by G. P. Ching
Chapter 12
A Girl Worth Fighting For
When Jacob woke up, Dr. Silva was in the same chair. He had no idea how long he’d been asleep, but the weather had changed and rain pelted the window in angry bursts. Self-conscious, he ran the back of his hand across his mouth to check for drool. Had she been watching him sleep?
Dr. Silva explained that he was done for the day, but Jacob would be expected to work every Saturday morning. She would be waiting for him in the back of the house a week from today. He agreed, straightened his shirt, and followed her to the door.
Spending a morning with Dr. Silva made Jacob feel like he’d survived skydiving or bungee jumping. What was it she’d said about herself? Something about her father kicking her out of the house when she was young? He couldn’t remember.
Why had he told her all of those things about himself? After all, people had been hounding him to talk since he’d arrived here: Principal Bailey, Uncle John, and even Malini would have loved some info. Why did he pick the one person he feared the most and trusted the least to share his most private thoughts? There was no explanation. Jacob broke out in gooseflesh just thinking about it.
The Laudners’ front door was unlocked and he let himself in. He didn’t mind the rain so much, but he was anxious to put another door between Dr. Silva and himself. Plus, it was cold, Paris cold. In his haste, he almost whacked John, who was standing just inside the door, scowling at a list in his hand.
“Jacob! You’re back. Are you done for the day?” John’s eyes were annoyingly hopeful.
“Yeah, she said we would start next Saturday, so…”
“Probably can’t do much today with the rain and all, huh. So, do you have a few minutes to help me with something?”
“Uh, sure. What is it?”
“Good! I need you to come into town with me. Aunt Carolyn needs some groceries but I have some things to do at the shop. I was hoping you could pick ’em up while I’m working.”
“Sure.” Jacob needed to get his mind off of what had happened with Dr. Silva and he wasn’t excited about hanging out in the house alone with Katrina.
“Let’s take Big Blue.”
Big Blue was a monster of a Chevy with rusted-out wheel wells and robin’s egg blue paint that barely adhered to the metal. The engine was loud and the seats were torn, but John often said, “Still runs great!” Aunt Carolyn refused to ride in it. Jacob guessed that was an added incentive for John to keep it around.
They headed into town on Rural Route One, the uncomfortable silence not overcome by the hum of the engine.
“Have you heard anything about my mom?” he asked.
“Yes and no,” John sighed. “I was trying to find the right time to tell you this. The police have stopped the active investigation. The case is still open but nobody is going out on it anymore.”
“Do you mean they’ve stopped looking for her?” His voice was louder than he’d intended and it filled the small cab.
“I don’t want to upset you, Jacob. The case is still open but they just don’t have any leads. There were no fingerprints and the only blood they found was hers. They are not actively looking because there’s no place left to look … unless more evidence pops up somewhere.”
Jacob had suspected as much. It had been months. But it didn’t make it any easier to hear. “Do you know … can I have what was in her purse? I mean, there were pictures and things in her wallet,” he said, but what he was thinking was that somewhere, near the bottom, there might be a small key: a key that might open up a jewelry box, a box that might hold a clue to her last days. He couldn’t say that to Uncle John though because the box was his mother’s secret, a secret she’d kept even from him, and Jacob would keep it from everyone else, until he knew what it was and if it could help find her.
“I honestly don’t know. I think all of that stuff is locked up as evidence. I’ll ask though.”
John parked in front of a chain of Paris businesses with decorative wooden signage. The town had a policy against electronic or neon signs in favor of hand-painted wood. It was one of the few things Jacob liked about Paris. Another great thing about Paris was that anywhere you parked you could reach everything else within a couple of blocks. That was the end of Jacob’s list of things to like about Paris.
“Meet me at the shop when you’re done,” John said before darting out into the drizzle.
Exiting the truck, Jacob jogged through the rain to Westcott’s grocery. He ducked inside the door and dug into his pocket for Carolyn’s list. Great. Scented hand soap and hair dye along with a bunch of other stuff. This could take a while. John had given him an envelope full of cash for the purchases. The money seemed to get heavier in his pocket and he was tempted to skim a few dollars off the top. He dreaded his next workday with Dr. Silva and any amount would make his time with her shorter. Even as he thought about it, he knew he couldn’t do it. All Jacob had was himself and he knew deep down he wasn’t a thief.
