Page 90 of Icarus

He was home an hour later than usual, and again it smelled like cooking.

A chicken had been basted in heavy cream, butter, and spices and there were potatoes chopped on the counter. Some packaged lettuce had been left out on the table with a few tomatoes next to it.

Icarus could hear muffled yelling in the storage room.

So, he picked up where Angus left off. He checked to make sure the oven had finished pre-heating and put the chicken inside, then rinsed the potatoes and set them to boil for mash. Then he started chopping tomatoes for the salad.

By the time Angus was finished with his call, Icarus had fixed the salad, mashed the potatoes, and retreated to his room to start on his homework.

His father knocked on his door, and like always, opened it without waiting.

“I meant to have it finished before you came in,” he said.

Icarus looked up at him, confused. Angus hadn’t made this many meals in succession in ages. Definitely since his freshman year at least.

“Why?”

Angus made a tight expression. “Do your feet hurt, still?”

Icarus shook his head. “No. Can I . . . borrow the car? I want to go to the sports store; my harness is getting a little weak.”

Angus nodded, looking relieved. “Keys are in the bowl by the door. I have some work to do, so I can’t eat with you tonight.”

Icarus nodded. “That’s fine. Thanks . . . Dad.”

Angus closed the door without another word.

The Rest

Icarus went to pick up his gear after school the following day. He rarely drove, but he knew how, thankfully. There weren’t a lot of people clamoring for exotic sporting goods in their tiny town, or the one next to it. So he had no choice. It was at least a two-hour journey and on the bus it would have been five.

Angus liked old things, so his Ford only had a tape deck. Just some ancient cassettes, so Icarus was stuck listening to disco the whole way.

Icarus watched the sun slip down until the road was washed out in pink and orange.

The harness he was looking for was the kind pararescuers used to help people mountain climbing. He called twice to make sure they had it and were holding it for him by the front of the store.

Icarus wished he could talk to Helios about this. Could have him try it on for size.

He wished they had more time.

It was ready for him when he got there, even though the store was ten minutes from closing. The sales associate wrapped it up for him and slipped a few coupons in the bag.

“Good luck on your climb!” she said, perky and kind.

“Yeah, thanks.”

Sin

Somehow Luca could tell something was wrong and pressured him into talking about it. Icarus wasn’t used to people being able to do that.

It was one of the last days that they would be outside walking the mile instead of inside playing sports. The air was crisp and the grass was crunchy. Their breath steamed out in cloudy puffs.

Luca kept looking over his shoulder at the small group of goth girls following behind them.

“They’re creeping me out,” he hissed.

Icarus grinned. “They like it that way.” He looked over his shoulder at them and waved. They giggled, bashful and sweet, and fell a bit farther behind.