Sticks and Stones

by Alexie Aaron

  “Maybe you should. It would save me trying to throw you out on one fucking leg.”

  “When did you become Mia’s gatekeeper?” Mike asked.

  “When I couldn’t stand to hear her cry anymore,” Lazar said, opening the door. “Write her a letter. Think about your words. Leave Brian alone. He has Angelo now.”

  Mike walked out in a daze. He passed by Ted and Cid and got in the car. He waited until Audrey had finished talking to Gates, and they drove away.

  Mia was in the tub fully dressed. Lazar sat down at the edge, pulled her head into his lap, and let her cry. After a while, he said, “Don’t let him win. Take a bath, and I’ll toss some babies in to pee in your water. Varden is being waited on hand and foot by Brian. Dieter and Mark are listening in to make sure the boys play nice. Cid’s probably filling Ted in on everything said, and Burt who, according to Cid, stood up for you is feeling pretty good about himself. All I need is to have Murphy locate that damn dog so I can feed her, and then I can go home.”

  “I’m sorry. It has been a few hard weeks, and I’m not sure I could have made it without you.”

  “Of course not. But what is family for?” Lazar asked.

  “Cid thinks I should use the name Mac Menace,” Mia said standing up.

  “Not bad. I’d think on it awhile before having it tattooed next to my name.”

  “It really hurt to have your name tattooed on my butt.”

  “Gee, I thought you didn’t want it to be seen,” Lazar said, leaning against the doorframe.

  “Cute. You know the old rhyme about sticks and stones?”

  “Yes.”

  “It’s a lie. Names hurt, they cut to the bone.”

  ~

  Ted came in to see Mia soaking in the tub. She had Genevieve in with her and Maeve wrapped up in a towel sitting in her bouncy chair and watching.

  “Mermaids!” Ted said, peeling off his clothes and picking up Maeve and sliding in.

  “I was going to warn you that Maeve already peed in the water.”

  “Then I won’t feel so bad,” Ted said.

  “Ew.”

  “You looked pretty good out there skating.”

  “I still need to work on a few things. I’m pretty low to the ground. Although, that’s not unusual. Gates advised me to tell them I’m looking to be a jammer. Evidently, my lack of size and weight makes being a blocker too farfetched.”

  “I really don’t know. I build the machines. I don’t drive them.”

  Mia giggled.

  “You were awesome describing the half-veil like it was something everyone should know,” Ted said. “You sounded a bit like Baxter.”

  “I was going for you.”

  “If I sound like that, I’m impressed with myself.”

  Maeve kicked the water.

  “Genevieve, Maeve is trying out for the baby Olympics. Or the Rockets?”

  “Susan says she’s going to be a punter for the Bears,” Mia said.

  “That woman can’t have all our children!” Ted said, moving around and sitting next to Mia. “I’m so glad we popped for the gladiator tub.”

  “The name makes no sense,” Mia said, “I see no gladiators.” She looked up, and Ted wasn’t looking at her eyes. “Honestly, your daughters are here.”

  “They remember when those brought breakfast, lunch and dinner. Now they just bring Daddy smiles.”

  ~

  Mia walked into the boys’ bedroom. Varden was settling himself into bed. Mia brought with her some salve to keep the new skin from scabbing over on his forehead and hands. “How are you feeling?” she asked her son.

  “Embarrassed.”

  “I’m going to ask you to stay home from school and inside tomorrow. I may take you to Quentin’s to see some special ladies. They will see if Mommy took care of these correctly.”

  “Yes, Mommy.”

  “Do you think you can sleep? Are you in any pain?”

  “It burns when I sweat.”

  “Well then, we will have to postpone our marathon for another night.”

  “Mommy, you’re silly,” Varden said and yawned.

  “Guess who I saw today?”

  “Who?”

  “Sticks.”

  Varden’s face lit up.

  “He was just passing through or he would have come and said hello to you boys. He sends his regards.”

  Varden smiled. “I’m going to think about him and the winged horse, and maybe I’ll have an adventure in my dreams.”

