Crumbling Walls (Jack and Emily #1) (6 page)

▪▪▪

Jack walked her to her front door for the first time that evening. Usually it was a garden gate drop off, but given it was after dark, he followed her to the door.

“So, when are you gonna show me some more of those?”

Jack laughed, “Hooked after one episode. That’s gotta be a record.”

“What can I say? I love a good bowl of free popcorn.”

Sliding his fingers into hers, “You’re coming back over tomorrow morning right?”

“Yup. Eight o’clock ... Tim has to be at work by noon so that’ll give me plenty of time.”

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”

At this point, he should have left the porch, but he didn’t and Emily should have made him go, but she didn’t. Instead they stood there, just holding hands for a minute or two until Emily asked, “Was I okay while I was asleep?”

Seeing the worry suddenly cloud her face, “What do you mean?”

“Did I, um, say anything or do anything while I was asleep?”

“You mean during your nap? No, why? Do you sleep walk or something?”

As a flood of relief washed over her, “Something like that.”

He wanted to ask more, but opted not to, “I should really go.”

“Yeah, probably.” But instead of turning, she came closer and kissed him once again on the cheek, “I’ll see you in the morning.”

▪▪▪

The next morning she arrived bright and early, beat-up tackle box in tow and board under her arm. Tim answered, rubbing his head and yawning, “Come on in. Let me just brush my teeth and we can start.”

Emily was then left to awkwardly stand in the front hall, alone and wondering if she should just wait or head into the living room. She also wondered where Jack might be, but Tim came back from the bathroom by then, “Well, where would you like me?”

“I guess I’ll ask you what you asked me. What would you be doing right now if I wasn’t here?”

“Given that my manager called and asked if I could work tomorrow, I’d probably be working on finishing up my picture of you.”

“Then go get it and I’ll draw you drawing.”

Tim’s face lit up, “Cool. Kill two birds with one stone kind of thing. Back in a second.”

Retrieving the picture from his room, they were soon both settled on the floor, Emily hunkered on the old sheet she’d brought with her to control the pastel vs. carpet issue while Tim sat on the floor, his board propped up on a pile of old books.

So intent on the task at hand were they that neither heard Jack shuffle into the kitchen. He even stood in the archway for several minutes watching the pair of them work, wondering if he should bother them at all. Opting not to, he instead grabbed a banana and an apple and went back to his room.

Tim soon finished his drawing, but given Emily seemed to be going strong, he quietly switched to a new piece of paper. With his favorite nub of a pencil he began a series of rough sketches of her, particularly her expressions, which changed with every passing moment. Her arched eyebrow, her furrowed forehead and the best one, in his opinion, her darting tongue. In moments of total concentration, it sneaked its way out of the corner of her mouth, the tip of it wiggling as she chewed, lost in her pastel world. He had to keep from smiling about it, but once, he slipped, just as she looked up at him, “Why are you smiling?”

“What? A guy needs a reason to smile now?”

“My tongue was hanging out, wasn't it?”

Grinning even wider, “How does that thing not dry out, flapping there all the time?”

“It does, at times.” Sticking it out further in his direction, “Now go back to your picture. I've only got another half-hour to finish this.”

Already planning on drawing her at least another dozen times, he settled back against the couch, “Yes, ma'am.”

▪▪▪

The magic of the quiet living room was broken around eleven o’clock when the rest of the boys came home, tumbling through the door with shouts and yells.

Barely seconds before the boys reached them, Emily managed to save her picture from the onslaught of feet by holding the board above her head. Tim mirrored her action after slipping all his drawings into the pad of paper and shutting them in safely.

Tim called over the din, “Whoa guys. Precious homework here. Watch it.”

The boys slowed down, finally realizing Emily was grinning in the corner, old board held high, “Sorry Emily.”

“S’okay. Just watch the supplies, please.”

The kids looked down and gingerly stepped away from the sheet, “Where’re Mom and Dad?”

Tim shrugged, “Not sure. I know they left early this morning with Sam. I think they were going grocery shopping or something.”

