The departure day came, just after Max finished refurnishing the RV to make it look like more suitable for two senior high school girls and less for a drug dealer.
"Be good with uncle Samuel." said Kate to Alice in the cage, inside Samuel's workplace.
"I'm sure she'll keep Samuel very happy." smiled the janitor.
"She already seems to like you." smiled Kate noticing the little bunny rising up in the cage searching for Samuel's finger.
Squirrels and rabbits gotta have rodent connection… wait, are rabbits even rodents? thought Max looking at them with glee.
Before they fared on the road, they stopped briefly at Chloe's place to pick up some leftover groceries.
"Well, this is time to say goodbye, I always suck at saying goodbye." said Chloe with a tear on her eye.
"Geez Chloe, we are going to be apart for like a couple weeks." said Max.
"Yeah I know, but I get emotional. Bring me something nice from New Orleans."
"I will, and Chloe, please do me a favor."
"Anything for you Max."
"When you'll be in Italy, don't even think of taking a picture of yourself pretending to hold the leaning tower."
"What?"
"Nothing, it's just a stupid tourist thing every photographer hates."
"Good, now I know which picture to take for you."
"I hate you, Chloe."
"You better rewind time and unsay that."
"Hey, stepdouchette, come on! We are going to lose the plane!" shouted David from the Price family car.
"Coming." answered Chloe "Well, take care Max."
Max went back into the RV, she sat at the very comfortable driver chair, Kate was on her right, with her seatbelt already fastened. The two girls departed on the way to the great unknown.
"Man," commented Max "Chloe is really crazy these days."
"You think so?"
"Yeah, since she quitted smoking marijuana she's always over the top about everything."
"It's better for her health." said Kate
"Yes, she vowed never to smoke again."
"Why?"
"She did this super-serious blood oath with David. Like, they actually cut their fingers and mixed blood and made promises. Chloe vowed never to do drugs again, and David vowed to get some serious therapy for his PTSD."
"Oh, that's so sweet actually, I'm sure David will get better." said Kate smiling "You know, David has been always in my prayers recently. That man has lots of demons inside, but he's such a kind soul. He gave me a nice gift: a scarf which belonged to an Iraqi young girl who gave it to him. He told me it helped him not to lose faith and hope during the war, and wanted me to keep it during my hard times, during you-know-what."
"Man, I didn't think David could be this sweet."
"Yeah, me too. But I don't want ever to judge people again, only God can do that. And what about Chloe and drugs?"
"She told me that David once told her: 'Listen here, stepdouchette, I've been young too, I know weed is cool and shit. But I also know you have reached a point where you can't even stand up from bed without a joint, and that's where the fun ends and the trouble begins.' and when she told me this… well, I had the courage to tell Chloe that David was right about it: she is addicted to that stuff. And Chloe took the matter seriously."
"Glad to know that."
"Yeah, Chloe has been through some though shit in her life, but now it's time to start all over."
"Yes, you are right, Max… and by the way, can I ask you a question Max?"
"Yes Kate, you can ask me anything." smiled Max.
"You and Chloe..."
"What?"
"You can tell me, you know I won't judge you."
"Well… Chloe and I messed around a little."
"What do you mean?"
"We… well, messed around, I told you. And we both liked it, it was pleasant, it made us both get in touch better with our sexuality and all. But… there was no passion. Like with Warren: I just couldn't feel the sparkle. We both realized that we are more like sisters and we didn't want to have sex anymore."
"Oh, so sweet. What you two have is really special."
The RV was on the highway somewhere in the middle of Oregon, between two crowds of tall pine trees.
"And so, Kate, tell me, how come you are not going back to your family this summer?" asked Max.
Max looked briefly at Kate's face and noticed her face getting darker and sadder.
Shit, I might have touched some string I shouldn't have, perhaps I better rewind… but will it be safe to rewind time while I'm driving? Shit shit shit…
"Well, Max…" said Kate quietly
"Did I said something I shouldn't have said?"
"No, it's fine. I should have talked to you about this earlier."
"About what?"
