The Vacation Walk

After a huge breakfast, Leo and Claire chat with Leo's parents for a bit. The conversation is light, but not vacant. It's just...nice. 

"I think we'll go for a walk before the rain starts again." Leo stands. "Thanks again for breakfast. It was delicious as usual. 

Leo's Dad smiles. "I still have plans to open a restaurant." He laughs. "I'll get the hot tub heating. You're gonna be cold after that walk." 

Leo's Mom laughs. "I turned the heat up last night. It should be all good to go."

Claire watches the parents hug and exchange fun praises of each other. ________

"Your parents are so nice." Claire smiles and breathes in the cold, crisp air.  

"They really are lovely people. Shane brought it up in front of Zoe and I kinda felt bad. Her Mother seems...challenging."

"That's one word for it." 

"Come on. I'll show you around."

________

"So, mind a little uphill? There are a few nice spots up there." Leo points and Claire is all in. 

They move up the wet hillside and chat about plants and trees. Claire loves being out in the country like this and is happy that she took the time off to meet Leo out here after Christmas. Getting away felt great. 

"I used to hang out here for hours reading. The trees provided shelter from the rain and the heat, so it was a year round joy to hang here with a good book." Leo smiles, reflecting on the time. 

"I love this old wall." Claire touches it, then leans into Leo. Part of her wants to say she loves him, but she stops herself.

"If you're up for it, we can walk the wall to the spot I want to take you to. Or we can go around if you don't want to do the height."

"Boost me up." Claire smiles and Leo boosts her up the wall.

"Wish you weren't wearing those leggings. The view would have been nice." 

"Perv!" She giggles and struggles, but manages to make it up. She pants and catches her breath, then turns to help Leo up. "Leo?" She looks, but he's gone.

"LEO?!" She looks around for him, spooked after the events around Christmas. "Leo?!"

Leo sneaks up behind her and pounces.

"SH!T!" Claire shrieks as Leo laughs. "Where....how did you get up here?!"

"The stairs." He smirks. 

"Stairs? Why did you make me climb then?" She grins. 

"YOU said boost you up, so I did." He giggles. 

"Nice," Claire grumbles with a smile. "You owe me a kiss for that bullshit." 

Leo leans over and kisses her. Claire pulls him down on top of her and loves the pressure of his body and the warmth of him. They lay there together for a long while.....

Claire kisses Leo again, smiles, then whispers, "Better."

"Ready to go?"

Claire nods and moves along with Leo.

"Ok...just watch your step here. It's mossy and high up."

"Got it." Claire slips around the pole and moves down the wall after Leo clears it. She stops and looks down the hillside at the trees. "Wow...."

Leo stops with her. "Yeah...pretty nice."

"How much of it do your parents own?" 

Leo chuckles - a bit shy about answering. "Uh...from the house over to the river there."

"WOW!" Claire laughs. That's a lot of land. It's beautiful. What a great place to spend your childhood."

Leo smiles, happy she didn't go to a conversation about money. He takes her hand and they look out over the trees as the first sprinkles of rain fall.

Leo and Claire stare up at the small "waterfall" - a city water channel pipe that flows into the river. 

"When it really rains, that thing is a monster. A lot of water flows out. One year a kid fell in and got pretty badly bashed up in the river. Last time he ever got that close."

"I like it. You could plant ivy around it and really sell the magic of it." 

Leo hugs her. He loves her positive nature. 

______

Back at the house, the two of them stare off down the hillside to the valley below. 

Behind them, Leo's mother starts to walk up with her phone to take a photo of them with her husband close behind. She stops and stops her husband with a light hand on his chest. She whispers, "They'll be time for a photo later, Kevin. Let's let them be."

The man smiles and nods, taking a minute to look at the couple before heading back inside.