Take It All Away

When we got back to the hotel, it was nearly ten and all three guys passed out. Eric and Jacob took up most of one of the beds while Mark crashed on the floor. Adam and I sat on the other bed, both still wide awake.

“You didn’t tell me you’re a writer,” he said.

“I’ve been suffering from writer’s block for a while now,” I answered. “Sometimes it feels like I’ll never get back to it. That’s why I read so much. I’m looking for inspiration.”

He nudged me. “Ignore my dad,” he said.

“Your mom said he’s not a fan of new girls,” I said and he nodded. “Did you bring a lot home with you?”

“Nah; just one when I was younger,” he answered, leaning his head against the headboard. “But he’s read a lot of those fake tabloid things. I’ve tried telling him it was nothing but he refuses to believe me.”

“Well, maybe he’ll realize it’s not really like that,” I said but he didn’t look too hopeful so I moved closer and put my head on his shoulder.

The guys were all snoring and Adam held my hand. I closed my eyes and he put his head on mine.

-

“Wake up!” someone yelled and I jumped, looking around.

I had fallen asleep next to Adam. He had let go of my hand in his sleep and had rested it on my leg. We were still leaning against the headboard. I rubbed my eyes.

“What time is it?” I asked Eric who was grinning.

“It’s almost noon,” he answered.

“How long were we up last night?” Adam asked and I shook my head.

“Only until eleven I think,” I said and our eyes met. “Must have been your mom’s cooking.”

“Must have,” he whispered and Eric cleared his throat.

“Come on, love birds.” I blushed. “We have sightseeing to do today! Miss Violet here has never been to Minnesota before!”

“First we’re getting you a proper jacket and gloves, though,” Mark said as we left the hotel room.

“I’ll get used to it,” I said but he shook his head.

“It’s easy to get frostbite out here,” he said seriously.

Jacob shoved him. “Stop being such a stick in the mud.”

I laughed and we walked to a Burlington store about a block away.

“No way,” I said. “This store is way too expensive for me.”

Eric grabbed my right arm but I jerked it out. He blinked but Adam covered for me.

“She hurt that arm while we were making our escape,” he said quickly.

Eric grimaced. “Oops, sorry girl. Come on. It’s our treat.”

I rubbed my neck but followed them as they scanned through a long rack of heavy pea coats and Jacob played around with the gloves.

“Oh, those look wonderful on you,” I said when he held up a pair of pink sequined ones.

“I dunno,” he said. “I forgot my purse back in Oklahoma.”

We laughed and I looked at a pair of plain black leather gloves. Adam came over and put a purple pea coat over my shoulders.

“Try it on,” he insisted and I obeyed.

“Gorgeous!” Eric proclaimed in a high pitched voice, batting his eye lashes.

I laughed and nodded, taking it off. “I like it.”

“Next stop: hair salon,” Adam said as we headed out.

I had put on my new coat and gloves and followed the guys. I hung back, looking around me. We were in a smaller town according to Jacob but it still seemed pretty big to me. We crossed over a bridge where a lake was frozen over. Someone was spraying water on it.

“What are they doing?” I asked Eric.

“Oh. They do that so it’s smooth for ice skating.”

“Are you sure they won’t fall in?” I asked, worried for the people putting on skates.

He laughed. “I’m sure. That ice is too thick to break.”

He got a ball of snow and launched it at Mark. He turned around angry and Eric pointed at me. I laughed as Mark made a snowball of his own. I ducked out of the way as the two launched into a fight over by the trees. Adam laughed and took me to the hair salon.

“Adam!” a man yelled when he walked in. Adam grinned and shook hands. I could tell at one glance the man was gay. He grinned when he saw me. “Oh, I cannot wait to touch your hair!”

I giggled. Adam took my coat off for me.

“This is Violet,” he said. “Violet, this is Ezra. He’s been my hair stylist for a while.”

Ezra shook his head disappointedly at Adam. “You’ve let it grown too far.”

“I know,” Adam grimaced, sitting down in a chair.

“What about you, lovely?” he asked me.

