Boundless

Chapter 20

The train stopped with a jerk. “Let’s go,” Sam handed me my bag.

“This isn’t Lawrence.”

“No, it’s Hays.”

“Then why are we getting off?”

“You want to sleep, don’t you?”

“But…”

“Don’t worry, we’ll take a train to Lawrence first thing in the morning.”

“Okay.”

I followed him onto the platform. “Now where?”

My words were drowned out by the sound of the train chugging off into the darkness.

“This way.”

I followed Sam down a staircase and onto the street. I watched as a group of people walked by speaking a language that sounded like German. Hays was a bigger city than I thought it would be.

I followed Sam to a nearby hotel and followed him up to the room. When we opened the door, the smell of cigar smoke greeted us. I looked at the one bed then to a sofa in the corner.

I made my decision.

Sam saw me putting my bag down next to the sofa and he grabbed my arm.

“I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

“No,” I pulled my arm from his grasp, “I’ll sleep on the sofa.” I was going to be sleeping in my bed the next night, who knows where he was going to be.

“Rebecca, go sleep on the bed.”

“No.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t mind, really.”

The humidity of the room was stifling so I threw the window open rather violently. “Neither do I.”

“You’re probably exhausted.”

“And you aren’t? Sam, sleep on the bed.”

“It wouldn’t be right.”

“Chivalry is dead. Go sleep over there.”

“You don’t have to suddenly start being nice to me. I didn’t tell you everything for you to pity me.”

“You think that’s what this is about?”

“I know this is what it’s about.”

I was aware we were getting louder so whispered, “I’m not going to argue with you any more. I’m going to sleep here and you’re going to sleep there.”

He let out something like a growl and yanked a pillow off the bed then handed it to me. “You’re so difficult.”

“Thank you,” I smiled at him. He went back to get a blanket.

“I’m sorry.”

“Me too.”

He hesitantly leaned over and kissed me goodnight before going to put out the lamp.

I woke up the next morning to see sunlight pouring into the room. What time was it?

I sat up quickly and looked around the room; Sam was nowhere to be found. I got up and dressed before going over to the open window. The street outside was full of people and I caught a few more German words amongst the chatter.

“Good morning,” the doorknob turned and Sam walked in. “Or maybe I should say afternoon. You’re quite a sleeper.”

“Afternoon?” I turned on him. “You said we would take the train to Lawrence first thing in the morning.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll still make it back. I just knew you were tired so I decided to let you sleep.”

I did feel better than I had before and I didn’t want to start another argument.

“When does the next train leave?”

An hour later, Sam and I stood on the platform of the Hays station as a train steamed into town. When

it stopped in front of us, Sam helped me onboard then handed me my bag.

“I can’t believe I’m going home.” The train was chugging through more prairie, getting closer and closer to Lawrence. I glanced at Sam before continuing. “It won’t be the same.”

“How?”

“The same four walls every day, the same people every day, the same town every day…you won’t be there.”

He put his hand over mine. “I’ll come back to see you. I promise.”

“Where will you go?”

“Maybe east, I have some cousins left in Indiana.”

“Write me every once in awhile.”

“I will.”

I wanted to tell him not to forget me but that would have sounded pathetic.

It was late at night when the train arrived in Lawrence.

Sam insisted on walking me to my house. “Someone might see us.”

“This late at night?”

“You never know.”

“I think that you’re too cautious.”

I rolled my eyes and began walking. Sam and I walked in silence until we reached my house.

I checked to make sure all the windows were dark before turning to Sam. “Thank you so much…for everything. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

He smiled. “Don’t worry about it.”

“You really don’t understand how grateful I am.”

“You really don’t understand that I do.”

I looked down at my feet then back up. “I’ll see you later.”

Sam wrapped his arm around my waist and kissed me. “I’ll be back soon.”

Then he was gone.