just off the interstate and exited.
Everything she owned in the world was in this car, but as she pulled into the parking lot, the only thing she got out was her overnight bag. She'd already walked out of the wilderness and was leaving it up to God to watch out for what she had left.
Traffic from the nearby freeway drowned out the sounds of her footsteps as she walked toward the motel. It was creepy this time of night, being out in the parking lot alone. The closer she got, the faster she went, until she was almost running when she entered the lobby.
A clerk at the registration desk looked up as Gracie approached.
"I don't have a reservation, but I need a room for what's left of this night," Gracie said.
"Yes, ma'am," he said. "Are you traveling alone or will someone be joining you?"
"Just me," Gracie said.
A few minutes later, she exited the elevator on the fifth floor, oriented herself as to which direction she needed to go, and headed for her room.
She turned on the light as she entered, locked and turned the deadbolt, then staggered toward the bed.
The room was cool and quiet as she made her way into the bathroom. She came out nude, put her phone on the charger, pulled back the covers, then remembered she'd promised to text Darlene.
In Tulsa for the night. I'm going to Branson, Missouri to check out jobs and living options. I'll stay in touch. Love you.
And then she crawled between the sheets, found a comfy spot on the pillow, and closed her eyes.
* * *
They'd been driving for hours...going to the Texas State Fair. Gracie had worn out her welcome in the back seat with her three siblings, and at the last stop, they'd moved her to the front seat by Mama.
She'd eaten her snack and had her bottle of pop, but now she was bored again. Daddy was singing along with a song on the radio, and James was in the back seat fighting with the girls.
Gracie leaned against her mother and sighed.
"Are we there yet, Mama?"
"Not yet, baby girl, but soon," Delia said. "Lay your head in my lap and close your eyes. It's going to be a really long day."
* * *
Gracie woke without opening her eyes, and for a few fading moments could still feel the denim fabric of Mama's jeans against her cheek and smell the scent of her perfume.
"A dream. It was just a dream," Gracie said, and threw back the covers.
It was a little after 8:00 in the morning as she went into the bathroom to shower. The urge to get back on the road was like an outgoing tide, pulling her further away from what she knew into a vast unknown.
She dressed quickly, packed, and then sat down with her phone to check her balance at the bank. She couldn't believe what she was seeing.
The amount had jumped from a little over six thousand dollars, to more than twenty-one thousand. People were still donating? She clutched her phone to her breasts in disbelief, then headed downstairs.
The free breakfast buffet beckoned, and she ate all she could hold before checking out. After refueling and checking the air in her tires, she got back on I-44 north, sending up every positive prayer and vibe she could muster.
Gracie didn't want to be scared, but uncertainty had never been her friend. She was, at heart, a mover and a shaker, and for her, living within the status quo was like living with a herd all moving in the same direction, all bawling for someone else to feed them, care for them, and sell them to the highest bidder. Her fear of being lost in the crowd was a valid fear.
But as the miles passed, she felt easier. She had the same feeling of adventure that she'd had on their trip to the state fair when she was a kid, and an instinctual feeling she wasn't riding alone.
"Mama. Daddy. If you're here, buckle up. I, Gracie, am not messing around."
Then she stomped on the accelerator.
The same south wind in Texas that had dried up the ranch was now pushing her forward. She was barely hanging onto the speed limit, and the geography of Oklahoma was nothing but a blur.
Chapter Nine
By the time Gracie crossed the border into Missouri, she was already in love. The Ozark Mountains called to her like a long-lost lover, beckoning her to come close—to move deeper into the ancient secrets hidden within the