We Go Down (Bremmy 2)

Chapterish 5

| CAPE MAY |

BACK TO REALITY

Two whole weeks. That's how long we've survived so far –how long I've survived so far. Brooks and I left NYC together on a train back to Jersey. We drove to our quiet seaside town, excited and nervous the whole way, where we broke the news to our parents.

We told mine first and they were surprisingly supportive. Hardly grilled us for details. Part of me thinks it was the jetlag since we told them the day they got back from London. Brooks's mother was beside herself. She baked us a cake, no lie. Then came the 20 Q's –the wanting to know every detail –the wanting to know our plans for the future. We fielded her questions as best we could, but I kind of wanted answers for most of them myself.

What were our plans for the future?

A question I refused to ask Brooks before I boarded my plane back to Seattle. I assured Trix I would be back in basically a week for the cabin trip. Assured Brooks too. Over and over. In more ways than one.

Anyway, a week alone in my loft left me to overanalyze everything. Not to mention Marge's interrogation left me with much to stew on. So much food for thought, I was full for days.

I packed my bag, heavy on the sweaters, flannels, and lingerie. All the essentials required for a cozy cabin rendezvous. I was getting mega Vail vibes almost as frequently as I was getting dirty texts from Brooks. Pics too. Fuck, every part of him is photogenic.

Zoë and I spent the week sharing yoga classes and living on iced coffee. We even tried the new vegan bar on the corner. Everything we normally did seemed somehow better, enhanced, like it was all black and white before, but now I'm seeing technicolor. Maybe a side effect of happiness. Definitely a side effect of Brooks.

Zoë was thrilled for me when I told her about running into Brooks. She was also more than willing to hold down the fort while I left again. I think she just likes having the studio to herself when I'm off traipsing around America.

That's what I do. I traipse. I go wherever the tide *Trix, my parents, Brooks* takes me. They pull me like the moon and I oblige like the ocean. Cape May. Miami (ouch, the memories). New York. Vail. Cape May. It's a good thing I charge out the ass for a yoga membership.

Now it's Cape May. I've answered the moon's call. I pull my Vera tote from the overhead, disembark to the same gate as before, and get in line at Starbucks. I'm waiting to order when messages flood my phone once I turn it back on. Trix. Trix. Brooks. Meg. Travis. Trix.

Final count is 16. Vin bringin some1

SEE U SO SOON BABYCAKES <3

UR chauffer is here :)

I can't wait to see ur face

U and B riding with Brody?

AHH hurry up!

I roll my eyes and my phone and open Brooks's message. Yes he's first. He is the one picking me up, after all.

Landed. Coffee :)

I pay for two coffees using my phone. The convenience of the 21st century, right? Who knows where my wallet is right now. Buried deep in my duffle bag, that's for sure. I fling it over my shoulder and walk outside, two coffees in hand.

Shit it's bright. I don't know why just I just expect January has never met the sun. They're besties today. Sunrays bounce off the metal guardrail barrier separating the road from the exit. Remnants of last night's snow are piled into corners at either end of the parking garage. I spot Brooks's truck parked across the street outside the Arrivals exit. He meets me at the passenger door, throws my bag into the backseat, takes the coffee I'm handing him, and sweeps me into a messy kiss.

"Stop! Brooks, stop! Ha-ha," I laugh, squealing as he let's me go from his grip.

"Had to get it out of my system," he says, grinning.

"It's been like a week!" I bite down on my coffee straw.

"A week and a day too long," he says.

I hop in the passenger seat and Brooks instantly takes my hand. He loves holding hands in trucks. Maybe it's only my hand. Hope so. We pull onto the freeway and I find myself somehow counting down the time I have left alone with him, sad that it can't last forever.

"Are you sure you don't want to go by your parents' first? I can drop you off or we can say hi," Brooks suggests, looking at me.

"No." I shake my head. "They're leaving early in the morning anyway. Another trip. I swear they should just sell their house and get an RV or something." I look out the window at the grassy sounds of the Parkway. It's stretch after stretch of overgrown greens poking through snow. The water is more like ashen than blue.

"Suit yourself. More Emmy for me," Brooks says, shrugging. "Brody and Lauren just got in this morning. Like three hours ago."

"Oh, I forgot they were coming!" I almost spit out my coffee as my eyes go wide and Brooks laughs at me.

"Hope you get that excited about me." He rolls his eyes.

"Always." I squeeze his hand.

"Yea, yea. Just don't leave me for my brother and you can continue loving him," Brooks jokes, his left hand hanging on top of the steering wheel.

I watch him take a sip of his hot coffee, his lips perfectly pink against the white lid. I'm jealous of a fucking cup. Ask me about my problems.

"Travis asked me if we're riding with them tonight. Brody and Lauren." I look up from my phone and over at Brooks. My last text from Travis is on my screen.

"Yea. Is that cool? Nate said him and Meg were taking Trix and Trav," Brooks answers.

"Yea, it's fine. Great even. More time with Brody," I tease, raising my eyebrows. A playful innuendo.

We ride in silence, apart from the radio. In what seems like no time we are pulling onto the back street that leads to Brooks's childhood home. The sandy gravel crunches beneath tires as we pull up to the front deck.

"I'll just leave your bag in here. Unless you need it?" Brooks asks me, nodding his head to my duffle in the back.

"Don't need it."