Bobby's Ford was almost out of gas. He pulled into the station and sighed. He never thought at 51, his life would be here, in the middle of nowhere, just him and his dog, running away from home. He gave Hunter some water before he filled the tank. She drank readily and then stretched her legs. She didn't know where they were going, but they finally got away from that woman, far away. If dogs could talk, she would have told Bobby that Joyce was a ho a long time ago.

He called Charlie. "Hey honey. I'm on the road on my way to in LA."

"Visiting Aunt Brenda," Charlie beamed. She loved her aunt.

"You could say that," he stammered.

"Can I talk to mom?"

"She's back at the house."

"Is she flying out?"

"No. She's staying there." He had no idea what that bitch was doing, but she wasn't his problem anymore.

"Woof," Hunter said hi to Charlie.

"You brought Hunter? What kind of visit is this?"

"One that has no definite ending. I'm moving to CA, without your mother."

That said it all to Charlie.

He didn't want to tell her over the phone, but who knew when he would see her again.

No wonder Charlie couldn't get along with her parents when she was 16. She couldn't deal with the double standard of her mother's harsh rules and her excessively friendly behavior with strange men. She wanted to tell her father, but she didn't know what to tell him or how. She hadn't seen conclusive proof, but she was very suspicious.

"Was it the electrician?" Charlie asked.

"Him too," he thought. Dear God! "No," he said, "just irreconcilable differences."

He didn't want to tell his daughter about his mother's indiscretions. He hated her, but Charlie shouldn't have to. This was his mess.

Charlie knew he was lying but appreciated it anyway. "Who actually says irreconcilable differences to people anyway?" she thought as she got her notebooks ready for school. She followed Aunt Brenda's path to Georgetown, and she loved it.

"I gotta go, Daddy. Call me when you get to LA."

Just like that Bobby was alone again, well almost. Hunter looked at him and wagged her tail.

"Just you and me," he said to her. They drove off in the car, unaware of where was next, but anywhere but Atlanta.

"No wonder Brenda ran away from home," he thought aloud as he passed the McDonalds. There was nothing for her there. There is nothing there for me now. "I wish I had done this a long time ago."