Chapter Twenty-One

"Are you okay?" Kaitlyn asked so softly. Her face showed bad tendencies but Elowen knew better. Kaitlyn didn't care if she was "okay" she only showed up to see their relationship fail.

"You love seeing Philip angry with me." Elowen looked upside Kaitlin's head and the blonde turned to face her with a questionable look. "I mean... I'm okay."

Staring at the side mirror to the front of Mr. Hill's car, she could see them talking and seemingly excited. She felt a pinch of guilt as she broke the promise she made Philip, but she knew he couldn't stay in hiding forever.

"That motel right there," Elowen pointed. They piled in the entrance and immediately saw Philip's hog with the trunk open. Kaitlyn stopped the car right behind him as Philip stepped out the motel room with a box in his hands. The shock on his face was clear as day. When he looked Elowen in the eyes, he began to frown.

Mr. Hill was then seen approaching his son and giving him the biggest hug Elowen's ever seen. His mother followed after but Roy and Annabelle were safely in the car. Kaitlin then got out to join in on a forming conversation. Elowen wanted to stay put but she didn't feel comfortable in Kaitlyn's car.

"Are you packing your things to come home?" Veronica queried while making sure her son's clothes weren't damaged. "We have room in the car for the rest of your things."

Philip looked at Elowen who hid behind Kaitlin. He shook his head at her then gripped the box tighter. "I'm not coming home." He admitted. "You don't love me for who I am or who I'm with then... I can't be happy with you guys."

"Quit being a fool!" Harry demanded. "Now you know your mother and I love you very much to go all the way here and look for you." Philip rolled his eyes. "You can say what you want but you're getting in that car and you're coming home!"

Without putting up another fight, he slammed his car door shut and shoved through the people blocking the way to his parents car. This meant walking past Elowen.

"Philip... I'm sorry." She started walking next to him although neither of them wanted to hear her voice. "They came in my house and I felt like I had no choice."

When she grabbed his arm, he didn't pull away from her. Instead he stopped to face her. She looked sad and ashamed. "I don't care. I know you did what was best."

"Philip," she gulped while staring into his grey eyes. "Where were you going?" He shrugged before continuing his way to to the car.

Elowen went to the old motel room along with Kaitlyn who was inspecting the place. "What a drag," she gagged. "He was living like a hippy for months. How low can someone be?"

Kaitlyn turned to face Elowen who was staring into her soul with pure hatred. She smiled through all the negative energy. "I'm ready to go home," she spoke in Kaitlyn's direction. The fair girl nodded then made her way to the exit.

Before Elowen could get out the door, she saw a small box that Philip probably meant to come back for. This box was personal she assumed since it had a journal in it. Quickly and swiftly, she tucked the journal into the waistline of her skirt and covered it with her shirt.

Kaitlyn started honking just as she picked up the box to bring it out.

"I'll take it," Mrs. Hill grinned while getting out of the driver seat of Philip's car. "Also... you should ride with me. I think Kaitlin has work after this."

"Uh... okay." Elowen motioned for Kaitlyn to go on and she did so without hesitation. Elowen got in the passengers seat without trying to seem awkward.

Mrs. Hill revved the car up and hummed while doing so. "Ah... I've always like Philly's Cadillac. It was the last thing his grandpa bought before he died. Some believe he bought it for his own satisfaction but I knew he bought it for Philip. He was always his favorite."

Elowen stared at the woman a bit confused.

"Harry didn't like it... when his dad visited for Philip instead of him. Although he never mistreated Philip at the time, it started when grandpa Hill died. Harrys been so angry with my Philip." Tears formed in her eyes as she recollected on the past. Elowen wanted to cry with her because she felt like this was devastating. "He never got to meet Roy... or Annabelle. But I know if he did then he'd love them just the same, but Harry doesn't believe that. Philip was the first grandchild after all."

She then turned to face Elowen who wasn't sure if she should look her in the eyes or not. But the woman didn't seem bothered by it. She actually looked Elowen right back in her eyes without a problem.

"Philip... he doesn't know what he wants. He says he wants to go to college but he never did. Never had a dream or a goal. And I told myself I would never know what it would even look like if he did." She nodded her head slowly while fighting back the stream pouring down her cheeks. "But... that was it. When he fought his own father for himself... for you. I knew that was it. Being with you... that was his dream."

"Mrs. Hill-"

"What I'm telling you young lady is that Philip will never be accepted by his father. It's lost hope. So just love my son. Please. I actually enjoy seeing him happy no matter how many times he told you I don't."

Her mom waited for her in the front yard as she and the kids pretended to be doing garden work. Elowen gave one last goodbye to Mrs. Hill as she drove away back to her home. Henry rushed to be the first in on the news while Spencer tried to cut in front of him.

"You all give her some space now! Stop acting like you were raised by wolves and get back to digging up the weeds!"

Elowen promised she'd walk them to school despite the coldness in the air. That's when they figured Philip and Elowen broke up which is why he hasn't been driving them for months. They sighed and left her alone.

"Elo, help me with the watering. I'll put down the fertilizer." She did as told and rolled up the sleeves to her sweater. "Skirts in the winter cause flu sicknesses. You act like you don't have pants."

She nodded. "Sorry."

Elowen sprayed the wild flowers while her mom sprinkled fertilizer with a glove covered hand. "Are you going to tell me about it?"

"Philip's home and safe. His dad is a bit on edge but I think his mom is just grateful for it all. She actually likes us together."

"Because no one knows how good my daughter really is until they give you a chance."

Just then the phone rang and Elowen dropped the hose to see who was on the other line. Of course it was Philip asking her what she and his mother went on about. She told him they talked about each other and some uplifting things. Philip called bullshit and Elowen confessed.

"She told me about your grandpa and your relationship with your father. I don't think it's bad, believe me."

"Then why'd you lie. Why not just tell me what you talked about so I can believe you, Elowen." She shrugged although he couldn't see her actions. "Thank you, Elowen."

She pulled out the journal that was pressing against her stomach uncomfortably. As he expressed his gratitude, she read through everything she wrote. Starting from his first day there to moments before she sent everyone to his destination.

• I heard dreams come true in California

"My old man's making me sign up for summer school to catch up. I think I'll be able to do it in a few weeks. I ain't dense in the head or anything. What do you think?"

She closed the journal just when she finished reading that. "Philip, where were you going?"

"Why the fuck does it matter? I'm not going anymore."

She sniffled when his voice got loud and somewhat violent. "Were you going to tell me that you were going to California?" The boy went silent on the other end. She backed him into a corner and she knew it. "You weren't."

"Elo, I wasn't even sure if I was going to go seriously. It was an idea and why do you have my shit!"

"You weren't going to tell me! You were going to leave me behind!"

He huffed when she started yelling over him. Just when she thought he was about to hang up she stopped talking. "I don't call you to argue. Shut your mouth and understand that it's not all about you and I! I was going through things and needed my own head space."

"So me coming to visit everyday and make sure you were alive meant nothing?"

"You're being unreasonable. Call me when you get a brain."

Just then he hung up at the same time Elowen did. She began to realize she liked him better when he was trapped in a motel room.