The Sea Calls

“Thanks for the offer, but I’m doing a semester at sea.”

“Oceanography?”

“Yes. Good luck in Vegas.”

“And you, stay safe out there.”

You are a bit sorry you won’t get a chance to get to know Aaron better. You shrug and head to your room.

You finish packing and head to your car, well your mom’s car. You sigh. You miss your parents.

You pull away from school, eager to see the world. The open road is relaxing and Vegas is only thirteen hours away.

As you head down the empty highway, your thoughts drift back to your parents. Despite your mom’s work with Doctors Without Borders, she always found time for you. And, despite your dad’s aggressive demeanor in the courtroom fighting against polluters, he was always a softy at home.

You miss them terribly. There’s an emptiness inside you and an anger that you got left behind.

You come to crossroads. You can head toward Vegas and be there in a few hours or you can head south and maybe catch some beach time.