Chapter Twenty-One
The next few weeks flew by; Mia and Aurelio fell into a pattern of normalcy with each other. Most days, Mia would wake up to find him gone before the sun was up, avoiding anyone in her building and any questions from his crew about where he had been all night. Aurelio would do his thing while she went to class, worked on her dissertation, and headed to the diner. He met Mia there most nights to eat with her or just to hang out till she was done.
Twice, there was a period of days when she did not hear from him at all. He told her that sometimes, after a bigger job, he needed to lay low until things settled. She worried about him constantly, but he always appeared in her loft, unharmed, arms open. They talked, sharing secrets they hadn't spoken to another soul. Aurelio told her all about his dad and how he had gotten sick. His dad had owned the garage, but the money was never enough. She learned about how he had grown up around all the different cars, going to car shows, raceways, all of it. His love of cars was in his blood, he told her. Aurelio had done everything he could to get his dad the treatment he needed, but the cancer grew too fast, and his dad was gone before his eighteenth birthday. Aurelio had also become indebted to a lot of loan sharks; that's what started him street racing for cash. And that led to him boosting a couple cars and chopping them for parts. After a while, he drew the boss’ attention because his reputation grew quickly.
Mia didn't see Oliver very often her conversation with Detective Daniels. She wasn't seeking him out, her mind and body preoccupied with Aurelio. She realized during the second week that she wasn’t just not seeing him as frequent, but when their paths did cross he gave her a stern look and waved, turning quickly to his loft. Aurelio said it was for the better, but she had a feeling Oliver was not one to let go of things.[SS16]
Mac and Amy started dating, and Amy was asking to switch shifts with Mia more and more, which she would oblige when she could. They were very cute; Mac smiled all the time and gave her little gifts. He said he wanted to ask her to prom but was nervous, so Mia and Aurelio helped him set it up. They decorated the diner quickly one night after David left. Mac got all dressed up and surprised Amy. She said yes right away, and everyone had a celebratory milkshake.
Mia appreciated all the moments they shared, the way their lives were intertwining; each day was better than the last. Aurelio was always smiling, taking her for drives in every car he could, even letting her drive Baby a couple times. She thought his driving was sexy, but when she got behind the wheel and pushed the pedal down, she thought she was going to cum from the vibrations of the engine roaring under her. Aurelio must have found it equally as hot; he couldn't keep his hands off her when they pulled over. Laying together, they would talk all night, after making love and whispering many “I love yous.”
During it all, Mia was able to finish her dissertation, the process of submission being almost as big a pain as the writing. Her classes had mostly ended, the professors choosing students of her level to focus on submission and last-minute changes they needed to make. Professor Soara had been noticeably quiet, replying to every third email Mia sent her. The college said everything was fine, but Mia had a feeling the professor was sick. Unfortunately, there was nothing she could do, so she had to let it go.
Mia sat at a table in the café on the bottom floor of her building, sipping a latte and trying to focus on the submission forms on her screen. Her fingers tapped the keys lightly, her mind blanking out. She frowned, letting herself fall back into the seat. It was still early, just after ten. Amy had already called asking if she could have Mia's shift, which she was happy to give away. Money had been coming in from the family, including a total of fifteen hundred dollars from her brothers, congratulating her on graduating. She used to call her brothers once a week and fill each other in on their lives, but she had been avoiding calling since meeting Aurelio, knowing they would pressure her for details about him. She had called Matty, [SS17]the closest to her in age, hoping he would be able to talk her ear off like he usually did, but instead, he cut the call short, telling her he was busy and would call back in a few days. After refusing to take the large sum of money back, he confirmed that they would be attending her graduation. She asked if she needed to add any extra seats for special lady friends, but he laughed and said no.
Thinking of it brought a smile to Mia's face. She wasn't sure what was happening back home, but she was glad to hear they were really going to visit. Aurelio had requested to go to graduation as well, but when Mia said she had to put his name on a form that was tied to hers, he rescinded. He told her he would find a way to be there and to not stress. She was only given four seats anyway, so she gave the last invitation to Flory. The woman was honored, her eyes tearing up a little at the sentiment.
