Page 19 of A Me and You Thing
“Textbook description.” Abi laughs, and I join her.
“Oops, wardrobe malfunction. Our professions are showing.” I adjust my position in order to get a better view.
Rainforests, mangrove forests, and beaches abound in this country. I didn’t know that about Nicaragua. This is not a touristy trip, but someday I’d love to come back here with Sawyer, just to explore the countryside.
Nicaragua is such a mystery. I’d been online the past few days before I left, soaking up as much information as I could.
“I feel like I know nothing except random Wikipedia facts. I think this is a country that needs to be experienced rather than studied.”
“Ready or not, we’re about to experience it.” Abi sounds nervous, but excited.
That sums up my emotions as well. I might feel like I don’t know much about Nicaragua, but I do know that we’re headed for the central highlands—a mountainous area.
I fiddle with my seatbelt, my nerves revealing themselves. “We’re going to be in the mountains where it’s less populated and less economically developed than other areas. June is part of their rainy season. We should expect cold temperatures instead of their usual seventy to seventy-five-degree weather.”
“Yep, I packed for chilly weather. It felt so wrong when it was one-hundred-and-seven degrees outside at home.” Abi laughs again. “I’m from Arizona. Cold temperatures will be a shock to my system—even temperatures that aren’t really considered cold.”
“We’re a perfect pair. The high elevation will take some adjusting for me. I live at sea level, so everything is high to me. I’m from Newport, Oregon.”
We smile at each other. I think we’re both grateful to have a friend while on this adventure. Abi is a sweet girl, with stars in her eyes. She has a fiancé at home, and her wedding is only six weeks away. When she walks, she floats. She’s already missing her man horribly.
I’m missing my man, too. “I hope we have a little time for sightseeing. I hear they grow coffee on the highest slopes in the mountains. That’s a sight I’d like to see.”
Abi flips her serving tray into the locked position so the stewardess will stop giving her the evil eye. “Yeah, me too. Count me in.”
I’m traveling with a group of eleven other teachers, all on the younger side of life. They’re dedicated and a tad idealistic, positive that our two-week trip will make an epic difference. I suppose I believe it too or I wouldn’t be here.
There are five men and seven women. For safety purposes, Teach the World, the organization who has sent us here, has advised us to stick together at all times and to watch out for one another.
Abi and I hit it off right away. I’m excited to get to know her better during our two-week stay.
I finger the locket at my throat. Before I boarded the plane, Sawyer placed it around my neck, surprising me. I opened it up to find that it unfolded to reveal three compartments. Inside, each one held a perfect picture—one of Josie, one of Jordyn, and one of Sawyer, the three most important people in my life. On the back, an inscription read, “You’re my fave.” I teared up at the sight and nearly backed out of going right then and there. Sawyer held me tight until I regained my composure.
I sit back in my seat, close my eyes, and relive our conversation.
Our cheeks pressed together, we spoke quietly to each other.
“I love you, Quinn. So, so much.”
“I love you, Sawyer. I loved my note this morning too. Thank you.”
He doesn’t know it, but I have it tucked into my pocket. I had to take it with me. He wrote:This guy’s in love with you.
An oldie but goodie.
I left him a note to discover when he gets home:She loves you.Can’t go wrong with The Beatles. We’re so cheesy. I love it.
I remember how he ran his hands over my back, assuring that my secret waterproof pouch was still firmly attached to my torso. My passport, my ID, cash, and good old-fashioned traveler’s checks were safely tucked away in there, a constant reminder that I would soon be in a foreign country and needed to take precautions when it came to being prepared. Nicaragua is a cash country, and everything is relatively inexpensive. Most places don’t accept credit cards, so traveler’s checks are a must, even though they’re considered a bit outdated to most of the world.
“Have a wonderful time, the best time. Don’t worry about home. The Grandma Gang runs a tight ship and all will be taken care of with military-like precision. I’ve already been scolded for not washing and putting away my cereal bowl.”
“Sorry, not sorry.”
He lightly chuckled. “Let me tell you, it’s gonna be a super fun two weeks. I can already tell I’m gonna love it. My mom will make me eat all my vegetables and remind me to wear clean underwear. I won’t be surprised if she tells me to brush my teeth before I go to bed, either. I don’t know how I survived my twenties without her.”
“I’m gonna come home to a whipped husband and spoiled children,” I moaned.
He laughed gently in my ear, and I loved the deep tone. “Just goes to show how much we need you. You will be sorely missed.”
