I had finished packing before Aaron got home. I wasn�t forgetting anything and had stuffed more into my oversized suitcase than I could ever hope to need in a week, but still felt a nagging � there was something I was going to need that I didn�t have. I went to sleep and figured I could buy it in Chicago if it was really that important.
The dogsitter picked up the dog at 8pm and I managed to hand over his dog food and his leash, give him a hug and wait for them to get in the elevator before I burst into tears.
Aaron was home around midnight and we cleaned enough so that when we got back we wouldn�t want to stay in a hotel to get away from the smell. We ran out of quarters before all our laundry was done but packed the dirty clothes to wash at his mom�s house. We fell asleep wrapped in our separate comforters � the modern version of twin beds used in the 50s to demonstrate morals. Really, we have nightmares when we�re hot while we sleep and cuddling creates too much warmth.
Well, really, we just don�t feel the need to be in love All the time.
We woke up at 8am and oozed around the apartment, zipping bags and running dishwashers and calling a cab. We crawled outside, our luggage trailing, and smoked a cigarette while Aaron ran to the corner store in the middle of the block for coffee. Our cab came and we loaded everything in and were graced with stories about owning a pizzeria in the mountains (I didn�t catch which mountains exactly).
The flight out was uneventful. We caught our connection in Denver no problem, in spite of the fact that the day before delivered a blizzard that left flights grounded. We arrived at Midway and ran outside to smoke the second cigarette of the day. While I was in the bathroom Aaron�s friend James caught up to him and we got our luggage. James waved hello and we were off on the El to get to his apartment.