This is your real mother speaking…

Chapter Nine of The Welded Link, a Novel by R.R. Colson

16 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment

by chalkdustfairy in The Welded Link, Writing

Chapter Nine

In the Leafy Treetops

Had it really only been a week ago that she had congratulated herself on living an uncomplicated life?  Today, as she drove to Eva’s, she wondered if she had jinxed herself.

On Monday, Sister Lundquist had called to invite her for supper the following Sunday evening.  It had seemed harmless at the time, but looking back, it was a portent of things to come.  Gil Lundquist’s mother was making no attempt to hide the fact that she was matchmaking- in her own refined way, unlike the majority of mothers who engaged in the sport. There were no tricks, farces, or awkward moments in either her or Gil’s company.  Barbara Lundquist was one of the most genuine people Iyrie had ever met; and her son, Gil, was very much like his mother in that way.

Later that same week, Iyrie had received a strange call from Eva’s brother in law, Bryn Erikson, proposing they meet for dinner at Jakes.  It had seemed odd to her at the time, but then, the man was a little odd.  She’d let her pity for him get in the way of her better judgment and agreed to the meeting.  She chided herself for not trusting her instincts, which after so many years had proven keen. Had she listened to that inner voice, perhaps she might have figured out that Eva was behind the thing before it was too late.

The two set-ups in one week should have been a sign that something was amiss; a giant blinking Las Vegas- style sign.  She’d really thought her days as a serial blind dater were behind her. Last night proved to her how wrong she was and reminded her of the necessity of being vigilant.

She marveled at the speed at which her past had caught up to her. Somehow the word had gotten out here in Astoria about her dating history. She now had to consider herself a fugitive, complete with a wanted poster with her name on it:

Iyrie Castle

Formerly of Pueblo, Colorado

Will Date Anyone, Nut Cases Welcome!

Already Have a Girlfriend? No Problem!

Considered Desperate and Tasteless

Fortunately for Eva, Iyrie woke up feeling less resentment and humiliation than she had felt the night before, and more of a steely resolve to ensure that she would never, ever be set-up again; no qualifiers, no exceptions.

*                      *                     *

It was a very contrite Eva that stood in front of the kitchen counter at the Erikson home, stirring a steaming mug of liquid something which she held out to Iyrie in the fashion of a peace offering.

“It’s hot chocolate!” Eva said in response to Iyrie’s wary expression.

“Mine is coffee.” She said, picking up her cup with both hands and looking over the rim at Iyrie as she took a sip.

Eva knew that Iyrie hated conflict and avoided it whenever possible. The fact that she was there to talk about what had happened last night spoke to the seriousness of the situation.  Eva, however, had no such warm fuzzy feelings for Bryn at the moment.

“Last night was really awkward.” Iyrie began, settling down on the stool opposite Eva.

“I know.”  Eva said, setting down the coffee cup in order to gesture her frustration with her hands, “I’m so sorry about all of it!”

“Jakes is a bar.” Iyrie said.

“I told him you don’t drink.” There was more gesturing, even larger than before. “I don’t know what he was thinking.  Obviously, he wasn’t thinking!  He never listens to me!” Eva ranted.

“It doesn’t matter now.” Iyrie continued, calmly, “It’s just that I don’t think it was a good idea.”

“I totally agree with you, in this particular case,” Eva said, “It was a big mistake.”

Iyrie was quite surprised, not to mention relieved, to hear Eva say it.

“Your friendship means the world to me, Eva, and I would feel bad if anything soured it.”

Eva nodded her head vigorously in agreement.

“So along those lines, I have to tell you that I really hate being set-up on dates and you have to promise me that you will never do it.”

Eva’s mouth gaped open and then shut. This concession was harder for her to accept.  A pained expression took over her face. For months she had been mentally reviewing all of the single men she knew in hopes of coming up with the perfect match for Iyrie. Now Bryn had gone and ruined everything!

Iyrie continued, “I know that people mean well, but I would rather they didn’t interfere.”

Eva gave in reluctantly.

“Oh, alright, I won’t set you up…unless you agree to it.”

Iyrie bit her lip. It wasn’t exactly what she was looking for, but it was a start.

*                      *                      *

Audun glared at Bryn from the recliner when he saw him walk through the doorway.  He had heard nothing but Eva’s ranting since the phone call last night, and as far as she was concerned, he was guilty by association. His home had not been a place of familial peace and joy in the last twelve hours and he was of a mind to blame Bryn in this case, as well.

Bryn wordlessly dropped the paperwork he’d brought with him into the bowl of popcorn Audun held in his lap, ignoring his brother’s glare. He was drawn to the kitchen by the smell of chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven.  He snuck a couple of warm, chewy cookies from the counter while Eva’s back was turned.

“Those are for Oscar and Iyrie.” she said, aware of a thief, but unaware it was Bryn.

“Where are they?” He asked casually, popping one into his mouth whole.

Eva stopped dead in her tracks and swung around with murderous intent, a hot cookie sheet in hand.

“Relax.” He said, recognizing the scowl on her face and her fighting stance. “I told Oscar that I would spend some time with him in the tree house.”

“They’re already up there.”  She said glaring at him.

“What do you mean, ‘they’?”

“Oscar and Iyrie.”

So that was who the car in the driveway belonged to. He thought.

“She climbed up there again?”  He asked somewhat surprised, ignoring Eva’s body language. He put the other cookie in his mouth.

Eva shrugged, still testy.

“And by the way, you’re lucky that I’m the forgiving type.” she said, giving Bryn a warning look. “Since I still have my friend, I suppose I will grant you a stay of execution for your crimes.”

“Thanks.” He said drolly at Eva’s dramatics, leaning against the door jamb. Facing Eva’s fury was necessary under the circumstances. He had yet to discover what Iyrie knew about Oni’s journals. He didn’t need her on the defensive.

