Ice (26 page)

“Are you making fun of me?” I asked, pointing at him.

He feigned innocence when he spoke.
“What makes you think that?” He was clearly playing a game with me, back to his old self.

“You suddenly got serious and became Mr. No-Nonsense.”

“And that makes you think I’m making fun of you?” he said, cocking an eyebrow.

“Yes. You’re the boy who shows the full spectrum of human emotion in less than five minutes.”

“Are
you
making fun of
me
now?” he asked, pointing to his chest.

“So you
were making fun of me.”

Kavick held his chin in a thoughtful way and said, “I wouldn’t call it ‘making fun’, I just wondered how you would react if you could see yourself for once.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “I knew it.”

Just as Kavick’s serious façade cracked, being replaced with his typical grin,
it quickly disappeared. His head whipped toward my door and I stiffened. I waited a moment in suspense for him to relax, but he kept staring at my door.

“They’re not awake, are they?”
I asked in an even lower whisper than I had been using earlier.

He shook his head and snickered again, his tense persona instantly falling apart. “Your boyfriend snores,” he chuckled, unable t
o keep from laughing.

I glared at him, not appreciating it one bit. “Stop teasing me
, already.”

He rolled his eyes, pretending like he didn’t want to stop. “Okay. I can’t stand having you mad at me. You’re the one person who understands me right now.”

“You’re the only one who gets me, too. It’s a good thing we met when we did.”

He gave me a unique look that I hadn’t seen before. It was like he was intrigued by my statement.
“What about Marcus?”

I shook my head a little. “I’ve always hid things from him. My feelings, for starters. I’ve never had a conversation like this with him.” I sat down on the end of the bed, keeping a comfortable distance between us. “I always have to choose my words carefully around him. I can never have an effortless conversation where I can say what I want without worry.”

He looked at me like he understood. “I used to be that way with Anana, we could talk about anything…but now I have to be careful, too. She’s not the problem, because she’s not telling me to marry her—she’s actually stayed out of it so far—but she’s too close to the problem. Really…if you weren’t here…” he said in a thoughtful manner, but still keeping his eyes locked with mine, “I wouldn’t have anyone to talk to. I would be alone.”

I
gave him a small smile and reached across the distance between us to hold his hand. Surprisingly, he didn’t move away from me again. He stared at my hand holding his. “We’ll always have each other,” I said confidently enough, but I felt like turning it into a question.

He stared back at me, his face completely blank. It was as if he was thinking the same thing I was. “I hope so.”

He looked back down at our hands and opened his mouth, like he were about to say something, but never did. He finally wrapped his fingers around mine, and after a few seconds he closed his mouth and stood up almost as abruptly as when he had pulled away from me earlier. He walked over to the coat rack and started slipping into his coat without a word.

“Hey, Kavick,” I said, as he placed the bear fur on his shoulders. He turned so he was facing me, the black fur bobbing up and down around his face as he adjusted it. “The next time Tartok tries to pressure you into marrying Anana, tell him he has to marry Suka first. Maybe then he’ll think twice before he gets on your case again.”

He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “He’s already tried.”

I felt my jaw drop. “He has?” I couldn’t picture Tartok proposing to he
r, who had argued with him so much in the short period of time I knew them.

“Yep. Once I told him that, but he said he had already asked her and she had turned him down because he’s an ass.”

“Somehow I’m not surprised she said that.” I found it amusing instead of shocking. A few giggles slipped through despite my efforts to remain silent. His smile broadened for the moment, but as soon as I was done laughing his face fell back into its somber place.

“I should go,” he said, taking a couple steps toward me.

I stood up, knowing it was time for goodbye. “You said that last time, too. What was it you were going to tell me?”

He closed his eyes and shook his head. “It was about marrying Anana. I keep changing my mind, so it doesn’t matter now.”

It seemed strange that he didn’t want to tell me, like it was important for him to hide it, even though it had once been so important to tell me. It both baffled and nagged at my conscience, but I decided not to press the subject any more for the night. “Well, let me know when you do make up your mind.”

He raised the window and looked over his shoulder. “And you tell me when you make up yours.”

I smiled, and he smiled back, but once again his smile seemed half-hearted. Before I could say goodbye, he was out my window and racing through the snow toward the trees.

The next morning went much like the day before: I had breakfast with Marcus, and school went off without any problems. I couldn’t help but notice that Molly seemed excited to sit with me for lunch. No doubt it was because of “Mr. Muscles”. Sharing Molly’s attention with Marcus was a breath of fresh air. I was rarely asked personal questions and Molly seemed to be in a much friendlier mood with Marcus around.

After school, I discovered that Justin was home early again, and ready to take Marcus to the diner in town. Marcus had kept his belongings in his suitcases so no time was wasted on leaving for
the diner. In just about fifteen minutes’ time, Justin was parking in front of the diner. After Marcus and Justin stepped out of the truck, I crawled out of my little cubbyhole that was supposed to be a backseat. As soon as I was on two feet again, I stretched tall and read the red letters that were on the window:
Maggie’s Diner.
I couldn’t believe I hadn’t been able to remember such a simple name. I had been pretty rattled after the incident at the Factory and Marcus’ arrival. In some ways, I was still adjusting.

Marcus and I followed Justin into the diner. As soon as the bell jingled, we were met with warmth and the smell of grilled cheese. Apparently, somebody had just ordered one at a window seat. It was small and very cabin-like, just as I remembered it, with only two customers eating. They gave us curious looks, glancing up from their food for a second. There was the constant sound of sizzling grease and the soft hum of music playing overhead. The plump woman with shoulder length blond hair I remembered walked toward us from behind the register.

