Starting Over — Beverly Sommers

It wasn't as though Ritchie were a little boy.
He was almost fifteen and really didn't need a mother. Besides, she really liked his brother better. It was time to join his father again. He's saved a little money. He'd taken a good look at the map, and the distance between California and El Salvador didn't look that bad.
He would walk and hitchhike. How happy he would be to see him again!

Now if only Arlie would come with him, even if she was a girl. She was tough, she was smart -- and he loved her.
How could he leave her behind ?