Finders Keepers (20 page)

“He’s slimy.”

“Like a salamander?
 
You mean it’d be wet and sticky to kiss him?
 
Hmmm….sounds nice.”
 
She was goading him and she could tell it was getting to him because she heard him hopping to and fro, settling and unsettling feathers.

“You know exactly what I mean.
 
He changes girlfriends like he changes shirts.
 
Would you really want to be just a number on his dry-cleaning ticket?”

Ellie laughed and opened one eye to see Pinstripe perching on the footboard of her bed.
 
He really was in a mood tonight, otherwise he’d be nestled in the little cocoon of blankets he himself had formed near her pillow a few weeks earlier.
 
His little beady blue eyes seemed to glare at her.

“The difference between me and all of them is that we were friends first.
 
I’d be different.
 
Come on,
Stripey
.”
 
She used the name to tease him.
 
“Don’t you want me to be happy?
 
That’s what we human girls do…snag boyfriends, and if I got Manny, then I would probably be the most ecstatic girl on the planet.”

If birds could grumble, that’s what the noise coming from the fluffed up bird at the end of her bed would sound like.
 
It was sort of cross between a ticking sound and a cluck.
 
She closed her eyes again and smiled.
 
Having Manny for a boyfriend would fulfill all of her wildest fantasies.
 

“And what about Taylor?”

“She’d get over it.
 
It’s not like she doesn’t change boyfriends like she changes shoes.”
 
Of course she didn’t believe what she was saying.
 
As happy as Taylor would be for Ellie if she actually acquired a boyfriend, she would probably be less than thrilled if Ellie stole hers.

“Nice analogy.
 
Very original.”

“Thought you’d like it.”

“He doesn’t deserve you.”

Ellie buried her face into her pillow.
 
She had a big pre-calculus test tomorrow she was not looking forward to, but really, it was to hide her smile.
 
You couldn’t ask for a better little crow, imaginary talking abilities or not.

“If the most popular, brilliant, funny guy and my very best friend, after Taylor, isn’t good enough, then who is?
 
You don’t leave me very many options.”

The grumbling started again but he finally made the few short hops over her bedspread and settled next to her.
 
“I love you Ellie Brown.”

She rolled over and stroked the top of his satiny black head.
 
“You too, bud.”
 

There were no words for the car ride back home.
 
She’d won the argument, obviously.
 
Ellie looked out the passenger side window for the entirety of the very short trip and then as soon as the car stopped, she quickly jumped out and dashed for the door, leaving Sky behind.
 
At that moment she wanted nothing more than to sit in her room and tell Pinstripe about the big mess she’d gotten herself into.
 
She’d acted strong for Sky, but she didn’t really have a plan.
 
But he was gone, and more importantly, he’d never really been there.
 
It’s not like he could really tell her what to do.
 
He was a wild animal, and although she thought he’d grown attached to her, obviously the animal instinct was still stronger.
 
He’d gone back where he belonged.
 
But when she walked through the door her desire to see him was so overwhelming she ran for the back door anyway.
 

Her mom, wearing a ridiculously ruffled apron followed her out.
 
“I miss him too, honey, but I think it’s probably best to let him figure out how to fend for himself now.
 
He can’t be free and a pet at the same time.”

Ellie shrugged her mom’s arm off her own, but then quickly reached around and gave her a quick hug.
 
She smelled like peaches.
 
“I know.
 
I just wish I could have said goodbye.”

They turned to go back inside together; the nip of the wind their silent cue.
 
Ellie rubbed her right ear and her nose with her good hand and used her forearm of her left to cover the opposite side of her head.
 
Sky stood at the window watching her, and watching him was Gibbs.
 
The conflict on Sky’s face made him look like he was literally about to break in two.
 
As soon as Ellie made it back inside Gibbs slipped his arm about her waist and towed her away toward the family room.
 
Ellie’s mom smiled and waved them away.

Probably already making wedding plans
.
 
Ellie smiled.
 

But Gibbs didn’t stop at the family room.
 
He pulled her to the front of the house where the dining room was.
 
In spite of Ellie’s distrust and simultaneous attraction to Gibbs which made her stomach and mind feel like it was rolling around in a dryer, she lit up at the sight of the table and momentarily forgot how much she was dreading this dinner.
 
Sarah’s impeccable taste extended far beyond clothing.
 
She’d created an entire centerpiece out of her mom’s collection of thrift shop scarves, pieces of fruit, baskets, glitter, and a house plant.
 
The largest baskets were flipped over and used as building blocks to give the piece its height.
 
Ellie marveled at the ingenuity of it and was just about to exclaim praise over the matching, glittery place tags when Gibbs tugged on her arm reminded her of his presence.

"Why didn't you take me?"
 
Honestly, she had no idea how he felt about her, but she was hurt that he’d given in so easily to Sky and fake boyfriend or not, she wanted him to at least pretend to care.
 
She made this evident in the pout on her face.
 

The pout softened Gibbs a little.
 
