Just One Drink (147 page)

“Siv has made it clear that you are looking for lands to expand to, which we can offer in exchange for your help with ship building and combat.” Bram and the others turned and began to speak amongst themselves. Siv tried to listen in on the conversation, but they were obviously keeping it quiet so that she would be unable to hear. Finally, after a few moments of deliberation, Bram stepped forward.

“Siv, tell this man that we are not the ones that can make this decision and therefore no hostage situation will be handled.” Bram held his hand out as if Siv would jump from the wall into his arms. “Tell him to release you and we will both take this message back to the jarl. Together.”

Even from the distance Siv could tell that there was a pained expression tensed across his face, something that she had never wanted to see. However, she knew what she had to do. After seeing what she had seen and having done what she had done, she knew that she could no longer return home. So, she relayed the message to Peter who shook his head.

“Bram, I won’t be returning home. The only reason they are even allowing you all to live is so that I will stay here. They know that if they kill you all like this I would have no reason to continue living. I will need a reason to stay alive. Allow the future of our people to be that reason.” Bram looked up at her and looked back sheepishly at the warriors standing behind him. With a strained voice he called back up to her his response.

“I have already lost one love, please don’t make me lose you.” Siv felt a pang of pain shoot through her chest as she looked down towards Bram. The other warriors began to once again mutter amongst themselves and, after seeing the look on Bram’s face, they were question his ability to lead this operation. Almost instantly Lagertha stepped forward and shoved Bram aside. Her bear skin was torn and covered in blood. More scars lined her face, but they didn’t seem to bother her.

“We will take these demands back to the jarl and will return when he has prepared his decision.” Lagertha turned as though she were going to walk away as Siv translated this message for Peter and the others, but she stopped and shouted towards Siv. “Send a raven if we bring an army.” As she said this Bram charged toward the wall of the castle.

Siv watched in horror as an archer that was on the wall drew back his arrow. His Viking yelled called for the others, but they watched in fascination as Bram ran alone. The archer loosed the arrow and it lodged into the ground feet in front of Bram, causing him to stop in his tracks.

Immediately the archer set another arrow on the bow and drew it back, which Bram watched this time. Tentatively he took another step forward and the arrow let loose another arrow that landed inches in front of Bram. Bram stared up at the archer who notched a third arrow and shook his head at Bram. He raised his hands and dropped both his sword and shield at the gate.

Sive watched as he walked backwards until he was once again in the ranks of the warriors. The Vikings then walked back towards their ship and Peter questioned Siv about the last thing Lagertha had shouted. As Siv watched them walking back, Bram’s head hanging low and her brothers and sisters heading home, she didn’t think it was right to tell him, so she merely told him:

“She wished me luck.”

THE END

Chapter 1

It had been a long day at work.  Tammi sighed as she got in her car.  The snow was piling up fast, making her realize she had to get home before her beat up car couldn’t make it up her uphill street.  She turned the key, but to her dismay, the engine choked and didn’t start.  Cursing under her breath, she turned the key again, but with no luck. 

“Great…”  Tammi muttered, resting her arms on the steering wheel before laying her head on them.  She sighed again and took a moment to herself before she shivered, as the frigid winter air made its way into her poorly insulated car.  

Leaning over to the passenger seat she reached into her bag and pulled out her phone.  Three missed calls.  Unlocking it, she looked at her call history.  Max had called her three times, all within the span of ten minutes.  What had happened this time?  With an annoyed look on her face, she called him back, tapping her thumb against the steering wheel as she heard the dialing tone. 

She rolled her eyes as the call went to voicemail.  It was so like him to call her and then not answer his phone.  Tammi reached down, trying the key again, and to her surprise, the engine came to life.  Her face relaxed in relief as she turned up the heat, rubbing her hands together in an attempt to warm up her frozen fingers. 

Soon enough she was driving through the snow at a snail’s pace as her car slid across the icy roads.  It was amazing that she hadn’t crashed. Somehow she had managed to get to her house safe and sound. 

Grabbing her bag, Tammi made her way out of the car and found Max sitting on her doorstep looking miserable.  The top of his head was covered in snow and he looked frozen.  Tammi stood on the entryway for a moment, her hand on her hip as she stared at him. 

