After that lovely moment the two spent the morning packing up. Disposable food was put in the compost heap, which was luckily all they’d bought. But they did make sandwiches first, to last them the trip back to Metro City. They locked up the house but, for a moment, they made their way to the edge of Gail’s field. They didn’t go up to the remembrance stone, or the trees. They just stood at the edge.
“Bye Gail.” Jack said quietly. “I’ll… try not to be so long between my next visit and now.” he told the field, holding Katelynn’s hand gently.
Squeezing his hand gently in hers, she looked off into the field herself, expression serious. “I’ll take very good care of your brother for you Gail..always..okay?” she said softly, looking up at him. “We’ll return sometime soon to visit you again. Your brother loves you so much..”
She swore by these words, more so by the one’s about taking care of him, but also wishing to make him happy, no matter what happened to them in the future.
They stood there a moment longer before heading out, Katelynn’s heart growing slightly heavy.
Their walk back was mostly in silence, dotted now and then with talks about the snow, about how the roads were and if it was still this thick back in Metro City. It wasn’t ten to twelve when the bus pulled up early, making it a good idea they’d left as early as they did. Just as before their bags were placed in the carriage area, and they found their seats towards the back.
This time Jack sat at the window seat, and Katelynn at the isle seat. He wrapped his arm around her gently, pulling her against him, and settled his other hand on top of hers. “So. Shall we do this again one day?” he asked as the bus pulled back onto the road.
Jack Maple 