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Chapter Text

29th of June 1971, St Louis MO

Her pillow is wet from crying on it for hours, she put her blood, sweat and tears into applying to college and her portfolio was perfect, guess it wasn’t enough. She sighs, reaches for her tissue box and blows her nose. If she’s not going to college this year then she must find a job, she gets up from her bed and drags herself to the closet she shares with her sisters, the twins have their own bedroom but it’s not big enough to fit a closet so since Karlie is the second youngest she had to sacrifice some space in her garde-robe. She searches through the velvet skirts, tweed jackets, colourful tights, bell-bottom jeans and finds her one black pencil skirt and black blazer her mother insisted on gifting her in case she’d need to get a job.

Now the time has come it almost feels like this set is a curse, her mother bought it just in case and now it seems like her mother never trusted she would get a scholarship full acceptance.

She slips the clothes on, smoothens her white shirt best she can as there is no time to iron it now and locks herself in the bathroom.

Karlie looks at her reflection in the mirror, her face is puffy and her eyes are red from crying, she opens the tap and splashes her face with water. Then, she grabs her favourite Revlon lipsticks and tries to make herself more presentable. She hears someone knocking on the door, “Hey I need to use the bathroom, it's urgent!” Karlie rolls her eyes, “Kim leave me alone! Tell mom I’m going out when she comes home alright and look after Kariann.”

Her sister groans but leaves, she sighs and finishes brushing her hair before putting on some perfume.

She grabs her keys and gets in her shit piece of car. It’s a Chevy Nova her dad bought off a friend, the blue paint is chipped and it’s beginning to rust. The interior seats are fucked up, the leather has peeled off a decade ago and has never been restored but at least it works. She got it for her eighteenth birthday last year, finally she has had her license for three years and couldn’t even use it. Although public transport is cheap it sucks and everyone knows how dangerous it can get.

She stops at the nearest diner and comes in with her hand-written resume, she flashes her best smile to everyone in the room – that is a family of four, a trucker, an old couple and a group of teenagers perched over the jukebox.

Madeleine, a corpulent lady with red hair and the soul of a puppy sees her, “Hello Karlie, what can I get you today? You’re all dressed up, got some boy waitin’ for ya outside?”

“No,” she chuckles, “I’m here so that you can give this to Erica, I need a job.”

“Oh my, I thought you were leavin’ for college?”

“Unfortunately, no.” Karlie holds back tears and hands her the sad-looking resume.

“I’ll give it to her right now, you know what, I’ll get you an apron. I know Erica and since Joey left us to retire, we’ll need the extra handiwork.”

She smiles, not expecting to be hired on the spot and mouths ‘thank you’ unable to speak.

7th of August 1971, St Louis MO

Karlie has got a day off from work, she has three hundred dollars in her pocket and she’s heading to the car store outside of town, she enters with sweaty hands, fearing for her life that she’s gonna come out with nothing. A man greets her, “Hiyah there lady, are you waitin’ for your husband?”

“No, sir I’m looking to buy a truck.”

“What kind of truck?” The man wipes his greasy hands on a cloth that he throws on his shoulder.

“Any pick-up truck you have that’s working. I have three hundreds and an old chevy outside you can keep it.”

“Mhm,” the man scoffs and looks around his garage, “I’ve got something perfect, why don’t you let me call your daddy and ask him to come around so we can make a proper–”

“I need a fucking truck man, you either give me one now or I’m leaving and you lose money you desperately need.” She is losing her patience, wearing a dress was not the best move but it still sucks.

“Alright alright Miss, I’ll see what I can get ya.” The asshole leaves and she waits there. He comes back five minutes or so later with two pairs of keys.

“You’re lucky I’m letting you pick which one you prefer.” He follows her outside and they walk past hundreds of cars on sale before reaching the lower priced ones, he shows her the two trucks.

One is orange, badly painted and missing a windshield, the other is better, it’s an ugly shade of green but at least it has all the windows.

“This is the best I’ve got, the green one’s got no rearview mirrors but it drives well although it’s slow and tends to stop with no reason. The orange well as you see it looks like shit but this one won’t let you down.”

Karlie wants to pick the orange but getting a new windshield would cost more than the truck itself, “I’ll take the green one.” she says with spite.

