Page 58 of Stripping Bare
“Yeah, but it’s a wreck. Paint peeling, windows broken, sidewalks buckling.” At that, he jumped over a perfectly sound piece ofsidewalk.
“Do you seehim?”
“For the most part, the people look like NPCs. Non-playablecharacters.”
Just then, a woman stepped in front of Jonah and held out a hand as if to stophim.
“Slow down,” Tessa warned him. “She’sreal.”
Jonah came to a skidding stop and Tessa heard the woman say, “Jonah Steele, what’re you doin’ running down the street lookin’ like a scubadiver?”
“Just trying out some equipment and getting a little exercise, Mrs.Cuddleford.”
“I’d think you’d have plenty of room to run around out there on that ridge of yours. In fact, I heard Reid’s put in a bunch of stuff to train up policemen and thelike.”
Jonah’s head tilted down, giving Tessa a view of his hands clenching andunfurling.
Mrs. Cuddleford poked Jonah’s chest. “You may have saved Canyon Ridge, but everybody had to buy all new return address labels and send out change of address cards. Do you have any idea how much those things cost thesedays?”
“No, ma’am,” he said on asigh.
“Over ten wholedollars.”
Tessa’s view shifted when he looked down and pulled out his wallet. Retrieving a twenty, he said to Mrs. Cuddleford, “Would this help with the addresslabels?”
“I suppose so.” She sniffed, but quickly plucked the money from his finger. “Get on with yourself, then. But don’t be stirring up anytrouble.”
“No,ma’am.”
Tessa couldn’t help but laugh because Mrs. Cuddleford hadn’t realized that Jonah’s response could be taken as either “No, ma’am, I won’t stir up trouble” or “No, ma’am, I won’tnotstir uptrouble.”
It was as if the woman still saw Jonah as a little boy. Had he been mischievous or studious? Outgoing or shy? Popular or one of thecrowd?
“Jesus Christ on a saltine cracker,” hemuttered.
Once he was on the move again, Tessa asked him, “Is everyone here likethat?”
“Up in your business, youmean?”
“If that’s what you want to call it.” In one way, it was sweet the way people all knew each other and looked out for oneanother.
“Let’s just say that it won’t matter how long my brothers and I live here as adults. Some people will always see us as the Steeleboys.”
“I want to meetthem.”
Jonah’s stride hitched, but he regained his footing and put on more speed. “Why?”
“Because I know you love your family.” And because she wanted true insight into Jonah. The entire person. Carolina boy. Brother.Son.
Town scoundrel. Townsavior.
“Dammit,” he said as the buildings and people on Main began to thinout.
“Nothing?”
“No one dressed in blue with a white beanie.” He looked left, then right. “Main Street would’ve been tooeasy.”
“Fewer people on the side streets.” Tessa pointedout.