“I don’t understand what’s going on in your head or your life lately, Bryn.” Eva said, transferring the cookies from the sheet to the counter. “Audun told me about Laurena.” She said, pausing to look up at him accusingly. “Somehow Iyrie’s been sucked into this. How you could let that happen is a mystery to me!”

Bryn was thoughtful for a moment. It was an unfortunate coincidence that the two situations had inadvertently become intertwined, but he couldn’t explain anything to Eva.  She would think he was crazy on top of everything else. And in his own defense, he’d also had no way to predict Laurena’s behavior. He still didn’t know exactly what to make of that. There would be time to deal with that situation later.

“I messed up.” he said, looking at her squarely.

There was a moment of stunned silence on Eva’s part. That was the closest Bryn Erikson had ever come to admitting he was wrong or had made a mistake.

“Okay then, what are you going to do about it?”

Bryn took another cookie and headed for the back door.

“Apologize.”

As he neared the tree, he could hear Iyrie talking and Oscar’s infectious giggle.  He shoved the last of the cookie into his mouth and climbed the tree.

“Iyrie’s telling jokes.” Oscar said to his uncle when he crossed the threshold of the tree house.

“Is she?” Bryn asked, looking at Iyrie.  She avoided looking directly back at him. “Are they any good?”

“Yeah, she knows a ton of knock-knock jokes!” Oscar said, putting his arm around Bryn’s neck. He leaned closer into his uncle.

“I smell cookies!” He said, sniffing around him and searching Bryn’s pockets. “Where are they?”

A wrestling match ensued, the proportions of which caused Iyrie to brace herself against the wall of the tree house, terrified that this time it really was going to crash to the ground with all of them in it.

“In the kitchen.”  Bryn said finally, rolling easily into a sitting position.

“Oh, yeah! Oh, yeah! There’s cookies! There’s cookies!” Oscar chanted as he swiftly backed out of the tree house and climbed down the tree.

Iyrie sat, still pressed against the wall, looking fearful; her face was pale, though her cheeks were a rosy pink. Her hair fell in tumbled curls from the top of her head where a clip was doing an ineffective job of keeping it all there.

“I’m surprised you’re up here.”

“So am I.” She said, uncomfortable and looking everywhere but at him. “I let Oscar talk me into trying it again.”

Bryn laughed.

“Was it easier this time?” He asked.

“He said it would be, but I think he fibbed.”  Iyrie replied, attempting a small smile.

The tap of rain drops on the roof of the tree house drew their attention.  In seconds the sound intensified and they watched through the doorway as the rain began to pour outside.

“I think I should hurry down.” She said, looking anxiously out the window.

“It’ll let up in a minute.” Bryn said reassuringly, leaning against the opposite wall of the tree house, though he highly doubted it. The weather forecast called for rain all week.

He watched the dreadful thought of being stuck in the tree house with him pass across her face, accompanied by the inevitable fidgeting with her fingers.

There was a child-like quality about Iyrie Castle. She was petite and could easily pass as a young girl. And she seemed completely unable to disguise her thoughts; they read on her face like a billboard. Her dark brown hair was now falling out in tendrils here and there.  She was a natural beauty.  There was a glow about her he couldn’t quite pinpoint.  Whatever it was, it made her beautiful in a unique way.

He cleared his throat, considering how to proceed.  She had clearly been upset last night, though she only registered a mild discomfort this morning. Granted, the incident with Laurena had been awkward for both of them.  However, he suspected that there had been something wrong from the moment Iyrie had stepped into Jakes. She’d been bristly and nervous; her brows furrowed the entire time. Laurena could not have been the only problem.

“Do you want to talk about last night?” He asked, stretching out his legs and crossing them casually at the ankles.

She looked at him briefly before looking back at the rain that continued to fall. He could see the uncertainty on her face.

“It wasn’t your fault. I went along with something I wasn’t comfortable with and ended up in a place I didn’t belong.” She said matter-of-factly.

He considered the possible causes for her discomfort, both last night and at the moment, before continuing.

“I should have picked you up and taken you home.” He said with sincere regret, “I’m sorry about that.” He wasn’t going to bother making excuses.

She looked as though she wanted to say something, but didn’t.

He proceeded with his next guess.

“As far as Jakes goes, I forgot that Eva said you didn’t drink.  If I had remembered I would have picked another place.”

“I don’t go in bars.” She said.

“For religious reasons.” Bryn said.  He seemed to recall Eva saying something to that effect.

“Not just that.”  She replied. “I just don’t like to be around it…the drinking. Things happen.” she added, her voice trailing off until it was barely audible, “

“Things I don’t want to be part of.”

“How’s that?” He asked, curious now about the look on her face, both solemn and distant at the same time.

“It promises people this great time, and makes them do…” she sighed, “foolish things they would never do sober. It’s all a big lie. It leads them away from things that will make them truly happy into things that ultimately destroy them or someone else.”

Bryn’s eyebrows rose at that. For a quiet, supposedly timid little thing, she had some big opinions.

“Are you speaking from experience?” He asked, watching her face closely.

She shrugged her shoulders. “My grandpa was an alcoholic. He traded his life and his family for a drink. He made their lives miserable. His son, my uncle, became an alcoholic, and ended up killing his best friend in a car accident.”

There was a strained silence.

“A friend of mine went to a party and ended up being raped by a classmate. There are just too many sad stories…” She said, shaking her head, remembering, her eyes downcast.

He couldn’t argue against that. He, too, knew enough dark tales born from drinking too much alcohol.  How many people did he know who had traded their lives and families just as her grandpa had? Too many, he decided. And while he felt he didn’t have a drinking problem, he occassionally used alcohol as a numbing agent, to help him cope with the stresses of fishing and to forget his problems. In actuality, the stresses and problems were still there waiting for him and he had to deal with them anyway, and with a horrible hang-over to boot. He sometimes wondered himself if it was really worth it.

“Life is short. It’s better to spend it on the good things.” She said.

