If I Die
Page 53
Hey, Mr. Cavanaugh, Sabine said, plopping next to Nash on the couch.
Youre all up early today. Whats going on, guys? My dad held his work gloves and keys in one hand, his mug in the other. He tolerated Sabine in spite of the creepy vibes she leaked when she got angry or upset because he didnt know what shed been willing to do to me to get to Nash. And be cause he felt sorry for her, stuck with a foster mother who only wanted to draw a government check. But what he didnt know was that Sabine relished the freedom apathetic parenting afforded her.
What no one knewexcept maybe Nash, and he wasnt talkingwas where shed gotten her car, with no job and very little spending money.
Were working on something for school today, I said. And technically, that wasnt a lie. But if I told him the whole truth, he wouldnt go to work, then hed lose his job, and after I died he really would have nothing left to live for.
Okay. My dad watched me from the entry, one hand on the doorknob. Now tell me what youre really up to.
I should have realized he knew me well enough now to recognize my half-truths. You dont want to know.
Tell me anyway.
Emancipated minor, remember? I said, daring a grin he didnt return. Besides, how much trouble could I possibly get into in the next two days? But he didnt seem very pleased by the reminder.
If I recall, this emancipation expires in less than forty-eight hours. I expect to hear all about this over breakfast Friday morning.
Deal.
None of us said what we were all thinkingthat this time, I wouldnt be around to fess up and get grounded.
Alec knocked on the door minutes after my dads car disappeared down the street, just like Id planned. Okay, Im here, he said, brushing past me into the living room. Whats with the summons?
I pushed the door closed behind him. I talked to one of Becks other victims last night at Lakeside, and we were hoping you might have some more answers for us.
Alec just looked at me. Then he looked at Sabine and Nash. Then back at me. Youre not going to give this up, are you? he asked, and I shook my head. Fine. But youre gonna have to feed me. I havent even been to bed yet. He worked third shift at the same factory where my father worked.
Pancakes? I offered.
And lots of coffee.
Nash made a fresh pot while I nuked an entire box of frozen chocolate chip pancakes, three at a time. The girl I went to see last night is named Farrah Combs, and shes very, very pregnant with Becks baby. According to Lydia, the nurses say the babys aboy. Which means its an incubus. Right?
Alec nodded around his first bite, then licked a smear of chocolate from his lower lip.
Whos Lydia? Nash asked, sliding into the chair between me and Sabine with a plate of his own.
Farrahs roommate. I met her when I was at Lakeside.
Okay, so Becks about to get his baby. Alec shrugged and picked up his mug. It sounds like this mess is about to clean itself up. Once he gets what he wants, youll be rid of him, at least for the next century.
No way. Sabine shook her head firmly. He doesnt get a happy ending. He has to pay for what hes done.
I refrainedbarelyfrom pointing out that she hadnt paid for what shed done, which added a hollow note to her righteous anger, at least in my ears.
Hes not getting a happy ending or a son, I said. According to Tod, incubi babies are really hard to carry to term. The few that arent miscarried either drive the mothers insaneliterallyor kill them. Farrah got the worst of both worlds. The only reason she and her baby have both survived this long is because Lydias a syphon and shes been kind of splitting the burden with Farrah. But now that shes gone, Farrah and the baby are both going to die, and Beck will be back to square one. Which means hes still dangerous, and we still have to get rid of him.
Wait, where did Lydia go? Nash asked, absently cutting his pancakes into small triangles.
UmTod and I kind ofbroke her out.
You broke a psych patient out of the hospital? Alecs fork stopped halfway to his mouth, dripping syrup onto the edge of the table.
Sabine leaned back with her chair balanced on two legs. Playin a little fast and loose with the rules lately, arent you?
She didnt belong there any more than I did, I insisted, and the maras brows rose.
Interesting phrasing, Kay
I glared at her, but refused to be distracted. The point is that Farrah cant hold on to the baby without Lydias help, and as soon as Beck realizes hes going to lose his sonif he hasnt alreadyhes going to step up his game. I figure if Farrahs seven months pregnant, assuming she was one of his first tries, hes already more than halfway through his fertile period with no luck so far. That has to be making him kinda desperate, and possibly careless, and the last thing our school needs is a rash of demonic miscarriages.