“Well, we’re gonna go to the park, okay? We’ll be back by three. Dave’s got a watch.”

Waving them away, “Just be careful. And hey, take something to eat with you. I know Mom just bought a huge box of granola bars.”

Already heading back out of the room, “Okay.”

Once the room had returned to its original state of peace and quiet, “You all right over there?”

She smiled, “Yeah. Just kind of shell-shocked, I guess you’d say.”

“Yeah, it tends to happen to new people.”

Jack’s voice drifted from the kitchen, “This was nothing compared to what a meal looks like.” Coming into the living room, “Speaking of which, anybody hungry for lunch?”

Her stomach growled her answer, “A little.”

“Then come on in. I was gonna cook some Mac and Cheese. You want any, Tim?”

Looking at his watch, “No, but thanks. I’ve gotta go get ready for work.” Trying to look around Emily’s shoulder as he walked by, “Do I get a peek?”

“Nope. Grand unveiling in class.”

“You are so not fun.”

“Do I get to see yours?”

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he left the room whistling, “See you Monday in class.”

▪▪▪

While they were eating their way through their lunch, “Um, Jack?”

“Yeah?” as a noodle hung from his chin.

Reaching over and tapping it so it fell back in the bowl, “Why didn’t you come down while Tim and I were working?”

“I actually did, but both of you looked so serious and focused I wasn’t about to interrupt, so I went back upstairs and did some homework. Once the others got home though, I figured you wouldn’t be able to concentrate anymore, so I came down.”

”For a second there, I thought you had forgotten I was here.”

“Forget you? Are you kidding?” Without stopping himself, “I haven’t forgotten about you for a minute since I faked that flat tire.”

Well, that little secret jumped right out in the open didn’t it?

And Emily couldn’t help the smile that spread from ear to ear, “I knew there wasn’t anything wrong with that tire.”

“How?”

“”Cause you rode right away on it without ever checking it again.”

Looking rather sheepish, “Well, it was the only way I could think of to stop in front of the house.”

“You could just as easily have quit pedaling and said hello instead of taking out half a flat of snapdragons in the process.”

Collecting their now empty bowls and putting them in the dishwasher, “My idea seemed better at the time.”

She just shook her head, “Well, next time you want to talk to a girl, just say hi. Works surprisingly well.”

He was going to reply with something suave and cool, but was interrupted by the front door opening and Sam rushing headlong into the bathroom. His parents came into the kitchen a moment later … and for the first time, Emily laid eyes on Jack’s dad.

It was all she could do to keep the macaroni in her stomach.

▪▪▪

Jack saw her cringe and pale immediately. Luckily, his parents hit the fridge looking for lunch after Mr. Callaghan shook her hand, so Jack called a quick good-bye and mumbled something about walking Emily home. He then steered her towards the front door, grabbing her supplies as he passed them.

Once on the porch with the door safely pulled shut behind them, “Are you okay?”

By now, Emily had come back to reality and, though covered in a thin sheen of sweat, seemed calmer, “Yeah, I just don’t think the food is sitting very well.”

Almost positive she was lying, he chose to let it slide, walking home next to her slowly and delivering her at the front gate as usual. “You’re really sure you’re all right? You seemed fine until my parents walked in.”

With a nod, “Maybe I just woke up too early or didn’t get enough sleep last night.”

“If you say so.” Leaning forward, he kissed her forehead, “Call me if you need anything, okay?”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow or Monday okay? I have to go to some family picnic at Dad’s work tomorrow and I don’t know when I’ll be back.”

Remembering him mentioning it, “Okay. Have fun.”

Still more than a little worried about her, “I’ll try.”

▪▪▪

He didn’t mention anything about what happened to anyone. After a day of thinking about it, he had nearly managed to convince himself it really was the whole food, getting up early, staying out late combo.

Chapter 5

On Monday morning, Tim made it to class just in time for the bell and slid into the chair beside her, “One of these days, the mob at senior rail is gonna make me late.”

