Wind Blown ✔️

4. Wednesday afternoons are always wonderful

Marine burst out in laughter, "The beach?" She exclaimed, incredulous.

I nodded, impartial to her outburst, "I miss it."

"You hate the beach, Eric," she reminded me as if I'd forgotten.

"Perhaps I like it now," I replied, instantly regretting it as I predicted her response.

"Told you, you would!" She all but shouted, slamming her hand down on the steering wheel in ecstasy.

I chuckled and shook my head, wrinkling my nose as she reached down to turn the jazz up triumphantly.

"Hey, hey. Speaking of jazz —" she began but I cut her off.

"Which we weren't," I cut in, she shook her head glaring at me.

"Anyway, there's this jazz band preforming at that park near your house this Wednesday evening," she explained, "we should go."

I felt my chest swell exponentially, "Sure," I began but quickly amended, "I mean, if we have to go to your stupid jazz."

She laughed airily, "It'll be great, you'll love it. I was right about the beach thing after all," she added with a smile.

"Wednesday?" I asked, after a moment.

She nodded, I felt another memory tugging at the corners of my consciousness as I was dragged back under.

Suddenly I wasn't in the car anymore rather I was standing on the pavement along the road our school was on. Marine was in front of me, her fingers wrapped around my wrist as she pulled me forward.

"It's right here," she began but cut herself off once we'd arrived.

She pulled me into the building through the automatic doors revealing the library to me, I let out a low whistle as I walked forward. I heard her giggle behind me, "told you you'd like it."

I walked over toward the classic novels and dragged my hand along their spines letting out a hum of appreciation. I pulled out one of my favorites: 'Of The River' and heard Marine groan behind me.

"Anything but that," she complained nodding at the book in my hands, I bit back a snarky comment and instead glared at her.

She chuckled and walked toward me, prying the old book from my fingers and flipping it over to read the back, "A telling tale of two young brothers who battle for the adoration of their mother?" she read, eyeing me questioningly, "You enjoy this?"

I nodded vigorously, "You like your awful jazz and I like my awful books," I replied, taking the book back from her and ignoring the sparks that shot up my arm when our fingers brushed.

I opened the book and held back tears as the familiar book smell rose to my nose, "I'm so happy," I murmured to myself, a light blush creeping onto my cheeks when I heard Marine chuckle.

"Well, I don't know about you but I love this place," Marine stated simply, stepping back around from the other side of the book shelves and leaning against the thin divider that separated them, "So much so that I think we should come here every Wednesday."

My eyes lit up, "Yes, yes we should." I replied, my chest swelling with excitement.

She tittered at my response, pushing the old worn blue hardcover book in her hand back into its position on the shelves. I watched her and copied reluctantly, pushing my book back into its rightful position.

The memory faded like smoke in front of my eyes, dissipating and distorting the picture. I turned my gaze from my lap to the window, watching the buildings roll past the windows like clouds past a plane. There was something therapeutic about unfocusing your eyes and staring out the window, just emptying your mind and watching everything roll past. Marine had noticed, for the first time today, my stupor, "Are you okay?"

I nodded, "Yeah, I was just remembering the library," I replied, trying to sound nonchalant.

She snapped her fingers, "speaking of the library —"

"Which we actually were speaking about this time," I cut her off and she glared at me.

" — I left my jumper there last Wednesday, do you mind if I pull in and grab it really quickly?" She asked eyeing me as if I were going to tell her not to.

"Of course, it's fine," I replied calmly.
"It used to be Maggie's jumper," Marine mumbled.

"Really?" I asked, imploring her to continue, I'd never heard what had happened to Maggie.

"Yep before she spiraled out of control," Marine added, I nodded trying to seem understanding but internally I was jumping for joy due to the new information on Maggie I'd received.

"Is she alright?" I asked, but Marine straightened and I knew I'd gone too far.

"Never better," she replied, bitterly.