Page 46 of A Fine Line

“Yes, and I hate it.”

He snorted as his hand turned on the blinker to pull us into the parking lot filled with dogs on leashes and mountain bikers and kids with running shoes on. “Well, this is my spotty area.”

Crew led me through the woods, holding a blanket he had in the back of his car and an envelope sticking out of the back pocket of his jeans. Occasionally he took us off the carved path and through some rough spots where he had to hold my hand as I attempted to jump over some thorn brush.

“Almost there, just a little longer.” He pushed me to keep moving and after one more rough patch he held a branch down for me and then we were there.

As I stepped into the clearing, it struck me. The homesickness.

The trees surrounded the open space, their branches heavy with Philly’s finest autumn’s colors—burnt oranges, deep reds, and golden yellows, each leaf catching the late afternoon sunlight. A breeze stirred through the air, and I watched as a few leaves flutter down, joining the others that have scattered across the tall grass.

Just like home. Just like the fields that ran on for miles all the way to the far ends of the forest where the level ground stopped and the mountains began. Just like the view from the bakery beside the guest cottage, where you could watch people pick strawberries and blueberries, or kids running through the pumpkin patch in the fall.

The grass swayed around my legs as I moved further in. It’s cool and dry, crackling under my boot like the fallen leaves. I took a deep breath in my nose, the crisp scent of Earth and decaying leaves filling my lungs, grounding me. All was quiet, save for the rustle of the trees and the distant calls of birds.

“It’s perfect isn’t it?” Crew’s voice was low behind me, crawling up my neck as his gentle breath grazed my ear.

“It’s…” home. I thought. Everything about it screamed home.

“I know.” A single hand lifted to my wrist, his fingers trailing it lightly. “I know.”

I took a few more steps in, following Crew as he laid out his blanket and laid down. There were footsteps that looked fresh, and I wondered just how often he escaped here? I recalled his siblings always teasing his absence but if I were always needing a break, I would come here too. Where no one could find me.

“Come sit.” He patted the ground beside him and in a trance I followed suit, settling in right next to him.

“I could live here.” I whispered as we both leaned back, heads facing the clouds above with the fall breeze dancing around us.

“I wish I did.” Crew whispered right back, a confession. One just for me.

“So,” I elbowed his side. “How many of your little girlfriends have you brought here?”

“The fact that you said girlfriends, as in plural, alone is laughable.”

“Come on, I’m serious.”

Say none. Please, please, please say none.

“Only you, Winnie girl.”

My cheeks lit into a flame, surely matching the colors of the falling leaves around us, and I was so grateful that he was staring up at the sky.

“Good.” I murmured.

“Mhmm.”

We sat in silence for a while. Nothing but us and the birds and this overwhelming feeling of this is going to be fine. If we’re going to do this competition, we we’re going to do it right. And I would make it home when I could. If it was next year, fine. If it was five years, that would be alright too. Everything would be just fi-

“Look, I’m gonna cut to the chase.” Crew sat up abruptly, reaching in his back pocket with the envelope in his hand. “I need a big favor and I think you could help me.”

I sat up too, my head tilting and eyebrows lifting as I eyed the white papers. Was he…going to back out? I tried to look through the thin paper to see on the other side but nothing was revealed.

He continued as I investigated. “I was going to spend thanksgiving with my family but I started thinking…it seems kind of suspicious that I wouldn’t be going with you to visit your family. You know, considering to them you are my very serious girlfriend and all. So,” Crew opened the envelope and handed two small printed out tickets. From PHL to BHM. Tickets to… home. My home?

“I was going to ask if I could join you. For Thanksgiving. You keep talking about this Willow Creek place and I just can’t help but feel like I have to go so, you know, you would be doing me a huge, huge favor.”

My mouth fell open and shut, and open once more as I just stared between the tickets and this man…this incredible man who I spent so long trying my best to see all of the worst in. Having no idea just how amazing he was. “I-I can’t believe you did this.”

I leaned in, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him tight to me. With us chest to chest, my eyes began to water again and I was certain my mascara was done with me for the day.

---