Page 33 of Cocky Origins: May and Jerald Cocker

“It’s not open, is it?”

“No.”

“We can’t even open the door!”

“We could stand outside and imagine what it says. You game?” I give her a wink, and turn the wheel to take us there.

“Sure, I’m game. Let’s see what scheme you’ve cooked up.”

“You’re the schemer, May. The way that ‘nineteen’ rolled off your tongue was something else.”

She covers her grin for a second, laughing with mischief.

Truth is, I couldn’t stomach a girl who didn’t have moxie. And May moves mountains to spend time with me, wants to fly planes, and loves tiny green bugs on top of it all. Well, she seems to have it in spades.

“The only trouble was keeping quiet about my time in the Navy. Your pop seems to understand us.”

Her smile sobers up. “He so wanted to enlist! His leg is bad, didn’t you notice his limp?”

My mind returns to meeting Mr. Kearns. So that’s why he didn’t invite me in straight away, and stood there like a barrier with his hands hidden. He seemed amiable enough, in manner, just not in stance. Probably didn’t want me to see his limp. It was only when Mrs. Kearns spoke that he backed up, and by that time I wasn’t paying attention to him.

“No, can’t say I noticed.”

“He’s awful conscious of it. People never treat him any different but it’s the fear they might, I guess.”

No cars in front of the library at this hour on a Saturday. During the week kids might still be studying, but the place is dark tonight. “Wait there.”

Hopping out, I’m thinking of Mr. Kearns until May’s smile through the window wipes him from my mind entirely. I open her door and offer my hand, palm up. She slides her fingers across it and sends goosebumps into my chest. “Thank you for noticing my necklace, Jerald. It’s my Mother’s. She loaned it to me tonight.”

“It’s awful pretty on you. But you could wear a potato sack and I’d still think so.”

May’s lips part, bright blue eyes searching mine. I grin at her, shut the door, and keep her hand prisoner, guiding her to the austere building I spent a lot of time at when I was younger.

We stare together at it. I lean toward her a little. “You feel that?”

“What?”

“All that knowledge.”

She stifles a laugh. “Why yes, now that you mention it, I can!”

“Can you?”

“Well, there was a funny sensation and I thought it was just being near you.”

My body gets hot and I turn to her. “You get a funny sensation around me?”

“Yes, I do.” She glances to my mouth which just about undoes me.

“Me too. Awful funny.”

I lose my head, leaning down to press my lips to hers, feel what they’re like, how she tastes. I bet it’s sweet. Real sweet. I don’t get the chance though.

May steps back, fast. “Since we know how the library feels, what about the malt shop? Knowledge is one thing, chocolate is another!”

I swipe my hat off my head, shake it out, and put it back on. “Let’s find out, shall we?”

May grabs my hand with a grateful smile. “Perhaps someday you’ll tell me what effusive means.”

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