Flight Risk

Capitulo Dieciocho

Once they established that Brad was more or less in stable condition, he was transferred from the hospital to a substance abuse and recovery unit on the south side of town. Because Liz, Crystal and Gabe had stayed longer than they had originally anticipated, they were forced to catch a flight back to L.A. in order to make it home in time for Thanksgiving.

Rissa and I helped Kristy cook Thanksgiving dinner and the dinner itself was only remarkable in that nothing significant happened. It was rather depressing actually. The house was abnormally quiet and I was already packed. After my awkward and long winded explanation the other night for why I was leaving, no one had anything to say. They just moped about the house shooting me long, dismal looks. Even Kristy seemed disappointed that I was leaving despite the fact I would be living down the street.

On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Andy and the boys grudgingly helped me load my stuff in my jeep and unload it into the house. I didn’t really have much in the way of belongings, and since there were five of us to complete the task, we finished relatively quickly. As I drove us back to the house a dead silence enveloped the Jeep. The only sound to be heard was our breathing in the cold November air.

I spent the rest of the day at the Evans’ house and savored the homey feeling it emanated. But as all good things do, it was finally time for it to end. Danny, Jake, and Ty all hugged me, each telling me some variation of “It’s been sweet.”

Andy hugged me as well before gruffly stating, “I don’t know why we’re all so worked up. She’s just moving down the street for the love of God.”

“Whatever Doofus,” I rolled my eyes with extreme exaggeration.

“Snoopy,” he smirked, staying true to his habit of getting in the last word.

Rissa clung to me as she cried and said, “It just won’t be the same without you.”

“I know sweetie,” I comforted, “but it’s like Andy said, I’m right down the street. You know you’re always welcome in my house.”

“Yeah,” she sniffed.

I turned to Kristy who was smiling sadly at me. “Rissa’s right. It won’t the same without you kiddo.”

“I’m hardly a ‘kiddo’ Kristy,” I chuckled.

“You’ll always be a kiddo to me.” She pulled me into one of those hugs that only mothers knew how to give before she kissed me on the side of my head. “Don’t be a stranger.”

“Never,” I agreed.

And then it was finally time for me to say goodbye to Sam. We stood there starring at each other, neither of us sure of what to say or do. After what felt like forever, I stuck my hand out so we could shake hands. He complied and the moment our hands touched, a jolt of electricity shot up my arm. I barely noticed, because he was doing that thing with his eyes where it felt like I was being dragged out to sea by a riptide and with no idea of which way to swim. The urge to kiss him was overwhelming and I knew that if I didn’t look away soon, I’d succumb to temptation.

He took a step forward as I finally forced my eyes to look away, and I caught the slightest glimmer of hope pass over Kristy’s face.

“I-I should go,” I stammered as I turned to leave.

The only thing that prevented me from leaving was that Sam and I were still holding hands. I ended up yanking on his arm, because neither of us seemed to comprehend that we would have to let go if I was going to successfully leave.

“Sam,” I said as he said, “Trinity.”

“What?” we both replied.

“You go first,” he told me quietly.