will my Dad, but Mom? Surely she can hold on for a few more hours!

So what am I doing sitting here? Better get back on the road.