CHAPTER 2

She didn't sleep much the rest of that night. Afraid of more nightmares and that someone would find them. The scenarios were just too much for her to think about.

The next morning she realized she had slept because she woke up and found herself alone. She sat up and looked at the clock. 6:35. She curled her legs up against her chest and hugged them. Suddenly she realized how scared she was and she wondered where Ethan was.

Just then, Ethan walked through the door. He was wearing the clothes he'd worn the day before. The only clothes he'd brought. Faded jeans and a t-shirt and he was carrying a brown paper sack and a cup of coffee. "You're awake," he said with a smile.

She rubbed her hands up and down her arms and said, "When did you get up?"

"Not long ago. Figured we should get on the road soon." She nodded and pushed to the edge of the bed to get up. "Breakfast first," he said laying the sack on the bed.

"I'm not hungry," she said.

"You have to eat. You have a little person to think about."

It occurred to her only then that she was really pregnant. Not to say that she hadn't known it, but it was then that it all came together. Ethan held out a bottle of orange juice and she began to drink it. The cold juice felt good on her throat after the long night of crying. Then she ate a bagel and an apple not realizing until she'd polished both off that she was hungrier than she'd thought.

"Should have gotten more," he said with a smile.

It didn't take long for Pattyn to dress. She hadn't had much with her when they'd left, so she'd slept in her underwear. She slipped on her jeans and shirt and then her shoes. Not even caring what her hair looked like, she grabbed her school bag and jacket and headed out of the hotel with Ethan by her side.

Once they were on the road again, she felt strong enough to ask the questions that had plagued her all night. "How did we get away?"

"From the police?" She nodded. "You really don't remember?" She tried, but it all blurred together and she shook her head. "Well, we skidded out and almost hit the guardrail. I remembered what my father told me about driving on ice when I was learning to drive. I lifted up on the gas and turned the wheel away from the skid. The two police cars weren't so lucky, though. They actually ran into each other. I was so relieved that as soon as we were clear of turns and I had clear road, I gunned it. Didn't even notice until two miles down the road that you had passed out. Sorry."

She shook her head to show him it didn't matter. "Then what?"

"Well, when I saw you were unconscious, I couldn't risk just pulling along the interstate, so I found a turn off. A rest stop. You really don't remember me shaking you?" She shook her head. It all was such a blur now. "Well, I finally got you to open your eyes and I asked if you'd hit your head or anything when the car had fishtailed." Pattyn felt her forehead and Ethan said, "I checked you over. No bumps or bruises," he added with a smile.

She smiled too and scooted over on the truck's bench seat until she was right next to him. Then she wound her arm around his. Ethan smiled and took one hand off the wheel and wrapped it around her squeezing her to him. Pattyn buried her face against his chest and breathed in his smell. Ethan was a good man. Never again would she have to worry about what would happen at home. She wouldn't have to think about whether or not anyone would beat her up or consider what she said or how she said it. No more bruises. No more lies. And no more being alone.

There was just one thing she had to know, though. "What about after that?"

"After I revived you?" She nodded. "We got back on the road, found a hotel at close to midnight, and here we are."

"I mean, what about the police?"

"Oh…why haven't they found us?"

"Yeah."

"I'm guessing that's because I took a back road. Bought a map at a gas station. Figured it would take us longer, but if I took this road they probably wouldn't find us. Used your cell yesterday to call your aunt."

Pattyn gasped having completely forgotten about Aunt J. "What'd she say?"

"Your father called her and she said there was no way she was telling him anything even if she did know something. She hung up on him. She also said she was so relieved to know we were both okay. She's waiting."

"Now what?"

"We follow the plan."

"Which is?"

"Make our way back to Caliente and figure things out from there."

Pattyn wanted to ask what would come after that, but she knew he was just as clueless. Could they find a way to get married? Would they hide? Now that she knew her father would be looking for her, where could they go? And what about Ethan's schooling? She wouldn't be the reason he didn't complete college. At the moment, she just couldn't see a resolution to the mess that lay before her. She leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed.

Ethan laid his head against hers for a moment and said, "It's going to work out. You'll see."

If only she could believe that as heartily as he seemed to.