Despite all the things I don’t understand, despite the tattoo, almost getting mashed by a truck, and not getting the picture I wanted, I don’t feel homesick when I hear her snoring. If only my plan for the Treasure Hunt would have worked out better. If only we could have walked back to that street art, gotten that perfect replica photo. I could see that perfect shot in my mind, those big letters, Ruth’s shadow behind her on the wall as she jumped. If only Ruth would have stopped, just for a second, and let me take her picture. If only she’d listened to me once. If only …

The if only’s are beginning to steam like a kettle on a hot stove.

I sit up. It’s going to be hard to fall asleep tonight.

And I need to cool down before the bubbles boil over.

I climb from my loft onto the arm of the couch, making as little sound as possible. Even so, Ruth coughs and shifts onto her side. I pause, waiting until she’s back to her normal breathing before I step down onto the floor. The RV door squeaks, and I flinch and pause again before I open it the rest of the way and hurry out onto the steps.

Warm nights are like being underwater, all-encompassing and new no matter how many times you’ve been there before. I let the night wash over me, pull me in and out like a tide. This kind of heat is way better than behind-the-eyes heat.

The door claps shut from behind me. I turn and see Eddie. He flinches from the noise.

“Oops,” he says.

“Did I wake you up? I’m sorry.”

“Naw, couldn’t sleep either.” He comes and sits next to me on the concrete ledge around the lot. He lets out a sigh and for a moment we sit in silence and watch wispy clouds pass across the moon.

“Your dad was texting me today, asking about you guys,” Eddie says. “He’s very proud of you, in case you weren’t aware. He’s always telling me about how well you’re doing in school, all the travel books you’re reading.”

“And getting in trouble because I get caught reading during choir.”

He laughs. “He didn’t tell me about that one.”

“He didn’t? Yeah, I almost got sent to the principal.”

“We’re all human,” he says, and winks.

An ambulance passes by, somewhere far behind us.

“Thanks for taking us on this trip,” I say. “I think seeing pirate ships will be the most exciting thing I’ve ever done.”

“Besides marrying Ellie and being a dad,” he says, “me too.”