Mia grabbed her coffee, her eyes observing the street outside the window. She watched people walk idly up the street, cars drive slowly past, and the usual bustle of activity in her neighborhood. She grabbed her phone, thinking that a quick text to Aurelio would get her creative juices flowing. Or at least, it might get some kind of juices flowing. Opening her messages, she saw her last text still sitting there, letting him know she was going to be home all day. There was no reason to go into the school, and Amy was taking her shift. Aurelio hadn't responded, giving her pause to text him again, not wanting to seem needy.
“Mia!” Tony called, pulling her out of her own head. [SS18]
Her friend had been hounding her about details after catching them coming in one night, giggly and snuggled close, as he was closing up. Aurelio had held his end of the deal, leaving a bog box of chocolates for Tony early one morning. After Aurelio had seen the guy from his “job,” he tried to come in late and sneak out early. They had spent a couple days not leaving the loft at all, lazing around naked and laughing.
“Hey, girl!” Tony walked over with two cookies in hand and a coffee. “You got time, I got time….”
Mia rolled her eyes at him. Raising an eyebrow, she closed the computer and put a handout for the cookie.
“Giirrrl,” Tony drawled, sitting across from her. “Spill it!” Mia laughed as he eagerly huddled over his cup.
Mia took a bite of the cookie, the chocolate chips still melty from the oven, and chewed slowly.
“So…how’s what’s his name?”
She glanced around the place, but only two other people were in the café now. One was an old man reading a newspaper, and the other was dressed in a suit, computer open, and typing away with earbuds in.
“Aurelio.”
“Ooohh, Aurelio!” Tony said louder than Mia would have liked.
“Tony, come on!” Neither of the other patrons seemed to have heard him or cared.
“Sorry! Details girl!”
“Well, you saw him,” she hedged, eyebrows up. “Right?”
“Girl, I did not see enough!” Tony waggled his eyebrows. “But, beyond looks, is he good to you?”
“Yeah,” she chuckled. “Really good.”
“Ahh, stop!” Her friend set his cup down and placed a hand on his mouth. “You cannot do that to me! I'm single as a Pringle, you know.” Tony had been married when he opened the bakery four years prior, but his husband flaked. Tony had done the best he could to run the shop, always being the first in and last to leave.
“Well… I love him. I really, really love him.” Mia smiled wide, and Tony gawked at her.
“I know you do. You have been looking like a little love-sick puppy for weeks.”
“Thanks,” Mia said sarcastically, sipping her coffee. “He is great though. He's tough for sure, but there is a whole other side that I feel like only I get to really see.” She looked away, her eyes unfocused. “He doesn't judge me or try to tell me I can't do something. He is overprotective at times but loves that I stand up for myself. He has never shied away from just listening to me talk about, well, anything.” She was overwhelmed. Aurelio was everything she never thought she would find.
“Well, sign me up!” Tony announced, pulling her focus back to him. “I will take two, please.”
Mia grinned; it was nice to talk about Aurelio openly with someone.
“Well, I have to get back behind the counter; there’s more baking to be done. But thanks for sharing your yummy beau!”
“Tony!” Mia chided as he ran off giggling.
She sat up straight, watching him as he disappeared into the kitchen, and thought about what she could do with her afternoon. She grabbed her computer, opting to move up to her loft where she could clean a little and maybe do laundry. As she stood, the bell to the shop jingled. The man who walked in was someone she hadn't seen before, but she didn't know all the regulars anyway. She crinkled up her napkin, threw her bag over a shoulder, and grabbed her coffee before heading to the door leading to the lofts. She felt the man come up behind her, and her fingers balled into a fist. She turned, keeping her hands down. He was taller than her, maybe by 6 inches or so. His blonde hair was cut short, a similar style to Aurelio's, and his deep green eyes bore into hers.
“Hi.” She gave him an easy smile, using her hand with the cup to point towards the front. “Lines over there. Enjoy your coffee.” She turned away as he called behind her.
“You too, Mia.”
She froze, her heart hammering in her chest, and turned, smiling awkwardly as she looked him over. To her, he looked like he just walked out of an office building, but his smile was wolfish. Her stomach clenched as he moved closer, moving around a table that separated them. Mia stepped back on reflex but stopped short. She wouldn't be cornered by this stranger just because he said her name.
“Do I know you?”
He placed his hands in his pockets, and the front of his suit jacket opened enough to show a gun holster. “Nah, but I know you.” He winked, unsettling her further.
“What does that mean?” She crossed her arms, leaning on one foot and hoping to put on a show of indifference despite her heart's erratic beat.
