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I did it so suddenly that, if he hadn’t been against the rail, I might have pushed him backwards off the porch. It took a moment where he stood dumbly before he put his arms around me, holding me close, his cheek against the top of my head. I cuddled against his chest for a long moment. He said, “Yer goin’ tae be all right, Woodshee.”
“Am I?”
He spoke into my hair. “Aye, ye hiked the trail, ye can do anythin’.”
I nodded, then broke the embrace and stepped back and away.
I shook my head. “I don’t know why I did that, I’m sorry, and I’m not upset, I mean, I’m probably just tired, so...” My voice trailed off as I proved him right about the ‘so’.
“Woodshee, will ye take care of yerself? Will ye make sure he daena—”
“Yeah, I will.” I met his eyes.
We stared at each other across the porch. Then I said, “I’m worried about you, I hope you’ll be okay.”
He grinned a sad grin. “Thanks Woodshee, I’m worried on ye too.”
“Thanks Liam.” I adjusted the strap on my shoulder. “You ought to get back, you told them five minutes.”
“Will ye call if ye need anythin’?”
“You mean, if I’m in Los Angeles, going through a terrible divorce, Hollywood-style, if I need your sage advice...?”
“Aye, I ken I’m nae as posh as yer LA friends, but ye might want someone tae talk tae who kens about rugby or lawns.”
“Yeah, if I need any advice on rugby or lawns I’ll call, I ought to, you’re my emergency contact.”
“How can this be, even in yer new phone?”
“Yeah,” I pulled it from my pocket and opened his contact page. “I imported it exactly as it was... See: Liam, blank last name because I hardly know you, and emergency contact. Show me my number in yours.”
He ran his hand through his hair and fished his phone out of his pocket and scrolled through and showed me. It said simply, Woodshee. I took it from him, turned on the camera, and looking down snapped a quick selfie in the dim porch light.
He chuckled. “Now ye do hae the look of a fae, trapped in m’phone — a dark spirit, the kind up tae mischief.”
With my phone I took a quick photo of him, a sad smile, the crinkling lines at the corner of his eyes, his broad shoulders and his familiar ease. I added the photo to his number in my phone. We both exhaled. I unlocked the front door of the cabin and turned around to see him jogging down the steps, heading toward his truck, climbing in and driving away. I waved goodbye.
