Everlasting

Partner In Crime

1899

"Jesse?"

His heart stopped. Standing before him was Winnie, his Winnie.

He ran forward, not caring when he stumbled on a loose piece of wood, until he crashed into Winnie and wrapped his arms around her. 

"You came," he quietly said, not quite comprehending that she was standing here before him.

He felt her tightly wrap her arms around his midriff. "Of course I came," she replied, "I couldn't leave my partner in crime behind now could I?"

At that, Jesse pulled away to get a good look at her. And what he saw made his stomach drop. She was taller, but still only to his shoulder. Winnie was more mature thought, he could tell, and she was so much prettier.

At that thought, he quickly looked away as his face reddened. "So," Jesse cleared his throat, "Did you already drink the water?"

*

Winnie and Jesse spent the next few hours catching up on the 6 years they had spent apart, though it felt like they were two kids trading candy.

"And then I just packed everything up and came here!" Winnie finished her story, watching Jesse with intense eyes.

Seeing him before her was the best feeling she had felt in the world, with how she spent every day missing him.

"I took the water too." She quickly added, trying not to get a reaction out of him.

"You actually did it? Yes!" Jesse said and he jumped up, which made Winnie laugh. 

"Your dad won't be too happy about that." She said between giggles.

Jesse sat back down next to her and slightly pushed her shoulders with his. "Means he'll finally have someone to fish with." He said with a smile on his face.

"Like you two don't already fish with him all the time."

"I don't! It's the most boring thing one could do, and I'm one to talk."

"What do you mean?" Winnie said, furrowing her brow in confusion. 

"Well I've sat in this cabin for months now waiting for you, but don't worry I had some trees around to pass the time."

"You've been stuck here waiting for me that long?" She said, surprised.

She couldn't believe Jesse had actually stayed here waiting for her for months. A shiver ran up her spine as she imagined what it would have been like for him if she hadn't drunk the water.

But then a thought struck her.

"I hear there's a fair in the next town over, what do you say to us going?"

Jesse turned to face her fully, a smile suddenly dawning on his face.

"Your mother still making you stay inside?"

"Not anymore," she replied with a knowing smile.

Jesse then grabbed her and started marching to the door with her in tow. 

"Let's go then."

She squeezed his hand in return.