The man gave a sharp laugh and crossed his arms as well. “Means I know your name and that you live upstairs on the third floor, second loft to the left. You're the youngest of four, with three older brothers who all live back in the small town you're from. You're two weeks from graduating from UCLA with a doctorate in Psychology. And…” His face grew darker, almost angry. “…you're dating Aurelio Valen.”
Mia had no control over what happened next. At least, that is what she would claim. Later, when she apologized to Tony and explained the situation, she would claim she just blacked out. Truth was, she knew exactly what she was doing. She knew exactly what the man was trying to do, and she wasn't going to play his game.
Before he could react, Mia tossed her half-full coffee at his face and threw the hardest punch she could muster right at his nose. As he tried to deflect the hot liquid, her punch landed with a satisfying smack of skin on skin. The crunch under her fist let her know his nose was broken. Without a second glance, Mia took off out the door, not even stopping when the girl behind the counter yelled after her. She would apologize later, but at that moment, she had to move. She ran, her bag slapping against her side, unaware if the man was following her or not.
Turning down a couple of side streets, she headed for a little bookshop. Ducking inside, she allowed herself to look out the window and faded into a row of books among the other patrons milling around. Thankfully, she didn't see anyone running down the street. With a sigh, she walked further into the store, past the comic section and a kid rifling through a classic and under the stairs leading to the second floor, which was off-limits to patrons. After one more quick left, she found what she was looking for. The back room created the illusion of a solid wall at first glance, but if you got close enough, you could see a little alcove with a simple chair and table. No one usually came back so far, and most people were at work or school this time of day.
Pulling out her phone, Mia tried to calm her breathing, lungs still trying to pull in more oxygen. She let her heart slow as she unlocked the device and tapped Aurelio's name. The phone rang twice before his voice came through, soothing her wrecked nerves.
“Hey, beautiful. Listen, I can't really talk; I'm—”
“Aurelio, I think someone found me,” she spit out, her voice hushed.
“What?!” His tone shifted; she could tell he was already heading out the door. “Where are you?”
“I'm okay. I decked him and ran.”
“Wait. You what?”
“I punched him and ran away,” she repeated, annoyance in her voice.
“Of course you did.” Aurelio's baritone chuckle rumbled through her. “Where are you?” The beeping of Baby unlocking could be heard in the background.
“Stop. Don't do anything rash; I just needed to hear your voice.” She tried to keep a sense of calm; she didn't need him rushing to her and making matters worse.
“Listen, just tell me where you are or where we can meet so I can see you.” She realized the problem; he needed to see she was okay.
“I'm at a little bookstore a few blocks from the loft. But I can leave here and meet you at the park on third; it’s about a five-minute walk from here,” she said, realizing she still had no idea where he was. “Where are you?”
“I'm at the shop.”
Like that helped. She had asked to go to the shop several times, but he always refused because it was too dangerous. People came and went all the time, so he could not risk her being there when one connected to the boss rolled in.
“Oh, that helps,” she muttered sarcastically, making Aurelio laugh.
“Sorry, I know. I know the park you mean; I can be there soon.” He went quiet for a moment. “I love you.”
She sighed, adoring every time he said it. “I love you, too.”
The walk to the park was tense as Mia checked over her shoulder every few seconds. She tried to convince herself that she was being paranoid. But the thought that someone knew all that info about her despite having no idea who they had put her on edge. It had been years since she had felt his kind of fear. Her heart pounded as she imagined the shark here, waiting in the water to eat her alive.
She saw the park up ahead, where a small group of kids ran around as their moms sat in a yoga circle. She saw some free benches and headed to one, hoping to spot Aurelio as she approached. Mia sat down and pulled out her phone, not sure what to do with herself while waiting. The tension in her body was too much; she felt like she could feel every hair on her body standing on end and the gaze of a stranger watching her secretly. She closed her eyes, urging her heart to slow and her anxiety to calm. She was spiraling; the thoughts she tried to suppress were threatening to overwhelm her. Her eyes snapped open; she had to move and go somewhere, anywhere. She stood, feeling exposed. Aurelio wasn't coming, she was all alone again. Her eyes began to water, her head spinning, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Mia screamed and swung a fist, connecting with a face.
“Mia!” It was Aurelio.