There is more to this Iyrie Castle than meets the eye, he thought, smiling. Either she had just recently found her voice or Jack had been deaf.

“So, what are the good things in life?” He asked, intrigued by the notion, intrigued by her, “Tree houses?”

Iyrie smiled.

“I suppose,” She replied. “I didn’t realize it was on the list, but after having finally made it into one, I’d have to say so.”

“There’s a list?”

“Well, everyone’s list is different.” She answered bashfully.  She picked at some non-existent fuzz on her jeans.

“What kinds of things are on this list?” He pressed.

“My list?” Iyrie blushed, “just…stuff.” She said, embarrassed, looking down at the scuffed tips of his boots.

“Come on.” He coaxed. “Name the first things that come to mind.”

“I don’t know,” she said, chancing a glance at him. Was he mocking her? She wondered for a moment, then decided he wasn’t.

“A good book on a rainy day (she fervently wished to be home reading at this very moment), German chocolate cake, cowboys, stuff like that.”

Bryn laughed. “That’s the list?”

“Actually, no,” she said, with a playful smile directed out the tree house door, “The real list is confidential, but those are good things, don’t you think?” She said, finally working up the nerve to look him in the face.  She found herself loosening up a little with Eva’s brother in law, almost forgetting he might be a little unhinged.

“Cowboys?” he teased, a handsome smile playing on his face.

It had just come out, though it was true she had long harbored a secret admiration for men who could handle horses. Her eyes grew wide and a mortified expression took over her reddening face.

“Do you want to expound on that?” He asked, taunting her.

Iyrie just shook her head in mute reply, making Bryn laugh.

“No fishermen on that list, huh?”

“I don’t know any fishermen, except Audun,” she said, “and you.” She added as an afterthought.

“Well, that’s probably just as well,” He said, smiling rakishly at her, “The married ones have been domesticated, and are fairly harmless.  It’s the single ones you’ll want to watch out for!”

Iyrie couldn’t help but smile. Domesticated was a good way to describe Eva’s husband. He seemed eager to do anything to please her.

“And what are you?” she asked without thinking.

“I’m somewhere in between.” He said becoming serious, looking down to choose his words carefully.  It was just as good a time as any to talk about Laurena.

“The woman at the bar last night was my girlfriend.” He said, looking up to gauge her reaction.

“I gathered that.” She said.

“We were together a long time until she decided she wanted out a few months ago.  Last night was the first time I’ve seen her since then.”

“Well, that explains a lot.” Iyrie said, smiling, despite the awkwardness of the situation, “Did you talk to her?”

“No” He said, “I went looking for you.

“Oh.” She said uncomfortably. “When I saw it was raining, I thought I’d walk down to Hairvana and catch a ride home with my landlord, Sydney.”

“Eva told me,” He said, recalling the relief he had felt at knowing she wasn’t out in the storm.

“Ah!” She said. That explained the unusual call from Eva.

“There’s some unfinished business between Laurena and me. I’m sorry you got caught in the middle of it.” He said sincerely.

“Me, too.” She said quietly, nodding her head as she looked at him. The man was good-looking even with scars on his face, she couldn’t help thinking. Then startled by the path her thoughts were taking, she forced them into an about-face.

“I really hate being set up!” She blurted out. “Don’t you?”

Bryn looked at her curiously. What was she talking about?

Chapter Eight of The Welded Link, a Novel by R.R. Colson

12 Apr 2012 6 Comments

by chalkdustfairy in The Welded Link, Writing

Chapter Eight

The Set-up

In the days following the row with his sister-in-law, Brynjar Erikson was more testy than usual. His mood was as foul as the weather in which the crew of the Westman Islander fished.  He found himself making stupid mistakes and having difficulty focusing on the job at hand. The looks of concern that passed among his brothers did not go unnoticed and only served to make him more irritable.  The last thing he needed was for the crew to be worrying about him. He made it clear that he would bite off the head of anyone who didn’t give him a wide berth. His brothers were only too happy to oblige. This fishing trip was proving to be one of the longest they had endured together.

To make matters worse, Bryn had been suffering with chronic insomnia since the accident. The lack of sleep on top of the grueling work schedule was beginning to take its toll on him.

On the last night of the trip, after tossing and turning in his bunk, he went up to the wheelhouse where Audun was taking the watch.

“I can’t sleep.” He admitted to his brother, although he looked completely exhausted.

“You can’t keep going like this, Bryn. You’ve got to try to get some sleep.”

“I tried. You’re just as tired as I am. One of us might as well get some rest.”

There was no orneriness in his tone, which worried Audun all the more. He moved out of the captain’s chair to let Bryn take the seat, but he hung around making an adjustment to the equipment here, a comment about the weather there, and then they fell silent for awhile.

“Is there something bothering you, Bryn?”  Audun asked, “You can trust me. I won’t go blabbing to anyone.”

The sincerity in his brother’s voice squelched any caustic remark Bryn might have been tempted to utter.

“You left pretty upset after the barbeque.” Audun continued, wondering whether or not it was wise to meddle in his brother’s affairs. Even Eva had admitted that she had never seen Bryn in that state before, not that she had been particularly worried about it. But Audun knew it wasn’t like Bryn to get visibly upset. Cantankerous was more his M.O.  Audun could recall only a couple other times when he had seen that kind of emotion from Bryn. And that made him worry all the more.

Bryn looked straight ahead into the dark rolling sea.

“What did Eva say?” he asked.

“She said you were asking for Iyrie’s phone number.”

There was a long pause.

“I didn’t know you were interested in her,” Audun continued cautiously.

“I’m not, at least not in the way Eva thinks.”

“I don’t follow you.”

Bryn took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes.

“I’m just curious. That’s all.”

Audun chuckled.

“Yeah, there was something going on that day at the shop!”

Audun was a little surprised at Bryn’s interest in Iyrie. Laurena Kirkova had the looks of a super model and the attitude to go with it. It was obvious why Bryn was attracted to her.