“What happened this time?”  She asked, looking him over. 

“Can we talk about this inside, please?  I can’t feel my toes.”  Max muttered, as his teeth chattered.  She rolled her eyes, walking past him and unlocking the door.  The inside was nice and warm and they both sighed in relief.

Tammi started to take off her jacket, ignoring Max as he crept inside and closed the door behind them.  He was limping slightly and he winced in pain as he began to take off his light jacket.  When he took off his hat, the large gash on his head was apparent. 

This went unnoticed by Tammi however, as she made her way into the kitchen, turning on the tea kettle.  She leaned against the counter, thinking of what snack she was in the mood for as Max struggled in. 

“A little help would be nice.”  Max murmured as he looked at her, an almost guilty look on his face.  She glanced over her shoulder, surveying his wounds for the first time.  Her face changed to that of compassion as she walked up to him and gently ran her fingers across the gash on his head.  Without a word she made it into the bathroom and grabbed her large first aid kit from under the sink. 

Max watched as she came back and placed it on the counter, opening it up and looking inside.  She started to scavenge through the contents, placing things on the counter.  Max just stood there quietly, leaving her be. 

Once done, she grabbed her supplies and walked over to the dining room table, setting them down.  With one look she commanded Max into the dining room where he sat down gingerly.

“Where?”  She demanded in a serious, no-nonsense voice. 

“Head, ribs, right side, and left calf.”  She nodded before handing him a couple of pills.

He downed them quickly as she leaned over looking at his leg first.  With skilled fingers, she prodded his leg, looking for the source of his pain.  He winced as she pressed against a tender muscle, and reaching up she grabbed something before spraying it on his leg.  Max shivered as he felt the coldness wrap around his leg, but soon sighed in relief as it started to warm up. 

Tammi moved to his ribs next, repeating the procedure.  Max tried to stay as still as possible while she took care of him.  Soon enough she was leaning in close to him, her lips inches away from his own as she looked at the cut on his head.

“What happened this time?”  She asked, finally breaking the silence that had formed between them.  She suddenly dabbed his wound with a bit of rubbing alcohol, making Max wince in pain. 

“Stop being such a baby.”  She chided, continuing to treat the cut. 

“I was training.” 

“With who?”  Max’s face fell as she gave him a disapproving look.  She grabbed a bandage and placed it on his head, patching up his wound.  “Hmm?”  She asked again, tapping her foot on the ground in impatience. 

“With Fred,” he muttered, looking away from her gaze. 

“I knew it.  You can’t trust that guy.  He’ll end up killing you one day, I swear.”  She said exasperatedly. 

“You know he is the only one I can train with, to stand any chance of getting into Mayhem.” 

“Why you want to be an MMA fighter is beyond me, Max,” she said, going into the kitchen and pouring herself some tea. 

“You know it’s my dream!  Since we were kids!” 

“Yeah well, when we were kids you’d fight other boys at the sandbox and get a couple of scratches.  Things are different now.  You could get hurt.”  Her voice sounded worried as she steeped her tea.  He sighed and limped over to her.

“I’ll promise to be careful.” 

“Can you promise not to fight anymore?” 

“You know I can’t do that.”  She sighed once more, looking at him with a stern expression.

“One of these days… you are going to get seriously hurt… and I’m not going to be here to fix you up.”  Her voice wavered and he sighed, hugging her tightly. 

“I promise to be careful.”  She turned away from him, sipping her tea. 

Chapter 2

“You know… if you weren’t my best friend… I wouldn’t do it.  I wouldn’t put up with this.”  Her voice was barely a whisper.  Max’s brow furrowed for a moment, before he frowned, realizing what her words meant. 

“Tammi…”  He said, placing his hand on her shoulder.  She shrugged it off, walking away into the living room.  “You know I don’t want to hurt you…”  He whispered in hopes she would listen, but by now she was giving him the cold shoulder. 

He frowned further, before following her into the living room.  He sat down next to her in his usual spot and watched her flick through the channels.  She was upset.  It was obvious, but he didn’t know what to do.  He couldn’t just give up his dream, could he? 

