[Jaykobell]

"Okay," her dad said simply. "I'm sure you're right."

Despite his profession and the usual exterior he presented, Bailey knew her dad was a soft-hearted bird. It had nothing to do with him thinking his daughter couldn't do the job: it was just because he was worried about his only daughter driving five hours away, alone, to a remote area she'd never gone to.

But he would be too embarrassed to ask or to push the issue.

[Jaykobell]

Granted, Bailey could respect that. Her dad had always respected her boundaries, and he had always given her his trust blindly. And so, in this sort of situation, she didn't mind giving him a little bit of a helping wing. "Well," she said after his saddened reply, "I'm sure the drive will probably be boring, though. It would be fun to have someone come with me."

And this tactic, his dad knew of it well. So when she spoke, he smiled.

[Jaykobell]

"Well, if you want, I can find someone for you," her dad promised, and Bailey could see the relief on his face.

"Actually," Bailey interjected, "could Peony come along?" One of the most eccentric workers of the funeral home, Bailey and Peony were good friends. Although they didn't hang out outside of work, they enjoyed each other's company at work. Bailey, in particular, appreciated how different yet professional Peony managed to be.

Her dad seemed surprised, but he quickly understood.

[Jaykobell]

"Sounds like the perfect choice," her dad agreed, nodding. "I'll send her an email right away. It's late, so you can leave tomorrow morning."

Bailey nodded. "Can do. I'll come a bit early to get ready." The earlier they left, the better. Her idea was to leave early, drive during the day, book a room somewhere at a motel or hotel, pick up the body the next day, and then drive back to the funeral home with their client.

[Jaykobell]

"Thank you, Bailey," her dad said gratefully, a large, genuine smile on his face. "Text me along the way."

She rolled her eyes playfully at his request. "Will do, dad. Don't worry." It was a smidge overbearing when he asked for her to text him if she went anywhere far away, but at the same time, she appreciated it. He just cared. She couldn't blame him, not when you had to grow up and then raise children in this slimy town.

[Jaykobell]

After her dad handed her over the assignment, Bailey went home and went to bed almost right away. She had taken a bit of time to pack up a change of clothes and pajamas for overnight.

The next morning, she made sure to arrive a little bit early. Her dad had texted her to say that Peony had been ecstatic over the idea of a roadtrip for work, and that she was more than willing to tag along.

[Jaykobell]

So when Bailey arrived at the funeral home, she wasn't surprised to find Peony messing around in the garage, busy getting the cooling van ready for the trip. Considering they had to carry the body back over many hours, they had agreed to use this one for the roadtrip. Bailey wasn't really a fan of it, but it drove well enough, all things considered.

She stepped inside the garage, and she tilted her head towards Peony. "Hey, morning!"

[Jaykobell]

A petite woman peeked out from the passenger seats. Bailey could only assume she had been packing her clothes and things for the roadtrip on the backseat. "Bailey!!" Peony gasped. "How's it going?"

"Good, good," Bailey answered, and she came closer. She had dressed casually for this, considering they would spend most of their time driving, but she had brought a more formal change of clothes as well, for when they would reach the temple.

[Jaykobell]

"Same, same, same," Peony replied. She, too, had dressed casually, wearing a shirt from some video game or television show Bailey didn't know. Peony was incredibly professional, but Bailey loved the fact she managed to blend both her personality and her professionalism together. She always had a few subtle pins on her shirt, pins that indicated what she liked, but without being overly in one's face or distracting for the clients.

"Super excited for this roadtrip!" she added as she stepped away from the van.

[Jaykobell]

"Me too!" Bailey took the opportunity to put her bag on the backseat, noticing that her assumption had been correct, seeing Peony's things in the back as well. "It'll be different, I like different."

"Same!" Peony agreed. "Breaks up the routine and stuff."

"Does the van look good for the trip?" Bailey asked.

Peony nodded and gave Bailey a thumbs up. "Yup! Asked the mech guys to check it out before we left, said it's all gucci."

[Jaykobell]

"Sounds good, then. I can drive now, and eventually we'll switch?" She was much more of a morning person, so taking the first driving shift was fine by Bailey. She liked driving, too, so she didn't mind doing most of the actual driving during the roadtrip.

"Up to you!" Peony answered. "I haven't eaten yet, I thought we could stop at the drive-through for breakfast somewhere. Is that okay?"

Bailey's stomach growled almost immediately at the mention of food.

[Jaykobell]

Peony heard it, and she laughed. "Sounds like a yes to me!"

Bailey smiled sheepishly, and she laughed too. "I didn't eat either," she admitted. "I thought the same, that we could just stop somewhere to eat. We'll have to stop for lunch and dinner anyway." It wasn't healthy to drive for so long without a break, either, so it made sense to Bailey that they should stop to eat. That way, they could be proactive with their time.

[Jaykobell]

"Hell yeah," Peony said. "Sounds like a plan."

"Yep," Bailey agreed. "Are you ready now? We can leave now?"

"Sure am!" Peony made her way to the front door for the passenger seat and opened it. "I took care of everything urgent, anything else can wait one day," she promised, laughing again as she jumped to propel herself into the van. It was a tall vehicle, so it was always a little bit awkward to get into it, especially for the smaller folks like Peony.

[Jaykobell]

With that, the two of them set off on the roadtrip. Bailey made sure to text her dad to say she was leaving, and her dad answered almost right away, wishing her a good trip; and, of course, reminding her to drive safely.

The drive itself was smooth, without a single hiccup. Peony handled choosing some good, intense music for the roadtrip using her cell phone. They had also made sure to stop for food every few hours.

[Jaykobell]

Eventually, by the end of the day, the two friends had reached the town nearest the temple. Peony had taken on the responsibility of booking them a cheap, but respectable motel room, and she had found a great little place. "They even offer breakfast the next morning!" she had insisted. Bailey could appreciate it, and regardless of the price, the funeral home would pay them back, since this was all part of the job.

By early evening, they had their bags in the motel room.

[Crystal Synthesis Complete]