Livy pinched Leon’s cheek. “FYI. Aquarius is an air sign. Intellectual, thoughtful, charismatic.”
“That’s me,” said Leon, shifting his eyes my way. “Let me know where you land, Suzie Q. Promise?” He pushed his hair back from his forehead, then rubbed the back of his neck.
I didn’t answer.
“Promise?” he asked again.
“Promise,” I forced myself to say. Feeling utterly powerless, I longed to yell,Don’t leave. Don’t take another step. Please run away with me.
But there was no point. His life had to go on. My life had to go on.
He took two steps backward, then stopped.
I held up my hand, fluttering my fingers.
With eyes pinned on mine, he took ten more steps backward until Johnny turned him around forward. As the cousins strolled off down Highway 55 toward their car, my eyes never moved from the back of Leon’s dishwater-blond waves, hoping against hope I’d be lucky enough to spot them again.
Someday.
They made it twenty yards down the road before Leon glanced over his shoulder. Once he knew I was still watching, he held his arms high in the air. Instead of peace signs, he used his fingers to form a heart.
By the time the cousins reached the crest of the hill, Leon’s arms were still raised, his heart still in the air. But with each step he took down the other side, his heart grew smaller and smaller and smaller, until it slowly disappeared.
Livy looked at my tearstained face. “I thought you were smarter than that.”
I whipped around with an annoyed stare. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Are you really gonna let him walk away?”
“I didn’t know there was an option.”
“There’s always an option, man,” she said.
My mind spun as Livy’s words seared into my heart.
“I know love when I see it.” She glanced at Ron with that Livy smile.
“He has to get back to school,” I said. “So he’s not drafted. And Johnny has to get to Canada.”
“So do I,” said Ron. “Might as well get there together. You need more time to figure out what you wanna do next. Let Leon help you.”
I peered at my brother with his long hair, his gnarly war wound, and his crystal-blue eyes. I did not want to live far away from him ever again. “How far is Montreal from here?” I asked.
“Five and a half hours. Not a bad bus ride unless the freeways lock up.”
“It’s even closer to Cambridge,” said Livy, in her post-Woodstock ultrascratchy voice.
Ron’s eyes shifted to the top of the hill. “We can catch them if we run.”
With bullets firing inside my chest, daring me to take a chance, I took two steps forward, then stopped. Three days of music, peace, and love had changed me into a different person. Part of me wondered if the high I felt was more about self-discovery than Leon.
“Don’t overthink it,” said Livy. “The Northeast is full of possibilities. Penn State. Coffee shops. Broadway.Carnegie Hall.” She gave me a gentle push. “What do you have to lose? If it doesn’t work out, so what? You’ll find someone else just as good.”
Would I? Was three days even long enough to know? About Leon? About love?
I had to find out.
Without giving it more thought, I picked up my pace and jogged. Livy caught up and grabbed my hand. Ron took the other. “Leon! Wait!” I yelled.
