******
"Is this everything?"
Mattie heard Clay call to her from the living room.
"Yes, that's it. I'll be right down." Mattie pulled the hem of her black turtleneck down over her snug blue jeans as she glanced at herself in the mirror on the closet door, then looked around her bedroom and bathroom, making sure she hadn't forgotten anything. She headed down the stairs to see him standing at the front door, holding her tan suitcase. "Let me get the snacks from the kitchen, and we can head out."
She closed the kitchen curtains, and grabbed the brown paper bag, filled with fruit, and candy bars, cut off a couple of lights, grabbed her suede shoulder bag, and the rust afghan off the chair and joined him. She took a deep breath as they smiled at each other. This was going to be an exciting weekend - not only because she would be seeing Frank Lloyd Wright's iconic Fallingwater for the first time, but mainly because it would be their first trip together. Although leaving at five on a Friday evening most likely would mean running into rush hour traffic, and night-time travel, they decided that getting to a campsite after five hours of driving would give them a chance to get a good night's sleep and they could leave the trailer at the campsite and have only six hours of travel the next day. Then, they would leave Mill Run Saturday evening and reverse the process, getting back to the campsite late Saturday night. She grabbed her short black jacket from the closet and he held it while she shrugged into it.
Clay put his hand on her waist as she locked the front door, then they headed down the stone steps and turned right toward the faculty lot. The cold evening air felt invigorating, and she was anxious for their adventure to begin.
"Can you believe that this is the last day of October? Hmm...my favorite month is almost over." Mattie glanced over at him as he set her suitcase in the back of the Jeep. She climbed in and got herself situated, setting her cane against the seat, spreading the afghan over her lap, and pulling out the notebook from her shoulder bag. She peered down at the full page of written directions, as Clay started the engine, then he turned and kissed her lightly.
"Before you know it, nineteen sixty-nine will be a memory," he smiled. "But....a most wonderful memory." He glanced at her warmly as he pulled out of the parking lot and headed south. "Well, this is it - our first trip in the camper."
She took a deep breath, and rested her hand on his blue-jeaned thigh as he shifted gears. "I know. And just the thought of seeing Fallingwater is so exciting."
"If you decide that you like it - camping that is - maybe we can do this again," he smiled at her. "You pick the destination next time."
"All right," she laughed and slanted her eyes at him. "I wonder how the place we're staying tonight will be?" She peered down at the notebook. "Lake Ariel Campground in Pennsylvania."
"I meant to tell you that I talked to Cal last night, and mentioned our trip. I found out that he stayed there a few years ago, and recommends it." He glanced at her. "They have public bathrooms scattered throughout the campsites, so, we'll try to get a spot near one, if we can." He shifted gears as he headed out onto the highway. "Oh, I want to ask you something."
"What is that?"
"Umm...Cal said that the family is getting together for Thanksgiving at our parent's house in Plattsburgh. Last year, it seemed that everyone was off somewhere and couldn't manage it. Although, occasionally we've celebrated Canada's Thanksgiving, in October."He rubbed his lightly bearded jaw and turned on the windshield wipers as splatters of light rain began to cover the glass. "I'd like to ask you to join me." She didn't answer immediately, and he added. "If it's too soon, just tell me."
"No, no....it's not that." Mattie turned to peer at him, his face highlighted in the dark interior by the dashboard lights, and the flickering headlights of on-coming cars. She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "My parents will be returning that week from Portugal, and I was going to spend some time with them during my Thanksgiving break." He nodded, and she stared at the hypnotic swish of the wipers, and the patterns on the glass from the rain droplets, noticing that the heater had finally banished the chill from the Jeep's interior. "We could visit both families during my four days off, couldn't we?"
He nodded and glanced at her and for a moment, as the light glinted in his eyes, she was reminded of that night of the protest when she'd seen him leaning against the evergreen tree. That was an image of Clay that would stay in her mind forever. She smiled softly. Who could ever know what lies ahead? She sighed.
"Everything all right?" He glanced at her again, his brows narrowed.
"Yes, I was just thinking how quickly our lives can change." She saw him smile and raise his brows at that.
"That's very true." He spoke slowly as he watched traffic, and maneuvered the Jeep around a slow car in front of them. "How could I have known, while visiting a small college in New Hampshire, that I would meet you...and that you would change my life." He glanced at her, smiling softly. "You have, you know." She reached over and rested her hand on his thigh again, and he laid his warm hand over hers for a moment, before returning it to the stick shift.
Now she was even more anxious to get to Ariel Lake and set up camp. It had been a long week without him, and she couldn't wait to turn the kitchen booth into a bed again.