Chapter 31: In the act of
Chris and Jim ended the trail, enjoying the nature as long as they could. Jim told her sunsets were worth waiting around here and he was right. It was absolutely stunning. She had no word to express her gratitude toward him at this precise moment. He could be a pain in the ass sometimes but he was also the kindest person she had ever met. She sat closer to him and nestled her head on his shoulder. He smiled. She was well, he could say this. She was not stressed or afraid anymore. They were a thing and she didn't escape. He let his arm embraced her waist.
When the sun was down, they quickly walked up to Jim's bike and drove till a motel at Yucca valley they booked in the morning. Jim used to come here and enjoy the calm of the area. They stopped at the motel restaurant to buy some food and ran till their room. They were tired and stinky. All they wanted was to take a shower, eat and sleep. In that precise order.
"Your turn! You smell like hell from here." Chris told Street as she got out of the bathroom.
"You didn't complaint about it today."
"It's because I was stinky as hell too." She let out a laugh.
"Ok, ok..." He took his stuff and walked to the bathroom, passing close to Chris.
"No, no, no, no kiss for now. After." She laughed watching him going into the bathroom. She put her underwear on and sat on the bed, reading the map guide Jim had taken with them.
"And now?"
"She jumped, hearing his voice suddenly. "Way better! But hurry, I'm starving."
He sat next to her as soon as he put his boxer. "Fast enough?" He told her as he surprised her stealing some fries. "Apparently not."
"Not my fault if you take too much time in the bathroom. And my stomach was growling."
He stole some fries from her hands. "A fault confessed is half redressed!"
She giggled, he did too and ended eating their dinner, picking in each other's plate. It was already late and Chris couldn't stop herself but yawn.
"Time to bed, no?"
"Think so, I'm exhausted…"
"Yeah, me too. But what a day!"
"Wonderful! Never been here, not ready to forget now…"
She laid in the bed, he came close to her and embraced her. She let him do. She was not the type of things she usually liked, but with Jim, she became familiar with. She felt so small in his arms. She loved to feel his warmth against her body, to hear his heart beating when she laid her head over his chest, as she did right now. He enjoyed her body next him, Her legs over his, looking at her wearing only her underwear, letting his fingers running over her silky skin. They fell asleep nestled in each other's arms.
[…]
Early sun woke them up. They had not moved during the night. Not even an inch. Street opened his eyes first and stroked Chris's tiny nose. She furrowed it, feeling his fingers. "Already morning?"
"Yes… No need to get up right now but if we want to visit some places on our way back, we'd better not dawdle too long either…"
"Just let me ten minutes to emerge." She rolled on this other side and drew the blanket till her shoulders. He took his time to prepare and went to buy breakfast before she finally woke up for good. She opened her eyes as soon as she smelled coffee.
"Smells good."
"Hurry, won't be hot for long."
They ate breakfast and decided what they were gonna visit before going back to the noisy and frenetic Los Angeles. "What about a second trail? Maybe a shorter loop? I read about the Olsen ruins in Pioneertown Mountains in your book…"
"Oh this one is great! Mojave Yuccas, Orange Mallow, Black Sage, and some Pinion Pines and Junipers, lizards and birds but also rattlesnakes…"
"Not scared, will hit the ground very hard to scare them, as my Uncle Sarzo learned me."
"Wise man."
"Indeed."
Despite months of relationship, they always shared this moment of embarrassment, good embarrassment of course, like at the beginning of every relationship. Because you had so much to deal with, your brain didn't know what to do, what to say. She got up, drinking fast her coffee and ran to the bathroom to change. Jim took their bags and put them in the trunk, making a stop at the desk to pay for the room. When he came back to the room, Chris was combing her hair.
"Ready to leave? All our stuff is packed."
"What about the room? You asked for the receipt?"
"Already paid. Let me invite you for once, Miss Alonso."
She let out a sigh. "You know I don't want to be treated like this."
"You're welcome. And anyway, I'm glad to invite you. So shut up and follow me, we have a loop to hike!"
She laughed and walked in a hurry in front of him. "The first one to the bike wins the right to buy food to the other?"
[…]
They walked for already one hour and a half and enjoyed the immensity of wilderness. They were alone on the Olsen ruins in Pioneertown Mountains loop. Chris stopped time to time to take pictures of the trees. Of the animals. Of them. Together or alone. She was smiling. She was happy. He smiled too because it was fine to be here, after all they had been through. Life was full of surprises sometimes. And he loved the ones she was playing on him for the last 8 months.
They ended the loop, looking one last time to the captivating and hypnotizing wilderness surrounding them. Chris walked first. Jim was following her. She stopped at the top of a big rock to look around. She was peaceful, she was right. He came closer and enjoyed the view too.
"Thanks for letting me know about your place…"
"Our place, now."
She gave him a faint smile and turned once again towards the horizon. It was time to go and she wanted to keep as many memories as she could in her mind. They went back to the bike and got up on it. Jim turned the engine on and started to drive. Less than one hour later, he stopped on the edge of the road.
