The Argument We Had Over Two Backpacks

     Allen panicked when he saw my bag. He ran to me in the living room shouting "no," over and over again. He started telling me how dangerous it would be, and how he couldn't protect me.
I told him I would be protecting him, too. I told him that we would take care of one another.
He backed away from me, begging me not to follow him, he was angry and scared. I had really set him off. He began shouting about everything that had happened to him, all of the injuries, and the people who had been killed.

I shouted back, which caught me off guard, that if i didn't know what I was getting into, I wouldn't be following him, and that it was because I knew how dangerous it would be that I couldn't let him go by himself!

He changed tactics on me then, trying to appeal to my life. He asked who would take care of Otis, and my home?

I replied quickly, because I had seen this coming. My house was on a vacation rental site, and my neighbor would take care of it, and The bakery had already agreed to hire me back if I came back.

He seemed stumped, he wasn't sure what he could say to get me to change my mind. So, instead, he forbade me to come with him. He said he would sneak away, and I'd never be able to follow him.

I got boastful, and laughed. Then I said something a bit hurtful, I think. I told him that was unlikely, because I had been able to follow him so far. I told him that I knew about his workouts under the bridge. I told him that I had seen him fall, and seen him curse, and seen him get back up. I told him that was why I had suggested walks, to get his legs in shape.

He was dazed. He didn't know I had followed him, he was embarrassed that I had seen him out there. Then he got quiet, and thoughtful, and looked down for a bit. We stood in an uncomfortable silence for a moment, and then he asked me if I meant it. If I was really going to follow him.

I didn't expect it, but I kissed him then, and he knew I would follow him anywhere.