Out of the Ashes (7 page)

All in all, it was a great meal. Well, except for one thing. When we were nearly finished eating, Mom went to get more coffee, and Dad followed her into the doorway where a sprig of mistletoe was hanging. To my horror, he kissed her right in front of everyone. Talk about gross! I made no effort to hide my disgust at this outrageous spectacle, but no one else seemed to mind it.

When we had stuffed mincemeat pie into our already full stomachs, our guests insisted on doing the dishes. Mom tried to object, but it was obvious she wasn't going to win, especially when Mr. Taylor said he'd arm wrestle her to see if he'd get his way.

Mom looked so surprised at the suggestion that we all laughed, and then she declined the arm wrestle and sent me off to the kitchen with them to show them where everything went.

I felt strangely proud of Mr. Taylor for doing this. It was such a nice way of repaying Mom for the dinner invitation. Even though she'd tried to refuse the offer, I knew she was tired from cooking all day long. It was great for her to be able to sit down in the living room and relax instead of having to do the big clean-up. And of course, I would have been helping her, so it was beneficial to me too.

It was kind of sad though, watching Greg and his dad doing the dishes. Mr. Taylor washed and Greg dried, and I couldn't help thinking about how they
must do this together at home all the time because there was no Mrs. Taylor anymore. It looked wrong somehow, because she was missing from the picture. I wondered what she had looked like and how she had fit with the two of them.

Just as we were finishing up, Betts arrived to tell me about some of the gifts she'd received. I had a bad moment when she was introduced to Greg's dad and she got an excited look on her face. I thought for sure that she was going to start asking him embarrassing questions. It reminded me of how I'd been planning to watch him for signs that he might be the Little River fire starter, which by then struck me as ridiculous. There was no way a nice man like Mr. Taylor was involved in something like that.

I never found out whether or not Betts might have gotten around to prying because Greg suggested that the three of us go outside and build a snow sculpture.

“It's kind of dark out,” Betts pointed out. She didn't seem that enthusiastic, but I was glad for the idea. After being in the hot kitchen, the thought of fresh air was more than welcome.

“We'll put on the porch light,” I said, hauling on my jacket and gloves. “It'll be fun.”

She shrugged and came along just as I knew she would. Betts is really a good sport, and even if she complains sometimes she always comes through.

We couldn't agree right away on what we were going to make so we just started making a big mound, building up a pile of snow in the middle of the yard. By the time we had enough to shape into a sculpture, we'd agreed on making a snow castle. It was just taking form when Betts tossed the first snowball and hit Greg on the arm.

“I can see that we're going to need to build a dungeon in our castle for this miscreant,” he laughed, lobbing a snowball back at her.

“What did you call me?” she demanded, ducking and laughing.

“Thou art a most sneaky and evil villain,” he said solemnly, gathering more snow into a ball.

Well, that was the end of our sculpture. Fluffy white orbs flew back and forth faster and faster until we were all out of breath and gasping with laughter. Our faces were red when we finally went back inside to warm ourselves. Greg's mitts were covered in snow and I banged them over the kitchen sink to knock some of it off before hanging them up to dry.

“Neat mitts,” I commented. They were black with a red and purple design. He told me that it was an Aztec pattern and then added that his father had knitted them.

“Your dad knits!” Betts almost choked on the words.

“Yeah, why not?”

“Well, guys don't knit.”

“And why is that?”

“Knitting is for women.”

“Women have been fighting that very attitude for years. Do you think that men and women have to be restricted to certain roles?”

“That's not what she meant,” I said quickly. I could see Betts's face clouding over, and I knew she wasn't going to win an argument with Greg.

“Don't you think Betts should speak for herself?”

“Come on, don't make a big deal over something this small.”

“Stereotyping isn't a small thing. Men and women need to accept each other's right to make choices based on individuality, with all gender bias aside. Until that happens we're all affected by unfair restrictions and ideas.”

Well, by then Betts was getting pretty upset. She left almost immediately, saying she'd call me the next day.

I was furious with Greg and hardly spoke to him again before he and his dad left. The nerve of him, coming to my house and starting a fight with my best friend!

On the other hand, I figured it was just the excuse I needed to avoid any more contact with him.

By the time school went back in, Betts seemed to have forgotten all about the argument she'd had with Greg. Well, maybe argument isn't exactly the right word. It's not as if she was holding up her side of it, and I think that's what bothered me the most. He knew perfectly well that she couldn't defend herself, especially since she didn't even know the meaning of some of the words he used. It was an unfair attack.

But Betts never holds a grudge for long, which is something I usually admire in her a lot. I can be way more stubborn and vindictive than she can, and her good nature has saved us from serious quarrels more than once.

Greg hadn't called me after Christmas, and I knew he was well aware that I wasn't too happy with him. I naturally assumed that was going to be the end of the whole matter with him.

So when Betts kept talking to me about him, how much he liked me and all that stuff, it was really exasperating. I did my best to point out how rude he'd been to her, but she laughed it off as if it wasn't worth remembering.

I guess that's where we first came in. Betts and her campaign to help me see that Greg was the Man of My Dreams. I think it was probably because she was still seeing Graham and wanted us both to have steady boyfriends so we could do things together as couples. Whatever her reason, it was wearing pretty thin, and I was just barely managing to stay patient about the whole thing.

Another big reason I needed to stay as far away from Greg as possible was that Nick had broken up with Jane. I saw her in the hallway the first day of school after the Christmas break and I almost felt sorry for her. She seemed really sad, walking with her eyes cast down and her face set hard and tight, as though she had something clenched between her teeth. It made me feel guilty when I thought of how happy I'd been to hear the news about their breakup.

“Nick got fed up having a girlfriend who never wants to go anywhere or do anything,” Betts gave me the low-down. “I heard that every time he called her to make plans she had some excuse that she couldn't go out.”

