Jess is finally going! That New Zealand holiday is at its dawn, and all she can think of is landscapes, walks and adventures. But what she does not expect to find, is what is waiting around the corner - someone.
Someone who will turn her holiday up...
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"Jess."
There was no answer.
"Jessy?"
Jess started and swiveled in her seat to face her aunt, who was watching her with a peculiar expression she quickly realised was mingled curiosity and incredulity.
"Which universe have you left us for, Jessy?" She asked.
Jess shook her head, smiling.
"It wasn't by any chance macaroni and cheese land, was it? Because I know I make great mac'n'cheese, but I haven't got enough pre-packaged mix to make any more tonight."
Smiling, Jess shook her head. Then she realised how repetitively suspicious she must have looked, and added with a small laugh, "No Aunty Charlotte, but that was a neighbouring universe."
Jess's aunt chuckled, before gesturing over at the little wide-eyed, furry presence hurling itself against the window. They watched as his little paws slid fruitlessly down the curtains, each jump accompanied by a soft but rather sharp bark.
"Someone's waiting for you."
Jess sighed.
"If you want to go back to the mysterious land of next-door-to-mac'n'cheese, I can take him today."
"That's okay, I can take him." Jess said as she stood, and traipsed over to begin the usual dance of trying to fit the leash onto the eager Obi Wan.
Before stepping out the door she turned to her aunt and smiled a little sheepishly. "You won't be too lonely?"
Aunt Charlotte glanced around at the empty room; Uncle Sam was at work, and Jess's mother was napping. She leaned towards Jess surreptitiously. "I think I might enjoy the quiet." she said with a wink.
Chuckling, Jess waved goodbye and strode outside.
It was another one of those gloriously sunny days that Jess was beginning to call the 'New Zealand days'. The sun had begun to peek out that morning, and now it was shining in earnest, through a cloudless, clear blue sky. It had rained heavily almost the entire night, and the air, almost a day later, was still fresh and cool. The neighbourhood looked thoroughly refreshed; every plant in every yard looked to have perked up, each corner seemed to vibrate with life. The stream surely would have been gorgeous that day.
But Jess did not know if she wanted to go back there.
Yesterday ran through her head again. She thought of the strange sensation that had filled her, when their moment had splintered. When she had been left to walk away along one of its forlorn fragments, lost in the moments that seemed to stretch away behind her, for hours.
He had not tried once to make conversation. She mused, that he had not seemed to even have thought of giving her an explanation of his behaviour; of those careless moments of complete disregard for her feelings.
