As predicted, we couldn't find Alice.
Ben drove us all around town, Elizabeth happily asleep in her car seat in the back of his truck. We checked everywhere we could think to look.
We tried driving around the airport, the bus stations, around the downtown areas where the bars and local hangouts are, but no sign of her.
With it being so early in the morning though, we figured downtown wouldn't help but it made me feel better to at least look.
I kept my eyes on the sidewalks, scanning every small group of people we saw for her. I looked extra hard at any people sitting on the sidewalks or sleeping leaned up against buildings.
It broke my heart to think that one of those people might be her, but in all honesty, I have no clue how she's been living all of this time.
That very well could be her reality.
When we'd looked for two hours, I decided to give up, holding onto hope in my heart that wherever she went, that she's safe.
I picture that she was picked up by a well meaning friend. Someone who took her back to their place that was warm and dry and with people who would look out for her.
I know how unlikely that scenario is, but it helps me to latch on to it instead of the other alternatives my brain conjures up.
"How about milkshakes?" Ben asks, singing lowly along to a country song on the radio.
"It's ten in the morning." I say, looking over at him. "Of course I want a milkshake."
He laughs and turns into a fast food place off of the highway and orders us both large chocolate shakes.
"Extra cherries on one." He adds to the person taking our order.
"Hey," I smack his shoulder. "I like cherries too."
"Make that extra on both, please, ma'am." He grins and we pull around to the window.
I fumble in my purse to pull out a little bit of cash to pass to Ben but he looks down at the money in my hand and then back up at my face like I'm crazy.
"I'm not taking that." He tells me.
"Yes you are." I reply back hastily. "I can afford a milkshake."
"Making two separate orders is too complicated." He says, shaking his head. "Can't do it."
"Ok, so pay on one order and I'll give you this to cover mine." I point out the obvious option. "Then it's still one order and I paid for mine."
"That's still gonna be a no from me." He says, leaning out the window to grab the shakes from the woman at the window.
He passes me mine, completely ignoring the money in my hand.
"Just take it." I say.
"Thank you, ma'am." He says to the woman. "You have a nice day." She grins back at him, wishing him the same. He pulls up, still refusing to look at me. "I'm not taking it Hayden." He says as we turn back out onto the Highway.
"You're so stubborn." I huff, shoving the money back into my purse. I take a sip of my shake and grin. "But thanks."
"You're very welcome." He laughs, putting his between his knees to pop off his lid and fish out a couple of the cherries.
I do the same with mine, grabbing one of the cherries out by the long stem. "Wanna see my party trick?" I ask, plucking the stem from the cherry and putting it into my mouth.
