Cindy nodded.“Of course.We can go check out the area.”Cindy gave a gentle tug on his leash.“Let’s go, boy.”
Walker happily trotted beside Cindy, taking in the campsite scenes.Several small dogs gave a bark as he passed, but he effectively ignored them.He could smell the other dogs, but they were blurry moving objects.
A fat squirrel jumped out in front of him.He was so close Walker could see his beady little eyes.
He stopped at a tree and sniffed before doing his business.
As they headed back to the van, he quickened his pace.He knew that Maggie had bought some treats just for him.He couldn’t wait to get back to the van and try them out.
Chapter24
Maggie and Walker headed toward the small area of the campground where there were benches and a playground.A few kids were laughing while their parents pushed them on the swings.The sounds of crickets and smell of pine needles settled over her like a warm blanket.
She sat on the bench and Walker plopped at her feet.She pulled her journal out of her backpack and fished out a pen.
It was the first time on the trip that she’d pulled it out.She had been so occupied, between Mason and Lauren and Cindy, that this was the first time she had thought about it.
Maggie ran her finger down the leather cover with embossed flowers.The colors had long faded but their outline was still there.
She opened the book and began to read.They were all short stories created by her wild imagination when she was younger.For much of her life she seemed to live inside her head where she could be anything.Reading used to be one of her favorite things.But when she started spending all her free time writing stories, instead of practicing dance lessons or piano, her parents had quickly made their disapproval known.
She glanced up from reading.
As the years went by, she found herself trying to please them to find their approval and love.In doing so, it had left zero time for doing what she wanted.
Slowly, she’d lost herself.
When she’d gotten into Ole Miss, her parents had been thrilled.Even her father had told her how proud he was of her.John Sullivan was stingy with compliments and even more so with his love.
Picking up her pen, she found a clean page and began to write.She began to journal her road trip with Walker.She recanted her feelings of feeling free and how being out in nature seemed to relax her.
She was lost in her words until her phone buzzed with a text.She closed her journal and picked up her phone.
Hey, I need to talk to you.I went by your house and your mom said you weren’t there.Call me.~ Lauren
Her stomach tightened as she put her phone back in her jeans pocket.Her heart seemed to twist in her chest like a pretzel.
Maggie wanted to confront Lauren and never speak to her again.
No matter how hard she tried, Maggie could not wrap her head around why Lauren had betrayed her.
Her phone rang and she pulled it out again.She hit the answer button without glancing at the screen.
“Lauren, I don’t want to talk to you right now.”Maggie’s voice trembled.
“Maggie, it’s Mom.Where are you?Today is your last chance to go shopping before starting work tomorrow.”
Maggie blinked.She said the first thing that came to her mind.
“I don’t need to go shopping, Mom.”
There was a beat of silence on the other end of the phone before her mother spoke.
“Oh.Well, you should have told me that Lauren had already taken you.I know she’s your best friend, but she doesn’t always dress professional.I hope you didn’t take her advice on which clothes to buy.”
Maggie snorted.“Lauren is the last person I would take advice from.Look, I have to go.”
Before her mom could argue, Maggie ended the call.
