Something of a Kind

chapter 9 | ALYSON

Recovering from a late night fit of insomnia suffered under the flashing of a muted television, Aly had slept in for the first time since her mother died.

It was ten o’clock before she had cleaned up and gotten dressed; skipping breakfast to ration what remained from the semi-traumatic grocery trip.

Her arrival fell into what Noah called the Weekend PostHangover Breakfast Rush. He had joked that the townies crawled from the bar to the diner, ready to waste the rest of their pennies on strong coffee and solids for a queasy stomach.

Despite the crowd, he had insisted she be outfitted with brunch, on the house, while she waited for the shift to end. She watched him work, strangely efficient. He was fast, always too nice, always pathetically tipped. She made a point of paying at the register when he slipped in the back, once again relieved to drop it on her father’s tab.

His mother had attended her, both shaking and drowsy, her voice flowery and curt at once. She was a short and pudgy woman, dressed in a belly-hugging russet-colored maxi dress and loafers, her hair in a cropped pixie.

Mary-Agnes sang to herself as she worked, twisting the rosary looped around her neck in rows, still long enough to hang at her bosom. At first, the woman seemed too dazed to notice Aly, not aware enough to remember last night. It wasn’t until Aly claimed the bill never came when Mary-Agnes examined her, a mix of shifting expressions – partially toothless grins and heavily lined frowns. Adding a chunky tip to the tax, the signature neon paper slip was gone long before she had returned to her seat.

Now, Noah sat at her side. He smelled like green apples, having freshly showered and changed after having worked the morning. Sarah had locked herself in her room the night before and disappeared before sunrise, muttering that she was spending the day at Kennedy’s. Noah claimed his parents were embarrassed, quick to pull up facades and flash shining faces for the Sunday evening patronage. When he demanded his sister get the day off, MaryAgnes decided Noah should have the afternoon as well, eager to prove herself to the community without his justified commentaries.

“So a group of people came to my house last night,” Aly announced.

"What?”

“I guess I fell asleep on the couch,” she began, biting her lip. “I woke up because I kept hearing people yell, ‘Glass! If you don’t cooperate, we’re going to get a warrant!’ and there were flashlights through the window, all over the wall. It was so weird.”

“Are you sure it wasn’t a dream?”

“I’m sure. They were out there for like ten minutes. I was so freaked I didn’t fall back asleep for hours,” she sighed. “I hid behind the chimney when they came to the back deck and looked through the sliding windows. I walked out there and stood in the dark for a while.”

It had seemed mob-like, several officers showing up as the sun fell below the horizon with threats of destroying her life. At first she went through the options – Greg would get arrested, she would live with Lauren until she turned eighteen, then she’d go off to school and figure things out. Her toes cold on the damp wood of the deck, she thought of those six months without a mother or a father, the limbo of grief and distance. She was better now, it would be better. It didn’t seem so complicated until she felt her fingertips running over her lips, smiling in spite of her fear.

He was mine for a few seconds. It was perfect.

The idea of leaving, maybe to never see Noah again, physically hurt. She had felt longing swell in her chest. A sudden tightness twisted in her lungs. Something knotted at the back of her throat. It felt overwhelming to decide he was the best thing that had ever happened to her – somewhere between silly and nonsensical – but at that moment, she felt it.

She didn’t want to leave whatever it was she had found in Ashland – Noah, the new beginning she’d wanted so badly. If she left, he’d have disappeared without a trace before she could return. Aly knew he had plans– something along the lines of finishing school and skipping town. If his parents couldn’t track him, she couldn’t imagine she would be able to. Even if they made arrangements… he had only known her for a little while, barely a summer fling. Yet she had been ready to organize her entire life around him.

I still might be– that’s so crazy.

“You know, I think that’s considered battery.”

She shrugged. “It’s not like they threw me to the ground for unlawful arrest. Maybe harassment?”

“Something, definitely. It doesn’t sound legal. Your dad isn’t back yet?”

“No,” she smiled. “This sounds awful, but it’s been nice.”

“I don’t blame you.” His chestnut eyes shined, locking with hers. His thumb brushed across her knuckles. Remembering the feeling of his solid embrace, grounding her to the earth, Aly shivered. She had held her breath, afraid he’d hear if she lost it.

Maybe it’s only a little crazy.

He squeezed her hand.

“Don’t worry. If my brother can weasel his way out of a full - blown DUI, some biologists forgetting to tag a trap shouldn’t be a big deal.” He winced. She suppressed a laugh. It hadn’t come out right, but she knew what he meant. “His company probably has fancy lawyers from the city. I’ve never heard of a business have an issue like that.”

