Fledgling

by Natasha Brown

  “Father?” Aiyana touched her father’s shoulder. ”Father, this is Chance’s new friend, Ana. Ana, this is my father, Niyol.”

  His still face watched her. Ana turned her eyes down and said, “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

  Chance’s hand rested on her shoulder and she met his gaze. “Grandfather takes me on hikes a lot. He’s taught me all about the animals here and he enjoys stargazing, like you.”

  Niyol turned his face to his grandson and nodded steadily. His eyes drifted past Ana’s necklace and widened. He searched his grandson’s face, questioningly, although Chance didn’t react.

  Aiyana looked at her father, patted him on the arm and spoke before returning to the kitchen. “Ready to eat, Father? We’ll go get everything ready. I hope you’re hungry tonight, Ana. Please, make yourself at home.”

  Niyol turned to Ana and asked, “Do you like Clark Bend?”

  “I really like it here. The view of the sky is fantastic.”

  “Indeed.” He nodded without taking his eyes off of her.

  Everyone moved to sit around a large, hand-crafted wooden table. The food placed before Ana looked like it was straight from the cooking channel. She couldn’t remember the last time she smelled anything so rich. Compared to this meal, pizza was boring. Neither she or her mother were very imaginative cooks, so she relished the flavors and the time put into this savory food.

  She stared at the bright orange residue in her bowl. “The soup is so good, what is it?”

  “Oh, that’s butternut squash soup. And the beans have been stewing all day. The pulled beef is Chance’s favorite.” Aiyana said with a proud smile.

  Niyol sat across from her, his gaze tracing between her eyes and necklace throughout dinner. Ana, felt Aiyana survey her closely as well. Uncomfortable with the attention, she focused on Chance, who seemed aware of his families lingering stares.

  “Well, I guess it’s time for you two to get going,” Ben said and pushed away from the table.

  Full and satisfied, warmth spread through Ana’s body. She stood up to help clear the table and began to do the dishes. Chance rushed into the kitchen and startled her as he whispered in her ear, “Give me ten minutes and then we’ll head out.”

  The hairs on the nape of her neck rose from his warm breath. Chance left the kitchen with a backward glance and left her holding a dripping plate at the sink with Aiyana. His mother studied her closely, and said, “Chance tells me your family just moved here. Do you like your new home?”

  “Yes, I do. I was hesitant about moving, but I’m glad we came. It feels more like home than Denver did, strangely. I think I’m happier.”

  Aiyana asked, “You weren’t happy before?”

  Tangled in a web she didn’t want to be in, Ana paused. It was hard not to speak about the major force in her life. The purpose of the move was to have a second chance and she was enjoying her try at normalcy too much to ruin it now.

  “Things haven’t always been easy. My dad left when I was ten. It’s always just been Mom, Eva and me. This is a second chance for us, starting fresh.” The question hadn’t been directly answered, but she spoke the truth. She hoped Aiyana would be satisfied.

  “You must be close to your mother and sister then?”

  “Yes, very. I spend all my time with my little sister when Mom’s at work. I prefer being with my family, but I’ve enjoyed my time here with your family, too.” She stumbled. “And I like spending time with Chance. I‘m comfortable around him, and that’s a first.” Her voice trailed off while she hoped she hadn’t insulted her host.

  Aiyana’s expression was hard to read. Ana got the feeling she was being assessed. Her host wasn’t being rude, or mean even, but something was bothering her. That much was clear.

  “Well, I’m glad you’ve found friendship with Chance. He’s such a special person, like no other—he always finds a way to surprise me. I’m happy you two are so comfortable with each other.” Aiyana’s eyes moved to the door while she confirmed her son wasn’t near. “When my mother died, my father came to live with us. Chance took her death real hard. He hasn’t been the same since. He spends most of his time with Father now. I would hate to see him hurt again.”

  Aiyana handed Ana a plate to dry and held her gaze.

  “I understand. I wouldn’t want to see him hurt either.” A lump formed in Ana’s throat. You should stop now, Ana, before you get in too deep. Someone will get hurt. You can’t promise you won’t hurt him. She stared at the water running from the faucet and swallowed.

