Page 24 of The Road Sometimes Taken

He grabs three rocks from the ground and skips them one at a time on the river. After the last one, he pauses with his knees up and his eyes locked on the water. The river’s gentle flow of clear water creates the best background music anyone could ask for and I take a minute to appreciate howlucky I am that I get to spend so much time in nature today. “You know, if you truly mean it, it could be so good for you,” I murmur after a moment.

“What could?” Manny asks, not stopping skipping the rocks over the otherwise calm river. Growing up, I don’t think he ever sat still for more than a few minutes. There were days in some of the vacations where I would find him sitting by the water, just like this, looking at it, skipping rocks, or even just dipping his toes in. Where did that boy go? When did he grow up into a man who forgot life’s meaning and to slow down to appreciate the idle time? When did he stop noticing the pockets of time in between life’s chaos?

“Taking a pause. Taking time off. Enjoying being outside. Dipping your toes in the water. Feeling the breeze on your face. Thinking about nothing but everything at once. Letting the day tell you what to do and where to go without worrying about people thousands of miles away from you who wouldn’t care at all if tomorrow you never called again. A job is always replaceable, even when you’re the boss,” I urge, locking my eyes on his and swallowing hard before adding, “but your life, your health, and your mental space can’t be. Take care of it.”

I reach over to squeeze his hand and after a second he nods silently, before going back to skip his stones.

“Are you ready to head back and wash up for dinner?” he asks and I nod. Manny gets up, offering me his hands to help me get up from the ground. When I place mine in his, a spark rushes through my fingers but before I can think twice about it, he pulls hard, lifting me in a quick swoop and dropping my hand as soon as I’m standing. I immediately observe how cold my hands feel without Manny touching them. We walk up the trail through the mix of evergreens and tall trees with their leaves whispering softly in the breeze.

Dinner was amazing.The barn had a candlelit dinner set up family-style. Beautiful picnic tables were lined up outside with live music and wine. I danced as much as my feet let me and drank until Manny told me that if I wanted to walk back to the tent, I should stop. I should’ve listened sooner, because we’re on the way back to the tent and I want nothing to do with walking.

“Wait, let me take my shoes off,” I cry, pulling the long strap wrapping my calf and untying my sandals. I hate shoes. I hate wearing them and half the time they’re just a pretty accessory. These sandals are cute and comfortable but after wearing them for hours, I’m done.

“What if something bites your toes?” Manny asks and I laugh because I think he’s joking when I should know he’s being as serious as a heart attack.

“Whatever it is could bite me with my shoes on, too. Look,” I boast, wiggling my toes in my sandals to show him how close they are to the ground.

“Oh, I know, Cara. I wasn’t able to pull my eyes away from those pretty dancing feet all night.”

I know without looking at myself in a mirror that I’m blushing. Manny is such a flirt, always has been, but being on the other side of his sweet little comments always makes my heart do a somersault. In high school, he often made comments like that in front of me but rarely toward me. Maybe it’s because I dated Cole for so long they were never geared at me. But when Mannywouldflirt with me I got that same feeling I’m getting right now: giddy, excitement, and fun. Nothing has ever happened between us, of course, andnothing ever will. But sometimes I wonder if he can back up all that talk. I wonder if he's a shameless flirt or if he truly means it.

“Then why didn’t you dance with me, hotshot?” I ask while I unwrap the straps of my other gladiator sandal. I opted for a flowy sundress today with these sandals which wrap up all the way to my knee. My dress is really short, so shorts underneath were a must. I was very glad for my choice when I stood up to dance and my dress whirled up with my first twirl. I’m sure my thick legs were all on display.

“I only dance Merengue, Salsa, and Reggaeton. And none of the dancing tonight was any of those. Also, if you wanted me to dance with you, you could’ve asked.”

“I always want to dance. Take that as an open invitation.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yup, for the future.”

He pauses to look at my sandals now in my hands and shakes his head. “Are you really going to walk barefoot in the dark?”

“Sure will!” I shout.

Manny lowers himself in front of me in some sort of squat, making him look like a horse as he offers, “Come on up, sunshine. Hop on.”

“Manny, please. Why? I can just walk,” I whine because what in the actual world does he expect—for me to just hop on his back?

“Come on, I don’t want something to eat your pretty toes,” he urges.

“No, thank you.” Giggles escape me as I shake my head and smile at him.

“Do I need to dare you to do it, Carita?”

I put my hands on my hips and square my shoulders as I groan, “If you dare me, Manny, you have to play too.”

“I’m already here because of a dare. I’m not afraid to play. I dare you to hop on my back, Cara.”

Oh for fuck’s sake. I hop on his back, and he slides his big hands under my butt. With a quick boost, he pulls me higher on his back and then he sprints toward our tent.

“Manny!” I shout. “What are you doing? AH!” I scream but it’s more of a loud laugh than anything.

“I didn’t go for a run this morning so this will do,” he shouts over the silence of the forest. We’resogoing to get kicked out of this place if we’re not quiet, but I can’t help but laugh non-stop until we make it back to the tent.

Manny puts me down, my feet touching the damp grass right outside our fairy-light-illuminated tent, and he lets out a loud laugh before putting his hands on his knees.That laugh. That wasn’t his usual one. His careful and polished laugh. This one came from deep in his tummy. It rumbles through space and bounces deep into my core. I freaking love that laugh, I decide.

“Manny, shh! It’s past ten, it’s quiet time around the tents,” I press, bringing my hand to his mouth because he won’t stop.

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