Running Dry (18 page)

with him.  He is tall and lean and has a freckled face, but other than that, he is somewhat plain looking.  No tattoos or piercings and his blond hair is dull and flat, not unlike my own. 

"Hey, Tyler," she finally turns to me, "This is Bones."

"Hi," I say, feeling a little flush.  It's been a long time since I've met a boy. 

"How's it going?" he says with a smile.

"Not bad," I say. 

"Well, I gotta go.  I'll see ya, Frankie." 

When he is gone I say, "Bones?"

She laughs.  "Skater name."

"Are you and Bones?"

"No!" she says. "He's cute though, huh?"

I shrug and fake indifference. "He's okay."

"I could play matchmaker if you're interested," she says.

I have no idea why I say no, but I do.  "Oh.  I don't think so.  But, thanks.  If you think

he's cute, why don't you date him?"

"I'm in love with someone else," she says, but I'm not convinced she is telling the

truth.  She says it with a detachment, like it's something she's said a million times before, maybe a lie.  I don't push it any further, even though I want to, and as a spy it's kind of my job to dig, but I remember rule number seven:  Gain trust and friendship.  I have no reason to believe Frankie can lead me to anything worth knowing, plus I'm starting to really like her.  If nothing else, it would be great to have a friend.

We watch the skaters for a little while longer as they glide along the bottom of the pool and do tricks as they come up, launching from the sides.  There are about a dozen or so kids ranging in age from maybe twelve to twenty four.  I keep my eye on Bones as he makes the rounds, stopping to chat with other kids throughout The Watering Hole.  I wonder what his deal is but the thought of a date makes me want to be sick.

"Wanna get something to eat?" Frankie says. "They have drinks here too, but you'd probably need to have saved your entire week's paycheck in order to afford it."

"That's so weird!" I say, because I'm used to using a water ticket for drink purchases.  Then I realize this concept shouldn't be strange to me and try to recover.  "I mean, on the Westside, drinks aren't
that
much…"

"Yeah, or it probably didn't seem like it, since your parents are rich!"

"Maybe," I say. 

"I just always bring my drinks from home," she says.

"Oh, me too!" I say, displaying my water bottle.

"Cool, then let's just split some protein chips or something," she says.

"Sounds good," I say, as we make our way to the snack bar and stand in line waiting. 

"Why did you move over here and get a crappy packing job?  If my parents were in medical I would have stayed on that end of town, that's for sure!"

Thinking quickly, I say, "Yeah, well.  I was sick of living off of them.  I wanted to get out and see the world, get some space, you know?"

"Ah, a little rebel, huh?" she smirks.

"They were a little demanding...yes.  Plus, I heard all the cute guys hung out at The Watering Hole."  Then I laugh and try to make it sound as plausible as possible, but I feel bad about lying to Frankie.  She seems like a good person. 

"Well, if you ever want me to talk to Bones for you, just say the word."

"Thanks.  I'll think about it."

Zane

I decide to head to Fulton's and try to apologize to him.  I don't even think about the fact that it's early afternoon and he will still be at work.  Sam opens the door, with Charlotte standing behind her legs.

              "Zane!" Char yells and pushes Sam out of the way to grab my hand and yank me in. "You came to play with me!!!"

              "Hey, Charlotte!" I say, letting her move me deeper into the apartment.  "I suppose Devin isn't home?" I say to Sam. "I just realized not everyone works the nightshift."

"He's not.  He'll be home in about an hour though.  You're welcome to wait."

"Oh, I don't want to put you out."

"It's fine.  We aren't doing anything exciting."

"Yay!  Play dress up with me, Zane!" Charlotte says.

"Honey, let him sit down for a minute," Sam says.

"Awww." Her little bottom lip quivers.

I bend down to her level and say, "Why don't you dress up and then you can show me the pretty outfits...like a show!"

"Okay!" She rushes off.

