“Did anything happen here while I was gone?” He stopped studying the doors and windows and focused on me. I offered him a piece from the tub.
When he had it in his mouth, I answered, “Sure. First, I told Gran she had to wait on the stoop in the cold until you returned and then, when you knocked on the window, I asked you if you could look like anyone else.” He made a choking noise on the popcorn. Before he swallowed, I quickly added, “She likes red,” and smiled at him. His eyes stayed liquid silver and he gave me a small smile in return.
“Come on. Let’s watch a movie and then see how long it takes me to fall asleep.”
I became aware of the light in the room, but refused to open my eyes holding to my oath to sleep in. After a few moments listening to Morik’s steady breathing, I grew curious. Unlike the last few mornings, I lay in my own space. A bigger bed made a difference.
He lay next to me with his eyes closed, actually sleeping. Carefully, so I wouldn’t wake him, I rolled to my side and studied him. He looked so human… until I spotted his horns peeking through his hair. The sharp tip of it rested against the pillow. I wondered how many pillows died because of them. The tips of his ears hid under his long hair.
I checked the time, a little after eight, to make sure it wasn’t too early to wake him and then reached out to run my fingers through his hair. I liked the feel of it. But that wasn’t my true purpose. I wanted to find his ear. My fingers found the tip of the one closest to me.
“Good morning,” he said in a deep, rough voice keeping his eyes closed.
“Morning,” I whispered trying to keep my smile from it. I didn’t remove my hand. My fingertip traced along the outer shell to the tip, then followed that ridge to the place where the top of his ear joined his head. I repeated the move reversing direction. At the tip, I ran my fingers to the underside.
His eyes popped open, black voids. I couldn’t actually tell if he looked at me, but assumed I had his attention. A fine tremor shook him for a moment as I continued.
“Let’s get you home before we upset your mother,” he said. It sounded a bit choked.
A moment later, I lay on my bed, a smile still lingering on my lips. He shook his head at me and disappeared.
Muffled through the closed door, the phone rang, and I heard someone say, “That girl is driving me crazy!”
Curious, I got out of bed and drifted to the living room.
“Oh, Tess! I didn’t know he brought you back. Beatriz has been calling. She called yesterday and we forgot to tell you to return her call before you left. She was worried when you disappeared Friday night.” The phone continued to ring during her explanation. “Oh, just answer it,” Gran said waving me away.
I picked up the kitchen phone knowing there’d be no privacy. “Hello?”
“Tess, what happened to you? You never said anything… just disappeared. We were so worried!” Beatriz exclaimed in an annoyed tone.
Containing my groan, I said, “I know. I’m sorry for scaring you. Morik found me and we decided to leave. You’re right. I should have said good-bye.” I’d completely forgotten how we’d left the party.
A moment of silence carried over the line and I opened my mouth to apologize again.
“Brad told me what he did,” she said softly as if worried someone might overhear. “He thinks that’s why you left. Don’t get me wrong, I like Morik. But it’d be cool if you liked my brother.”
I closed my eyes and felt the lingering pull of our friendship from the vision with Brad. Oh, I knew she wouldn’t mind me liking him at all. “Brad is great, and what he did wasn’t the reason I left. I hope he finds someone great, but it won’t be me. I like Morik.”
“Yeah,” she said sadly. Then she perked up, “What are you doing today? Do you two want to come over?”
I looked over at Gran who sat in the living room knitting with a pile of yarn at her feet. Aunt Danielle opened an eye to look at me a large knowing smile on her face. “I don’t know what we’re doing today. I just woke up. Let me talk to my mom and I’ll give you a call back.”
She groaned. “It takes forever for you to call back,” she accused, and I knew she’d forgiven me for disappearing.
I laughed, said good-bye, and she unwillingly let me go.
Morik still hadn’t reappeared and I began to wonder where he’d gone to. But more importantly, “Gran, where are Mom and Aunt Grace?”
“Grace is sleeping in and your mom is still at Stephen’s.”
Admittedly, the news that mom went to stay the night at Stephen’s took me by surprise, and I stared at Gran a moment. She returned my look, watching for my reaction. There was none to give.
“Beatriz wanted to know if I could come over today. Do we have any plans here?”