12th of September 1971, St Louis MO

Today is the day Karlie is leaving home, she’s packed her truck, her mother has wept and her sisters have baked her enough goods to feed an army. Her father has fixed her truck best he could, he’s gone to work and isn’t here to say goodbye.

“You’ll call us, promise?”

“I promise.” she tells the twins. Her mother is standing a bit further, holding a tissue to her mouth.

Karlie gets in her truck, looks over at the passenger seat where her camera sits safely, the road will be long but she hopes it will be fruitful. It’s only a year after all, she’s got enough money from her summer job to buy gas and food for 12 months but she’s sure she’ll be back before that. Next time she’s home, it’ll be to send more college applications. This time, her portfolio will be perfect.

She’s got no itinerary but she knows what places she wants to see. She’s aiming Chicago as a first main stop.

Only two and a half hours in, the front of her truck start smoking real bad, she stops right outside of Bloomington, Illinois. Karlie panics, what if she made the wrong decision? What if all she's meant for is being a housewife like her mother?

But she doesn't give up just yet, she looks around and waits for a car to stop. Unfortunately it takes more time than she thought, a young lady finally stops her car and asks, “Do you need some help?”

“I do, do you know where I can call a garage nearby? My truck's not in good shape.”

The woman smiles, “Of course, there's a restaurant a mile north, I can take you there if you want, it's on my way, I'll drop you off and I'll write you down the number of the nearest shop.”

Karlie nods, she grabs her bag in case and gets in the passenger seat, there are two dogs in the backseat, “How cute, what are their names?”

“The bigger one is Miley and the smaller one is Jojo.”

“You taking them to the vet?”

“Nah, just picked them up from daycare, I'm a nurse at the Bloomington hospital.”

“Nice.” Karlie looks out of the window.

“What about you?”

“Oh, well I'm going on a road trip, left two hours ago. Not starting well I know.”

The lady chuckles, “I hope the next day will be better, there we are.” she stops her car and parks in front of a side of the road restaurant. She grabs a piece of paper from the glove box and writes down a number and a name.

“Ask for Taylor. Tell her Abigail sent you, you'll get a discount.”

“Wow, thank you so much. I'm Karlie by the way.”

“My pleasure, have a good rest of your day.” Karlie gets out of the car and watches Abigail drive off, she walks in the restaurant, the door ring chimes as she enters. A man at the counter looks up at her.

“Good morning ma'am, what can I do for you today?”

Karlie is clutching the paper against her chest, “Uh hi, my truck broke down a mile from here could I use a phone to call a garage? I'll order something anyway I'm thirsty.”

“Of course, here follow me and there is no need to purchase anything if you're having an emergency so it's the least I can do.”

“Thank you sir, you're a life-saviour.”

Karlie rings the operator, they answer, “Hello, who do you wish to call?”

“Hello I wish to call Mr Taylor Swift, at 312-333-3334.”

The operator connects the call, Karlie waits for long minutes until someone finally picks up, “Hello, Antonoff Auto what can I do for you?”

“Hello I'm Miss Kloss, your friend Abigail told me to call, she picked me up after my truck broke down and told me you were the best in town, Mr Swift am I correct?”

“It's Miss Swift and I'm glad Abby picked you up, lots of dangerous people around these days. Where did you break down? I'll be there in twenty.”

“Oh I'm sorry–”

“Nothing to worry about Miss Kloss, I get mistaken for a man every day.”

Karlie gives her the exact location of where she stopped, “Wait– I'm actually at a restaurant and I'm not sure if I know how to get back to my truck–”

“No problem Miss I'll pick you up on the way.”

“Alright, thank you so much.” Karlie sighs, the restaurant owner has disappeared into the room to serve his customers. She decides to go sit down and look at the menu anyway, the same man comes by to take her order, “I'll have a strawberry milkshake and blueberry pancakes.

“Would you like honey or maple syrup on your pancakes?”

“Honey please.” Karlie smiles as the man takes her menu away and leaves.

Her order arrives quickly, she hasn't eaten since she left this morning, she has had a light breakfast as she was so busy packing and had not realised all this stress made her hungry, she devours her pancakes quickly and takes her time finishing her milkshake.

Not long after a tow truck enters the restaurant's driveway, it's her cue to leave, she gives the man a large tip and exits the restaurant.