"Well, Max… I'm sad and scared. The reason I am not spending time with my family is… to put it bluntly: my relationship with my mother is seriously deteriorating."
"Oh..."
"It started all from that cursed night with Vortex brats..."
"But, Kate, that wasn't your fault, you had been dosed, it has all been proven."
"I know, but my mother still held a grudge against me for that… and… and..."
"Kate, you don't have to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable."
"No Max, I want to talk to you. You are my best friend… just a month after that sick day, my mother was preaching at me about suicide being a sin, about how I would have gone to hell if I did that."
"But you didn't do it."
"I know, I know, but she has become so paranoid about me straying away from Light..."
"Kate, you are the most devout and pious person I know."
"Thanks Max… thanks… but she is obsessed over me now. Like, for example, remember when Chloe threw a casual Halloween party at her place and we went there?"
"Yeah..."
"I made the mistake of telling my mother where I was going, and she threw a fuss about me going at a Halloween party."
"She told another of those crazy stories about Halloween being a satanic feast?"
"Much worse, she went on a rant about Halloween being a Catholic thing, something I should stay away from. Luckily, my father managed to calm her down."
Max giggled and smiled.
"Max, are you laughing at this?"
"No, no, I am not laughing at you. I was thinking about my father."
"Why?"
"Nothing special. I was just thinking that my father is the total opposite: he calls himself Irish, even though the Caulfields have been living in the USA since before the Civil War, and he would disow me if I ever dared not to celebrate Irish traditions and heritage. Just that. Go on with your story, Kate."
"Ahah, he sounds so funny. By the way… that's it. In the last days my mother has been cherry-picking everything about me, she still suspects I'm losing my faith. It's so hurtful for me."
"It must be… you must love her a lot."
"I do. And everything started from that stupid video. Like, imagine what she must have felt seeing her daughter behaving in such a debauched way, I do understand her. I'm sure that someday things will get better between me and her. It's just that… sometimes I feel like she doesn't love me anymore, and it hurts Max..." said Kate with a tear on her face.
Max slowed down the RV a little and caressed Kate's head and face.
"Well, Max, thank you. I already feel better talking to you."
"Me too, Kate."
"Really? Am I not depressing you too?"
"No Kate, you wouldn't ever. You are like the sweetest and most sensitive person I know. Every time you talk to me I feel much better, even when it's about depressing things, you have the power to give me faith in mankind." smiled Max
Kate just smiled
"But enough sadness for today" she said. Then she opened the window letting the cool forest air inside. "We'll work it all out when we're back, now it's time to enjoy the ride."
"By the way, where are we traveling to?" asked Max
"No idea, I'm just going with the wind."
"Well… let me figure it out then."
"Sure Max, you are the one on the wheel."
"You are going with the wind… we are all going with the wind. Go with the wind. Gone with the wind. The South… Chloe asked me to bring her something nice from New Orleans. We are going to New Orleans."
"As long as we don't have to flash our breast, works fine for me."
"Figured you would say that, perv."
Kate just giggled.
"So, is your mother Irish, too?" asked Kate
"No, my mother is German and Italian, with a Blackfoot grand-mother."
"Oh, nice."
"And you? Where's your family from?"
"My mom's Scottish, my father is German, that's it."
When the sun started to set, the two girls had barely made it to Idaho. They briefly searched for a place to stop amidst the prairie, they lit a campfire and rested on the nice wet grass there, they ate some beans and shared a glass of red wine, around them there was total darkness and silence, with just the cries of birds of prey far away.
Max played her guitar a little, and then she looked at Kate. Her friend was laying on the grass on one side, caressing the ground with a hand and looking into the darkness, her blonde head reflecting the light of the campfire. She could tell she was at peace, and she felt at peace too. Max took her camera and snapped a picture of Kate.
"You took a picture of me?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"I don't know, it's just that you are so beautiful under this light."
"You really think that Max?" smiled Kate.
"Yes. I'm not much of a people photographer, but you could be a good model."
"If you say so, I trust you. Oh Max, thanks, it has been months since I felt beautiful."