  “Maybe you will.” Mia kissed his cheek and walked over to Brian who was pretending to read.

  “Would you mind terribly if I asked you to walk me to the aerie? Daddy has to stay here with the girls because Dieter is sleeping over at Mark’s.”

  Brian put on his shoes and housecoat. Mia walked with him down the stairs and pulled a hoodie on. She handed Brian the smaller PEEPs hoodie to pull over his housecoat. They walked out into the cool crisp evening. The stars were sparkling down. A few yards from the house, Brian stopped. “Okay, we’re far enough away, you can yell at me.”

  “If I wanted to yell at you, I would have taken you into my room and shut the door,” Mia said. “Your father has punished you, and Angelo will be here Sunday to discuss how an Excelsior birdman is supposed to behave. I think you don’t need me adding to your troubles.”

  “Why are we alone then?”

  “I needed someone to walk me to the aerie. I’m not feeling my best, and Altair promised me a chess game. Sometimes being with a friend helps to ease the mind. Daddy helps a lot, but sometimes I need another perspective. Someone who sees things from a bad boy’s point of view.”

  “Like Ethan.”

  “Yes.”

  “Dad let me call him on the phone today. To discuss what happened.”

  “I’m sure he was a good listener.”

  “Ethan says I didn’t think of Varden when I used him for my experiment. I have to learn to look around me and consider everyone I’m working and living with before acting.”

  “He’s a very smart fellow. He had to learn his lessons the hard way. People still see him and think, there goes that boy who did a very bad thing. But he wasn’t bad inside. When the chips were down, he became his authentic self. Time will go by and people’s memories will fade, and they will just see Ethan as a splendid young adult.”

  “People still call you names.”

  “I know. I made a few mistakes and didn’t allow them to see the good inside of me. I ran away, and when I came back, I was angry and walked around like a dog ready to bite. Ethan walks around with a ready smile. I’ve learned a lot from him.”

  “But you’re older than him.”

  “Brian, here’s a secret to learning. You never know who is going to teach you something new. It could be Adam, who’s way younger than Grandpop and Murphy. When Grandpop fell into the muddy hole and couldn’t stand up, Varden said that Adam told him to collect fallen pine boughs and toss them in. They broke up the mud mass and gave Grandpop a stable place to stand so Murph could pull him out. Murphy and Grandpop learned something that day.”

  “Do you hate me for what I did to Varden?”

  “No. Your dad says that sometimes siblings do things to each other that seem mean, but it’s just a simple case of not thinking things through.”

  “I talked to Uncle Mike today when Burt put him in a time-out.”

  “Uncle Mike was very naughty today. He wasn’t careful with his words,” Mia said.

  Brian told Mia about the conversation.

  “He still has so much to learn,” Mia said. “He needs to understand, because someone chooses a different person to be with, it doesn’t mean that they are flawed in some way. For example, if one day you decided to play with Robbie instead of Noah, Noah may be sad, but Noah’s a very smart boy. He would think, today Brian wants to be athletic and not artistic. Noah wouldn’t think, ‘Brian is crazy.’”

  “Y
ou’re right, he wouldn’t.”

  “Some people get confused with their feelings. They’d rather blame others than look inside and sort things out. Uncle Mike isn’t a bad man. He’s just a lazy man when it comes to working on his insides, in my opinion.” Mia stopped walking. “Brian, remember that I’m telling you my opinion. I may be wrong. Sometimes before forming your own opinion, you need to get another perspective or two.”

  “That is why you’re going to talk to Altair.”

  “Yes. I have had a few bad days. Because of this, I may be oversensitive. I could be seeing things wrong. So, I’m gathering opinions, not siding people against Uncle Mike.”

  “In my opinion, when Uncle Mike called you a freak in the meeting, he was trying to impress his girlfriend. Take the attention away from your explanation of half-veils and make you look silly.”

  “It sounds like you were there.”

  “I was. I had come over to get some recycling for Varden. He was very unhappy, and I thought I could sit down and tear paper for him.”

  “You weren’t allowed off the porch,” Mia said.

