They passed a sign announcing their arrival in Arnold (population 600) in the late afternoon. Cath looked out the window as they passed more fields and more green, and wondered how Reagan was as a child in this rural Nebraska. Levi, she realized, she had no problem imagining here. She pictured him as a little kid, tallest in the class, and running through the fields with his long legs. He probably loved playing in the snow too.
She looked over at Levi, who almost looked like he was lounging in the driver's seat. He had one hand holding hers and the other resting lightly on the steering wheel. "We're here," he said, almost singing it. Cath could tell how excited he was to finally have her there. Instead of getting her to his room like they joked before, he was getting her to his house. He was looking forward to it. His family was important to him, and she was important to him. She shouldn't make it a big deal to have them merge. It would be okay, because it was Levi. Everything was okay with him around.
They passed the elementary school and turned left down a narrow dirt road. There were fences lining the road and she could see cows in the distance.
"That's your property way down there?"
Levi nodded proudly.
After a few minutes, they reached the house. It was a small white two-story house with blue shutters and a green roof. Most of the lights were on and four cars were parked outside. Levi pulled up beside a red truck (it seemed everyone had a truck here). He'd already gathered her bags and come around to her side before she'd even unbuckled her seatbelt.
Levi opened her door. "They're excited to meet you," he told her, as though reading her mind again.
Cath unbuckled her seatbelt and let it fall back into place, but she still didn't move. She looked up at the house, with the lights on in the windows that seemed to radiate warmth. She thought about her own family that seemed broken for so long and was finally getting back to a good place.
Cath looked at Levi. The lights from his house and the sun lying behind the clouds made his hair and eyes sparkle. He was smiling patiently at her. The height of the truck made her taller than him for once. She ran a hand through his hair and locked her hands there for a moment. She wasn't as nervous as she imagined she'd be.
"I'm ready," Cath gave a small smile.
Levi had an arm around her shoulders on the walk up to the door, and somehow managed to keep it there as he opened the door, deposited her bags in the foyer, and kicked off his boots in exchange for fuzzy house slippers.
All the lights were on in the hallway leading towards loud voices and laughter from the next room. As Levi led her there, Cath stepped out of his arm so he wasn't holding her as close. They came to the entryway of the living room, and the first thing Cath saw was a room full of people. All blond and smiling. The second thing she noticed was the massive fire place, taller than Levi, with a fire going despite the season.
No one noticed them for a moment. "Guys," Levi called. A few heads turned.
The older woman on the couch right in front of them turned and did a double take. "Ohhhh!" She drew out the word as she pushed herself up and shuffled around the couch. She stopped right in front of Cath. "Hello!" She sounded genuinely happy.
"Mom, this is Cather." Levi was practically beaming.
"Cath," Cath said immediately. "Just Cath."
Levi's mom – Mrs. Stewart – took Cath into her arms for a quick hug. "I've heard so much about you. Oh you're just lovely aren't you?"
Cath tried for a teeny smile, but had absolutely no idea how to respond to that. Luckily, Mrs. Stewart turned to the others to make introductions. Levi looked as if he wanted to pick Cath up and show her off, like a kid who won a little-league soccer trophy. Cath imagined he had actually done that as a kid.
All Levi's sisters were there, along with his sister's fiancé and a couple of her closest friends. "We just sat down for some drinks," Levi's mom told them. "Dinner's almost ready, we'll eat in an hour."
So Levi and Cath took their drinks and blended into the conversation like they had always been there. Well, the others carried the conversation. They were talking about the wedding, and Levi's mom would pepper in anecdotes from their childhood. Cath mostly listened. She was standing flush against Levi, her back to his stomach. He rested his chin on top of her head, and occasionally his hands would come around to hold hers or find themselves in her back pockets. Cath didn't mind the PDA because after scanning the room, it was clear no one was paying attention to them. Levi's sister and future brother-in-law, the beautiful couple they were, were snuggled on the loveseat, and all ears were on Levi's mom. Cath could just imagine her tucking Levi in with a bedtime tale, inspiring his love for stories.
Levi tapped her on the shoulder and said in her ear, "Want to unpack in my room?" She nodded quickly, glad for a change of atmosphere.
"That wasn't too eager of me right?" Cath asked as they climbed the stairs. She felt her body relax like a breath she'd been holding for the past half-hour.
"What part?" Levi was leading the way, carrying her bags again.
"Wanting to get out of the living room." Cath was worried her eager nodding might have looked like she wasn't enjoying herself. But she was.
Levi turned to look over his shoulder and said simply, "I thought you'd want some quiet time before dinner."
Cath watched him climb the rest of the way. She gave him a small, appreciative nod to his back. He knows me.
Levi led her down the hall and opened the last door. His room. Cath paused in the doorway. It was his childhood bedroom, even though most evidence was gone (no toys; no action figures; no posters – did he ever have Simon Snow posters?). The walls were a navy blue; the double bed was neatly made this time. The desk was tidy and for the most part, everything was very clean. Except for the chair in the corner that was covered in clothes. But honestly, everyone has that chair.
Levi pulled open a drawer and revealed it was empty. "I thought this could be yours."
Cath's eyes widened. "You cleared a drawer for me?" she sputtered. Levi smiled. "I'm only staying three weeks…"
"I thought it would be better than living out of a suitcase."
Cath thought of everything an empty drawer can symbolize when it's coming from a boyfriend. "Thank you."
Levi kissed her on the forehead like they used to in the beginning stages. He flopped on the bed and stared at the ceiling for a moment, giving her an open invitation to do what she wanted. If Cath ever felt more appreciative of Levi, she didn't know when. She started unpacking a few items and picked out a cleaner top to wear for dinner, one that didn't smell like sweat and an afternoon road trip. Cath noticed at some point that Levi had turned on his side to watch her, but they didn't talk. When Cath was done, she jetted to the bathroom to change. When she came back, she hopped on the bed and sat cross-legged at right angles to Levi's prone body.
She poked him in the side (where Levi was the fleshiest; can you call that fleshy? The boy is all knobby knees and elbows). "Have you slept with this comforter since you were a kid?" It was green and blue plaid that looked well worn in.
Levi rolled onto his back so he could look Cath right in the eye. He cradled one hand behind his head like he was sunbathing. Like he could lie like this, staring at Cath all day. "Well, I've washed it a few times you know, but…"
Cath poked him again. He grabbed her finger. "Yes," he said.
Cath looked around her. "What about that desk?"
"I didn't sleep with it –" Another poke cut him off, and he wrestled to catch her finger again, laughing. "Yes. Pretty much everything is still the same."
Cath nodded, letting him hold her index with his entire hand. "Nothing's new in here?" Their rooms were one in the same then.
"You."
Cath's lips twitched at the corners and Levi raised his arms in victory. She leaned down to kiss him. They stayed like that, lips softly touching lips, until they heard Levi's mom calling that dinner was ready.
"Oh gosh," Cath said, suddenly nervous. "What does she think we're doing up here..."
"Don't worry," Levi chuckled. "She let you up here after just having met you. That's already one step up from –"
"Reagan."
"She wouldn't let Reagan out of her sight with me. You must be in her good books already."
With that comforting thought, they joined the dinner table, sitting across from each other at the small rectangular table that seemed to fit everyone somehow. Levi's dad had come in from the nightly range duties and had freshed up and changed into a plaid button-down shirt. Before they started eating, Levi's mom led them in saying a prayer. Cath caught Levi's eye while everyone's heads were bent, and he winked at her.
For the first time, Cath allowed herself to think about the future.
