The Smell of Lilies

Chapter 15

Colorado was beautiful. It's magnificent blue-gray mountains and outer cities were blanketed wit snow. Utah was just as breathtaking with its orange mountains peaks and sandy canyons. From early on in the morning until night time the scenery evolved. Kel had never seen so much in so little time. It got her to thinking about how much she had been missing. There was so much of the world she had not explored yet. One of her bucket list criteria was to visit at least ten of the states. She could check off seven of those states once she arrived home. Thanks to Brandon, she had experienced, seen, tasted, and absorbed more in five days than she had in her entire life. This wasn't something someone took lightly; she didn't know how to repay him.

It was interesting how they never seemed to run out of things to talk about. The most idle or trivial topics became the most interesting and vital to talk about. They discussed weather preferences. Brandon liked the cold. He grew up with constant overcast and rain in Salinas and liked Chicago's wind. Kel grew up mostly in sunshine and hated the thought of freezing. 

They talked music, both of them agreeing with each other that standards of composition have dramatically decreased within the past few years. They both enjoyed listening to Journey, Zeppelin, and Queen. Kel liked Tears For Fears but Brandon thought they were too 'pretty boy' for him. Brandon liked rough things. He was a typical manly man. He preferred steak to salad and football to golf any day. 

Kel, Brandon inferred, loved ice cream. Chunky Monkey Banana Chocolate to be exact. So when they stopped for gas he stepped inside the food mart and bought her some for the road. She thanked him with a kiss on the cheek and a look of her eyes that made his heart flip and blood rush. 

Conversation was not all light and fun on the road, though. They fought and bickered about things ranging from political standpoints to football teams. When Kel said that the Philadelphia Eagles were a far better team than the Indy Colts, it would seem that a blood vessel in Brandon's head had burst. 

When Brandon told her that he had experimented with smoking cigarettes in his early twenties she lit into him. Like really, lit into him about how dangerous and disgusting smoking was and how emphysema was a horrid and deadly disease caused by it. While she continued to fret over this, he couldn't get in his explanation that it was only a few times and he had never tried it again. But naturally, he got angry because she just kept reprimanding him about it. He lost control and lashed at her, telling her that if she hated cigarettes so much she could shove it where the sun don't shine...which shut her up, making her sink into her seat.

A few minutes later he pulled the truck over and undid her seat belt. With a solemn face he easily slid her over onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her waist. He apologized for what he said and told her that she was right. Smoking equals bad. 

Kel stroked her fingers throughout his hair. Making out in his truck became her new favorite thing to do. 

At around nine at night they pulled in to a small bed and breakfast by Lake Mead. It wasn't frozen over, like the other water fronts they had encountered on the way, which told Kel that the Golden State was close. A small annoying bug in the back of her head suggested a little anxiety about being so close to home. Close to home meant that Chicago was far away now. And when she thought of Chicago, her brain correlated it with Brandon.

They checked in and walked to their room. Kel washed her hands and face in the sink while Brandon changed his shirt. 

"Let's do something," Brandon suggested. It sounded a little funny coming out of his mouth. A little too rushed. "There's a little diner attached to the front building if you want to check it out? Looked a little interesting when we pulled in."

"Sure," Kel replied. She could use a drink. Something to make her wind down and possibly ignore the little bug. 

They made there way to the Nevada state themed diner. There were slot machines on one end along with a black jack table, a slightly raised platform that seemed to be a dance floor in the middle, and booths lining the other two walls for those wanting to grab a bite. The bar was at the front.