  Aiyana grinned the first time that night. “I’m sure you don’t. Sorry to get so serious. Anyway, you said this feels more like home here—what’s different? Why do you think this feels like home just after a week?”

  “Well, since I got here, everything’s fallen into place so perfectly. It’s never been like that before. Now I’m afraid it will fall apart.” She couldn’t help but speak from the heart. Her cheek gave an involuntary twinge and she tried to let her worries go. A warm hand settled on her back and she met Aiyana’s sympathetic eyes.

  “Life has rhythm, Ana. It’s like the ocean’s tides. Water comes in and pulls back, repeating infinitely. There will always be good and bad. But I believe we are never given more than we can handle. I can see in your eyes that you have much strength.” She paused to face Ana and continued. “You deserve the good in your life. It belongs there. I think I can see why Chance is so comfortable with you. You’re a sweet girl.”

  Ana was confused. She wished she knew why he was interested in her because she couldn’t figure it out. Aiyana seemed to understand more than she did.

  Ana turned when Chance and his dad walked back into the kitchen. Chance held out his hand to Ana. Aiyana stepped forward and embraced her. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Ana. I look forward to seeing you again real soon. You’re welcome any time.”

  “Thank you, Aiyana. It was really great meeting you, too. And thanks for the wonderful dinner.” Ana waved before leaving the kitchen. Chance stopped in the living room where Niyol sat in his comfy chair. He met his grandson’s gaze as he addressed him. “Goodnight, Grandfather, rest well. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Niyol gave Chance a warm smile, but his gaze turned almost cold as it lingered on Ana’s pendant. “You two have a nice evening.”

  Chance patted Niyol’s shoulder before he guided Ana out of the house.

  Chapter 9

  Ana turned toward Chance and smiled. “Okay, where are you taking me?”

  He led her to his truck, which looked different in the darkness, engorged and distorted. She looked closely and realized a dark green boat was strapped lengthwise across the bed of the truck. Ana was confused. Boating at night?

  “Just wait and see. Trust me. I think you’ll be happily surprised.”

  Once they were in, he quickly fired up the engine and backed out of the driveway. Soon, they moved down the mountainside. The full moon cast a brilliance over the landscape, which spilled its magic onto everything below. The wind stilled, leaving the night and lake still, except for the occasional ripple from lurking fish.

  Chance drove along the water, then pulled off to park on the gravel shoulder. He reached for his door handle and said, “Stay here a minute.”

  He leapt from the cab. The truck rocked back and forth as he untied and removed the boat. Suddenly, her door opened and Chance’s flushed face met her surprised gaze. She slipped down from the cab and let her eyes adjust in the moonlight. A short slope dropped down to a tiny peninsula where the boat waited for them.

  Ana was excited and curious, eager for an adventure with Chance. As long as she didn’t have to paddle, this would be great.

  At the boat, Chance gestured for her to get in at one end. A soft cushion sat on the seat and she settled in, thankful for his thoughtfulness. He pushed the boat onto the dark glassy water and jumped in at the opposite end, grabbed the oars and began to row fluidly. He paddled out for a couple of m
inutes then paused and they glided in silence.

  “Look up,” he said.

  The stretch of skyline spanning above was so large her eyes widened just to absorb it all. A brilliant band encircled the moon in a silvery glow, like a halo. The stars seemed to attempt to out-glimmer the moon and twinkled so bright she almost had to squint as she gazed at them. The heavens had found an empty canvas to rest upon and the dark glassy water below appeared twice as grand. Blood coursed through her animated body.

  Ana lowered her gaze and met his eyes. He waited while she grappled to string some words together, or anything remotely intelligent. “It’s. . .it’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for me,” she whispered.

  No one outside her family had ever been so thoughtful. It was true that she normally didn’t allow anyone to get close enough to give her anything. Until now.

  Ana saw Chance stare at her as he rowed the boat forward. He paddled with ease, like a knife cutting through soft butter. It was a calm rhythm and it made a peaceful sound as the oars dipped into the lake and dripped as they were lifted up. Chance appeared deep in thought, his jaw clenched and his brow furrowed.