A tall woman – not as tall as she is – gets out of the tow truck, she's wearing a cowboy hat over two long blonde braids, to match a pair of worn out cowboy boots and the best: some oil motor stained denim overalls on top of a sweaty white tee, she walks towards Karlie who is trying her best to keep it in her pants.

“I'm Taylor.” She greets in a higher voice than on the phone, it sends tingles down her spine, Taylor holds out her hand and Karlie takes it without thinking about the amount of grease and gasoline that are underneath the girl's fingernails.

“It's so nice to meet you– I mean I'm so glad you're here because I was in deep shit.” Karlie laughs nervously realising she's still shaking Taylor’s hand and drops it before she makes a fool of herself.

“Get in then, what's your first name?”

“What?”

“Your name, gorgeous?”

“I– it's uh Karlie.”

“Karlie.” Taylor repeats and hums, “Pleasure to meet you.” The mechanic gets back in the truck and Karlie mirrors her, and gets in the passenger's seat quickly.

A song she's never heard before is playing on the radio, “Who's that?” Karlie asks without realising she's thinking out loud.

“I believe it's a band called Fleetwood Mac, they just put out a new album. Pretty sure this song is called Future Games.”

“It’s nice.” Karlie looks out of the window, the Indian summer is hot this year.

“It really is.”

They sit silently enjoying the song filling the truck, there's a certain magical sound to it but it's lacking something she can't point out.

“What are you thinking of?” Miss Swift asks, Karlie looks in her direction but her eyes land on the steering wheel that the girl is holding with one hand, one very pretty hand with such long dirty fingers.

“Nothing. I just like this song.”

“Is this your truck?” Taylor points out to her green truck, “Yep that's mine.” The tow truck stops in front of it.

They both get out and Karlie steps in front of her piece of shit truck and opens the hood, Taylor comes to stand close next to her and she melts as she feels the heat of her body so close to hers.

“Shit, it's looking pretty bad. I didn't think I'd need to take it back to the shop but God damn it what have you done?” Taylor is laughing, she gets something from her overalls pocket, it's a pack of Malboro Reds.

“Want one?” She offers, Karlie takes the cigarette even if she doesn't smoke. She puts it to her lips dumbly without realising it's not lit but Taylor doesn't seek to notice as she lights it directly from between Karlie's lips.

Karlie takes the cigarette between her fingers to exhale the smoke, it's not the first time she's smoked, she’s never refused one from anyone but has never bought them herself.

“I'm so fucking sad,” Karlie takes a long drag before exhaling, “I just bought this truck a month ago.”

“Well, good thing you landed on Abby, I'm gonna fix it up but it may take some time.”

“How much will it cost–”

“It's on the house. I wouldn't be against you cleaning the pipes as a tip but hey you don't look the type to get your hands dirty.”

Karlie’s cheeks turn red, did she just–

“Relax Karlie, I'm just fooling around.” Taylor smirks and obviously bites down a giggle.

“You don't know me, you surely can't get your hands dirtier than this that's for sure but I've got other tricks.”

Taylor looks back up at her, the sun is hitting hard, beads of sweat travel down her forehead to her temples, “Mhm such as?” She closes the hood and heads back to her tow truck.

“I'm a photographer.” Karlie says, proudly.

“That's admirable, do you stain your hands with acetic acid often?” Taylor laughs mockingly.

“So, you've developed film before, congrats.”

“Oh did I hurt your feelings Miss Gloss?”

“You're lucky I really need my truck fixed.” Karlie's cheeks are burning up.

“Offer still stands, I'm gonna drop you off at the motel near Collins’ Bar. I'll be there and then you can always help me out. I've got a piece that needs serious oiling but I can't seem to reach it.”

“I'd be no good, I'm only a photographer after all.” It’s Karlie’s time to smirk and watch Taylor pout in response.

The rest of the drive is silent, Miss Swift drops her off at the motel, “Come by Antonoff Auto next evening, your truck should be good to go unless I'd need to order pieces. Will I see you tonight gorgeous?”

Karlie rolls her eyes, “Not a chance.”

“Right, you're too clean for that. Miss perfect couldn't handle a girl like me?”

“No, you couldn't handle someone as good as me.” Karlie’s retort sounds childish but Taylor sighs in defeat as Karlie slams the tow truck door and watches her drive away.

