Blue Paint & Red Lights

There I was, sitting on an unfamiliar bathroom floor of an unfamiliar Canadian hotel, holding toilet paper to my nose.
It was our last couple hours in Vancouver- we had accompanied Troy and Angelina for their wedding and decided to take a couple more days off after we left Vancouver.
Every time I was in Canada, I had at least two nosebleeds. This was my third and I was quickly getting irritated.
I had already packed my things and now I was just waiting in the bathroom for the flow to stop.
"Ugh." I tossed the used paper and grabbed some more, glancing at my tolietries bag and debating whether or not I wanted to tempt fate and shove a tampon up my nostril.
I shook my head at my own idea and continued pressing the tissues to my nose.
"You alright, Sam?" Antti tapped on the door and I managed to say back, "Give me a minute, okay?"
I heard him step away from the door and I checked my nose for anymore blood.
None. Good. I cleaned up and stepped out of the bathroom, taking my last bag.
"Nose bleed again?" He questioned, zipping his suitcase.
I sighed and confirmed, shoving the last thing into my large duffel bag and zipping it shut.
He came over and kissed my forehead, his eyes still twinkling.

Only three hours earlier, he had professed his disliking for hotel beds. He said that during the season he traveled so much and all he wanted to do was sleep in our bed back at the apartment. So, maybe I indulged him a little- but all that matters is that he ceased complaining about the stiff bed.

We left a few minutes after the newlyweds did- they were off on a plane to some tropical island I had forgotten the name to, and we were on our way back to Chicago.

Once we were there, though, we didn't plan on staying long. Antti and I had unpacked our clothes from the Vancouver trip and packed two light bags, along with some recently acquired purchases and began the drive up to Wisconsin. Why were we going to Wisconsin? Well, Angelina had suggested that we enjoy the trails while we can and as soon as she mentioned them, I had been itching to set out on the beautiful ATV trails that Wisconsin offered. I had ridden them when I was a teen and now I was ready to ride them again. The had begun offering rentals of machines and I quickly convinced Antti to come with me.
The long ride to Wisconsin was passed quickly in Antti's SUV, and it just reassured me of how well we worked together.
The radio was turned on once or twice, but for the most part, we entertained each other with funny stories and speaking different languages. I had barred Antti from using Finnish, because it was his first language, and was amused while he struggled with French the same way I do his native language. I said what little Angelina had taught me in Assyrian, a little of German, but mostly it was Spanish. Taking four years of it had drilled the language deep into my mind.
"Antti es mucho guapo. Ow ow!" I poked him gently in the ribs.
"What does that mean?" He asked me, keeping his eyes on the countryside we passed through.
"Wouldn't you like to know? I don't ask you to translate everything you say in Finnish, si?" I smiled, leaning back in my seat and watching him.
His face turned red and I added, "Anyway, whenever you lapse into Finnish, it's usually dirty things, isn't it?"
The very tip of his nose turned a bright red and I chuckled, "You are too cute, you know that right? Muy dulce, tambien."
Antti just smiled, shook his head and replied, "Samantha pitää puhua muilla kielillä, mutta hän tarvitsee muistaa, että tiedän enemmän vieraita kieliä kuin hän tekee."
"What does that mean?"
"No se." He struggled with the Spanish words.
"Well you win! You pick up on languages so quickly!" I folded my arms and made a face at him.
"Is this my exit?" He casually pointed to a sign. I reached down and found the directions on the floor. "No, the very next one." I clarified.

The only thing that was better than the rumble of the machine under me and the smell of gasoline was the fact that Antti was right beside me on an ATV identical to mine, barring that his was blue and mine was red. He was struggling with the helmet, trying to put the goggles on it. I swung my leg familiarly over the machine and walked around to him.
"Here, let me help." I pointed to my helmet resting on the seat of my machine, goggles strapped onto it.
He sighed and allowed me to shove the dirtbike helmet onto his head. I slipped the blue goggles that were made for keeping dust and bugs out of your eyes over the large bill of the helmet and pushed the strap back.
"Now take it off." I told him, standing there with my hand on my hip.
He did what I said and the helmet came off, the goggles still attached.
"Helpful." Antti smiled at me and I grinned back.
"You ready to hit the trails? Remember, it's as easy as driving a snowmobile." I told him, pointing out the different controls.
"Throttle-" I indicated the black switch underneath the right handle, perfectly situated for your thumb. "Back brakes-" I pointed to the sharp, but difficult to press brake on the right foot rest. "Use this one though, these are all the brakes." Finally touching the silver brake on top of the black left handlebar.
"Good?" I asked a final time and he nodded, putting his helmet on. I grinned at him again and jogged back to mine, throwing my leg back over and straddling the machine. I shoved my helmet down on my head and he gave me the thumbs up. I threw the machine into gear and started out slow.

The Wisconsin country side was beautiful and full of life at this time of year, August in full bloom and life was thriving. Eventually, Antti got comfortable with his ATV and pulled next to me.
"These used to be old railroad tracks!" I yelled the historical knowledge at him and he nodded, smiling.
I smiled back and turn to face the trail. Standing up on the machine and leaning forward, I pushed the throttle hard and sped up in front of him, shaking my tush.
I laughed as I slowed down and Antti sped past me. He kept gaining speed so I quickly caught up to him.
"Slow down, speed demon!"
He nodded once again and obliged.
"You are such a spaz!" I shouted, coasting alongside him.
"This is more fun than I thought it would be!" He yelled back at me, grinning like a madman. I couldn't help but to smile back at him, glad that he enjoyed it as much as I did.
Once we were farther away from the rental place, we stopped to the side and threw the machines in park. I whipped off my helmet and shook out my hair.
"Hope you still like me when I'm dusty." I indicated the dried out path in front of us. I held the helmet between my legs and he pushed his up like he was wearing his goalie mask.
"You're going without a helmet?" He asked incredulously.
"Yes, but you are keeping yours on. I've been riding these since I was fifteen." I slapped the side of the red plastic body.
He just shook his head and pushed the helmet back down. I grinned at him and pushed the gear up to 1st, gliding ahead of his machine.
I really missed this feeling. The warm wind was rushing past my face and I was sure my hair was getting caked in dust because I left a wake behind me. Antti accelerated so he was riding alongside me, glancing over often.
Once we had made a large circuit of the entire lower half of Wisconsin and the sun began to set, I pulled my helmet back on and we returned the machines- dusty, but well loved.
"We need one of those." Antti stated, throwing his helmet into the back of the truck. Mine followed and I tried running my fingers through my hair.
"Oh crap, my hair is seriously solid." I sighed, crawling into the front seat beside him.
He started the engine and pulled out of the dirt parking lot.
"It's okay, I still love you." He chuckled, reaching over to feel it. "Haha, wow, that is pretty bad."
"Thanks!" I said sarcastically and quickly remembered we were supposed to go to my parent's house on the way home.
I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and turned it on.
One missed call- mom.
"Eh- she already called me. Better call her back before she freaks." I laughed, quickly dialing her number from heart.
What she told me was horrible and after I hung up the phone with her, Antti just looked at me with a questioning look.
"Ma said not to bother stopping by the house. They're in the city." I was shell-shocked still.
"Why?" He asked in a small voice, like he was afraid to ask.

"Dad has to have heart surgery."