Page 75 of Emergency Exit
“That’s probably true,” said Harper.
“Well, fine. Then that is what I want.”
“To not know?”
“No! For everyone to be happy for the first time. All together.”
“Rowan seemed like he wanted that,” said Harper hesitantly. “He wanted your mom to meet Vivian, anyway. That seems like a big step.”
“I like Vivian,” said Ash. “I wish they weren’t moving so fast, but she’s smart.” He kissed the top of Harper’s head. “You’re right. Obviously, Rowan is on my side. So I’ll just have to work on Forest, and maybe he and Chloe will break up or something. Doesn’t matter. Point is, Operation: Valkyrie Family Reunification is actually going great this year. We had a whole holiday together. Mom will have lunch with Olly, and I will make it go smoothly. And everything will be great.”
“Mm,” said Harper.
“Don’t doubt me, Smoak. I will make it happen. And then tonight, you will come over, and we’ll stay at my place with the bigger bed.” He checked back to see how Harper was taking this idea.
“Smoak and Ash, with a plan,” said Harper, holding up her hand for a fist bump, although the rest of her remained snuggled against his chest, and she hadn’t opened her eyes. He laughed and gave her the fist bump.
24
Ash
Lunch with Grandma
Ash sprinted back into the house with Bear in his hand, only to see Chloe sipping tea at his mother’s kitchen table. Her blue hair had paled to a frosty color, and with her green dress, she looked one pointed felt hat away from being part of a Christmas tableau.
“I…” Ash looked around frantically for Olly. Tears had been imminent when it had been discovered that Bear had been left in the car.
“They’re fine,” said Chloe, tilting her head toward the living room. “Rose found paper and colored pencils.” His mother and Olly were sitting on the floor next to the coffee table, intently drawing.
“But Bear…” Ash held out the much-loved stuffie.
“He was nervous,” said Chloe. “Once Rose showed him something to play with, he stopped being nervous.”
“Oh,” said Ash. Ash watched his mom and Olly coloring. Rose was gloriously intent on Olly. Ash didn’t want to admit it, but the afternoon had been better because of Chloe. Olly hadn’t been the only one who was nervous. Rose had been anxious, and Ash hadn’t known how to calm her or Olly down. Chloe had made everything easier. She had been serene through a water spill, bathroom break, and leaving Bear in the car. It was Ash who had panicked.
“Mr. Rogers,” said Ash, finally identifying the energy Chloe was bringing to the room.
“I love Mr. Rogers,” said Chloe, without even giving him alook for bringing up a dead TV celebrity out of the blue.
“He makes everything calm,” said Ash, and then realized how insane he must sound. He wasn’t sure which was worse that she seemed perfectly happy with his weirdness or that she was utterly comfortable with her own. He couldn’t understand how she could not care what everyone else thought.
“She’s really happy,” said Chloe, snapping a picture of the duo. Then she sighed as she looked at her phone. “Forest is going to win. I want to take better photos of Olly, but my phone isn’t cutting it.”
“You don’t want a new phone?” Ash had trouble getting his head around the concept.
“They’re made with what amounts to slave labor. They support corporations, and discarding something that still works is wasteful.”
“Oh,” said Ash. “I mean...” Ash realized that his theory that Chloe was using Forest for his money had just been utterly destroyed.
“But I want to share Olly pictures like Forest does. His phone really is a better camera.” She looked saddened by this terrible betrayal from her 2010 technology. Ash took a photo and texted it to her.
“Thanks,” she said with a sad sigh.
“Are you going to send that picture to Forest?” asked Ash. He didn’t think he could intrude on Forest’s argument over her phone.
“I’ll show it to him if he wants to see it,” said Chloe, and it was Ash’s turn to sigh. “You hoped your argument at Thanksgiving would lead to something, didn’t you?” asked Chloe.
“I feel like I’m failing everyone,” Ash said, pulling out his ponytail and shaking his hair.
