He grinned slightly and assured me, “I will blend.”
I thought about it, trying to see it from every angle. “Help me out here. Are you tricking me in some way? Is there something that I should be asking or thinking of? If your price is really to touch you once and spend an hour a day with you for ten days while I’m allowed to stay up as late as I want… with no backlash, I’d agree. But is someone going to die because of this? Am I going to fall into a coma for ten days after or something weird like that? Or will this affect my children someday if I don’t choose you?
He watched me carefully as I spoke. I thought the last comment would bother him, but he took it without reaction. “No. The terms are as simple as they sound.”
Taking a deep breath, I agreed to the deal and waited expectantly for something to happen. Maybe a swirling of pixie dust around my head or something, but nothing did.
Instead, he flashed a triumphant smile and promised, “I will see you tonight. After the chant, you will feel sleepy, but will stay awake until you see me. Do not fear me. Tonight will be the first night of ten.” He faded as the last group of students rose from their table.
“Come on Beatriz,” I said when she blinked at the suddenly empty cafeteria. I didn’t let her dwell on it. “Do you have plans for Saturday? I was thinking of trying to talk my mom into a little free time.”
She perked up and we started talking about potential plans. All I had to do was get through tonight without screaming and running away when Morik showed up. I hoped there were no hidden terms to the deal, like my imminent death.
Chapter 7
It took effort to hide my tension from Gran while we prepared dinner. Anticipation warred with trepidation. She looked at me questioningly a few times, but I smiled and diverted her with different topics. The best topic being that of our elderly neighbor.
She let slip that he invited her to a card party. I grinned and asked if she would go. The happiness on her face dimmed just a little when she said the party didn’t start until after dark.
We both quietly withdrew to our own thoughts. I wanted happiness for them all, but until I chose, they had no freedom. Once they put me to bed, everyone stayed in. The house remained for all intents under lock down until sunup. I hoped I could pull off meeting Morik in the flesh. If so, I might not be the only one making plans for the weekend.
Sitting through dinner, baked white fish, mashed potatoes and carrots, tested my patience. I couldn’t ever remember looking forward to the evening chant. Forcing myself to eat slowly, I listened to my mom talk about her boss’s invitation to a seminar that she turned down. Something in her tone caught my attention briefly. I studied her when she talked about him and wondered if there might be an attraction between them.
As usual, I excused myself from the clean-up process to shower and get ready for bed. Morik’s words repeated in my mind. Was he going to knock on the door after they put me to bed? I started to panic. They didn’t answer the door for anyone and I would miss my chance to complete my end of the deal.
I looked around my room trying to think of something. He said I would feel sleepy, but stay awake. Maybe that was so I could sneak to the door and slip out. If I had to sneak out, I’d need more than pajamas, but mom would wonder if I dressed in anything else.
Settling on wearing pajamas, I set clothes out on the chair near my bed. If I didn’t pass out, I’d change and then listen for my chance to get to the front door.
“You’re very quiet tonight,” my mom commented when she came to get me.
“A lot on my mind with school,” I explained quietly too nervous to come up with anything better.
She stopped in the hallway and turned toward me, forcing me to stop as well. “Are you being bullied again?” concern laced her voice.
All the resentment over the yelling we’d done at each other vanished when I saw the fear in her eyes. I gave her a reassuring hug. “No mom. It’s just regular school stuff.”
She nodded, and I felt guilty for keeping secrets as I followed her to the living room. There were still too many reasons not to tell her everything. I wasn’t sure of the truth. Tonight would be a test. If the deal went as simply as he said it would, I’d have more trust in the legitimacy of the story he’d told me. And I didn’t want to alarm anyone with those details until I felt more certain of them.