"Have a seat," Sam says, sitting in a chair next to the couch.

"Thanks."

"Was it something important?"

"What?" I say.

"That you need to talk with Devin about at two in the afternoon?"

"Oh.  I...no.  I just had a question.  It's nothing important."  I start to realize I probably

shouldn't have come here.  He's likely going to be pissed when he sees me and we can't even talk about what we need to talk about with his family in the apartment.  I spring up.  "I just remembered that I gotta be somewhere.  Maybe you could just ask him to meet me at The Tap later tonight?"

              "Oh.  Are you sure?" she says with a disappointed tone.  Then she looks toward Char's bedroom.

              "Oh...I better wait until after Char…"

              Sam smiles, relieved.  "Thanks."

              "Sure."

              We sit uncomfortably, waiting for Charlotte to come out. "Can I ask you something, Zane?" Sam says suddenly.

              "Go ahead."

              "It's just that, this is kind of awkward but...Devin's been acting kinda weird lately, and he's drinking way too much.  I was wondering if you might know anything?" 

              I look at her and she's wringing her hands together as she sits with tight shoulders.  Her eyes are focused on the wall.

              "Know anything?  I don't..."

              "I'll just come right out with it," she says. "Is he having an affair?"

              "Oh, I don't….No.  No.  I really don't think so."

              Her shoulders drop a little and her face eases.  "Sorry. I feel so stupid.  It's just that I've been worried."  She sniffles and puts her face in her hands.

              "Maybe he’s just stressed about work?" I offer.

              Before Sam can respond, Charlotte runs in.

              "TAH DAH!!!" She has a mitten on one hand and what looks like one of Fulton's old white t-shirts on as a dress.  It has pink and purple flowers drawn on it with markers and the belt looks like one of Sam's robe belts.  She's wearing a yellow pillowcase on her head and it drapes down her back like hair of a fairytale princess. 

"Wow!  You look quite lovely, Princess Pillowcase," I say in my best Prince Charming voice. 

"My name is Queen Arabella!" she demands.

I laugh.  "I like Princess Pillowcase better." 

Sam chuckles and then tries to hide it when Char looks at her with tiny daggers coming out of her pupils. 

"ARABELLA!" she yells and stomps her feet.

"Char!  That's enough," Samantha says.

"No, no.  She's right, Sam.  She is the lovely Arabella.  I must have been confusing her with a different princess."

Char smiles wide and spins wildly three times, nearly falling into the small side table.

I get up to go, getting nervous about Fulton's return.

"Where are you going, Zane?  You promised you'd play with me!"  For such a tiny creature, her voice is louder than a thunderstorm.

"I know, Princess Ari…"

"Arabella!"

"Right, but I have to be somewhere right now."

Her tiny face begins to droop and before I can say anything, she has a complete, tiny meltdown.

"Oh boy.  I'm sorry," I say, looking at Sam.

Sam takes her by the hand, "It's okay.  I think it's someone's nap time anyway."

"I'll show myself out.  Could you ask Fulton about tonight?  I'll be there around eight."

"Sure."

Chapter 25

Bekka

Walking to work I stay on the opposite side of the street to steer clear of LeRoy.  I keep my head down as I trudge past him.

"Hey, Legs!" I hear.

I try to stick to my guns and keep my gaze on the sidewalk, but he keeps talking, "What's  wrong?"  I turn slightly and look at him.  He's hunkered down in his usual spot.  He looks old and frail and I don't want to feel pity for him, but he looks so innocent and he's waving at me.

"Uh... hi," I say.

"How come you're avoiding me?  I thought we were friends!"

"I don't think so."

"But I wanted to thank you for the water you gave me the other day.  Come on."

I hesitate.  He does seem to be more alert and with it today.  I cross the street and head toward him but stop at a cautious distance. 

"What's up?" I ask.

