better together

 

"Let's take a drive," Valentina needed to go out, but she wasn't sure she wanted to be with Rosie and Chance. Just Matty.

It was cold and he was in his thin Levi jacket, standing there in the driveway trying to warm his hands. Perhaps no snow, but it was definitely December.

"Right now?" He sounded as if he wasn't prepared.

"Get in," she ordered, "Before you freeze to death."

"What's wrong?" He wanted to know once he got in the passenger's side.

"Nothing, I..I haven't seen any Christmas lights." She shrugged. Although, she found the Old Towne park lights gawdy, but she pulled out the drive way and just around the corner there was a lit up unicorn and Christmas Angel. "Oh, look, " she pointed then tossed him the little notebook to record it. "I signed us up online for the Christmas light scavenger hunt at the library."

Matty only nodded and wrote down the Christmas Angel and Unicorn.

"Are you really OK?" Matty asked.

"I'm fine." She said without expression. 

"But..but you just found out about your brother."

"I know." She told him she was trying not to think about it. There was next year to worry about it.

"I wish you .. I wish you would hear him out." Matty told her there were always two sides to the story.

Valentina nodded. But she was numb. She didn't want to get emotional. Yet, deep inside she wanted to hug her brother as if to never let him go. But it would be useless to get her hopes up.

She came to the stop by the shopping square. She sighed. They weren't in the neighborhood anymore. She waited for her left to turn back toward the University. Seriously, it was a small town, but so many cars out and about. Were they doing the same thing they were? Or Christmas shopping. People were told to stay home, but she couldn't even do this. Evidently.

Just as she was about to turn a car sped through the light. It missed her by inches as her car screeched to a stop. Matty reached for her, as far as he could but his seat belt was on. Val's heart raced in full throttle until it ached.

"I love you Valentina Gomez!" Matty shouted. "Don't you forget that!"