Memories of a Life That Never Happened

Chapter 44 - Contradictions

Mica struggled and kicked back and felt rather gutsy when she heard the cry behind her. 

"Ouch!" Some nondescript cursing followed.  

"Shhh! Please don't scream," pleaded a voice. "I'll let you go. I didn't mean to scare you. It's just me."  

Upon wheeling to face her opponent, Mica found conciliatory blue eyes blinking at her. When Theo eased back, Mica did not know what to think. 

"My parents can't even dream I'm here," he said. "I'm supposed to be in bed." 

"What are you doing here? I thought you were sick." 

"I'm not. I just pretended to be so I could skip dinner." He shrugged. "She's invited Joana and her Swiss dolls over for some damage control."  

After a moment, it hit him.  

"Wait! How did you know I pretended to be sick?" 

"Agnes told me." 

"Did she? When?" 

Mica coughed. It was a good thing she had long hair because her ears went red. "I met her on the street fair yesterday."  

"Right." Theo smiled. Apparently he did not need to see her ears to whiff the lie in her words.  

"Well, I'm here to see you," he said. "I've been trying to get out of the house alone for days, but it's been kind of hard."  

"Why did you want to see me for?" 

"Do you mind if we got off the street first? If someone sees us and my mom finds out I'm here, she'll kill me." 

"My parents aren't home yet. Come in."  

Mica opened the door and crossed the doorway after Theo. 

At the flick of a switch, Theo was standing in a small but charming living room. The furniture was all rattan. According to Theo's conceptions, that was exactly how a beach house should be. There was a certain coziness to this home that Theo never quite found in any of the Chusters many properties. 

With only four steps he had walked past the compact sitting area where a couch and two chairs framed a center table and stopped in front of the TV. Above it, an exquisite Indian headdress was pinned to the wall.  

"This is gorgeous!" he exclaimed sincerely.  

"It belonged to my grandfather. He was his tribe's chief." 

Theo skimmed his fingertips through the soft red and yellow feathers. 

"You must be very proud of him. Is this him?" Theo took a picture frame from the television stand. It showed a man and a girl, both Indian, the same red paint covering either faces from below the nose up to the hairline. 

"Yes." Mica stood beside Theo and pointed at the girl standing next to the chief. "That's my mom. She was about my age in this picture." 

"They look beautiful. And happy."  

Smiling, Mica took the portrait from his hands and put it back in place.  

"How did you know where I live?" she asked. 

"I followed you." He held up his hands and smiled. "I'm not stalking you, I swear. I saw you from my bedroom window. At first, I couldn't believe my eyes. I went down to meet you, when I heard a scream. When I got out of the house, I thought I'd lost you. I guessed you had left and rushed after you. Then I turned the corner and... hum...you were jumping on the street."  

The warmth of her ears spread to her entire face, but she was relieved when Theo did not demand an explanation for her strange behavior. 

"Why did you come to my house? How did you know where I lived?" 

Mica snorted. "Everyone knows where your family lives!"  

As she walked to the couch and sat, Theo imitated her. 

"I was there to thank you," Mica told him. "I mean, I wanted to thank your mom for helping out with the police and for covering Sandra's costs. I thought maybe you would let her know I'm grateful." 

Theo winced and said, "Mica... I don't think my mom did it for you." 

"Doesn't matter." She shrugged. "What about you? Why are you here? You said it yourself you shouldn't be. Why take the risk?" 

Somewhat tense, Theo felt his palms getting sweaty. He rubbed them in his jeans before reaching for Mica's hand. 

"I wanted to apologize," he said moving closer. "I feel guilty for what happened in the restaurant. You had no reason to want to help Virginie. She's nothing but a stranger to you, yet you did it anyway. You took her in and because of my brother and our friends, you almost got arrested." 

"What happened in there?" 

With regret pouring out of every word, Theo told her about what Nick and Leo were planning to do and how he and Alan tried to intervene.  

When he finished, she nodded but freed her hand from his.  

"Theo, what do you want from me?" 

A pit of anxiety sprouted in his stomach. 

"What do you mean?"  

"You're leaving soon. We'll probably never see each other again. Isn't it best for you to be friends with someone you'll meet again in a month or so?"  

Her voice was so distant that it felt as though he had already gone. 

"Why are you asking me this?" He frowned. "Is this because of the fight? I didn't mean to get you in trouble. I swear it." 

"It's not about that," she grumbled. 

Trying to tear down the walls Mica had put between them, Theo moved even closer, cupped her hand in his. "What is it then? Everything was great between us. I had an amazing evening that night at the movies. I never felt happier. I'd thought you were happy too." He shook his head in confusion. "What did I do wrong?" 

He searched her eyes for some kind of clue, but found them staring vacantly at the turned-off television.  

"Would you mind if I fix us a snack?" Mica asked unexpectedly. "I spent the day in the hospital. I'm starving." 

"Not at all, but I'm afraid your parents will arrive while I'm here." 

She got on her feet and put up a hand to stop him from doing the same.  

"They'll be out 'till late," she replied and set off to the kitchen. "Make yourself at home. I'll be right back." 

Theo felt like a schoolboy, unfairly sent to the naughty corner and oblivious to crime he was paying for. Yet, there was no other place he would rather be. Being in love, Theo mused, was a chain of wonderful contradictions.