The Geis: Awakening Part 20

I didn't know how to answer his question. I felt like I was viewing my life through a kaleidoscope that constantly twisted my view of the world.

"It's hard to say."

"If you ever want to talk about it, I'll be around." His voice was soft and full of concern.

"Thanks." I stared at my hands, clasped in my lap. "I really appreciate it." It made a difference, knowing that even though Josh didn't understand all of what was going on, he wanted to make sure I was ok.

"Do the police know why this lady started the fire?"

"They questioned Mrs. Saddlebury, but she denied doing it. And Zoey's word isn't enough. Even Mom and Dad are having a hard time believing her."

We pulled onto the long driveway to the Saddlebury's mansion. The castle loomed above us on a hill. Its rock walls were streaked with rain. I could almost believe that we were in a faraway land, approaching a medieval estate. That must have been what the Saddlebury's had envisioned when they built the home. It upset me to think that they were no longer around to enjoy it.

I still had a hard time reconciling the woman who claimed to be Mrs. Saddlebury with the banshee that Rourke had shown me in his memory. Even though I had watched the entire scene inside my head, it was hard to believe in the light of day.

We parked behind some trees at a bend in the road and walked through the sprinkling rain up to the front door. My fingers curled around the comb inside the satchel.

Josh rang the doorbell and stepped back to stand next to me. A gonging bell sounded through the house. The only sound after that was the pattering of rain on the sidewalk. My heart pounded so hard I could feel it in my fingers. I peeked in through the long window next to the door. The house looked empty and dark, with no sign of life. The koi that swam on either side of the door splashed and muddied their water, looking for food.

"Look." Josh pointed to a stack of daily newspapers near the door, with a flyer on top that read, 'Garbage day is Wednesday. Please have your garbage to the curb the night before, as we collect by 7am.' The garbage can stood in front of the s.p.a.cious six-car garage. Josh jogged over to the can and looked inside. "Empty," he reported.

I pulled my fingers through my hair. Even if Mrs. Saddlebury were not a banshee, her behavior was suspicious.

"Well, it was worth a try," I said as Josh walked back to me.

"Should we go?"

I nodded and started down the steps after Josh.

I pulled the comb from my satchel. The teeth dug into my hand, but it wasn't as painful as the flash of despair that came stronger this time as I touched it. Running back up the steps, I placed the comb on the ledge in front of the door. When Mrs. Saddlebury returned, she would know that I had not been afraid to come. I wouldn't stand back and let her threaten my family.

Josh drove the car to the porch and I climbed in, shaking the rain from my hair. We started down the long driveway. "Do you want to go get some hot chocolate?"

"Mmm, that sounds so good right now."

"I know just the place." Josh headed toward Afton.

From the window of the Elkhorn Restaurant, we could see the famous elk horn arch stretching across the street. When I first moved to Star Valley, I thought that weaving elk horns into an arch over the street was a bit hokey, but the structure had grown on me, and now I was as proud of it as the locals. On top of the arch, two elk statues interlocked their horns in a battle over territory, or love.

The cafe was warm and bright after being out in the cold air. We chose a booth with a window that looked right out onto Main Street. The clouds hid any sunset that might have lit the evening, and the streetlights flickered on in the darkness. Only a few other customers had come in out of the cold. I wrapped my hands around my mug and sipped the steaming liquid.

"I'm starving," Josh said. "They have the best apple pie here. Do you want some?"

I agreed, suddenly ravenous. Josh waved down the waitress. "Two pieces of apple pie, with a slice of Swiss on each." She nodded, unruffled by his unusual request.

"Swiss cheese? On apple pie?" I asked when the waitress disappeared behind a swinging door.

"My mom always says, 'Apple pie without Swiss cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze.'" Josh winked.

I laughed, and it felt so good to release the tension I'd been holding in all day.

"I've been practicing the duet." Josh took a drink of his cocoa. I studied the lines of his face as he swallowed. The depth of emotion in his emerald eyes softened the hard lines of his jaw. "Rourke is going to be surprised when I can do the entire dance."

"I better get practicing then. I haven't practiced since-well, since last week." I didn't want to bring up the fire again. I wanted to bask in the warmth that was filling me as I sat, comfy and safe, in the cafe.

