A Pocketful of Gems

Chapter 2: when the pie was opened - Part 3

I sat back like a bolt. What was I saying? What am I doing? It sounded very much like I was flirting with Spencer. That neither was nor was not my intent. I looked up at Eve leaning on the back of the sofa. How long has she been there? Spencer re-covered his face.

"What happened to Spencer?" she asked me.

"I told a dirty joke?" I bluffed. Abel leaned beside Eve and stared down at Spencer, his mouth twisted in a slight smile. His eyes shot over to me, making me jump, and his smile got minutely wider. Eve pushed off the back of the sofa, "join me in the kitchen, Gem, if you're done flirting with Spencer."

I scrabbled to my feet and followed her taking a quick glance back at Spencer. Abel was patting him soothingly on the head and whispering to him. Spencer didn't remove his hands, but his head nodded furiously.

"All this time I though you didn't like guys." I looked back at Eve walking ahead of me leading the way into the kitchen.

"What gave you that idea?" she washed her hands in the sink; she offered me a bit of the dish soap and afterwards the kitchen towel to dry off.

"Your usual habit of avoiding them."

"I avoid everybody."

"I figured you'd say that," she smiled and uncovered the small bowls of vegetables we'd cleaned and chopped, "but at school you're patronizing with the girls, and a total bitch with the guys, except Spencer."

"What's your point?" my voice was a bit harsher than I intended.

"My point is you're coming out of your shell and I'm happy for you," I blushed down at the bowl of boneless chicken thighs we'd cut into strips.

"I didn't mean to," I admitted in a whisper "but, he's and I'm and, oh my God, do you think he noticed?"

I dragged my hands down my face. Eve giggled.

"Probably," she settled a large cast iron Dutch oven on the burner and lit a fire under it, "but he seems to understand you better than anyone else so he may not take it to heart. You made it quite clear that he's a friend. Boy friend and not boyfriend; that tap of the space bar is important to you, so it's important to Spencer."

She tapped an imaginary spacebar in mid-air and in the same motion picked up a bottle of extra-virgin olive oil. I watched her pour it in slowly.

"Good."

She glanced up at me but said nothing.

                                                                                                            -

The sun was setting when Abel pulled his SUV into my parents" driveway. My legs kicked looking for purchase on the concrete below as I climbed down.

"Bye."

"Later Gemma, I'll let you know that we got home safe." Eve was on her knees in the front seat.

"Please do."

"Bye, Gem." Spencer smiled awkwardly.

"Bye Spence, bye Abel." I slammed the door and walked across the lawn in the light drizzle. The SUV eased silently out the driveway back onto the road and was gone in a silver blur. I locked the door behind me and called out.

"Honey, I'm home." I waited a beat, but got no reply. I shrugged and headed upstairs to my room to find a towel. Though it was only a misty drizzle my frizzy hair absorbed it and was practically soaked. I pulled out the soggy bun and shook my hair out, I rubbed it hard with the microfiber towel and the static made it stand on end.