A Leaving (part i)
Three hours later, two cars were crammed tighter than a pair of petite jeans. I polished off the rest of my beer, looked down at my sweat soaked shirt, and shrugged. We moved towards each other.
It was a good hug.
"See you tomorrow morning?"
"Bright and early."
Sleep didn't work that night. It seemed someone had snuck in and broke it when I wasn't watching. By morning the clouds opened up and dropped what I kept telling my eyes to hold in. She was soaked by the time they arrived. Karen plopped down on the couch exasperated.
"Are you guys gonna be able to get going?"
"We probably better wait."
"While I'm already drenched I think I'll go and get McDonald's," She said. "Anybody want coffee?"
Two heads nodded up and down, sinking a little deeper with each nod.
After She had left and we both sat for a while, Karen looked at me and asked, clearly at a loss, "Have you decided what you're going to think about on the drive?"
It was a dumb question. But I didn't blame her for it. Karen had never had to watch someone driving away knowing they wouldn't be coming back. Luckily, She arrived with the coffee and broke the tension. I gave Her some dry clothes and the three of us just sat there, sipping coffee and waiting.
It was the worst way to start a 1,200 mile trip; three friends who would never be all in the same place again and with nothing better to do than sit together dreaming of yesterday.
It was a good hug.
"See you tomorrow morning?"
"Bright and early."
Sleep didn't work that night. It seemed someone had snuck in and broke it when I wasn't watching. By morning the clouds opened up and dropped what I kept telling my eyes to hold in. She was soaked by the time they arrived. Karen plopped down on the couch exasperated.
"Are you guys gonna be able to get going?"
"We probably better wait."
"While I'm already drenched I think I'll go and get McDonald's," She said. "Anybody want coffee?"
Two heads nodded up and down, sinking a little deeper with each nod.
After She had left and we both sat for a while, Karen looked at me and asked, clearly at a loss, "Have you decided what you're going to think about on the drive?"
It was a dumb question. But I didn't blame her for it. Karen had never had to watch someone driving away knowing they wouldn't be coming back. Luckily, She arrived with the coffee and broke the tension. I gave Her some dry clothes and the three of us just sat there, sipping coffee and waiting.
It was the worst way to start a 1,200 mile trip; three friends who would never be all in the same place again and with nothing better to do than sit together dreaming of yesterday.
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