The waitress weaved in between tables with a plate in each hand. "Two slices of apple pie, with Swiss." The pie was hot, with a generous slice of cheese melting over the edges.

Josh dug into his apple pie with vigor, his jaw muscle flexing as he chewed. "It's delicious. Try it."

I picked up my fork and pierced the flaky crust. The tart apple filling and sharp cheese collided in a surprisingly delicious way. I murmured in appreciation.

"Pretty good, huh?"

"Delicious. I never would have thought to put cheese on top of a pie."

"You never know when you'll like something until you give it a chance." Josh held my eyes with his.

"Is that something your mom says too?" I stammered.

Josh laughed. "No, but it sounds like something she would say."

I thought of Josh's house, warm and inviting, and how it felt just like home to me.

"Thanks for coming with me," I said. "Your family has been so great-everyone has."

Josh cleared his throat. "I'm helping a friend set up the haunted house in the Old Rock Church on Halloween. Do you want to come and go through it with me when it's done?"

Was Josh asking me out? The rush of eagerness I suddenly felt surprised me. I studied my pie before answering. "Yes, that sounds like fun."

A smile lit up Josh's face as he polished off the rest of his pie.

Josh insisted on paying for our food, so I stood by the door while he took our ticket to the cashier.

The door chimed, and a couple came in out of the rain, laughing and talking with coats over their heads for cover. I gasped.

Lucas took Taminy's coat and led her by the elbow toward an empty table. I looked down, shading my eyes with one hand.

"Hey, there's McKayla." Lucas walked over to where I stood, pulling a reluctant Taminy behind him. Her eyes flashed when she saw me, and she laced an arm through Lucas's.

My cheeks burned, and I knew the telltale rash would soon be creeping up my neck. This was the first time Lucas had spoken to me since our disaster of a date.

"Oh, hi," I stammered, rubbing my arms. "What are you guys doing here?"

"From the looks of it, we're here for the same reason you are." Lucas looked over at Josh. "Dinner."

Taminy leaned against Lucas, warning me away from him with her eyes. "I heard about your house burning down. Is everything ok?"

"Not really." My voice buckled as I spoke. The emotions were still too raw.

"But you didn't, like, lose everything did you?" I was surprised to hear real concern in Taminy's voice.

"Did the whole house burn down?" Lucas asked.

I swallowed.

"Yes, it did." Josh appeared at my side, placing himself between Lucas and me. "Now if you want to revisit any more painful memories, I might have a few more to bring up."

Lucas backed up a pace, but held Josh's stare. "I wasn't talking to you."

"It's ok, Josh." I pulled on his arm. Josh had just come back to school after being suspended for starting a fight with Lucas. I still didn't know what caused the fight, but I didn't want to cause a scene in the restaurant.

Taminy stepped between the two, flipping her hair as she turned to Josh. "So Josh, I heard you started Irish dancing."

Josh's ears burned red, but he spoke up. "That's right." His gaze never left Lucas.

A grin slowly spread on Lucas's face. I knew most guys didn't consider dancing masculine, but I had never thought about the social cost that Josh might pay for starting up dance.

"Do you like it?" Taminy pressed.

"I like to dance with the right person." Josh's face was expressionless.

"First wrestling and now dancing." Lucas put his hands on Taminy's shoulders. "Are you going to sing in chorale next, Josh?" I narrowed my eyes at Lucas. This was a side of him I hadn't seen. He was being downright mean.

A muscle in Josh's jaw tightened for a split-second before he smiled at Lucas. "Actually, I play the banjo now."

"Banjo!" Lucas said it like a joke, but when he looked around none of us were laughing.

"I don't play well. But I'm sure I'll pick it up soon enough." Josh didn't seem to care that Lucas was trying to egg him on.

Taminy looked annoyed. She whirled around to Lucas, putting her back to us. "You might try some culture sometime, Lucas. You won't be the quarterback forever."

"Might want to listen to your girlfriend, she knows what's up," Josh laughed.

"That means a lot, coming from a dancing banjo player," Lucas stepped closer to Josh.

The strained tension heating up between Josh and Lucas was more than I could take. Emotions ricocheted around inside of me like pinb.a.l.l.s. I couldn't sort through them to tell which sensations were my own. I folded my hands over my stomach, hoping that we could find a way to end the conversation and escape. "Let's call it a night, ok?" I pulled Josh toward the door.

