Tuck Sinn

2

Going through town always reminded Tom of everything he had, and all the good that had come out of his life. Being in the sun outside made him feel warm, awake, alive.

"Are we going to the river?" Becky asked, looking at Tom.

"I'll go wherever you go, Becky." He bumped shoulders with her.

"That's a yes, then?" She laughed, wind catching the curls of her hair. Yellow light streamed into their eyes all the way there.

The town had stayed the same since Tom was a kid. That was alright, though—when he looked at different street corners, he could remember all the times he spent having fun: being with friends, taking Becky on walks. All he remembered now were the good things. He had pushed The Cave out of his mind years ago.

"What time do you gotta be home by?" Tom asked, turning to her again.

"In time for supper—I just want to show you something." Becky said, quickening her voice and her pace, pulling Tom along the sunset-lit sidewalks.

"Show me the river? I've seen it a billion times, Becky." Tom laughed, letting himself be pulled along. Sun was in his eyes and glowing against the edges of Becky's hair now, and everything looked gilded.

"Yes, of course, but we hardly go there together." Becky said, pulling him along still. He didn't get her rush—it was just an old polluted river. But if Becky wanted to see it for the billionth time, he would go with her.

The sun was setting quickly.

"We're gonna miss it, Tom." Becky said hurriedly, walking quicker now. Tom slowed her down with his hand in hers.

"There's always tomorrow, Becky." He watched her intriguingly, seeing her hope and thoughts come through in her eyes.

She turned to him quickly. "Tom, with you, it's always tomorrow." She said. She sighed— the words had such a harshness to them. That made Tom's eyebrows furrow, made him look down.

"Well, shucks, Becky... Alright-- we'll hurry if you wanna." He said. Becky squeezed his hand.

"I didn't mean..." Becky looked away, too. Sighed. She must've caught the reaction on his face. Tom just shook his head, letting his free hand run through his hair. He swung the arm holding on to hers.

"Let's get going, Becky. Time's wasting!" He let the moment go. Let his face relax into that smile of his. She nodded and smiled, letting it go too. They quickened their steps towards the river.

A moment or a few passed, and the brief disappointment to excitement dimmed. Their steps filled the air and cleared their thoughts, and then slowed; they were almost there.

They walked down the dirt path, dust pulling up as their feet skidded across the ground. Tom took her hand again, their fingers pulling and curling together.

The sun was in his eyes. A gold poured over the top halves of trees and the edges of their skin— it would set, and it would be night and then another day at school. That was okay, though. He had Becky to depend on.

"Tom, you never want to go anywhere. To that fair, to my house, to school..." Becky said quietly. She was treading on a new topic. On his growing absences. Tom closed his eyes for a while as they walked, eventually opening them and looking away from her. He didn't care to talk about school.

"I just don't like school, Becky." His voice was a sigh, a tired exhale, masked with lightness, with a bump of their shoulders.

"Alright, Tom. But you know how important it is to me that you stay in school."

Tom nodded, squeezing her hand lightly. "...I'll do what I can."

"We're here. Look at it." She said. They were standing before the Mississippi river, now. Tom still looked at her, though. He saw how brightly the setting sun glowed on her face, and wanted to capture it all in his mind. She eventually looked back at him, and Tom smiled.
She was all he needed. Her blue eyes reflecting the soft lights around them; her light hair in a breeze, curled down her back. That same, reliable face he's seen for years. It's what he waited to see every day since he first met her.

"You're missing the sunset." She whispered. The sun's reflection was in her eyes.

"I've seen that sunset every day of my life, Becky. It's you I can't get enough of." He said just as softly. A redness and a smile came onto her face. She looked down, and her hair fell across her shoulders. The sun shone fire on the edges of each curl.

He felt that same glow in his chest. That fiery, yellow-orange, tangerine feeling. She nodded and looked around. Her hand and his, together, made him stop worrying, stop caring about everything that didn't really matter to him: school, getting into trouble, that fair coming up.

"Let me walk you home, Becky." He said. She smiled at him and then the breeze and the sun went right through him and into his heart.

"Look at it first." Becky said, nudging him, and he did. He looked out onto the Mississippi river.
The sun made ripples across it. The sun made each small wave reflect light. Like a mirror broken on a floor; like stitches of shiny silver weaved into fabric. The sun added more hues, turning it into a patchwork of oranges and pinks and blues.

"It's nice." He said. That same river his whole life, but it looked different now. The colors of it all glowed in his eyes. He'd never really taken the time to see it all like this before-- Becky made it happen. Becky made things special.

The sun set. Blue turned to gold and red and gradient rainbows, and then dark. Night was rising, turning the sky a blue to a navy purple. Stars started to show up.

"Are you glad we came here?" She asked. He nodded, looking at her again.

"Thank you, Becky." He smiled. She grinned back.

"But we're still going to that fair." She said.

He let a small laugh out, rolling his eyes. "Even if I have to drag you by the ear," she pulled her hand from his and made a quick movement towards him, and he leaned away with another outburst of a laugh.

She shook her head, closed her eyes, and retook his hand. "I'm serious, though." She said, amusement still in her voice.

"Nah, it won't come to that, Becky. If you go, then I'll go." He said. She nodded, a pleasantness residing in her expression. "Let me take you home." He said, bumping shoulders with her.

"Okay. Thanks for coming here." She said.

"Thanks for showing me." He said. They turned away from the sun, away from the river. Started back towards their houses. The night was calm and smooth, and they didn't mind the mosquitoes or the noises of boats on the river. Their faces glowed even past the sun setting, and their hands were warm in each other's grasp.

They walked along dirt and grass and gravel until they got to her house.
Her fence was cleanly whitewashed, and the outside of her house had no chips or warps or scratches on it; It was as perfect as her.

"See you, Becky." Tom said, holding her hand as long as he could until she walked away, back inside her house, closing the door. He stood outside for a moment longer, feeling the soft air against his warm skin. He breathed in the summery air, looking at how the light shone on her perfect house.

And he walked away, back to his own old creaky one. But he didn't mind— his had just as much love inside.