able to help with the rest of the move.”
“I told you, it's okay. I've got someone to pick up my stuff next Thursday, and I'll be with you on Saturday.” She wrapped her arms around his waist. “I can manage. Just take care of the girls. Don't let them go too long without checking on them. I've put a slice of watermelon in their boxes, so they'll be good for a while. But they could use a drink after a couple of hours.”
“ I got this, Emma. Check on them. Don't let them get too hot or cold. Give them a drink and something to eat.”
“ Sorry. I know you'll take good care of them.” She pressed herself closer, reluctant to let him go. “Take care of yourself as well. Call me when you get to Seattle. I love you, big man.”
“ I love you too, baby girl.”
TWELVE
Emma dropped her bag onto the floor and looked around the tiny apartment that would be her home for the foreseeable future. It was clean, tastefully decorated in a nonspecific way, sparsely furnished, and she absolutely hated it. Even through the closed window she could hear the hum of traffic, and from the tiny balcony she had a view of trash cans and the backs of similar apartment blocks.
Deke laid his hand on her cheek and kissed her. “It's not forever.”
“I know.” She tried, and failed, to smile. “And I guess there's nothing like living in a soulless box to motivate me into finding my perfect home.”
“ You really do hate it, don't you.”
“ Yes.” She hadn't expected to be so upset at the prospect of living here, even for a short while. He pulled her into his arms, and she sobbed quietly against his broad chest. “I'm sorry. I'll be fine, I'm just feeling a little tired and overemotional right now.”
“ Hey. You don't have to ever apologize to me. I should be the one saying sorry to you.” He lifted her chin and kissed her. “Beth has invited us to dinner this evening. You want me to call and cancel?”
“ No. I'll be fine, really.” While she didn't really feel like socializing, it was infinitely preferable to spending the evening staring at the dreadful reproductions on the wall. “I'll just take a shower and try to find something to wear that isn't too creased.”
~ oOo ~
Dinner at Beth’s was like nothing Emma had ever experienced before. They had been joined by several other Freaks as well as their old ladies and kids, and, unlike the sedate dinner parties she was used to, this was a raucous affair. The food was simple but plentiful, with many of the old ladies bringing their own contributions. The older kids were involved instead of being hidden away, while the younger ones camped out on airbeds on the living room floor.
Deke touched her hand. “You okay, sweetheart?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Is it always like this?”
“ This is pretty low key. You should see our parties.” He grinned. “We ain’t what you could call refined.”
She, like many people, had never been comfortable surrounded by strangers, but Beth was a considerate hostess and took time to involve her in conversations. She'd even made sure there was enough meat-free stuff for her to eat, without it drawing attention. Deke was attentive, and everybody made an effort to make her feel welcome. Apart, that was, from Yaz, Bugs' old lady. She wasn’t rude, exactly, but Emma got the distinct impression that she didn’t like her. Whatever it was that her problem was, it didn’t spoil the evening, and again her views of the Freaks shifted. There was so much love in that room that she felt quite overwhelmed.
Despite the laughter, Emma could feel an undercurrent running through the room. It wasn't something she could pin down. Just something about the way Tiny would touch Beth's hand, or how Bonnie would glance up at Wolf. It was as if they felt they wouldn't be all spending evenings like this again for some time.
“ You gonna eat that?” She jolted from her reverie as Spike pointed to the remains of the cherry pie on her plate
“I told you, it's okay. I've got someone to pick up my stuff next Thursday, and I'll be with you on Saturday.” She wrapped her arms around his waist. “I can manage. Just take care of the girls. Don't let them go too long without checking on them. I've put a slice of watermelon in their boxes, so they'll be good for a while. But they could use a drink after a couple of hours.”
“ I got this, Emma. Check on them. Don't let them get too hot or cold. Give them a drink and something to eat.”
“ Sorry. I know you'll take good care of them.” She pressed herself closer, reluctant to let him go. “Take care of yourself as well. Call me when you get to Seattle. I love you, big man.”
“ I love you too, baby girl.”
TWELVE
Emma dropped her bag onto the floor and looked around the tiny apartment that would be her home for the foreseeable future. It was clean, tastefully decorated in a nonspecific way, sparsely furnished, and she absolutely hated it. Even through the closed window she could hear the hum of traffic, and from the tiny balcony she had a view of trash cans and the backs of similar apartment blocks.
Deke laid his hand on her cheek and kissed her. “It's not forever.”
“I know.” She tried, and failed, to smile. “And I guess there's nothing like living in a soulless box to motivate me into finding my perfect home.”
“ You really do hate it, don't you.”
“ Yes.” She hadn't expected to be so upset at the prospect of living here, even for a short while. He pulled her into his arms, and she sobbed quietly against his broad chest. “I'm sorry. I'll be fine, I'm just feeling a little tired and overemotional right now.”
“ Hey. You don't have to ever apologize to me. I should be the one saying sorry to you.” He lifted her chin and kissed her. “Beth has invited us to dinner this evening. You want me to call and cancel?”
“ No. I'll be fine, really.” While she didn't really feel like socializing, it was infinitely preferable to spending the evening staring at the dreadful reproductions on the wall. “I'll just take a shower and try to find something to wear that isn't too creased.”
~ oOo ~
Dinner at Beth’s was like nothing Emma had ever experienced before. They had been joined by several other Freaks as well as their old ladies and kids, and, unlike the sedate dinner parties she was used to, this was a raucous affair. The food was simple but plentiful, with many of the old ladies bringing their own contributions. The older kids were involved instead of being hidden away, while the younger ones camped out on airbeds on the living room floor.
Deke touched her hand. “You okay, sweetheart?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Is it always like this?”
“ This is pretty low key. You should see our parties.” He grinned. “We ain’t what you could call refined.”
She, like many people, had never been comfortable surrounded by strangers, but Beth was a considerate hostess and took time to involve her in conversations. She'd even made sure there was enough meat-free stuff for her to eat, without it drawing attention. Deke was attentive, and everybody made an effort to make her feel welcome. Apart, that was, from Yaz, Bugs' old lady. She wasn’t rude, exactly, but Emma got the distinct impression that she didn’t like her. Whatever it was that her problem was, it didn’t spoil the evening, and again her views of the Freaks shifted. There was so much love in that room that she felt quite overwhelmed.
Despite the laughter, Emma could feel an undercurrent running through the room. It wasn't something she could pin down. Just something about the way Tiny would touch Beth's hand, or how Bonnie would glance up at Wolf. It was as if they felt they wouldn't be all spending evenings like this again for some time.
“ You gonna eat that?” She jolted from her reverie as Spike pointed to the remains of the cherry pie on her plate
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