With Arms, We'll Carry This Through

“I’ve had an idea.” Zack stated nonchalantly, unlatching the buckle of his seatbelt and etching the passenger door open, though remaining seated.

“Oh yeah?” I questioned curiously, swivelling the car keys from the ignition and dropping them into the pocket of my jacket that hugged my small frame. “Come on, then,” I said, pushing my own door open and sliding out of my car, “you can tell me it once we‘re inside. We don’t want you missing your flight,” once I completed my sentence, I slammed the car door closed and walked around to the passenger side where a flustered Zack was hopping out of the car too, struggling to maintain his grip on the 3 bulging bags that had been seated upon his lap.

I chuckled, relieving him of one of the bags, allowing him to slip one over his shoulder and carry the other by hand. During his stay, I’d insisted on taking him shopping around all the best places in San Francisco. Not just clothes shopping, because with Zack being a guy and all, I figured he wouldn’t have been too pleased if I’d carted him around from clothes store to clothes store for 6 hours straight, two days in a row. No, we went to all sorts of places, ranging from music stores to the California Sweets factory, that new surf shop that had opened in the city where he’d purchased himself a new wetsuit, as well as more random nick-knack stores along the way. And now Zack was taking home three bags filled with random items as a memorabilia of his stay here.

Job well done on my behalf, so I thought.

“Lyds?” Zack’s voice pulled me away from my reminiscing the last two days happenings. I noticed we were now at the front of the check-in line and Zack’s arm was outstretched, beckoning for me to hand him the bag I held. I did so, and Zack dropped it onto the scale, where each of the three bags were weighed accordingly before being put onto the revolving platform and carried out of our vision.

“So, my idea.” Zack began, as we together descended upon a chair each at a table in one of many of the airport’s cafés. We now had about a twenty minute wait until Zack would board his plane and be on his way back to Maryland and the thought of him leaving left a pinch of disappointment in my gut. Not knowing when I’d see him next was also a factor of that brewing distress.

I nodded furiously, remembering his statement from earlier on and urging him to explain, while taking a sip from the steaming coffee mug in my hands.

“I’m going to move to San Francisco.”

“What?” I gasped upon hearing his announcement, setting the mug down on the hardwood table and eyeing him sceptically.

Zack grinned to himself, absorbing in his surroundings in what looked to be an almost dreamlike state. “I’ve always wanted to live in California. Here’s my chance.”

I was shaking my head, waiting until he finally slipped over my gaze to speak, locking stares with him. “Zack, you can’t just leave your home because of me!”

“But I can!” He insisted, a wide grin fashioning his features, “I want to be there for this baby, Lydia! And that means the pregnancy, too. And besides, All Time Low is on a break period at the moment, and we don’t have to leave for the European tour for another three months. It’s perfect timing!” Zack seemed ecstatic at merely the thought. I could tell from his excited expression that he was stuck on this decision of his, and nothing I could do or say would change his mind.

It wasn’t really that I wanted to change his mind, anyway. I had enjoyed immensely having him around the past few days and the idea of him living nearby permanently was comforting. It meant that when things crashed and burned with David, someone would be there to help me through it. Seems selfish, yeah? I couldn’t help that, though.

But the most riveting thought of all, was that my baby wasn’t going to grow up without a father. I couldn’t have asked for more than that.

“Are you sure?” I questioned at last, breaking my transfixed gaze upon my coffee cup and presenting the man in front of me with an expression that dripped of hopefulness, despite my trying to hide it.

“Positive.” He grinned, his face lit up like a child at Christmas. “I saw a few vacant apartments advertised just down the road from your building, so I’m going to check them out online when I get home.” I nodded in understanding. He seemed to have been brewing on moving here for a while, with the way he already had things planned out.

“Alright-y then,” I agreed, my ears perking at the sound of Zack’s flight number being called over the loud intercom in the airport. “That’s you.” I announced, standing simultaneously with Zack and quickly pouring the rest of my coffee down my throat before setting the mug bag down on the table with a clink. Zack and I began making our way to gate 47 where a formation of people were already gathering into a small queue, waiting to enter through the gate be led down the corridor to board their flight.

We stopped at the end of the queue and I turned to face Zack, a smile etched upon my features. “It was nice seeing you, Zack,” I told him, leaning in to wrap my arms around his broad waist, tucking my face into his shoulder. I felt the vibration of his chest against my cheek as he chuckled, but he returned the embrace by wrapping his arms around my back.

“Excuse me sir. Boarding pass?” A woman’s voice chimed in and Zack pulled away from the embrace, handing the woman at the counter his boarding pass which she ripped in half and handed it back to him, smiling.

“Thanks, Lyds.” Zack turned back to face me, the corner of his mouth etched up in a lopsided grin.

“Anytime.” I nodded curtly, waving as Zack turned away from me, ready to make his decent through the gates and toward his plane.

I stood still for a moment, watching as the man I’d grown so accustomed to in a mere two days disappeared from my view, swallowed by crowds of other passengers as they all made their way towards their flight. Finally I managed to pull my gaze away from the glass doors he’d walked through, turning around and making a direct beeline for the main exit of the San Francisco Domestic Airlines building.

The only thing I had left of Zack now was his memory. It was all I had to get me through the lonely nights until next time. I tried to shove that realization away, hating the feeling of being alone already.

I was growing attached to Zack’s company, more so that I’d ever have guessed. That was a frightening thought.