Page 23 of Shot to the Hart

“I get it. I have just one sister and brother-in-law. They live in California, no kids yet though.” I make a mental note to call Grace when I have a free minute to check in on her.

Our waitress stops by to grab our order. I place mine, ordering a burger and fries that I know our nutritionist would be yelling at me for, but Kodi seems to be deep in thought. Her green eyes almost reflect the color of the river she’s looking over, her loose hairs flying in the wind. The waitress coughs, dragging Kodi’s attention back to the table.

“Just a burger, extra pickles and fries please.” She smiles at the waitress who scurries away.

“If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be Kodi?”

“Europe. I want to experience the culture, the food, the people, the sights.”

“Anywhere specific?”

“Italy or maybe Ireland. To be honest, just traveling around all of Europe would be ideal.”

“Amsterdam is underrated, it’s quaint and beautiful. Ma and I went there when I graduated high school.” Ma, man I miss her. I think she would love Kodi, I can feel her encouraging me to get to know her better. Like a soft, uplifting hand on my shoulder.

“That sounds like a really fun bonding trip. Is there anywhere you haven’t been yet?”

“It was, we had some. . .interesting experiences there. I would love to visit Japan, the culture seems intriguing, and there are some beautiful sights to see.”

“What kind of experiences? Japan seems beautiful too, especially when the cherry blossoms are vibrant and pink.”

“Well, one night we were trying to find a pub to grab a beer and hear some live music. The local we asked for directions must have heardcluband sent us into the red-light district. You can imagine what a shock that was. We decided at that moment to pay for our phone service so we could use google.” A smile breaks across Kodi’s face, lighting up the rest of her features. Rosy pink cheeks lifting, green eyes squinted, her head thrown back as she laughs, the sweet sound like a melody in my ears. One that I could easily see myself getting addicted to.

“That sounds crazy but like so much fun. I don’t have any stories like that.”

“Really?”

“No, it was just my mom and I. She did her best, but we couldn’t afford to travel like that. And recently I was in a relationship for a while where it was never on my radar to adventure, but it turned out that’s something he always wanted.” She rolls her eyes.

“Oof. That’s fucked.”

“You’re telling me. Everything happens for a reason though. I don’t think I would’ve ended up here if that relationship didn’t end.”

“So, where have you traveled to?”

“My mom and I have done some smaller trips around Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and New York City. That one was especially fun, my mom saved up for months to afford it and we had the best time. The pizza was just as good as they say it is.” She smiles as she recalls that memory with her Mom.

“Deep dish or pan? This could make or break your employment,” I ask, invoking a fake seriousness into my voice that makes her smile widen.

“Pan, deep is too soupy for me.”

“Good answer.” I grin back at her.

“Do you have any other crazy travel stories with your mom?” she asks me.

“No, not really. We always did one big family trip a year, but that was the only time Ma and I travelled with just the two of us.” I would’ve loved to take mom on her dream trip, which also just so happened to be Japan when the cherry blossoms were in bloom.

“Do you want to give Bella memories like that with you?”

“I do. I haven’t done much traveling with her since she’s so young, but I think once the season is over, I want to do a small trip, just her and I. Maybe Disney World or a cabin in the mountains.”

“Oh, you should do the mountains. I’m definitely a mountain and not a beach girl.”

“Yet you stayed in Florida your whole life?” I question.

“Like I said, relationship and family. Now I think I’m just comfortable here.”

At this moment, our waitress drops our food off. We eat our meals in silence until Arabella wakes up and insists that Kodi shares her fries with her, which she does willingly. Once the bill is paid, we head back to the house so I can get ready for my trip.

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