I used to watch my best friend Howie sleep beside me on every long haul, and the sound of his breathing made the whole truck feel like home.
When he crossed the rainbow bridge, the cab went silent, and my heart felt shattered like glass. I kept driving, but the loneliness followed me mile after mile.
Then I met Percy, a ginger shelter cat with scars, a missing fang, and the sweetest eyes I had ever seen. He climbed onto my lap like he belonged there, like he was saying, “You’re not alone anymore.”
But one stop changed everything when Percy chased a bird and disappeared, leaving me frozen in fear and heartbreak.