"No, no, no, that's never going to work," Gray teased her even in the middle of the harsh, somber cold. Snow had just piled itself higher and higher yesterday, blanketing the village with a hard-packed frost. The sky went from a blunt grayish color to its usual blinding white, and Ann grunted to herself, standing before the race track that had the snow blown off but still had slush around the edges. She went without her mittens again and her fingers numbed, but she kept cracking her knuckles and expecting revenge on her brother; sandy-brown colored little Spunky was going to win the Dog Race and Ann would walk home with more medals than Gray.
It was a surprise in itself to even spot her brother at the Annual Dog Races. He hadn't watched one in so long-the last he did, Ann could not remember-since he claimed he was always so busy. Busy doing what, he hadn't cared to tell her either, but he was here today, and she had to keep up her competitiveness to keep him coming up here every following Winter 19th, too.
The races wouldn't start for at least fifteen minutes, and looking around her, Ann saw Popuri and a few other people who had come to watch the race, including-Karen!?
"Karen!" she hollered, cupping her numb hands for her voice to carry in the raw, crisp air. "Whatcha doin' out here?"
Karen, crunching through the snow in her custom brown boots, smiled whimsically with the little blond hair she had framing her face and the chestnut-brown length of it falling back behind her shoulders. Her green eyes seemed like they had just opened from a deep sleep, but her rarely-ever-seen grin was present to show that she was living comfortably for a change. Or maybe she had finally gotten used to the problems that arise in her home?
"I just came here to see Jack and watch his dog race. I had nothing better to do anyway; my dad of course isn't talking to me and my mother's too afraid to even look at me because she thinks I'm gonna blow up at her. Well, the truth is, I'm really tired of taking it out on people, and when I do, it's entirely their fault for purposely trying my nerves." Karen stuck her nose in the air and brushed back a few loose strands of her hair, then looked at Ann again. "So what's going on? Did I miss the first race?"
"Nope," said Ann cheerfully. "You like it here? At the races, I mean?"
"For one thing, it's a happier atmosphere than my house."
"Who do you think will win?" Ann's bare white finger pointed out onto the track.
"I don't know. I'm just looking at the dogs because they're cute."
"Ann!! Karen!!" Jack came up running, huffing and puffing and then jumping over the picket fence. Seating himself on it, he panted so hard he couldn't say much else, and gave a flicker of the fingers that passed for a wave. "Came to watch?"
"We don't have a dog," Ann explained sheepishly, "but I love watching the races. See, it just goes to show you how smart dogs are. They push themselves and try to do their best, just like humans should."
"Your dog doesn't seem too clever, though," Karen teased Jack. "He's gonna have to push himself a lot harder."
"I voted for Spunky," Ann turned to Karen and shot her a look, and Karen laughed at her expression.
"You did? Aah, I just entered him to give him a little exercise. Just for fun, ya know." Jack peered over their shoulders and extended his arm out to wave at Cliff, who was standing just in front of the far back picket fence by the concession stand.
"What's he doing here?" Ann scowled in annoyance. "He seems to be everywhere these days."
Karen and Jack eyed her strangely.
"Doesn't he have just as much right to be here as anybody else?" Karen asked, raising an eyebrow. "More right than I do, I should expect. After all, he's only been here for the beginning of this year-"
"The first race is about to start," came the announcer's voice, and every spectator hushed as if the place's sound had an off-switch.
Ann held her breath as the dogs' feet pounded hard into the cold track that had just been shoveled clear of snow, and released it only when she could feel her face turning blue. She held her frozen hands up to her chest and puffed her breath out onto them. Spunky was in the lead and approaching and her heart thundered inside her body-she could feel no other organ! Suddenly she burst inside as she felt a sharp twinge in both of her sides, and turned her head to see that it was Cliff who poked her in the sides.
"What are you doing, you IDIOT!?!?!?!?!!" Ann shouted for mostly everyone to hear. Cliff didn't seem embarrassed at all, but she sure was. Instead, Cliff was smiling dreamily and looking out onto the track again.
"Well, don't seem too happy to see me then," Cliff half-laughed.
"Can ya blame me?? You can't just go jabbing people's sides like that!! I'd like to see you go and poke Karen, and see if I'm the only one who takes it seriously!!"
"Sorry," Cliff said in a low voice that was not thoroughly convincing. "So… you bet on Spunky, didn't you?"
"Yeah," Ann looked at him skeptically. "Look, what do you want?"
"I just came to say hi, is all. Last time I checked, there was nothing wrong with just saying hey to my favorite little friend." Cliff looked down and rubbed his palm into her head. "But, have it your way," was all he said then before he walked off to the concession stand.
