Harken didn't like them.
All seemed to be going well until they mentioned they were from La Push. At that point though, we were already in their car and he couldn't do much about it. He didn't like the idea of leaving Seattle. Of leaving his work, and his friends, even if they were low lifes. They were tight knit in La Push, he tells me as the couple goes into telling us about their lives. People in Seattle always talked about La Push being very closed off. As if they didn't want outsiders amoung them, as if they were hiding something.
The couple was nice though, I told him for the tenth time. Her name was Emily, and his name was Sam. I took all my will not to stare at the scars running along her face. I kept stealing glances at them though, i couldn't help it. She catches me looking at her through the rearview mirror.
"Bear attack." She explains, a small smile on her face. "Don't worry though, you're safe with us." She places a hand on her husbands arm, but he doesnt look away from the road. The gesture is simple but intimate, and I let my eyes linger on her small fingers. It was hot in the car. Too hot for October. And the heat wasn't even on.
"So why did you want kids, anyway?" Harken asks. He sounds aggitated, like this was a burden on him, and not them. As if he was the unwilling husband of a woman who forced him to adopt two kids. I kick his foot to remind him that he's lucky to be here with his past record haunting us, and that he was being just plain rude.
"I could never have any." Emily answers easily. As if there was no further explaination. It made sense why she wanted older kids then, because she didn't know how to raise younger ones.
"Don't worry, she's got plenty of experience," Sam tells me, a smile on his face. They like me, I think. It's wierd to look at two people, and to know that they like me. Maybe that was what family was- two people that you just knew liked you, that you didn't have to impress or anything. "I've got a lot of boys working on my...town watch patrol." Sam smiles at Emily. "They tend to overstep boundaries." He laughs, it's deep and hearty, and so sudden that I jump.
We're nearing La Push now, I can tell by all the trees, and my insides start to scratch with butterflies. "Don't worry though, I told them not to come around for a few days." Emilt assures us, stealing glances at me in her rearview mirror. "You'll love La Push." She gushes to me, like a child who can't contain her excitment. "Having another girl around will be great. And your file says you're president of your highschool, is that right? You organize all the bake sales? I love to bake too, and, oh you'll love La Push, everyone will love you!" She rants on, looking to Harken at the end. "And, and the guys will love you i'm sure! They're lots of fun!" She adds on for him, but he's barely paying attention.
"Joy." He mumbles, and stares out the window as we pull into the garage of a house on the reservation. It's bigger than the others, and looks homey.
"I'll give you the tour!" Emily chirps, grabbing my hand and pulling me from the car. "You come along too, honey." She tells Harken, and wraps her arm through mine, pulling my close before she rushes through the front door of her house.
When we get inside my eyes widen. There was a group of huge guys walking around, or more like running. Black smoke was billowing from the kitchen, and streamers and signs were falling from the cieling. "It exploded! How do cookies explode!?" Someone was screaming, while one of the boys reaching up to tape a streamer to the cieling pricks himself with a pin and curses.
"Shit, shit, they're here!" Another boy calls, dropping a cup of red soda on the carpet.
"Surprise!" A unison of voices yell, but we're frozen. Harken comes up behind me, his hand on my shoulders. He takes in all of the huge boys standing around, then looks down at me.
"Un-fucking-believable." He mumbles, and pushes past me and up the stairs to our right.
"Boys!" Emily is scolding, making ehr way to the kitchen to stop the smoke. I cough on the black air, but try to smile at the group anyway.
"Thanks it's nice." I tell them. They all crack into grins, as if they know I'm just being nice.
"Don't be nice to them! They ruined my oven!" Emily screams from the other room, as Sam comes in behind me and drops our bags with a loud thud.
"Boys. Outside. Now."