"One last stop before going home! You need to taste this and don't say no."
He brought her to a small bungalow at some meters from the highway. He ordered something to a woman inside in the small house and came back with two bowls.
"Taste this!"
She ate, slowly at first and then with appetite. "This is delicious! What is it?"
"A soup I discovered here long time ago. Don't ask me the name, I wouldn't be able to tell it. All I know, it's made with corn, seeds, beans and chicken."
"So you come to eat this for years here and you still don't know the name?" She teased him.
"Yep!" He answered proudly. "And Talasi doesn't hold it against me." He turned to the old woman in the bungalow and waved at her. She waved back and smiled at them.
"She seems nice."
"She is… She is a real cutie… Speaking of her, look who's here. Hey Talasi, this is my dear friend, Chris."
"Hi, Talasi. Nice to meet you."
Talasi nodded and smiled at Chris. She was not the talkative type. Which was perfect for her, she was not either but it was surprising when it came to Street. Talasi came closer and brought them two small pieces of cakes.
"Corn cakes for you!"
"Oh Talasi, thanks, you shouldn't have…" Chris was moved by the generosity of the old woman.
"My pleasure. Jim's friends are mine." She rugged Jim's head with her hand, letting him disheveled and left as silently as she came. He smiled, looking at her go. "Told you she didn't care if I didn't remember the names of the dishes. I'm irresistible, I can't fight this fact!"
"Don't flatter yourself too much, Street."
They ended eating, enjoying the rocky, solitary place. Jim told Chris how he discovered the Indian Morongo Reservation, randomly, one day when he flew from the big city after a big fight with his mom. He must have been 20 by the time. He had been just accepted at police academy and his mom yelled at him in the prison visiting room when she learnt he had chosen this way.
"This is this policeman, he had come into your head and forced you to become like him… Still remember the exact words. I was so happy to tell her I passed the exam and she crushed me…"
"Seems like her… But know that even with more than 10 years delay, I'm glad you succeeded…"
"Thanks you." He looked at her with his puppy eyes she was so fond of. She grabbed his hand over the table and pressed it. "Time to go home, don't you think?"
"Time to go back to reality unfortunately… Can I…"
"You can."
They stood up and hugged. Strongly. Passionately. It felt good to be like a real couple. Not to care about the rules. Not to be afraid of being surprised for once. Just two random people in love. They shared a long kiss. He ended it rubbing his nose against hers. He knew she loved this gesture and finally put his forehead against hers. It was one of their favorite moves. He could feel her breathe peacefully, her eyes closed. He closed his too, just after having pictured this moment in his mind. It felt good to be like the only two people in the world sometimes.
[…]
They drove home. Chris leaned on Jim's back, her arms around his waist. She looked at the signs along the road. "Calimesa", "Loma Linda", "Riverside", "Pomona". Everyone of these names brought them closer and closer from Los Angeles and she was sad about this. Because once there, they would have to become Chris and Street, the good friends, the conniving colleagues again. Except at Luca's which were their safe place where they could be the new Chris and Street, the in love, the domestic and casual ones. The ones they wanted to be now. But their love for their (even more for HER) work prevented them from taking the next step.
He parked the car in front of Luca's house. "East Hollywood, here we are."
"Kind of bittersweet right now." Chris answered him as she unclenched her arms from around his waist.
"Same… But we're still here and Luca knows so it's not really over. Will be over tomorrow morning when we put our uniform and boots. Just let enjoy the evening, the night. Let's end this perfect weekend the way it started…"
She remembered telling him the truth about her rape and he didn't flee away. He just listened and didn't judge. He had been nothing but supportive and then, there was this desert bike trip. She couldn't fight anything anymore. She even wondered how she did for years. What a strong and blinded woman she had been. She came closer to him and embraced him.
"So let's enjoy the rest of the day and not think about tomorrow, then."
"Right… Tomorrow is overrated anyway…" He rubbed his nose with hers before meeting her mouth. Her warm and welcoming mouth which was so familiar by now.
"I knew it!"
They stopped kissing and froze as soon as they heard this voice. This voice they knew by heart and too well. It took them a few seconds to split and looked on their sides. Tan was standing in the house yard next to where they were parked.
"We… We…" For once, Street was speechless. He had been so surprised that he was still in shock. Luca appeared at the doorstep a few minutes later and understood right away it was too late. Tan had discovered for Chris and Street.
Chris took a step forward, without letting go of Street's hand. "Jim and I are together." She told aloud. She was not afraid of it anymore and to be honest, it was as if a weigh went back from her shoulders. Street looked at her with big eyes, not believing what he had just witnessed. Luca was watching the scene from behind. Jim came closer to Chris.
"Yes Tan, It's been 8 months already… Since we're dating… Just after I was back at SWAT…"
Tan looked at them. Silent for a while. Then a big smile appeared on his lips. "Guys, I was sure this day will happen from day one! Tell me more about you two! Luca, bro, you knew, right? So exciting! Let's go back inside and talk! Pizza and beer are on me!"