His hands wrapped around her waist as he pulled her against him. She sobbed as she felt the steady beat of his heart in his tight, reassuring embrace.
“Mia.” His voice was like a beacon in a storm, rooting her to him. “You're okay, I'm right here.” His hand began to draw circles on her back as the other kept her close.
“Aurelio,” she breathed, her heartbeat matching his, as her lungs exhaled slowly.
“Are you okay?” he asked. The deep rumble of his chest as he spoke awoke Mia in ways she hated to admit. Aurelio had an effect on her she had never experienced before or thought was real.
She nodded against him, nuzzling closer and breathing in his scent.
“What happened?” His voice was the gentlest she had ever heard as he led them back to the bench. She settled down with Aurelio, his thigh resting against hers. “Mia, I just need to know you are all right. Tell me you are okay.”
“I'm okay.” Her voice was just above a whisper. “But I don't know what happened when you got here. I felt so out of control.” Her eyes widened, realizing she felt like she had just run a marathon.
“You had a panic attack.” Aurelio’s lips brushed her cheek.
“A panic attack? No, that's not… I've never had one before.” She knew what panic attacks were and had studied them in school. But to live through one… to feel it… she was shocked she hadn't realized that's what it was from the start.
Aurelio sighed deeply, nodding solemnly. “My mom had them when I was a kid before she split.” His light brown eyes held sorrow. “She would curl up like a baby and cry and scream in a full-scale breakdown. I wouldn't know what to do. Then one day, she started breathing heavily, like she always did before one started, and I just wrapped my arms around her legs and held her tight.” He was lost in the memory, holding Mia's gaze but not seeing her. “She calmed down and ruffled my hair. I was six, and she told me I was her hero and gave me a cookie.” He laughed quietly, and Mia just stared.
“What happened to your mom?” she asked.
The question was not unexpected, but it still caught him off guard. Aurelio tilted his head back and forth a little, his face uncertain. “Honestly, I don't know. She was flaky to start with, running off for days before crawling home. My dad had all the patience in the world with her. He loved her more than anything. Told me every day that she gave me to him, and he would be forever in her debt.”
“Your dad was a great man.”
“Yeah, he was.”
“He raised a great man, too,” Mia added, kissing Aurelio softly, letting her lips linger on his. She pulled back after a moment and smiled at him, feeling better.
“Thanks, beautiful.” Aurelio took his free hand and pushed some hair from her face. “My dad explained to me that my mom was sick. She had anxiety, depression, and a whole slew of other diagnoses from her many stints at the hospital. But I learned how to stop panic attacks, and for a while, it worked really well. I would run in and hug her tight, letting her hands play with my hair while she calmed down. But one day, it didn't.”
This was a new layer of Aurelio. He didn't talk about his mom at length, ever. Mia told him that she never wanted to meet her mother, and when Aurelio said he understood the feeling of not wanting that drama, she assumed he didn't remember his mom.
“She broke down. I was seven and had been helping her through panic attacks for a year. But that day, she shoved me down, told me to leave her alone, and not to touch her ever again. I started crying, and she started screaming. My dad came running in, and she took off. We never saw her again.” Aurelio inhaled, his chest rising slowly, and let it out, blowing out through his mouth like he was blowing the bad memories away.
“Oh, Aurelio.” Mia brought her free hand up to his face, resting it along his jaw and gently caressing his cheek.
“It’s over; none of it matters now. Except that I knew what to do when I saw you.”
“And I will be forever grateful that you did.” Mia brought her lips to his, kissing him passionately.
Aurelio leaned into her, letting her hand hold him close. The moment was ruined as a mom with a wailing toddler passed by; the toddler threw his popcorn all over them. Mia looked at the mom, who kept walking, a phone in hand, and oblivious to her child. Aurelio cracked a smile as a little laugh escaped his lips. Mia laughed, too, and Aurelio laughed even harder. They continued like that for a few seconds before they were laughing so hard they had trouble breathing. It eased the tension, breaking up the air that had grown heavy with memories.
Aurelio stood up, holding his hands out for Mia to grab. “Come with me.” His trademark grin was back. “I have somewhere we can go, and no one will know.”
Mia found the idea of a place where no one could get to them profoundly wonderful. She wanted nothing more than to escape with him, to have a moment to figure out who that man was and why he knew so much about her.
“Yes, please.”