Chapter Text

13th of September 1971, Bloomington IL

It's half past midnight, Karlie is neatly laying underneath the scratchy bedsheets of her motel. She's staring at the ceiling, pretending that the horrid smell is what is keeping her awake, she hates motels.

She's been in bed since 9:30 o'clock, she sighs and sits up. After turning on the light she realises that she won't be going back to sleep. So, she gets out of bed and stands in front of the window to stare at the crescent moon. But then she sees the mocking lights of the bar in front of her window, the name Collins’ bar is lit up with bright orange neon lights. 

Outside she sees the bikers having smokes with a bunch of girls, people coming in and out of the bar. It seems packed, the parking is full. What does she have to lose? She could just put back on her clothes and have a drink, it wouldn't hurt anyone. She really needs it.

After her reason fights to keep her here safe in this shit motel room, she decides it's time to live a little. She puts on her clothes and the tiniest bit of lipstick she has no time to waste tonight. She's on a mission really, finding Taylor.

Of course she tried telling herself the obnoxious flirting was just mocking but she kept replaying their encounter in her head over and over and came to the conclusion that perhaps she could swing this way.

Karlie has known she's queer since she was kissed by a guy at a freshman party in high school and threw up in the jacuzzi afterwards. She had blamed it on the alcohol in her system at first until she found herself sobbing in the bathroom on the second floor only for her best friend to come in and not long after leaning too close to her mother she grabbed her by the collar and kissed her fiercely. 

She had just wanted to see if maybe the guy had just been a bad kisser, he was not. Her best friend was a terrible kisser and yet there she was feeling on the edge of imploding.

To her luck, with the uprising of the flower people it became more natural to see queers making out in public gatherings. Only in hippie communities of course and obviously she took the opportunity to pass as one in order to make out with all the girls she could, ended up truly admiring their way of thinking and seeing the world. She just didn't like how much drugs they would take, she likes feeling grounded, being in the present moment.

Now she's grown out her hair to her waist, she's always got a daisy tucked behind her ear and her Levi’s jeans are so flared she has to wear platform shoes not to step on them. Her mother didn't approve at first, they argued often when she came back from parties her eyes red as her cheeks and pupils dilated enough to look like an excited cat. 

After graduating she started going less and less to parties, when she went it wasn't to get high or hook up with the first girl she could find but to take pictures.

And now she's nervous at the thought of going into this bar, it's the first time she's on her own in this world. Having to stay at her parent's house wasn't the great freedom she had wanted for herself.

Karlie steps outside, hit with the cool breeze of the end of the summer in Illinois, she’s still too close to home and yet it already feels so far. She reaches the noise, some country song blasting as she seeps through the crowd in front of the bar, stepping in with so little confidence she expects to be laughed at. But the opposite happens, no one even notices that she’s here, she stands in her white skirt and denim top – unnoticed. She exhales, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear before heading towards the bar, she sits down on the least sticky-looking stool, it smells of alcohol and cigarettes. It's comforting somehow. It’s crowded, it takes the bartender a good five minutes to come take her order, he’s a man in his mid-fifties wearing glasses, he’s objectively handsome-looking and she notices how all the women are focused on him.  

“Good evening young lady what can I get ya?” He says, scanning her.

“Hi, I’ll have a margarita please.”

“Coming right up.” He yells over the loud voices before disappearing.

Karlie jumps as she feels a hand grabbing her shoulder, her head snaps before she realises it’s Taylor, the mechanic.

She brings a hand to her chest and exhales with relief, “Oh it’s just you.”

“Just me, gorgeous.” Taylor chimes in, she’s got a cigarette to the edge of her lips, “I knew you’d come, I see you’ve met Pedro.”

Karlie blushes, “Who?”

“The bartender, silly. He’s with Misha, the owner.” Taylor doesn’t sit, instead she stands against the bar, her upper thigh brushing against Karlie’s knees.

Karlie bites down her lip, ignoring the growing heat in her lower stomach, “With?”

“Yeah, they bought this bar fifteen years ago, Collins was my middle school history teacher; he quit after he and Pedro met.” 

Karlie is understanding that Pedro and Misha are an openly gay couple, “Wow, how did they manage?”

“Lots of prayers I guess, they never really hid who they are, they just don’t hesitate to kick some asses if drunkards get mean.” Taylor lifts her arm to signal Pedro that she’s ready to order.

