Amnesia

Chapter 34

Once they land in St. Louis, Missouri (Kevin having taken the prime opportunity to photograph Avi sleeping, much to Avi's chagrin), Esther announces that the rest of the day is theirs to do what they wish so long as they're prepared for the seven AM wakeup call. Several groans ring out from the group—Avi included—but Esther shoos them away with a dramatic roll of her eyes.

The group rides to the hotel together, split between two vans, and Penny's surprised when Esther hands her a room key for both her and Avi. Avi seems unfazed, giving Penny a small shrug of his shoulders, a smile threatening to tug at his lips. At the odd look both Mitch and Scott flash him, Avi feigns a cough and shrugs his bag further up onto his shoulders, plucking a keycard from Esther's hand and grabbing his suitcase before heading for the elevator. Mitch and Scott watch him walk down the hall before turning their eyes towards Penny, the same mischievous look they'd given Avi directed towards her. She can feel her face flush with heat and she sticks her tongue out at them, both of them laughing as they walk off towards their rooms.

Blinking down at the keycard in her hand, Penny glances up at Esther, her unspoken question written on her face. Esther places a reassuring hand on Penny's shoulder and flashes her a smile. "You guys deserve all the private time you can get," she says with an easy, warm tone. "Continue to heal your relationship."

A flood of emotion steals Penny's words from her throat and she's left only able to nod in response. Esther nods towards the elevator with a smile, silently motioning for Penny to join Avi and enjoy what little free time they have.

Dragging her suitcase behind her, Penny rides the elevator up, unsurprised to find the door to their room ajar, the security lock flipped to hold the door open like so many times in the past. Pushing open the door, Penny finds Avi sorting through his suitcase that he has thrown onto the second bed. Turning, he pauses in his work and smiles, greeting her with a quiet, "Hey."

Penny walks around the bed, pulling her suitcase alongside his and the realization that this bed would remain empty, not belonging to Kevin but to their suitcases, hits her more forcefully than she thought it would. Avi seems to recognize the turmoil waging itself within her brain and he leans over and reaches for her hand. Looking up at him, Penny allows him to comfort her by giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Kevin nudged Esther to arrange our rooms like this," he says, his voice soft and soothing. "This'll be good for us."

"You're right," Penny agrees, slowly letting her hand slip from his. "I'm sorry. I'm just not used to all of this between us. It still feels so new to me."

Avi nods. "I know what you mean. It feels new to me, too. Which is why," he starts, adjusting the beanie on his head and checking his back pocket for his wallet, "I'm taking you out on another date."

+++

The chill of the late October air bites against her skin and Penny shivers despite the long-sleeved jacket hugging her frame. Avi walks alongside her, seemingly unfazed by the cooler weather, his peacoat and beanie enough to protect him from the elements. Rubbing her fingers against her palm, Penny attempts to create warmth in her frozen hands. Just as she's about to shove her hands deep into her pockets, Avi reaches down and laces his fingers between hers, the warmth of his skin burning against hers.

Penny glances up at his face, finding his eyes still trained on the sidewalk in front of him, but a telltale smirk dancing across his lips. "This is all just a ploy for you to hold my hand, isn't it?" Penny asks with a smile of her own, squeezing his hand a bit tighter. "Waiting until I'm almost freezing from the cold before you swoop in with your giant, warm, bear hands."

"Giant, warm, bear hands?" Avi chuckles and nudges her shoulder playfully. "You've never once complained about the size of my hands before." His tone is laced with an underlying sexual tension and Penny blushes at the suggestion in his words.