My Psychiatrist III

Part 10

The rest of the travels goes very well. From the border, we walk down to a train station about  a kilometre away, and wait there for the train towards Sandy Beach, which covers about half of the distance we're supposed to cover on our way to Luke.

When we catch the train, Ashton and I slouch down into a four-seater inside the train and I rest my head on his shoulder. I see him look op the rest of the travels on his phone before I doze off to sleep. I'm so tired all of a sudden.

When I open my eyes, Ashton has wrapped his arm around me as his fingers, softly, run through my hair slowly. The train is filled with bright light; the sun has come up. It's a cloudy day. 

'Hey..' I say with a morning voice. How did I end up getting this morning voice when I've just slept for about an hour or two?

'Hey gorgeous,' Ashton says as our eyes meet when I lift my head from his shoulder. He looks a bit tired too.

'How are you?'

'I'm okay,' he smiles. His curls are beautiful and his eyes still as beautiful as they were back home in Toronto. 'We'll have to get off the train in about five minutes.'

'That's okay,' I smile back as I try to deny the yawn that comes from my chest. I stretch my arms above my head and shake them after. My body still feels a bit tired.

'Next stop is Sandy Beach, ladies and gentlemen, Sandy Beach,' a voice calls through the speakers of the train's ceiling.

'Okay,' I say, standing up and shooting Ashton a quick smile. He takes my hand and plants a kiss on it. 

'Let's get you to this young man, princess.' 

My cheeks get hot as I take my hand back. Something about Ashton makes me feel safe and warm inside, I don't know what it is. 

At Sandy Beach, we have to wait for another 45 minutes before we can take the next train to Buffalo. Another excuse to sleep a couple hours more.

Buffalo is busy; it's the morning rush-hour and all kinds of Americans are hurrying to catch some train or subway to some part of the city. Ashton and I are having a breakfast at some kind of Bar Bill Tavern; eating a huge amount of chicken wings in a record amount of time, before continuing our journey.

'These were some amazing chicken wings,' Ashton mumbles as he finishes his last chicken wing when we walk out of the tavern. 

'I know right!' I laugh as I grab his hand and walk back to the Central Station, looking out for the bus signs. Last part of the trip is a bus from Buffalo to Elmwood Village. 

The bus is crowded; for a 45 minute drive to some unknown village, it is a little too crowded. Everyone seems to mind their own business and Ashton and I manage to get a double seat we can share.

I rest my head on his shoulder as he wraps both of his arms around me and rests his head on my hair.

'How do you feel, Miss Black?' He whispers as he kisses my head.

'Pretty good...' I sigh. 'A bit nervous though, I have to admit.' 

'Why?'

'Because.. I just don't know how Luke and Walt and Elizabeth are going to react. And I know I'm always welcome, but... I haven't spoken to any of them since I kind of was... deported from the US. And also...' I sigh again. 'Also because I'm not gonna see you for a long time, and you're my only Australian buddy, you know.'