Broken Vows

Chapter 4

Tuesday morning started with a run again for Erin.  This time Brody was much more prepared and she didn’t have to drag him out of bed.  Then after breakfast everyone piled into the van to head to the Wright Brother’s Memorial.  The museum itself wasn’t very large but it did have a replica of the plane said to be the first one to fly.  There were a lot of pictures and details explaining the long process that led up to the first flight.  Erin enjoyed this much more than learning from a textbook.  She remembered things much better when it became real to her.  She’d definitely have to bring Alyssa here. 

There was also a stone monument built on the grounds and they strolled along the walkway through the field to see that.  Brody held her hand the whole time, not willing to let her get too far away.   She enjoyed his attention.  They convinced another tourist to take a couple group shots of them in front of the monument and then everyone just lingered, reading the plaques, looking at the flowers and taking some of their own photos.  Erin perched on one of the stone walls to rest her feet and people watch.  Her gaze finally rested on Brody where he stood, hands in pockets, reading one of the plaques on the side of the monument.  His long hair was tucked under a ball cap again but the loose ends danced in the breeze.  He still dressed like the college kid she remembered – knee length cotton shorts, a Hollister t-shirt that stretched nicely across his chest, sandals and that backwards baseball cap.  But he carried himself with the maturity now of a guy who’d lived in the real world for a while.  She remembered his reassurance the day before that he would never hurt her, or anyone, the way Tyler had. Combined with the comment about meeting Alyssa and telling Brad he was around for the long haul made her realize that he was taking this sudden hook-up a lot more seriously than she was.

It surprised her because in her mind Brody was still that fresh 22 year old baby faced guy she goofed off with at work and shared lunch with over cross word puzzles.  The guy who didn’t have any real plans for the future other than to visit his girlfriend over the weekend and try out different bands and bars.  He sang karaoke on the weekends and slept in. But in reality she didn’t really know who he was now.  He was no longer with that girl anymore, no longer lived in Philly, and seemed to have been around the block himself at least once.  Maybe she needed to change the way she viewed him and take him a bit more seriously.  She hadn’t really considered that he might be looking for someone a little more permanent in his life.  He’d grown up but her mind hadn’t caught up.

He must have sensed her gaze on him because he looked up, letting his eyes slide over the people around him until they met hers.  Then he gave her one of those wide dimpled smiles and she felt her heart dance.  When it came to Brody, her heart seemed to have a mind of its own.  He made his way over to her and sat down on the stone wall beside her.

“Can’t keep your eyes off me, I see.” He teased.

Erin grinned.  “I checked out everyone else too.” She informed him.  “But I decided that for now you’re the best looking one here.”

Brody laughed.  “Glad to hear it.  We better leave before you change your mind.”  He held out a hand, which she accepted.  “Shall we go find Kelly and Brad?”

“Sure.  I’m getting hungry anyway.  I say we find some lunch.”

The group stopped at a Five Guys Burger and Fries for a quick lunch and then Erin asked if they could mosey around the little shops that were set up boardwalk style across the street.  The stores were still geared towards tourists but their merchandise wasn’t quite as cookie-cutter cheap as the chain stores.  Erin found a couple cute t-shirts to take home for Alyssa and got a beachy Christmas ornament for their tree this year.  Brad and Tobey spent awhile in a kite shop, deciding that they wanted to buy one and fly it outside the house for the rest of vacation.  They found an ice cream shop tucked away in a corner that sold hand-dipped ice cream so everyone had dessert before piling in the van to head back to the house.