insult her, stopping just short of calling her a whore.
There were sacred few things left I knew to be true beyond a shadow of doubt. One of those things was that Timbra Redfern was decidedly not a whore.
She was also not defending herself. She stood there, shoulders drooped in defeat, a million miles away from what was taking place right in front of her.
“Now wait just a minute, Mr. Redfern,” I interrupted, knowing full well what was best and safest for me was to back away and let the two of them settle what seemed a family matter among, well, family. But Timbra had become my family, and I wasn’t going to let the overbearing hulk of a man insult my friend, who I’d thought was meek by nature, but I was beginning to suspect was molded that way over time. “You’re yelling at Timbra like she’s been screwing the soccer team, and maybe you’ve been misinformed. That’s not her.” That was Bex, but I didn’t want to get into that . “Timbra’s a kind, intelligent, generous person with an exceptional moral compass. Accusing her of ‘perverse escapades’ is…well, it’s hilarious, really, because she’s the last person to be described that way.”
“Is that so?” His eyes were squinted to angry slits; his voice gritty with menace. “So she’s not sleeping with a dog? With that Adder boy?”
Words escaped me then. To confirm or deny Timbra’s relationship with Boone wasn’t my place. She was a grown woman and it was none of his business. On the other hand, I wanted to defend Timbra. Boone was wonderful for her, wonderful to her. They were crazy about each other, and very happy.
“It’s true,” Timbra squeaked from behind me, then cleared her throat and stated with more force, “It’s true. I’m seeing Boone Adder. I like him very much, Father. I think I might love him.”
Instead of espousing more rage at her admission, his face crumpled like sodden parchment. He turned his head, closed his eyes, and wheezed with suppressed emotion.
That was my cue to leave. I squeezed Timbra’s hand to convey my solidarity and headed for Sabre Hall.
----
A s I trudged up the wide stone steps, Pia alerted me to a note waiting at the front desk. Oh hell , I thought. Gresham . I snatched the note from my little mail slot behind the counter and opened the crisp white envelope with dread. But it wasn’t from Gresham at all. I glanced ahead to the last line, which only held a scribbled “SD.”
I ’ll be at the cafe on Ulmo Street today from 12:30 to 2:00.
Would enjoy seeing you again.
Dad and Granny say hello.
SD
S D , I thought. Dad and Granny ? Then I got it. Stryde Drakontos. What the hell was he doing in town? During the day. And at a cafe, no less. I checked Pia for the time. It was 1:30 and I had another class at 2:00. I’d have to hurry.
Chapter 16
T hankful for tracing in a time crunch, I went as far as I’d been downtown and used PiaMaps the rest of the way. Though it was mid-day, the street was so lined with old trees that it was shaded and cool. Several small tables lined the street ahead. It was impossible to be too cautious, so I peeked through the window of Cafe Bjorn. There were only a few patrons, but a booth at the back of the restaurant was conspicuously occupied. He wore a hat over his dark hair and sat low in the booth, but it was unmistakably Stryde.
Three little bells chimed as I entered, attracting the attention of a husky woman behind the bar. She nodded but never moved her concentration from the tasks behind the counter. Stryde saw me and started to rise, but I waved him back down and looked around nervously. The whole situation had me on edge.
I slid into the booth and wasted no time to whisper, “What are you doing here? Are you crazy?”
“No one will recognize me, Stella. I was young when I,” he paused ever-so-slightly, “left, and I’m not so well known as Dad and Granny. Besides, I wore a disguise.”
“The hat? Yeah, not fooling anyone. I knew you right
There were sacred few things left I knew to be true beyond a shadow of doubt. One of those things was that Timbra Redfern was decidedly not a whore.
She was also not defending herself. She stood there, shoulders drooped in defeat, a million miles away from what was taking place right in front of her.
“Now wait just a minute, Mr. Redfern,” I interrupted, knowing full well what was best and safest for me was to back away and let the two of them settle what seemed a family matter among, well, family. But Timbra had become my family, and I wasn’t going to let the overbearing hulk of a man insult my friend, who I’d thought was meek by nature, but I was beginning to suspect was molded that way over time. “You’re yelling at Timbra like she’s been screwing the soccer team, and maybe you’ve been misinformed. That’s not her.” That was Bex, but I didn’t want to get into that . “Timbra’s a kind, intelligent, generous person with an exceptional moral compass. Accusing her of ‘perverse escapades’ is…well, it’s hilarious, really, because she’s the last person to be described that way.”
“Is that so?” His eyes were squinted to angry slits; his voice gritty with menace. “So she’s not sleeping with a dog? With that Adder boy?”
Words escaped me then. To confirm or deny Timbra’s relationship with Boone wasn’t my place. She was a grown woman and it was none of his business. On the other hand, I wanted to defend Timbra. Boone was wonderful for her, wonderful to her. They were crazy about each other, and very happy.
“It’s true,” Timbra squeaked from behind me, then cleared her throat and stated with more force, “It’s true. I’m seeing Boone Adder. I like him very much, Father. I think I might love him.”
Instead of espousing more rage at her admission, his face crumpled like sodden parchment. He turned his head, closed his eyes, and wheezed with suppressed emotion.
That was my cue to leave. I squeezed Timbra’s hand to convey my solidarity and headed for Sabre Hall.
----
A s I trudged up the wide stone steps, Pia alerted me to a note waiting at the front desk. Oh hell , I thought. Gresham . I snatched the note from my little mail slot behind the counter and opened the crisp white envelope with dread. But it wasn’t from Gresham at all. I glanced ahead to the last line, which only held a scribbled “SD.”
I ’ll be at the cafe on Ulmo Street today from 12:30 to 2:00.
Would enjoy seeing you again.
Dad and Granny say hello.
SD
S D , I thought. Dad and Granny ? Then I got it. Stryde Drakontos. What the hell was he doing in town? During the day. And at a cafe, no less. I checked Pia for the time. It was 1:30 and I had another class at 2:00. I’d have to hurry.
Chapter 16
T hankful for tracing in a time crunch, I went as far as I’d been downtown and used PiaMaps the rest of the way. Though it was mid-day, the street was so lined with old trees that it was shaded and cool. Several small tables lined the street ahead. It was impossible to be too cautious, so I peeked through the window of Cafe Bjorn. There were only a few patrons, but a booth at the back of the restaurant was conspicuously occupied. He wore a hat over his dark hair and sat low in the booth, but it was unmistakably Stryde.
Three little bells chimed as I entered, attracting the attention of a husky woman behind the bar. She nodded but never moved her concentration from the tasks behind the counter. Stryde saw me and started to rise, but I waved him back down and looked around nervously. The whole situation had me on edge.
I slid into the booth and wasted no time to whisper, “What are you doing here? Are you crazy?”
“No one will recognize me, Stella. I was young when I,” he paused ever-so-slightly, “left, and I’m not so well known as Dad and Granny. Besides, I wore a disguise.”
“The hat? Yeah, not fooling anyone. I knew you right
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