The walk out of the park wasn't long. Aurelio led Mia along, fingers interlocked, as the sun shone above them. They went to a little alley, where Baby was parked just inside. After opening Mia's door and gently closing it behind her, he headed to the driver’s side and slid behind the wheel. Baby roared to life and shot out into the street.
Mia got lost in the adrenaline of Aurelio's driving, speeding them along the highway before exiting a few miles later and pulling into a small parking lot of a simple two-story, derelict building with boards covering some of the windows. The sign outside was dirty, falling slightly from years of obvious neglect.
Speedster Raceway.
The car pulled past the lot, following a path behind the building. When they came to a small gate with a simple lock and chain, Aurelio exited the car and unlocked it. The metal groaned as he pulled the gate open, revealing an old track. Jogging back to the car, he drove through, jumped back out, and closed up behind them.
“What is this place?” Mia asked as they drove onto the worn roadway; the paint was in desperate need of attention.
“My dad used to bring us here all the time.” Aurelio pulled onto one of the lanes and parked, letting the car idle. “The owner used to direct people to my dad's shop, offering free entry to us for discount service for his patrons. My dad was happy to do it, and we came here almost every weekend.” He smiled at Mia, his hand on her thigh.
“That's amazing.” She rested her hand on top of his as the other played with the hem of the skirt she had on.
“Yeah.” Aurelio's smile faded slightly, the corners of his mouth falling with his shoulders. “When Dad got sick, the owner tried to keep sending people our way. He was a great guy; he called when Dad was in the hospital to check-in and had me come down and race when I was seventeen. He was like a grandpa.” Aurelio had lost so many people. He had been through a lot in very few years.
“When the owner heard my dad died, he called and said to come down. Business was slow, and he was ready to leave, so he handed me the keys and left.” Aurelio grabbed the set of keys he used to open the gate. “He signed the deed over to me and everything.” His smile came back for a moment, but it quickly disappeared as he continued. “Since I started working for Boss, I couldn't have it open. I shut the doors, never told anyone it was mine, and to this day, it sits like this, forgotten.”
“Maybe not forever?” Mia inquired, her mind conjuring images of cars racing around the track, bleachers full of fans, and Aurelio winning every race. She could see them here, together, with a family; Aurelio would be the best dad, taking his kids around the track. She smiled and stopped herself. Was she picturing a life with him?
“Maybe,” Aurelio agreed, unaware of the thoughts Mia was stumbling through. “But not with Boss out there. He would use it against me like he is with you and with everything I have ever loved.” His free hand gripped the wheel, knuckles white.
“I know.” She leaned close, her free hand grazing his on the wheel, her touch calming him.
“We need to talk about what happened.” Aurelio’s eyes met hers with a ferocity that gave her goosebumps.
“Yeah.” Mia took in a deep breath and explained what happened, the man, his unnerving amount of knowledge about her, and the punch. Mia gave a shudder as the memory of his cruel smile, like a predator spotting prey, crossed her mind.
“What did he look like?” Aurelio inquired, his eyes taking on an intensity she had never seen.
Mia explained the details she remembered, guessing his height and age, but every word she said seemed to confirm to Aurelio who the mystery man was.
“Dominick.” The hand on her thigh tightened as if she would float away if he let go.
“So, you know him.”
“Yes.” The Aurelio she had seen the night Detective Daniels visited the diner was back; he was stern and hard.
Mia felt a flutter of fear in her stomach; her boyfriend was never like this around her. “What did he want?”
“To scare you, to taunt me.”
“Why?” Mia lifted his chin to look at her, and his eyes softened. “Please, let me in.”
Giving her a little nod, Aurelio exhaled slowly, gathering his thoughts. “Dominick is one of the lieutenants, like me. You could say we are equal, but he loves working for the boss.” Aurelio’s contempt for the man was clear from the tone of disdain as he spoke. “He is a sneaky little weasel, running to Boss with anything and everything he can, convinced someday he's going to take over.”
“You think he found me to tell the boss?” Mia asked, fear rising in her chest. “I won't be used against you by him or anyone.” A sense of protectiveness for her love overcame the fear for herself.
“I know you won’t.” Aurelio smiled, but his eyes betrayed his fear. “But it may be too late.” He shook his head, reaching into his pants and pulling her cell phone out. He dialed quickly, and Mia watched on in confusion.
