Chapter Five

The fourth day of bus travel was everything Seth could have wished. He and Jessica talked about everything under the sun. They laughed, played chess with a plastic set from a gift shop, and napped. Often their heads were together whispering about other passengers or just laughing over Seth's jokes. Both were relaxed and looking forward to reaching the campground. Jessica often slipped her hand in his while napping and he spread her blanket over them both. The small secret smiles she sent his way along with her winks lifted Seth's heart. The hotel that night was dismal but now they were seasoned bus travelers and didn't bat an eyelash about the accommodations.

Jessica slept in later on their last day of travel by bus. It wouldn't leave until almost ten and while she couldn't have a long soak in a tub (the room only had a shower) she could laze about in bed a little longer than normal. She heard the shower and knew Seth was in the bathroom. She hoped it wouldn't be a long stay. Her morning bladder call was making its presence known.

Ten minutes later she was getting anxious. She was almost ready to resort to what her former students called The Pee-Pee dance. She left the bed and went to the bathroom door and cracked it. "Seth," she called. "I really need the bathroom."

She wasn't sure he heard her but she waited a minute. She knocked on the door loudly but again the shower was on full blast and he wasn't responding. The shower door was closed but the glass was clear. Feeling foolish but really having to go, she got her sleep mask and walked back to the bathroom door and put it on. Opening the door, she slipped inside. The toilet was right inside the door so peeking down at her feet she placed herself carefully on the seat. She sat placing a towel over her lap. She relieved the pressure from her bladder, pulled up her pajama bottoms and flushed.

"Yow!" Seth backed away from the shower spout as only hot water came out of the nozzle. He looked up and saw Jessica with her back to him and her mask on. "What are you doing, woman?"

"I was using the bathroom because you spend far too much time in it. You have to realize you aren't the only one needing the bathroom, Seth."

He wrapped a towel around his waist and left the shower. Tapping her shoulder he told her to remove her mask.

She turned uncertainly towards him but saw he was covered with a towel.

"Well, you can use it now. I'll come back when you're finished."

"I already did, Seth."

"You what? While I was in…Jess, that's an invasion of my privacy." he looked affronted.

"Seth, I put on my mask, covered myself, so you would have never even been the wiser if I hadn't flushed." She moved over to the sink to wash her hands. "I would like to shower and get ready."

"I guess I didn't consider how long I'm in the bathroom," he admitted.

"We're both used to having our own and not having to worry about sharing," she stated. "Now scoot," she said, making shooing motions.

They would reach the Great Smoky Mountains just before sunset today. She was excited. She had her own small rented cabin. Just one room but there was a kitchenette, a bathroom, and a sleep area as well as the 'living' area. Seth would be next door and they would spend four days camping together. Hiking with a guide, fishing, and campfires, she couldn't wait.

They settled in for the last leg of their journey.

"Do you regret traveling by bus, Jess." Seth asked once they were on their way.

"I don't regret the time we've had together but I don't think I'll spend five days on a bus again," she replied. She squeezed his hand. "I've learned more about you than I knew before," she added.

Seth's eyebrows rose. "Like what?"

"You spend more time in the bathroom than any teenaged girl I ever knew." she said with a smile.

Seth ducked his head bashfully. "I grew up with outdoor bathrooms and an iron tub in the middle of the kitchen floor at night, Jess. Once I was able to have my own shower, I didn't know when to stop."

Jessica looked over at him. "Did you learn anything about me?"

Seth thought it over for a minute. "I learned you aren't as hard nosed as you pretend to be. You can be a real softie."

Jessica lifted her nose in the air. "I haven't the faintest idea where you got that idea."

"Jess, if I told you before we came on this trip that it was on a bus, you would have bailed on me. Even when we first arrived at the station you could have told me no but you didn't want to hurt my feelings and you suffered to spare them. I know you're used to better surroundings. I wanted you to know more of the real me." He looked into her eyes. "I can't compete with you over things you can buy. But I've enjoyed our time together, outside of one brief incident when we weren't talking, which I still regret."

She leaned over meaning to kiss his cheek when she stopped and instead turned his head to face her and kissed him softly on the lips. "We have our entire camping trip to enjoy ourselves."

"Plus the ride home," he added, liking the feel of her lips on his.

"About that, Seth," she took a deep breath. "I made reservations for a flight home for us. I thought a better way to end our trip was to spend a few days fishing in Boston Harbor, eating lobster, and watching the Red Sox."

Seth started to frown before she added. "So you get to know the real me."

"I'd like that, Jess."

"Good, me too. Who knows, if we end up sharing a room again, I won't put on my sleep mask when I walk in on you in the bathroom." She said with a wink.

On their final day Jessica was able to ignore the noise, the smells, and people bumping their way down the aisle. She enjoyed her time with Seth and she had time to think. Maybe it was time to have a deeper relationship. They were good friends, it was obvious to her now that the physical attraction was definitely established. Was she ready to give her heart to someone else? She wasn't sure. Could she consider being physically affectionate? Engaging in sexual activities? Yes and yes, she was certain she could if the past few days were any indication. Was she right for him though?

Seth looked at Jessica. She seemed deep in thought. His thoughts were probably simple compared to hers. Was he attracted to Jessica? Yes. Physically? Yes. Was it possible to have a relationship other than friendship? He hoped so. Would he like one? Yes. Would he bring it up to her? Nope, not now. Was he enough for her?

Epilogue

"Woman, let's go. If I'm driving to Vermont today we should have left an hour ago." called Seth from beside the rental car.

"I'm coming, I'm coming, Seth. I had to finish packing." She brought an overnight bag out of the kitchen door and handed it over to him. She was dressed in a green sundress and sandals.

He reached for it and tried to cram it into the trunk of the car. "Sorry, Jess, you overpacked and it doesn't fit. You'll have to leave it here."

Jessica went over and grabbed her overnight bag. "I have one suitcase and this case. You have two suitcases, an overnight bag, fishing gear, your bowling ball for some reason and countless medical magazines you'll never read." She opened her overnight case and pulled out a sheer negligee and held it against her. "I certainly won't need this," she agreed, "nor this one," she added, pulling out a red baby doll nightie.

Seth hastily pulled out all the magazines and the bowling ball. "Whaddayaknow, I found space," he declared.

Jessica packed her case again, handed it over, and blew him a kiss. Turning she headed back to the house.

"Where are you going now?" he asked. He opened her case and started looking through her things, smiling at what he found.

"I forgot something," she returned a minute later and got in the passenger side.

"Remember last year's bus trip?" asked Seth as he backed out the driveway.

"I remember how it ended," she smiled, smoothing her hand down his thigh.