Thinking things over, his eyelids got heavy, his head drooping onto his chest.  Soon he was fast asleep and snoring, leaning over on his arm.  Tammi looked at him, before getting up and draping a blanket over his body.  She may be hard on him, but Max was still her best friend.

As she sat there, looking at him, she sighed.  She wondered how he would react if he knew the truth about how she really felt.  Would he reject her or worse yet, friend-zone her?  Her heart skipped a beat at the thought and she looked away, focusing on the TV.  But the sitcom could do little to ease her mind.  Frustrated she got up, moving back into the kitchen.  She might as well make dinner. 

She moved around the kitchen with ease, humming softly as she put ingredients together.  Soon the whole house filled with the aroma of fresh herbs and spices.  She smiled as the timer went off and she pulled out an extra cheesy lasagna out of the oven.

Pleased with the result, she carried it into the dining room and placed the dish in the middle of the table.  She then returned into the kitchen, grabbing plates and utensils, setting the table for two. 

Meanwhile, Max continued to sleep, but his mind took him somewhere sweet.  In his dream, there was a girl sitting by the beach, with chestnut hair that flowed elegantly in the wind.  As he approached her, she turned around, looking at him, giving him a warm smile with rosy lips.  It was Tammi. 

With a wide smile, he sat by her side.  To his surprise, she leaned over and kissed his cheek with a giggle.  He blushed and looked away, a little embarrassed.  Did she know he liked her?  She looked at him with an adoring look in her eyes. 

She started to lean into him, her eyes closed and her lips slightly puckered.  Was this the moment he had been waiting for since junior high?  Was his childhood crush finally going to kiss him?  He waited with eager anticipation for her lips to press into his, but nothing happened. 

“Max.”  He began to shake, scrunching his face in confusion.  What was going on?  He opened his eyes and saw the real Tammi looking at him.  “Dinner’s ready.”

              “Huh?”  He asked, looking at her lips.  Had he been dreaming? 

              “I made food,” Tammi explained.  “You okay?  You’re looking at me weird.”  Max shook his head slightly, trying to clear his mind before he got up. 

              “Yeah.  Yeah.  I’m okay.”  He said, brushing off the whole situation as he followed his nose into the dining room.

              As they ate dinner, he remained quiet, occasionally looking at her.  His dream and her words from earlier were swarming around his mind as he barely touched his food.  He knew he would lose her if he didn’t tell her how he felt, but he didn’t know how.  What if she didn’t like him back? 

              “Max… you sure you are okay?”  She asked, concerned.  Her hair fell over her face gently, covering up her eye.  Max instinctively reached forward and pinned it behind her ear, his hand lingering on her cheek.

              “Actually…”  He paused, taking a deep breath, steadying his nerves.  “There’s something I need to tell you.” 

              Tammi tilted her head to the side, her cheek nuzzling into his palm by accident.  She blushed and pulled away slightly.  “Oh?” 

              “Tammi…I…”  Max paused again. 

              “Just spit it out!” 

              “I love you.”  Tammi dropped her fork just as she was about to take a bite.  What?  She stared at him in disbelief. 

              “You what..?”  She blurted out, in shock.  Max’s face fell as he heard her, thinking she was mad.

              “I’m sorry to just dump this on you… but there is never a right time… and I’ve liked you since like the seventh grade…”  He started to ramble on and on, trying to defend himself. Her face was red, but she managed to lean forward and kiss him on the lips for the first time.

              Max was frozen in place as he felt her soft lips on his.  His heart started to race and he closed his eyes in pleasant surprise as she continued to kiss him.  To his disappointment, she pulled away. 

              “Hey… I was enjoying that…”  He whined, giving her puppy dog eyes. 

              “Then come get some more.”  She winked and got up, running into the living room playfully.  He chuckled and chased her.  Soon enough he cornered her. Picking her up with ease, before carrying her to the sofa.  Slowly, he leaned down, kissing her gently.  Kissing her was even better than he had imagined.  He smiled into the kiss as she kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck. 

              “Hey… do you want to stay the night?”  She asked when she finally pulled away.  He grinned and nodded, carrying her into the bedroom.