He absent-mindedly thumped and sniffed a cantaloupe. How did you tell if a melon was ripe? He had no idea.
A flash in his peripheral vision brought his head around. He watched her duck behind the dairy section, her hair down today in long layers that fell around her face and down her back. Jacob dropped the melon and turned the corner to follow. She was working her way down the cereal aisle. He pursued, riding the grocery cart like a scooter to make up for lost time. He caught up with her in front of the Cocoa Crispies.
“Malini?”
“Jacob! Hey, it’s good to see you.” She smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Her eyes lit up. “What are you doing here?”
“Shopping for my Aunt Carolyn.” He frowned. “I’m not exactly a pro at this. How do you tell if a cantaloupe is ripe?”
“You’ve come to the right place, actually,” Malini said, taking the list from his hand. “I’m a natural. Leave it to me. You do have money for this?”
“Of course.”
“Good. No problem then.” Malini walked ahead while Jacob pushed the cart.
For some reason, he became concerned about the wrinkles in his shirt and the fact that he’d forgotten to use a comb after falling asleep at Dr. Silva’s. Behind her back, he ran his fingers through his hair, over his face, and down his shirt. Malini’s slender fingers reached for a cantaloupe and he noticed the soft pink crescent of her nails against the silky bronze of her skin. Funny, he’d never noticed before.
“Don’t you have your own shopping to do?” Jacob asked.
“No. Not really.” She blushed. “I sometimes come here when there’s nothing else to do.”
“Don’t be embarrassed. I understand. You don’t like it here either.”
“Not particularly. It’s a bit rural for my taste. I miss the culture of London.”
It came as a sudden surprise to Jacob how little he knew about her personally. He spoke with her every day. They ate lunch together and studied after school. But it seemed like their conversations had hovered around their classes and the people of Paris. He’d neglected to ask Malini about herself.
“Is there anything you like to do here, in your free time?”
“I read, listen to music, that sort of thing. In the summer, I water-ski. I used to play soccer, at my old school. They don’t have a soccer team here.”
“Soccer’s cool. I play soccer.”
“Really?”
“No. Not a lot. I’ve played before but I’m no good.”
She smiled and reached for a roll of paper towels.
“What type of music do you like?” she asked.
“The hard stuff: alternative, metal, rock. It just has to be fast and loud.”
“Hmm. Don’t you ever just want to relax?”
“Sometimes, but then I don’t listen to music. You?”
“A little of everything. I just like music that takes me to a different place. If it does that, it doesn’t matter what it is.” She dropped a loaf of bread into the cart and squinted up a
t him. “What’s your favorite book?”
“I’m not a big reader. You?”
“Silas Marner.”
“What … the classic?”
“Yeah, I know it’s nerdy but it’s my favorite. I just love how Silas ends up with everything he ever wanted even though he never knew he wanted it.” She had stopped shopping and was twisting the list between her fingers. “You really don’t read?”
“For school, that’s about it.”
Malini looked disappointed.
“I’ve read Silas Marner though,” he added quickly. “We had to, for school. And, I liked it. I really did.”
She smiled and continued down the aisle, tossing items into the basket. She had an innate ability to decipher Aunt Carolyn’s cryptic writing and, too soon for Jacob, they were headed toward the checkout.
He watched as Malini unloaded the cart onto the belt. She was wearing form-fitting jeans and a clingy pink sweater that showed off her figure. He wasn’t up on fashion but her outfit seemed like something she’d brought from London. It didn’t fit in here, more like what you’d see on TV or in a big city.
It occurred to Jacob then how beautiful she was. Up until then, he’d thought of her only as a friend, a study partner, and a co-conspirator. Today, though, as the light filtered in through the windows at the front of the store, he felt an odd sort of fluttering in his stomach. He guessed it was because, for the first time, he realized she was a girl.
But he knew he shouldn’t like Malini, not in that way. If he messed up their friendship, he could lose what he cared about most in Paris—her. Life here might be intolerable without her.
Jacob reached down to help her empty the cart and their fingers brushed. Malini’s eyes shot up, warm chocolate with flecks of gold and red that danced in the sunlight. He caught himself staring for seconds too long. He swallowed hard.
