“Naw,” he shook his head as they mounted the stairs, “It’s a habit I guess. I’ll stop if it bothers you.”
“I didn’t say it bothered me,” she countered evenly, turning down the hall and calling over her shoulder, “Goodnight, Caleb.”
“Goodnight, little bit,” he allowed her to retreat, aware that she did so less often in the weeks since the last holiday; a sure sign her faith in him had become secured. He still feared she read more into their relationship than he was prepared to admit, but that, too, seemed to be leveling out.
Reaching for the remote, he pulled up the program he had been watching back at the shop. Removing his shirt and shoes, he stretched out in Pete’s favorite spot. A short time later, he noticed that she stood in the hallway, viewing the program from over his shoulder.
“You afraid to sit on the couch with me?” he teased.
Stepping more into the light, “No,” she retorted, “I can’t sleep. You still watching this?” She observed that he qualified as half-naked, the same as Pete often did; must be a man thing. Hiding her discomfort, she let it go, as she always did.
“Yeah, they’re talkin’ about why the flu vaccine ain’t been workin’ right for th’ last few years, makin’ the casualty numbers go up. It’s pretty interesting hearin’ all th’ science behind it.”
“If you say so,” she curled up in the bend of the sectional, putting her feet up in the middle area between them. “I think it’s creepy. You know, Alissa told me that people dying from a massive disease was one way they thought the world was going to end.”
“Yeah,” he agreed, reaching over to massage her foot, “There’s lot’sa theories. An’ that one is pretty popular,” he wafted a hand at the screen.
“You want an ice age,” she teased, kicking at him slightly, enjoying the rub, and the way his muscles moved in his chest when he did it.
“I don’ want anything,” he looked over at her, pressing the back of his head deeper into the cushion behind him, “But it don’ hurt t’ be prepared.”
She stared at him, having been weeks since they had talked about The Ranch in earnest. “I still think those people are crazy.”
“Yeah they are; the crazy part being if they turn out t’ be right,” he played his hand tight, aware of the posts she had been taking part in. She’s becoming drawn to them, whether she realizes it or not.
Bailey grunted, having thought the same thing too many times recently to count. “You think this’s a sign?” her eyes darted over at the flickering screen.
“I think…” he paused, changing to the other foot, “That there really isn’t a single thing that could destroy us. There’s too many of us humans, an’ we’re too widely adapted. Pockets o’ people would hang on, no matter what or how devastating the event. But that’s only useful if you’re in one o’ those pockets.”
“Well, you know, the dinosaurs hung on for a while too, but they’re not here anymore,” she toyed with a tiny grin.
“Some of ‘em are,” he chuckled, “An’ that’s not what I mean. Le’s say another asteroid did hit the earth. Whatever catastrophe followed,” he paused, pressing between her toes, “Would be nothing compared t’ what men would do t’ each other in the panic. That would be the real disaster; the fight for survival.”
“You said that before; that man was the greatest threat,” her lip curled into a slight pout at the idea of man versus man. “I think people would want to help each other.”
He stared into her clear green eyes, lost in thought for a moment, “I don’ think we have anything t’ worry about,” he reassured her. “One little event, like this plague thing, won’ be enough t’ cause any panics.” Giving her a slow grin, he noticed the program had come to an end, “You’re on Christmas break, right?”
“Yeah,” she conceded, finally feeling sleep creeping up on her, “My last final exam was Friday.”
“I’m gonna call in tomorrow, an’ take you t’ do somethin’ different.”
“Like what?” she snuggled deeper into the couch, his touch relaxing her more by the minute.
“I dunno,” he shrugged, “There’s gotta be somethin’ around here t’ do.” In the next instant, the idea sprang to mind, “I got it, I’ll take you on an adventure. A surprise one, in Odessa,” he beamed.
Pulling her foot away, she giggled, not bothering to argue. “Whatever, I’m going to bed,” and she made her way to her room, closing the door behind her.