“Don’t get me wrong, she’s a nice girl; nice-looking, too.  She just doesn’t seem your type.”

“That’s what Eva said.” Bryn said, giving his brother a sideways glance.

“Well, think about it, Bryn.” Audun said, cocking his head at his brother. “She’s the polar opposite of Laurena in every way.”

“What is this about ‘type’?  It’s never been about a ‘type’.” Bryn said, tired and irritated. “I was with Laurena, wherever that did or didn’t lead.”

He jogged the Westman Islander through a few more swells before he spoke again.

“She never let on it wasn’t enough.” He said randomly. “Maybe she knew I was too selfish to give more. I don’t know. It doesn’t matter anymore. She’s gone.”

Audun was at a loss for words. His brother hadn’t opened up to him like this in years. And there was obviously more going on in Bryn’s life than either he or Eva could have guessed. He thought of several things he might say, but settled on the last one.

“We all make mistakes. It’s not too late to do it different, Bryn.”

“I didn’t think I made mistakes.” Bryn said sarcastically, putting emphasis on the word “I”.

“Tell me about it, Bro!  We’ve had to live with your delusions of perfection!”

They both laughed, and the mood lightened somewhat.

“So what happened with you and Laurena?” Audun asked.

“It’s hard to say.”  Bryn admitted honestly. “The last time I saw her was the day after they brought us in from the accident. She came into the hospital room, took one look at me and walked out.  I think she decided she’d had enough of fishermen, with her dad dying at sea when she was a kid.”

Audun remembered the sinking of the crabber, Kushka on the bar just before Christmas. It had been a sobering experience for all the children of the fishermen of the Astoria Fleet. Still, Audun had difficulty seeing Laurena as a woman capable of deep feelings about anything. She’d never shown that side of herself to the family. But then again, why should she? None of them had really liked her. Bryn was probably the only one who knew the real Laurena

“Did you try to call her?”

“What do you think?” Bryn asked sarcastically.

“I’m sorry.” Audun said. “I wish you had told us.”

“So you could do what?” Bryn asked practically. “There was nothing to do.  It was her choice to make.”

“Maybe if you’d told Eva it was over with Laurena it might have made a difference about Iyrie.” Audun speculated.

Bryn shrugged. He doubted it. And if truth be told, he didn’t really blame her. Her points had been valid.  What Eva didn’t know, and what he could never tell her, was that his interest in her friend was purely a matter of meeting a family obligation, nothing more.

They sat in silence for a few more minutes.

“What is it about Iyrie exactly?” Audun asked, breaking the rhythm of the thrumming engine with his question.

“I don’t know.” Bryn answered evasively. It would be so much easier just to tell him the truth. He thought. But he couldn’t take a chance on his brother and business partner thinking he had lost his mind.

“Eva told you flat out to leave her alone.” Audun said, rubbing his whiskered chin with his knuckles. He, too, could see the obstacle.

“Yes she did.” Bryn said, a mischievous smile creeping across his face.

“You’re gonna call her anyway, aren’t you?” Audun asked, chuckling in disbelief.

“Don’t do it just to bug Eva, Bryn.” He warned. “I know you get your jollies out of doing that, but Iyrie’s a nice girl.”

“I was hoping to do it without Eva knowing about it.” Bryn confessed.

“Good luck with that one! Nothing gets past Eva!” Audun said, shaking his head as he went down the stairs to his bunk. “You should know that!” He muttered as he went out of sight.

Bryn waited until he thought Audun was asleep and then picked up the phone to place a call back to the mainland. He’d gotten her number from information and dialed, chiding himself all the while for incurring the expense of calling from the boat when he could have waited until he got back. He just wanted to get it over with.

He considered asking Iyrie Castle flat out what she knew about the journals. And had he not barraged her with questions once before, and frightened her in the process, that might have been the logical choice.  As things stood now, he couldn’t run the risk of scaring her off permanently. She was already skittish.  He would have to go easy no matter how anxious he was to get out from under his obligation to Oni.

The phone rang several times and just when he was about to hang up, a sleepy voice answered.

_____

Iyrie fumbled around on the nightstand for the phone, her head still under the pillow.

“Hello?” she said, her eyes still closed.

“This is Bryn Erikson.”

“Who?” She mumbled, her voice muffled by the pillow.

“Eva’s brother-in-law.”

“Right.” She said, mentally putting a face to the name.

She opened her eyes, threw off the pillow and looked at the clock. It was one o’clock in the morning.

“What’s the matter?” She asked, panicking.

“Nothing… as far as I know.” He answered calmly in a sand papery-sounding voice. “Why?”

“Why else would someone call this time of night?” She asked, exasperated.

Bryn checked the time.

“I guess it’s late.” He said.

There was a long pause.

“Are you there?’ He asked.

“Yes,” Iyrie answered, retrieving her pillow and plopping her head back down on it. “So why are you calling?”

He regretted not thinking about what he would say ahead of time.

“Do you want to go to dinner?” He asked point blank.

“Are you kidding me?” She answered, a little crossly and yawning. “It’s the middle of the night!”

“I don’t mean now.” He said, thinking things were not going as he had planned. “I meant tomorrow night when I get back.”

“What?” Iyrie asked, confused.

“I’m fishing. I’ll be back in Astoria tomorrow.” Bryn said feeling even more agitated.

There was another long pause.

“Hey, are you there?” He asked again, more loudly.

“I’m here!” She said so loudly he had to pull the phone away from his ear.

He was surprised that the girl was feisty, he would not have guessed that.

“Do you know where Jake’s is?” He asked, recovering quickly.

“Downtown.”

“Right. I’ll meet you there at seven.”

“Why?” She asked, sleepy and cranky.

Why? He thought. He really hadn’t anticipated any resistance. He was accustomed to getting exactly what he wanted from his chair in the wheelhouse.

