Driving in the middle of the night was all I could do right now.

Hi kids, my name is Nataly Adler.

I am 45 years old. Born in Thomasville, later grew up in Motor City, Detroit and I am a black & white Chevrolet Chevy BelAir car that's driving away from my EX-abusive husband from finding us. Why do I say "us"? Well, as you would like to know, I have a daughter. Heidi.

Yes, I know it's a high risk to be a mother in their forties but, I managed to survive it. Heidi is a bright light in my life, a fiery spirit that dances through the shadows of my past. At just six, she doesn't fully grasp the danger we're in, nor should she.

Children are meant to play in the sunshine and be happy, not witness the harsh reality of adult troubles.

My engine hums softly beneath me, like a comforting lullaby that wraps around us in the dark. We've been driving and staying in different motels for one year as we headed south, far away from the city where memories from one year ago came replaying again.

‗‗‗‗•Flashback starts here from one year ago •‗‗‗‗

I've already packed my stuff from the shared bedroom that my now EX-husband and I used to sleep in and it's bittersweet, really.

Every item I touch an item from a memory that brings a smile to my dermas, it always stings to no end. I take one last look around the room before heading to my daughter's, where I find Heidi's belongings already packed and ready for the trunk.

Seeing her sleep so soundly, I hesitated to wake her, but I had to before HE returned.

"Heidi, wakey wakey... It's time to go." She groggily protested, "I don't wanna..." and shrugged me off. I sighed and offered, "I'll take you to get ice cream on the way."

Mentioning the word 'ice cream' woke her up and smiled tiredly, I gently shook her, and she finally sat up, rubbing her eyes with her small tires. "Ice cream?" she repeated, her voice still thick with slumber. I nodded, trying to suppress my own bittersweet feelings.

"Yes, my little ice cream lover. But first, we need to get everything in the trunk." I watched her stretch and yawn, and I felt a pang of nostalgia for a moment. This was our routine-finding joy in the little things but a little different.

Heidi quietly drove out of bed, and I couldn't help but chuckle. "You look like a car lion, sweetheart," I teased. She giggled, her mood shifting as she snuggled through my fender, trying to tickle me.

"Tickle, tickle." She exclaimed playfully but failed when I shushed her and motioned her to follow me downstairs, to the front porch, we were about to head out when I encountered him in front of the house, drunker than before I was sure he was about to do something. 

Sure enough, I immediately got ready to defend myself but it ended up with me being pushed to the wall of the house, "Mommy, no!" "Heidi, stay back. Ugh!" I grunted in pain before he started to batter me again and fought back by pushing him away from me. 

After a few minutes of thinking, I knocked him out cold, took my daughter, and drove far away from Motor City, Detroit, until we reached the highway.

•End of flashback•

"Mommy?"