The Immaculate Misconception

Chapter 7

Chris and Eve were on the hill. Due to the cold outside, they had the roof of the car up and the heat on. Snow covered the ground and the trees; it was beautiful. It had been a pretty decent winter so far. Yes, it was cold, but the cold wasn't often bitter; it didn't sting when it hit your face as much. It was nice, more...crisp. It was perfect weather for making a snow man, which some of the families were doing at the houses nearby. Eve just hoped none of them recognized her or Chris. She knew some of the people that went to her father's church lived in those neighborhoods. If any of them were to see Eve and Chris together and tell Paul...who knows what would happen...But it was worth it to spend time with Chris.

Eve was in a brown, knee length dress today. Brown leather boots covered her feet and brown leather gloves covered her hands. A cream colored beanie about the same color as her coat rest on her head. Needless to say, she was dressed for the weather.

Eve had seen Scranton's winter so many times. Some years it was really bad; other times it was like the way it was now. Either way though, it was the same winter in the same place each year. Eve often wondered what it was like in a place like California or Texas, where it was practically summer year round.

"What's it like to be able to travel for a living?" Eve asks Chris.

Chris thinks, "Well, it's certainly interesting. You get to see so many different things and interact with so many people. You get to hear stories from all over the world. There's so many things to see and do, Eve, it's amazing. It's tiring sometimes, what with the jet lag and being away from family and home and all...but at the same time, I've gotten to go all over the world! And yet there's still so much that I haven't seen. It's incredible to learn about all of the histories and cultures and to hear all of the different languages and accents; and then to perform on a stage for an audience that doesn't even speak the same language as you that know all of the words to your songs..."

Eve gives a small smile, "It sounds like a fantastic life."

"It is." Chris says, "Do you and your dad travel often?"

"Try not at all."

"Have you never been outside of Pennsylvania?"

"I've barely been outside of Scranton!" Eve says, "And then my professors and my clients want me to paint and draw and sculpt all of these things from all of these places and it just makes me want to travel even more. I just want to be free, Chris..."

Chris takes Eve's hand, "Well, maybe you and I can go see the world together someday."

Eve smiles, "I'd like that. A girl can dream, right?" She asks before taking a sip of her vanilla coke.

Chris smiles, "We'll just runaway together someday. We'll pack our bags, get the plane tickets and go. I know lots of amazing places in Europe that I could take you to...I know this great hotel in Paris that has this penthouse room on the top floor with an amazing view of the Eifel Tower. I'd take you to all the museums and little shops, then we'd come back to our room and indulge on the best food that room service has to offer...and make love in front of the fire place to celebrate your freedom..."

Eve's gut filled with butterflies.

"If I get to do all that with you someday, I'll consider myself the luckiest girl in the world." She says, "If I get to do any of the things in life I actually want to do, I'll consider myself lucky."

"You can do anything you set your mind to, Eve. You could fly if you wanted to."

Eve looks straight ahead of her, to the view beyond them.

"You think I could fly off this hill?" She asks, quietly.

Chris squeezes her hand, "Eve..."

Eve sighs, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that." She says.