Blacklake-Book4-1 Three Cousins

Chapter 4
~

“He owns his own place?” Thomas asked. “What is he, fifteen?”

The impulse to slap the stupid out of Thomas visited again. Like when he said, “You people eat a lot, huh?” We aren’t stinkin’ people, we’re giant folk. And we were just havin’ a snack. We’d eat dinner when we got home—my home.

Why was I so ticked off at Thomas—his people faux pas aside? I’d been tryin’ so hard to accept the human’s manner.

“Is he a half-wit?” Thomas asked.

I hit the brakes hard and twisted his way. The rumble deep in my chest stirred, and Thomas scooted as far against the passenger door as he could. Eyes popped.

“Prolly every point of sale register ya’ve ever stood in front of, whether buyin’ a hot dog, biddin’ at a stock yard, or schedulin’ a flight relies on his technology,” I growled. He’d prolly never attended a stock yard auction. But still.

“Uh. Uh. I’m sorry. Didn’t mean anything. It’s just he didn’t say a word the two hours we were at your uncle’s place.” Aunt Karzy would sniff over that remark—the ‘uncle’s’ part.

I glared. An SUV slowly pulled around us, makin’ me aware I sat in the stinkin’ middle of the main Hamlet drag.

“Uh. Really didn’t mean. To. You know. Insult.”

I turned forward and took my foot off the brake. It would take us fifteen seconds before I pulled up at home. What should I do? Set this fool straight? If he said something that stupid in front of Mama he’d likely loose his head, and we’d spend hours waitin’ for a backhoe to bury his body up in some ravine. My brain flipped to the perfect place. We wouldn’t have to wait for a backhoe. Gotta be plenty of shovels and picks in the shed.

“Your cousin, Ezra, is really sweet,” he said, settlin’ me down a tad. “She’s really pretty.” Pretty? Comin’ from a human, that had to be a lie. Oh. He was tryin’ to butter me up for his idjitry.

The rumble of my tires on cobblestone was the only sound in my truck for five seconds. I sensed he opened his mouth again. I took a right toward home.

“I maybe, should have, gotten a little heads up what to expect, up here.”

Yeah. Maybe. I pulled into the narrow drive. Only Papa’s SUV and Mama’s sports coup filled the carport. So my bull and hen siblings didn’t stick around for dinner, if they’d assembled at all to welcome me home. They woulda known I’d visit with Kriz and Ezra first thing. I have two months to find time to spend with em before I head back.

“Cool looking place,” Thomas said.

“Wait until ya’ve stepped out on the terrace and take in the Lake under the fadin’ light.”

“Heard you all kind of, feel the Lake is, kind of alive.”

He was tryin’. Prolly shouldn’t open his mouth for the next two days, though. Culturally acclimate a bit first. He’s not in Kansas no more.

The side door opened and Papa strode out. I didn’t even bother to cut the engine yet, jumped out to greet him. Mama followed five feet later, and the two grasped me in a hug, not as a tag team, which woulda been a bit more fair, instead double teamed me. I couldn’t breathe for too long to complain. Tusks clubbed both sides of my head. Who said ya can never go home. I was maybe cryin’ deep inside. I’d missed them so much. Which maybe is a bit odd, considerin’ Papa and I are usually on opposite sides of every issue. Miscellaneous thought.

After Papa dropped me to my feet, he turned toward my truck, eyes fallin’ on my guest. Papa whispered, “Heard already this one’s quite the jerk.” That took me aback.

“Who the heck told ya that?” I growled.

“Everyone,” Mama answered for him, though she strode toward Thomas, hand out to welcome him.

I whispered a quick, “Don’t hurt him.”

“Except for Ezra,” Papa said softly. “Heard she seemed kinda sweet on him. Go figger.”