"I was giving him the opportunity to tell you the truth.
 
Let me see your arm, Ellie."

She held out her newly stitched hand, but he just shook his head.
 
Grasping her forearm he started to push her sleeve up.

 
“Don’t.”

Both Ellie and Gibbs whirled around.
 
In the hallway stood Sky.
 
His hands were by his sides, clenched into fists.
 
His jaw was set firmly.
 
“I’ve already agreed to see this through.
 
Leave her out of it.”
           
“She deserves to know why she's involved, the danger she's in, and how you really feel about her and all the strings that go with it."

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Gibbs cocked his head to one side.
 
“Really?
 
So you wouldn’t mind…”
 
He pulled Ellie into him and his mouth was on hers before she knew what had happened.
 
He kissed her hard but when Ellie responded he instantly eased up, slowed down.
 
She looped her arm around his neck, fingers in his hair.
   

12

Ellie was breathless when they broke apart.
 
By force.
 

Sky ripped Gibbs off of Ellie and they crash landed onto the floor.
 
He had Gibbs pinned but Gibbs just laughed.
 
“I don’t think she needs more proof.”
 

Her mother appeared more pleasantly amused than startled when she walked in on them just a few seconds later.
 
Both Gibbs and Sky were still on the floor though upon hearing someone approach, Sky managed to stop glaring at Gibbs like he would throttle his brother at any moment.
 

“I’ve started a puzzle in the kitchen if any of you would like to join me.
 
Although I understand if you boys would rather watch football.
 
Taylor has a game on she seems to be enjoying.”

Gibbs nudged Sky in the semblance of playfulness and Sky pasted on a fake smile.
 
They both rose to their feet.
 
“Sounds great, Mrs. Brown,” they said in unison.

Ellie’s heart didn’t stop hammering in her chest.
 
Some sort of big revelation had been revealed or was about to be revealed and she’d completely missed it, as if she’d been staring at the tiny little details on the map so long that the billboard with her exit just came and went without her reading it.
 
She tromped after her mother with one final warning look at the boys behind her.
 
Behave and we’ll talk later.

It didn’t surprise Ellie that Taylor preferred the game to the puzzle or that Manny very quickly found his way into the kitchen and comfortably took his place sorting through pieces.
 
That’s the way it’d always been.
 
What does he see in her that he’s never seen in me?
 
Sarah’s mind was in sync with Ellie’s.
 
She said, “You and Taylor are very different.”
 
Glancing into the family room, Sarah and everyone else could see where Taylor was snuggled up closely to Gibbs.
 

Manny’s eyebrows lowered slightly and he shrugged.
 
He looked like he was going to say something, then he shut his mouth, and then he changed his mind and it all tumbled out.
 
“We’ve been over for a while.
 
The last few weeks have been for my benefit supposedly.
 
She said our going out would make the girl I’m really interested in, more interested.”
 
He gave Ellie a meaningful look.
 
That look, a few weeks ago, would have had her swooning in her chair.
 
She still liked it, her internal temperature still rose a few degrees, but it wasn’t quite the reaction she’d expected.
 
Gibbs’ kiss on her nose had had more of an effect.
 
Ellie pretended to concentrate on the puzzle piece she was holding.

Sarah didn’t make any further comments and the three of them sat in silence.
 
Ellie was relieved that her mother had walked out to call her father and check on his progress.
 
A shoe bumped her sneaker under the table.
 
Lifting her lashes she could see Manny trying not to smile.
 
Obviously she wasn’t the only one who saw it because Sarah, with a knowing smile, excused herself abruptly.
 

When she was somewhat out of direct sight, Manny reached his dark hand across the table and gently touched the fingertips of Ellie’s.
 
Her
unbandaged
hand was still holding a puzzle piece.
 
“I was talking about you, Elle-belle.”
 
She held her breath.
 
This is what she’d fantasized about for three and a half years.
 
And this wasn’t some dark fairytale.
 
This was real.
 
Manny was real.
 
His hand briefly touched her face.
 
Then she made the mistake of stealing a glance into the other room.
 
The back of Gibbs’ head was visible from where he sat on the floor, leaning against the back of the couch.
 
The small tingle she’d felt was overshadowed by a hot, fiery stab to the gut.
 
As if he could sense Ellie’s stare, Sky turned his body all the way around and too her attention from Gibbs.
 

She spoke to Manny but her eyes were still on Sky.
 
“How long did you and Taylor go out?”

His nose wrinkled up.
 
“A month.
 
Why does that matter?”

Something was different about Sky and it was on the tip of her tongue.
 
“And who was it before Taylor?
 
Annamarie
?
 
How long?”

“Ellie, I have loved you since the seventh grade.
 
I just didn’t realize it until a few days ago.
 
You have been on my mind every second of every day since then.
 
I keep thinking about that science project we worked on together last year.
 
So many hours we spent sitting at this table.
 
I could have so easily kissed you.
 
I should have kissed you.
 
He leaned his long body over the table until his face was very close to hers and she could feel his warm breath on her lips.
 

