Fledgling (8 page)

The light was starting to fade when Chance recommended turning back. By the time they reached Ana’s rock, the sun was beginning its descent behind the Kaniksu Forest mountain range. They began taking pictures of the gleaming tree line.

A click beside her made her turn. Surprised by a camera directed at her, she met his eyes as he lowered the camera and grinned sheepishly. “The light-“

Ana blushed, returning her attention to the sun melting into the landscape and asked shyly, “Do you want to join us for dinner tonight? If you can…”

“Sure, I’ll give my mom a call.”

They walked back down the darkened path to the inviting blue house and emerged onto the yard, entering the back door. The smell of pizza engulfed them as they entered the warm kitchen.

“Ana? Is that you?” Melissa’s voice called from the living room.

Her mother was sorting through papers while Eva sat on the couch reading. When Melissa saw them together her face lit up and she got up to shake Chance’s hand.

“Mom, this is Chance, Chance, this is my mother, Melissa Hughes.”

Eva sat on the couch watching the introductions. Her eyes turned to the pizza sitting on the dining table, watching as curling steam rose from the beckoning dinner.

“You can call me Mel-everyone else does. I brought pizza home-it’s Eva’s favorite. Are you joining us for dinner tonight, Chance?” Melissa asked.

“Yeah, sounds great-Would you give me just a minute? I need to call my house.”

“Of course, go ahead.”

Chance looked down smiling and walked into the kitchen, pulling out his phone.

Ana’s mother turned to her eagerly, whispering, “He’s so handsome! And he has such a friendly smile-I like him.” Melissa reached out to touch her daughter’s arm.

Ana flushed pink at her mother’s optimism. She had often though Melissa would be happy if she brought the frog prince home or any yahoo for that matter, but it secretly pleased her to see her mother share in her excitement. Ana knew her mom worried because she never encouraged attention from boys or anyone, really. Simply put, Melissa didn’t want her daughter to be alone, without companionship. Or friendship. And she had told her so.

Finding someone who would look beyond the medical problems and uncertainty could be a challenge but Ana had no interest in going through the trouble. She considered it cruel to bring someone into her world. But here she was, skirting along the fringes of friendship with a boy she just met.

Seeing her mother’s brightened face, without any traces of concern, pleased her. When so much of their time lately was spent worrying, her day with Chance was refreshing.

Doubts about her upcoming doctor’s appointment were pushed to the side, along with the foreboding that smiles around the household were limited.

Chance wandered back into the room flipping his phone shut. Eva jumped up from the couch, resettling at the table before her empty plate, her saucer eyes willing everyone to the table.

“Mom appreciates your hospitality… She wants to invite Ana to our house… to return the favor. Could you come for dinner on Friday, maybe?” Chance inquired, looking down at the floor.

They joined Eva at the table as Ana sought her mother’s face to see if she had any objection. Without speaking, Melissa gave her an encouraging grin and wink.

“That’d be great. I’d love to come over,” she answered, beaming at him.

They all enjoyed each other’s company that night. The sound of laughter and cheerful voices could be heard from outside.

When everyone appeared full, Chance stood up and collected the dishes, taking them to the kitchen. Ana joined him at the sink and they began washing dishes together, like it was common place.

Ana took a plate from Chance, placing it into the dishwasher, asking, “There’s one more picture I’d really like to take. You don’t have to if you need to head home…but it’s perfect out right now.”

Ana imagined being under the night stars with Chance, and it filled her up with so much joy, it leaked out forcing her to smile. New found happiness pulled her in, like a drug. She wanted, or maybe
needed
more. Ana decided she would face the real world later.

“Great-no bear could keep me away.” Chance splashed water at Ana who laughed and splashed him back.

After finishing up, they dried their hands and went searching for their cameras for the last images of the night.

Outside, with cameras around their necks, Chance took the lead again, knowing he had better night vision. The thought made him chuckle.

The waxing moon provided plenty of pale light along with a multitude of glimmering stars, ready to pose for a picture.

After getting dozens of photos of the night sky, Ana seemed satisfied. She turned to Chance, grinning, “Well, we should have enough to work with. Out of all of those images there has to be a
few
that’ll work.” She paused before continuing, “Thanks for coming over today-I enjoyed myself.”

“Me too,” he whispered. Chance flashed his dimples in the silvery light.

He took the lead again, and walked Ana through the concealed pathway, around the brightly lit house to his truck parked discretely on the driveway.

Ana moved toward him uncertainly and gave him a sudden hug goodbye.

Chance was surprised by it and then by the mysterious heartbeat against him, knowing it was unusual. The syncopated beat joined with his, making a unique musical rhythm. Their own song.

They parted and said goodbye. Ana watched as he darted to his truck and backed out of the driveway. The red glow of his taillights disappeared into the darkness and the dust trail rose and dispelled. She watched until the night was calm and unstirred once again.

After finishing her homework, Ana grabbed a sweatshirt and returned to the forested observatory alone.

She lay watching the stars, accepting the occasional bat flitting by her line of sight. She remembered the poem assigned in English was to write about not truly understanding a person until you walked in their shoes. Different possibilities tumbled in her head until a shadow much larger than the bats flew above her. Its movement was oddly disjointed and unlike any bird she could think of. Considering the time of night, she figured it was probably just an injured owl. A
large
owl.

A poem began to fill her head, forming like a song. Hazel eyes flashed through her memory while soft humming poured from her chest. She sat up as the words coursed through her.
If only I had brought a notebook!
She hoped the phrasing wouldn’t get jumbled in her busy mind.

