If You Fall

Thirty Two

I almost liked Arianna at times, though I tried hard not to. 

I discovered one reason a few nights later, when she was in the next room painting. They had been telling me stories about their trips and rescues when she called, "Hey, it's almost our birthday."

Reed, who was filling in some details on the wall next to me, shot me a guilty look. "Um," he began.

"Really?" I shook my head. "Coulda told me." It made sense though. They were alike in some ways. His birthday was December 26th, and mine was the 29th. People born near or on the same day were usually either pulled together or thrust apart. Or both. No wonder I liked her despite myself; she was born the same day as my favorite person in the world.

"Yes, there were plenty of good times to tell you," he deadpanned. "We forgot to get a Christmas tree."

We did get one every year, if he was home. If he wasn't I was usually too bummed to really care, which sucked but was true. "We got the alarms installed; that's more important."

"Right?" He flashed me a grin. "Priorities."

She appeared in the doorway, green paint in her hair, on her bare arms, on her nose. Her hair was in a braid that ended at her waist. She hadn't bothered with any makeup and the fresh, innocent look was both deceptive and appealing. I hadn't gone a day without concealer in many years and envied the hell out of her freckled, flawless skin. "I don't even know the date today. Is it the twentieth?"

"Twenty first," he said absently, filling in Sebastian the crab.

"Remember that peacock they tried to feed us for Christmas in New Zealand?" She effected a shudder, coming to kneel between us as she searched for something in my giant Ikea bin of crafty stuff.

"Wait, fact or fiction?" I asked.

He made a face. "Fact. It's not exactly a New Zealand thing, just we always end up staying with the strangest people."

"Word," she said, pulling out red glitter. "I need this for the mushroom." She looked at him after she spoke, and the naked adoration on her face floored me. Did I look at him like that? Probably. But how could someone not love him?

"Were you there long?" I asked inanely, looking away because I felt embarrassed and somehow a little ashamed for seeing her raw feelings like that.

Both of them groaned. "Yeah, and it sucked," she said. "And then to fucking Australia. I'm never going back there again, I don't care. Never."

"We saved eleven children," he reminded her. "But yeah. It was pretty bad."

She shuddered and this one was real. "Never fucking ever again. The spiders. The fucking snakes, and fucking kangaroos just hopping around like, like squirrels in the road. The flying foxes," she whispered theatrically. "I don't know when the devil went down to Georgia 'cause I'm fairly certain he lives in Australia, since it's hell."

Her tirade was funny and we were laughing. It attracted Dane, who ducked a little to come in and just sat himself down near us, smiling too. "Eh bien? C'est su drôle?" What's so funny?

"I don't even think we know," I admitted. "The hell that is Australia?"

He pretended to throw up. "Fuckin' 'Straya," he shook his head. "Hell on earth. 'Course we saved those eleven kiddies. Guess I'd probably go back if I had to."

"Never again." she swore, giving him some mean side eye. "They call McDonald's Maccas. I can't even handle that shit."

"Got a spot of paint just there." He reached to try to wipe the paint off her nose but it was already dry.