“You’re a senior.”

“Doesn’t mean they don’t need to get the hell away from me. And I still don’t understand why the seniors need some place to hang out during school. Just use the hall like normal people.”

With a shrug, “Who knows? Apparently it’s been tradition for decades and who’s gonna mess with tradition?”

“Still annoys the piss out of me.”

Class started then, so Tim’s rant ended early as they both turned towards the talking teacher, “So, everybody ready to do the unveiling?”

Their pictures were already sitting in a pile on the front table and, two by two, she picked them up, propped them against the chalkboard, turned and stepped back to let the critiquing begin.

Most were good, some were better than good, but then, “I decided to save these two for last. Honest opinions folks. Don’t hold back.”

Turning the last two, the class stared in silence until, “Damn, couldn’t either of you at least fake some inconsistencies so the rest of us don’t look like simplistic freaks who accidentally landed in an art class through a scheduling mishap?” Tim turned a beet-red color as he took a quick glance at his heckler. It turned out to be Jim wearing a big grin, “Just kidding, man.”

Ms. Tassleman looked over the class with a small smile, “Anything?”

It was then the questions started to flow until just before the end of class, “Tim, did you add yourself in later?”

“Huh?”

“How are you in the picture with Emily?”

He grinned, “That’s not me. It’s my brother, Jack. All us kids look the same.”

Jim, with his usual timing, “Damn, no kidding.”

The bell rang and everybody but Emily stood, gathering their things. She in turn just sat, staring at the pictures still leaning on the wall.

“Hey, you okay?”

She hadn’t said much during class, answering the questions she was asked quickly and quietly. Even now, she was still answering in a daze, “Yeah, I’m fine.”
 

“Then why do you look like the pod people got you?”

Not even hearing the comment, “Do I really look like that?”

Tim looked from her to the picture and back to her in confusion, “What do you mean?”

Grabbing her bag, she moved to stand in front of the picture of herself, “Do I really look like that?”

On the paper, there sat a girl, eyes shut, head leaning against Jack’s shoulder. The lips were slightly apart and one small strand of stray hair had fallen across her face. Her hand was lying against Jack’s thigh and Jack himself was asleep as well, his fingers entwined ever so slightly with hers. For lack of a better word, she looked beautiful and peaceful and completely content with the world.

When Tim didn’t answer, she asked again quietly, “Is that how you see me?”

“It’s how everybody sees you, Em. Don’t you ever look in the mirror?”

With a shake of her head to clear the fog, she turned towards the door, “But that’s not what I see.” Not wanting her to walk away yet, he reached out to grab her elbow and stop her. With that motion, Emily came crashing back to the real world and jerked her arm back, “I’m gonna be late.”

Ms. Tassleman came back through the door just as Emily was leaving and nearly knocked into her. Looking confused, she spotted Tim still in the room, “Need anything?”

He stayed by the pictures, “Can I ask you something?”

Coming to stand next to him, “Sure.”

“Do you think it looks like Emily?”

“Are you kidding? It’s a near dead ringer. Why?”

“She just asked if she really looked like that and I told her yeah. Then she said ‘that’s not what I see’. I just wanted to make sure I was seeing her the way everybody else did.”

Ms. Tassleman stood staring at the two pictures for a moment before responding, “You have to remember, she’s 15. Most girls at that age see themselves as ugly, unattractive and probably hideous individuals. Maybe you’re the first person to show her she really is beautiful.” He shrugged his response, still contemplating and she continued, “I’ll also say this. I’ve had her in classes for three years now and I have never, ever seen her so relaxed. She’s usually guarded and wound tight but here, well, it’s just nice to know that she can take a break.”

He nodded, “She had me worried for a minute.”

Patting him on the arm, “That just means you’re her friend and that’s a very good thing.”

They stared a few more seconds at the side by side images, then, “I hate to ask, but do you think I could get a pass to my next class? The bell rang like five minutes ago.”

With a smile, “Of course.”