That seemed strange all right, but then Jane has been kind of odd ever since I've known her. Her mom
and dad divorced when she was little, and her mom remarried not too long afterward. I always figured that she never got over her folks splitting up like that. Still, I think her stepdad is okay. I remember seeing him walking with her when she was small, holding her hand and talking to her. Lots of dads don't spend as much time with their daughters as Jane's stepfather does with her.

Even these days it's common to see them driving along together. She's always leaning away from him, staring hard out the passenger window with a look of resentment on her face. And her attitude hasn't escaped people's notice either. I've heard more than one person talking about how spoiled and mean she acts, and what a nice man he is to keep making an effort to be a good father to her in spite of it.

Maybe it's natural for her to dislike him, since her own father isn't around anymore. Some kids never get over their folks splitting up and keep hoping that someday they'll get back together. I guess it's like that for Jane.

Well, I wasn't about to spend my time feeling sorry for Jane Goodfellow. She had her chance with Nick and she blew it. Now it would be someone else's turn, and I was determined that it was going to be me. Only I would be an ideal girlfriend, and he'd never want to break up with me.

By the time we'd been back in school for a week I was pretty confident that Nick was going to ask me out.
He went out of his way to talk to me and always gave me little hints that told me he was interested.

Then today on my way to history class he had just passed me in the hallway when he turned and called out, “Hey, Shelby.”

I stopped in mid-step with the usual thrill running through me. Still, when I spun around to face him I did my best not to look too eager.

“Oh, hi Nick,” I said, as if I hadn't noticed him walking by only seconds before.

“Are you doing anything tonight?”

My heart leapt right up into my throat. Well, I guess it didn't, but it sure felt like something was there. The best I could do was shake my head “no.”

“Can you come over to my place later?” He reached his hand out and touched my arm in the most casual way, as if he didn't even notice he was doing it. His eyes looked right into mine. “You're a whiz at English, and I need some help with a stupid essay we have to write. I can't get anywhere with it, and it's due tomorrow.”

“How much do you have done?” I managed to ask. I had a lot of homework of my own and a project in science that I'd sort of let slide for too long.

He smiled and shrugged in the most adorable way. “None actually. And the coach is going to suspend me from the basketball team if I don't bring my marks up. I could sure use your help.”

I hesitated. If I didn't get my science project finished, I'd lose points for it being late. I really needed most of the evening to finish it and get the rest of my homework done.

“You said you weren't doing anything,” he pointed out with another smile. “But if you can't make it, don't worry about it. I think Allison would probably give me a hand.”

Allison! That conniving witch has been throwing herself at Nick forever. I could just picture her using the excuse to sit really close to him, batting her eyes and giggling. The thought almost made me sick.

“No, it's no problem. What time did you want me to come over?”

“Right after supper.” His hand trailed down my arm and squeezed lightly before he took it away. “I'll be waiting.”

After he left, I thought for sure I was going to be late for my next class. My knees were so weak I could hardly move, making it impossible to hurry down the hallway. I just got there and slid into my seat as the teacher was standing up to take attendance.

Mr. Rittner was up there talking on and on about Hannibal and elephants and some pass, but I really didn't hear much of what he was saying. There was something about a battle, but if anyone had asked me after class which side had won I couldn't have answered.

Thoughts of spending time alone with Nick raced through my head. He could have asked anyone to help him, but he'd chosen me! I knew it was just a matter of time before Nick Jarvis and I would be a couple. I'd be the envy of half the girls at Little River High.

Once home, I raced through some of my homework and then hardly touched my supper because my stomach was all tied up in nervous, excited knots. As soon as the kitchen was cleaned up I headed off to Nick's place.

He met me at the door with one of his adorable smiles and led me to the kitchen table where his books were piled.

“Sorry about the mess,” he laughed. “My stuff isn't all that organized, but I'm sure you can find what you need.” He flipped through a couple of binders and pulled out an assignment sheet.

“Here we go.” He passed it to me and then fumbled through his stuff for a pen and some blank paper. When he gave me the pen his fingers brushed against mine ever so softly, sending a jolt up my arm.

I read the assignment and was a little dismayed that the essay had to be a thousand words long. It would take all evening, even if we hurried. I'd have to stay up half the night to get my science project finished. Well, it would be worth it!

“You're such a sweetheart.”

A quiver went all through me when he said that, but it disappeared fast at his next words.

“I wish I could be here the whole time, but the team has a practice at seven.” Seeing my dismayed look he added quickly, “Don't worry. It's a short one. I'll be home by eight or so.”

His mom came into the room just then and looked quizzically at him.

“This is Shelby, Ma. Isn't she a babe? She's giving me a hand with an essay, so keep the TV down will you?” Then he tossed on his jacket and headed out the door.

I could hardly believe it. Instead of being alone with Nick, there I was, alone with his mom. It wasn't exactly how I'd pictured it!

I reminded myself that he'd be back in an hour and got to work. Before long I was concentrating hard on the essay and trying not to watch the clock too closely. Still, I couldn't help but notice when eight-thirty passed and he still wasn't back. Then it was nine, and nine-thirty. At ten minutes to ten I had the essay finished.

There was nothing left to do then but tell his mother goodnight and leave.

On the walk home I was trying to think of excuses for Nick not coming back to his house. Everything I came up with sounded lame, and my disappointment was turning to anger. Well, anger and humiliation. And since I'd let it happen, I wasn't sure if I was angry at Nick or at myself.

Before very long though, something happened that completely erased all thoughts of Nick Jarvis from my mind. Well, for the moment anyway. Something was wrong.

When I first smelled smoke in the air I'd assumed it was just someone's wood furnace, but then I realized it was too thick, and it didn't have the right smell.