|Theodore|
I cast a glance toward Carmella, the sound of the car’s engine filled the silence between us.
“Are you alright?” I asked again, keeping my tone soft but steady. It had become a refrain, a question I repeated every hour since we’d left the South. The worry in me grew with every silent nod she offered in response.
Carmella sat beside me, her head leaning lightly against my shoulder as we moved through the shifting landscape of the south to north. The rugged terrain rolled past us, transitioning from dense, shadowy forests to sprawling plains. Her quiet presence beside me was both a comfort and a source of concern. Her fingers rested on mine, a fragile touch that tethered us together as I remained hyper-aware of her every movement, every subtle shift in her breathing.
We were h
