Walk That Mile

Day 17 & 18

DAY SEVENTEEN

Baker, California

It's just after lunch when Louis pulls the car off in Oro Grande and the street lined with antique shops Harry has picked out for them to visit. It's the last thing on Harry's written itinerary he made months ago; back before either of them knew what fate had in store. The next stop is straight through to Los Angeles but they've already decided to stay in the San Gabriel mountains for tonight, not ready to finish their road trip quite yet.

"Ready?" Louis asks once he turns off the car.

"I'm feeling a little sentimental right now," Harry says as he puts his itinerary back in the glove box for the last time. He takes a deep breath. "The Harry who planned this road trip, and decided his grand finale would be antique shopping, had no idea what was in store for him."

Louis smiles, laughter huffing quietly. "He didn't anticipate a partner in crime like me, did he?"

"Definitely not," Harry says. His lips twitch, "But sometimes you don't know what's good for you until it happens."

"Until Niall Horan happens," Louis corrects as he turns the handle on his door to open it.

"God bless Niall," Harry says. "Will he be in Chicago at Christmas? I can't wait to see him."

Louis pauses as he gets out of the car but only for a moment. He and Harry will both be home in Chicago for Christmas this year, they'll probably meet each other's families and give each other Christmas gifts on a cold, snowy night with rainbow lights reflecting off of the houses around them. They'll hang out with Niall in River North and go to the Christmas tree lighting on the river. If all goes the way it should, Harry will be his New Year's kiss. He can hardly wait.

"Yeah," he says as he lets his feet drop to the pavement. "He'll be home."

*

They wander through a few antique shops but their mutual favorite is Weathered and Treasured on the furthest corner. There's an old record player with dusty vinyls stacked all around it, vintage clothes in perfect condition, retro furniture and stacks of old books with other people's notes in them.

Harry finds an arm full of records he wants, a few worn copies of classic novels and a jean jacket with a rainbow patch over the heart and his birth year embroidered on the sleeve. He puts it on and looks like a rock star, because of course he does. Louis even takes a picture of him pretending to model and laughs loudly when all of the older ladies in the store coo over Harry like he's Mick Jagger.

Louis doesn't find anything he can't live without except when they're leaving and he sees a necklace hanging from the knob of an old dresser. He barely catches a full glance at it but he knows it's perfect.

"Baby," he catches Harry around the hips, "I forgot my phone in the dressing room. Meet you at the car?"

Harry nods and adjusts a ridiculous pair of white sunglasses he found at the last minute when he was paying. They look like Willy Wonka but he still looks hot. It's all sorts of stupid.

Louis waits until Harry is far enough away and then he swipes the necklace up, the little vintage key worn and weathered on a thin chain. It's exactly what he didn't know he was looking for. He pays and quickly puts it in his pocket, jogging out to meet Harry at the car and waving around his phone for good measure. He's an excellent actor, if he does say so himself.

*

They take the long way to the San Gabriel mountains now that they're close enough to the coast they can practically taste it. Everything past Oro Grande and closer to San Gabriel is lush and green, rivers breaking through forested areas and streaming next to the highways. When they see signs for a the take the exit shrouded by trees with hardly a second glance at each other.