She was turning out to be a little more trouble than he had expected. Maybe it was time to play the pity card.

“I’d like to make up for what happened at the shop.”

“Really… isn’t… necessary.” She mumbled in the middle of a yawn.

He considered how hard to press.

“I understand.” He said, doing his best to sound pitiful. It wasn’t his style to play games, but he desperately wanted to be done with this.

There was an audible sigh on the other end of the phone. He had banked on that and it had paid off.

“Alright,” She said tersely, seemingly giving in against her better judgment.

“Jakes at seven.” he reiterated.

“Yeah, alright,” Iyrie said unenthusiastically, hanging up the phone and placing the pillow over her head once more.

*                      *                      *

The Westman Islander pulled into dock close to evening.  Bryn, feeling rejuvenated after a nap courtesy of Audun, pushed the crew through the last few chores on the boat.

“What’s the rush?” Gunnar called jokingly.

“He must have a hot date!” Ari replied.

Audun eyed his older brother suspiciously.  He suspected Bryn had called Iyrie, but the man wasn’t talking.

The fact that Bryn ignored them all and hopped over the rail before the rest of them was all the proof he need

*                       *                        *

The evening was cool and pleasant.  The sunset splashed in colorful swatches across the clouds, buildings and the river beyond, turning downtown Astoria into a glorious watercolor.

Iyrie sat at the top of the stairs outside her apartment waiting for the overwhelming feeling of apprehension to leave her. She was second guessing meeting Bryn Erikson at Jakes. She had thought it was a bad idea when he called in the middle of the night and she was feeling worse about it now as the time to meet neared.

There was a reason Grandma had the saying, “never wake a sleeping Castle”; it was because they were either insufferably testy or delirious, neither a pleasant experience for the unsuspecting soul who woke them.

Iyrie wasn’t exactly clear on what transpired during the call with Eva’s brother in law, or what had possessed her to say that she would meet him. None the less, she knew the place and time.

The fact that the man appeared normal one moment and frighteningly odd the next was an indication to her that he was possibly mentally unstable.  It was very sad, Iyrie thought, that this had happened to a man in his prime, and even sadder still that his family seemed to be in denial about it. She didn’t blame them for trying to act like he was fine, although she did wonder that they still believed him competent enough to captain a fishing boat. She hoped things would not come to a tragic end for him or the family one day.

Feeling the nagging pangs of living up to her commitments and with the beauty of the evening unfolding before her she set out to walk the two blocks downtown.

Jakes was a popular hang-out for locals and tourists alike, though Iyrie had only heard of it. When she finally arrived she realized, to her chagrin, that it was also a bar.

A large bald man, covered in tattoos, politely held the door open for her.  She hesitated.  She’d never been in a bar before. She really didn’t want to go in this one now, but didn’t think it wise to stand up Eva’s brother in law. Who knew how a man with his condition would react? She stepped reluctantly inside the dark entrance and paused there as a thought came to her.

Eva’s brother in law.  Iyrie had thought it was strange to get a call from Bryn Erikson. She had, however, seen that calculating look in his mother’s eye at the barbeque and Eva had recently been inquiring about her love life, or lack of it.  It would be just like Eva to conspire with her mother in law to set the two of them up on a date!

“She must think I’m really desperate!” Iyrie said under her breath in the darkness of the entry.

“Aren’t we all, darlin’?” someone slurred in passing.

Only two steps away from the door, she thought, craving the evening air, and wishing she were home. It would be so easy to walk out.

______

Inside the bar was dark, noisy and crowded.  The music was loud, and the people even louder, as they jostled against one another, drinks in hand.  She hung back against the wall of the entrance debating whether or not to continue with what was fast promising to be a really bad idea for a good LDS girl.

From his seat in a booth against the far wall opposite the door Bryn saw Iyrie Castle come in. She looked nervous and on the verge of bolting. He crossed the room and caught her gently by the elbow just as she turned toward the door.

“Hey,” He said.

She jumped at the touch, unable to see him at first for the small crowd of people pressing their way out.

“Over there.” He motioned, still holding her elbow as he guided her across the crowded room to the booth.

She couldn’t help wondering if she would be having dinner with Jekyll or Hyde.

“Drink?” He asked, holding up the bottle he held in his other hand as they sat down.

“No.  Thanks.” She said flatly, her brows furrowing, “I don’t drink.”

“That’s right.” He said, “Eva told me that.”

There was the confirmation of her suspicions she was looking for. She felt herself becoming annoyed as she watched him take a sip from the long-necked bottle, and congratulated herself for managing to reach a new low in her dismal history of set-ups.

“Mind if I drink?” He asked, setting the bottle down when he noticed her stiffen visibly and begin to fidget with her fingers.  He had his answer.

I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t be here. Iyrie thought. She was relieved when the waitress approached the table.

“How’s it goin’ Hon? Good to see ya’ back safe n’ sound,” She said smiling familiarly at Bryn.  She was a middle-aged artificial blonde with big hair and heavy make-up.

“Thanks, Sheri.” Bryn answered, smiling back at her.

“Who’s your friend?  Don’t think I’ve seen her here before.” Sheri said, looking Iyrie over conspicuously.

“Iyrie Castle,” Iyrie answered before Bryn had a chance to not remember her name. She knew the drill. She’d been on enough of these miserable things to know what could happen.

“She’s teaching with Eva over at the school this year.”  Bryn added.

“Oh!” the waitress said smirking, and with a little more expression than Iyrie thought was necessary. She could have sworn she saw the woman wink at Bryn.

Iyrie’s cheeks began to burn.

“Would you like another of those?” She asked Bryn, pointing to the bottle.

“No thanks.” He said eyeing Iyrie carefully.

“What about you, Sweetie?” The waitress asked.

“Just water, thanks,” Iyrie said, shuddering inwardly at being called ‘Sweetie’.

“O k a y.”  The woman said, drawing the word out, perplexed.

