“Love you,” he whispers.
I mouth it back to him.
God, we’re soppy.
But I’m smitten.
We pluck a few leaves from his tree to carry home with us.
Seatbelts fastened.
One last kiss.
Then the truck edges toward town.
the twenty ninth chapter
AMOS
Even before we reach the bridge, I feel a hand in mine.
He’s nervous. Not that I’m surprised.
I press his palm to my heart as a silent vow.
No matter what happens inside that house, I’ll be right by his side.
By now the sun has peaked, burning with vengeance.
Inland temperatures make the city we left behind feel almost arctic. I could never live here. I love the ocean too much.
Turning the vents to the lowest possible setting, I’m hoping it will soothe him.
An SUV approaches us from the right hand side of the road, waving as they pass.
Marco waves back.
“Someone you know?”
“Don't think so,” he shrugs. “But everyone waves in this town.”
They'll probably assume we're just campers, passing through.
And so far, we are.
“Let me show you my school,” he says.
Passing the store on our left, I can’t help taking another peek.
This is the humble corner where everything changed.
The trajectory of one life forever altered, leading us toward each other.
If he'd never had the courage to stand there, if that kindness hadn't been offered, where would my love be now? At the pub, or worse perhaps?
Without a safe loving home, there’s a desolate energy here.
I can feel it to my bones.
