A Hand To Hold - Chapter 3

Chapter 3: NAAAG

"Jackie! Hurry up! We gotta go! We need to be on the road before the crazies get on the road." Johnathan calls up the stairs.

"I'm coming I was just making sure I had everything!" I reply.

Today is the day! Myrtle Beach here I come! I think as I grab my bag off the foot of the bed and head for the stairs.

"Toss the bag to me so I can put it on the bike!"

I toss the bag to him from the top of the stairs and run down after it. Mrs. Leziah is in the kitchen making us a breakfast and lunch for the day. We told her that she didn't need to do that, but she insisted. "Well, you still need something to eat now, don't you?" Was her rebuttal. The sun hasn't even come out yet and we are fixing to get on the road.

"Ready?" Johnathan asks me, "Time to go!"

"Yep! Goodbye, Mrs. Leziah. I'll see you again eventually."

"Promise?"

"I promise." I reply.

As we mount the bike, the first hint of sunrise was visible in the sky. Beautiful shades of blue and pink were barely visible on the horizon. We see people getting out of their cars and walking up to shops and walking in to start the workday. The occasional wave of a passerby saying goodbye for now. The main road is the highway. The town already drawing away in the rear view. As I breath my last promise of return, I hold on to Johnathan for dear life as he picks up speed. Trees whirl by on both sides, going 60-70-80 miles per hour on the road. A hawk looks as though it is hovering in mid-air, but we are really both flying at the same speed, two creatures headed the same direction. In what feels like no time at all, the sun is directly overhead beating it's lifeline of warmth on the tops of our heads. Feeling nothing less but pure joy and tilt my head towards the sky, feeling a large smile spread across my face. Any hint of fear now gone from my soul, knowing I am safe here with him, even if I'm on the back of his metal death trap.

Soon enough, we are merging on to the exit ramp. We made it to Myrtle Beach. Not wanting to remove my arms from Johnathan's middle, I look to the sky to see around what time it is. Looks like it's three or four... We ride into the parking lot that we decided on during the week prior to leaving town. (A cute Air B&B apartment by the beach).

"My legs are numb. I think I need to sit down again." I say wobbling to the curb.

"You just got off the bike. Jackie, I remember you being a wimp but, it wasn't this bad." He laughs at his pun.

"Everything that came after 'but' is bullshit, and you know it." I say rolling my eyes and continuing, "Besides, that was my first time being on a motorcycle for that long, ever."

Still chuckling, "Are you going to help me or not?"

"Not."

"Jaqualine, if you don't help me, you get the living room."

"I was joking anyway." As the thought strolls across my mind, "What do you want to do for dinner anyway?"

"I was thinking Sea Blue."

"Okay." I say grabbing my bag and taking it into the apartment.

The apartment description was "Rustic shique" and this takes rustic to the next level. It is really nice.one bedroom, one bathroom and small kitchen. I plopped my bag down on the couch and head for the bathroom. Got to go. Got to go. I kept thinking to myself. While I'm in the bathroom, Johnathan is bringing in the rest of the bags from the bike. ("I'm going to let the owner know we are here!" I hear Johnathan shout from the other room.) I don't respond as I finish. The decorations in the bathroom are very nice.

I decided to take a shower while waiting for Johnathan to get back. I remember how when I was in high school, I would run up behind Johnathan and launch myself from his shoulders. It gave me a really good laugh. He would laugh about it too, and every time he did laugh, I was beet red. One time, he asked me why I did it. And I said, "Because it makes you laugh, and I love it when you laugh." That's about the time he figured out I liked him. Right after he said that he knew, I found out that my brother was in an accident.

Luke was hit by a car getting on the bus. I wasn't there because I got a ride with my friend and her brother to school. I blamed myself for a long time, even though he only had a broken leg and arm. It could've been prevented if I had just let him ride with us. H didn't blame me; however, he blamed the driver because they were speeding in a residential area. During all of this, it was Johnathan who was there for me. He supported me. He drove me to the hospital and "I'm her boyfriend and I'm practically family! Let me in!" he yelled at the nurse when he didn't let him in. After that, we never told anyone differently. We were together, through it all. No matter what it was, I told him everything and he told me everything. Or, rather, that was how I thought it was.

For a while I could tell something was bothering him. I kept asking him what was wrong, and he would always say that he was tired and say nothing else about it. Eventually, I made him tell me what was going on. He told me about the divorce. And about him having to go with his father to Pumpkin town, South Carolina.

"Jackie! I'm back! Are you ready?" Johnathan called loudly.

"Yeah, I'm ready." I say coming around the corner, "You know that my ears work right? You don't have to yell."

"My bad, I didn't know if you were still in the shower. I wanted to make sure you heard me."

"How long have you been back?"

"About ten - fifteen minutes."

"Oh okay. Lets go."