A Year Of Hope

That next day was full of sight seeing with Jane's family.

We went to the CN tower and walked on the glass floor. Well, I did. Jane was terrified. Another day we went to the Royal Ontario Museum, and the next Ontario Science Centre. We also went down to visit Niagara Falls. And we also went out to eat a lot. One day, we just went to McDonald's, but it was so different from American McDonald's. Some of the options were the same, but the one we went to had a whole bakery, and they still had the McWrap, which was my favorite menu item before they had gotten rid of it, so I made sure to get it while I was there.

Her grandparents insisted on paying for everything. I felt so awkward having them pay for me, and I offered to pay for us several times, but they always refused. Jane told me not to worry, and that they wouldn't pay if they didn't want to.

We also made sure to get Sam some souvenirs and some Canadian money, like a twoonie and a Canadian five dollar bill. While I was there, I was able to get away shortly, and I asked Aaron if he could take me somewhere so I could get Jane a new charm for her charm bracelet. He was more than happy to take, and I found one that was a single silver maple leaf with a small heart inside of it. I planned to give it to her when we got back.

When we weren't out, we were often at Jane's grandparent's house or at the apartment. Jane played in the snow in her grandparent's backyard with Aaron, and they had me help them to build a snowman. Sometimes I would play on the Xbox with Aaron back in the apartment.

Most of the time we would just sit down and talk. Jane's grandma told me a story about a time when Jane was 8 and Aaron was 3 where she wanted to sit in the baby swings like Aaron because the other swings were half way across the playground, and she and her grandfather had tried to stop her, but she climbed in anyways and got stuck and her grandfather ended up having to get on his hands and knees and have her push off to get her unstuck. Another story Jane had thought the bidet in her grandparents' bathroom was a water fountain and she accidentally made her splash her in the face.

The next Saturday, we had to return home. As they dropped us off at the airport, I could tell Jane was close to tears, but she was trying to hold them back. She hugged them all goodbye and then turned to walk in before the tears could fall. To my surprise, they all came in to hug me too.

Jane's grandmother said, "I expect to see a ring on her finger when you guys come up again." And then she winked at me.

"Oh mother, stop giving him a hard time," Jane's mother said as she came in to hug me. "It was nice to meet you, Cai. We'll have to come down sometime to visit soon."

Jane's brother gave me a fist bump and said, "Add me on Xbox Live when you get back." To which I promised said I would.

Jane's grandfather hugged me too, and said, "Take care of Jane for us."

"I will make sure of it," I told him and smiled. He gave me a slight smile and nodded.

I waved them all goodbye and met Jane inside. She had already finished crying and Xanax had started to kick in. She was staring out the window with her eyes glossed over.

The plane ride back went a lot like the first flight. She held my hand tight with her eyes shut until the the plane landed.

Sam had come back to town the day before, so she came to pick us up the next day. She was leaned casually on her car as if she had been waiting for a while.

"Saaaaammm!" Jane called out, still slightly out of it, and Sam waved back with a goofy grin.

"Hey girlie. Are you... high?"

"Xanax," I explained. "Nice to see you again, Sam."

Sam smiled and gave me a side hug, and then hugged Jane. "Man, I kind of missed you guys."