He turns and digs through his stuff a bit and then says, "I found this.  Wanted to return it."  He is holding a notebook.  I assume it's mine, the one I really dropped.  I step closer and reach out for it.  He releases it to me.

"Thanks," I say.  "Gotta get to work now," I say, looking at my watch as I tuck the notebook under my arm.

"Come see me later.  I'd love to chat."

"Maybe," I say, but I think about it the rest of the work day.  What does he mean by "chat" exactly?  I can only ascertain that he's read the contents of my notebook, which makes me wonder what he knows.  Has he figured out I'm a spy?  Does it even matter?  I need to find out.  I'm not sure how I got myself messed up in this but I feel a pull to resolve it once and for all and  move on.  I'll be happy to be done with the whole thing, with him.  I should be focusing my efforts on other things.  What those things are, I'm not super sure, but even still...

So, after another very long and dull day packing food, I walk toward LeRoy.

"Hey ya, Legs," he says.  "You wanna join me?"  He's eying the empty spot along the wall next to him.

"I'm good standing," I say.

"Can I ask you something?" he says, looking up at me with wide eyes.

"I guess."  I stay cool, but my mind is awhirl with what he's going to say.  I attempt to prepare myself for any questions he might throw at me, contemplate how best to answer it.  My mind flips through my spy manual as I try to recall all of the rules about confrontation and what to say when someone seems suspicious of you. 

And, as all of these things churn through my head, Leroy says in a somber tone, looking at me squarely, "Have you ever been to the other side?"

"Um, I don't know what you mean," I answer, which is a pathetic attempt.  I've gone blank.  My heart's racing because clearly he's figured it all out.  He knows.  He must have dissected my notes.  Instead of try to cover it up, argue with LeRoy, all I can think about is that I'm going to have to tell Jameson this.  What will he do to me?  I wish I'd have taken LeRoy up on his offer to sit now because my knees feel wobbly and weak.  I look at LeRoy and that's when I feel a pang of worry for what could happen to him.

I clear my head some and begin again.  "Listen," I say, trying to keep the fear out of my voice.  "You have it wrong..."

But he interrupts me.  His own booms out over mine, yet is still calm and sort of sad, like when Zane would tell me stories about his father, memories from when he was little.  "When I was a boy I used to swim there.  The other side."

I let out the breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.  This isn't about me, or what I am.  Relief hits me.  This guy is still just talking crazy nonsense.  "Oh, yeah?" I say, as if I'm talking to a small child.

"Yeah.  It was a magnificent blue.  Not like any color you've ever seen here."

"Sounds nice," I say, happy to be released from all of the tension I'd been holding in all day.

"It was.  Not like this dingy place."  He closes his eyes and tilts his head back against the brick wall behind him.  He sort of moans and I wonder if he's going to fall asleep.

He looks fragile in this position, his frame small under his layers, and I consider backing away and leaving him to rest, but instead I hear myself ask, "Have you eaten anything today?"

"I can't remember," he says, his eyes still closed. "Sometimes I have a hard time remembering."

I unzip my backpack and take out a protein bar.  I can't stand looking at these stupid things anymore anyway.  The taste, the smell, the association to them with work; they have lost all their appeal to me, if I ever had any to begin with.  He opens his eyes and watches me without speaking.  I toss it to him but he doesn't move or flinch a muscle.  It lands next to his hand and I begin to worry I've offended him with the gesture.  But then he slowly covers his hand over it and pulls it under his thigh, looking around as he does it.  He smiles at me.

I start to walk away, but stop.  "By the way, my name isn't Legs."

"Oh?"

"It's Bekka."

Zane

I sit at The Tap Room waiting for Fulton but it gets late and I figure he must not be coming.  I start to put my journal back into my pack when Harlow appears in front of me. 

              "Mind if I join you?" she says.

              I look around.  Still not seeing Fulton, I say, "I was meeting someone but..."

              Her confident smirk fades, "Oh.  I can just find somewhere else."