The evergreens encircling her observatory held her close. A statuesque fir offered a perch for a black form with pale yellow eyes. There was such a large array of wild life here; she didn’t mind being a minority in the forest. Animals were simple, she mused, they lived their lives in such a basic way it was refreshing.

A snapping and rustling from a nearby fir drew her attention back to where the yellow eyes had been. She could sense movement on an upper branch and smiled, having a private laugh.
What a clumsy owl,
she thought and went back to work on the poem that streamed from her moments earlier.

She sang her poem to the night sky and to the watchful visitor in the trees until her eyes began closing at the sound of crickets. She stumbled back to the house.

When she settled in bed, she gazed out her window while tendrils of sleep crept into the dark recesses of her mind.

An elated owl’s cry cut through the darkness and met her ears. She fell asleep with a tender grin on her face.

Chapter 10.

Friday arrived. Finally.

Ana made it through her first week. Although her homework was plentiful, she caught up in calculus thanks to Laura. And Ana anticipated school for the first time as far back as she could remember. The second half of her day didn’t come soon enough.

When she laid on her rock the previous night, she reflected on how fast things had shifted. She hadn’t seen it coming. In such a short period of time her life had shifted and her rules cast aside and revised. Her senses were saturated. There was no denying it. She couldn’t explain it. As sudden as a magnet being flipped, she was changed.

She never thought of herself as someone who would ever be loved. She was still surprised Chance was interested in spending time with her. But there it was. Plain to see. He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief when he drew near, mirroring her own reaction.

She was curious to meet his family, to understand him better. As straight forward as he was, she wondered if he was withholding something. Or maybe since she hadn’t seen him hanging out with any friends, he was just shy. She felt conflicted, knowing she wasn’t being entirely honest either.
It’s only been a week
, she defended herself, she wasn’t really lying to him, she just wasn’t ready to tell him. Once he knew, it would change things and being ‘normal’ for once was just too enjoyable.

Just a little longer.

In photography class they settled in the same two seats they had all week. The previous day they picked two images for their assignment and holding them out now, grinned in satisfaction. One photo was of the sunset, the yellow globe melting into the distant mountains, casting ripples of blood orange light through the clouds. The second, was of the starry night sky. Taken with a slow shudder speed, the stars danced in unison, arching along an invisible vector. They signed their names on the backs and turned them in.

For the remainder of the period they spoke in low tones, and grilled each other about favorite music, books and food.

After class they wandered out to the busy parking lot together. Everyone seemed to be moving at a different speed than them, rushing to end the daily monotony. They stood between their contrasting vehicles like the embodiments of day and night as the onslaught of departing students ebbed.

They heard scratching and chattering above them. A red squirrel peered down from a low pine bough, eyes wide. It edged its way out on the branch, staring intently Chance. He met the animals gaze for just a moment then stared down at the ground.

Ana yanked open her door, and throwing her things into the van she turned to say goodbye. She saw Chance tilt his head down in silence, and he whispered, “See you tonight.”

He walked to his truck and gave a nod before jumping into the cab. Ana in turn, swept herself into her van and with a loud creak, shut the door.

Chapter 11.

Wind combed through the firs, inspiring nesting birds to abandon their homes and ride the swelling currents. The sun caressed the tips of the needles, delivering one last kiss of warmth before relinquishing the sky to the moon and stars.

Ana watched the trees swaying outside her second story window. The waving forest calmed her while she waited anxiously for Chance to arrive. She smoothed the creases in her jeans, then closed her eyes.

She had changed out of her wrinkled shirt from school and into a thick woven green sweater with a thin white cotton tank underneath, to cover her opaque scar. She hoped they would wind up outside after eating dinner and knew it was growing cold out.

Eva’s voice burst through Ana’s solitude announcing, “Ana, Chance is here!”

Ana stood up slowly-an ingrained habit to keep herself from passing out. Her jittery fingers combed through her dark hair while leaving the room, turning the lights out as she wandered downstairs.

Chance was waiting near the front door, still wearing what he had on at school, jeans and a black t-shirt. He could wear anything, really, and he would be handsome, she thought. The black t-shirt hugged his chest, accentuating strong physique.

Melissa and Eva sat on the couch together watching television, sharing a secretive smile.

As she entered the room, an extra burst of oxygen filled Ana’s lungs when she breathed in Chance’s spicy scent. A lingering grin graced his lips.

Melissa spoke up, interrupting their moment, “You two have a nice time tonight, and Chance-please thank your mother for the dinner invitation.”

“I will. Thanks, Mel. Don’t have
too
much fun tonight!” He winked at Eva as he opened the door for Ana.

Outside, the wind picked up strength, bursting through the yard, tossing Ana’s hair into a flurry around her face. Chances fingers pulled aside the stray hairs behind her ear, grinning at her surprise.

He opened the passenger side of the truck, waiting until she was in before closing the door and darting around to the driver’s side.

Buckling up and settling in for the drive, Chance turned to face Ana before starting the engine, regarding her lips before speaking, “You look nice in green-it brings out your eyes…not that they need any more help.”

“Thanks,” she muttered, self-conscious. Compliments felt out of place in her world. Like sunshine warming her from the inside out, it wasn’t an entirely unpleasant feeling.

“So, how was your first week in Clark Bend?” he asked casually, sliding his arm behind her headrest.

“Oh, besides this obnoxious guy I have to sit next to in English and photography, it was okay,” Ana glanced slyly at Chance. “I guess as first weeks go-with all of my experience-it went pretty well. Better than expected. I think I’ve caught up with all of my classes. I also met Laura, who helped me in calculus. She seems nice.”