The sea was calm, dark-blue and inviting; a banjo motive played in the Two Whales Diner while the two girls drank a hot black tea at the same table. A moment of silence fell, Max looked into Kate's eyes, Kate smiled briefly.

"And by the way..." asked Max in a humblebragging tone. "Do you see that fancy RV Truck parked out there?"

Kate, oblivious of the vehicle, raised a little to look at the parking lot. "I see it, yes?"

"It's mine" smiled Max.

"Really? You don't look like you would buy something like that, Max."

"It's a gift from its former owner, one Frank Bowers. Long story short: this guy was a drug dealer who sold drugs to many students at Blackwell including, well… you know."

"Oh, that's horrible..." frowned Kate.
"Yes, I know. But deep inside, he's not an evil person. He had no idea he was providing drugs for Nathan and Jefferson's deeds. Also, he was really, really in love with Rachel Amber. Like, you should have seen the light in his eyes when anybody said the name of Rachel. And when he learned that Nathan killed Rachel with the same drugs he had provided… well, he was destroyed."

"I bet he was… must have been terrible for him."
"Yes, and that's why now he decided to quit selling drugs. He moved to India with his dog to become some kind of mendicant monk, and he decided to give his truck to me."

"Well, I hope the Lord lets him find peace." said Kate appearing lost in her thoughts.

"Me too. Now, since I have a brand new, well, a kind of brand new RV, I am thinking that I should put it to the test right now: summer is coming, and Oregon is going to be enchanting, I might spend a weekend in the wilderness."
Kate smiled with her usual smile of dreamfulness: "Well, Max, if I had the means, right now I would do some crazy trip."

"What do you mean, crazy?"

"Like: really long, all the way to the East Coast. Or to the North into the deep wild, I have never seen British Columbia."

"Woah, Kate. I made a mistake lending you On the Road..." joked Max.

"No, why?" giggled Kate with an innocent face. "It's so inspiring, and Kerouac was really a man touched by God..."

"Glad to know you like the books I lend you, Kate. But you are right, I don't have anything planned for the summer, and my parents are going on a second honeymoon to Puerto Rico, so you are tempting me with your idea."
Kate giggled again: "Let me know if you are planning anything, I too am not spending the summer with my family."
"Splendid, let's see who else can I ask to tag along." said Max. She might have been making things up, but she could see a speck of disappointment in Kate's face.
"You can ask Warren." said Kate.
"Yes, I'll text him right now." said Max while texting Warren on her phone.
"And by the way, if you don't mind telling me, how did it work out between you two?" asked Kate
"It didn't" explained Max "We went to that movie date at some point. He made some moves on me and… well, it just didn't click in, he was gentle, flirty and sweet and everything, but I just couldn't feel the sparkle. I love him a lot, he's a wonderful guy, but I love him as a friend."
"I see, and he?"
"He was bummed, but now we are cool. I'm glad things turned out okay."
"Good for you." smiled Kate.

"Now, I can fit up to four people on my RV, so I might ask if Chloe wants to come, too, but I'm sure she will want to."
"Yes, she looks like the kind of person."

Right on time, the door of the Two Whales Diner slammed wide and a blue head entered with a fast pace. "Speaking of the devil..." said Max taking a sip of tea.
Chloe rushed at Kate and Max's table and jumped on the seat, she strongly caressed Kate's blond hair, kissed Max's cheek, asked Joyce for a strong, black coffee and asked the two girls how they were doing.
When Max told Chloe about the plan, she said: "Ha! I'd love to, but I am afraid I can't. I have plans with mom and stepdouche."
"Chloe..." said Kate "You shouldn't call David that, you know he really loves you, and he saved Victoria's life."

"Oh, don't worry Kate. I call him that in a friendly way, and he calls me stepdouchette now, it's more like an inside joke."
"So, what are you three planning?" asked Max.
"We are going on a long trip to Europe soon. We have to do some weird 'making up for the time lost as a family' thing. It's going to be hella-awkward, but I owe them."
"I'm sure it will be wonderful." smiled Kate caressing Chloe.

After the tea session, Max and Kate rode the bus back to Blackwell.

A text message arrived on Max's phone, it was Warren.

Max: Hey, Warren, got any plans for the summer? Because I might travel to the East Coast aboard my new RV. Wanna come with us?
Warren: Hey Madmax, sorry, no can do. I got selected for a wildlife conservation training program and I'm going to spend the summer in Greenland. But thx for the invitation!

"Looks like Warren too ditched us." said Max showing Kate the text.
"Oh, bummer, but he'll sure have a nice adventure there."
"Yes. Now, Kate, you know what, we might as well go just me and you." smiled Max.
"Yes Max, it will be our longest tea session to date." she giggled.