touch (25 page)

“No,” he assured me taking the towel from my hands to set it
on the counter.  “You did everything right.  Thank you for worrying about me,
but I’m fine.  The heat doesn’t bother me.”

“Oh.”  I felt more than a little silly.  Looking at his
black eyes, I wondered what part of what I’d done had caused the change.  My
concern?

He studied me a long moment and then asked, “Can you crumble
the bacon?”

We worked together to finish breakfast.  Gran came back into
the kitchen to help serve.  We ate together in silence enjoying the food.

Mom and Aunt Grace had arranged for a ride to work so Gran
would have the car to get the supplies she needed.  She insisted that Morik
drive and sat in the backseat allowing me to sit next to him in the front.  The
differences in attitude between my mom and Gran contrasted like night and day.

At the store, Gran tore the list in two handing us the top
half so we could shop faster.  Morik watched quietly while I price-shopped.  He
kept glancing at the pathetically small pile of food in the cart.

We met Gran at the register and checked out.  Morik loaded
everything into the car.

We got back with just enough time to help Gran unload before
I needed to pack a bag for Beatriz’s house.  Morik had thoughtfully brought the
insulated pants, but I knew from the last party, it would be too hot to wear
them the whole night.

The ride to her house was much more enjoyable when I wasn’t
freezing.  Beatriz, alerted of our arrival by the noise of the motorcycle, met
us at the door with a welcoming smile.  They were already starting to set up. 
She and I stayed in the kitchen prepping the food they’d be putting out in
stages throughout the party.  Brad enlisted Morik’s help outside on the deck.

We took a break for a late lunch - takeout pizza again -
before continuing with the party preparations.  Finished outside, the guys went
downstairs.  The last snack prepped and ready in the kitchen, we went
downstairs to check on their progress.

They had just finished stocking the bar with the liquor Brad
had somehow purchased and were carrying ice from outside.  Seeing there wasn’t
anything we could do, we sat at bar stools closest to the stairs.  Brad asked
Morik if he could help carry down a half barrel with Tommy.  Morik waved away
Tommy’s help and said that he’d manage on his own.

Beatriz stared after Morik before turning to me.  “Tell me
how he kisses.”

I couldn’t keep the confusion from my voice.  “I thought you
already kissed him…”

She grinned at me.  “I kissed him, but he didn’t kiss
back.”  She sighed dramatically.  “His bottom lip… it’s got this little pout to
it.  I just want to bite it.”  I couldn’t decide if I were shocked or amused. 
She laughed at my expression.  “So tell me, how is it when he kisses you?”

“It’s not like that…” I said referring to our relationship.

“Are you kidding me?!  It is like that.  I see how he looks
at you.”  She studied my face seriously for several moments.  I squirmed under
her scrutiny.  “Don’t tell me you haven’t kissed him yet,” she gasped.

“It’s complicated,” I mumbled feeling a little harassed.

“How can it be complicated?” she insisted.

I looked around the room.  Jay straightened the cue sticks
and Tommy checked the air hockey table.  Brad stood behind the bar wiping down
the soda dispenser, finishing the bar set up.  The music was loud enough to
completely mute our conversation.

“It’s new for me,” I admitted quietly looking at her again.

Her mouth popped open for a moment before she snapped it
shut.  “Seriously?”  A grin spread over her lips.  “That is so damn cute!”  She
said it loud enough that Brad looked up from his bottles.  I gave her a droll
look.  “If you want practice Brad would be happy to help.”

“What’s up?” he said walking over.

A blush crept into my cheeks, and I nudged Beatriz with my
foot in warning.  She took it as prompting and said, “Tess wants a kiss.”

Just then, Morik walked around the corner a half-barrel set
over his shoulder as if it weighed nothing.  His jaw clenched tightly, he
stopped just inside of the room.  The music had masked the sound of his descent
on the steps.  The timing couldn’t have been worse.  Had he heard only the last
part of the conversation?

His blazing red and orange eyes didn’t meet mine.  They
focused on Brad.  I glanced at Brad, who gave his sister an exasperated look. 
Beatriz winked at her brother.  Neither saw Morik’s eyes.

