Page 3 of Rise
Honest money.
It's only temporary but I need it more than the driver does.
Each one will put a little more distance between me and the people after me.
Some will pay for a bus ticket out of town.
And I have to eat.
And I'll need to find a place to stayin whatever Podunk town the first bus out of here is going.
I'll pay it back.
Every cent of it.
Plus interest.
But right now, I need this.
Making a silent promise to write this wrong in the near future, I write a short note on the first empty page of the scratch pad that Vernon keeps on his dashboard to jot down addresses or short details on each customer callhe receives.
It reads:
Dear Mr. Vernon,
I borrowed the money you're missing, but I swear to you that I’ll pay it all back very soon.
Sincerely,
NR
I feelstupid leaving such a thing behind. I mean, it doesn't say very much at all. And I'm sure I'm leaving some DNA evidence behind,which is kind of careless.
But there’s one thing I've learned since Father handed me the box of Mom's letters.
Words matter.
Messages carry intention.
Communication is better than the emptiness of silence.
In cases like this one, anyway. It's not like I'd leave a note for the men who took me.
Taking one last look toward Vernon, I exit the tow truckthrough the passenger side, quietly push the door closed, and calmly take the long way around to the restroom at the back of the station. By this time next week, I’ll be far away from here.
I’ll be somewhere new. Reborn. Starting from nothing.
New town.
New name.
New look.
A new chance at a life as someone other than Natalia Romano.
