Please Come Back, My Love novel Chapter 153

Chapter 153

The guy behind the counter-name tag said “Rick-barely looked up when we walked in. “Help you?”

“We have a reservation. Under Vance.”

He typed something into his computer. “Yeah. Got you down for a… Class C motorhome Four weeks, unlimited mileage.”

“That’s right.”

He slid some papers across the counter. “Sign here, here, and… here. You ever driven one of these before?”

I shook my head. “First time.”

“It’s bigger than a regular car, but not too bad once you get used to it. Take your time with turns, give yourself extra space for braking.” He handed me the keys. “Bay twelve. I’ll walk you through the basics.”

The RV was massive-white with blue stripes, looking like a small apartment on wheels. Rick showed us how to work the water system, the generator, the slide-outs that would expand our living space when we parked.

“Kitchen’s fully equipped,” he said, opening cabinets. “Fridge, microwave, two-burner stove. Bathroom’s compact but functional. Sleeps four-queen bed in back, dinette converts to a bed,”

Mom ran her hand along the small kitchen counter, smiling. “It’s perfect.”

The sky was absurdly blue when we finally pulled out of the lot. Not a single cloud. Just endless, perfect blue stretching out forever.

December in Florida, I thought as I adjusted the driver’s seat and mirrors. Weather that makes you forget winter exists.

The RV felt like driving a bus at first-wide and unwieldy. But after a few miles, I started to get the hang of it.

Mom settled into the passenger seat with a small sigh of relief. “Ready?”

I looked at her. Really looked.

Her face was gaunt. Her eyes were tired. But there was something else there too-something I hadn’t seen in weeks.

Hope. Excitement. Life.

‘Ready,” I said.

For the first hour, I felt like I could breathe for the first time in months.

No Julian. No memories of the penthouse. No ghosts of babies that would never be born.

Just the road stretching out ahead of us, and Mom humming along to some old Johnny Cash song on the radio.

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Chapter 153

The 4hought: This is what freedom feels like.

“You’re smiling, Mom said.

I glanced at her. “Am I?”

“First real smile I’ve seen in… God, I don’t even know how long.”

I turned my attention back to the road. “Feels good to be moving, I guess.”

“Feels good to be leaving,” she corrected gently.

She wasn’t wrong.

The highway opened up as we left the Miami metro area behind. Palm trees gave way to pines. Ship malls gave way to open fields.

I pressed down on the gas pedal, feeling the RV respond sluggishly.

Sixty. Sixty-five. The engine worked harder than I was used to.

“Elena, Mom said, but she was laughing. “The speed limit-

‘Is a suggestion.”

“Is the law. And this thing probably gets terrible gas mileage when you push it.”

I eased off the gas. A little.

The wind through the cracked window whipped my hair around my face. The radio played something upbeat and meaningless. Mom was looking out the

window with an expression of pure contentment.

We’re okay, I thought. Right now, in this moment, we’re okay.

And then I saw it.

A black sedan. Several cars back.

I wouldn’t have noticed it at all, except that I’d seen the same car in the parking lot of the RV rental place.

And again at the gas station where we’d stopped for coffee.

Coincidence, I told myself. Just a coincidence.

But my hands tightened on the wheel anyway.

I changed lanes. The sedan changed lanes.

I sped up. The sedan sped up.

r

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Chapter 153

“The Mom’s voice was concerned now. “What’s wrong?

“Nothing. I just-

I took the next exit without signaling. The RV swayed slightly as ¦ maneuvered it down the off-ramp-axisky move that earned me an angry honk from the

truck behind us.

The sedan followed.

“Fuck, I muttered.

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