Chapter 17 #2
Too bad it wouldn't really be that easy. Kayla sighed and took her phone out, texting Jordan. We didn't agree on where to meet! Are you still available?
There was a pause before he responded, and Kayla tried not to read anything into it. It still felt surprised, though, and so did his answer: Of course I'm available. Want to meet at the market entrance in ten?
The town square was enormous, but it wouldn't take her ten entire minutes to get to the market entrance. She texted back, Make it five?
I'd love to but I'm walking back into town after dropping Barney back at home and forgot my super-speed boots.
Kayla laughed and texted a silly sad face, a zoomy little emoji, and a smile.
See you in ten-ish, then. Hands in her pockets, she scuffed her way down the sidewalk, avoiding slick spots where the snow had melted thanks to the studio lights, then frozen into ice again.
There were a lot of people around for a cold wintery evening, cars parked along the wide streets and pedestrians making their way from businesses and homes toward the holiday-lights-bright market.
The formal entrance itself was somebody's hand-carved woodworking, proclaiming Welcome to our Holiday Market!
in arching letters above a broad entryway.
Kayla paused, peering up at the smooth, warm-looking wood with the grain polished to a glow and lit by tiny colorful lights.
After a moment she realized there were several subtle joinings in the wood, so the sign fit together like puzzle pieces, which made her smile.
She bet it was less likely to snap in a strong wind, and also easier to store, with those break-points built in.
There was a donation box just inside the entrance, with a cheerful little boy sitting on a stool next to it.
He caroled, "Hello!" at everybody who walked by, and although he was almost completely muffled in scarves, a hat, and his big coat, Kayla recognized him as the child who had been so helpful earlier.
"It's Noah, right?" she said as she went over to his side.
He pulled his scarf down with a mittened hand to reveal Noah's beaming face. "Yep! Hi again. How's your movie going?"
Kayla chuckled. "Not bad, thanks in part to you. Can I hang out for a minute? I'm waiting for Jordan. What's this all about?" She waved her own mittened hand at the donation box.
"Oh, it's to help Ms. Hobart bring the choir to New York to see a show.
We did super great when I was little," he said with the fond childish authority of a nine-year-old looking back on his younger self, "and Kelly lives in New York now because she's performing on, uh, Broadway, and we're gonna go down and see her and surprise her! "
"Well, that sounds like a good cause." Kayla dug into a pocket and found some cash to drop into the donation box. "Have you hit up the rest of my cast and crew?"
Noah leaned in conspiratorially. "Mr. Anderson gave us enough for the whole trip.
He said kids should see as much theatre as possible.
I told him thank you like a million times but he said not to tell anybody so I can't figure out how to say we don't need any more money!
" His eyes suddenly went round. "Also don't tell him I told you. "
Kayla, trying not to go awwww, nodded a promise. "I won't. And I think both Andy and the people around here would probably be pretty happy if you all managed to fundraise enough for more than one trip, so maybe it's okay if you don't mention that you've already funded this one."
This was clearly not an idea that had occurred to Noah. He lit up, sat there considering it a moment, then gave a firm nod. "Probably! Thanks, Miss Walsh!"
"You can call me Kayla," Kayla said, amused, and Noah's eyes narrowed again, once more conspiratorial.
"Not Kylie?"
Kayla's eyebrows shot up. "How do you know that name?"
Noah waved his hand at the market in general.
"Lots of people mentioned you used to live here but that your name used to be Kylie and that you didn't seem to want to talk about being from here so they were minding their business.
" The last three words sounded very much like he was quoting his elders, and an unintended giggle burst from Kayla's chest.
"Well, they're right. Mostly because I don't want to draw attention to Virtue, not because I don't like it here."
A wise look came into the little boy's eyes. "Oh. Yeah, I know about not wanting people to know about Virtue."
Now see, Kayla demanded of her owl, how does Noah know at age nine, and Jordan didn't know at all?
The owl gazed at her with the most empty-headed expression possible, and Kayla couldn't help smiling at it. To Noah, she said, "So let's keep it under the hat, okay? About me being from here."
Noah mimicked stuffing the information under his hat, then yelled, "Hello! Would you like to donate to—oh, it's you, hi!" and Kayla turned to see that Jordan himself had earned the enthusiastic response.
Her own heart lit up with equal enthusiasm, relief and joy sweeping through her at seeing him again. Jordan's smile was tentative, like he wasn't sure of his reception, although it broadened as he looked past her to Noah. "It is me. Hi again, Noah. Mind if I steal Ms. Walsh from you for a while?"
Noah tossed his head and put on a very grown-up, self-possessed voice. "Kayla and I were just chatting while she waited for you. You two have fun at the market."
"Oh, well, thanks, great," Jordan said, nonplussed.
"Kayla?" He offered his arm, and the two of them managed to get around a corner, out of sight, before breaking down into rib-aching laughter.
"Kayla and I," Jordan whispered through his laughter, trying to match Noah's tone.
"Oh my God, that kid's parents must just about die, dealing with him! "
"I can't even imagine," Kayla whispered back, shaking with giggles. "If only we were all so self-confident!"
"If only," Jordan said, a sudden wistful note in his voice, and Kayla straightened, fully understanding what caused it. She put her hand on his arm, looking up at him, no more laughter in her voice or eyes.
"Jordan. I'm not getting back together with Boone, okay?"