THE BACKSTORY: It’s hard to pack the lives of two people into two cars to drive across country. Marco’s mother and sister left behind many things, but, as Marco’s mother says, “They’re just things.” We finally hit the road after a few days of packing and playing tetris with all their possessions in their two cars. Not pictured: the cat of Marco’s sister in her backseat luxury room. Marco’s sister made a space for her furry companion to relax and eat and have a litter box during our cross-country trek back to Portland.