Last Flight Home [completed]

✈ xxiii.

[ LOCAL TIME 22:13 ]

Even from the other side of his brother's old apartment, I could see Nathan pace back and forth as he brushes his teeth in the hallway. Every part of me wanted to comfort him and say that everything was going to be okay, but who am I to say that? I don't know what to tell him to expect to come out of tomorrow. I don't know what it feels like to lose someone that close to me, and I sure as hell have no idea how to tell him to calm down.

"You know what gets me?" Nathan starts as he rinses his mouth with mouthwash.

"What?" I question, looking up from where I laid nestled in a sea of blankets on the couch in the corner of the small, studio apartment.

"Time," He starts, spitting the mouthwash out and then taking a large gulp of water to get the taste of mint mouthwash off of his palate. "I don't understand time zones. We flew from San Francisco to Boston and lost three hours - but at the same time we didn't. I think we gained time or something, I'm not really sure how that works."

"You want to know something that'll really mess you up?" I start to question, remembering something I read on Tumblr a few days ago.

"What's that?"

"Say there's a baby born in Boston right now, at 1 o'clock on Christmas Day. At the same exact moment there's another baby born in San Francisco at 10 o'clock at night on Christmas Eve. They're born at the exact same time in actuality, but with time zones they're technically born on two different days."

Nathan playfully rolls his eyes and steals a blanket from my fort of blankets on the couch. He walks over to the couch adjacent to me, and we both stare at the fireplace that warmed the small portion of the apartment.

"What are you going to do with this apartment now that it's yours?" I question, changing the subject to something that has been on my mind since the cab ride here.

The apartment was pitch black, minus the small glow that came from the fireplace and the open windows that allowed the city lights to reflect off of the wooden floor panels. For the middle of winter, there wasn't a flake of snow on the ground yet.

"I think I'm going to keep it," He states.

"That's good," I start. "Boston seems like a nice city, and your sister will be ecstatic to hear that you're staying."

When the conversation fades, I stare into the embers of the fire and wonder what I'm even doing here. This morning I was so caught up on getting home in time for Christmas morning that I didn't see what was in front of me. Sure, if I had to choose right now I would love to be at home entertaining the idea of Santa Claus to my younger siblings, but maybe I'm meant to be right here. Maybe it's not about waking up late and my car not starting. Maybe it's not about getting coffee spilt all over my shirt or getting stuck in an elevator with someone I pawned off to be arrogant. Maybe it's about being there for someone else, someone who really needs you. Nathan needs me, and maybe I didn't know how much I actually needed him until now.

[- ✈ -]