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She uses her sister now for a pillow, resting her head on Minnie's pink-polka-dot stomach After she closes her eyes, she feels Mom drape her jacket across Samantha's body Mom brushes hair fro her like when she was a little kid

"The kid's had a tough day," Dad says

When she opens her eyes again, the sky has turned to twilight shades of orange, pink, and blue outside A few more hours and they will be home, but home will never be the same to her anymore She left as a child and will return a wory back there, kiddo?" Dad asks

"I'ain

Dad looks over at Mos"

"We better turn off here There's not another exit for thirtyat the anized She's probably already uidebook to knohere and what they should eat

Dad pulls off at the next exit consisting only of a truck stop Rows of tractor-trailers sit in the rear of the parking lot Mo a stained shirt "Time for some local color," Dad says He parks with the handful of other cars near the front of the truck stop

Saets out of the car, the oversized sleeves et far before Mo lady I don't want you wandering off and getting lost out here You'll get eaten by a coyote"

"Mom, I will not You worry too ?"

"It's nothing I'irl's roo Saift shop and its rows of T-shirts, bulasses The rest of their trip Dad had stopped at such places to examine the merchandise and buy soh to the restaurant without looking at anything

The waitress leads them to a vinyl booth patched with duct tape and hands them menus stained with half the iteo home?" Dad asks

"Not really," Saood tiood" They study theirwith a difficult choice Saotten into her parents She thinks back to the scene in theThat must be it