will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

He didn’t over hear her. If he had he probably would have told her of course she would, and whoever it was she may end up with would be the luckiest man on the planet and no he was by no means hopefully talking about himself.

“Like I said, a lot of people here have been out here for a real, real long time. That house,” he gestures back to the one they just left, “has been in the Maple family name for over sixty years now.”

She looked back over her shoulder at the lovely home, imagining a simpler time with children running around, probably on sleds. It was like something out of a Thomas Kinkade painting. “Wow..so your grandparent’s used to live in that house…I think that’s really nice..a house with history, you know? It gives it character.”

“It does have a lot of character.” Jack said with a nod, before a small smile crossed his face and wriggled a few fingers at her. “And ghost stories.”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“The market is where a lot of farmers near here sell their wares.” Jack explains as he follows her, smiling as he watches her kick at the snow. “A-and yeah, most of them have always been there. Let’s see… Mrs. Lee has been baking bread with her husband forty years now…”

“Wow..40 years..” she mused, the thought of such a couple calming her childish actions a bit. “That’s a long time to be together. All the people I know get divorces after only a few years..” Like a friend she knew back in Washington who had married at age 20, after only a few months of being with her boyfriend. They had moved too fast it seemed and fought all the time after learning they just didn’t know each other as well as they thought.

“Makes me wonder if I’ll be as lucky as them..” she whispered to herself, hoping against all hope. She had never thought about marriage before but now she suddenly was and her stomach did flips at the idea. Married to Jack? Will it ever happen in the future? Down the road? If he still wants me by then maybe. But definitely not soon. We’re still learning about each other.

He didn’t over hear her. If he had he probably would have told her of course she would, and whoever it was she may end up with would be the luckiest man on the planet and no he was by no means hopefully talking about himself.

“Like I said, a lot of people here have been out here for a real, real long time. That house,” he gestures back to the one they just left, “has been in the Maple family name for over sixty years now.”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“All right,” Jack said once he set the mugs away. “All ready?”

Seeing she was, he pulled his snow boots back on and grabbed a scarf that had been hanging on a peg for a while. He dusted it off, wrapped it around his neck, and it isn’t long until the two are walking out of the house towards the road. “Like I said, it’s not too far. A brisk walk, and we’re there.”

Katelynn walked ahead of him, arms spread and stretching, enjoying being outside again, kicking her legs in the snow, watching it launch in front of her. Being with Jack, she knew she shouldn’t be embarrassed to just be herself, to enjoy the little things in life as she did. And although she was an adult, it didn’t mean there was anything wrong with acting like a kid sometimes.

This whole trip was turning her into one big kid..well petite kid.

“Is it family owned? If it is, do you think the same people you knew from long ago still work there? Is it the store to other people who live around here?”

“The market is where a lot of farmers near here sell their wares.” Jack explains as he follows her, smiling as he watches her kick at the snow. “A-and yeah, most of them have always been there. Let’s see… Mrs. Lee has been baking bread with her husband forty years now…”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

”..wow okay!” Jack laughs, and puts his own drink down his throat easily, one for hot drinks. He takes their cups into the kitchen and sets them into the sink, washing them quickly. “In that cupboard there you’ll find a bag we can use to carry the things in.” he says, gesturing with a foot.

She walked over, opening up the cupboard and searching through the things for the bags, finding random knickknacks that were left discarded. Find the bags finally, she took them out, seeing them a bit yellowed with age but still strong enough to carry things.

She walked over to her bag and pulled out a tiny notepad, wondering what groceries they would need. Jack had already bought a few of his own items so she ruled those out, making a slight list. They didn’t have to get everything after all if he didn’t want to.

She also brought her camera and purse in order to pay for things. It was a good thing she had a savings account for emergency spending.

“All right,” Jack said once he set the mugs away. “All ready?”

Seeing she was, he pulled his snow boots back on and grabbed a scarf that had been hanging on a peg for a while. He dusted it off, wrapped it around his neck, and it isn’t long until the two are walking out of the house towards the road. “Like I said, it’s not too far. A brisk walk, and we’re there.”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“Why not both?” Jack asked as he took a drink of his own hot chocolate, eyes shifting to stare at the trees where the edge of Gail’s field set. “It sounds like a good idea.” he looked down at her, smiling softly. “Once we get warmed up with the chocolate we’ll head out. Okay?”

