Me, You, and Mason

34

The drive home felt quicker than the drive away. This left the couple clinging desperately at their last moments together. Doing anything to thwart the inevitable end to what had felt, in some ways, like a dream.

They stopped for gas. They grabbed food. They cruised.

And yet, the city limit sign still came at them like a fastball.

Welcome to Mason.

"Home sweet home," Sage announced.

Even without the sign, Darcy knew they were back in the city that made them. It was something about the trees and the roads, the way clouds hung even on sunny days. The energy, charged and looming.

Although much of the state was left unexplored, she immediately missed Illinois. The quiet comfort away from all that stirred here.

Her mind raced. She would have to return to work tomorrow. There was no telling the disarray that awaited her. The rent would soon be due. All the days she'd been taking off this month would surely make her check suffer.

"Hey," Sage's hand found her thigh, pulling her head out of the storm that brewed above her.

"You good?" He asked.

"I'm just," her hands rested over his, "not ready to get back to the real world."

He agreed, "Me either... Man, I gotta get back to Pops about the business... and rehearsals. I gotta—"

"Rehearsals?" Darcy's eyebrows rose.

He glimpsed at her, a slight smile tugging at his lips as he briefly looked at her again. "Yeah, uh... Bloostone's puttin' together a show for all the folks that were gonna do the showcases."

"Oh, I heard about that. I didn't know you were playing."

He nodded. "Got my own slot, and the guys are playin' behind me just before they hit the road."

"And here you are just casually mentioning it like it's nothin'. Sage, this is great news!" She beamed.

"Oh, well, you know—"

"Don't get modest on me! This is exciting. Aren't you excited?"

He was blushing, "Yeah. Really excited. Anxious to just... perform again."

"Yeah. I can imagine! And this is all new stuff?"

He nodded, "Mostly."

She grinned. "I can't wait to hear it. I can come, right?"

"Of course," it was such a no-brainer that he'd forgotten to properly request her presence.

"Okay. When is it?"

"In a few days."

"A few— and you're just now telling me?"

"I just got used to the news myself, Darcy," he laughed.

"Uh-huh. Do you know what you're wearing?"

"I got a few ideas," he shrugged.

"And your hair?"

"I think I'll get Brandi or Jam to do it."

Darcy scoffed, "Jam? Since when do you go to her for anything?"

"Since we were kids," his eyes dotted to their corners at her.

"Oh, so all them times you had me slavin' away, you could've just called Jam?"

"I knew you ain't like her, and you wouldn't want me over there wit' her."

"You damn right, Sage. She's waiting for the chance to pounce on you! God— Please, if you gon' fuck other bitches, don't let it be her. Okay?"