Chapter 33 – Niki
Chapter Thirty-Three
NIKI
“Where’s Bam?” Julie wants to know, eying both me and Andy with suspicion.
I clutch my heart in mock dismay. “Bam? What about me? Your blood brother.”
“Bam does different voices when he reads to me. You don’t.” She lifts her chin. “Is this your girlfriend?”
“She is.” I take Andy’s hand in mine and draw her close. “I wanted you to meet her.”
“This is nice.” Mom takes the flowers Andy gave her and places them in a vase. “What’d you bring?” She sniffs the brown bags we carried in.
“Shakey’s with the extra crispy fries.” I jiggle the bag.
Julie’s eyes widen, and then she remembers she’s mad at me and wrinkles her nose. “Don’t like fries.”
“Since when?” Mom picks her up and carries her to the table, gesturing for us to follow.
Beside me, Andy sucks in a deep breath. I give her hand a squeeze of encouragement. “We also brought milkshakes. Chocolate for you, Mom. Strawberry for the red berry.” I set the small cup in front of Julie’s chair.
She eyes it with suspicion. “Is this a kid’s size?”
“Nope. Small, which I got for all of us.” I show her the carrier where Andy’s and my shakes still rest.
Julie makes her inspection, and when she’s satisfied that she’s not getting cheated because she’s five, she takes a seat.
Andy and I finish parceling out the meal, and we all sit down.
Mom refrains from grilling Andy, which I know takes superhuman strength.
When we’re all done, I clear the table while Julie drags Andy off to look at a book Andy brought.
At the kitchen sink, I murmur my thanks to Mom for taking it easy.
“I figured Julie would do it for me, and that poor Andy didn't have to be put to the inquisition twice in one night.”
“You’re the best.” I give her a quick kiss on the cheek.
She slaps my back with the dish towel and then shoos me out of the kitchen so that Andy isn’t left alone with the little tyrant too long.
When I get into the living room, the two are sitting so close together that their hair looks like it’s all one bundle of sugary floss.
I pad silently over and take a seat on the floor.
“And what’s this dragon’s name?” Julie points to a page in the book that Andy has open on her lap.
“It’s a sea orc. The writer never gave this one a name,” Andy explains.
“But the other one has a name.” Julie flips back and points to something.
“I wrote that.” Andy grins.
My sister sits up. Her eyes are wide and full of interest. “You named the dragon?”
“Yup. I didn’t name the sea orc because the word ‘orc’ scared me, and I was afraid if I gave it a name, it would appear in my dreams because that’s what happened with the golden amphithere.
I called it Goldhire because it sounded cool, and that night, it appeared at my window and asked me if I wanted to fly. ”
Julie is practically on Andy’s lap now. “Did you fly?”
“Oh, yes. I climbed right onto Goldhire.”
“Did it hurt? Did his scales hurt?”
“Goldhire was a girl—”
“A girl?” Julie exclaims.
“Yes. She was so beautiful. Her scales were like the color of your hair, and her eyes”—Andy breaks off, pausing to inspect Julie—”her eyes were just like yours.” Andy leans close. “Are you a dragon, Julie? If you are, whisper it in my ear. I promise not to tell anyone.”
“Not even Niki?”
“Not even him.” Above Julie’s head, Andy’s eyes meet mine.
I try to convey my gratitude that she’s doing the hard work of bridging the gap between her and my sister. I push to my feet and cross over to where the two are seated. Julie makes a face when I reach for her.
“It’s not bedtime yet,” she protests.
“Not yet, but we should wash up.”
“I’m not ready. We’re reading about dragons.” She reaches past me for Andy.
“We’re going to brush our teeth and wash our faces and then we’ll read some more before bed.”
“I want to read about dragons.”
“We will. Andy needs to check in with her mom.” The bathroom is too small for three of us to fit, which gives Andy a break. Julie climbs up on her stool and watches as I grab the brushes and paste.
“Is Andy why Bam’s been reading to me?” Julie asks as I put toothpaste on her brush.
I opt for the truth. “Yeah. I’ve been keeping an eye on her because her momma’s sick and Andy’s place isn’t safe.”
“Are you going to marry her?”
“Probably. Does that bother you?” I ruffle Julie’s hair.
She wrinkles her nose. “Where you going to live?”
“With you and Mom. Where else?”
Julie looks surprised. She brushes and then spits. I hand her a glass of water, which she swishes around and then spits again. “Don’t married people get their own place?”
“We’ll have to get a bigger place than this one, but I can’t let my three girls be living separately, can I? How will I protect all of you if you’re in one place, and I’m in another?”
My sister’s shoulders relax, and she leans into me. “I’m a protector, too, you know. Andy said my hair is like the golden scales of the dragon in her book. Dragons are fierce. They breathe fire. And fly.”
“I know you’re a fierce girl. Andy is too.
That’s why I like her. She’s dragonlike.
” I put our toothbrushes in the medicine chest and pick Julie up.
She snuggles into my hug, putting her little girl face on my shoulder, telling me by her body language that she’s no longer mad at me for missing our reading sessions.
Andy is just outside the door. She reads the whole situation with one glance. “Are we reading more about dragons?” she asks as she follows us into Julie’s room.
Julie peeps over my shoulder. “Can you do different voices?”
“Of course I can,” Andy replies, pitching her voice low.
Julie screams with laughter. “You have to use that voice for the sea orcs. You do a different voice, too, Niki.”
“I don’t know how,” I reply with my best falsetto. That sends Julie into hysterics. Andy laughs too.
“Is it that funny?” I ask, a bit bewildered.
“Yes, actually.” Andy’s face is wreathed with mirth.
If talking like a squeaky mouse makes these two happy, that’s the only voice I’ll use from now until forever because I don’t think I’ve ever felt at such peace than right this moment.