“Will you two be eating tonight or just drinking…. water?” She asked sweetly enough, but the smirk lingered on her face.

“Eating,” Bryn answered, sensing a storm brewing by the look on Iyrie’s face.

“Here are some menus, then.  I’ll be back with your, uh…water.”

Iyrie opened the menu but she couldn’t read it. She was fuming at the waitress, fuming at Eva, and fuming at herself for going along with this farce. It was obvious even to the waitress that Bryn had been set up with the ‘old maid school teacher’.

“What are you having?” Bryn asked, watching with interest the changing weather on Iyrie’s face.

Flustered, she quickly scanned the menu for a familiar word.

“Hamburger,” She read aloud, finding one.

“I’ll have the same.”  He said when the waitress returned.

She set the glass of water down carefully in front of Iyrie and plopped a new bottle down in front of Bryn.

He gave her a puzzled look.

“Compliments of the blond gal at the end of the bar,” she said with significant emphasis, nodding in the woman’s general direction. The tall, beautiful blond looked over at them languidly and blew an exaggerated kiss in Bryn’s direction.  It was clear from the expression on his face, as well as the waitress’, that he knew the woman, well.

Oh, this just gets better and better! Iyrie thought darkly.

“Friend of yours?” She asked, unable to help herself.

She saw the twitch in his jaw as he looked from the woman to the bottle.

“I know her.” He said in a low voice through slightly gritted teeth. He was obviously angry.

Join the club, buddy.  She thought, wishing a plague upon Eva.

“Who is she?” She asked brazenly.  She already had a hunch.

Bryn twirled the neck of the bottle in his fingers and then met her gaze.  He regarded her with cool green eyes that sent a shiver up her spine.  Maybe she’d gone too far. She thought. She’d forgotten for a moment that the man was not stable. He looked like he could be dangerous. She looked away.

“Her name is Laurena.” He said, suddenly appearing tired. He rubbed his eyes with his hand.

“Is she your girlfriend?” Iyrie pressed. She really couldn’t help herself.

He didn’t look at her or answer.  She took that as a ‘yes’.

Their meal arrived and they ate the food in silence.  Deciding to put them both out of their misery, Iyrie pulled out cash enough to cover her meal and laid it on the table between them.

“It’s getting late and I walked. I should be getting home.” Iyrie said, mustering all the grace she could, which wasn’t much, and forcing a stiff smile.

She slid from the booth, and before he knew what was happening, she was winding her way quickly through the crowd and out the door.

He only sat dazed for a moment before he threw some bills on the table and got up to go after her. He glanced at Laurena as he left, wondering what she was playing at.

She seemed to have been watching events unfold, waiting for just an opportunity like this to catch his attention.  She pointed to an exaggerated frown on her face and mouthed the word ‘sorry’ before breaking into laughter with her companions.

Bryn was furious as he pushed his way out onto the street.  Rain pelted his face, and it was then that he remembered that Iyrie had said that she had walked.  She would be soaked walking home in this downpour.

He looked up and down the street but there was no sign of her.  He ran to his truck and began driving slowly up and down the streets looking for her, with no luck.

Where the devil had she gone to? He wondered.

Guilt at not having picked her up in the first place began to eat at him.  He had told himself this wasn’t a date.  Now she was somewhere out in this rain, upset about…who knew what, and he was responsible.

Out of worry and frustration, he dialed Eva. He didn’t want to do it, but he had no choice.  He didn’t bother to say hello.

“Does Iyrie have a cell phone?” he asked impatiently.

“I told you I’m not going to give you her number!” Eva snapped.

Fully aware of the wrath about to be unleashed upon him, he confessed.

“It’s too late, Eva. We met at Jakes tonight and Laurena was there.  She pulled a stunt and Iyrie left. ”

“I told you to leave her alone!”

“You can scream at me later, Eva.  She’s walking, it’s pouring and I can’t find her.” Bryn said, a note of sincere desperation in his voice.

“You are a piece of work, Bryn Erikson!” She said in disgust.

“Just give me the number!”

“I don’t think so! I’ll call her myself!” Eva snarled.

*                      *                      *

Iyrie paused on the sidewalk outside Jakes.  It was raining cats and dogs.

“That’s just great!” She muttered.

She pulled up the collar of her jacket and contemplated the soggy walk up the hill. She was a very poor judge of weather, she decided.

She didn’t feel like being alone in her apartment after the disastrous evening.  Instead of walking in the direction of home, she turned the opposite way and went around the corner to Hairvana.  She knew Sydney would still be at the salon closing up as he normally did every night.

The sign on the door said ‘closed’ but she could see Sydney working at the desk.  She tapped on the glass.  He came to the door quickly and let her in.

“What are you doing here?  Impersonating a drowned rat?” He asked, surprised to see her.

“I met someone for dinner at Jakes.”

“YOU went to Jakes?” He asked peering over his glasses at her as he went back to his receipts.

“I didn’t know it was a bar!” Iyrie said in her own defense.

Sydney rolled his eyes at her naïveté.

“Whom did you meet there that wouldn’t give you a ride home in this weather?” He asked formally, looking at her over the glasses on the end of his nose.

“Eva set me up with her brother in law.”

That seemed to spark Sydney’s interest and he straightened, giving her his full attention.

“Which Erikson brother would that be?” He asked, seemingly surprised and amused, taking off his glasses.

“Bryn” she answered. “Do you know him?”

Sydney began to laugh.  It irritated Iyrie that everyone seemed to find it funny.

“Astoria’s a small town. Everyone knows him.” Sydney replied. “The Eriksons are well respected here.”

“And while I can’t say I know him personally, I have met his… uh..girlfriend.” Sydney said delicately.

“Well now! That makes two of us!” Iyrie said sarcastically, her eyes flashing. “I wish Eva would have mentioned her beforehand, I could have saved myself a lot of embarrassment!”

