Unconditionally

Chapter Forty-one

"It's not the goodbye that hurts, but the flashbacks that follow."

I'm sitting in the back of Sill's truck as she drives to drop off Ashton and Carter at the airport. Ashton's parents are driving to UCLA with Ashton's Jeep that's filled with the things he couldn't pack in his suitcase. Ashton will be flying to California while his parents drive. They'll drop of his things and the Jeep, help him get settled in, and then fly back to Arkansas after goodbyes. I'm not exactly sure what the plan is for Carter, but everything must be smooth sailing since he's asleep in the passenger seat beside Sill.

Ashton is sitting in the back with me, and we haven't said a word to each other. Bill and Hilary Clinton National Airport is a few hours away from Deansville. After all the driving, we're about twenty minutes away.

My phone pings in my lap, and I look down to see I have a text message.

Ashton: i'm wearing the necklace

A sad smile breaks across my face, and I quickly type a response.

MC: me too

Ashton: does it make me look like a girl?

Rolling my eyes, I playfully glance at him, making it seem as if I'm checking. My fingers fly across my touch screen.

MC: lol no

Ashton: you know they broadcast the games on the internet? maybe you could watch some?

MC: don't get your hopes up : )

A few seconds pass as I wait for Ashton's response. I look at Ashton, but he's looking at his phone. My phone pings again. Instead of a text message that he sent, it's a picture message. I tap the photo. He sent me a screen shot of his home screen. His back ground is the photo of us on graduation day. Below the photo is a simple sentence, but it warms my heart.

Ashton: i'll miss this

I lock my phone and move closer to Ashton. Kissing his cheek and putting my legs on his lap, I close my eyes and try to imagine that we're on a road trip instead of dropping Ashton and Carter off at an airport.

When we arrive at Bill and Hilary Clinton National Airport, Sill begins to act like a mother who's sending off her children.

"You have everything you need, correct? Once you get on that plane you can't get off. Ashton, don't you dare start ignoring me. What would your mother say if she found out you missed your flight?"

Ashton rolls his eyes at Sill and keeps his arms secured around my waist as we wait in the line for some breakfast. I laugh out loud. "I'd listen if I were you." I tell him.

The airport isn't so crowded, but the wait does take awhile. I order a blueberry muffin with an iced coffee, Carter and Ashton both order an egg biscuit and water, and Sill orders a simple bowl of oatmeal with a cup of coffee. We take our food to one of the empty tables and begin eating.

We don't exactly talk as we eat our quick breakfast. But I do keep my left hand locked with Ashton's right hand. When we finish our food, Carter offers to dump the wrappers in the trash. I watch Carter walk to the trash can that seems to be across from our table. Ashton stands up and begins pulling his suitcase behind him to follow after Sill. Carter catches up to us with his own suit case in his hand.

My aunt adjusts her hand bag and looks at us before tears fill her eyes. "Oh, let me take some pictures!" She pulls out her camera and tells the three of us where to stand, right in the middle of an airport with large suit cases surrounding us and people rushing by. After she takes many pictures of us, she smiles wide and puts her camera in her bag.