Amnesia

Chapter 18

"How the hell do you pack over a month's worth of stuff?" Penny asks, looking up at Avi from her position on the floor. Clothes lay scattered all around her, the empty suitcase sitting at her feet. She frowns and gives the suitcase a kick.

Avi laughs at her as he folds another shirt into his suitcase, which he has opened on the bed, the rest of his unfolded clothes next to him. He folds a pair of pants and tosses them in the suitcase saying, "Practice. I still don't have it down." Avi finds a pair of socks and throws them in as well. "Actually, I'm really bad at it, everything ends up wrinkled and I always end up missing at least three socks."

Penny snorts, folding a shirt and setting it in her suitcase. "Well, look at that. One thing packed." She stands, brushing her hands. "I think that's good for now."

Avi eyes her curiously, glancing between the clothes strewn on the floor and Penny's face. "We leave in eighteen hours, Penny."

"Shit," she mumbles, running a hand down her face. "Can I just toss this all in and hope for the best?"

Avi shrugs. "If you wanna struggle with finding matching clothes until almost November, sure."

Penny groans and continues folding, pointedly ignoring Avi's chuckle at her frustration. An hour later, Penny just finishes folding and Avi begins tossing her toiletries from the bathroom. Packing finished, she closes the suitcase and yells in triumph.

"Officially ready for a month on the road?" he asks, leaning against the bathroom door, toothbrush hanging from his mouth.

Penny grins. "Oh yeah."

+++

"Look who's arrived!" Kevin calls as Penny and Avi pull up in the taxi.

Penny climbs from the car and glares at him as she moves to help Avi unload their bags from the trunk. Avi shoos her away and she turns to glare at him too before turning back to Kevin and saying, "It is too damn early for you to be this chipper."

Kevin laughs and squeezes her shoulders, bouncing slightly on his heels. "So excited to have you here, Penny." He moves over to Avi, pulling him into a hug. "Sup, Avi?"

"Fool, you know it's too early for this," Avi replies, hugging him back, his grin hidden in Kevin's shoulder.

Penny rolls her eyes at their antics and starts to pull her suitcase inside the main terminal through the sliding set of doors. Scott and Mitch greet her as she enters and Penny grins as Mitch makes a point of avoiding her gaze.

"Hey, Link is here!" Scott calls, hugging her once she rolls her suitcase to a stop. "I see you're equally as cheerful as Avi in the mornings."

"Oh, shut up," she retorts, shoving him playfully in the shoulder. Penny turns to look at Mitch, flashing him a wide grin and dramatically waving her arms. "Mitch, Mitchell, Mitchie! Are you ignoring me?"

Mitch rolls his eyes with a sigh and takes a sip from his Starbucks cup. "Yes, hello, Penny," he finally says, giving her a weak, one-armed hug. Penny laughs and pulls him closer, relishing in his groan of frustration.

"Oh, Mitch," Penny says, releasing him, "you're gonna have to let losing to me go." Mitch gives her a pointed glance, but she can see the briefest twitch of his mouth into a smile. Laughing, Penny shakes her head.

Avi and Kevin move inside to where Mitch, Scott and Penny stand, Avi smiling at her as he rolls his suitcase next to hers. Kirstie walks up then, carrying two coffee cups in her hands. Her eyes light up as she spots Penny and smiles, handing her one of the coffee cups. "Penny! So excited you're coming!" she greets, pulling Penny into a hug. "I got you a coffee. I hope you like caramel creamer."