“I just want a new color,” I said. “Maybe a small trim, too.”

“We made a deal,” Adam explained. “Both black with some color streaked in.”

Ezra pursed his lips in thought. “I know just what to do.”

He put capes on the two of us and began to color our hair. While he worked, he chatted with Adam about overall life. I let the two visit. I was starting to think Adam didn’t come home very often. It was also nice to see Adam in his element.

“You’re awfully quiet,” Adam observed as our color was setting and Ezra was helping new customers.

“Just enjoying watching you be around your friends and family again.”

He smiled, looking around. “It’s been a long time,” he nodded. “I’ve been on the road for a long time and, when I’m not, I try to get some time to breathe. I don’t really get that chance when I come home.”

Before I could ask anything else, Ezra checked on our hair and proclaimed it was ready. He turned us away from the mirror, saying we weren’t allowed to see it until he was done. Ezra chattered away about his salon and how he wasn’t getting as much business as he’d like.

“Now, if you were to just mention it,” he said, lightly hitting Adam on the shoulder.

“Trust me,” Adam said, “you don’t want to have that kind of coverage.”

“Well, you two are done,” he said and spun our chairs around.

I laughed. “It looks great.”

The base was black and they had bright red, lavender, and a few streaks of green in it. Adam’s was the same only the colors were on the part of his hair that he swept to the right side of his face. He stood up and held out his card to pay.

“Thanks, Ezra,” he smiled, helping me with my coat.

“Any time,” he said, hugging each of us. “Stay warm out there!”

“Oh, I’ll try, believe me,” I laughed and Adam held the door open for me.

“Dude, it took you guys long enough,” Eric groaned.

They had built a couple of snowmen while we were in there. A few kids ran over, giggling, with their hands full of carrots.

“Aw, matching hair,” Jacob simpered and Adam shoved him into the nearest snowman, making the kids shriek in laughter.

The two fell into the snow, rolling around and I watched, laughing along with everyone else. Suddenly, a snowball collided with the side of my head and I turned slowly. Eric was standing looking innocent until I glared at him. His smile faltered. A little girl snuck a snowball in my hand and I launched it at him. He laughed as I threw another ball at Mark. He brushed the snow off his jacket with a frown.

“Come on, Mark,” Eric yelled. “Get into the spirit!”

“No thanks,” he said and I bent down by the little girl.

“Get your friends to get a lot of snowballs,” I whispered into her ear. “Then throw them all at that man over there.”

The girl giggled and ran off, her braids flying behind her.

“What did you say?” Mark asked with a frown.

I stood up. “I was just telling her how cute her hair was,” I said. “Besides, everyone can tell you don’t like snowball fights.”

As if on cue, five snowballs flew through the air and hit Mark in unison. The little kids fell to the ground, laughing, and he narrowed his eyes. He bent down, gathered some snow, and chased a little boy around. I laughed, watching the guys run around with the kids.

Adam stumbled over with a grin on his face. His hair was soaked from the melted snow and his face was red.

“Having fun?” he panted and I nodded, straightening his jacket.

“Make a snowman with me,” I said, grabbing his hand and pulling him over to a patch of snow that wasn’t disturbed yet.

We built it and I stepped back to admire my handiwork.

“Hey, Violet!” Adam yelled. I hadn’t realized he had left. I turned and felt at least ten snowballs hit me.

“I thought you were on my side!” I yelled to the kids.

Other adults had gathered and were laughing. I threw a snowball at the nearest woman who looked stunned for a second. She threw one at me and it didn’t take long for everyone else to get caught up in the battle. Panting, I stepped back to take a break.

“You’ve started a war,” Adam panted.

I fell back and pulled him with me. We made snow angels.

“I think I like it here,” I said, closing my eyes as the snowflakes fell down.

I heard him move and looked over. He was propped up on his elbow and watching me with a smile on his face.

“I think Minnesota likes you,” he whispered and I smiled back.

A few snowflakes clung to his lips and, shyly, I brushed them off. He held my hand and kissed me lightly.

“Ew!” the kids nearby screeched and I laughed, tossing loose snow at them.