Page 49 of The Upside of Falling
Focusing on the road and trying to drive us through the Colorado traffic without getting in an accident, I say, “Southeast. You?”
“West. My parents live in Old Colorado City with my brother, right around the corner from my apartment, so not too far away. They still live in my childhood house, and before you ask, no, they don’t have my room anymore. They turned it into a guest room. Not that they have many guests who come and stay, but my mom thought it would be nice to have one.”
“What did they do with all your stuff?”
“I either took it with me when I moved out or donated it.” She pauses and then asks, “What about you, do you still have your childhood—” She stops mid-sentence and shakes her head. “Stupid question, sorry.”
I grip the steering wheel tightly, hating how, even though I’ve worked incredibly hard to keep my heart and head out of the house I grew up in, it still affects me. I can’t think about that house without awakening anxiety.
Finally I say, “It’s not a stupid question. I actually have no clue if my childhood room exists. But I didn’t leave anything of importance when I left, so it’s not like if I went back, I would be reminded of any amazing memories. My memories are kept in boxes in a storage unit right now.”
“You have a storage unit?”
I nod and turn down Tejon Street, looking for a parking spot. “Yeah, I’ve had it ever since I graduated high school. It holds some of my stuff and some of the things my grandpa couldn’t take with him to the nursing home.” I think about the storage room and the many planes it houses. “You should see it. Full of model planes, ones you can fly and ones for show, it’s a plane enthusiast’s wet dream.”
She laughs, the sound so beautiful that it brings me back into the conversation, easing the anxiety in my chest.
“You and your grandpa are close.” I hear a smile in her voice and it makes me appreciate her even more. She understands the deep love I have for him, because she feels the same for her own family, particularly Bryan.
I nod, finding a parking spot on the street. Pulling forward, I signal my intent and begin the process of parallel parking. “We are really close.” I ease the car into the spot and turn the truck off. “I’d definitely say he’s my best friend.”
Slowly, a gorgeous smile crosses over Rory’s face. “That’s the cutest thing I’ve ever heard. Just a boy and his grandpa.”
“Pretty much. Give me one second.” I hop out of the truck and round the hood to open the door for her. When I take her hand, I say, “Gramps always taught me to treat a lady with respect too.”
“Well, I need to write him a letter and tell him what the gentleman you are.”
I take her hand in mine and guide her across the street to the center of Acacia Park where the city erects a temporary ice rink every year.
“Do you know how to skate?”
She looks toward the ice rink, her expression full of joy. “A little. There was a short period of time where Bryan tried out skating. He wasn’t very good, but he enjoyed going on the ice, at least for a while. It was short-lived, but when we were going to the ice rink every day, I learned to stay standing and move forward, but that’s the extent of my ability. Please tell me you’re good at skating.”
“I wouldn’t have brought you to the ice rink if I wasn’t damn good at skating. Trust me, I’m not about to take you on a date that makes me look like a fool.”
“Falling flat on your ass in front of your date isn’t a top priority of yours?”
“Not so much. Come on, let’s get some skates.”
We spend the next few minutes waiting in line, watching the skaters move around the rink effortlessly—well, not all of them—and bantering about which burger joint to go to after we’re done skating. It’s between Bingo Burger, my suggestion, and The Skirted Heifer, Rory’s suggestion. I couldn’t care less with which one we choose, because all I care about is that Rory is happy and enjoys herself.
Once I pay for our rented skates, we put them on and head onto the ice. Rory holds onto me for support, her arm linking through mine, her body understandably wobbly at first touch of the ice.
“Oh my God, I’m so rusty. I’m going to tip us both over, and we’re going to be the laughingstocks of the park.”
“We’re good; don’t worry. I got us.” I steady her and have her grip onto the side of the ice rink until she can truly balance on the skates. “Do you feel like you can move forward now?”
“You can’t let go of me,” she says, her head whipping around, her face looking panicked.
I loop her arm around mine, locking it into place. “I’ll never let go, Rory. I’ve got you.”
Slowly, we start to inch our way forward, Rory hanging onto the side of the rink and to me for an entire lap until she starts to feel more confident and uses me as her only support.
“There you go. See? Not bad at all.”
Her eyes focused on the ice, shaky in her movements, she says, “I think you brought me here so you could get all up in my business.” She takes a breath. “News flash, Colby. I would have been all up inyourbusiness on a couch. No need to go to such extremes.”
A loud laugh pops out of my mouth, throwing off our balance for a second, but I catch us both before we fall.
