Strong enough to leave security
Knowing Cassie would be reluctant to have her leave the sanctuary of Assurance Abode, Nora thought for a couple of days how to broach her plans. She needed to have Donna and Josh there also. She felt Donna would be more in favor of Nora’s branching out, and she knew Josh recognized the prime purpose of the home was to get women stabilized, strong enough and knowledgeable enough to stand on their own, away from the security they had needed at one time.
As expected, Cassie threw up several logical roadblocks, but between Nora’s well thought out answers and the support of Donna and Josh, Cassie worriedly agreed it might be time. “You have to call at least every other day. I will be so concerned. I want to know your plans, your itinerary and any glitches that might come up.” Then with a thick, choked voice, she pulled Nora into a tight hug and whispered she loved her. She turned and left the house.
Both Josh and Donna reassured Nora Cassie would adjust in a couple of days. They each gave a brief hug, assuring her she was doing the right thing at the right time.
There were so many places she wanted to see; the mountains of the northeast, Niagara Falls, Nashville, Tennessee and the Grand Ole Opry, Washington DC, the Appalachian Mountains, the Blue Ridge Mountains, Charleston, Savannah, and both the Gulf coast of Florida as well as the Atlantic Ocean. Oh, how she wanted to spend a few days at the ocean walking in the waves.
Saying farewell to the other residents, especially Nathan had been painful and left Nora with a sadness and heartache. But she still felt she had to do this. It was important for her development. So, with her Subaru Forester packed, armed with an atlas, and a cell phone with map applications installed, Nora left early one Tuesday morning.
Nora went to Georgia, Florida, DC, and New England, and when she started south went to Tennessee and all the other places. She spent several days to a week in each area she liked and wanted to explore. She met some nice people, some became friends. She enjoyed herself.
After traveling for almost 6 months, she came upon a little town in North Carolina on her way back to Virginia.
She found this one town in eastern North Carolina, Gottlieb, as she was returning. She felt a sense of belonging and the interest to possibly stay had been immediate.
Comments