She nodded at him, smiling and finished her drink as fast as possible, feeling it warm her all the way down to her toes. She chugged it in fact, trying not to let him know she had burned her tongue a little as she leaned back a bit with a smack of her lips. “All done!”

And showed him the empty cup.

“..wow okay!” Jack laughs, and puts his own drink down his throat easily, one for hot drinks. He takes their cups into the kitchen and sets them into the sink, washing them quickly. “In that cupboard there you’ll find a bag we can use to carry the things in.” he says, gesturing with a foot.

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“Hmm hmm. We need to get some, after all.” he says as he gets up and picks up his mug, walking to the window near by and peers out. The snow has stopped, and the sun is coming out from behind a cloud. “Only fifteen minutes walk and I’m sure we’ll find all we need.”

She smiled, walking over to the window as well and peering out. Everything looked so beautiful. She almost didn’t want to go home at all. “Then when we get back maybe we can build a snowman or something..or cook something together. Miss Jones said she would try to help me cook and was sending me recipes so I can learn to cook and I’ve practiced some. I actually managed to not burn something for once.” She giggled, taking a sip of her drink.

“Why not both?” Jack asked as he took a drink of his own hot chocolate, eyes shifting to stare at the trees where the edge of Gail’s field set. “It sounds like a good idea.” he looked down at her, smiling softly. “Once we get warmed up with the chocolate we’ll head out. Okay?”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“You don’t want your hot chocolate?” he asked, sitting up on the couch, gesturing to the two mugs which he had left to cool.

“Oh! I’m sorry,” she replied, sitting back down, feeling a bit awkward at having forgotten. “Yes, I do.” She reaches over to take it, taking a long sip as she does and closing her eyes. “It’s good..thank you, love.”

She looked around the room, at the old TV, at the things hanging on the wall; anything and everything, trying to stop the butterflies in her stomach. It felt different to her, somehow, in the middle of almost nowhere, alone with him. She wasn’t afraid, far from it. She wasn’t sure what it was. It felt exciting, though not the same kind from night’s ago.

What was this feeling? She felt comfortable yet awkward.

“Are you going to go into town and get some groceries after this?”

“Hmm hmm. We need to get some, after all.” he says as he gets up and picks up his mug, walking to the window near by and peers out. The snow has stopped, and the sun is coming out from behind a cloud. “Only fifteen minutes walk and I’m sure we’ll find all we need.”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“Mmh. That’s true… you are pretty well wedged in there.” he replied before looking up at her and smiled faintly.

Her cheeks flushed. “I well I meant..I’m by your side..I’m here for you..” Though she still smiled herself, feeling her heart flutter at the words. Wedged in his heart, even only just a month in and she had taken a bit of his heart. It still made her happy every time.

She stood up a bit, happy she had brought a smile on his face. “I guess I’ll go..dust or something..air out the sheets you know..”

“You don’t want your hot chocolate?” he asked, sitting up on the couch, gesturing to the two mugs which he had left to cool.

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

He nodded his head slowly, sighing heavily, opening his eyes. “…yo-you’re right…” Jack said quietly. “You are. She’s never really gone… s-she’s the wind itself and that’s always there…”

Katelynn smiled, leaning forward to tap her forehead against his, sighing softly. “She’s not only the wind. She’s your heart too. She’ll always be with you, just as I will.”

“Mmh. That’s true… you are pretty well wedged in there.” he replied before looking up at her and smiled faintly.

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“I just can’t help but think there is.” Jack whispered. “I s-should be over this, shouldn’t I? Things die. It’s, it’s a part of life.” he shut his eyes for a moment, resting against her, and slowly shook his head. “She was here, a-and now she’s gone, I should be all right with this…”

Katelynn merely held him for a moment before leaning down to kiss his head gently. “Don’t let the sadness overtake the love you felt for your sister though…and you did..that’s why it’s hard to let go. Hold her in your heart and just think that as long as you do, she’ll always be with you Jack…”

She wasn’t sure if these were the right words but she felt so lost on how to heal his pain. She couldn’t relate and thus it was difficult for her.

He nodded his head slowly, sighing heavily, opening his eyes. “…yo-you’re right…” Jack said quietly. “You are. She’s never really gone… s-she’s the wind itself and that’s always there…”