Part 31 (1/2)
”No. Does it bother you?”
”I'll admit I'm trying not to think about it.”
”Because, you know, it would be like Kingsley and Claire together.”
”Eleanor, are you trying to make me carsick?”
She laughed openly, easily. It felt so good to be alone with him, teasing him, being near him.
”Sorry. I promise Claire and I will be cool.”
”Good. I've been worried about her lately.”
”What's wrong?”
”I don't know.” S0ren adjusted the seat to give himself more legroom. This was not an issue she ever had. ”Claire has been a marvelous correspondent. I have almost a thousand letters from her. She's been writing me since she first learned how. I receive at least one a week. Or did until two months ago, when she stopped writing. I've spoken to her on the phone a few times and planned to talk with her at Thanksgiving. She's been secretive, unusually so. I'm hoping she'll talk to you since she won't talk to me.”
”I'm not going to spy on your sister and report back to you. That is a violation of the Girl Code.”
”The Girl Code? Is this something you've invented or is it actually codified somewhere?”
”It's a real thing. You can't write the rules down because that's also a violation of the Girl Code. Boys might find a written copy, and then they'd know the secrets.”
”Are you violating the code by telling me about the code?”
”Yes, but the Girl Code is really f.u.c.king stupid, and I only follow it when I feel like it.”
”And I a.s.sume you feel like following it now?”
”Right.”
All the way to New Hamps.h.i.+re, she and S0ren talked. They started with music. She confessed that for the past year she'd been trying to learn about cla.s.sical music. He confessed he'd borrowed Sam's copy of Pearl Jam's Ten so he'd know about this mysterious band she adored.
”So Sam's a Pearl Jam fan, too?” Eleanor asked.
”She is.”
”Can I ask a theological question?”
”I have no idea why you think I would be interested in theology, but ask anyway.”
”If I were to fool around with a woman, would it count as s.e.x?”
”If the rumors about Sam are even half true, I can guarantee she would make it count.”
”You have the coolest friends.”
The four hours pa.s.sed in what felt like minutes. She'd been worried the trip would be weird or awkward, but instead she discovered S0ren, despite being a pompous, pretentious, arrogant, overeducated sn.o.b, was the easiest person in the world to talk to. As they neared the house, Eleanor almost regretted the end of the trip. She could talk to him forever.
”Is that it?” she asked, stopping the car at the end of a long driveway.
The sun had set two hours ago, but a spotlight shone on the house ahead. S0ren had called it a ”Federal” style mansion, whatever that meant. He said his father had married into money and gutted his first wife's family home, remodeling it to his exact specifications. It had two stories, two wings, twelve bedrooms, fourteen bathrooms and six thousand square feet. S0ren also added that he'd rather be back in the leper colony than back at his childhood home.
”That's it.”
She saw his jaw clench and his eyes narrow.
”What's wrong?”
”Nothing, Little One. Only bad memories from that house.”
She reached over and covered his hand with hers.
”I'm here. I don't know if that helps any.”
S0ren raised her hand and kissed the back of it.
”It helps more than you can imagine.”
She eased the car down the driveway and at S0ren's instructions followed the winding path to the back of the house, where they parked. She turned off the car, got out and stretched a few seconds before pulling her bag from the trunk.
”Oh, another thing, Eleanor, before we go in the house.”
”Is it the body? Is the body in the house?” She tried not to make a face. ”No offense but dead bodies creep me out.”
”No body at the house, I promise.”
”Then what's up?”
”You're here with Claire, not with me.”
She knew she was here with him, for him. Still, she nodded.
A light on the back porch flipped on.
”Here we go,” S0ren sighed. ”Brace yourself.”
”What's wrong?”
”Hurricane Claire is about to hit.”
20.
Eleanor A DOOR SLAMMED, A LOUD SOUND THAT WAS FOLLOWED by an even louder sound-a squeal and a laugh and then a blur of arms and legs racing toward the car.
A girl launched herself into S0ren's arms and wrapped herself bodily around him.