Page 54 of Years in the Making

TWENTY-ONE

TEDDY

Operation Appear Friendly is going well so far. Nellie and I are currently winning what has quickly become a competitive game of Code Names. We already took down Marley and Bennett, and we’re one round away from taking Izzy and Tom down. If Karl and Nancy stayed up later than nine p.m., we would have probably beaten them too.

“When do you leave again?” Marley asks, taking a bite of birthday cake.

“In two weeks.” Nellie sighs, as she resets the cards in front of us. “It feels like I have a million more things to do, but at least most of the books are gathered.”

“Where—“ I start to ask but it comes out weakly, so I clear my throat and try again. “Where are you going?” I manage to sound less like a thirteen-year-old mid-voice change.

“It’s a new mobile library program the university is launching,” Nellie says, looking right at me and holding my gaze. “I’m going to be hauling a converted mini Airstream up to this remote town…” She stops to think. “I actually think it’s a hamlet, definitely not big enough to be a town. Anyway, they don’t have easy access to library services. I’ll be working with one of the locals to set up something that can kind of serve as a hub for the whole area. It’s a pilot project.” It’s the first time she seems genuinely interested in talking to me. Her face lights up in a way I haven’t seen for over a decade, and it feels like warm sunshine hitting my face. I’m positive I’m wearing my goofy smile because she’s doing the thing she dreamed of doing.

“Where will you be going?” Bennett asks.

“Somewhere between Timmins and Moosonee. It’s called Marmot Point.”

“Alone?” I blurt out before I can stop myself.

“Alone,” she confirms.

“Huh.” Bennett looks at Marley, and something unspoken passes between them before they look between Nellie and me, smiling.

Nellie’s eyes narrow with suspicion. “What?”

“Nothing. Hurry up and take those two out so we can go out and make smores.” Marley smiles sweetly at Izzy and Tom. Marley is nice and everything, but sweet is not a word I’d use to describe her even if I’ve heard Bennett murmur “sweetheart” to her on occasion. How he’s come to that conclusion is for them to know in private.

“You haven’t even finished your cake,” Izzy points out.

“I’m sorry, are you judging me? On my birthday?”

“I’m not judging you for wanting s’mores, I’m just pointing out that you haven’t yet finished your first dessert.”

“You’re basically a nighttime hobbit.” Nellie laughs. “She’s had one dessert, yes, but what about second dessert?”

Marley chews thoughtfully before nodding. “Dessert hobbit. I like it.”

Izzy looks between her friends, clearly confused before turning to her husband. “Did you understand any of that?”

“You didn’t?” She shakes her head, quickly glancing at therest of us. “Maybe you should have come to seeLord of the Ringswith me back in high school.”

“You know I don’t like movies with goblins, Thomas.”

“Orcs,” Marley says, setting her empty plate down. “The gobliny creatures are called orcs.”

Izzy’s eyes are comically wide. “I don’t like movies with those either.”

“I know, babe. I still love you.” Tom pats her knee.

It only takes fifteen minutes for us to win the next game and for Marley to declare that it’s time to head out to the fire pit. We pack up fast, and while everyone grabs a sweatshirt or blanket, I head out to get the fire started. I’m poking a couple of logs around when Nellie sits across from me, the firelight illuminating her and more specifically the sweatshirt she’s wearing. It’s the university sweatshirt I left at her house on our last day. The one I slid over her body in a way that felt like I was claiming her. For a solid minute, I’m convinced I’m about to fall headfirst into the fire pit, swallow my tongue, or stomp over to her, pull her into my arms, and drag her back to my apartment. I do none of those things, of course, opting instead to look back into the flames like I never noticed in the first place. For the rest of the night, I’m quiet, but I assume everything I’m feeling is loud and clear whenever my gaze lands on her.

In the morning while everyone is sleepily sipping coffee and devouring Nancy’s maple walnut scones and, in Nellie’s case, a chocolate chip cookie, Bennett reveals what the look meant the night before.

“Ya know, I’ve been meaning to connect with the onerescue just north of Timmins. They’re a smaller operation but vital. Maybe we could do a joint trip? Help each other out.”

“I doubt Marley wants to go on that kind of road trip when she just got back home,” Nellie says sympathetically.

Marley laughs, and then her eyes land on me. “Not me—Teddy. He’s been so good with outreach.” That sweet smile is back again, and it nearly gives me a toothache.

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