driving smelling scenery nostalgia
she talks to her mum alone
hes cuddly
he asks for her hand
he wakes up with her dad at 6am and farms
muscles
relaxed outfits
I am currently staring at Bedroom Blue. Josh's bedroom walls. Memorial Day weekend has come upon us.
I have been saying for weeks now that on the big weekend I will return home to see my beloved parents, but now the time is here, I could not be more nervous.
I do miss them, dearly, so much so. So much I have been eating Strawberries with every meal.
Maybe I was nervous for Josh. He's currently lifting my carry on and my suitcase to the front door as we are about to leave. He is not even remotely nervous. Even if he is, He is excellent at hiding it!
"Luce. Are you ready?" He shouts from the door. He probably still thinks I am in the Washroom. I check my face in the mirror and wash my hands.
"Coming" I shout back. Okay, Lets go!
Josh is driving with his sunglasses on, as beautiful as ever. I think I spaced out for the first half of the journey because we are past half way there. Josh places his hand on my thigh and he looks at me smiling. "Shortcake. What's happening in that little head of yours."
"I don't know why I'm nervous, anxious, nauseous, I don't know the word for what I am feeling right now." I blow a big puff of air and inhale deeply the scent of Josh. Mints and Oakwood. This does relax me immensely.
"It's ok to feel this way. You're holding up better than me when we went to go see my parents." He is silent for a second as we take a sharp bend in the road. This doesn't help my stomach ease at all. He rubs circles into my thigh and and pulls my left hand to his lips and kisses it. He is perfect. He makes everything ok.
"Are you excited?" I ask, already knowing his answer. "Of course. I get to see the origins of shortcake. I have been waiting for this for a long long time." He looks at me but must see a terrified expression on my face. "Maybe you just built up the idea of this day in your head for a long time, It's all going to be fine, you're just in your head." He's right of course. It's been 2 years since I have been home and I do call my parents regularly, I just feel bad that I cannot visit them as often. This is the first time I have brought a boy, or even a friend home to meet my parents. This is a first for me. Josh does not seem fazed. He's a super natural.
"I spy with my little eye" I begin, trying to distract my mind. "Something that begins with... C"
"Oh, ummm Car"
"Nope."
"Coat."
"No."
"Cherry Field?"
"No. But i do remember the family that owns that cherry field. The Mansons." I watch in bewilderment as we pass the field. Oh wow. We really are in my hometown. "Might i add you are doing a splendid job at directions Joshua."
"Oh, this cabin looks nice."
"Correct."
He looks at me confused. "We just passed the cabin now, we started the game a while ago."
"I knew it was coming up, thats why. It belongs to the Masons and they used to have a daughter younger than me, Amelia. She was the cutest baby." I trail off.
"Do you still talk to her?"
"No she moved to New York City a while ago, i didn't really stay in touch with her."
"Cheater." he exclaims giving me a side glance of narrow eyes.
"Am not!" I exclaim back.
"Okay, Okay. Eye Spy with my little eye..."
I like playing Eye Spy on road trips, It makes everyone in the car look out the window and appreciate the spectacles in front of us. Playing in my hometown, With Josh, after not being home for so long, it's nostalgic. It's keeping me warm. I cannot believe the day is finally here where my mother can finally meet Josh. I know he will get on with my parents just fine, I am not worried about that in the slightest. I know my mum is so excited to meet him, ever since she speculated that I had feelings for him over that one Skype call we had a couple of weeks ago. My dad is not too keen on the fact that 'Jeremy, or James... or whatever his name is' is the one who I love after I have been adamant that he was my nemesis, ever since the merger. My mum must have spoken to him to get him to be on Team Josh and I know he is always on Team Lucy. This thought makes me smile. Josh and my dad met on Skype last week and they were back and forth nonstop talking to each other, it was hard for mum and I to get a word in. They got on like a house on fire.
"I don't know how my dad will react when he sees you. He used to call you every name under the sun that began with J, just not Josh, to show he didn't like you." Josh snickers at this "Good to know" he says, smile beaming. Oh he is so pretty. I feel so lucky. "Anything else I should know." I look at him thinking, but nothing comes to mind. "hmmm No." I say, rolling down the window and inhaling the pine trees and sweet windy air. The blue sky, the cascading trees, the windy roads, the logs of wood placed perfectly on the side of the road, the grass long and wet. It smells like home and a smile illuminates my face.
"I can't believe you are going to meet my dad."
