A Time to Live

Chapter 2 - Disconcert

Now, I handled things very calmly, maybe even a little too calmly. Considering my experiences so far, having a grandson in a state of unconsciousness is rather minor as far as crises go. I subsequently make the peppermint mocha for Jay and even upsize his request to a free whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

"So, what was that again?" I place the beverage in front of him, glancing over to the door past a few unconscious bodies.

"He won't wake up." Jay stares into the coffee like a man seeing water after coming out of a desert.

"Because of Pirates?" I arch my eyebrows on the last word.

"Yup."

"And you're here because...?"

"Isn't he your teacher or sensei or whatever?" The "whatever" muffles as whipped cream engulfs Jay's mouth, and he nearly falls into the cup. As he lowers the porcelain mug from his first large gulp, a perfect mustache sits on his lip, and he has no idea it's there.

"He means a lot more than that to me. Who is watching him if you're here?" I glance behind him as if David is somehow in tow connected to a long rope tied around Jay's ankle.

"Oh, I think Aria is sitting with him."

I never really got to know any of the Orphans, as Mo and I call them, and I wouldn't remember them if I saw them again, let alone by name. As I begin wondering just how many kids David has taken under his wing, Jay continues gulping the rather hot latte as if it were water. He seemed rather high strung to begin with, so I'm not sure a triple dose of liquid jitters is the best medicine.

"Jay, you came out here, over a thousand miles away, on your own?"

He swallows the last remaining drops in his cup before answering. "No, my sister is here, too. She drove us most of the way from Lincoln."

As if those words were a cue, the door chimes, and in she comes. Already, I know I'm going to get into trouble with Mo because this is not someone who goes unnoticed. She's tall with long red hair, the color of fall leaves and even longer legs. The curls in her hair elongate with each step then snap back into place with each bounce. As slender as she is, she commands her legs to move and plant themselves with force I can almost feel across the room.

My main goal right now is to try and find as many flaws about her as I can, so when Mo meets her for the first time, she doesn't immediately question my loyalties. So far, unfortunately, I am finding none.

"Dude, what in the hell?" She surveys the bodies lying in heaps around her. Another minus for me—her voice is strikingly similar to Mo's except for the slight emphasis on her L's. Maybe that could be annoying?

"What?" Jay's trying to scoop the whipped cream out of the bottom of the cup with his fingers.

"Oh, Jesus fish. Tell me that's hot cocoa." This time she's addressing me. Then I start to actually feel as if I've done something wrong.

"Is he going to turn into a Gremlin soon?" I drench my question with dry sarcasm.

To my surprise, she actually smiles. "Not unless it's after midnight." Her eyes dance playfully as they lock on mine.

Well, crap. This girl is really making me nervous now. She understood a historical movie reference and has a smile that could melt butter in a cold pan.