“So what happened at Jakes?” Sydney asked, leaning on the desk, the glasses dangling in his hand, “I’m dying to hear this story!”

“I’ll bet you are!” Iyrie was well aware of Sydney’s love of gossip.

She pulled herself into one of the styling chairs nearest the desk.

“Unfortunately for all of us, his girlfriend was also a Jakes tonight, and not too happy about seeing him with me.”

“Are you kidding?”

“No, I’m not, but I wish I were!” Iyrie said smartly.

The whole mortifying incident was becoming more comical to her now and it made her feel better to emphasize the humor of it.

“I think Bryn might be in little bit of trouble with….” She paused to remember the woman’s name, but Sydney finished the sentence for her.

“Laurena,” He said, a curious expression on his face.

“That’s right.” She said, and proceeded to explain what had happened.

“So what did you do?” Sydney asked.

“I left and I came here. It was humiliating, Sydney.”

Iyrie was interrupted by her ringing cell phone.  She looked at the number and cringed.

“It’s Eva!” She grumbled before answering it.

“Hello?” She said cooly.

“Have you seen the news?” Eva asked brightly.

“Uh, no.”

“We’re in for some nasty weather!  So, where are you?” Eva asked, her innocence artificial.

“I’m sitting here with Sydney at the salon.”  Iyrie replied, guessing her game.  She was probably calling to see how things went.  Or maybe she had already heard.

“Oh, good!”  Eva said, sounding greatly relieved.

Iyrie sighed, her suspicions confirmed.

“I’m fine, Eva. I’ll catch a ride home with Sydney. But you and I are going to have to have a talk tomorrow.”  She said sternly.

“I’m sorry about tonight. I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Bye.” Iyrie said

“Bye.

Chapter One of The Welded Link, A Novel by R.R. Colson

10 Apr 2012 4 Comments

by chalkdustfairy in The Welded Link, Writing

Chapter One

The Burning Question

“Miss Castle, are you gonna teach at this school ‘til you die?”

Well that’s a new one!  Miss Castle mused, grateful that she was facing the blackboard and not the children. The question had left her flabbergasted. She thought she’d heard everything, but apparently, she hadn’t!

It hung in the air like smoke from a stink bomb. The concepts of ‘teacher’ and ‘dying at school’, used together in the same sentence, had a shocking kind of effect on both teacher and students alike. The little dark haired boy who’d ‘launched’ the offensive question sat at his desk worming his index finger around in his nostril, in an equally offensive manner, watching her closely.

An unnatural silence fell over the room as twenty-one pairs of eyes looked up at their teacher at the same time. Finding the tables ironically turned, Miss Castle squirmed uncomfortably under the scrutiny of her class as they waited for her reply.

Ah, first graders, Miss Castle thought, smiling grudgingly, as she looked from one curious face to another. They are honestly charming and charmingly honest. They were the reason she enjoyed teaching. Each new school year promised to be as unique as each new student.

Luckily for Miss Castle, first graders have short attention spans and the question went forgotten when the dismissal bell rang a moment later. At least the children had forgotten it.

The question was still on Miss Castle’s mind, however, as she walked into her friend’s classroom next door.  She looked up from her thoughts in time to catch Jared West stealing a kiss from his soon-to-be wife, Miss Melanie Norris, Miss Castle’s best friend and co-worker. Walking in on them so frequently now like this, it should have no longer come as a surprise. Even so, she blushed, covered her eyes, and turned to leave.

“Sorry!”

“Wait!  Come back!” she heard Melanie call behind her.

But Miss Castle pretended not to hear and walked briskly down the hall to the classroom of Lucy Christiansen.

Miss Christiansen was engaged in a serious conversation with one of her second graders, a red-headed boy named Henry.  He stood before her, somewhat slumped and defeated in posture, his head and eyes downcast.

“Now Henry, the next time you feel like picking a scab, please come up and ask for a band aid instead,”

“Yes Miss Christiansen,” he answered sheepishly.

“We were lucky Beth made it to the garbage can this time.  I really hate to clean up vomit, Henry.”

“Sorry, Miss Christiansen. I won’t pick ‘em anymore.”

“Thank you, Henry.” she replied, patting the poor boy on the arm.

Miss Castle exchanged sympathetic goodbyes with Henry as he passed.

Lucy Christiansen was warm, but firm, and very proper.  Her appearance, posture and manners were always impeccable. Having a knack for being politely blunt, Miss Christiansen could say the most difficult things in the nicest of ways.  Miss Castle admired her friend’s qualities, sometimes even borrowing one or two of her choicest lines to use with her own students.

The initial need to share Jonah’s burning question with someone was quickly squelched by Lucy’s own news.

“Guess what!” she said excitedly.

“I don’t know. What?”

“I’m going to buy Nana’s house!” Lucy said, her eyes flashing with excitement.

“Of course, Nana will still live there, but it will be mine!”

“I’m happy for you!” Miss Castle replied, sincerely.

Lucy had lived with her Nana from the time she’d entered college and the ten years since her graduation. It wasn’t Miss Castle’s idea of independence, but to each her own, she decided with a sigh.

“I’ve told you that you’re welcome to move in with us.” Lucy said, mistaking the reason for the sigh. “There’s plenty of room.”

Miss Castle stifled a laugh. Lucy was kind, but the big old house taken over by decades of kitschy bric-a-brac was not her idea of ‘home sweet home’.

“I like living on my own,” Miss Castle declared.

Lucy looked at her friend doubtfully.

“I don’t know of a single soul who really likes being alone all of the time,” she chided as she began vigorously disinfecting the classroom surfaces.

“I’m not alone all of the time! I’m surrounded by twenty-one children all day long for nine months out of the year!”

“You know what I mean.” Lucy Christiansen said, arching her fine ginger brows.

To the contrary, Miss Castle found she liked being alone. There was something liberating about not having to account for her activities to anyone.  If she wanted to eat left over Chinese food for breakfast, she could. If she wanted to watch obscure foreign films with subtitles, who was to say anything about it?

