Page 96 of Kaine

When the embrace is finally over, I straighten my clothes and tell them, “For nice folk, you sure are mean to this city boy. You scared me half to death.”

The burst into laughter at my expense, and I shrug in defeat.

“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet, boy,” Jade’s grandfather says, ruffling my hair.

Jade’s grandmother pats me on the arm as she walks past me, “Now come, I need to feed my girl here as much as I can in the few hours you’ll be here.”

Jade squeals and grabs my hand and leads me into their small but homey kitchen.

***

I don’t say much overthe new few hours. Not on purpose, just because it’s hard to get a word in edgewise.

But it works out great. I don’t have much to say, other than the odd leading question now and then to find out more about Jade and her past. Otherwise, I’m content to sit back, enjoying the happy banter between her and her grandparents, listening to them catching her up on family and friends, and her telling them about Gabriel and his progress.

The hours pass quickly, and soon, there’s a beeping on my phone to remind me of our schedule.

“Jade, it’s almost 5 p.m.,” I gently tell her, as soon as there’s a moment I can interject.

“Oh my gosh! Already? When do we have to leave?”

“Probably in about an hour or so at the latest.”

“Do you really have to go?” her grandmother asks, her bright, happy face falling, and my hearts twists at the idea of taking their granddaughter away.

“I’m so sorry, I do. My company has a big project on and I have to get back to my office tomorrow. Playing hooky today was worth it though, to get to meet you,” I tell them, meaning every single word.

“Well, I guess I should just throw out the cake I have then...”

“Cake?” Jade perks up.

“It’s in the fridge, I was saving it for my granddaughter’s dinner, but I guess she won’t be needing it.”

Jade giggles and jumps up running around the table to her grandmother’s chair, hugging her from behind.

“You’re the best at guilt, Grammy. I can’t wait to try it on my own kids.”

“Oh, don’t even mention my non-existent great grandkids. My heart, my heart!” she clutches at it dramatically, though her grin somewhat dulls any fear of real drama. “Okay, how ‘bout I cut you a BIG piece now, and wrap the rest up for you to take home?”

“YAY! I’m going to take Kaine up to see our old rooms, is that okay?”

“Oh no. I’ve already turned your room into a sauna. And your grandfather is using Gabriel’s to practise taxidermy on roadkill to sell at the fair. We could use the extra money.”

“GRAMMY!” Jade yells over her laughter. She cocks her head at me and I get up obediently, following her through the house and up the stairs. “Guess what?” she whispers to me as she turns into a small bedroom.

“What?”

“I never had any boys over when I was living here.”

“Well, I never, Jade Sinclair. I thought a girl like you would’ve had them lining up to hold boomboxes over their head to declare love for you.”

“No, I was waiting for your boombox, Kaine.”

“It’s all yours, sweetness.”

I look around the room. I imagine it still looks exactly as it did when Jade lived here. There are school awards and yearbooks and high school memorabilia on a small shelf on one side, and pictures of her growing up on another.

Next to her bedside is a single photo frame of a pretty woman, with a striking resemblance to the woman standing next to me.