Making his way further south, Cory makes it outside of Lexington, Kentucky, before he stops for fuel. After the Celica is topped off and Cory heads inside for an ice-cold fountain soda, Cory feels his phone vibrating in his pocket.

"Hey, Tara, what's up?"

"Nothing much. I wanted to call and talk. I had a bad dream last night, and when I reached for you and you weren't there, I freaked out. Where are you heading today?" Tara begins.

Cory opens the driver's side and rolls down the window to allow air to pass through to not get stuffy in his car, "It's okay, it was only a dream. I talked to that guy that saved my unit, Jordan, some more, and I might meet up with him. How's everything else? I miss you and CJ more than you know but thank you for convincing me to do this. I feel a sense of freedom if that makes any sense."

"It makes perfect sense. Which way did you take? When we moved to RiverCreek, we came through Indianapolis. We stopped at this place called Quaker State and Lube for wings and stuff, and it was so good!"

The excitement in Tara's voice gives Cory an idea, but he doesn't say anything about what he's thinking, "I'll look them up, but I do know that place I had wings at last night was some of the best I've ever had in my life. I might look up that place you're talking about to get some on the way home. Anyway, tell me more about Arkansas."

Shocked at the sudden interest, Tara gives Cory an odd glare that would show how unsure she is about sharing that part of her past if he could see. It takes her a minute to collect a couple of good memories, but she begins by reminding Cory about the not-so-happy moments of her past.

"Well, I'm sure you remember that my ex-boyfriend, Bobby, the guy I was with before you, was an asshole. He wanted me to be controlled and have as many brats as possible to keep me locked down to his life at any cost. Mom and dad had a nice place, but Bobby had this rundown 70s model trailer, and it smelled horrible. I can remember feeling the drafts from the rotted seals around the windows, and his fridge was filled with nothing but cheap beer and TV dinners. Anyway, moving away from that sorry son of a bitch. My best friend in the world, Janet Elkins, we were tighter than most sisters," Tara pauses to take a breath.

"At least you had someone good in your life. So what happened between you two?" Cory says and asks.

"I was getting to that!" Tara says in a playful tone, "Do you remember the night when we first had sex? That was because of how I felt betrayed by Janet. She got wind about how my dad got Bobby locked up, and she called me, calling me uppity and snotty and such. She ripped my heart out, which means I filled how I felt with sex; sorry about that."

Although Tara can't see it, Cory shrugs his shoulders without saying anything.

"No response?" Tara asks.

"I hunched my shoulders if that counts," Cory informs her.

"Oh ha-ha, very funny. I mean, things may have worked themselves out in time, but we lost touch after that night. I have no clue what she's doing these days. Maybe I'll look her up o Facebook or something."

By pure instinct, Cory almost lets his secret plan be known, but he catches himself, "Hey yeah, that would be a good idea. Don't rush it, though. I mean, after all these years, she may be forgiving, but she may also still have unresolved feelings."

"Oh my Gosh, you're right! Janet was known for holding a grudge. Now I feel worse about waiting for so long. What can I do?"

"Tara, sweetie, give it time. You know, take your time and look her up and see how her life is going before you burst back into Janet's life. A lot has changed in your life too. Janet may not have the same success you've had so far. But you've outdone so many from RiverCreek High School, so I could imagine how much more you probably succeeded others back in Little Rock. You've done better than me, but Lloyd has gone further than all of us."

The clerk inside the gas station sees Cory still sitting at the pump and becomes concerned. She takes the phone from under the checkout counter to contact the local PD, "Yes, this is Whitney Daniels at the Speedway on Main Street by the Wildcat Mall. I have an out-of-state blue Toyota with Minnesota tags loitering. I need someone to come to tell him to leave."

"Yes, Miss Daniels, I have an officer in the vicinity. I'll send him over," The dispatcher responds and ends the call.

Still chatting on the phone, Cory doesn't pay attention to the police cruiser that's pulling onto the parking lot behind him. Then, finally, the lights come on, and Cory nearly jumps out of his car, "Oh hey, Tara, let me call you back."

Concerned, Tara hears the call comes to an end and sits at her desk, staring at her phone.

Back at the gas station, a tall, well-built police officer exits the black and white cruiser and walks up to the driver's side window, "Howdy there, fella, the station attendant called in, saying you're out here loitering. Now, I'm not sure about how things work in Minnesota, but we don't allow things like this down here. Care to share why you're sitting around scaring people?"