“I’ve rented ‘Gone with the Wind’ for tonight,” Lucy said between fumigations, “Its Nana’s favorite. She found this recipe for a non-alcoholic version of a mint julep, and I think she’s making a pecan pie. Why don’t you come over?”

Lucy tried her best to tempt her friend, even venturing into her Scarlet O’Hara impersonation.

“Why I do declare! There isn’t a more handsome gentleman in all ‘a Colorado than Mr. Rhett Butler!” she said batting her long eyelashes wildly.

“And I suppose you’ll be expecting him to show up on your doorstep just in time for a slice of pecan pie?”  Miss Castle mocked dryly.

“I surely will!” Lucy replied, still in character, fanning herself with a Lysol-coated paper towel.

“I wouldn’t dream of intruding on that, but thanks!”  Miss Castle said, coughing slightly as she got up to leave.  She should have thought twice about interrupting Lucy’s compulsive after school cleaning ritual.

An evening with Scarlet, Lucy and Nana sounded nothing short of entertaining, but she felt the need be alone to think.

Although innocent enough, Jonah’s question weighed heavily on her mind.  Could she see herself teaching at Eden L. Harvey Elementary school for the next, say, thirty five years or so? The school had stood as a landmark in downtown Pueblo for decades. Would that to be her fate, as well?  Perhaps she found the thought so disturbing because it could actually happen!  She had no trouble picturing her friend Lucy doing just that.

Teaching in Pueblo hadn’t necessarily been her dream.  It had just happened. It was the idea of living several hours away from her parents that had been appealing.

With Jonah’s question on her mind, she had to ask herself if this was where she pictured herself growing old. At twenty-seven, she hadn’t really given that much thought.

There was nothing like the impending marriage and departure of a best friend, and the swan dive into spinster-hood by another, to get a single school teacher thinking about her life.  Melanie Norris would be marrying at the end of June and moving to Denver to begin a new life with Jared. Though genuinely happy for her friend, Miss Castle would miss her terribly.  They had started teaching at the school at the same time and connected immediately. Their principal dubbed them the Dynamic Duo of First Grade, refusing to call them anything but Norris and Castle.  But while Castle had buried herself in night school, Norris had become involved in the program for single adults at church where she’d met Jared. Norris had tried everything to get Castle to go with her to the various activities and to set her up on blind dates with Jared’s friends, but Castle always used night school as an excuse.

Now that the master’s degree was hanging on the wall, Castle wondered apprehensively how she would fill her free time.

“Castle!”

She turned to see Joanie Lee, the principal, walking swiftly down the hallway toward her. Joanie was somewhat knock-kneed and swung her arms wildly when she walked, making her stride interesting to watch, especially when she wore one of her signature drapey knit suits. Mrs. Lee was a tall, sturdily built woman in her late fifties with short gray hair and piercing blue eyes. She always looked and sounded as if she were in a hurry, whether she was or not.

“We’ve had to move Norris’ bridal shower to Thursday.  Will that be a problem for you?” Joanie said breathlessly, finally catching up to Castle.

“No.” Castle replied off-handedly.

“Is she still here?” Joanie gestured to Norris’ door.

“Yep, but I would knock first!”

“Up to that again, are they?” Joanie chuckled.

Castle nodded.

“By the way,” Joanie said, handing Castle a paper, “here’s your contract for next year.  That master’s degree helped your salary quite a bit!”

Castle looked at the figure on the contract.

“Thanks.” She said, lacking enthusiasm.

“Something wrong, Castle?”

At Castle’s silence, Joanie led the way into her empty classroom and shut the door behind them.

They sat down on two of the desks in the back row and Joanie proceeded to pull out one of the small chairs on which to rest her feet.

“Spill it.”  She commanded.

“Nothing’s wrong, necessarily,” Castle hesitated.

“Is it Norris leaving?” Joanie probed.

“Well, I have to admit that’s probably a factor.”

“You and I both knew it was only a matter of time, Castle,” Joanie said. “Norris is an outstanding teacher, but for her it was only temporary.  Her dream job is to be a wife and mother.”

Castle smiled. Joanie knew Norris well.

“Jonah Parkinson asked me if I was going teach here until I died,”

She expected Joanie to laugh. Instead, the older woman looked at Castle with a piercing blue gaze.

“I take it the thought of that is bothering you?”

“Well, I…who thinks that far ahead?” Castle asked, somewhat discomfited.

“So the answer to that question is…?” Joanie prompted in her brusque way.

“Well, no, I don’t want to die here- in Pueblo.”

“Then what do you want to do, my dear Castle?” Joanie asked, sitting back, contemplating her swollen, misshapen ankles as she waited for the answer.

“I guess I’d like to see what’s out there, live and teach in some interesting place.”

“And where would that be?” Joanie asked as she turned her toes out, and then in, evaluating her ankles from both angles.

“Guam or China or something, I don’t know!”

Joanie pulled her feet in abruptly and looked Castle in the eye.

“There are a lot of creepy crawlies in Guam, Castle. You’d hate it,” Joanie said with a smirk, reminded of Castle’s hysterical reaction when a snake got loose during a recent show and tell, “and I hear Chinese is a very difficult language to master. Are you really serious about that?”

Castle shrugged, “I don’t know, probably not. I just threw it out there.”

“You and Norris are like my own kids, Castle,” Joanie said with a sigh, “and so I’ll say to you what I’ve said to them. There comes a point when you need to go after what makes you happy.”

“I don’t even know what that is,” Castle replied, mystified. It sounded foolish to her to consider leaving a perfectly good teaching position in pursuit of something as hazy and illusive as ‘happiness’.

“Give it some thought. It’ll come to you. Think of it as an adventure!”

“Are you trying to talk me into quitting my job?” Castle asked accusingly.

Joanie did laugh this time.

“Not until you have another one!”