“Taylor! Ready to order?”

“The gorgeous flower girl’s drinks are on me, get me another beer will you Pop?”

“Sure thing,” He winks at Karlie who tries her best to ignore the comment.

When Pedro is gone she turns to Taylor, “‘Pop’?”

“Yeah, my father died when I was a kid, Pedro’s the only father figure I’ve ever had. He was my mother’s high school sweetheart, could’ve been my father really but he isn’t made for play-pretending. Anyway he and my mom stayed friends, when she had to work double shifts he would always watch over me and my brother.”

“You have a brother?” Karlie asks, she’s eager to know.

“Yeah, name’s Austin, do you?”

“Nah, I’ve got three sisters.”

“Must be a handful?”

“Sure is.” Karlie smirks, Pedro hands them their drinks, “There you go ladies, enjoy.”

“So where are you going, Miss Kloss?” Taylor takes a few sips of her beer while Karlie thinks of an answer.

“I don’t know, just out of Missouri I guess. Maybe California, I like the West Coast or maybe New York City– wherever my truck will take me.” She laughs humorlessly but it makes Taylor laugh genuinely.

“Well that wouldn’t be far, luckily you found me.”

“Yeah, I’m lucky I did.” Karlie replies as they lock eyes, for a moment all the people around them are gone and it’s just the two of them.

“You know, you really are lucky, I’ve been dreaming of getting out of Bloomington ever since I can remember.” Taylor chugs down her beer. The music changes to a poppier song.

Karlie suddenly feels lightheaded, “Do you need a ride somewhere?” she asks, feeling as if she’s about to faint.

“Yeah to the thoroughfare where we met yesterday, so I can make things better, but that’s impossible, am I right?”

“No, you’re wrong. Come with me then, your brother’ll be fine he’s got Pedro.”

Taylor chuckles, “And why would I do that?”

“Because–” Karlie begins but doesn’t finish her sentence, she sighs, defeated.

“That’s what I thought, now tell me Karlie why did you really come here tonight?”

“I came to get a drink.”

“Liar.”

“What– I’m not lying!”

“Yes you are.”

“I came because you intrigue me.”

“How so?”

“You flirt like a man but you’re gentle and caring, you say obscenities but you haven’t looked down my low cut top once.”

“Well, I’m not a man gorgeous. I get the job done.”

Karlie's eyes twinkle in the dim light of the bar, “Come with me.” she repeats, with a hint of double meaning.

Taylor snortles, staring at the bottom of her empty glass, she shakes her head before sighing, “You know what, I've got nothing to lose, what the hell I'll come with you. Once I fix your truck of course.” she winks and Karlie melts.

“Alright then, pack up! I'll get back to my hotel now I'm exhausted.” Karlie gets up, putting on her light denim jacket but a hand stops her.

“Sure your sink doesn't need some oiling?” Taylor looks up at her with intensity.

Karlie rolls her eyes, “Enough with the dirty jokes. No, I'm tired.”

Taylor pouts, “Ah, me too actually. I'll win one day I'm sure.”

“Mhm. Bye Taylor.” Karlie waves and leaves, she smiles up at Pedro on her way out.

“Night gorgeous!” She hears Taylor scream when she's out the door.

Chapter Text

Karlie's eyes flash open as she wakes, the orange hue of the sunrise colouring her face in a soft peach light. The blue of her irises, a slightly sage shade contrasting so well with that. 

A moment of quiet passes before she remembers what plucked her out of a deep state of sleep. A knock, repeating now as she gasps. She stands up and runs to put on a robe, it's faux silk but still soft, baby pink as she tightens it around her waist and places a falling strand of hair from her braid behind her ear. 

She doesn't think about looking through the peephole and opens it only to blink twice as she feels she must be dreaming when she sees a man she met the night before. 

“Mornin’ I came by to tell ya Taylor's waitin’ outside for ya.” Pedro says, a southern accent stronger than she had noticed.

He's holding a cigarette between his index and middle finger, not taking a drag, simply letting it burn.

“Alright, tell her I'll be down in a minute.” Karlie begins closing the door but Pedro catches it, he looks up at her with intensity, “Karlie can I ask you sum'ting?” 

“Sure.” She pushes the door back away from closing it. 