“I think it’s an organization,” Aly replied, fighting a frown. She jumped as the doors to her right flew open, two boys bustling in. Noah steadied her. They both braced for his brothers to rush in. Instead, Luke stumbled to catch his footing, Owen’s head thrown back in laughter.

“Not cool, man.”

“You were looking through the window so hard, I thought I’d help you find your way in.”

“I was not.”

“Not stalking?”

“Hey!” Noah yelled, motioning for them to calm down. They shoved past each other, continuing to bicker, sounding irrationally passiveaggressive. “I thought you girls ran for the hills when the wood beast came running. I assumed you were still floating out there.”

“Hello Alyson, the perfectly nice person who is not Noah who I am ignoring,” Owen said, feigning some sort of accent, like a Siberian who learned to speak English in the Outback. Aly waved until they reached the table.

“I’m surprised you weren’t a meal,” Luke added. “I guess Old Woody wasn’t hungry. Lucky-ducks, you two.”

“Yes, because you clearly didn’t survive,” Noah smirked.

“Got told off by my dad for it too.” Owen grimaced. “Because I’m the idiot who actually asked an elder about it.”

“Really?” Aly leaned forward, eager to listen. Flushing, she elbowed Noah’s ribs as he chuckled, watching her with a curious expression. “And?”

“They like the ladies,” Luke offered, brow wiggling.

“Most tribes are very protective of women,” Noah informed. “The beasts, or whatever, are believed to take interest in them.”

“Rolland said there are legends were women and sasquatch mated and stuff. The babies end up mentally disabled and grow too fast. They never learn to speak or understand the language. Then they die young or get kidnapped,” Owen explained.

“That’s horrible, but unlikely. It looked monkey-bearish, not like a halfperson.”

“Monkey-bearish?” Luke snorted, sliding into the seat across from them. Owen dropped in at his side.

“It’s probably an animal,” Aly disagreed. “But since you guys are so afraid of the forest monster, I doubt we’ll ever figure that out. My guess is bear. And hey, there are owls that sound like that too.”

“I am not!” Luke defended, a crimson clouding his cheeks.

“You ran out of there screaming like a girl.” Owen laughed, his hands clutching his stomach as he released throaty laughs.

“You were no better!” Noah accused, exchanging a glance with Aly. Beneath the table, her hand was locked with his.

When did that happen?

“Enough,” Luke said, palms falling to the table like the slap of a gavel. “We were not scared of the imaginary forest gigolos.”

Mid-laugh, Owen furrowed his brow. He warned, his voice losing a playful edge, “You shouldn’t talk like that. People around here respect them, whether they’re real or not.”

“Not,” Luke corrected, rolling his eyes. He slumped against the window, grumbling unintelligibly.

“You should go find one then,” Aly challenged. “You know, since you’re not afraid or anything.”

Luke froze, countering, “Yeah right. You can’t find what’s not real.”

Aly shook her head, dark waves brushing her face. She insisted, “Sure you can.”

“That’s right,” Noah agreed, “I know we heard something.”

“Walk right up there, Detective No-Fear.” Owen nudged Luke’s elbow. He blanched, turning to point an accusing finger.

“You were just as bad as me! You know what? I will. Because unlike you, I wasn’t freaking out.”

Owen raised his palms in surrender. “I’m going, I’m going.”

Maybe I’ll get to the bottom of this whole thing with my dad.

Aly grinned, straightening in her seat. “Me too! I’m insanely curious. You in?”

“I’d love to,” Noah smiled, holding her gaze. Feeling the onset of a blush, she looked away. Shifting to stare out the window, she hid behind the cover of curls, her hair falling across her eyes. Wordlessly, Noah removed his hand from hers, sliding an arm around her shoulder.

She held still, conscious of the heat at her back, the coolness settling into her warmed fingers. He tucked a front lock behind her ear, exposing her face. She glanced up. Owen and Luke were too animated in conversation to notice. From their hands, gesturing and pointing indignantly, it seemed they were content trying to one-up each other’s bluff. Realizing she had burrowed into Noah’s embrace, she straightened, swallowing hard. Aly waved to grab the boys’ attention, releasing a breath she didn’t know she had been holding.

“So are we doing this?”

“Definitely,” Owen confirmed, sticking a fist forward.

“Gentlemen and Aly,” Luke announced, punching Owen's offered knuckles, “Challenge accepted.”