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“I wonder too.” Thais twisted the cap back on a jar and set it beside the others.
“He really likes you.”
THAIS
I blushed.
“Does that worry you?”
I regretted saying it, but it was too late to take it back. How pretentious of me!
“Not at all,” he said; he grinned over at me under hooded eyes. “But if I did have reason to worry, don’t for a second think that because he’s handicapped I wouldn’t compete to win your heart.”
You already have my heart, Atticus…
Worried he could read my mind, my face flushed; I unlaced my boots as a distraction.
“I know we can’t stay here forever,” I said seconds later, “but I wish we could. We have everything we need here: a water source just yards away; this forest is teeming with wildlife—they had heirloom seeds in their stock; did you see them? If we stayed, we could plant a huge garden.” I set my boots on the floor, out of the way. “It’s just unfortunate that we have to leave this place. I mean, not that I’m trying to convince you to stay, because I know we can’t, but it’s amazing to me that June, Esra, and Jeffrey have made it this far.”
“They have to be in their eighties,” Atticus pointed out. “Sure, they’re getting along just fine on their own, but for how long? How much longer until Lexington City finds this place? You know what’ll happen when they do.”
I frowned.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“It’s okay. You’re right.”
He stood and reached out a hand.
I accepted, and stood to face him; he cupped my elbows in the palms of his hands.
“We’ll stay another week maybe, just long enough to pay June and Esra back for what they gave us. And then it’s time to go.”
I know, Atticus…I know.
48
ATTICUS
Apparently, Tuesday was the next day and the day after that, because Jeffrey was at the cabin, knocking on the back door bright and early both mornings.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I complained when Jeffrey’s knuckles rapped heavily on the wood; I groaned and rolled over onto my side, tossing my arm over Thais.
“Let me get up,” she said, and tried to wriggle herself free.
I pulled her closer, nuzzled my face into her neck. “Don’t answer it,” I said, my eyes closed. “He’ll come back later.”
“Let me go talk to him; he probably won’t leave easily.”
Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Come swim with me, Thais!”
I groaned louder, and then released her.
Thais got dressed and went outside to a delighted Jeffrey dressed in a pair of shorts, red with yellow stripes that dropped to his manly knees; he wore a pair of worn-out running shoes with no socks.
I sat on the bank of the pond watching them swim; Thais in her cotton pants and T-shirt. She shrieked when Jeffrey splashed her with great gushes of water; and when he’d swim underneath the water and grab her legs.
