The Art of Catching Lightning Bugs

The shadows of the oak branches bounced across her face, and the sun peeked between their trunks in quick, snappy intervals. The flags between each tree reminded her of a silly game she used to play when she was young. She would close her eyes and try to open them just as they passed each one, creating a sequence of patriotic snapshots. She gave it a try—but now as a grown woman, she realized how psychotic it must seem to any potential onlookers. “This place really hasn’t changed much, has it?” she asked, moving her hand up and down outside the window as if it were on a rollercoaster. “Not at all,” Leo responded. He slowed down and pulled straight into the parking lot at the road’s end. Emi slipped her feet back into her sandals and blew air through her lips. She jumped to the ground as soon as the truck stopped, trying to beat Leo into the store. She hurried to the door and pulled it open—a strand of bells slamming into it as a result. Oh, cool! Emi threw her hands up dramatically. I try to be discreet, and a whole string of jingle bells announce my arrival. She slipped down the aisle to find what she needed. She had exactly one option to choose from in the tiny store. She grabbed a box with a sigh and closed eyes. “Ems?” a familiar voice boomed. Her eyes shot open. She had forgotten that he’d called her that. She stuck the box behind her back, as if there were any way of getting them out of there unseen. She turned slowly toward him with a contorted smile. “Oh, hey Dann…yyy.” She drew out his name awkwardly, unsure of what to call him as she looked him up and down. He was much too grown up for “Danny” anymore. He was too tall for that, his voice too deep. And still ridiculously handsome. Ugh. His hair was a bit longer on the top than it was on the sides, and it was barely darker than hers. He had facial hair now: well-groomed, and barely longer than a five o’clock shadow. His irises still matched the deepest Caribbean waters–a dark shade of blue Emi had yet to find in another set of eyes. “Ha!” He laughed, interrupting her observations. “Wow! What’s it been, ten years?” He pulled her into an enormous embrace. “I think it’s been more than that, actually,” he added. Emi held the box of tampons out to the side, not wanting his hands to land on it. Her face pressed into the muscles in his chest, which she was sure did not used to exist. She whipped the box back behind her as he pulled away, but it brushed too hard against her thigh. It popped open, and two dozen tampons exploded onto the general store floor. “Oh, my goodness, I’m so sorry. Let me help,” Danny offered. “No. No, no. I’ve got this. It’s fine; I’m fine. Please,” Emi practically begged. She squatted down to pick up the spilled items, and he helped her without hesitation anyway. Emi’s cheeks grew hot, and she was sure her episode of blushing was obvious to outside observers. “Danny boy!” Leo’s voice called with his arms spread wide. He already held Mom’s coffee in one hand and a giant mallet in the other. Danny … Daniel … Dan stood up. “Heyyy, there he is!” he shouted enthusiastically in response. “Welcome back, brother. It’s good to see you.” Emi was relieved at the distraction while Leo and Dan smacked each other’s backs. She quickly picked up the rest of the items and shoved them into the box before she stood to go searching for an escape. She power-walked away and stuck her head in a freezer, where she found herself eye-to-eye with bags of hashbrowns. “Oooh. Yum!” Emi forgot her embarrassment for half a second. She grabbed several bags of frozen potatoes and took them and her other boxed companions to the only cash register in the store. She silently prayed there was another employee working, but alas, there was not. She waited for Leo and Dan, impatiently tapping her finger on the countertop. A small piece of paper was taped down on all four sides, warning customers the chip-reader was no longer working. It was penned in excellent handwriting, with a smiley face punctuating the end of the sentence. The guys’ chatter about fixing boats and destroying ugly walls grew louder as they approached the register, and they threw some banter back and forth. “I’d love to help, of course.” “Thanks, Danny, I appreciate it. Mom appreciates it too.” “Well, you know I’d do anything for Mama B.” Dan went around to the back of the register. He glanced at Emi and threw her a crooked smirk while Leo laid his things on the counter. Emi bit back a smile and tucked her chin to stare at her feet. Dan scanned the coffee, followed by the mallet, the tampons, and seven bags of frozen hashbrowns. “Looks like you’re buying me out of these, huh, Ems? Y’all havin’ a party, or what?” “Uh, yep. Big ol’ breakfast party. Really … big … big breakfast … party.” Leo scoffed and made a face. Emi gave him a tight-lipped smile and an elbow to the gut. “I see,” Dan said curiously while he bagged up their purchases. “And what might merit an invitation to this really big breakfast party?” He plopped the paper bag onto the counter and peeked out from behind it, awaiting an answer. “Ah. Well, I guess we’ll just have to see, won’t we?” Emi blurted. She wondered if it sounded as flirtatious as her self-consciousness told her it did. Leo shot her another look, which confirmed that it, in fact, did. Dan chuckled and flashed a grin. Emi sighed. She had hoped his little dimples had somehow disappeared. She snatched the receipt out of his hand while Leo grabbed the bag. “Hey,” Leo called over his shoulder. “Anchors later, yeah?” “Absolutely. You comin’ too, Emi? You should.” “Ah, nope. Can’t. Gotta get some sleep tonight. Party in the morning, remember?” She turned away and waved her receipt in the air before she pushed the door open with a fake sob. “Buhh,” she grunted pathetically. “What was that?” Leo asked, cackling in delicious amusement as they climbed into the truck. Emi leaned forward and buried her face in her hands before looking longingly out the window. “Let’s go, please,” she begged.