We shared the shower. He made me coffee. I buttered his toast and he fed me fruit salad. I did the dishes. He brought the luggage to the car. I filled Peridot's bowls. He opened my car door and I drove out of the parking lot. Direction: New Orleans.

The glorious morning helped lift our spirits. Not a cloud diluted the azure sky, a perfect summer day for people to play hooky and hit the beaches. If everything went according to plan, we'd have time to stop somewhere along the ...