The Song of David

“Tag!” Axel sounded desperate, and I wondered if he was trying to hold back a panicked Henry.

“Henry needs to see that you’re okay, Millie.” But she was already headed for the door, moving with such surety and purpose that I marveled for a moment before I shook myself awake and followed her out of the room.

Axel and Henry stood at the base of the stairs, Axel holding on to Henry, trying to comfort and contain him. When they saw me and Millie above them, Axel let Henry go, cursing in relieved Swedish. Henry raced up the stairs, barreling into his sister, who heard his flight and braced herself, wrapping her thin arms around him as he flung himself against her.

“I’m okay, Henry. I’m okay. I just cut my finger. You should have talked to me, Henry, before running out of the house so late at night! I didn’t even know you were awake. You should have let me explain.”

“A baseball has exactly 108 stitches,” Henry whispered and buried his head in his sister’s shoulder.

“I don’t need stitches, Henry. I’m fine. I promise.” She smoothed her hand over his messy hair and held him tightly.

“Everything okay then?” Axel shifted his weight and reached for the door handle, as if Henry’s distress had worn him out. I descended the stairs and extended my hand to my friend.

“Yeah, Axel. Thanks. I owe you one, man.”

Axel nodded and grasped my hand, the relief still evident in his quick smile. “I couldn’t convince him everything was all right.”

“It’s okay. He’s had it tough. He had no reason to expect good news, poor kid,” I said, my voice low, meant only for his ears. Axel nodded again, and releasing my hand, slid out the door into the night, calling his goodbye to Henry, who lifted his hand but didn’t lift his head from Millie’s shoulder.

I left Henry in Millie’s consoling hands and went in search of rags and disinfectant, determined to rid the house of blood stains and bad memories. I threw myself into wiping down the kitchen, unloading and reloading the dishwasher while I was at it. Then I followed the blood trail up the stairs, through Millie’s room, and into the bathroom, trying not to think about what would have happened had Axel not arrived with Henry when he did. I could hear the sounds of Millie’s voice mixed with ESPN commentary, seeping out from beneath Henry’s door and sorted through my jumbled emotions by scrubbing the sink and taking an old toothbrush to the tiles on the bathroom floor. I removed the contents from the medicine cabinet, making careful note of how it was organized so I could return it to the same place, enabling Millie to locate everything when I was done. I finished up by cleaning the toilet and the shower for good measure.

“It smells like pine sol and sap in here.” Millie stood in the door, smiling softly.

“Ah. My signature fragrance,” I joked, though it fell flat. I’d left my good humor back at the bar, abandoned it when Henry staggered through the door in his pajamas, and I hadn’t had a chance to retrieve it. I stood washing my hands, but I didn’t turn around. My hands were red from cleaning, but my nerves were raw, and I didn’t really trust myself with Millie right now.

“Henry okay?” I asked.

“Yeah. Henry’s okay. Are you?” Her voice was timid. I didn’t answer immediately, and she waited me out, listening to me wash my hands and turn off the water before I finally spoke.

“When my sister disappeared, I kept thinking I’d come home one day, and she’d be there. Just a misunderstanding. A bad dream.” I found her reflection in the little oval mirror, my eyes clinging to her face before forcing myself to look away. Tonight had made me feel like the old Tag. The sixteen-year-old Tag who lost his sister and couldn’t save her.

“I’m glad Henry’s okay.” I was glad Henry’s sister was okay too. I was so glad. So ridiculously, tearfully, gratefully glad.

I felt Millie’s hand brush my back tentatively, finding me, and then she slid her arms around my waist and laid her head against me.

“Thank you, David. I don’t know why you are so good to us. But you are. And I’m not going to question it. I’m just going to be grateful.” I felt the press of her body against my back as her arms tightened briefly. Then she stepped back, releasing me, and I bore down on the desire that whooshed through me like a blow torch, only to curse at the heat, turn on her, slam the door, and back Millie up against it.