Buster was ecstatic when Kyle came over a few hours later. Bounding all around the rooms with his tail smashing into tables and walls.

"I guess he missed me" Kyle said as he tried to hold Buster in place and scratch his happy spot behind his ears.

"He isn't the only one." I shot back kneeling next to him. My hands instinctively finding their way into his soft fluffy curls.

He leaned closer and gave me a tender kiss on the lips sending tingles down my core.

"What do you want to do tonight? There's a new movie playing. It's a comic book story but since you probably don't read those let's just say it's bad guys and good guys with superpowers."

I stuck out my tongue and scrunched up my face. I was having enough bad guy good guy drama in real life. I didn't need to spend my time watching made up ones.

"Let's just order in, and enjoy being with each other."

He waggled his eyebrows and I slapped him on the shoulder.

"Get your mind out of the gutter! That isn't what I meant!" My voice came out high pitches and very girlie. He laughed and the dimples in his left cheek deepen making me blush.

I felt everything bubbling below the surface. So many unfinished moments. So many things I wanted to say. Fighting the urge to blab, I said the one thing I knew would take over the moment.

"Let's take Buster for a walk."

Buster shot out of Kyle's grip and went for his leash barreling back to us forcefully nudging the leash into Kyle's hands.

"Well, there's no getting out of it now. A walk it is!"

Snapping the leash on Buster in seconds he just as quickly grabbed my hand and together we walked down the block. I kept my pace slow, lingering to stare at houses where people spent their whole lives without looking over their shoulders. I couldn't help but wonder if I'd ever have that.

Buster stopped to check out a hydrant and send a message that h'd been there, and Kyle turned my way.

"Spill it."

My mind raced for anything to say that could be benign but my eyes filled with tears. My hands curled into balls and I held them plastered to my the sides to prevent swiping a tear, hoping he wouldn't notice.

"Cassie. Are you sick? What's happening?"

Am I sick? Of course he'd go to that. The pain in his face spoke volumes. He was terrified to lose me. And yet I was choosing to run and take myself away. This is the face I would be leaving behind. Afraid and crumpled, probably angry that I made the choices despite his feelings.

"I went to the bank today. I found some things...and afterwards I went to the coffee shop just to say out a while and digest it all. I saw your dad go to the bank. And then he came to my house."

Kyle's face turned paper white and the pained expression was replaced by one I couldn't recognize. It could have been anger, or fear. Whatever it was it hurt me more than seeing him sad.

"What did he say to you? I am so sorry Cassie! You should have called me. I knew something was happening. He's been on the phone and meeting with people all day. I should have been here."

He placed his hands on my shoulders and bent over to look directly at my face. With the hand not holding Buster's leash he wiped a stray tear from my cheek.

"I didn't answer the door. But I have to go Kyle. I can't wait for him to get angry and decide it's time to move by force."

The words tumbled from my mouth and I didn't try to stop them. His hands left my shoulders and his shoulders curled in defeat.

We walked a bit more in silence. Buster leading the way and Kyle's slowly choosing to drape an arm around my shoulder protectively.

"Okay Cassie. I'm ready. There isn't much I really need to get done. I'll go home and pack a bag. I can get some cash out of the ATM but I don't want to empty my account. My dad would probably be alerted. We can find a place for rent and I can work."

Before I could answer I felt Kyle's muscles tense up and heard him mutter swear words.

"What? What's the matter?" I whispered. No one was around but it still felt like something was wrong.

"Keep walking Cassie. There, at the corner. That black car was just a few houses from yours when I pulled up. I thought it was your neighbor."

Casually I positioned myself to take a look. Tinted windows prevented me from seeing a driver but my heart pounded knowing there was something happening. We turned the corner to take us to the other side of the block and the car slowly drove behind us.

"It's not being too discreet." He picked up the pace.

"Let's hope they aren't in my house right now!" I began to panic. What if they found the paper. Suddenly I couldn't remember the last place I'd kept it. Was it still in the envelope? My purse? Everything in me wanted to break into a run.

"Stay calm Cassie. We're just going around the block. No big deal. Just breathe. It's a walk. They know there isn't time to search through stuff on a walk."

We turned the corner again and I could see my house. It looked the same as it always did. But I felt fear.

Kyle's phone chimed from his pocket and he ignored it.

Buster pulled on the leash trying to get more steps in but we managed to yank him up the step and back into the house. I heard the click of Kyle locking the door. He took Buster off the leash and led him on a room sweep. I sat on the couch calming myself down. I was scared. I tried to find the anger, but I couldn't. All that was coursing through me was fear.

"It's still outside. Second house on the left. We can leave tonight or in the morning. But you're right. He's not going to give up. I should have seen this coming."

Wrapping my arms around him and taking a moment to plant a kiss on his neck I calmed down and felt the relaxing of his muscles too. Mid kiss he took a deep breath making me giggle.

"It's ok Kyle. You aren't to blame here. And you don't have to be the hero of the story."

He pulled back and I lay my head on his shoulders.

"I can't be the hero Cassie. You are. But I can be what you need. That's all I want, nothing more."

I felt like I was in a book, or a movie. Isn't that what everyone dreams of? I said the lines in my head over and over. He was what I needed. And it was time to face it.

"Kyle, turn on the music."

Soon the soothing voice of Joshua Kadison filled the silence and we snuggled on the couch while I told him about the letter and the place we could live. Not trusting Kyle because of his family was a fear move. I felt better around him. Alive. If it turned out badly at least I'd give it my best shot and at least I have been brave enough to love and trust.

I didn't show him the letter. Or talk about the paper from the jar. I tried my best to convince him to leave and get food so I could retrace where I had left the paper, but he refused to leave with the strange car sitting two houses away.

When the pizza arrived we ate it on paper plates in the living room to music while whispering together a plan to leave without the car following us or his dad finding out.

Part of me was terrified, it would take every single thing to go right to pull it off, but my mom's old catch phrase kept coming back into my head. 'Sometimes you just have to leap.' Never before had the words been so clear.

I texted Val and asked her to be over at nine the next morning. Then spent a few minutes packing up Buster's things and putting them in a duffle for Kyle. One thing was clear to both of us, there was no way we were going together. It was too obvious. I would be running on my own.

When I had done everything I could to get ready to leave in the morning the only thing I wanted was a hot soapy shower. It was weird not to be sentimental about leaving when it was actually happening, but adrenaline was taking over. All I could imagine was being away from here with Kyle and the baby, having an actual healthy family life. That, and not getting killed in the process!

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Yay!! It's finally happening. Cassie leaves in the morning and there's an actual plan!! We all know how plans go---but my fingers are crossed!