Oh. That would be enough for the entire clan to turn defensive. Maybe that had irritated me too. He had paid a bit too much attention to her. That moment, Thomas bent at the knees some. Ya go, Mama. Break his hand—I didn’t mean that. But the stinkin’ human never passes me the rock anyway. Doesn’t need his right hand. Let him stick to left-handed lay ups.

Papa was talkin’ about us being on the road so long. Yep. He’d heard Thomas hurled a hundred times. Not quite that many. But I lost count.

“Ya little bulls are hungry, I hope,” Mama said, draggin’ Thomas along with her. Pretty sure Thomas was already questionin’ his brilliance for nigglin’ his way into my summer vacation.

Thomas mumbled something like, “Didn’t we just eat enough for two weeks?”

“Good,” Mama gushed. “Be ashamed if my inlaws hadn’t gotten ya a snack to warm ya up for a real meal.”

I asked about my siblings, as Papa walked over and turned off my truck, slung bags he could reach from the driver’s side down his arm. Papa Bliar isn’t a massive ogre, but a half-ton of luggage ain’t gonna slow down the gray-dreaded bull.

“They got lives of their own,” Mama answered me. “Ya can get off yar shiny ogre butt and meet up with em in the next few days. Shouldn’t have taken yar time comin’ over the passes.”

Even Mama’s gonna take a few passive aggressive swipes at my human guest. Ya go, Mama. And after years of adjustin’ to David. She almost loves him now. Not that she’d ever admit to it.

~ Ezra ~

I sat with Kriz on the terrace, me holdin’ his hand, which he hates. Glad he gives me a bit of satisfaction from time to time. But he would be takin’ his hand back soon.

“Bet ya missed this view,” I said. The sun was well below Dragons Ledge. The Lake had already slipped past its best purple vestiges. But no view of the Lake is to be dismissed. It’s necessary for survival to Valley residents.

Kriz’ bull and hen siblings stepped out and wished us both a good night, wished Kriz a last welcome home. As the door closed, I sensed Kriz’ hand actually envelope mine.

“Don’t—get too—friendly. With that—human—boy.”

Other than bein’ about as long a sentence I’ve heard him utter in a while, the sentiment struck me more dramatically. Irritated me a little more than that. I turned from our sunset and peered into the silhouette of his face. I’d ask him. But he’d hate to struggle through an explanation. So just wouldn’t say a word.

“Ya’ll put an explanation of that in an email, huh?” I asked. “Or even a text, maybe?”

He didn’t answer for a while. Then, “No.”

Hmm. So. He’d shared all he was gonna say on the topic. But that wasn’t good enough. “I liked him. I’m gonna invite him to take a hike with me in the morning.” Zarade would have to make do without me, through one lunch rush.

Kriz exhaled hard. But didn’t take his eyes off the Lake.

He let go of my hand and drew his back into his lap. Almost as though that was a punishment for what I said. We sat in silence a few minutes.

“Ya can be protective,” I said. “Or ya can be smotherin’. Neither is appreciated.” Maybe he nodded. Prolly not. Maybe just a swell of thoughts roarin’ around in his head made him teeter a bit.

The pink barely-still surroundin’ Dragons Ledge turned deep orange and then purple in seconds. A shriek of sun shafts struck through the mix of clouds for ten seconds, before the sky darkened to pure purple with only the hint of yellow outlinin’ the mountain.

“Love. Ya,” he murmured.

The door behind us opened, before my head could get around the bull’s unexpected two words. Ike stuck his head out. “If ya truly want a ride home, let’s go. Mama just called, wantin’ me home. Not that she said that. But I’m leavin’. If ya’re goin’ with—”

I really wanted to go camp out with Kriz. But he hadn’t invited me over to his place. Could he ever desire company? Besides, I’d be at the Inn hours before the sun rose, gettin’ a dozen carcasses smokin’ for the next day. Four on the ole clock face clicks early. I watched Kriz stand and stride off without sayin’ another word. Ike and I shared a wave and a smile.

So hard havin’ someone ya love so much, on the spectrum.

~