ELLA

I was at my wits’ end when we arrived at the next stop. As we alighted from the vehicle, I wished there was a way to move quickly from the station to the motel.

Above all, I hoped he would tell me this was our final stop — but that wasn’t happening anytime soon.

We had to get a ticket for the next trip, book a room at the hotel, and find something to eat before doing anything else.

At one point, I had considered walking around the towns we stopped in for sightseeing, but what difference would that make?

It would only postpone the inevitable feeling that these...