Vegas Knot (✔️) | Love Travels #1

Thirty-Two

I am not, in fact, fine. This hike is steep and long and covered with small rocks.

I'm not exactly out of shape, but this walk is doing me in.

"This waterfall better be the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life," I call to Enrique, who's waiting at the top of a rickety wooden set of stairs.

"I'm not confident in that answer," he winces as I grab onto his arm for support. "A month ago I would have guaranteed it but now I've seen that starry sky with you sitting under it, I'm not confident my waterfall's going to compare."

"Sure, now you tell me. Now that I've hiked all the way up here and can literally hear the rushing water."

"It's very nice," he says of my consolation prize.

"At least there's snacks," I point out, patting the top of my backpack for effect.

His bringing up the night sky has me remembering the night in Nevada and I'm thankful my cheeks are already red from hiking. A little more won't be noticeable. So I do what I do best: I pivot.

"So, let's talk about this reunion," I say, shoving my hand in my pocket for my lip balm. "Maybe we should talk about who you're trying to impress so I know how to talk you up around the place."

He stops walking, twisting to face me. "What makes you think I'm trying to impress anyone?"

Well, if I didn't know it before, I do now. He looks like a puppy who just got told he didn't need anymore walks today. "Oh, I don't know, the fact that you wanted to keep me around and not divorce me so you could be married at your high school reunion sorta gave me a clue."

"Maybe I'm just trying to impress everyone."

"I don't think that's true." I have to stop talking to let my lungs gather air amid our hiking. "I think there's at least a few someones you're looking to impress and I cannot see a single reason why you wouldn't tell your fake or temporary wife what's going on."

"You're not my fake wife, Bianca. We're married."

"Are we?" Now it's my turn to stop. "Why are you being so evasive? This isn't a trick question, Enrique, I'm just trying to figure out how we should play this out. If you have an embarrassing bully story or something I assure you mine are worse. So just stop worrying and tell me the truth, will you?"

"It's not a big deal, Bianca. I just don't want to be the only one who hasn't done anything since school. I mean, I still go there every single day, you know?"

It doesn't feel like the whole answer, but it feels like the truth, so I drop it. "I don't think that means you haven't done anything since high school. It seems like you're doing quite well for yourself around here. You have plenty to be proud of."

"Yeah, you're right." His fingers pull mine into a warm embrace and a smile pulls the tips of his lips upward.

Unfortunately, the terrain also begins a steep upward slope. And focusing on my breathing means I don't have the chance to ask Enrique too many more questions. I just walk in silence as my feet crush against the gravel beneath me.

And then finally the trees open up around us and the river is visible under the warm pinks and oranges of sunset.

"Wow." I stop dead in my tracks at the edge of the wooded area.

"Was it worth the walk?" Enrique asks, reaching up to wrap his arm around my shoulder.

"I'm not sure yet. Let me decide after I know if I can feel my feet when we get home."

"Fair enough," he laughs, standing beside me and holding me as I look out over the thunderous waterfall and into the setting sun. The night sky was stunning, but this was awe-inspiring.

"Do you come here often?" I ask, breaking the silence between us, words garbling up into the waterfall.

I have to repeat my question before Enrique understands what I've said.

"Yeah, I come up probably once every week or two. There's a place higher up there that I like to go, but it's only for long weekend camping trips. See that path?"

I can sort of see an opening in the trees near where he's pointing, so I nod. "Yeah, I think so."

"That path takes you up another hour or two until you reach a good spot for camping. But not tonight," he adds when he sees my panicked face. "Tonight we snack here and then go home. Unless you'll let me take you out for dinner after our snacking has concluded."

"You mean, as payment for my suffering through this strenuous physical activity for you?" I ask, following him to the nearby picnic table.

"Yes, something like that."

"Is it gross expensive food with tiny portions?" I sit down on the edge of the table that is least moistened by the waterfall.

"It is delicious expensive food with large portions," he replies. "And there's even chicken fingers if you'd like."

"Hey!" I nudge my shoulder into his in protest. "I'll have you know I eat at least three other foods besides chicken fingers."

"You do. But I know you'll want to look up the menu, which would ruin the surprise. And I also know you'll go almost anywhere with chicken fingers."

"How do you know this, exactly? I've never told you that."

"You have not," he admits. "But Carla and Lorena are fonts of information."

"I'm going to kill them. I'm going to bring them back to life and kill them a second time if they told you anything embarrassing."

"Like what?" He smirks into his sandwich.

"Oh, haha. I'm not going to tell you my embarrassing secrets just to find out if they told you. Then you'll find out. Plus I get the mood you aren't in a secret sharing mood."

"That's precisely why I asked," he laughs. His laugh doesn't get eaten by the waterfall, instead floating in the air and landing precisely in my ear. It's a nice sound, his carefree laughter.

"You like it up here," I say. It's not a question, but he answers anyway.

"Yes, I do. Very much." His eyes meet mine. "And you don't?"

"Jury's still out," I reply. "I'll let you know after I've eaten."

And the only sound either of us hear is the waterfall roaring over the rocks as we eat the pile of fruit in front of us and stare out over the mountains as the sun begins to disappear.