Page 30 of Tamiko and the Two Janitors
Kip leaned over to tug at Ash’s sleeve, revealing a braceletmade from linked paperclips.
“Oooh, very stylish.”
The approval in Tami’s tone sent Ash’s pulse flying.
She said, “It’s a cute idea. And paperclips are easy to comeby.”
“I’m their number one supplier.” Kip bounced up and crossedto the workbench. Pulling down a blue plastic bucket, he brought it over forher to see. “Plenty of love to go around.”
Tami sifted her hands through the thousands of paperclipsthey’d accumulated. “Do you have a favorite?”
Ash frowned. “A favorite paperclip?”
“A favorite color.”
Kip cheerfully revealed, “He can’t resist blue.”
She fished out a sky blue paperclip. “What about you?”
“Oh, I’ve always been more of an acorn guy.” Kip admitted,“The whole paperclip thing is really just a spin-off on something my dadstarted. He’d sneak acorns into my mother’s apron pockets. When I asked himabout it, he started including me. Acorns in my pockets, under my pillow, in myfavorite mug.”
“So tokens of affection are a family tradition.” Tami wasnodding thoughtfully. “One you’ve shared with your Landmark family.”
Kip touched her shoulder and returned the bucket to itsshelf.
Ash struggled with unaccustomed envy. Kip had always beenhis buffer, helping keep him—and his secret—secure. Ash was all high places andsafe distances, but Kip was all shoulder pats and hand-holding and hugs. He wasaffectionate with everyone from the cafeteria ladies to the bus drivers. Itwasn’t as if Ash had an aversion to touch. Not by a longshot. But his dualheritage had left him with something even harder to hide than excess fur.
He had to be careful.
“… should be getting back,” Tami was saying.
Out of habit, they both rose to their feet. The oldcourtesies were too well ingrained to shake.
“I’ll have to keep an eye out for acorns,” she said. “But inthe meantime ….”
And she was coming his way. Ash backed up a step, but therewas no graceful way to evade her approach. He bumped against a work bench andfroze. Tami had him cornered.
“Hold out your hand,” she ordered.
He obeyed, and Tami dropped her blue paperclip onto hispalm. “For you.”
Kip was talking, and Tami laughed. The door shut, and Ashwas still standing there, staring at his hand, no sure how to interpret thetangle of urges that were as confusing as they were exhilarating.
“Ash?”
He grunted.
Kip asked, “What’s up?”
“She gave me a paperclip.”
His best friend nodded. “She totally did.”
Ash’s throat was tight. “What do you think it means?”
Kip smiled faintly. “I’d wager it means what we told her itmeans.”
“What did we say it means?”
