Two Heartbeats on One Page

Chapter 39

Darcey's life was simultaneously coming together and falling apart.

His class schedule was made. He had a school email account. He'd put in his two weeks, which Macy was understanding enough to cut down to one so he'd have time to get everything together and move by the time he would start in mid-April.

Jordan had been nothing but supportive, but Darcey could still see the sadness in his eyes, the waver in his smile, and sometimes, when Jordan thought he wasn't looking, Darcey caught him scrubbing at his eyes with his knuckles. Every day, sometimes every hour, Darcey told Jordan how much he loved him. He found subtle ways to reassure him that even though he was leaving physically, he was still Jordan's emotionally and mentally, and he still wanted Jordan to be his.

It didn't stop him from crying silently sometimes in the late morning while Jordan laid next to him, asleep.

Darcey wasn't getting enough sleep. Jordan hadn't been keeping up with his friends, spending all his time with Darcey. They were both trying to hard to be strong for each other, they didn't have time for themselves anymore. Darcey had done a lot of difficult things, but purposely leaving Jordan was one of the hardest.

It was the little things he would miss the most. Kissing each other goodbye and wishing each other a good day at work. Jordan sleeping in bed next to him while he messed around on his laptop. Curling into each other on the couch and watching old school British comedy series. Cooking meals together and goofing off in the kitchen.

This was the right decision. He thought it was. He hoped. And even though Jordan understood, that didn't make it any less hard, because every day counted up to his move and his dream was also one day counted down from being really, truly happy.

When Jordan woke, Darcey was at work. Puff was curled up by his elbow, breathing softly. Jordan smiled weakly and gently pet her neck, little touches and scratches. Her eyes opened and she yawned, standing up and stretching before moving closer and cuddling underneath his arm. Jordan pulled her close and nuzzled the top of her head.

"I guess it's going to be just you and me for a while, huh, Puff?" he asked shakily. She meowed again and crawled onto his chest as he rolled onto his back. "We'll be okay, right? We'll take care of each other until he comes back." He sniffled a little, but laughed wetly when she nudged her head against his chin. "Because he is coming back. He promised. And he'd never make a promise if he didn't intend to keep it. Don't worry."

It didn't matter whether she could understand him. He was saying it just as much for himself.

He let her out of his grip and rolled back on his side, and Puff crawled back under his arm again, placing her paw on Jordan's nose with a soft mewl. Jordan smiled softly and closed his eyes. Finally, for the first time since Darcey broke the news, he was sure everything was going to be okay, even if it took a while to get there.

There were a lot of things about his old life that Darcey didn't want to leave behind, even as he was about to move on to his new one.

But he knew he couldn't have everything.

The U-Haul was packed, his map and directions printed. The room he'd be renting was ready for him to arrive. He had money to stop for food and motels and snacks and simple shelf-stable meals for when they chose not to or couldn't. Jordan was next to him for the last time in a long while.

When he started the truck, he closed his eyes and almost changed his mind.

He opened them, hit the gas, and drove.

The entire trip, they carefully avoided any mention of their destination. There was a lot of terrible singing to the even more terrible music on the radio. There was a lot of eating at crappy diners because none of the fast food joints they passed had any vegetarian options.