Cory maintains eye contact with the officer with his hands on the wheel, "I'm sorry, sir. I was on the phone with my girl. I don't have a way to connect my phone to my car for hands-free talking, so I sat here and talked before getting back on the road. My mother is a retired Sheriff, so she made sure to beat cell phone safety in my head. I'm leaving, and again, I am so sorry if any inconvenience I caused."

"I can understand that, and judging by how you reacted before I came to the window, you're telling me the truth. So I'll let it slide this time, but I will issue a citation for loitering if you're caught again. Now, you have a good day, and God bless your momma, being a fellow law enforcement official," The officer state, then walks into the gas station to talk to the attendant.

Hey, sorry for jumping off the phone so fast. I guess I sat around talking too long, and the girl inside called the cops on me. I'm heading out, so I will call when I stop again. Love you – Hard Core

Oh okay! You had me worried, and love you too – Tara Rose

The Celica comes to life, and Cory doesn't waste time pulling away to drive closer to Tennessee. By the time he arrives outside of Berea, Kentucky, Cory feels hungry. Pulling off the interstate, he stops at a Denny's attached to a Flying J gas station for a roasted turkey sandwich and sweet tea. Before finishing the lite lunch, Cory uses his time to do a little research on his phone.

"Let's see, Janet Elkins from Little Rock, Arkansas," Cory says while combing through the different profiles, "Wow, talk about a popular name from Little Rock."

Unsure of which Janet would be Tara's former friend, Cory switches gears by hoping to Tara's profile; searching under the Little Rock album, he comes across a picture with several comments between Lloyd and Tara about who's in the photo. When Cory sees the name Janet, he memorizes Janet's dark green eyes with long black hair, tan skin, and skinny stature. Once Cory searches for the right profile, Cory comes across one with Janet Elkins living in North Little Rock. Clicking on the photo, Cory digs a bit more and comes across the same photo he saw on Tara's profile.

"Ah-ha, I found you!" He says to himself.

Checking posts and photos, Cory digs and finds where Janet works. Then, after typing up notes on his phone, Cory prepares to leave, but he stops when his phone begins to ring, "Hello."

"Hey, it's Jordan. I can meet you in Chattanooga. Things have opened up, and I have some free time. So, it's definitely a go. I need to get away for a hot minute. There's a story about a girl, but it can wait until then. Anyway, let me know when you're about two hours out, and I will meet you there."

"Awesome! Yeah, I'm not far from Tennessee. I'll text you when I stop for gas. I can't wait, but it'll be different since we're not in the Army anymore."

They share a laugh, and the call comes to an end. Cory pays for his meal and then hits the road. Along the way, the sights of the South begin to grow on Cory. The sights and smells amaze Cory, and when he drives through the valley, the musky scent brings a sense of peace. Now he understands some of the things Tara would tell him about the South.

It isn't until he arrives in Knoxville later that day that Cory stops for gas. When he stops at an Exxon, Cory texts Tara that he's stopped and he's doing okay, she replies with a picture of herself and CJ with the caption, "We wanted to say hi and miss you," Cory reads aloud, leaning against the rear fender waiting for the fuel to finish pumping.

Cory snaps a photo and sends it through Facebook messenger with a voice message, "Hey, I miss you both very much. First, I'm meeting Jordan in Chattanooga, and then after that, I have no clue what I'm doing, but I am coming home soon."

Tara types a message, and Cory waits impatiently to read it, "I can't wait for you to get home. It'll be great to have you next to me at night. I've been thinking about it, and after we finish therapy, I want us to talk about moving to the next phase of our relationship. I want us to be engaged again. Being apart has made me realize again how much I want you in my life," Cory reads and feels his heart flutter with joy.

Topped off and replacing the handle to the pump, Cory heads inside for a twenty-ounce Pepsi Blue. But, before he inserts the key and shifts into gear, Cory pulls up Jordan's number and waits for him to pick it up to place it on speaker.

"Hey, it's Cory. I'm in Knoxville; my GPS says I should be in Chattanooga in about two hours or so. Is there anywhere you would want to meet?"

"Do you like pizza?" Jordan asks.

"Hell to the yes, I do!"

"Good! Meet me at a place called Olde Chicago Pizza. There's only one location, so it should be easy to find. I'll head that way now and look for an older F-150 with Georgia plates."

"Older F-150 with Georgia plates, you got it. I'll see you then," Cory says and ends the call and plugs in the restaurant, then pulls out onto the road.

Stuck in the evening rush hour traffic, Cory makes his way to Olde Chicago and pulls into the parking lot; at the same time, he sees an older red Ford pickup with Georgia plates finding a spot to park near the doors.

"That must be him," Cory says and begins to roll up the windows after he parks, then turns the Celica off.