I glanced back toward Morik, but he had vanished.  Only the
half-barrel remained on the floor standing on its end.

Brad noticed the direction of my gaze.  “Awesome.  I didn’t
even hear him bring it down.”  He waved Tommy over to help him get it into
place behind the bar.

I leapt from the stool and raced up the stairs, Beatriz
calling after me.  She hadn’t noticed Morik at all.

Opening the front door, I saw the motorcycle still parked
where we’d left it, but he was nowhere in sight.  Beatriz caught up to me as I
closed the front door.

“What are you doing?”

“He heard you.”  I wasn’t mad at her.  She’d only been
playing around, but I was worried about Morik.  He’d obviously just popped out
of the basement.  I hoped the motorcycle meant that he’d be back… soon.

I couldn’t put off talking to him any longer.  I needed to
know where we stood.  Was he just getting upset because he still thought I was
entertaining other choices or was there more?

“Oh my god…  I’m so sorry, Tess.”  I nodded, accepting her
unnecessary apology.  She looked out the window seeing the bike like I had. 
“He couldn’t have gone far.  Just let him cool off.  Maybe this is a good
thing.  It might help move things along.”

She had no idea.  I just hoped Morik wouldn’t direct his
anger at Brad.  As we stood there in the entry, the first car loaded with
partygoers pulled into the drive.  Distracted, Beatriz yelled down the steps
warning her brother before rushing to prop open the door.  I moved back from
the cold blast of air and listened to the heat kick in.

*    *    *    *

Two hours later, I wove my way through the crowded rooms. 
There’d been no sign of Morik since he left and I was starting to get worried. 
The partiers were annoying me this time.  Too often, I accidentally bumped into
someone causing a vision of a future I could care less about.  It slowed me
down and gave me a headache.

Heading toward the sink for a glass of water, Brad caught my
arm and pulled me through the French doors.  His hair was messed and his cheeks
flushed.

When he closed the door behind us, shutting in the noise of
the party he sighed heavily.  “You looked like you could use an escape as much
as I did.”

They’d cleaned off the deck leaving the chairs free of snow. 
He collapsed in one and ran his hand through his hair.  It explained why it
looked so messy.

“Not having fun this time?” I asked looking away to scan the
woods behind the house.  Was Morik out there watching, waiting for his temper
to cool?  His bike still stood parked in the driveway.

“Not really.  Bea told me what happened and I wanted to
catch you to apologize for her.”

I held up my hand to stop him.  “It’s okay Brad…”

He stood up walking toward me.  He pulled me into his arms
and before I had a chance to react, he pressed his lips to mine.  I held myself
stiffly in shock.

A brief light touch, it ended before it really began, but
the vision stayed with me.

I fought to keep all emotion from my face as he pulled back
to look at me with a wry grin.  “I just wanted you to know that I’d be happy to
help.”

He let me go with a smile and held the door open for me.  I
moved robotically struggling to maintain an air of indifference.  Inside, he
winked at me before jogging down the stairs again probably to take up post
behind the bar before things got rowdy.

Once he was out of sight, I went upstairs to Beatriz’s
bedroom stopping for a moment to stare at the door.  In bold hot pink marker,
she’d created a sign saying her room was completely off-limits to everyone. 
The word everyone was underlined several times.  After having Tommy barf in her
bathroom, I didn’t blame her, but I needed I quiet place and didn’t think she
would mind.

I slipped into the room shutting the door behind me.

The vision of my future with Brad shook me.  He’d be
wonderful, of course, but my future relationship with Beatriz truly captured my
attention.  We’d become very close.  I’d confide in her before Brad’s death and
we’d do impossible things trying to keep him alive.  I’d even confide in Brad. 
He’d comfort me and tell me he didn’t regret any choices we made as he looked
at our two children.

Beatriz would stay by my side through it all.  She’d be the
best friend I’d ever had and always wanted.

It tempted me so much… and scared me.  I’d not only ruin
Brad’s life, but hers as well, trapping her with my choices as securely as my
family.

There I stood in the dark gathering my courage to take the
next step.  Light from the hall spilled under the door, but only enough so I
could see vague shadows – just enough to think I could see so I’d walk into
something and stub a toe.  I stayed put.

