How Do You Heal A Broken Heart?
Rating: PG-13
Not mine ~ they're just using my head for a playground!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jordan. . .
I drove back to my apartment in silence. I wasn't sure what was going on ~ why I was even considering letting Woody back into my life. Especially after the way he left and the way I was hurt. But yet there I was. He meant the world to me and there was nothing I could do about it.
I let myself into my apartment and tried to get ready for bed. But I knew it wasn't going to be a night where sleep came easily, if at all. I had too many decisions to make. I knew Woody and I needed to talk, but we needed to be somewhere we could be completely uninterrupted and undisturbed by people we knew. Where could we go?
At some point I dozed off and dreamed about that night so many years ago when Dad took me hiking after I graduated from high school. I wonder. . .
"Hello?"
"Dad?"
"Hi sweetheart. You get him all taken back to his hotel and yourself home safely?"
"Yeah. I was wondering something."
"What?"
"Is Sam still around?"
"Sam?"
"Yeah. The guy you worked with who we went hiking with that time?"
"Oh yeah. Hang on and I'll find his number for you. Ok, here it is. 555-3476."
"Thanks, Dad."
"Why do you need to talk to Sam?"
"I was just thinking about the hike we went on that time and wanted to find out how I'd go about making reservations."
"Jordan. . ."
"Dad, Woody and I need to talk about some stuff. And we need to do it where people don't know us. And out of places where we feel comfortable."
"Alright. I'm not thrilled about this, but I know you need to get some questions answered. Otherwise they'll haunt you for the rest of your life."
"What will?"
"All the 'what if's' and so forth. I think there are enough of those in your life. . . Just know that I'm here for you. . .no matter what."
"Thanks Dad."
"Now sweetheart, I don't know how he got the reservations or if you could get in or what."
"I know. But I've got to try. I'm going to call Sam now and see what I can do. I'll let you know what's going on."
"Alright. Good night sweetheart."
So I called Sam. He gave me the information and said that usually the place booked up a year in advance, but I could always call and see if there were any cancellations. As it turns out, there was a cancellation for the baby cabins that held up to 5 people for a week and a half later. I reserved it on the spot, and then called Woody.
"Hello?"
"Did I wake you?"
"Jordan? No, I was just watching TV."
"Ok."
"Um, Jordan? Was there a reason you called?"
"Oh, yeah. Sorry. How long do you have until you have to go back to LA?"
"Owens said as long as it takes, but I wouldn't think more than a couple of weeks. Why?"
"I'd like to take you hiking next Tuesday."
"What?"
"There's this place my dad took me the summer after I graduated from high school. It's in the Great Smoky Mountains. We would hike up one day, spend the night, and hike back down the other day."
"Well, I'm open to it. But why. . .?"
"I think we need to talk about a lot of things. But I don't think that Boston is the place to do it. Too many memories and too many people who know me ~ well, both of us ~ here for us to get the time and the space we need. . ."
"Ok. Jordan, I'd really like that."
"Ok. I'll get the arrangements made."
Then it occurred to me that I needed to clear my time off with Garret. I called him, hoping he wasn't already asleep. As soon as I explained things, he immediately said that that talk was definitely something that needed to happen, and he would give me whatever time I needed. Three days later, we were on our way to Gatlinburg and Mount LeConte.
. . .to be continued. . .
