Somewhere Only We Know

Prologue

Dear Mom,

  It’s been two months, three weeks and a day since I left home. I’ve been counting the days. I know you’ve been worried and you’ve been waiting patiently to hear from me. I’m okay. So, please stop with the amber alerts, the generous rewards that I know you won’t be able to pay — just please stop looking for me. I’m writing to you because I don’t want you to worry, but I’m not coming home. The truth is I’m not ready to come home yet.

  I hope you’re doing okay. I hope you stopped drinking and I hope that Rodney has been good to you, if not; you’re welcome to run away and join me on my little adventure. Don’t worry. The road isn’t as scary as it may seem, even at night. It’s far from New York but I guess it’s because I’m not alone, I made new friends along the way and I have some pretty interesting stories to share when I get back – that is if I ever decide to come back. But I know I will one day.

  You wouldn’t believe the places I’ve visited and the sights I’ve seen. The world is a beautiful place — I mean I always knew it was but I never truly understood and appreciated its beauty till I got to experience it for myself. Well, not entirely by myself…

  About the new friends I’ve made when I said I wasn’t alone. Well, one of my new friends has been with me from the start. His name is Jeremy but he likes to be called Darren. Why? I don’t know why, he claims that’s what the road tells him who he is or who he should be at least. He’s been really kind and he’s the reason why my life has been amazing these couple of months. He reminds me of Dad. I really think you’ll like him. He also saved me. If it wasn’t for him, I probably wouldn’t be writing to you.

 I’m sorry it took two months for me to write to you. I’ll write soon, I promise.

                                                                                                                           Love always your daughter,
                                                                                                                                            Rachel

   P.S. Maybe one day we can go on a journey together, if not this one and then when things get rough, we can always run away and head for the place that somewhere only we know.