RECONCILIATION

There was an obvious change in the air the next day, Xavier was calmer and for the first time, so was Layla. They had both had time to think, mostly Layla.

Jamie had appeared out of nowhere, map in hand as he suddenly cleared their breakfast off of the table that had seen more of the good life than the ugly.

He spread the map evenly and Xavier glanced at Layla just in the nick of time to see that same excitement he couldn't deny made him feel a spark.

" Xavier, lead the way" Jamie said as he stepped away from the map. Xavier who had been seated stood up and so did the rest. With their necks outstretched, they gathered around him like a flock of flightless birds in need of direction.

"We go through the Rocky mountain which should take a day but now that we have no means of flight or how to get there asides from our obvious walking, we'd have to take nearly two days to get there," he said, pointing at some steep and yet pointy figures that made its way to the map.

"What about going arou