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Sure it’s behind some trees, but anyone who’s looking could spot it easily.
I stay still for as long as I can, still enjoying the sounds and feeling, the smell of Faith’s hair on my chest as she sleeps.
Until finally, I know what I have to do.
She hardly stirs and as much as I want to stay in her bed, I make my way downstairs after getting dressed to get started on what I actually came here for in the first place.
There’s an old barn opposite the other side of the huge house, not as old as the house itself, but looks promising for a supply of gas and maybe even something to mend my radiator hose with.
The afternoon sky is still dark with storm clouds, the odd large drop of rain, and roll of thunder, but it looks like it might blow itself out before it even starts.
The Preacher must have a ready supply of just about everything anybody in need could ever ask for in the old barn.
There’s plenty of gas in cans ready to go and I even find an old length of thick hose I know I can make do with until I get the truck to a shop for more proper, in-depth repairs.
For now, it’ll get me back on the road. Get us back on the road, I remind myself. Certain that Faith will come with me, she just has to.
Counting my blessings for the day, I make my way over and take maybe an hour and a half to do what’s needed to get the truck running again.
Not a soul passes the house or me and my truck, so I tell myself I can rest easy leaving Faith alone all the way across the road and the suitcase still under her old man’s coffee table.
If it weren’t for her Dad coming back, I could gladly hole up here for a long while yet, but duty calls.
A promise is a promise.
As if by divine providence, my truck starts with the first turn of the key, and I might be imagining things, but the gas gauge even looks to have moved some, maybe even showing the right amount in the tank for a change.
I leave her running for a while, even just to convince myself that something actually worked for a change.
Since coming here, since meeting Faith, it’s like my whole life has started to make sense.
The day before yesterday, I would have punched anyone who tried to tell me things would get better and soon.
Seemed like everything I touched up until then either broke, ran out, or plain didn’t happen for me. No matter how hard I tried, it felt like my usual magic touch had left me.
That’s all changed now, I can feel it.
Once I feel sure the truck’s feeling as happy as I do, I pull out from behind the trees and take a short spell up the road to double-check she’s not gonna overheat again before I turn back and pull up out front of the old plantation house.
I see some movement in the kitchen window, and once I get closer to the front door, I realize I didn’t exactly plan my re-entry too well.
I locked it behind me, wanting to make sure Faith was safe and sound but didn’t figure out how I could get back in if she were asleep.
It looks like she’s up though, and I half-hope she’s making us something else to eat.
I’m famished again, and even hungrier for her.
Pushing the bell, I wait for her to open the door, but nothing. I ring again and then again.
Getting worried now, I knock loudly.
“Faith?” I call out, taking a step back to see if I can see her on the upper floor, but the door swings open and in a moment, she’s in my arms again.
“Hey! I was jus-”
Her hand across my face shocks me a little, and I can see at once that she’s not in a joking mood.
She starts to cry again, beating on my chest and calling me every name under the sun.
Names I’m surprised a Preacher’s daughter even knows, let alone how to use with such force.
Finally, I grab both her wrists, and trying to calm her down, I guide her inside and lean against the door to close it.
“Alright,” I tell her, “What’s wrong Faith, what’s happened?”
“You! You’re what’s happened. I woke up and thought you’d left. I thought you’d gone for good… I was so scared… I got so…” her face is against my chest now, tears streaming from her eyes and all I can do is hold her, making soft sounds and just holding her while I feel like the biggest asshole that ever walked the earth.
“I was just fixing the truck, baby,” I tell her. “I didn’t wake you because you looked so peaceful, happy.”
