I Woke Up in a Car

"I can't believe you agreed to go work for Burton." Eric said as he checked in for his flight at the ticket counter. He was angry, he was hurt, and there was nothing I could do to fix it. Eric hoisted his bag up on to the scale for the lady to weigh. I stood behind him.

"You know, I didn't exactly have a choice in this Eric. She chose me to do this. You think I want to leave you in Rachel's hands?" I asked, a little hurt myself that he wasn't more understanding. Then again, if Eric was anymore understanding, I think he'd break. There was only so much of not seeing his girl that I think he could take.

Eric shook his head as the woman took both of his bags and he paid. "You could have told her no. I mean, you could have just said you wanted to stay with the Lib Tech team, with me, with Sammy, with anyone else but Burton and John." Eric paused, 'God, you could have said anyone else BUT John." Eric moved aside as I headed to the counter.

I frowned and shook my head, handing the woman my ticket and then telling her I needed to change the destination. Denver Colorado. I was meeting the rest of the Burton team at their testing grounds. I was so frustrated, as I paid for the extra amount that my ticket was going to cost. I weighed my bag but remained silent as Eric just stood there.

Away from the counter, heading towards the security line, "Eric, Of all the people, you should know that this assignment is huge." I said quietly, "This could be the difference between me actually having a career with this and sports management or me just being your tag-along." I looked at Eric.

"I'm just asking you to work for me so that I can spend time with you." Eric said, talking exaggeratedly with his hands. I understood he was as frustrated as I was, "I mean, you just spent the last several months in New York and now you're off to Denver. I don't know when I'll see you next. Burton's whole schedule is crazy busy. I just want you all to myself." Eric looked at me with those puppy dog blue eyes, "I don't want to share you."

I sighed. The honest truth was, with or without Eric, I would have taken this assignment. Burton was huge. It was a big thing to work for them. Anyone who was anyone within the sport seemed to have spent some time working with Burton whether it was actually with the company themselves or the riders. If you had Burton Snowboards on your resume, that was the equivalent of saying you worked at the White House. It was huge. "Eric, I'm sorry. I have to do this."

Eric ran a hand over his face as we stood there, waiting to go through security, our terminals on other ends, ecompletely opposite from each other, "I know, I just—" He cut himself off as he leaned in and kissed me slow and soft, "Promise me. Promise me you won't let John put moves on you. You're my girl."

I chuckled and returned the kiss, stroking his cheek slowly. "Eric, he knows I'm your girl, he wouldn't make a move on me if he knew." I said, looking up at the older man. It was surreal, it was cliched, and, well, it was sad to say goodbye like this in the airport.

Eric bit his lip and frowned, "Here." He said, grabbing the pick-axe necklace he always wore and never went anywhere without it. "I want you to take this and wear it. That way you have a piece of me with you all the time and everyone knows who you belong to." Eric lifted the chain over his head and then put it over mine and around my neck.

The necklace itself was too long and a little heavy, it was made for Eric, "Eric," I lifted the small axe, "Eric, I can't take this. This is yours." I said in feeble protest, shaking my head and trying to lift the necklace off.

Eric put his hand on mine, stopping me from taking it off, "No, I want you to wear this." Eric said, looking behind him at the growing line to get through security, "I have to go, but, promise me you won't take it off." he said.

I nodded, looking up at Eric sadly. That had to be big, for him to give me his jewelry. "I promise." I said, standing there watching Eric as he turned to go through security. He waved, I waved back before finally turning to go my own way through the airport towards another security line.

I couldn't help myself as I went through the line to keep rubbing the pick-axe. It reminded me of Eric. It reminded me of home. I missed the both of them already and I hadn't even left yet.