Julia breathes in slowly and deeply but it doesn't seem to be helping, "Eric...how much further?"

"Really close. Another 500 feet. On the other side of all those trees on the left.

" Oh God, please pull over now, don't look!" Eric gently but quickly pulls over and Julia jumps out of the car. Julia runs as hard and fast as she can into the sanctuary of the trees." Eric waits 10 minutes out of respect for Julia's wishes but then his chivalry instinct kicks in and forces him to go after her. It isn't hard to find her, there is a trail of vomit leading toward the creek. Eric sees her squatting in the water scrubbing her mother's police pants with her Tshirt completely soaked.

Eric leans down. "I am going to go to the house and get some laundry detergent and fresh clothes from my mom's closet that mud will wash right off."

Julia beats the water with her fists, I can't meet your mom wearing her clothes. Eric gently turns her chin up, "We won't, there is time to go to the store. I'll sneak her old sweatpants and Tshirt in later after you leave. Just wait here and I'll be back in five minutes." Eric takes his bike out of Julia's mom's truck and rides home.

Eric rushes in the door hoping to not get the third degree from his mom, "Have you eaten yet? How is your pain today?"

"Sorry, Ma, there is a baby bird down the road that needs me, I promise I will be back and eat with you at the dinner table. I'll talk with you later. I promise, love you."

Katie is extremely suspicious of her son as she hears the back door slam itself shut. Saying, I love makes him extremely uncomfortable...And saving baby birds, even if it is a lie, it is a peculiar overly sentimental one.

Eric makes it back to Julia in just over three minutes with his mom's clothes and some detergent. Julia gently accepts his offerings handling them as if they were treasured garments. Eric turns his back from Julia when she tells him she needs to take off her panties and Tshirt to change. Julia quickly gets dressed and squeezes his shoulders to let him know she is done. Eric smiles and begins washing her soiled pants and underwear and streaks of vomit off her shirt. Eric rinses out each item of clothing rings them out, then washes them again. "They should be smelling pretty fresh now, no dirt and mud that I can see, if we hang them out on a good branch they should dry before sundown." Julia looks at Eric lovingly not wanting to kiss him due to her recent stomach juice reorganization.

Julia insists Eric go inside and help her pick out a perfect outfit to impress his mom, "Extra feminine would be my suggestion. Flowers, pink, rainbow sunshine, glitter, lipstick if you want!"

Julia laughs, "Seriously, that is what she likes?"

Eric nods, "She is going to love you either way, go ahead and be extra silly and fun."

After washing herself thoroughly in the bathroom, Julia tries on 5 different outfits and decides to buy them all. She also buys some cute pink shoes, lipstick and bubblegum mints. "Ok, so am I ready?"

Eric shakes his head, "Nope, you need one more essential accessory. We need to find you a pathetic looking bird from the pet store.

"

Julia raises her eyebrow, "And why am I bringing your mother a pathetic bird?"

"Think of it as an icebreaker. I told my mom that is why I couldn't stay and talk. It seems you are gonna give me and a pathetic baby bird a ride home, isnt that sweet of you?"

Julia walks through the store whistling happily, "Look how beautiful all these parakeets are, pretty bird, pretty bird!"

Eric rocks his head back and forth, "Nope, we need to find one that looks like it is actually native to the parts. What about this musical finch here? He looks a little sick and pathetic, right Julia?"

"Yeah, he looks like a natural free bird... so we found him on the side of the road???"

"No, no, remember, I found the bird and you gave us both a ride to buy him a cage and seed. That way we won't have to lie unless she presses us with too many questions."