Cutting off the set, he followed her down the hall, eager to get some rest himself. Stretching out on Pete’s oversized mattress, he stared at the ceiling, recalling how she had slowly been coming around. Drifting off to dream, he hoped she would enjoy his surprise, and the warming trend, with the girl at least, would continue.
A Christmas Story
The next morning, Bailey appeared to have taken to the idea of an adventure. “Odessa’s not far away, is it?” she asked on their trek to the gym.
“Yeah, it’s about twenty miles. We’ll need t’ bundle up, ‘cause it gets a little chilly on the bike,” he nodded. “But it’s close enough, it’s crowded too, so we’re goin’ early enough t’ beat th’ crowd. Hopefully, most people’ll be shopping, an’ that’s not what we’re gonna do.”
Going through her training, the girl continued to hold a pleased expression, and pressed for more while they walked back to change and prepare for the day. “You’re not going to give me a clue about what you’ve got planned?” she cajoled him with pleading green orbs. She emitted a tiny tinkle of a giggle when she caught his eye.
“Nope,” he joined in with a hearty laugh, “It wouldn’ be a surprise if I did!”
After their showers, Bailey cooked a good breakfast for them, and Caleb made a call to his boss to inform him that he wasn’t going in. Finally, the pair dressed warmly, and huddled on his bike for the longer trip to the neighboring town. She curled behind him to help block the wind, and she felt fortunate the community they headed towards lay west, as the rising sun felt good on her back as they rode.
Arriving at the mall, he was forced to reveal his surprise when they discovered that the skating rink didn’t open to the public until ten. “Sorry little bit, looks like we got over an hour t’ kill.”
Her smile remaining, she stood next to the glass, peering at the ice rink filled with a wide expanse of the glossy substance, “Jesus Caleb, what makes you think I can skate?”
“I dunno,” he grinned, leaning a shoulder against the clear wall so that he faced her. “If you can’t, we can learn together.”
Making their way to the restaurant down the way, they ordered a couple of warm drinks and shared a small amount of conversation. On the inside, Bailey’s spirits soared at the prospect of going skating. Growing curious at her quiet demeanor, he prodded, “Ok, so was this not a good surprise, or was it?”
Grinning, she nodded, “It’s a good one,” and she opened up to him, describing more of her past for him than she ever had before while they waited. Sticking to the parts that made her happy about her childhood, she took care to avoid the memories that didn’t. “You know I grew up in Illinois, so I’ve actually been on many skating adventures. I guess you could say, I really like the cold weather.”
“It’s not like this area, either,” she wafted a hand around before returning her fingers to the warm cup. “There’s actual trees and grass, and you can’t see all over creation, because the land has a bit more contour.”
Caleb took a noisy sip of coffee while he listened without interrupting. He had seen her home and where her family lived, but since his presence there had been for nefarious purposes, he felt glad that she had forgotten.
“Back home, by this point,” she continued with a grin, “We would have several inches of snow on the ground, and winter would be in full swing; building snowmen, sledding, you name it.” Watching him, while she tasted her hot chocolate, the thought occurred to her how the term back home didn’t creep into her conversations nearly as often as it used to.
S
he felt a little sad at the idea, that she no longer missed the place that she grew up. Things change, she told herself with a small smile, and people change. Suppressing a wider grin, she could admit for the first time, that Caleb had made it back to the top of the nice list, and had regained the title of her best friend.
Taking to the ice after the rink opened, the couple glided around the oval, whereupon the young man discovered his female companion qualified as quite skilled with a pair of blades; at least the kind you would find on the bottom of ice skates. Leaving him after a few minutes, she zipped past him, picking up speed, and performing several spins and leaps.
Stopping next to him when he finally gave up and leaned against a wall, she grinned from ear to ear, “What’s the matter? You’re not enjoying this?”
“Oh, I am,” he assured her, the look on her face worth twice what the activity had cost him, maybe more, “Go on, you’re really good at this; I’ll just hang out over here an’ watch.”
