Shelby #3
“While I was packing up Mum’s things I found this,” I held the time portal up in the air and smiled sadly. “Did you know our mums did some travelling when they were younger? And on that trip, my mum met my dad?”
“Really?” His brows lifted disbelievingly.
“My mum hates going anywhere further than the grocery store. Going to Canada recently was an exception.” And he didn’t need to elaborate.
We both knew it was because it would be the last time she saw Mum, and nothing would have stopped her when that was the reason.
“Well, this says otherwise,” I said, refusing to open that conversation this early into the trip.
“The dates don’t have a specific year to them, but I assume they were young based on some of the things they got up to before she mentions Dad,” I winked coquettishly and then laughed when he choked on his coffee.
“I’ll spare you those details, don’t worry.
But I brought Mum and Dad’s ashes with me…
” I let that hang in the air, a fast jump back to reality.
“I’m going to visit some of the same spots Mum and Aunt Ash did. And I think she would have liked to know that I will leave parts of her and Dad in each of those places, especially because it was on that trip my parents first met. How do you think your mum will feel about that?”
“I think Mum would love it,” he smiled softly. “How are you feeling about doing that though?”
I exhaled deeply through my nose. “Sad,” I admitted. “But it’s time.” I pushed myself to believe it more with a flurry of nods. “Blake doesn’t care, and it just didn’t feel right to have them in Canada when they met and fell in love here.”
The room fell silent while we were both lost to our thoughts.
“Where are you planning on going exactly?” He eventually asked cutting through the quiet.
I lifted the treasure chest of moments, locked within pages of ink and a few polaroids. Flicking through, I rattled off the various locations with limited knowledge of their placement on a map .
“Crimson Coast, Enclave Gardens, The Springs, Lagoon Bar and Spa…” I paused, allowing that one to sink in before rattling off the last few.
“High Tea & Co. and Serenity Ride or it could be Ridge. The writing is unclear on that one.” I looked up, my head tilted awaiting his response.
The swirl in my tummy indicating his reply mattered more than I realised.
I loved to travel. Talking to strangers was never going to be an issue for me.
But my bravado wasn’t without bluff. I did things alone.
I was stoic and bold and had always been able to support those who mattered – Blake and Mum were always my top priority, none more so than the last two years – but having someone there for me, in what was sure to be a difficult time, might be nice.
Someone voluntarily choosing to be on my side.
“What’s your time frame?” He asked pragmatically, causing my heart to beat a little faster.
“I don’t really have one. How much leave do you have?” My coaxing was less than subtle as the excitement within grew.
“Two years.”
“What?” I exclaimed. “I really want to defend your lack of social life, but you are a work loser.” My facetious tone was evident, our banter comfortable.
“I’m on leave now,” he defended, his lips tilting with a grin making his eyes sparkle a little greener.
“You’ve spent half the day checking work emails,” my reminder elicited a grimace, and I smirked.
“But I was thinking about two months. Spend Christmas in Australia and then head home for New Years. We always spent New Years Day as a family, and it’ll be our first one without Mum, so I don’t want Blake to be on his own. Even if he says he doesn’t mind.”
Corbin tapped his finger against the bench, musing internally. “Tell me the places again and I’ll map it out. We could probably do a road trip and cover most of those in two months easily.”
“Wait. Really?” I squealed excitedly. “You’ll come? ”
He nodded once, his eyes crinkling into a slight squint as dark lashes brushed closer together.
The beginnings of a quiet, comforting grin framing his face.
The sheer rush of joy propelled me to my feet before I barrelled into him with barely contained excitement.
My arms were locked firmly around his neck as I rocked us side to side, my happiness radiating overtly.
When his arms met around my lower back and he pulled me into him I squeezed a little tighter, daring to take a quick breath against his skin before pressing a chaste grateful kiss to his jaw.
Big mistake as hints of freshly washed skin and sandalwood nearly made me groan.
“Corbin Chambers, how are you unbelievably generous, deeply bloody attractive and smell like every woman’s fantasy? If you weren’t my friend, I’d be giving you my phone number.”
I leant back, grinning up at his bewildered face.
“You just say exactly what you’re thinking, don’t you?” He replied wide-eyed.
Dang it. So much for reining in my brain to mouth speed. I’d embarrassed him again.
“Indeed,” I answered with chagrin. “My mum said it was a gift. I’m not so sure.”
He shook his head, a serene smile curling the edges of his mouth. “Tell me the names again so we can make a plan for this road trip.”
“Yes! I’m so excited you’re coming,” I’d reluctantly stepped out of the embrace, but I squeezed his forearm still wanting the physicality.
Even through the light material of his shirt, the warmth moved through me calmingly.
Physical touch had been my love language for as long as I could remember.
I adored a hug, a hand hold, a sneaky linking of arms. I’d unknowingly tap someone before speaking, tenderly rest a hand on an arm when sharing a memory or pat my brother’s cheek affectionately in greeting.
When I went too long without touch, I was crabby and that always ended with me seeking it in the wrong people.
Something at twenty-nine, I was still navigating.
“Should we put them in order of location then?” I asked, suddenly wanting to see this trip on a map.
“Let me grab a pen and paper – I’m going to go old school.” I could see his mind ticking with ways to organise this into something more solid. Grasp some structure, and so I settled in and observed.
I provided the list of places and watched as he pondered, the pen twirling around his fingers in what I quickly noticed was an act born from habit more than intention.
He created a table of locations, consulting his phone when he needed clarification and within a few hours we had a hand drawn guide and a loose plan - with some special additions thanks to the pack of crayons I was gifted and an accidental coffee stain thanks to my excited spill.
We would go see his parents tomorrow for brunch, he would have his car looked over at the mechanic given the amount of mileage it was about to track, and we would set off the day after.
Corbin and I would travel along the East Coast, scattering pieces of my parents in the same places our mothers had explored decades before.
There were no set time frames for each destination and the money from Mum’s insurances and house meant I could be flexible.
Corbin telling me it was the holiday he needed was the icing on the cake and made my body feel nimble, stretched and completely relaxed.
Ready for what was to come and as much as I could be on my own, knowing I wasn’t going to be doing this alone felt right. Having Corbin by my side felt perfect.
With that bittersweet thought lingering in my mind, I sank into my pillow and slept for the next twelve hours, leaving the jet lag behind before we ventured onto what was set to be an interesting two months.