Page 224 of ClickBack

“Might be tonight.”

“It will not be tonight,” Rae says behind him.

He gives Jarrett a look. Jarrett shakes his head.

“I can’t help you with that one.”

Byron hugs Rae beside her car. Whatever else he has done, he is proud of her, and she knows it. Sutton waits near their vehicle with the empty gift bag folded beneath her arm.

When Rae comes to me, I forget the sensible thing I meant to say. I touch her face and pull her close.

“I’ll let you know when we stop,” she says.

“Let Trina do it. You drive.”

“She’ll send you a whole documentary.”

“I’ll watch it.”

Rae laughs against me. Then she lowers her voice.

“The envelope is in my bag. Not the truck.”

I close my eyes. Gavin’s face. Her first picture. Both leaving with her, as they should have long ago.

“All right.”

“We still have things to talk about.”

“Whenever you want.”

She pulls back enough to look at me. “And you can call me about other things.”

“I will.”

Her fingers squeeze mine before she lets go.

The U-Haul leaves first. Zion waves from the passenger seat, trying to keep his arm high enough for me to see. Rae follows, Trina turning to wave at all of us and then turning back to say something that makes Rae shake her head.

I watch the intersection after they have gone through it. Jarrett comes beside me. He doesn’t pull me away.

“You ready?” he asks eventually.

“I want to go to my house.”

“Okay.”

“By myself for a little while.”

He studies me. I can tell he dislikes that part.

“Zel, you had a rough night.”

“I’m having a rough morning. I still need to go home.”

“I’ll drive you.”

“And then?”