Getting out to stretch, Cory and Jordan lock eyes and nod. They meet at the bottom steps and exchange a handshake, "It's good to see you on your feet, Sergeant Dubois," Jordan greets with a firm grip.

"I can't ever thank you enough for doing what you did for my friends and me. I'm sorry it ruined your military career. Hopefully, things are going well for you with the paramedic classes."

"Things are great! My best friend is my roommate, and he's dating this terrific girl; I was sleeping with her best friend, and she thought that we were getting serious. Uh, sorry to disappoint her, but I don't do serious relationships. That's why I had to escape Atlanta. Ever been there?"

Cory shakes his head no as they walk up the steps and into the restaurant. Once they're greeted and seated, Jordan waits to listen to Cory's life.

"So, this is the furthest I've traveled on my own. I'm not familiar with this part of the country, but I must say it is beautiful. My girlfriend back home and our son have been a huge help in getting me back on my feet. I participate in group therapy with others from Iraq and Afghanistan. Now, Tara, my girl, wants us to discuss getting married."

"Whoa, getting serious, you have my respect for being that disciplined at our age. My brother, Josh, who's still in the Army, is also married to his high school sweetheart. So, it's like you two are, in a way, similar, but your story is calmer than his. Because my brother has been through hell, but you've seemingly had a good life for the most part. I may be wrong, but I see you, and I see someone hungry for life but lost in how to go about getting where you want. You're probably brilliant and driven, but at the same time, you're lost in the shuffle because of where you nearly died."

The statement brings Cory to sit up straight as the server approaches and interrupts, "Good evening, gentlemen, I'm Angela; what can I get you to drink?" The African American young lady with pale blue eyes asks.

"We'll take a couple of draft Budweiser's, please. Also, could we start with an order of mozzarella sticks?" Jordan speaks up without looking at the menu.

"Absolutely, sir; I'll get that in for you while you look over the menu. If I may make a suggestion, the extra-large deep dish meat lovers with a buttery garlic crust is a favorite."

Cory doesn't waste time finding it on the menu and gives his opinion, "Take out the hamburger, and it sounds perfect with a side of garlic knots."

"Excellent! I will get that in if it's okay with your partner."

Jordan's eyes widen as he speaks up, "Oh! We're not partners like that; we served in the Army together. We're only two friends meeting up for the first time since seeing each other in Iraq."

Angela smiles and dips her head, "My apologies, but thank you both for serving our country. The Motz sticks are on the house, and I will add the military discount to your tab. Is there anything else that I can get for you, Mr. Dubois, or Mr. Mitchell?"

Cory and Jordan don't pick up on the server saying their last names without ever mentioning them to her. She walks away, allowing Jordan to stare at her ass until the server rounds the corner.

"Now that is an attractive woman I could hook up with tonight. The way she walks and wiggles, I could tear that up in a few minutes and leave her falling in love while I fall asleep," Jordan kids around as Cory chuckles.

"Yeah, now I can see why you needed to get away from Atlanta. I can't say the same. I've only been with two women. Tara, who was my first, she's the mother to my child, and a drunken night in the barracks with Sabrina. She was the one who was killed, saving me. We had these plans to leave the Army around the same time and make things official between us," Cory mentions with his eyes staring at the table.

Jordan sits there as parts of that siege replay in his mind, "You still have more restraint than I do when it comes to women. From what my mother's told me, I'm like my father in that way. He loved my mother, but when he would start drinking, he became a lady's man."

"I mean, things always change, but it's cool to meet someone who's the opposite of me. My best friends, Lloyd and Rick, are laid-back kind of guys. Rick spent time in prison for killing someone. After Frankie ran over our friend Kayla in a race, we went to school and kept going without stopping to check on her. And, well, Lloyd is a sweet guy. He's about to get married to his partner at a wedding in Canada, and honestly, I couldn't be happier for him being the only openly gay person in our hometown. Anyway, I've been in a few scraps here and there over Lloyd and my girl. Luckily, my mother is a retired Sheriff and has kept my ass out of trouble," Cory goes on, giving Jordan the details about the two altercations he was involved with over Tara and Lloyd.

By the time Cory finishes, they pause when Angela drops off two plates along with the mozzarella sticks and a small bowl of steaming marinara sauce.

"Yo, you're a scrapper, heh? That's bad-ass, man, like for real, I mean, I thought being in the hospital unit you was kind of soft, but you have the heart of a warrior. I can respect that!"