“And don't take this as an offense but I care about that girl like I do my daughters, if you told her she could come along with ya for nothin’ more than having company out on the road you'll be hearing from me.”

Karlie blinks harder, wanting desperately to rub her eyes but she doesn't, “What–I'm sorry Pedro I’m not sure I understand what you're implying.” 

“Taylor, she may not seem it but she's a sensitive child, not that she's much of a child no more but you get the idea. She likes you. Did she tell you she's writing a book?”

“Uh no sir I'm afraid not.” Karlie bites down her lip, feeling slightly ashamed not to have tried to get to know her before asking her such a hard thing. To leave your life behind with a stranger in a shit truck isn't a simple holiday.

“Well, now you know. She's going places, I'm talking New York City and London type of places, don't you take that from her.”

Karlie's eyebrows twitch, “I would never, I'll make sure she gets wherever she wants to go to.”

Pedro nods, his face softening, “Good. Then we're settled, you take her to the Big Apple for me.” 

“I will.” Karlie says, feeling an overwhelming anxiety crashing upon her at the thought of driving across five states with Taylor. Her plan was to get to Chicago, not New York. She had mentioned New York to Taylor last night, only as a joke but maybe Taylor had been waiting all her life for someone to show up with a pretty smile saying “Let's go to New York baby!”

Pedro and Karlie exchange sympathetic looks as he walks away, she shuts the door closed.

Karlie checks out of the motel, her suitcase in hand, her handbag in the other as she heads out. The sun is bright this morning, she is immediately blinded by it having to squint her eyes to see where she's heading. 

A silhouette approaches her, firm footsteps making the dust of the sandy ground fly around them, she recognises the way with which Taylor holds herself together.

She's wearing washed out denim overalls underneath which she wears a surprisingly clean white t-shirt. However she's got a torn US army cap she'll need to know the story behind later. 

“Mornin’ Kar. Can I call you that?”

“You can call me what you want, good mornin’.” Karlie replies, dropping her suitcase on the ground but as she does Taylor catches her wrist to take it, and there is a slight instant when the electric shock she feels at the touch burns right through her but then it's gone and she aches to feel it again. 

“Let me help you. It's heavy as shit what have you got in here?” Taylor breaks into a snorted laugh.

“As much as I could take.” Karlie answers with unforeseen honesty, “Left all I didn't need, although that's a lie because I would've needed my sisters with me but I couldn't take them so…” her sentence drags on as she realises she has said too much.

“Ah I get it, have never left town before. My brother is everything to me. At least we'll have each other.”

Karlie nods as they walk towards the truck, she gasps when she sees that it looks brand new. No way.

“You repainted it!?”

Taylor puts the suitcase in the back of the truck next to her own with a barely hidden smirk all over her face.

“Yeah, couldn't sleep last night. When I came down from however fucking much I drank, I packed all my stuff so quick I realised I had hours left and no desire to sleep. Felt if I was about to head out on the road we might as well have a decent looking truck to ride.”

The dark green truck was shining, no paint chips or dust, just a scintillating color reflected by the sun.

“I call shotgun.” Taylor adds, ignoring Karlie's awe.

Karlie gets in the driver's seat and almost jumps when someone gets in the passenger's seat. It's the first time she's not alone on the road since she left, and for some time she had gotten used to the idea of being alone. Of reflecting on herself but now all that was gone and her so called ‘plans’ for driving to Nowhere were changed and she wasn't all happy with that. 

“Just so you know, we must stop in Chicago before we head to New York. And to be honest I didn't mean that last night. I'd never considered going that far. I didn't have plans, yes but I also didn't think about going further than Ohio.”

Taylor lights a cigarette, shrugs, “Why define a limit to where you go when you can go anywhere? Isn't that the opposite of going anywhere?”

Karlie sighs before starting the truck and to her surprise it roars.

“Woah, it sounds really good.” Karlie smiles, Taylor smirks, “But yeah I suppose that you are right. I guess I just wanted to stay close enough that I'd be able to visit my sisters.”

Taylor takes a long drag before speaking again, “Always hanging around close enough so you could run right back huh? I know it well.” 

Karlie doesn't know how to reply to that, she's not sure whether she's allowed to ask her why, to ask her what happened they're still strangers helping each other out. So, she doesn't look back and takes a fast turn on the interstate 55.