cecily woke up.
richard was standing at the window, looking out at the night.
what are you doing, richard? cecily asked.
thinking.
about anything in particular? go back to bed. you have a big day tomorrow, remember?
i remember only too well. that is why i have made up my mind.
oh? cecily rubbed her eyes. made up your mind to do what?
to leave all this behind.
what? you mean you are going to kill yourself? go back to bed.
no, i mean it. i am going to take to the road, leave all this behind.
oh for god’s sake, have you been having those dreams again? did you take your pills?
there is something i have to tell you.
you forgot to take your pills.
there is a woman - her name is yolanda. a real woman.with fire and ice in her veins and she was born for love. she has never been to a parent teacher meeting. she has never played golf or saved the earth. i am going to her.
if you took your pills you wouldn’t have these fantasies.
i am leaving. i will take the car, and the gas in it, and one suitcase, and one credit card. you can have everything else.
including the bills.
i guess. you ‘ll manage.
the bills for jonathon and ella’s college training.
i’ll try to send you something if i can. i will write a note to jeff parkman.
go back to bed, richard. if you don’t want to take your pill now, make sure you take one tomorrow.
cecily rolled over and put her face in her pillow.
richard left the room and went downstairs without turning any lights on.
there was a small suitcase in the back of the hall closet and he collected it and a coat and went outside and got in his car and started it.
of course there was no yolanda, but everything else he had told cecily was true.
he was leaving with just the suitcase and one almost maxed out credit card.
and no pills.
into the night. into the unknown.
wherever fate and the road would take him.
it was the year 2020.
how far will he get?
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