A few weeks later…

Raylinn sat on the porch of her Grandma Janie's house, pushing the swing with her toe. Early summer in North Carolina was certainly different than in Michigan. Especially since Joe was there.

She fingered her bracelet, the one that matched his. Her heart was still with him and she missed everything about him.

It killed her not to talk to him and she knew it was her fault. She had mistakenly thought that breaking up with him was the best thing for both of them.

"So stupid," she said, shaking her head as tears trickled down her cheeks.

"What is?" Grandma Janie asked, joining her on the swing.

"Me."

"Sweetheart, the last thing you are is stupid. Is this about that boy of yours?"

"Jonah. Grams, I love him but I broke up with him because I couldn't see how this was going to work."

"How what was going to work, dear?"

"Me living here and Joe all the way in Michigan. For two years, Grams. It killed me to think of being away that long."

"And yet, that's what's happening. Except before, you could talk to him."

"Exactly. Like I said, stupid."

"Ray, call him. Tell him everything you told me because I'm sure he's feeling the same way you are."

"Grams, what if he isn't? What if he's happier now?"

Grams kissed her forehead and smiled. "You are a worrier. But there is only one way to find out."

Jonah saw Ray's name and picture pop up on his phone. It had been a little over two weeks since she broke his heart. At this point, anger was what he was feeling. How could she make a unilateral decision like that? It affected both of them and he was left out of it.

"Not cool," he mumbled.

The phone next to him stopped buzzing and he sighed. She had called him. That was strange coming from the girl who had just broken his heart.

He turned the phone off and put it on his bedside table.

He heard a knock. "Yeah."

Elizabeth poked her head in his door. "Hey, we are going to see the lake house. Why don't you come, hon?"

"No thanks."

Elizabeth sat on his bed and watched him a moment. "Jonah, this is going to be your house too. We'd like to know what you think."

"I'm really not up to it. Maybe next time."

"Why don't you call her?"

"She broke up with me, Mom. She obviously doesn't want to be my girlfriend so why call her?"

"Because you are miserable."

"I'm fine."

Once everyone was gone, he decided to take a walk. Randomly his brain directed his legs to the firepit where he and Ray went frequently. Maybe it wasn't so random.

He sat in one of the chairs and stared at the water. His heart ached as he realized yet again that a huge part of his heart was missing.

The anger melted away and now he just really wanted to see her, hold her in his arms, smell her coconut shampoo, feel her lips against his.

An hour later, he wandered back to the house and of course on the porch swing, there sat his parents, joined at the lips.

He missed that. He needed to get down to North Carolina as soon as possible. He was going to do it, somehow.

That night, he went online and booked a bus ticket to Charlotte for the next morning using his debit card. Chances were his parents wouldn't realize he was gone until mid day and by then he'd be far enough away where they couldn't stop him.

The next morning, at five am, he walked into town. He got to the bus depot and sat down to wait after buying a cup of coffee and a muffin for breakfast.

At seven am, the bus arrived and he began his long journey south to get his girl back.

At around six am, Elizabeth got up, let the dogs out, started coffee and then fed the dogs. She had to go into work of course so she tried to stay on schedule.

The last thing she had wanted was to get out from beneath her husband's warm arms but work was important.

School was out for the summer so Jack and Isaac were probably going to do something fun that she had to miss out on.

"Hey, baby," Jack whispered as he slipped up behind her.

"Hey. What are you doing up?"

"I missed you in my arms. Are you sure you have to go to work?"

"I'm sure." He turned her, leaning her back against the counter, and kissed her slow and deep. "You're making it really hard to go," she whispered, slipping her arms around his neck and giving in to his kisses again.

"One hour?" he pleaded, backing towards the stairs.

He was impossible to resist at this point so she followed him upstairs to the master.

Around lunchtime, the bus Jonah was on made a stop at a fast food place in Ohio so he used the time to stretch his long legs and grab a burger and a shake. He checked his phone for text messages and voicemails but so far nothing.

Mom was at work, he assumed, and Isaac, being fourteen, was probably still asleep. His dad probably was just giving him space and for that, he was appreciative.

However, he was dreading the moment they found the note on the fridge that confessed that he had gone to see Ray.

He sat at a table by the window where he could watch people and looked at the address of Ray's Grandma Janie. He had it memorized ever since she had given it to him so they could keep in touch. Well, before she broke up with him anyway.

He wanted to surprise Ray so he hadn't texted.

After eating his burger, he realized he was still hungry so he got up and stood in line to get some french fries.

"All passengers on bus 208...leaving in five minutes!" his driver announced.

Jonah still had two people ahead of him in line and the cashier was taking forever. "Come on," he muttered under his breath.

Four and a half minutes later, he ran onto the bus with his bag of hot fries, slipping into his seat with seconds to spare.

"Cutting it close, bud," the driver said with a smirk.

"Yeah, but I made it."

By dinnertime, he still hadn't heard his phone make a sound. Wait. Where was his phone?!

