Snapshots | ✓

Twenty Seven: Micah

Saturday, September 12th, 2015

Hayes slept most of the way to the beach, only waking up as they passed through the city of Hampton, Virginia and started across the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel. He'd been hoping for her to sleep the whole trip, but it was too late to take another route now. At least she'd picked a good day to travel, with the sun shining brightly in a cloudless blue sky and not enough wind to feel it against the car.

"You're not afraid of tunnels, are you?" Micah asked as she rubbed her eyes.

"I don't think so," she said. "Why?"

"We're about to go through one."

"But we're on a bridge."

"We are," he agreed.

Her face crumpled with confusion as she took a sip of water. She looked out her window over the river—or bay, he wasn't entirely sure which body of water was to their right—and sighed with contentment. "You might be one of my favourite people in the world right now."

"Because I'm willing to drive you three and a half hours so you can go to the beach on a whim?"

She looked at him with a grin so wide he wouldn't have been surprised to learn it was hurting her cheeks. "Exactly."

He smiled at the road ahead, trying to ignore the slight palpitations of his heart. It was just the bridge, or the excitement of doing something out of the ordinary, or something else that had nothing to do with her scrunched up nose and her sparkling eyes.

Even he was having trouble believing his rationalizations.

They reached the man-made island and the concrete barriers on either side of the two lanes of traffic started to rise. It was gradual, so it wasn't until they were at face height that Hayes realized something was changing.

"Holy shit, are we going under the water?" she demanded, sticking her face almost against the glass of her window.

"We are," he confirmed.

The barriers continued to rise until they passed into the tunnel. Even with the relatively bright lights lining both walls, it was still noticeably darker inside than it was outside. The walls were covered with what looked like bathroom tiles, and above appeared to be larger tiles. Along the ceiling there were a few patches of rusty-red water stains. Hayes peered around nervously, keeping her back firmly pressed into her seat. They passed under a rather large water stain.

Micah nearly jerked them into the other lane when her hand settled loosely over his where it sat on the gearshift. Thankfully his body remained still even as his brain stumbled. She applied the slightest amount of pressure with her fingers, eyes scanning their surroundings. She didn't even seem to be aware that she was touching him. Neither of them moved their hands until they passed out of the tunnel.

When they reached solid land again, Hayes retracted her hand as though she'd been burned. She smiled guiltily. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it," he responded, already missing the warmth of her skin on his.

It was another fifty minute drive through Virginia before they reached their destination. He pulled onto the main street and felt himself relax from the familiarity. Nothing had changed since he'd last visited the town he'd grown up in. The boardwalk and the beach to the left, a series of small shops and restaurants to the right. There were a few blocks of houses on the other side of the businesses, and a single school that hosted all grades from preschool to grade twelve. The buildings were all sun-bleached and weather-worn, adding to the smalltown charm.

"Welcome to Portway," he announced. "This is where I grew up."

"Here?"

"Not what you were expecting?"

"I don't know what I was expecting," Hayes admitted.

He parked in the tiny lot near the beaches and released Hayes on the unsuspecting town.