Her words were nearly breathless.
 
She could see Sky leaving his place by the couch to walk toward them.
 
Could he see it on her face?
 
“And before
Annamarie
, was it Jacqueline or Madison?”
 

Manny pulled back from her and pushed his chair away from the table, scraping the tile loudly.
 
He crossed his arms across his chest.
 
“What’s bothering you, Ellie?
 
I thought you liked me.”

“I just don’t want to be another number on your…your…”

“Dry-cleaning ticket.”
 
Sky finished the sentence for her.

           
It was all she could do to just stare at him.
 
The door to the garage opened and shut and she still didn’t move.
 
“
Mmm
…that smells heavenly.
 
I haven’t eaten anything since I left D.C. this morning.
 
Hello
Manesh
and
Skyler
.
 
Hey Ellie, where’s my hug?”

           
Her dad’s voice broke the spell and Ellie leapt out of her chair so fast it fell backwards and clattered against the floor.
 
She tackled Sky, causing him to take one uncertain step backwards before his arms wrapped around her and her arms looped tightly around his neck.
 
She buried her face into his neck, inhaling the scent of pines.

           
He put his lips close to her ear.
 
“I missed you.”

           
Her dad interrupted.
 
“I thought I said
my
hug.”

           
Ellie pulled away and smiled back at her dad.
 
“Just thanking Sky for taking me to the urgent care this morning.
 
You know it is the day of thankfulness.
 
Free hugs for everyone!”
 
She leaned over where Manny sat and hugged him, her face close to his.
 
“Thank you Manny for being my friend.
 
You’re everything a girl could want, so much so that I want to keep you just how you are—perfect.”
 
He relaxed under her hold and she squeezed him one final time before she moved onto her dad.

           
There wasn’t an opportunity for Ellie to get Sky on his own, even though she tried.
 
Her mom reappeared soon after Ellie’s dad let go of her, and immediately she began issuing orders.
 
“Ellie, put the sweet potatoes in the oven and watch the marshmallows.
 
Dave, carve the turkey.
 
Can someone put the rolls in a basket?
 
Here, Taylor, pour this gravy into the gravy boat.”

           
The kitchen was a flurry of hustle and bustle and then dinner was no less relaxed.
 
Of course it never was, not with Ellie’s mom in charge.
 
Firstly, she insisted everyone tell stories of past Thanksgivings.
 
It took all Ellie had not to point out, again, that it was not Thanksgiving.
 
She also had all sorts of plans to overturn the gravy boat and half the glasses of sparkling grape juice at the first sign of embarrassing, but all things considered, it went pretty well.
 
It surprised Ellie, but probably shouldn’t have having actually met their mother, that Sky and Gibbs celebrated Thanksgiving and had true shared memories.
 
They both laughed when they described the year their mother over-peppered the stuffing and their dad sneezed for three days straight.
 
Manny shared an experience from a past Thanksgiving here at Ellie’s house, as did Taylor, because neither of their parents celebrated the holiday, unless dinner at the all-you-can-eat buffet down the road counted for Taylor.
 
Taylor’s mom did not enjoy cooking.
 

It could have been sawdust going into Ellie’s mouth and down her throat.
 
Her hand moved mechanically spearing tidbits of juicy turkey, perfectly roasted marshmallows on sweet potatoes, and her usual favorite-- tangy parmesan and pepper flavored mashed potatoes, onto her fork and moving it into her mouth.
 
But she enjoyed it as much as a tooth filling. Once her mom finished torturing everyone, her dad picked up his cue to start grilling the teenagers on their college plans.
 
He never asked Ellie, just informed everyone that she would be applying to all the Illinois programs that had outstanding medical schools.
 
She didn’t even try to fake enthusiasm.
 
That would have aroused suspicion.

When Ellie’s dad finally moved on to someone else, her gaze strayed under lowered lashes to where Sky sat.
 
Ellie, Gibbs, and Sky were on one side of the table facing Sarah, Taylor, and Manny.
 
Her mom and dad headed up the ends.
 
He’d removed his jacket and his lean, but muscular forearms were just visible past Gibbs’ equally impressive upper torso.
 
Sky leaned forward over his plate.
 
His deep blue eyes held hers.
   

           
“I’m going into the family business,” Gibbs said.

           
“Mining?”

           
“Not exactly.
 
My parents actually emigrated here just before I was born and that’s when my father became a miner.
 
Before when we lived back home my father held a council seat.
 
That seat has been in my family for generations.
 
The council is equivalent to the government of our village, you might say.”

           
“That’s very interesting.
 
How many people are on the council?”
 

           
“Five, but two others are dead and have no living
descendents
.
 
You see why I am needed.
 
That brings the council down to three.”

           
What Gibbs’ was saying finally penetrated her brain from her thoughts of Sky.
 
It’s about power.
 
He was going to reduce the council to one.
 
Not just a gang leader, he would be king of the goblins.
 
Ellie’s stomach lurched.
 
She’d been right about him.
 
And then wrong.