14

The drive back was by the book, utterly void. A feeling of yes, well, that was the wild weekend, but now we are coming back to reality, Tim Hortons, bathroom breaks, switching lanes on the highway, staying alert. No mention of anything that had happened or reference to anything while away.

At 7:30 PM, she pulled up in front of his place and kept the engine running, instantly disappointing him. They had not talked about her coming in or staying. They were, he thought, beyond that now and hoped she would just turn off the ignition, come in and stay without saying anything. How could they be apart now? He got out quickly to hide his flushed face and strode to the rear to get his bags. She remained with her seatbelt on. His head buzzed with alarm as if he’d parachuted naked into a foreign country. He closed the hatch and wondered if he should come to her side and say goodbye or just wave her off casually from the sidewalk as if everything couldn’t be more fine and normal. She got out, the engine still running, and came to him, arms open for a hug. He let his bag drop to the pavement and welcomed her in tightly, kissing into her curls. “I’ll see you soon,” she said.

“Of course,” he said, which felt grossly inadequate. He picked up his bag and strode to his door as she pulled away. She was tired, of course. She had said so on the drive back. It was childish to expect her to come in now, and he admitted he was just as tired. They each needed a good sleep in their own beds. His place felt stale despite his plants happy to see him. He sighed and told himself to relax and be grateful, they had had a wonderful time.