What are the chances

 

Nic tried his best to talk this out with Mona. Couldn't she at least call her mother to tell her she was OK?

They'd had some long talks, but it wasn't about family nor why she'd come all this way. Evidently, he would never be a counselor. He guessed he could scratch off that idea of working at the summer camp, after all.

Of course, she talked a lot. About what she liked, but not where she was going. He thought she should be thinking about graduating from high school, but he didn't want to lecture her about it. Instead, she wanted to hold his hand. She smiled as if he was the best boyfriend she ever had and yet it was oh so plutonic. 

Finally his cell rang. That never happened. Of course, he answered it. He smiled when he found out who was calling. He hadn't heard from him in ages.

"Mario," Nic practically laughed. "Dude, I thought you forgot about me."

Of course, Mona looked at him in the field of pairie flowers at their feet. What did this mean?

"Not a chance," Mario said. "Have you started back to the University?" 

"No." Nic was a bit puzzled that he would ask. After all, he'd met Mario years ago when Mario tried out for a minor league baseball team. Neither had made it, but they kept in touch ever so often.

"Well, would you like to come to Omaha?"

"I dunno." He grinned at the thought. Honestly, he knew his days were numbered at the truckstop. "Maybe." He looked at Mona, remembering she'd talked of Omaha. "Why?"

"Oh, I got a place for you, but you'd have to room with people."

"I could do that," he found himself saying. Here was his chance. Maybe he could take Mona home, after all. He listened to Mario talk about his job and where he lived and how he wanted to move in with his girlfriend.

 "I think it would be perfect for you. All you'd have to do is you know, go to school and make sure college students have a safe place to live." Mario said his sister had lived there and he somehow found a way to be there even if he wasn't at the University. "And you know, you've always been like a brother to me. You have to be the most caring person I know."

Nic wasn't sure if that was true, but he liked the idea of moving on. If he could make sure Mona got back home was his genuine concern at the moment. He was glad if he could help Mario out, too.