The conversation stops as Cory and Jordan enjoy their appetizer. However, it isn't long until the pizza and garlic knots arrive, and they get another mug of Budweiser, "Gentlemen, if there's anything else I can do for you, please let me know. Other than that, enjoy your food!"

Jordan pulls the slice of pizza, and it is loaded with so many toppings some fall onto slices around the rising slice. Cory takes two pieces of the garlic knots and pours a bit of marinara sauce onto his plate before he reaches for his first slice of deep-dish pizza.

"If this tastes half as good as it smells, I may convince Tara to move back down this way. I've enjoyed some of the best-tasting food in the last few days," Cory says, then smacks his lips in anticipation.

"That's Southern comfort for you. I don't think I could ever leave this part of the country. It stays warm most of the year, adding in the world's hottest women and the best damn music with Southern Rock and Country with the truck culture down here, and it's heaven on Earth."

Cory shakes his head up and down since he's in between bites of the pizza he's enjoying more than he should, "The food is certainly something to brag about, but I've always been a car person. But, as far as the women go, yes, Southern women are beautiful. Tara grew up in Little Rock."

Sarcastically, Jordan tries to give Cory a hard time, "Oh hell nah, son! That's Razorback territory, I'm from Georgia, and that's Bulldog domain. Those damn pigs need rounded up and slaughtered and turned into tasty, crispy bacon."

Able to hear the comedy in Jordan's voice, Cory shares a laugh with him as they continue to sit, chat, and eat until there's nothing left, with two more Budweiser's being chugged at the same time.

"You know what, for a Yankee, you're alright, Cory," Jordan says as he relaxes in the bench seat with his hands over his gut.

"For a simple Southern, you're good people too," Cory retorts as they continue to laugh at each other's cultural insults.

After another round of draft beers, Angela returns to the table, "Fellas, here's the bill, and there's no rush to pay. If there is nothing else I can get for you, have a good evening, and thank you for dining with us today."

Cory goes to drop money for the tab, but Jordan beats him to it, "Angela, darling, here's my card, and add fifteen perfect for your tip. I told you, Cory, this time it's on me. It's my way of saying welcome home, and I'm happy you're home with your lady and son. Also, Angela, if you're not busy after you clock out, I'd love to show you my hotel room. Maybe we could enjoy the hot tub too," Jordan winks as Angela smiles.

"Sorry handsome, but you're not my type," She replies with a wink and walks away.

"Oh snap! You got shot down!" Cory says with a hand over his mouth, trying not to laugh too hard.

All Jordan can do is sit there with his mouth dropped open. He's not used to being rejected by women, but he's quick to jump to a different subject, "So, anyway, Cory, what's your plans after tonight?"

"I'm going to surprise Tara with something I hope I can pull off. She told me about her old best friend from Little Rock, and I'm heading there tomorrow to convince her to follow me home for a visit with Tara. It's a long shot, but for my girl, I'd do anything to make her smile."

"Dude! That's a helluva gesture, and I hope you can pull it off. As for me, I'll chill tonight and head back to Johns Creek tomorrow to kick it with my mom and stepdad. Things were crazy, but it's so good to see you on your feet. Of course, you're always welcome to hit up Atlanta, and I'll show y'all around. Since you're a car guy, there's a big event called the Dirty South Racing Days every summer. I think you'd enjoy that. Anyway, once ol' girl brings my card back, I'm gonna bounce to the Howard Johnson."

Cory extends his hand for a fist bump, then gets to his feet, "It was fun meeting up, and stay safe on your way home. I'll check in with my family and try to get some sleep. Good luck trying to hook up with Angela. I got the hint."

With a double thumbs-up, Jordan sits and waits as Cory walks to his car and uses his phone to see the cheapest motel around. He finds a Microtel Inn, drives three blocks, and checks into a room on the second floor. After Cory throws his bag on the bed, he takes out his phone to text Tara.

Hey sweetie, I checked into a room for the night. I stopped in Chattanooga and met up with Jordan like planned. It was fun but I am beat and I will text you when I get up in the morning – Hard Core

It takes Tara a few minutes to reply, but she keeps her message short.

That's great! I hope you sleep well and I will talk to you tomorrow. Sweet dreams and I love you, Cory – Tara Rose

I love you too. Good night – Hard Core

Shortly after putting the phone on charge, Cory gets a change of clothes and relaxes under the steaming hot water in the shower. Once he's dried off and dressed, Cory gets one of his room keys and walks down the hallway to the vending machine for a caffeine-free soda.

Settled in bed, Cory lies there sipping on his drink and eventually turns out the light and flips onto his side, relaxing until his eyelids shut and he begins to snore lightly.