  “I know. That’s why when people came back in, I hid behind the bin and snuck out after. Are you going to punish me?”

  “For being honest and telling me you goofed up? What does that big brain of yours think?”

  “I guess not. Why do you go and see Baxter?”

  “Because inside, I’m like a box of jigsaw puzzle pieces. Some pieces fit together like a dream. But when foreign pieces are put in the box, it takes an expert to help me sort everything out. And sometimes my feelings are so tied up in the past that I need someone to help me untangle them and learn that I’m just a mom, a wife, and a friend who wants the best for everyone around her. But also, I’m a warrior who fights to keep this world safe. It’s tricky being different, as you have already found out.”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m hoping that you’ll continue to talk to us and Ethan so you don’t have to see someone like Baxter.”

  “I could be someone like Baxter and Altair.”

  “And Angelo,” Mia stressed. “But there is someone else you could be who is amazing and so very special.”

  “You mean Dad.”

  “Yes. We are so very lucky to have him. He can fix just about anything, and he loves with his whole heart. He had to deal with bullies and naysayers his whole life, but he still became someone I’m very lucky to have met. Can you imagine how everyone must hate me because, of all the women in the world, he chose me to be his wife? He’s funny and fun. But when the chips are down, he uses his brain, sees the big picture, and finds a way to either fix things or help those who are fighting by backing them up with science. He walked out and faced the extraction team without any powers. That takes courage. I think sometimes he’s overlooked because of all the feathers around us. He doesn’t get jealous and call Angelo or Victor names. He uses his strengths, and when he hits a dead end, he asks for help. He listens to Uncle Cid, Lazar, and me.”

  “And me too,” Brian said. “He waited until he heard my total explanation before thinking through my punishment.”

  “Just like Uncle Burt did when he sent Uncle Mike for a time-out. He could have punched Mike in the nose or thrown him out the window. He’s very strong and very capable in a fight, but Uncle Burt thought that Uncle Mike was just acting up and needed time to sort himself out.”

  “Thank you, Mom.”

  “Why are you thanking me?”

  “You’re talking to me like I’m an adult.”

  “You’re as smart as one.”

  “Inside, I’m a confused little kid.”

  “I think a lot of adults still are,” Mia said. “Me included.”

  They had reached the aerie.

  “Are you going to tell Altair what I did?”

  “No. That’s not why I’m here. I’m just going to have a quiet game of chess with a friend. Can you hang around awhile? Maybe fall asleep on the couch or in a big bed upstairs. I’ll carry you home after.”

  “Enos used to do that.”

  “Yes. He did.”

  “I miss him.”

  “I miss him too.”

  ~

  Mike sat down at his desk and procrastinated by searching his drawers for some special stationary. He then organized his drawers while trying to think through what he had to say. Gates had him drop her off at the sublet she was using while in town. She liked to have her own place instead of moving in with Mike. Tonight, she had told him exactly what she thought of his behavior on the way home. The first time they left, Gates had convinced him to return to apologize, but Mia wasn’t cooperating. He knew the minute the word escaped his mouth he had fucked up. He called her a freak. He may as well have torn open her heart and poured acid in.

  When he tried to make her listen, that damned Lazar wasn’t going to let him anywhere near Mia. What had the veteran said? “When I couldn’t stand to hear her cry anymore.”

  “Ah, damn, Mia,” Mike said. “You’ve surrounded yourself in a castle made up of dangerous males. I can’t even explain myself.”

  He took out his phone and texted her those very words.

  Minutes later there was a knock on the balcony door. He opened the drapes, and Mia floated there with full wings exposed. Mesmerized, Mike opened the door and stepped out.

  “I don’t need knights to protect me from you. Yet your poison constantly flows through my veins. Why do I let you hurt me? Lucifer flayed me open and made me beg for more, but it didn’t hurt as much as you hurt me with every stone you throw and every name you call me.”

  “Would you like to come in?” Mike asked.

  “No. It wouldn’t be appropriate. I’ve come to listen to you, so talk.”

