Whiskey River, Drown my Soul

Chapter Thirty

Ip stood in front of the house watching Rev's truck driving away until he couldn't see it any longer, and kept staring after it anyway. He continued hoping it would turn back around and Paige would say she was staying with him.

As soon as the truck was out of sight, Carmella had patted his arm and then quietly walked back inside.

Ip was pissed about how Rev had shoved her bag in on her and was a little worried about him being rough or mean to her.

He stood there feeling his anger and worries until it turned to sadness.

She said she wasn't going to ghost him, and he did believe her, but he couldn't know if she was going to stay with Rev or not. She didn't even know that.

Ip couldn't believe she said she loved him, that she was in love with him, and that their kiss was the best she'd had in her entire life.

His soul was filled to the brim with happiness and hope but at the same time his heart was aching for her and his mind was swirling with the unknown.

Several tears dripped down his face.

He had been standing there long enough to start to feel hungry when he felt a strong hand on his shoulder.

"Come on, son", Jose said calmly. "You gotta leave it in God's hands now".

"She loves me", Ip said, voice breaking. "I wasn't waiting for nothing. She does, but she doesn't know what to do".

Jose squeezed his shoulder. "Then we pray for guidance for her. Our friend is going to be hurt in this, too".

"Yeah, he already is", Ip sighed.

"Come on, son", Jose repeated gently. "She's not coming back today".

Ip turned and followed his friend inside.

...........................................................................

Rev was a complete dick to me the entire way back up north. I could hardly blame him but it was exhausting to deal with. He only let me drive about four hours total, in two hour chunks while he slept. His exhaustion only added to his anger, and about the time we started encountering snowy roads in the dark, I was incredibly nervous about him falling asleep while driving.

"Let me drive for awhile", I said. "I'm worried you're too tired".

"Your bullshit judgement can't be trusted!", he snapped, so I let it go.

When we were about an hour from my house, I asked if we could stop there and sleep.

"It's better than a hotel and then we can drive the rest of the way after we sleep".

"So I can sleep in a child's bloody fucking bunk bed?!?", he roared at me.

"You can sleep wherever you want. I'm sleeping in a bunk bed, though".

"You're fucking right I'll sleep wherever I want. Apparently you do".

I bit my tongue until we were about twenty miles from the exit to get to my house.

"Rev, can we please stop at my house? Please. I'm tired. You're tired. I need warmer clothes. Please".

"Fine".

"Thank you". I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

I did sleep in the bunk bed as planned but Rev slept in the spare bedroom with an afghan from the living room because we had burned all the bedding. I texted Ip once I was in bed- We made it to my house.