Chapter 17 - Page 247 - Trouble In Chicago

  "Look, Mama! Look!" she yelled.

   Rhasha pushed to the driver's side of the truck and squeezed between Shanha and Jim, pushing Jim's head against the driver side window. "Jim," Rhasha gasped, "it's a silver rainbow."

   "No it's not, Angel," Jim replied, "but if you don't move back, we're all going to be swimming in the Mississippi River." Rhasha shifted and continued gazing at the structure.

   "What is it, Papa?" Shanha asked.

   "It's called The Archway," Jim said. "It's a symbolic gate from the east to the west."

   "It sure is big," Rhasha observed.

   "And it's pretty," Shanha added.

   Jim crossed over the bridge and the silver archway dropped out of Rhasha and Shanha's view. Rhasha sat back in her seat, and Shanha crawled onto the bunk.

   Jim continued driving on Interstate 55. It was late when they arrived in Chicago. Jim parked the truck at a truck stop and called a taxi. He didn't want to deliver his load until the next morning-he wanted to make sure Jim Randell would be in his office.

   A taxi took them to a car rental company, where Jim rented a car and took the girls shopping. Rhasha and Shanha had never seen so many nice-looking things in their lives. Rhasha didn't want to buy anything, but Shanha found a teddy bear she just loved. Jim bought nightgowns for the girls and pajamas for himself.

   They had no problem finding a motel room. They'd brought their luggage with them in the car, and once they'd unloaded it, they took showers and proceeded with their nightly ritual. The motel room was furnished with two beds, but Jim, Rhasha, and Shanha all slept in one bed.

   The next morning, Jim parked the car at the truck stop and started the truck. He didn't want to turn the car back in yet, because he planned to take Rhasha and Shanha to the zoo after he made his delivery.