ran through its repertoire of songs.
This is the day we're leaving.
She lay paralyzed, unwilling to move just yet.
There was something so restful about this place. Every morning that she'd awakened to the rooster's cry, she felt more and more certain that her break from Garret was a lasting one. There was no indication, at least in the local newspapers, that the hunt for her and Kendal had gone national. The hope that she was free made her spirits soar.
Free to live her life the way she wanted, without recrimination, condemnation, or control.
Dallas had always been her final destination. She couldn't wait to meet the mother she'd been parted from at birth. She couldn't wait to see what she could make of her life without Garret stifling her.
So why wasn't she jumping out of bed, racing to pursue her dreams? Was it the strange pull that Chase had on her? Or was it the peace she'd discovered here and was loath to let go of?
Whatever the bond, she had to break it, like a hatchling cracking through its eggshell to greet the world.
As Sara tossed their meager possessions into the back of the truck, Kendal climbed into the cab and slammed the door shut.
"Good-bye, Chase." Sara turned to Chase at the last second and offered him a quick, impersonal hug. Tears sprang inexplicably into her eyes, especially when he banded his muscular arms around her and squeezed her hard.
That night on the motel balcony in Memphis, when she thought that he might feel like a pillar or a haven? She'd been right. His embrace was all that and more.
She could have stayed there forever. Instead, she pushed herself free. It was pointless to suffer last-minute regrets. She climbed inside, and Chase shut the door.
He rounded the truck to speak to Kendal through the lowered window. "Hey."
Kendal looked up from the thread he was unraveling from his T-shirt.
"Take care of your mama," Chase charged him, putting on a stern face.
Kendal just looked at him, half-wary, half-hungry for more.
"And remember what I said," Chase added.
"'Bout what?"
"Remembering the good stuff," Chase replied.
Kendal gave a solemn nod, leaving Sara to wonder what conversation she'd missed this time.
With a parting thud on the passenger door, Chase stepped back. "Start her up," he said.
Sara cranked the engine. It settled into an irregular rumbling that had Chase cocking an ear to listen. He said something to Kendal that Sara couldn't catch.
"What'd he say?" she asked him, as she clicked her seat belt into place.
"He told me to check the oil soon," Kendal answered.
"We should be okay," she reassured him. "Grandma Rachel gave me directions. It's pretty much a straight shot. We'll be in Dallas in about four hours."
She tried to infuse optimism into her tone. But as she lifted a hand in farewell, her gaze locked with Chase's, and a tide of emotion swelled in her.
Tears blurred her vision as she pulled the gearshift down into the drive position. Chase had insisted on giving her lessons this morning. She relied on her kinesthetic memory to circumnavigate the potholes in the driveway.
Mastering her tears, she glanced at Kendal, who'd wrapped his arms around his midsection. "Mom, I'm getting carsick," he complained.
"Honey, we just started driving," she answered with frustration. "We're not even on the turnpike yet."
"But my stomach hurts."
"Well, so does mine," she retorted, truthfully. And wasn't it ironic, she thought with a sad shake of her head, that leaving Garret after spending a decade with him had been easier than leaving Chase after barely a week?
Chase closed the front door but he wasn't able to lock it, not without a key, which was as elusive as the key for the gun cabinet had been. The only way to keep the house secured while he was gone was to leave Jesse guarding it. He'd drop by the hardware store on the way back from the courthouse and pick up new sets of locks for the front and back doors.
Meanwhile, the skinheads were free to waltz right in, if they
This is the day we're leaving.
She lay paralyzed, unwilling to move just yet.
There was something so restful about this place. Every morning that she'd awakened to the rooster's cry, she felt more and more certain that her break from Garret was a lasting one. There was no indication, at least in the local newspapers, that the hunt for her and Kendal had gone national. The hope that she was free made her spirits soar.
Free to live her life the way she wanted, without recrimination, condemnation, or control.
Dallas had always been her final destination. She couldn't wait to meet the mother she'd been parted from at birth. She couldn't wait to see what she could make of her life without Garret stifling her.
So why wasn't she jumping out of bed, racing to pursue her dreams? Was it the strange pull that Chase had on her? Or was it the peace she'd discovered here and was loath to let go of?
Whatever the bond, she had to break it, like a hatchling cracking through its eggshell to greet the world.
As Sara tossed their meager possessions into the back of the truck, Kendal climbed into the cab and slammed the door shut.
"Good-bye, Chase." Sara turned to Chase at the last second and offered him a quick, impersonal hug. Tears sprang inexplicably into her eyes, especially when he banded his muscular arms around her and squeezed her hard.
That night on the motel balcony in Memphis, when she thought that he might feel like a pillar or a haven? She'd been right. His embrace was all that and more.
She could have stayed there forever. Instead, she pushed herself free. It was pointless to suffer last-minute regrets. She climbed inside, and Chase shut the door.
He rounded the truck to speak to Kendal through the lowered window. "Hey."
Kendal looked up from the thread he was unraveling from his T-shirt.
"Take care of your mama," Chase charged him, putting on a stern face.
Kendal just looked at him, half-wary, half-hungry for more.
"And remember what I said," Chase added.
"'Bout what?"
"Remembering the good stuff," Chase replied.
Kendal gave a solemn nod, leaving Sara to wonder what conversation she'd missed this time.
With a parting thud on the passenger door, Chase stepped back. "Start her up," he said.
Sara cranked the engine. It settled into an irregular rumbling that had Chase cocking an ear to listen. He said something to Kendal that Sara couldn't catch.
"What'd he say?" she asked him, as she clicked her seat belt into place.
"He told me to check the oil soon," Kendal answered.
"We should be okay," she reassured him. "Grandma Rachel gave me directions. It's pretty much a straight shot. We'll be in Dallas in about four hours."
She tried to infuse optimism into her tone. But as she lifted a hand in farewell, her gaze locked with Chase's, and a tide of emotion swelled in her.
Tears blurred her vision as she pulled the gearshift down into the drive position. Chase had insisted on giving her lessons this morning. She relied on her kinesthetic memory to circumnavigate the potholes in the driveway.
Mastering her tears, she glanced at Kendal, who'd wrapped his arms around his midsection. "Mom, I'm getting carsick," he complained.
"Honey, we just started driving," she answered with frustration. "We're not even on the turnpike yet."
"But my stomach hurts."
"Well, so does mine," she retorted, truthfully. And wasn't it ironic, she thought with a sad shake of her head, that leaving Garret after spending a decade with him had been easier than leaving Chase after barely a week?
Chase closed the front door but he wasn't able to lock it, not without a key, which was as elusive as the key for the gun cabinet had been. The only way to keep the house secured while he was gone was to leave Jesse guarding it. He'd drop by the hardware store on the way back from the courthouse and pick up new sets of locks for the front and back doors.
Meanwhile, the skinheads were free to waltz right in, if they
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