“Matty.”He turns to Matthew, pulling him into a quick, one-armed hug.“Take care of yourself.And don’t let that fancy suit keep you away for too long, you hear?”
“I won’t, I promise.”
“Now go, get out of here.Amy’s sick of sharing you with me,” Sal teases, winking at me.
I laugh at Sal’s teasing, catching Matthew’s eye.He shoots me a look of mock suffering, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips.
“Come on,” he says softly, nodding a last goodbye to Sal.“Let’s find somewhere to sit.”He gestures towards the softly lit pathways winding through the Capitol grounds.
Carefully balancing my box, I fall into step beside him.
“Sorry about Sal,” he says, leading me along the paved path, past trees rustling in the night breeze.
“Why?He’s such a kind man,” I answer honestly.
“He’s won you over pretty fast.”Matthew raises his eyebrows in amusement.
We reach a low, semicircular stone bench set back slightly from the main path.
“Jealous?”I taunt.
Matthew throws his head back in laughter.“Not in the least.I owe a lot to that man,” he concludes with a touch more seriousness, gesturing for me to sit.
We settle onto the cool stone.The Capitol rises before us, its grandeur amplified up close.
“So you’ve known Sal since you were little,” I start, curious about their unlikely friendship.
“Sal and his food truck were my only escape.”Matthew’s reply adds to the questions swirling in my mind.
“Escape?”
After a thoughtful moment, he looks at me with a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes.“Time to give these burgers a try.”
I want to push him, to askwhathe is escaping, but the quiet sadness in his expression holds me back.
Instead, I force a lightness into my voice.“Sure, don’t want your hard work to get cold.”
He looks away, but his words linger like a ghost between us.
“Dinner with the best view in town,” he announces, handing me a couple of napkins.
“Thank you.”I place them in my lap.“It is breathtaking.”
We angle our bodies towards each other, placing the boxes between us and picking up our burgers.
“Oh, wow!”I cover my mouth, chewing my first bite.“You guys weren’t kidding.”
Matthew chuckles, nodding.“Sal’s burgers are no joke,” he agrees, taking another appreciative bite.
We eat in comfortable silence, surrounded by the soft rustling of leaves, the distant city hum, and the pleasure of truly good food.The tension from earlier melts away, replaced by a quiet companionship.
I lean back against the cool stone, savoring the rich, smoky flavor of the burger and the perfectly crisp fries.My gaze drifts upwards, following the soaring lines of the Capitol until it rests on the golden statue perched atop the dome, a solitary figure outlined against the dark sky.She stands watch over the city, holding a vigil.
As I take my last bite, my curiosity gets the better of me.“What’s her story?”I ask, gesturing with my chin.
“Her name is Wisconsin.”Matthew follows my line of sight, swiping a napkin across his mouth.“But most people just call her Forward, our state’s motto.Notice how she’s always looking ahead.She’s been up there through storms, freezing winters… she endures.A symbol of resilience.”
“Very powerful,” I whisper.