  “What are you thinking about?” Ana asked.

  Chance’s tension seemed to ease as he looked up and said, “I was wondering if. . .if you had a boyfriend back in Colorado?”

  “Oh.” Ana wished she had a different answer, but shared her lack of history anyway. “I’ve never really dated.” Chance seemed surprised and her embarrassment deepened. “No, really. The last person I went out with was in my freshman year. We just went to the movies a couple of times—that was it.”

  She thought back to the year she needed surgery. It had proven to be a bit more than the boy could handle, and that had effectively cured Ana of the urge to date again. The sore subject sat heavy on her shoulders. She looked up at Chance and fired back. “How about you? I hear you don’t date?”

  “Me? My life’s been complicated. . .well, I hadn’t found anyone I wanted to spend time with.”

  Ana blushed and studied the dark mirrored water beside her and wondered what was hidden beneath.

  Chance raised an eyebrow. “Wait a minute—you asked about me?”

  Ana flushed again, and hoped he couldn’t see in the darkness. “Caught me. I asked Laura about you.”

  His voice came out gruff. “What’d she say?”

  “Why? Do you have a shady past?” Ana teased. “Don’t worry, she didn’t have much to say, just that you didn’t seem interested in dating anyone around town.”

  “Sorry. You never know what people will say about you in a small town. Everyone’s so bored with their own lives, they start talking about everyone else’s—making things up to add excitement.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I’m really not a gossiper but I was curious. I know what you mean anyway, about people talking about you. It’s not just in small towns.” Ana remembered people gossiped about her behind her back. They said she was going to die, or that she had some rare made up disease. Maybe some things were true, but that only made the sting of it all burn worse.

  “Speaking of gossip, your mom told me about your grandmother. I’m so sorry.”

  Chance shrugged. “Yeah, it was a bummer. It completely devastated grandfather. But now he’s around, I get to spend more time with him.”

  “Oh.” Ana was confused. Aiyana made it sound like he was really close to her.

  “Why? What did she tell you exactly?” Chance’s voice turned cold and agitated.

  “She said you took the death of your grandmother real hard—that you hadn’t been the same since?”

  Chance snorted. “She’s happy thinking that, but she doesn’t understand me. She doesn’t know who I am, not really. All she wants is for me to hang out with the guys and go on dates and be normal.”

  Ana couldn’t relate. Not exactly. No one knew her better than her mother. His comment only added a mysterious layer to Chance. One she was determined to learn more about.

  Quietly adrift in the boat, they lingered without a word, each within their own thoughts. Ana couldn’t work out what she felt when she was with Chance. Until now she had been content without anyone in her life. Without her permission, the picture she had painted for herself changed and melted into an entirely different vision. In unfamiliar territory, she tested the waters carefully, cautiously.

  “So, what are you doing tomorrow?” Chance said and stared at the inky black water.

  “I actually promised my sister I’d help paint her room. But you could come over after.” She flushed again.

  “Great. Call me when you finish and let me know.”

  He pointed the boat back toward the tiny peninsula. “It’s getting late.”

  The rowboat scraped onto the shore, which forced Ana to grab the edge for support. Chance jumped out and offered his hand to help her out. When Ana stood up, she became unsteady as blood pounded in her ears. Oh no! Not now! Please don’t pass out! Chance’s arm wrapped around her waist and secured her. She focused on her breathing and the head rush passed slowly.

  “Thanks. I can get a little—unsteady sometimes,” she said, relieved she composed herself in time.

  “I don’t mind,” Chance said, and his cheeks lifted into a grin. He let go when she was stable but remained close on their walk back to the truck. After he started the engine and turned on the heater, he went to load up the boat, which gave her time to scold herself in private for coming so close to fainting.

  The ride home went too quickly. The lights were on in the living room when they pulled up.

  “Thanks, Chance. This was an unforgettable night.” Ana blinked back her emotions. All the pent-up exhaustion from her long week swelled, ready to spill out. She let her hair tumble down around her face to shield her.

