Who We Have

Chapter 15

Andy shivered as she placed her seatbelt on. She knew, however, that it wasn’t just the cold that got to her. She felt the nibbling nervousness at her tummy and she couldn’t stay still.

Adam fiddled with the controls to try and keep the car warm before they started moving. He looked at her as she rubbed her hands together. Gently taking them into his own, he felt the cold seep into his own palms. It was something he adored about her, the way her hands were always so dainty, smooth and a bit smaller than his.

“How long were you waiting?” he asked.

“Not that long,” she assured.

“Your fingers are like icicles,” he replied, not believing her.

Adam gently brought her hands to his mouth and he blew air heavily onto them to warm them up. At the end, he gently kissed them and she smiled at his gesture. Andy leaned in and kissed him in return.

“Come on,” she said, “let’s do this.”

“Buckle up, Perry,” said Adam.

***

“Orange. No, red!” she said.

“So close,” he replied, “blue.”

“How is that at all close?” she questioned.

“It was a color,” he grinned.

“The answer’s supposed to be a color,” she laughed.

“Not necessarily,” he told her.

Andy gently nudged his arm as she chuckled, being careful as he was still driving.

“Hey can we make a pit stop somewhere soon?” asked Andy, “I could use a restroom.”

“Agreed,” said Adam, looking ahead intently. “There should be a place up the highway, not too far ahead. We can stop there, get something hot to drink while we’re at it.”

“That sounds lovely,” Andy nodded, leaning her head against the window.

Within that silence, the moment was born. Drops of rain began to fall and explode against the windshield. Andy watched each streak of water being formed and forgot about the other cars and the road for a few minutes. All sounds were drowned out by the rainfall, and instead she listened to the pitter-patter of each drop against the car. The rain got heavier and the clouds were thicker.  Looking up into the grey sky, Andy smiled gently, feeling a sense of comfort and safety in the warmth that embraced her, while the cold roamed around outside.

Adam kept the wheel straight, his own thoughts occupying his mind during the silence. He took a deep breath and glanced at her in the moment he could, catching everything he needed. When chance arose, he took a better look at her, and he noticed the feelings in his chest bubbling up. It was a sweet caress of his heart. She meant the world to him. Adam was also nervous about the trip, but he tried his hardest not to show it, so he could reassure Andy. In that moment, however, all he could think about was how much he cared for her.

A little while later, Adam began to slow down as they got closer to a gas station. He quickly checked to see if the car needed gas as the ride was still going to last a while.

“Alright, I’ll stop by to get some gas and you can head inside,” he told her.

“Nature has never called louder,” she replied, yawning slightly.

“Were you sleeping?” he asked, looking at her. She did look tired.

“Maybe just a little,” she grinned. “Long car rides have that effect on me, okay?”