my moon, my sun

8

I didn't know what I thought I was doing but I did it anyway. I packed my bags early Saturday morning and said goodbye to France.

"Au revoir maman, je t'aime. Goodbye mother, I love you." I wrapped her in the tightest hug, she smelled like sticky vanilla in the warm summers heat. She always smelled lovely, always pure and of washing liquid.

"je t'aime aussi chéri. I love you too honey." She said.

I didn't touch my father, I couldn't bring myself to even make eye contact with him.

"au revoir père, tu ne mérites pas l'amour de ma mère. Putain de connard. goodbye father, you don't deserve my mother's love. Fucking asshole." I said, before opening the car door and sliding in.

I hear the goodbyes from Laurie through the windows of the car. She treated them like they were her parents, she seemed to love them like they were.

Laurie soon accompanied me in the car, waving through the window, then resting her hand in mine. The other on the wheel.

As we drove away, I heard my mother turn to my father.

de quoi parlait Marcia, Jean ? What was Marcia talking about, Jean?

I wanted to shout out the window and say,

He's a cheating bastard, leave him! Leave him as soon as you can!

But instead I stayed silent, well that's a lie. I turned on the radio.

My mother needed to meet the true man my father was on her own.

I hate my father. I said.
I do too. She replied.

~~
The roads turned into motorways then the motorways turned into countryside roads, before turning back into motorways soon enough.

We talked about all sorts of things, things that related to my family, things about America to expect when I arrived, how to greet people, what to say when someone asks me where i'm from, what to and to not share about myself.

There's a lot more perverts in my home town.
Well the perverts in my hometown probably just know how to hide it better. I responded.

When we eventually got to a one way road to the airport.

"I've never been to an airport before." Shutting the car door.

"Well at least your with a nice enough person, it's always nice to travel with someone."

"You didn't travel with anyone to come here."

"Well atleast I'm taking someone back."

A part of me couldn't believe I was going to America, in reality I didn't even know where in America we were going. But all I knew is that I was with the woman I loved. And that's all that mattered at this moment in time.

"I really do love you, Laurie."

"Please stop telling me you love me. Especially in public." We waited in line for a fast food restaurant, I can't remember which one but I do remember the burgers they served. I remember watching her reaction.

"Fucking hell this is the best burger I've ever eaten. If I ever come back to France I'm coming right here and I'm eating another one."  I've never smiled more than that day, in the heat of the plane ride and the stuffiness of no windows or leg room.