Though miscarriage seems to be the lesser of several evils, considering how dangerous the pregnancies are, Sabine said.
Youre all up early today. Whats going on, guys? My dad held his work gloves and keys in one hand, his mug in the other. He tolerated Sabine in spite of the creepy vibes she leaked when she got angry or upset because he didnt know what shed been willing to do to me to get to Nash. And be cause he felt sorry for her, stuck with a foster mother who only wanted to draw a government check. But what he didnt know was that Sabine relished the freedom apathetic parenting afforded her.
What no one knewexcept maybe Nash, and he wasnt talkingwas where shed gotten her car, with no job and very little spending money.
Were working on something for school today, I said. And technically, that wasnt a lie. But if I told him the whole truth, he wouldnt go to work, then hed lose his job, and after I died he really would have nothing left to live for.
Okay. My dad watched me from the entry, one hand on the doorknob. Now tell me what youre really up to.
I should have realized he knew me well enough now to recognize my half-truths. You dont want to know.
Tell me anyway.
Emancipated minor, remember? I said, daring a grin he didnt return. Besides, how much trouble could I possibly get into in the next two days? But he didnt seem very pleased by the reminder.
If I recall, this emancipation expires in less than forty-eight hours. I expect to hear all about this over breakfast Friday morning.
Deal.
None of us said what we were all thinkingthat this time, I wouldnt be around to fess up and get grounded.
Alec knocked on the door minutes after my dads car disappeared down the street, just like Id planned. Okay, Im here, he said, brushing past me into the living room. Whats with the summons?
I pushed the door closed behind him. I talked to one of Becks other victims last night at Lakeside, and we were hoping you might have some more answers for us.
Alec just looked at me. Then he looked at Sabine and Nash. Then back at me. Youre not going to give this up, are you? he asked, and I shook my head. Fine. But youre gonna have to feed me. I havent even been to bed yet. He worked third shift at the same factory where my father worked.
Pancakes? I offered.
And lots of coffee.
Nash made a fresh pot while I nuked an entire box of frozen chocolate chip pancakes, three at a time. The girl I went to see last night is named Farrah Combs, and shes very, very pregnant with Becks baby. According to Lydia, the nurses say the babys aboy. Which means its an incubus. Right?
Alec nodded around his first bite, then licked a smear of chocolate from his lower lip.
Whos Lydia? Nash asked, sliding into the chair between me and Sabine with a plate of his own.
Farrahs roommate. I met her when I was at Lakeside.
Okay, so Becks about to get his baby. Alec shrugged and picked up his mug. It sounds like this mess is about to clean itself up. Once he gets what he wants, youll be rid of him, at least for the next century.
No way. Sabine shook her head firmly. He doesnt get a happy ending. He has to pay for what hes done.
I refrainedbarelyfrom pointing out that she hadnt paid for what shed done, which added a hollow note to her righteous anger, at least in my ears.
Hes not getting a happy ending or a son, I said. According to Tod, incubi babies are really hard to carry to term. The few that arent miscarried either drive the mothers insaneliterallyor kill them. Farrah got the worst of both worlds. The only reason she and her baby have both survived this long is because Lydias a syphon and shes been kind of splitting the burden with Farrah. But now that shes gone, Farrah and the baby are both going to die, and Beck will be back to square one. Which means hes still dangerous, and we still have to get rid of him.
Wait, where did Lydia go? Nash asked, absently cutting his pancakes into small triangles.
UmTod and I kind ofbroke her out.
You broke a psych patient out of the hospital? Alecs fork stopped halfway to his mouth, dripping syrup onto the edge of the table.
Sabine leaned back with her chair balanced on two legs. Playin a little fast and loose with the rules lately, arent you?
She didnt belong there any more than I did, I insisted, and the maras brows rose.
Interesting phrasing, Kay
I glared at her, but refused to be distracted. The point is that Farrah cant hold on to the baby without Lydias help, and as soon as Beck realizes hes going to lose his sonif he hasnt alreadyhes going to step up his game. I figure if Farrahs seven months pregnant, assuming she was one of his first tries, hes already more than halfway through his fertile period with no luck so far. That has to be making him kinda desperate, and possibly careless, and the last thing our school needs is a rash of demonic miscarriages.
Though miscarriage seems to be the lesser of several evils, considering how dangerous the pregnancies are, Sabine said.
