LITMIR.BIZ

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be a nervous, twitching wreck if this went on too much longer, Melody decided. She had to get him off alone again. She leaped up. “Would you two mind if we run out before dinner. Um, Jake hasn’t been around here for a while. I was going to take him down to the pond.”

      “Lovely idea!” Mona said. “I’m not sure if you’ve seen all they’ve been up to by the pond. They have some charming shops, and a little bar—I’m sure you’ll have a nice time. Oh, Keith should be home by supper. I’m planning it for around eight.”

      “That’s great, Mom.”

      “Wait a minute. It was snowing so much—” George began.

      “I think the snow has stopped,” Melody said. Even if there was a nor’easter pounding, she was leaving the house.

      She grabbed Jake’s hand. “Jake, let’s get going so you can see the pond before dinner. Come on, now, please?”

      “Of course.” He stood immediately, trying to replace his cup on the tray, a little awkward since she was tugging at his arm. “Thank you so much. This was a truly enjoyable repast.”

      “Let’s go!” Melody persisted.

      Her mother was laughing. “Oh, that’s wonderful. You must be a fantastic guide. How absolutely charming. Children, do have fun.”

      “There’s skating—weather permitting,” her father called out.

      “Okay, Dad, thanks!”

      Melody managed to grab two parkas from the hooks by the entry and get Jake out the front door. A pale streak of winter’s day touched the sky; the snow had come down to just a few flurries.

      She thanked God for small favors.

      As they stood on the porch and she surveyed the muted light of the late-afternoon December sun, Mona popped out on the porch. Melody hoped that she didn’t physically cringe.

      “Skates!” Mona said, holding up two pairs of skates. “Keith’s shoes fit you all right, don’t they, Jake? If so, I’m sure his skates will do.”

      “I am more than comfortable and quite grateful, ma’am,” Jake said.

      “Thanks, Mom.” Melody snatched the skates from her mother and hurried to the car. Jake followed her. She was already in the driver’s seat when Jake joined her.

      Mona called something from the porch.

      “We have to stop, she’s speaking to us,” Jake said, sliding in beside her.

      “It’s okay—she’s just telling you that I’m a klutz,” Melody said. Before he could ask her what a klutz was, she added, “I have no coordination. I’m horrible.”

      He smiled, looking ahead.

      “You can skate. You’ve heard of skates, right?”

      “Yes, I have.”

      She started to drive, glad then that her home was Massachusetts. They were darned good at snow. Plows were always out in a matter of minutes. The roads were decent.

      “Your parents are exceptionally kind,” Jake said.

      “They’re—yes, they’re good people. A little crazy, but good people,” she told him.

      “How do you see them as crazy?” he asked.

      She hazarded a glance his way. “Pirate-themed bath-rooms? Sculpted ravens, skeleton art, fairies and ghosts and goblins all over—you’ll see. It’s so strange. I feel like I grew up with the Addams Family or as the normal child niece in the Munsters’ home.”

      “Pardon?”

      “Never mind.” She looked at him again and groaned. “How on earth can I give you a crash course in pop culture? Don’t—don’t you dare copy me! Pop culture is… what’s popular now. Too bad it wasn’t my dad who ran into you. He was a professor. He’d have you up to speed in no time.”

      “Up to speed—”

      “Oh, God!”

      “No, no, I understand. I find it a charming expression.”

      “Of course you do,” she murmured.

      “Is that a problem?”

      “No. It’s just that…oh, never mind. No. Are you always so…agreeable?”

      “You wish me to be disagreeable?”

      “No. I wish you to—snap out of it. And don’t repeat after me!”

      “All right.” He was smiling, studying the scenery as they passed. “It’s so remarkable. We won the Revolution, and there have been many more wars. So many inventions. Remarkable.”

      They had reached the pond. There were a few skaters out, and a few children running around the outskirts, laughing, throwing snowballs at one another. The bar—aptly name the Pond Bar—was just opening. Melody parked and stepped out of the car. She wasn’t sure what to do. She had driven to the pond because she was afraid she was already lying so much she’d start to confuse even herself.

      But now…

      “You’ve forgotten the skates,” Jake called.

      “I suck.”

      “Pardon?”

      “I wasn’t lying, I’m awful.”

      “Well, I’m a decent skater. Let’s give it a try, shall we?”

      Skate. Maybe while she was falling on her ass she’d figure out how she’d gotten into this mess.

      “All right, all right, bring them.”

      There were benches by the pond. They sat down. The skates might have been somewhat modern compared to what he’d thought he had in the 1700s, but they were still basically skates. When they had both laced up, he stood, testing the way they fit, testing his own ability to walk in them.

      “Aren’t you going to say remarkable, marvelous, fantastic—or something of the like?” she asked.

      “They’ll do. Come on.” He stretched out a hand to her.

      “You go. I’ll sit for a minute. Please.”

      He watched her for a moment, then went out on the ice. At first, he moved slowly, testing the skates and then the ice. He picked up speed.

      She watched him, feeling blank.

       Keith picked up strange creatures. She picked up crazy ones.

      A moment’s panic set in. What if he was really hurt? If his head had been badly bruised? Was she doing the wrong thing, keeping him away from the hospital?

      She thanked God that Mark wasn’t due until Friday. He’d have given Jake the third degree by now, and the police might have even been called in. Mark wouldn’t have gone against her parents’ wishes; he’d have done it on the sly, certain that he knew what was best for everyone else.

      So, great. What was she going to do? This wasn’t like Keith, bringing in strays when he was younger. Can we keep him, Mom, can we keep him?

      She was going to have to figure something out.

      A spray of ice brought her back to the moment. Jake was stretching a hand out to her again. “Will you join me?”

      “I’ll make you fall.”

      “No, you won’t.”

      She was unsteady as she teetered out to him. “Look, I’m usually all right if I’m just going forward,” she said.

      “You will be fine, no matter what we do,” he assured her.

      And they were. If she hesitated, he was sure. He was so comfortable on the ice that his balance and support

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