Page 61 of In This Iron Ground
“You sure can talk,” he said at one point.
Damien looked away. “Oh, you can go if you—”
“I’m good here,” Gonzalo interrupted.
Damien smiled.
When Olive came to collect him, she wasn’t nearly as drunk as Damien thought she’d be.
“Can you even drive?”
“Friend’ll drop us. Sleep at mine?”
“Sure. Will your fos—”
“They won’t care—they like you. They’ll be cool in the morning.”
“Okay.” Damien went to get up, but Gonzalo stopped him, offering his phone. Damien looked down at it, confused.
“Put your digits in, man. We can hang some time,” Gonzalo said. Damien’s heart jumped. He couldn’t remember the last time he made a friend without running on the momentum of a difficult situation.
“Uh, sure,” Damien said, doing as asked. Gonzalo smiled at him when he handed the phone back.
“See ya,” Gonzalo said with a wave. Damien returned the gesture, following Olive to the house. When they were inside, Olive turned around with her eyebrows raised. Damien shoved her.
“Shut up.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Shut up anyway.”
Olive snorted. Damien felt light and warm inside.
**********
Late on Damien’s seventeenth birthday, he Skyped with Hakan. It was the middle of the day where Hakan was, due to the time difference, and he’d just arrived at the dorm from classes.
“You had fun then?” Hakan asked after Damien told him about his party. Damien thought he was a little too old for birthday celebrations, but the Salgados always insisted. Damien didn’t really protest.
“Yeah. It’s funny ’cause Olive gets on so well with Lallo. Looking at her, you’d think she wouldn’t be good with children, but she’s great.”
“Honestly, Lallo loves the attention. I don’t think having a twin like Dee is going to be easy. I mean, I love her, but…”
“Yeah,” Damien laughed. “I get what you mean, especially if you’re as quiet as Lallo. He’s quite a lot like you in that way.”
“In what way? Quiet?”
“Yeah, like, introspective. When I first started visiting here, you know when I didn’t actually live here and I was starting to get to know you guys, I always thought that you stood out in how much you didn’t stand out, you know? You, Lallo, and your dad are definitely the quiet ones in the bunch.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Hakan said with a little, thoughtful noise. “What did you get for presents?”
“Oh, remember that book we were talking about? The—” Damien cut himself short as Hakan turned to the side, looking off-screen. Damien could hear an indistinct voice.
“I’m talking to a friend from home,” Hakan said to whoever he was talking to.
“It’s okay, I can go,” Damien interrupted.
Hakan turned to the screen. “No, I wanna talk longer. If you want. Are you going to bed?”
