The Gathering (21 page)

Kaley laughed.

"Well, that would be convenient for you, wouldn't it?"

Ian shook his head.

"No, Kaley. No, it wouldn't.
 
Cause you see, to be completely honest, and I think this conversation will either make or break us; the truth is that I've been in love with you since you were twelve.
 
The day you beat the hell out of Ben Keller for pulling your hair, remember?
 
I looked at you and thought 'Wow, she's amazing' and every time I've seen you since, you have become more and more amazing."

Kaley was now staring at Ian with a look of absolute surprise.

"So no, it would not be convenient for the woman I happened to be in love with to be nuts. No.
 
Unfortunately, I'm seeing that pattern emerge and it's disturbing, really."

Kaley stood silent before him and glared.
 

Did he say “in love?”
 
Yes, he said “in love.”
 

She stared at him.
 
She was crazy.
 
He just wanted to dance to make her feel more relaxed.
 
She realized she had been terrified to say the wrong thing.
 
She had a made a horrible fool of herself and in front of the one person she was trying desperately not to.

Now she didn't know what to do and that made her angrier.
 
She threw her arms in the air and walked off.

Ian looked around and then yelled after her.

"Hey!"

The tone in his voice made her stop.
 
He walked up to her and grabbed her arm, spinning her around to face him, where he grabbed her other arm.
 
She looked at the ground ashamed to meet his eyes, trying to fight off the tears.

"Look at me."

She would not.
 
His voice softened.

"Look at me."

She raised her face and looked into his eyes, as a tear ran down her cheek.
 
His eyes were blue like his father's, clear and shining.
 
He looked at her and wiped the tear off her face.

"I'm sorry," she said.
 
"I don't know why I did that.
 
I think I’m just…"

He took her face in his hands and lifted her eyes to his.

"…Scared," he said.

The tears started to come and she nodded.

"That's why I wanted to dance,” he said.
 
“To get rid of the last six months of distance and get you to a place where you were comfortable with me like the last Gathering.
 
You know, on the way here, all I could think about was what if she doesn’t feel about me the way I feel about her?
 
But then I realized it didn't matter.
 
I love you."

"You keep saying that."

"Yeah, I do and I don't expect you to say it back.
 
I just want us to get to a place where you can talk, like now."

"I know... I didn't realize I was doing that."

She wiped her face and Ian smiled and kissed her forehead.
 
Kaley could feel only how she belonged there.
 
Why was she so afraid?
 
She thought about him all the time, even though she didn't want to admit it.

Ian made her look up at him.

"Look, I'm not going anywhere.
 
I love you.
 
It's that simple, try not to complicate it."

Ian turned and started to walk away.

"Where are you going?"

Ian stopped and looked back around at Kaley.

"I'm going to get a couple of ales.
 
Then I would like to dance with you, if you don’t mind?"

Kaley smiled and shook her head.

"No, I don’t mind."

"Good.
 
Stop being crazy so we can have a good time."

Ian turned and started to walk, when he stopped again and turned back around.
  
Kaley looked like a little girl waiting to be invited to the party.
 
Ian smiled and held out his hand.
 
Kaley walked over and it.

"I'm sorry."

"I know, stop apologizing, please."

Ian kissed the back of her hand and then looked at her.

"Besides if I get you to fall in love with me then I figure I better get used to it, right?"

Kaley smiled slightly as Ian led them back to Donagan's.
 
She already knew the answer to that question.
 
He would get used to it.

26

Brian Stark ran through the Fail streets with Joe Levine and Jerry and Liam Turner.
 
Grant Turner's brother Bill and his wife had stayed behind to look over those who had chosen to stay at St. Paul's, but they didn't think the boys should have to stay, so Grant had brought them along.

All evening, the four boys had managed to acquire cakes and drink without paying a cent.
 
They were currently chasing a soccer ball through the streets, when Brian jumped up for a header and ran right into Justin Roberts.

The collision caused Brian to fall to the ground and the other boys to stop dead in their tracks.

"My goodness, Mr. Stark!
 
Such foolhardy behavior could lead to quite an accident."

Justin held out his hand to help Brian up.

"Sorry, Mr. Roberts."

Brian looked over at Clara Roberts and quickly glanced away when she smiled at him.

Joe wandered off to see where the ball had gone and the Turner boys followed.
 
They all sensed a lecture coming.

"Perhaps you should come along with us, Brian?
 
We were going to the cake competition."

Brian's mind darted in all directions.
 
What kind of excuse could he use?
 
His mother would kill him if he offended any of the dignitaries.
 
His mind was a blank.
 
He could feel the tide of resignation sweep over him and he was about to agree.

"There you are, Young Man!"

Helen came up behind him with Amanda in tow.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?"

Brian was stunned.
 
He had two hours left, what could she possibly be talking about?

He looked up at her and was about to shake his head, when he saw her eyebrows rise and he then understood the game.
 
He shook his head.

"No, I forgot to check the clock."

"Well, it's time for you to help me gather your young siblings.
 
I have Miss Amanda, but we appear to have lost Brandon and Lisa, so a little assistance if you don't mind?"

Brian turned back around to Justin and Clara and shrugged his shoulders.

"Thanks for invitation, but I have to help Helen find the kids.
 
Good luck."

Justin nodded and Clara's face dropped as they walked on towards the cake competition.
 
Brian watched them walk away and then turned back to Helen.

"Thanks, Helen."

"You're welcome.
 
Watch where you're going from now on, but if you do see the twins, let them know they have no time left.
 
This one is on her way to bed."

Amanda was pulling on Helen's iron grip.

"I'm not tired."

"I'm sure."

Helen watched her stomp her foot and begin to yawn, her big eyes growing ever smaller.

Brian laughed and looked around Helen to see the Turners calling Brian over to them.
 
Brian turned back to Helen.
 
She raised her hand.

"Go on, just don't make me come looking for you later, got it?"

"Yes, Ma'am!
 
Thanks again!"

Brian smiled and ran off to join the Turners, as Helen picked up Amanda who still protested that she was not tired as she rubbed her eyes and laid her head on Helen's shoulder.

Jerry Turner bade Brian follow him.

"Dude, you're not gonna believe what we found."

"What?"

"C'mon," Liam said.

Brian followed them through the streets to a small alcove near the north end of the village.
 
Brian had been all over the village, but didn't remember this alcove.

"Where's Joe?"

Suddenly a hand came out of the darkness and grabbed his foot.
 
Brian screamed and fell backwards.

"What the hell?"

Joe Levine came out of the darkness laughing.

"Sorry, Man.
 
It was too easy."

Brian got up and dusted himself off.
 
Jerry leaned in.

"Hey, Brian, what is this place?"

Brian walked into the alcove, shaking his head.

"I don't know.
 
I've never seen it before."

Liam sat by the opening.

"What do you mean you've never seen it?
 
You live here, right?"

Brian looked at him.

"Shut up."

He then turned to Joe.

"How far does it go in?"

Joe shrugged.

"I just went in a little ways to get the ball, but it looks like it goes real deep into the wall."

Brian smiled and turned towards the other boys.

"Let's see where it goes."

The other boys all looked at one another.
 
Joe shrugged his shoulders.

"Sure."

Jerry got up to go, but Liam wasn’t as sure as his brother and remained seated.

"What if it's somewhere we're not supposed to be?"

Brian walked over and offered Liam his hand.

"We'll just go a little way.
 
It might be too dark to see much, so then we'll come back."

Liam was chewing on his bottom lip, staring into the blackness, but he eventually took Brian's hand and got up, then the four of them disappeared into the black.