Pushing away, Bailey continued to fly past him, working her way through her repertoire of moves. Smiling brightly the entire time, she felt a joy she hadn’t come close to in nearly a year. Reluctantly removing her footwear a short time later, she clasped his arm, wanting him to look at her when she thanked him.
“I mean it,” she nodded eagerly, “This was the best present you could have given me. I’m so happy, I could kiss you!”
“Well, thanks,” he shared in her excitement, displaying his full set of perfect teeth, “But this was just a little day out. Your present’s at home. I’ll give it to you when we get back… and I will definitely pass on the kiss, little bit.”
“Oh,” she exclaimed in surprise, “Well, it’s not Christmas yet! And I was only kidding about the kiss.”
“Haha, very funny. But it is Christmas Eve,” he shrugged, “It’s close enough for you to get your gift.”
Placing their boots on the counter, the pair snaked through the crowd that had pressed their way into the mall while they played. “Yuck,” she muttered under her breath, thoughts of the flu epidemic leaping to the front of her mind.
“Don’t worry,” he clamped onto her shoulder, steering her through the hoard, “I don’ think any o’ them are contagious.”
She laughed that he had read her thoughts, pushing to the exit, and thankful to be out of the cramped space. “Let’s go home,” she sighed, and he didn’t waste any time getting her there.
Clomping up the stairs, they entered the apartment, shaking out of their coats and hanging them on the small row of hooks she had placed behind the door. Heading into the kitchen to warm milk for cocoa, she grinned between rosy cheeks when he handed her the small flat box, “Wow, this is heavy.” Pulling at the ribbon, she quickly removed the paper, then lifted the lid, and breathed, “Oh my God!” Staring at the shiny pistol, she could not believe her eyes.
Her gaze darting up to meet his, he smiled, “Merry Christmas.”
“Thanks,” she placed the carton on the container, “Merry Christmas to you, too. And thank you for this,” she indicated her new treasure. “Are you going to teach me how to shoot it?”
“Yeah,” he nodded, toying with the ribbon, “I got us a membership at a local gun club. I’ve been buying ammo every week. It’s rationed, so I knew it would take me a while to build a stockpile.”
Dropping the clip, she inspected it, recalling what she had learned about them from his books, and her trip to Academy several weeks before. “Thank you, Caleb,” she mumbled, genuinely grateful for the gift, “This really means a lot to me.”
“You’re very welcome, little bit,” he replied softly, as it meant a lot to him, too.
Little Voices
Bailey awoke feeling somewhat forlorn on Christmas morning. The crisp air met her at the door when she left the apartment to go to the gym, but no snow had fallen in the west Texas town. Caleb at her side, they made their way across the compound for her morning training, then returned to their dwelling, where they would finally enjoy the ham that he had brought home for Thanksgiving.
It only cheered her a little when she prepared their meal, and Caleb could sense her sadness as she moved about the tiny kitchen. While she did so, he slipped into the other room to use the computer, sending her uncle a short message, inquiring how things were going, and asking if there would be any chance she could speak to the boys some time that day.
Leaning on his elbows for a few minutes, staring at the text, he wasn’t sure if the man would even respond. Since the couple had asked to be left alone, they rarely had direct contact from any of the group members. He knew that Bailey still checked in a few times a week, but he could tell seeing Amanda’s posts bothered her. I can’t believe she actually thinks she’s going to get away with this, he thought of the tall blonde with a degree of disgust.
Flipping over to his parents’ pages, he posted a greeting to each of them on their walls, wishing them a happy holiday. Finally, he sent a message to Bailey herself, telling her how glad he was that he had such a dear friend to share his holiday with. Again, he had no idea if or when she would see it, but since it was the thought that counts, he felt satisfied with his effort.
Shutting down the machine, he returned to the table to sip on hot apple cider and watch while she put herself into her work. Deciding he didn’t want to wait, he went to find her phone. Opening it to his message, he slid it across the counter while hiding around the end in a playful manner.
Stopping with her hands suspended above the bowl before her, her gaze moved over to the android he pushed a little at a time towards her, “What are you doing?” she demanded, her words gruff.