“Morik,” I called softly my palms sweating.  I couldn’t play
with lives anymore through my inaction.  I needed to try to make the right
choice.

“What did you see?” he asked from somewhere in the darkness.

I jumped slightly.  His gravelly voice seemed strained.  I
couldn’t answer his question without hurting him more because I didn’t want to
lie.  Not to him.

“I need to know…” the ninja kicking butterflies were back,
“do you want to be with me just because you’re lonely, or because you truly
like being with me?”  Silence answered me, so I continued.  “I know you’re
lonely and that you see me as your last choice, but I know what limited choices
feel like, and I don’t want that for you.  If there’s someone else…  I’ll do
everything in my power to help you get the companion you want.”

There.  Two small pools of rage glowed from the nearby
darkness.  Slowly, I moved toward them hoping nothing stood between us.

“And if you do want me as a companion, I need you to tell me
what exactly that means.”  I stood right in front of him.  His eyes focused on
me with their unnatural light.  “Will I still be able to see my family?  What
happens if you grow tired of me?  What will you do when I grow old and die?”  I
reached out my hand and gently touched his cheek.  His eyes closed briefly and
he covered my hand with his own.  Lifting my other hand, I set his on his
chest.  “I don’t know what you want from me,” I whispered.

He bent close, his lips a breath away from my own.  “A
kiss.”

I leaned forward and closed the gap, my heart pounding.  Our
lips met and my stomach flipped in an exciting way.  A tingle started at the
base of my spine, beneath the belt line of my jeans, as soon as I made
contact.  He tilted his head increasing the pressure.  His hands slid into my
hair cradling me gently.  The tingle grew to an unnatural flare of heat causing
me to gasp and pull away in shock.

“What is it?” he asked not letting me move too far away.

“Something was burning…”

The door suddenly opened.  Before light flooded the area in
which we stood, Morik disappeared without me.  I quickly let my hand drop and
looked over my shoulder toward the blinding light.

“There you are.  I was looking everywhere for you,” Beatriz
stood in the lit hall looking at me curiously.  “Since when do you have a tramp
stamp?”

In the vanity mirror by the door where she stood, I saw the
reflection of myself looking over my shoulder at her and caught a glimpse of a mark
under my shirt.  I tugged it up for better look.  Sure enough.  Right where the
tingling had been two thick lines, one strand black, the other a silvery grey,
twined twice on their climb up my spine.  It looked slightly tribal.  Holy,
crap!

“Ah… it’s not something I think about,” I turned toward her
tugging my shirt over my new mark.

“I love it!  Can we show it to Brad?  I want to get one just
like it.  He’d promised to take me.”

Morik would just love that.  She kept going without waiting
for my reply, for which I was grateful.

“What are you doing up here anyway?”

“Just needed some quiet time to think,” I said leaving the
room with her.  She carefully closed the door behind us.  “Hope you don’t
mind.  Nice sign by the way.”

“Like it?  I had Tommy make it.”  She grinned cheekily and I
laughed.

After our kiss, I thought Morik might join us again, but he
didn’t.  Back in the basement where the rowdiness of the drunks intensified by
the minute – in a fun way – Beatriz started challenging pairs of Brad’s friends
to a pool game.  Jay and Tommy accepted and I was pulled into the game as her
partner.  We took turns when it was our team’s go.

Jay had too much to drink and kept messing up his shots. 
After last weekend, Tommy played it cool with the alcohol and presented more of
a challenge, which meant that Beatriz started playing dirty.  She’d stand close
to him and talk to him during his shot pointing out each girl in the room with
a short skirt or a low-cut top.  For the most part, he ignored her.  Then, she
talked some of those girls into leaning over the table opposite his shots.  He
started losing focus fast.  After beating the pair of them, she challenged
another pair, who were too drunk to even hold a cue stick.

While she worked the room looking for another group to
challenge, I escaped upstairs again.

Passing the kitchen window, I thought I caught a glimpse of
Brian just inside the circle of light on the back lawn.  When I did a double
take, he was gone.  Just like when we went to the mall.  This time, I went
outside to look.  The cold air after the basement felt good on my face.