I'm Still Here: On the Ride

Setting his packed suitcase on the bed, he zipped it up. Megan pulled in the window curtain to let the soft sun in. Her hair had been curled in tight curls, flowing softly onto the back of her green shirt. He smiled tenderly watching her casually move around, adjusting the blinds so they were nicely pulled back before they took off.

He was still thinking about her. Everything seemed to slow as her graceful movements overtook him. So much could happen within a day, and he was leaving without her. He had to just remind himself that she would be back tomorrow. And as if she had read his thoughts her shoulders fell in satisfaction. Turning around to face him, pieces of golden curls fell to the side, gracing her beauty.

Megan laughed as he shook his head, taking him out of his contemplation. The corner of his lips curled up in an awkward grin as his eyes rested upon hers. "Where did you go just now?"

"Into the deep complex system of our lives." He answered contently, resting his chin in the palm of his hand. "It's amazing really." He gazed at her, almost deep in thought again.

She nodded at his enthusiasm, comprehending the change in both of them since the week had passed. "You know I'm glad that I asked you to come with me."

"It was a pleasure to be asked, really." Larry responded, closing the distance so they were facing each other. "You know, I've got a whole new positive outlook coming with you." He explained as Megan cocked an eyebrow. "New York is so different from LA on so many levels."

With apprehension in her tone, "You know I think I've got everything figured out in general my father. Things aren't going to be smooth just like that, but I think in a way, you'd like him."

He raised an eyebrow, nodding. "Then I think I'd really like to meet him."

She exhaled, "I'm not sure what his schedule is, but I don't think that he'd mind if we dropped by. We've still have a few hours before we have to get you to the airport." Looking at her watch, they walked towards the door. Megan reached into her pocket and pulled out her keys.

"Here I was thinking that LA was a city that by no means sleeps." Larry noted, holding open the door for her to pass through. Megan smiled, he looked almost apprehensive. "Then again, I've never had to meet your father."

Laughing they made their way down the hall, the door closing behind them as they walked side by side. "Yeah well, you'd be surprised. I'm amazed how much everything has changed since I've been here. For years I expressed how much I didn't like living here, and the lifestyle that we had. I was so afraid that it was going to be the same, but it turned out to be opposite at least so far." Hands interlacing she checked the door to make sure that it had closed properly and they walked together down the hall, and out the doors that led to the hotel parking lot.

"You know this does proves something valuable." He noted as the shielded their eyes from the bright sun. "That things can change and prove worthy in the end." Of course in his own way, he was making mention of his own father. He had always been disappointed at everything Larry was. And the fact that she was making amends with her own father, gave him hope that maybe one day he would too.

Reaching the rental car, he steadied the suitcase as she unlocked the trunk. She watched him carefully and couldn't miss seeing the pain flash through his eyes. Briefly, but not usually, he had discussed tidbits about his own father. On that end he was as far as a closed book on the subject. Even though she had a proposition that he would collapse on the silence eventually, she glanced at him from time to time to see if he would let her in as they got into the car. Of course it took several minutes. They made another turn that led onto a long stretch of road. Peering in the other direction, he turned back to face the windshield, but didn't ask until they had gone further. "Did you really have to go all this way just to get to school?"

Smiling at his curiosity, she rolled down her window slightly. "Most days I took the bus, unless I could get one of my sisters to drive me I was stuck riding the bus. Besides the fact that I didn't like waking up earlier it was always a struggle to get there on time."

He raised his eyebrow in surprise, "I'm a bit surprised, have you always been somewhat of a night owl?"

Braking at the light, she nodded. "I always use to stay up late to brush up on piled up books that I had stacked underneath my bed. I took psychology when I was in high school and my teacher was so intrigued. Even took the time to talk to me and lent me books that I'm pretty sure that at that time my father wouldn't have approved of. "As she trailed he found himself contemplating. "Although I'm sure he didn't consider anything I did to being highly valuable, I kept thinking how much better I could do on my own, you know if he wasn't there. And then one day out of the blue, the decision of leaving home felt reasonably good."

A little more he was seeing her perspective. Between the two of them there was an airy silence, when he shifted in his seat. "How do you forgive him?"