“How ya doin’, Maggie?” he asked with a smile. He shook hands with her, reminding me of the friendly way he used to greet Doug.

She placed a hand
on her hip that had a menu clamped in it and said, “Fine, thanks. How have you been?”

“Good, mostly,” he said, suddenly losing his smile. His eyes shifted a little like he was unsure. His gaze quickly darted back up to Margaret. “Did you hear about Doug?” he asked in a low voice.

She nodded somberly. “I think it’s been a shock to everyone. It’s like one of those freak accidents you don’t see coming. A wolf attack is practically unheard of, especially in these parts. Why was he even out there in those woods?”

Justin shook his head. “Your guess is as good as mine. You know he worked at the Factory, right?”

“Yeah, but what business could he possibly have walking around in the woods like that? I’m surprised it wasn’t something else that attacked him.” Margaret quickly cleared the bewilderment from her face and greeted Marcus with a big smile. “So, is this the boy that wants to rent the upstairs?”

“Yeah. He’s a good kid. A friend of Christine’s from
California,” Justin explained pleasantly as he stepped aside to give Margaret a better view of Marcus. Marcus looked a little uncomfortable without Justin hiding him.

Margaret extended a hand to him and he shook it. “Marcus Garcia. Thanks for letting me stay here,” he said.

“It’s not a problem, Hun. The room’s been empty for over a year now, so it’s just been collecting dust. Let me show you to it.”

We followed Margaret to the back of the diner and up a narrow stairway. She pulled a key out of her pocket and unlocked the door. She push
ed it open and we filed in. It was a large room with a futon couch and a TV in the corner. There was only one window and the bathroom had barely enough room for a person to walk around. She was right; it was dusty and old, but Marcus was happy.

“Would you be interested in working in the diner?” she asked him as he stepped out of the bathroom.

An eager smile immediately spread across Marcus’ face. “When can I start?”

“How about tomorrow so you can get yourself settled in tonight.”

“Sounds good,” he said, extending his hand to shake hers again. “I can’t thank you guys enough.”

Justin took on his usual humble attitude and said, “It was all Maggie. I just pointed you in her direction.”

“I wouldn’t have found this without you, though, Justin.” Marcus turned his smile onto Margaret again and said, “Thanks again.”

I asked Justin if I could stay a while to help Marcus with his homework, and even though Justin was a little hesitant to answer, he said he would pick me up in a few hours so I would be home in time for dinner. I guess Marcus had earned Justin’s trust, or maybe it was his trust in me that made him allow it.

After Justin left and Margaret went downstairs, I sat on Marcus’ couch as he started taking his clothes out of his suitcase. They were all wrinkled from being crammed into the suitcase in a big wad, but he hung them up anyway like he wasn’t bothered by it. I couldn’t help but notice once again the wrinkles that were in the orange t-shirt he was wearing over his charcoal turtleneck. We talked about school and how excited he was to start working.

“I can’t believe it’s working out so well for me here,” he said as he placed a green shirt in his tiny closet. “Maybe I’ll just stay.”

I remembered Kavick’s words from the night before. I couldn’t believe Kavick’s prediction was right. “I thought it was too cold for you?”

He shrugged like it suddenly wasn’t that big of a deal to him. “I figure I’ll get used to it like you did,” he said optimistically.

I tried to hide my shock, speaking as calmly as before. “But, what about your family?”

“When I have enough money saved, I’ll visit them.” Marcus walked back over to his suitcase that was open on the floor and glanced at me briefly as he pulled clothes out of it. “I get it if you want to stay here. Justin’s your family. This is your home now.”

I didn’t say anything. I was stunned that Marcus was taking it so well and that he had figured it out for himself. I guess he noticed I had been avoiding the question the night before.

“Marcus…you don’t have to give up your family for me.” I couldn’t hide the discomfort in my voice that time.

He stopped messing with his suitcase and held my guilty stare. He looked surprised by my words. I didn’t just feel guilty that I was still having trouble telling him the truth about my feelings, but I really did feel guilty that he would be leaving his family behind because of me. I could imagine his mother would be devastated if he was only coming back once in a while for a visit.

“I’m not giving up my family…
.” He grinned like he actually found it amusing. “It’s not you, or them. This isn’t like before with Marcia. I promise. Sure, my mom didn’t want me to leave, but she knows I might be here to stay. And, I need to do what makes me happy.” He went back to work with his suitcase.

Now I was surprised that his mom had taken it so well. “Wow…I figured she would have put up a fight.”

He pulled another shirt from his suitcase as he spoke. “She did, but what can she do now that I’m an adult? She just screamed a lot.”

“Ah,” I said, with a nod. So she
didn’t
take it well. That made more sense.

Marcus grinned at me again like he was barely keeping himself from laughing. “So you noticed she does that a lot.”

“How could I miss it?” I said frankly.

We shared
a laugh and we didn’t speak of California for the next couple of hours. It seemed a little easier to talk with him since one of the big questions I had been avoiding had finally been answered. I had been afraid he wouldn’t understand my wanting to stay in Alaska and was just assuming I would go back to California with him after the school year. Things seemed a little more like old times with one less weight on my chest to hide. We laughed and chatted as we did our homework, like before. Marcus was thoroughly impressed that I was fairing so well without Charlotte’s help.

“Hey, we should video chat with her sometime,” I said, looking up at him from our books and placing the eraser of my pencil to my chin.

“That’s genius! It would be like she was here with us!” he said, excited by the idea.

We were both lying on our stomachs with our books spread across the floor. I was kicking my feet in the air, still wearing my boots. “Okay, I’ll tell
Charlotte to buy a webcam so we can video chat.”