"Crap!" he said a bit louder than he intended. "Does anyone see a phone around here? I can't find my phone." Everyone shook their heads. "Great."

Then it dawned on him. He had left it at the fast food place. Right on the table by the window. It had been six hours and he knew it was crazy to hope the driver would take him back.

"You need to borrow my phone?" the young teen across the aisle asked.

"No. Thank you though."

Ray called Jonah's phone yet again. "Come on, Joe, pick up. I need to talk to you."

"Hello?" a girl's voice said.

"Hello? Who is this?" Ray asked. Had he found a new girl in less than three weeks?

"Hannah. Who is this?"

"This is Ray. Why are you answering my boyfriend's phone?"

"He left it here. I heard it ringing so I answered."

"I can't believe this!" Ray yelled, hanging up and tossing her phone on the floor. "I can't believe you, Jonah Thornton! Not even three weeks and you've moved on. Aggggh!" she yelled, frustrated.

Back home, Jack and Elizabeth's house

Jack and Isaac made dinner while they waited for Elizabeth to get home from work. She had gone in a bit late and Jack took full responsibility for it, so she was coming home a bit later than usual.

"Dad! Stir that or it's going to burn," Isaac said, pulling him out of his newlywed trance.

"Sorry, bud," he said, stirring the gravy with a rounded, funny looking wire thingy.

"Uh, Dad?"

Jack turned around, forgetting about the gravy. "Yeah."

"What's this?" he asked, holding up a note. "It's Jonah's handwriting."

Jack snatched it from Isaac's hand. "What?!"

Mom and Dad,

I made a decision. Right now, I am on my way to North Carolina to see Ray. I know you are going to be mad but I needed to see her. I love her.

Jonah

"He went to see Ray?" Isaac asked. "Cool."

"No. Not cool. He left and is traveling for hours on his own. I can't believe he did this!"

"Dad, wouldn't you have done the same if it were Mom that moved away?"

"That's different."

"How?"

"I'm an adult. He's sixteen!"

"If you were his age and in love with Elizabeth and she moved away and broke up with you, would you have done the same?"

Elizabeth walked in around seven pm. "Jack?"

He appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. "Beth."

He never called her Beth. Always Bee. "What's wrong?"

"Let's sit down." He led her to the couch.

"Jack, you're scaring me."

"Jonah's gone."

"What do you mean gone? Did you call him? Where is he?"

He took her hand and squeezed. "He apparently is on his way to North Carolina."

"To see Ray? I can't believe it. How?"

"My guess is the bus. It's cheap."

She pulled her cell out of her purse and called him. "He's not answering."

"I know. I've called him like eight times."

"Well, we need to go down there."

"No, we don't."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, at the least we should call Abigail. If he took a bus, he won't get there until tomorrow anyway."

She dialed the phone number she had for Abigail.

"Hello?"

"Abigail? It's Beth Thornton."

"Hi, Beth. How are you?"

"I'm a little angry but ok, I guess. Apparently Jonah is on his way down there to see Ray. Have they been in touch?"

"No. Ray said she's been trying but he doesn't answer."

"He's not answering me either. Oh, gosh. I hope he is alright," she said, dread filling her.

"I'm sure he's okay. You know teenagers."

"I thought I knew my own son but apparently not!"

"Beth, I know you're worried. I would be too. I'll make sure he calls you the moment he gets here."

"Okay. Thanks."

She got up and walked into the kitchen where Isaac was. She wrapped her arms around him and held on tight. "Don't you ever do what your brother did! Got it?"

"Got it." He patted her back and groaned. "Mom? A little looser. I can't breathe."

She let go and stepped back, wiping her eyes. "Sorry, Isaac. I'm going to go change. Dinner smells delicious."

"Roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, asparagus."

"Good job, sweetheart. I'll be back soon."

Jack followed her upstairs and shut their door. "Bee?"

"I'm so mad at him right now. Just leaving and traveling hundreds of miles without asking us first...that's unacceptable, Jack."

"I agree."

She stared at him as she stepped out of her skirt and into a pair of shorts. "I hear a but. Is there really a but?!"

"Well, Isaac brought up a good point earlier."

"What's that?"

"If I was sixteen and in love with you and you broke up with me for no reason and then moved away, I'd do the same thing."

"He can't do this, though, Jack. It's not okay."

"I know and I plan on grounding him for a year but I'm just saying I understand why he did it."

She looked up at Jack and her heart swelled with love. "I don't know if I could be away from you. Nine hours is almost unbearable. I can't imagine months."

The next day, around lunch time, the bus pulled into the depot in Charlotte. It had been a long trip and Jonah was ready to be staying on solid ground for a bit.

"Good luck, dude," the teen from across the aisle said.

"Thanks. I may need it."

As he stepped off the bus, he looked around for someone to ask about getting a cab. He needed to get to Grandma Janie's house.

"Jonah Thornton!" a female woman's voice said from nearby.

He turned. "Mrs. Stanton?"