Three Converts

Part 46

My next errand, was much less pressure. I got directions, then headed to the town dump. The man working waved me through when I explained my mission. I didn't know exactly what I was looking for, but I did the best I could. I grabbed as much as my arms would hold, and waddled out.

I had to take several breaks on the way back to Griffin's house. When I finally made it, I stumbled through the door, and dropped my load on the ground immediately.

"What...?" Griffin stared at the pile.

"It's for you," I shook out my aching arms. "To start over."

Griff picked up one of the chunks of wood and turned it over in his hands.

"I know it's not enough to make a desk or anything, but your smaller stuff. Maybe?" My already sweaty face was getting hotter, I could tell. "It's probably the wrong kind of wood, right? You don't have to use it. It's fine."

Griffin stepped over the wood and kissed me. I could hardly kiss him back I was so embarrassed by my childish gesture. Not to mention my sweaty face. I pulled away. "I know- your stuff was incredible, intricate, pieces of art that should probably be in a museum somewhere, and this is just from a dump. I thought it might be better than nothing, but-"

"It's perfect."

"It's not perfect, it's stupid," I insisted to our shoes.

He lifted my face up. "Wrong. It's perfect. Like this for instance?" He picked a board out of the little pile. "I can make an ornament out of this, easy. Or this?" He grabbed what looked like used to be a table leg. "I bet I could make candlesticks from this."

"That's incredible."

"You're incredible."

I shook my head at him. "Stop."

"Okay." He kissed me instead. His hand slipped up the back of my shirt. To feel his hand on me, the talented hand that carved and shaped and whittled something from nothing, made my head fuzzy. I couldn't put two words together, but I had one, "Griffin." His palm pressed harder on my spine. "Griff, I'm scared." And he knew. I was scared of the council, of sending Annie to the commune, of Sam, of this recon mission we were starting. But more than any of that I was scared of loving him. Of losing him.

"I know. Me too. But we've made it this far."

That was exactly what I needed to hear. That I wasn't alone in my fear. I pulled him to the couch and lay on top of him, staring at his face. "Put your hands on me again." His skin on mine made me braver.

"Bossy." But he complied. I stared at his face. I traced his eyebrows with a finger, put my palm on his cheek, gave his ear lobe a small squeeze. Occasionally, I would bend down and kiss his chapped lips. And that was how Misty and Rocco found us.

"Uh- never mind us." Rocco laughed.

"Awwwww! You guys are the cutest!" Misty clapped her hands. I rolled right on to the floor, shading my eyes with my hands.

"What's with all this?" I was still too mortified to look up, but I heard Rocco give the wood a light kick.

"It's my new workshop," Griffin explained. He didn't seem embarrassed in the least. "I gotta start somewhere, right?"

"How was the job hunt?" I dared a glance at Misty.

"Great! Rocco and I both scored jobs!"

"You're looking at the newest, prettiest, waitress at Mountain Valley Brewery," Rocco said proudly, slapping Misty's butt.

"And Rocco's working right next door at Cliff's Edge nightclub."

"I'm a bouncer. Can't wait to bounce some people," he grinned punching his palm with a fist.

Speaking of bouncing, our little group was bouncing back from the traumatic events pretty well, I thought. I wondered aloud how Annie and Gibby were faring. "They should be on the mountain by now, Brother Augustus is probably showing them their new hut." I rubbed my arms to warm a sudden chill. "I hope he doesn't recognize Annie."

"She'll be careful," Misty comforted me. "And if I remember Sophie right, she'll be one of the first ones to go introduce herself."

I was certain of that. And certain that once sheand my parents heard what the council had done to Misty and I, they wouldsurely leave the commune. Surely. They had to, right?