In his camper after the meeting in Seattle, Cameron waits for a message from Avery that never comes. Instead, Brad texts photos of his newborn, which briefly softens Cameron before he replies and asks Avery if they can talk. He pulls into traffic, stewing on the day.

Gridlock and a flood of baby updates amplify Cameron’s anxiety. A nagging inner voice tells him the future he imagined in Sowell Bay—family answers, a stable relationship, steady work—was never real. Cameron clings to Tova’s assurances that Terry plans to offer him a permanent job, but he fixates on the fact that Terry didn’t offer it when asked.

Low on fuel, Cameron stops for gas, buys chips, soda, and cigarettes, and numbly scrolls his phone. He discovers that his ex, Katie, appears to have unblocked him, and he scours her photos, imagining her new boyfriend’s conventional stability. The contrast deepens Cameron’s resentment toward people with “normal” lives.

Overwhelmed by shame and doubt, Cameron rejects the fragile progress he’s made in Washington. He opens his maps app and sets a new course: Sowell Bay to Modesto. The decision to flee—fifteen hours south—signals his retreat from potential connections and answers.