“What, Jacob? I’ve got it.” She placed a loaf of bread on the conveyor belt. “Are you feeling okay?”
“Oh. Yeah. Sorry.”
“That’ll be eighty-six eighty,” the woman behind the counter said. Jacob counted out the money and then lifted both bags into his arms before Malini could try to help. He led the way out into the parking lot, stepping over the large puddles that had collected from the storm that now rumbled harmlessly in the distance.
“I can help you with that,” she said, pointing at the bags.
“No, no, I’ve got it. I was supposed to meet my uncle back at the shop but we were so fast I’m not sure he’ll be done. Do you want to hang out at McNaulty’s if he’s not?” Jacob asked this absently because the unusual movement of a puddle at his feet distracted him. The water swept toward him to one side of the dip in the parking lot, as if it were blown by the wind. Only, there was no wind. In fact, there wasn’t even an incline. The weirdest thing was that he could hear it; the water seemed to hum as it moved, as if the molecules were whispering to him.
“Do you hear that?” he asked Malini.
“Hear what?” Malini’s eyebrows scrunched as she saw the water run out of the hole and flow between his feet toward the grocery store. “That’s odd,” she said.
They turned their heads to see where the water was flowing and saw Dane Michaels and Phillip Westcott saunter toward them. Dane looked bored, but when he spotted them his expression morphed into something like relief. Why Dane would be relieved to see him and Malini, Jacob didn’t know, but he didn’t like it. The two boys were smoking and Dane took one last drag on his cigarette before flicking it at the pavement.
“If it isn’t our two special friends, P.S. and Kung Fu,” Phillip said.
Dane slammed a fist into Phillip’s shoulder. “Don’t be rude, Phil,” he said.
Phillip looked confused but shut his mouth.
Dane scanned Malini from head to toe and then raised an eyebrow in Phillip’s direction. Jacob wasn’t a mind reader but he was fairly sure Dane had just realized Malini was a girl, too. If looks could kill, Dane would have fallen over dead right then because Jacob didn’t like his sudden appreciation of Malini. He didn’t like it at all.
“Dane,” Jacob said. It sounded less like a greeting than a threat.
“Hey, we were just on our way to my house. Why don’t you guys come hang out with us?” Dane said. His expression was stiff.
“I don’t think so, Dane. We’re busy,” Jacob replied.
Dane ignored him and snaked his arm around Malini’s waist. “Malini, come hang out with me,” he said softly.
“Don’t touch me.” She pushed him away. “Have you been drinking?”
Jacob could smell it too, a faint spicy sweetness that hung in the air around the two boys.
“Oh, come on. You can’t be having much fun with Lau. Come with me.” Dane pressed his hand into the small of Malini’s back.
Malini slapped his hand away. “Go home, Dane.”
Phillip laughed. “Looks like she wants to go with Jacob, Dane. Guess you’re not enough fun for her.”
And that was the end of the fake politeness. Dane’s face warped into rage.
“Is that it?” Dane moved toward Malini again, grabbing her wrist. “You wanna have more fun? I can be fun.” Malini tried her hardest to push him away but Dane dug his fingers into her like he had something to prove, turning her skin red around his grip.
“Come on, Dane, that’s enough. Back off,” Jacob said. He set the groceries down. His fists clenched and he took a step forward.
“What’s wrong, Jacob? You don’t want Malini to have any fun without you?” Dane leaned forward and ran his tongue up the side of Malini’s face. Phillip laughed hysterically but Malini looked like she might vomit as she struggled to free herself.
Jacob didn’t wait to see if she would succeed. His fist shot out toward Dane’s jaw and he threw his weight into it. Dane’s head snapped back, forcing him to retreat a step. His hand reflexively shot up to the point of impact, wiping away the blood that bubbled out of his split lip. Malini didn’t miss the opportunity to free herself and lunge behind Jacob.
Phillip stopped laughing.
“You are going to wish you never set foot in Paris, freak,” Dane said.
And then, the side of Jacob’s jaw exploded. Before he could recover, Phillip’s hands were on his shirt, and then holding his arms. Dane pummeled his stomach and chest. With each hit, pain radiated and the taste of blood filled his mouth.