"Lucas, find us a seat and let this cute couple get on their way." Taminy took Lucas's hand and leaned in to him. Her eyes widened. "McKayla has been through more than enough already. We don't need to add to what people are saying about her."

Josh stiffened next to me. I stared at Taminy, trying to comprehend her meaning. What were people saying about me?

"I didn't mean anything by it." Lucas took a step toward me. "Honest, I didn't."

"You just keep your distance from McKayla." Josh lowered his voice.

"Josh!" I was grateful that he would try to protect my feelings, but I wished that he and Lucas would chill out.

Taminy kept pulling Lucas toward a booth, but he didn't seem to be following her lead.

"We'll pick this conversation up another time." As he sat next to Taminy, Lucas winked at me and his smile widened, deepening his scar into a dimple.

Josh tried to steer me toward the door, but I stood rooted in one spot as an unfamiliar emotion swept over me like a chill. Indifference seeped into my mind, mingling with my own range of emotions. Lucas was flirting with me, but he wasn't doing it to get my attention, he was using me to try and hurt Josh. Lucas didn't care about me-he never had.

I waited for the heartbreak to come, but I felt only a mixture of surprise and relief. Any attraction that I had felt for Lucas fled when I caught a glimpse into what was really inside of him. It hit me then. I never really was in love with Lucas-how could I have been? The person I imagined him to be didn't exist. I stepped back and b.u.mped into Josh. He put a hand on my back and we walked to the door.

"Hey Josh?" Taminy called out. She was sitting in the booth with her thigh-length leather boots stretched across Lucas's lap.

Josh stopped long enough to hear her out.

"I think it's cool that you Irish dance."

Josh dipped his head in her direction, but his eyes were on mine as we walked out the door.

"Lizard!" Zoey lunged for the lizard, but Dad scooped her up and plunked her back in her chair. The lizard curled up, unnoticed, beneath Zoey's chair, and she put her feet on him like a footrest. Aunt Avril had insisted that we invite Rourke over so she could meet "the man who could walk through fire." Our entire family was crowded around Aunt Avril's apartment table with what could have pa.s.sed as a Thanksgiving dinner sitting on top.

"Rourke, this is my sister, Avril," Mom introduced as we sat down.

Rourke shook Aunt Avril's hand. Always a pleasure to meet another of McKayla's relatives, I translated for him.

Aunt Avril took Rourke's outstretched hand, and he kissed it. Her eyes got round. "How nice to meet a young man who is also a gentleman. Such a rarity these days."

Zoey smiled at me behind her dinner roll.

Mom pa.s.sed the potatoes to Rourke. "We never got a chance to thank you properly for saving our Zoey. We are in your debt."

"You have no idea what it means to us," Dad said. "If there is anything we can do for you, please let us know."

Rourke accepted the bowl and lowered his head in a bow.

"McKayla tells me that you are putting on a production," Dad said.

Rourke nodded. It's an original ch.o.r.eography that I've been working on for a long time.

"Do you both plan to continue the school now that you have more dancers?" Dad asked.

Rourke studied his plate, and for a moment I thought he didn't hear Dad. When Rourke put down his silverware, he looked at me before answering. I don't know how long I will be in the area, but Leah is one of the best teachers out there.

"Where did you learn to dance, Rourke?" Mom asked as she gave Benji a spoonful of potatoes. Benji was reaching for Aunt Avril's cat, which had retreated to the back of the couch as soon as the lizard had come in.

I don't remember not knowing how to dance. Where I am from, dancing is as natural as breathing. Rourke smiled to himself. Was he remembering what it was like to dance without the geis, to dance with magic? What have you heard about your house?

"As soon as the insurance kicks in, we will be able to start on the reconstruction." Mom replied. "In the meantime, the Red Cross offered to put us up in an apartment."

"I wouldn't hear of such a thing, not as long as I'm in town," Aunt Avril interrupted. "Theron always told me, 'When life gets tough, you should count on family to be there, whether you like it or not.' "

Rourke looked confused. I tried to warn him by shaking my head, but he asked anyway, Who is Theron? I reluctantly translated.

Aunt Avril pointed her fork at Rourke. A piece of turkey bounced up and down on it as she spoke. "Theron is my dear husband."