“I’m… showing you something,” he grinned sheepishly, noting her dark tone. When she didn’t move, he teased, “Come on Bailey, you can do it.”
Noting he used her actual name, she lifted her face to look at him, her auburn locks falling to the side, “What is it?”
“Just a little message I sent you,” he shrugged, still beaming.
Wiping her hands, she reached for the device. Relighting the screen, and reading it, her lips moved slightly as her mind formed the words. Reaching the end, her eyes grew misty, “Wow, that’s pretty strong, don’t you think?”
“Not really,” he nodded, holding his smile in place, “I mean it. You’re my best friend, little bit. You have been for a while; it’s about time I said so.”
“Thanks, Caleb. You’re my best friend, too.” Clearing the counter, she slid her arms around his neck, allowing him to squeeze her and noting that afterwards, she felt calmer. “You want anything special for today?” she asked in a meek little voice.
“Only a smile,” he traced the underside of her chin with a finger, eliciting a curl on her lips.
Reaching up, she brushed his hand away, returning to her bowl. Her mouth remained in a small scoop, her heart pounding in her chest. “You want to put on some Christmas music?”
“From… where?” he queried.
“Look some up in my phone; I’m sure there has to be some out there somewhere,” she indicated the cell with an extended pinky.
A few minutes later, she had finished with everything for the moment, and all her dishes were on their own for a while. Moving towards her roommate, a larger smile spread across her lips. “Any chance you know how to dance?”
“Any chance?” he snickered, “I was the only guy with six girls my age; there was no way I coulda gone without learnin’.” Turning, he shoved the table and chairs against the balcony door, expanding the space. Offering his hands, she slipped into his arms, and they turned a small circle in the end of the kitchen.
When the song ended, she looked up into his soft blue eyes, “Thank you, Caleb,” she breathed. “You are a very dear friend to me as well.” For a brief instant, she wondered if he might kiss her, fairly certain that he wouldn’t, when her phone began to chime. Reaching to grab it, she answered, somewhat disappointed at the interruption, “Hello?”
“Hi, sis!” her brothers called i
n unison, obviously on speaker together.
Her face breaking into a wide grin, the girl shrieked, “Oh my God! Merry Christmas guys!” Elated to hear from them, she placed her phone on conference and laid it on the table, so that their little voices could fill the room. “Did you guys have a good morning?”
“We sure did!” Jess practically shouted. “We was hopin’ you’d come to see us, but Uncle Pete says you’re too busy right now.”
“Yeah,” Jase agreed over the top of him, “So when you get un-busy, then you need to come home, Bailey!”
Home? The word instantly struck a nerve. So The Ranch is home now. She bit her quivering bottom lip, aware for the first time that her brothers might not want to leave The Ranch, even if she were able to free them. “I’m so glad to hear from you,” she said, hoping to cover her pain.
Not fooled, Caleb raised his hand, allowing it to run gently down her back, while the boys filled her in about the new pony.
“It was born just a few days ago,” Jase explained, “But it can already walk. We named him Star, ‘cause he’s all black, with a white place on his head; right between the eyes.”
“Yeah,” Jess joined in, “An’ John says he’s our horse, too. We get to keep it and brush it, and do everything for it!”
“Wow, you guys, that’s so great!” she recalled watching the man next to her care for the horses not so long ago. Giving him a sideways glance, she forced a small smile, sliding her arm around him for an embrace.
Stroking her hair, Caleb wasn’t sure if asking for the call had been a good idea or not. Yeah, she’s in a hard place, he admitted to himself. Hopefully she’ll find where she belongs. Giving her a squeeze, he continued to grin while he listened.
A few minutes later, the banter winding down, he called softly into the device, “Hey, guys, is your Uncle Pete around there anywhere?”
“Yeah, I’m here,” the older man spoke up for the first time.
“Hey, man,” he paused for a moment, staring down into the large green pools of happiness, “Thanks for the phone call.”
The Irrevocable Series Boxed Set Page 25