Page 60 of Revived

“Both.” We connect our lips as water falls behind us, the sound of crickets chirping echoes in the restaurant, and the clatter of dishes all waft in and out of the background. Our kiss is short-lived though, as our waitress arrives with our soup, and then the other three courses we ordered, our eyes clearly bigger than our stomachs.

“So there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you,” she mumbles around a mouthful of food.

“Okay…”

“Where are Hannah’s parents, or her family in general? I’ve obviously met yours, but I realized after dinner the other night, I’ve never heard you talk about them.”

I finish chewing and then reply. “Well, they live in Arizona, where she was from. They are actually coming out in a few weeks after the Fourth of July, so thanks for reminding me. They visit once a year to see Grayson, but I think anything more than that just makes them sad. She was their only child.” The high I was just feeling during the night is quickly diminished with that question.

“Oh, okay. I’m sorry if that made you uncomfortable. I was just wondering.” She looks away like a kid who just got scolded by their parent.

“No, no… it’s alright. I understand your need to know. I honestly don’t worry about them too much because we’ve had the same arrangement for years. They like their life in Arizona and Hannah stayed here in Oregon after she graduated from college, so the space has been the normal.”

“It’s nice they at least get to see Grayson though, and vice versa.” She sips her wine and then pushes one plate aside before grabbing the next.

“Yeah, but I have to remind him of who they are each summer. Now that he’s getting older, I’m sure he’ll start to remember them more.”

“Definitely.”

Barely making it through two courses before we wave our white flags, Rachel sits back in her spot and exhales in defeat. “I need to walk. Otherwise, I’m going to slip into a food coma and pass out.”

“Well, we can’t have that. I still have another stop for us.” Extending my hand to her, she takes it willingly as I help her out of her side of the booth and grab our to-go boxes.

“Just let me use the bathroom really quick before we leave.”

“Of course.”

Positioned at the end of the hall, I wait for Rachel to finish, surveying the hustle of the restaurant as I remained rooted in place. A few moments later she reappears. Placing my hand on the small of her back, I usher her out of the wooden doors to head back out to my car. Once we’re settled inside my SUV, we cruise along the road, leaving the magical forest of The Treehouse for the actual forest in the mountains.

We’re coasting for over ten minutes, our fingers intertwined, before Rachel finally asks, “So where are you taking me?” The car is slowly climbing up the winding road of a small mountain on the outskirts of Emerson Falls, taking us higher and further from the boundaries of our bustling town.

“When you told the story of your grandpa the other night at dinner and how you used to go camping with him and look at the stars, it reminded me that this little place up here existed.” Gesturing out the window, I point to the building peeking through the trees at the top of the peak.

“What is it?”

“An observatory. Nothing like the big ones you can visit in more popular towns. But it’s still a hidden gem in this area, and they just so happened to be open tonight.”

Rachel turns to me, her face full of elation. “Luke! You didn’t have to do this.”

“I know I didn’t. I wanted to.”

“Oh, my God. I’m so excited,” she squeals as we finish the final few twists and turns that allow us to arrive at our destination.

When we enter the Hyatt Lake Observatory, Rachel’s eyes begin to bug out of her head.

“I’ve never been to one of these before,” she admits as she spins around with her head pointed up to the sky visible through the opening in the dome.

“We’re a far smaller establishment than most, but our little astronomy society has kept this place operational for years.” The voice of the fragile man walking up to us pulls our attention to the left.

“Theodore.” I acknowledge him and then reach out to shake his hand.

“Luke. Nice to see you. It’s strange not seeing you around town in your cruiser and khaki and green anymore.”

Looking over at Rachel, I notice she’s still perusing the room. “Yeah, needed a change. I’m teaching at Ashland Community College now.”

“That’s what I heard. Do you like it?”

I nod reassuringly. “Yeah, I do.”

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