“Mac,” Aurelio said into the phone. “Exit seven. Fifteen minutes.” He clicked the phone off and turned back to Mia. “Mac is going to take you to a safe house we use; only a few of the crew know about it, only the ones I really trust. He is going to stay with you till I figure this out.”
“Wait.” Mia shook her head, pulling her hand away from him. “No.”
“Mia,” Aurelio began, reaching for her. “I need you—”
“No!” She refused to hold his hand, crossing her arms.
His hand fell to her thigh. “Mia,” he repeated, his voice gaining an edge. The man was not told “no” very often. “Go with Mac and stay safe.”
“And leave you behind? No.”
“I will be fine, but only if I know you are okay.” Aurelio turned away from her, shifting the car into drive and shooting off around the track.
Mia, refusing to be ignored, scoffed and looked around for something to get him to stop. The car was picking up speed quickly; Aurelio was wasting no time to get her out of there. When they pulled up to the gate, and he went to open it, Mia jumped out and took off back towards the track.
“Mia!” Aurelio yelled, running after her; his legs were longer, and in moments, he caught her by the waist.
“No!” she shrieked, slapping his hands away.
“Stop!” he yelled. The domination in his voice startled her. “Stop this!” His voice was still in control, but quieter. “Please.”
Aurelio placed a kiss on her temple, squeezing her lightly. Mia felt like fighting, wanting to punch, kick, and claw. But she didn't want to hurt Aurelio; he wasn't her target. Her target was everything else around them, everything trying to pull them apart. Tears fell uncontrollably from her eyes. She cried for the man she loved, trapped in a world he hated. She cried for her father, not being able to say goodbye, and being pulled apart from her brothers and home. She cried for herself and the life she thought she was building, which was a distant thought because of the turmoil she found herself in.
Aurelio held her, letting her sob in his arms; he just gently kissed her temple, and whispered his love in her ear. After a few minutes, his forehead pressed against her neck; his words were still soothing, and his chest expanded against her back.
“I'm sorry,” Mia murmured softly, breathing it out into the world.
Aurelio lifted his head, letting it shift to her shoulder, kissing the skin lightly. “Don't be. Anytime I get to hold you is alright by me.” He breathed in deep; the sunshine smell of her skin reminded him of driving with windows down as he sped down the road on a warm summer day.
Mia smiled at his words. [SS19][SS20]“I don't want to be locked up like a princess in a tower. I'm not helpless. I can protect myself.” She turned, letting his hands glide across her body as she pressed her chest to his. “I punched him, remember?” Her knuckles were still sore from landing that blow.
Aurelio laughed, and one of his hands slapped his forehead, partially covering his eyes. “I do. And honestly, I can’t wait to see his face and know my girl did that.” He smirked. “But I need to know you’re safe. I need to know so I can focus on what I need to do.”
“I understand, but we have to compromise. I still have work at the diner and college to finish.”
“I know, beautiful. I would never keep you from your dreams.”
“Then what do we do?” she asked, rubbing his chest.
“First, we’ll get you safe. Then, I’ll meet with Dominick; I'm sure he is waiting for my call. After that, it all depends on how that conversation plays out.”
“I can’t stay there forever.”
“I know.” Aurelio nodded, placing his hands on her waist. “But can you give me twenty-four hours?”
“Aurelio, I…” Mia thought about it for a moment. “I guess. I have to call Flory and Amy and see if they can take the shift tomorrow.”
“You know damn well Amy will take it.”
“Only if Mac's working, and it sounds like he won't be.”
“Yeah, that's true.” They chuckled; both had seen the puppy love between the two kids over the last few weeks.
“Flory might,” Mia suggested.
“Beautiful, can we get back in the car now?”
Mia rolled her eyes and nodded, letting him grab her hand and lead her to the passenger seat. He helped her in, reaching over and buckling her seat belt, pulling it tight.
“Overkill.”
“Making sure you don't run again, beautiful.” Aurelio grinned and winked, stepping back and shutting the door. He moved quickly, getting behind the wheel and driving through the gate. He turned to her with a serious face. “Stay.” He quickly got out to lock the gate back up.
Mia gave him a quick, withering look when he returned and took off down the road. She couldn't remain calm on the drive; her mind raced with thoughts of the future, how everything had spiraled so quickly, and how they could possibly get out of the situation.