But Jacob wasn’t giving up. He knew how to fight. It was the one benefit of the time he’d spent living in public housing. He turned his body sideways, shoved his shoulder into Phillip, and sank a sidekick into Dane’s knee. But Phillip was stronger than Jacob hoped and he couldn’t get his arms loose to block Dane’s punches. He took one to the face and felt his lip split open. Another and his eye started to swell. The hurt wasn’t as bad as the loss of his full range of vision.
Jacob could hear Malini screaming as he took blow after blow, the pain driving him toward the edge of consciousness. What he worried about most was Malini. If he passed out, what would Dane do to her? He had to protect her. No matter what happened to him, Jacob couldn’t let them hurt Malini and somehow he knew they would. With everything he had left, he turned his face toward her and mouthed, Run!
That’s when he heard the hum again from the water at his feet. It was like when he was little and he would place his hand on the speaker of his father’s stereo. The buzz would tickle his fingers. Only now, the hum made his whole body prickle.
His thoughts became clear and quick, so quick that everything around him seemed to move in slow motion. Dane’s arm retracted. Malini’s mouth opened as if to scream, and Phillip’s head nodded at Dane, but whatever sounds they made didn’t reach Jacob.
His body was a string map. Every finger and toe was the end of a string that was tied to the center of his chest, right over his heart. The strings were tight and when he strummed them with his mind they played a note, the same note as the water. In that moment everything felt connected. Using the hum was
instinctual. It was like knowing what to do with his kidneys. He didn’t have to understand how they worked, they just did.
With a new strength, he wrenched his arms free from Phillip’s grip. As Dane’s fist neared his head, he gathered the hum tightly inside and then let go. His arms flew out toward Dane, to push him away. But he missed. Jacob’s hands stopped short of Dane’s chest, but those strings inside of him released.
Like a slingshot, the hum shot toward Dane, but instead of a stone flying loose, the rain started again—sideways. Not from the sky but from everything wet: the pavement, the trees, and the tops of the cars in the parking lot. It came from behind Jacob, like someone had turned on a fire hose. In a mighty gust, the water washed Dane and Phillip against the wall of Westcott’s grocery. Jacob stared in shock. The impact was so strong he hoped the boys weren’t dead. The water fell to the pavement as abruptly as it had come.
After moments of painful silence, he was relieved to hear a sharp intake of breath from the two boys, followed by plenty of coughing and spitting. He didn’t press his luck. He grabbed the groceries and Malini’s hand.
“Let’s get the hell out of here,” he said.
“What the hell was that?” Malini gasped, falling into step. They hurried up the sidewalk toward Laudner’s Flowers and Gifts.
“I don’t know. I guess … weather.”
“No, Jacob. That was not weather. That was some kind of miracle. Did you see the water wash those two away when you pushed Dane?”
“It was a coincidence. It had to be.”
“Were you just there? Did you not see Phillip fly over your head? He was behind you, Jacob! The water washed him away. And look at me! I’m dry as a bone. If it was the weather, why am I not wet?”
“I don’t know … I don’t know.”
“What?”
“I don’t know what happened, okay? Let’s just forget it ever happened.”
Malini narrowed her eyes and filled her cheeks with air. Her body stopped moving. He pulled her hand gently but she stood her ground.
“I’ll tell you one thing, you are not going to be able to forget about that anytime soon.” She pointed at his face.
Jacob turned to see his reflection in the window of his uncle’s shop. His left eye was a swollen red slit and blood from his lip oozed down his chin. He dabbed it with his finger. The door opened and John stepped onto the sidewalk, his mouth twisting into a grimace.
“Aw hell, Jacob! Could you possibly make my life any more difficult?” John lifted the groceries from Jacob’s arms. “Your Aunt Carolyn is going to have a field day with this. Get in the car!”
He did as he was told.
John asked Malini if she needed a ride somewhere but she insisted she was meeting her dad at his office. He didn’t ask twice.
As John pulled away, Jacob watched Malini through the window of the truck. She remained standing, on the same spot of sidewalk, staring after him with her lips parted slightly. Her expression was unforgettable, like she had just seen a ghost … or a miracle.