The Alternate Journey

Chapter 13

As Maddie and Bishop stepped out of the airport, their feet falling in synch with each other, they both stayed true to their decision; allowing the new bubbling feelings to fizzle. And they eased into their friendship; their fun back and forth that had been there for them since the very beginning. It wasn't difficult to do—probably because at the heart of this blossoming attraction was a solid and steady friendship. A friendship they were both holding tight to as they pushed the other stuff aside.

So Bishop followed Maddie from the airport and Maddie ran through the itinerary. She had taken a few days off to spend time with him. They would be touring the community, heading into the city for food and dancing with some of her coworkers. They would be taking a day trip to the ocean and then on his fourth day, he would be going with her to the office and attending play day with the kids. And they both would try to forget the way they warmed at seeing the other.

The first day passed quickly; a tour of the community before they went back to her place and settled in. Bishop made her spare room his home for the next few days and by the time they sat down to dinner, the awkwardness that had come with seeing each other had faded as much as it ever would. They stayed up late, drinking and laughing and catching up on each other's lives.

Though she tried to ignore it, Maddie couldn't help but note that he didn't mention a woman who had become a steady fixture in his life. And though he tried to deny it, Bishop was quick to notice that the two times she spoke of New Years Eve, she drew out Matt's name. And both times it grated on his nerves like none other.

Day Two

On the second day, they packed up early and went to the Ocean. Bishop had held up hope that the fresh air and the water would serve to clear his mind; that the hot sun would pull him back to reality, back to a place where he didn't feel the gravitational pull towards her. That pull that seemed to be taking over his brain. He hoped it would right things in his world, put them back in place. But it didn't. In fact, it did the opposite.

The day in the sun and surf drew his focus so completely to her that he started to question his own sanity. He caught himself watching her as they swam, as they laid in the sun, as they explored. He caught himself drifting off as he watched her move. He caught himself hanging on her words, wanting to hear her laugh; wanting to see her smile. He caught himself so tied up, he knew he needed something big, something serious, to pull him from this spiral. So that night, after they had returned to her place, after they had eaten dinner and poured wine, he brought up the one thing he knew would pull his brain back to center.

Harry.

"Listen," Bishop leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table. "I need to tell you something."

"Oh-kay," Maddie tipped her glass back, draining the last bit of wine before she sat it on the table; her eyes settling on him. "You look a little..." She waved her hand.

"Yeah..." Bishop let out a breath and Maddie could see this was a more serious moment than they had had that day.

"What is it?" She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and crossed her arms.

"Well..." He ran a hand up and over his face and into his hair and Maddie felt her heart in her throat because for a split second she was absolutely sure that Bishop was about to tell her about the woman in the picture. She had no idea why that's where her brain went first, no idea why it made her so uneasy, but it did. And that made her feel scattered.

"Just say it," she encouraged, her voice braver than she felt.

"Harry's getting married." He bypassed any sugar coating, laying it out there and holding his breath; unsure of his hopes for her response.