SUNSHINE

twenty five

[ Ugh sorry this is so so SO overdue! I've had a lot going on right now getting ready for college, so please bear with me! Enjoy! ]

They crossed the Michigan border just as dawn broke the next morning, with still another four hours to go until they hit their destination. Casey had fallen asleep but Jackson was still wide awake. The other condition of him taking his father's truck was that he was the only one allowed to drive it, so he needed to stay awake. They had taken breaks so he could stretch out his legs, and he had stocked up on Monsters and Five Hour Energies to keep him going the remainder of their trip to the cabin.

The snow had been coming down hard all morning as Casey slept in the passenger seat, and as tempted as Jackson was to wake her up so she could see the snow, he refrained himself from doing so. He needed to concentrate, and having her just next to him was distracting enough. Somewhere near West Branch she woke again, but she was quiet, which was odd for her.

"Everything alright?" He asked her as they got on the north side of West Branch. It was one of the last major cities before they got to the cabin.

"It's so... beautiful." Her voice trailed. That was when he realized it was her first time ever seeing snow in person. As they went through the farmland, the snow was untouched and glistening in the morning sunlight. She was enchanted by the sights, so Jackson did not bother to try and converse with her so she could enjoy the moment. Instead he put his hand on her thigh and continued to drive north, being about an hour out from their destination.

As promised, an hour later they arrived at the cabin that Jackson had talked so much about. They were both tired but too excited to be at their destination to try and sleep. They unloaded their luggage and took it inside to the two roomed cabin, a bathroom and living area that had the bedroom, dining room, kitchen, and living room all in one. It was a nice set up, and Casey was in love. Jackson instantly got to work with putting wood into the stove to warm up the cabin, then went through and opened everything up to get a little light inside.

"Alright, since we didn't stop on the way, I'm gonna run into town and get some groceries." Jackson said as he grabbed the keys off the hook.

"Jackson, you haven't slept. We're not gonna starve, go sleep for a while. If I get hungry I've still got snacks in the car." She told him, standing between him and the door with her hands pressed lightly against his chest.

"If I fall asleep, there's no telling when I'll be back up. Plus, I've still got some energy from all those Monsters. Town is ten minutes away, I'm just getting groceries for the next four days. I promise when I get back I'll sleep for the rest of the night." He reasoned with her, and this made her sigh.

"Then you're not going alone. Plus, don't I get a say in what we'll be eating?" Casey responded, and he chuckled.

"Alright let's go then." He said, and she smiled. Jackson made sure the oven was latched before they left the house unattended. They rode into the small city and found a local super store and bought groceries for their short week. Jackson picked up some fun stuff for them to do as he saw them, and once they got back to the cabin, the snow started to come down a little harder. Jackson went inside as Casey unloaded the groceries, putting all the groceries away as he fell asleep. She saw that he had bought a case of hard lemonade for them to enjoy, and she wondered what his plans were for the next four or five days.

--

When both of them finally woke up the next morning, a fresh, thick white blanket of snow had layered the ground, and they both decided to stay in and enjoy one another's company. Jackson had made them brunch since they did not leave the bed until almost noon, and Casey was excited for the week to come. She sat on the couch that rested against a wall with a large window, and she watched as the snow continued to fall. A mug of coffee sat in her hands to warm them, and Jackson extended a plate of warm food out to her, sitting down beside her. She smiled and set her coffee down on the coffee table and took the plate in her hands, digging in to the meal he had prepared.