  “Could you maybe pull in the angel wings? I don’t want to be fined by the condo board for having Christmas decorations out early.”

  Mia laughed, and once again she was human. “I will come in only because I didn’t think to bring a coat. No funny stuff or I’ll take your dismembered parts and feed them to the fish.”

  Mike swallowed hard. “As you wish. Contrary to popular opinion, you are resistible.”

  Mia lifted an eyebrow but said nothing. “Where’s Gates?”

  “At her place.”

  “Huh.”

  “She’s not too happy with me right now.”

  “Sorry if I caused that,” Mia said, opening his refrigerator.

  “No. I’m a big boy. It was my big mouth that started all of this.”

  Mia took out a bottle of beer and opened it and drank it down. “Okay, I’m ready. You need uninterrupted time to tell me what you think of me, how I’ve ruined your life and continue to do so by existing.” She walked over and plopped herself down on the couch. “I will listen without commenting. After, I wish to have your likewise attention.”

  “You constantly test my honor.”

  “And…” Mia prodded.

  “I’m not an honorable man, or at least I didn’t think I was. I used women for pleasure and to keep from sleeping alone. Because when I was alone, Joel came and sat on my chest and screamed at me. You and PEEPs helped me, and we fixed that, but in doing so you died. I can still see Ted bringing you up from the bottom of the well. He had done something I would never be able to do. He was a hero, and I hated him. I know now that my repeated pursuit of you had more to do with crushing that smug look on his face. Every moment, no matter how innocent on your part, that we connected, I would rub it in his face. Make him doubt his relationship with you. To destroy his self-esteem, I constantly said that ‘Mia could do better.’ I was cruel. I am cruel when it comes to your husband.

  “But something unexpected happened. You didn’t see me for the cruel man I was. You started to depend on me. Mia, you enjoyed being with me. This confused me and I couldn’t have that. I had to distance myself from you, and then I just was mean. I’d like to blame the strigae, but it started before then. They just
played into my insecurities. After, when it seemed like everything I tried to do was somehow tied to you, I blamed you, and saw you and Ted as one. I knew if I could hurt you, it would hurt Ted.

  “Now you’d think, here I was in a great relationship with Gates, that I would be happy. I could back off torturing Ted, but I then became paranoid. I saw things that weren’t there. I maneuvered Gates into a position to eventually oust you, and in doing so, I knew Ted would leave too. Today, I told Burt a lie. He came back with the truth. I threw a punch at him, and he caught it in his hand and sent me to the porch to cool off. There I was confronted with another casualty of my immaturity. Brian.”

  “Brian told me,” Mia said.

  “I saw a lot of myself in Brian. I enjoyed being the indulgent uncle with Brian. He shrugged off my answer to why I wasn’t there for him. He told me that I was only using him to get to you. That isn’t true, but damn, it sure looks like it. I admit to using you, doll, before I became captivated by you, but I never intentionally used your kid to either hurt you or Ted. It’s simply me not thinking of anyone but myself.”

  “I hope, one day, Brian will understand that,” Mia said. “Hurts that happen when you’re young are tough to heal. They fester and distrust builds and then bitterness creeps in. I’m sorry, are you finished?”

  “No. I will never be a fan of Ted. I’m jealous and petty. He never seems to fall on his face for long. He was born with gifts that will sustain him. And he has a wife who worships him, and he worships her. He has children and a home. Everything that I wanted. I would, however, like to apologize to you. I used you. And when I wasn’t using you, I drew you in so close that my inner knight woke up. I didn’t sleep with you the day of the BBB, when you were under the permeation spell, because I knew that I would forever lose my newfound honor. I may not have what Ted has, but I was still an honorable man who had private conversations with his wife. I knew he never had you totally because when you were bad, you came to me first. This satisfied me.”

  “It’s not that way now.”

  “No, enter Baxter, your new Mike. You traded me in for a real villain. He takes off those glasses and studies us all like we are insects. Or is it Altair? He’s the bad boy and your new playmate, but maybe he’s not bad enough for you?”