  ***

  Chance was speechless, unsure what to say. He wanted to reach out and touch her soft face or trace her pale, delicate fingers, but instead, said, “Sleep well. Talk to you tomorrow.”

  He watched her while she walked up the path to the front door. As she entered the house, she gave him a small wave goodbye and disappeared inside.

  On his drive, time slowed as he moved further away from his source of solace. Like a hermit crab without his shell, he scurried home to bide time until he could find his way back to her.

 

  Chapter 10

  “Cactus Flower.” Eva read off the paint can that sat on her desk, clearly excited at the chance to paint her room.

  The girls had taped off the entire bedroom and with Melissa’s help had moved the furniture into the center of the room.

  “I can’t wait to see it on the walls—it’ll be like living in a flower!” Eva’s eyes twinkled. Part of the bribe to move was the promise of decorating her room the way she wanted.

  Ana poured the paint into the trays, careful not to drip. She wore a pair of ratty old black sweats and a holey white t-shirt. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail to protect it, but she expected to get pink spotty hair despite the effort.

  With a roller in each hand, she gave one to her sister and snickered. Eva’s saucer eyes were filled with enthusiasm as she clutched her roller and jumped in place. Ana looked over to her sister and nodded. “Go ahead.”

  “Yay!”

  After two long hours of painting, the girls went downstairs to get lunch. Sunlight slanted in through the kitchen windows while Melissa wiped them vigorously with a cloth. “Well? How’s it look?”

  “Good, we’re done with the first coat—now for lunch.” Ana opened the fridge and pulled out the ingredients for turkey and cheese sandwiches.

  Melissa pointed to a pile of mail on the kitchen table. “Hey, Ana, a brochure came from North Idaho College.”

  Ana shrugged and ignored her mother’s statement while she finished up the sandwiches. Melissa sighed and continued to clean the window.

  “I think I’m going to go eat my lunch at the rock,” she said as she placed Eva�
��s food on the kitchen table. Eva raised her eyebrows at Ana. “Oh, relax. The paint needs to dry before we add another coat. I’ll be back after a little break.”

  In a snap decision, she grabbed her camera and threw it around her neck. If she saw some wildlife while she ate her lunch, she wanted to be prepared.

  It was cool outdoors. The sun slipped behind some clouds, and a gentle breeze tousled Ana’s hair as she walked through the forest. She reached her gazing stone and sat down, ready to eat. While she ate her sandwich she admired the grassy fields below her and the distant snowcapped peaks. Butterflies trembled among the flowers in the long grasses and small sparrows darted between trees. Achy from rolling paint, her sore arms resisted every time she lifted her sandwich to take a bite and her drooping eyes blurred from fatigue.

  The night before, she lay awake and thought about her time with Chance. Every time she turned over and struggled with sleep, his handsome face greeted her. She didn’t mind it, but at a certain point, sometime close to one o’clock, her mind filled with visions of stars, and the sensation of being rocked lulled her to sleep.

  After Ana finished lunch, she picked up her camera and used the zoom lens like a pair of binoculars. She swept it across the grassy valley when a blur of red fur caught her attention. A beautiful red fox settled in a sunny patch at the side of the field. Without hesitation, she snapped a picture.

  She lowered the camera to see if she could spot it without the aid of the lens and saw a puff of fur in the field. The returned her gaze. In stillness, they stared at each other until Eva called. Ana was surprised to see the fox remain sitting as she stood up to return to the house. It seemed to follow her movement as she stepped onto the forest trail.

  Inside the kitchen, Eva stood at the bottom of the stairs and tapped her foot. “It’s time for a second coat—c’mon.”

  “Okay, hold on a minute. I need to call Chance first.”

  Ana forgot Aunt Tera and Uncle Jace were supposed to come for dinner, but Melissa had suggested they include Chance. Uncle Jace was going fishing and promised some fresh trout to grill, and Aunt Tera was going to make her delicious potato salad the girls loved so much.

  Ana called Chance and left a message after his voice mail picked up. She wondered what he was up to.