December 1993

At Darla’s Christmas Eve open house in Bellevue, Lucky and Stephanie wind down in their shared bedroom with new pajamas and books. Stephanie’s innocent excitement about Santa contrasts with John’s earlier push that Lucky angle for gold or jewelry, which underscores to Lucky how he reduces everything to money.

Stephanie presents Lucky with a gold charm bracelet engraved “Sisters,” bought with chore money and meant to be added to forever. The gift pierces Lucky’s defenses, as she anticipates their lies being uncovered. She refuses the bracelet, then covers by saying she can only wear her mother’s necklace, using grief as an excuse when Darla and John appear at the door.

After Stephanie falls asleep, Lucky asks John to leave immediately. They pack quietly, ignore the piled presents despite John’s suggestion to take some, and slip out while holding back Blossom. Lucky brings the bracelet anyway, knowing John would want its value.

On the empty Christmas Eve highway, John frames their exit as protection from entanglements. Lucky pleads for a normal life—settling somewhere, John getting a job, and her attending school. John insists he can’t change who he is or how he survives.

As they near the Washington–Oregon border, the conversation ends. John has Lucky unfold the map to choose their next stop, reaffirming their itinerant path and Lucky’s loss of the family she briefly tasted.