Chapter 31 –
Love versus exhaustion
I arrived at the school and discovered a box of clothing waiting for me. My mother had sent me some of my old things, and some new clothes. How did she get it to me? I have no idea. How do you address something to a disaster area - "to my son, somewhere in Kaskaskia"? I guessed the Duprys had helped somehow. But I was happy to shower and change into my own things. I would look "American" again.
When I came out of the boy's locker room, I found Elise waiting for me. Apparently she had gotten clothes from home too. Where before she had been wearing cotton print dresses that sort of fit, for our date she had found something with a bit of sheen to it, and short sleeves. Not exactly a party dress, these were not party times, but pretty. I could see she was as anxious for our date as I was.
Gustav was to be our driver. We climbed into the backseat and held hands while he drove towards a restaurant he had heard about, except he used the trip as an opportunity to show us around. Elise and I had been all over the parts of the city that had been damaged, but we hadn't taken any time to see the rest of the city. Gustav made sure we saw the parts that were still working. Good man. He took us down a commercial street to see stores open and people shopping, and through a neighborhood with kids playing. The man had an agenda. Did he know we needed an attitude adjustment? I suppose it was pretty obvious.
Elise and I commented on various sights at first, pleased to see people out and about, but eventually we just sat back and enjoyed the views. I could feel Elise begin to relax. I put an arm around her shoulders and she leaned her head against me, and we just observed the city going by. Eventually, Gustav drove to the restaurant. It was on a bit of a hill, and we arrived as lights began to come on around the city. I can't say it was a breathtaking view, but the expanse of homes and stores was comforting. Sitting in that parking lot, looking at a functioning city, reminded us of what "normal" looked like, and it felt very good to see it.
Gustav turned to look at us, to see if we were ready to go into the restaurant, but we weren't. I asked him if he would give us a moment, and he went into the restaurant on his own. We sat and looked at the city. After a few minutes, Elise turned closer toward me, and laid her head on my chest. I thought I heard her softly say something, but then she seemed to drift off. She had gone to sleep. I put my other arm around her, laid my head back on the seat, and within two minutes I was asleep as well.
That was our date. Several hours later, Gustav got back in the car and returned us to the school. We woke up long enough to walk to our cots, and then we fell asleep again. I am not sure it was the most romantic evening ever, but it was an evening we needed, and we spent it together.