Favorite little friend? Do I even want him to be my friend?…….. That's a good question.
Turning around, she caught a glimpse of her father seizing Jack by the wrist in a victorious position. Jack hugged his dog to his chest and went with Hall to the mayor to receive the medal that Spunky had earned. Spunky wagged his stubby little brown tail and dangled his tongue out of his mouth. Ann tried to be happy that he was victorious but she was still in rage that Cliff made her miss it.
"That was great, wasn't it?" Karen looked at Ann with a mild grin, then her face fell again. "What's wrong?"
"That stupid… guy over there… YOUR COUSIN… I-I missed it because of him," Ann seethed. "Why is he always bugging me? Is it a goal of his to get on my nerves? Or is he really so stupid that he doesn't realize that no one wants him here!!"
Karen was taken aback by her comment. "Whoa, Ann! Last time I remembered, no one actually said that about him, but…. Where'd you get the idea that no one wants him around? For one thing, Jack is a good friend of his and he wants Cliff around. So do my parents. You know, my mom invited him over for tea one time when my dad wasn't home. You might want to watch what you say about him, because he's getting along okay in this village. Besides, don't you think that maybe there's something wrong with you? He wouldn't be so annoying if you didn't let him get on your nerves. I think it's best to hold back your anger when dealing with him."
Ann shut up immediately but didn't change her opinions. Karen shouldn't have been one to comment on holding back anger when she herself had been struggling through it with her family for years. Karen had outsmarted her, and there was nothing Ann could do about it, and that was the part that annoyed her the most.
"That was awesome, wasn't it???" Jack hollered when he ran up to Ann. "Did you guys see that? The little fella's come a long way, hasn't he?" Spunky's tail thumped harder and harder against Jack's stomach.
"Congratulations," Ann said to them both. "It was awesome. Not like I expected anything different, of course-not after the Horse Race. I tell you what, it's got my brother really jealous!!" Ann smiled and scratched the dog between his little ears.
"Here, Spunky, meet Ann. Go on, boy, she's not gonna bite ya….There ya go….Yeah, she's real nice, isn't she?" Jack shoveled Spunky into Ann's arms. Ann held him eagerly, scratching the fur between and behind his ears and on his stomach.
"So you're ticklish, Spunky!!" Ann giggled, and the dog squirmed, alive in her arms. Its little right hind paw kicked violently and his tail hammered just as hard against her stomach.
"Alright, alright, that's enough. Stop flirting," Jack scolded his dog and plucked him off Ann when Spunky started licking her face enthusiastically. "Well, we know he likes you, for one thing."
"It's easy to learn the trust of animals when you've grown up around them for so long," Ann smiled. "He really likes you, too. I can tell. All people who animals like are nice."
Jack chuckled. "Either that, or he's seriously kissing up to me for feeding him extra all winter."
Casual conversation with Jack felt nice, of course, but the cold winter air gave her the same sensation about him that she got several times before-the way she felt like Jack was telekinetic and moved the insides of her stomach double-flip by double-flip. Suddenly she noticed again just how clear his brown eyes were, and his complexion so flawless…his arm muscles were becoming more toned and she noticed the strong shoulders and neck he'd developed. Out of the blue, or rather in the gray of winter, she envisioned herself being carried in his arms without fear of being dropped. It was as if he had the power inside to take her away to a place that didn't exist-to a place where they could abandon all their fears.
Suddenly Jack cleared his throat and let Spunky down to run around in the snow. The dog stretched out his tongue and caught snowflakes as he ran in circles barking. Ann and Jack both laughed until they found themselves staring into each other's eyes in an uncomfortable silence. He cleared his throat again and then started, seriously, "I wanted you to be there. You know, whether we won or lost. It's nice to…to have you around," he choked the last part.
Ann tilted her head and stared curiously. "Really?" His comments warmed her heart and she felt as if she would melt along with the snow.
"Yeah. I'm glad to see you around a lot of times, I feel like I can always come to you for things, and… well… here, let's go to the concession stand. I'll buy you a cookie."
Before Ann could object, Jack seized her wrist and pulled her to the concession stand where the Bakery Master was serving refreshments. On the way she thought she saw Jack's ears turn pink, and she guessed that it wasn't from the cold. The rest of his face was pink but the original color restored itself quickly as Jack made small conversation with Jeff, then asked for two cups of hot milk and cookies.
"Are you going to watch the rest of the race, or do you want to come sit down on the stairs with me?" Jack rushed his request so fast that Ann had to replay it in her mind, and Jack pointed to the stairs leading out of the square.
"I'll go."
When they were seated, Ann set down her drink next to her and turned to Jack, eating heartily. "Thank you so much, but what is this for?"
Jack took a swig of milk and then wiped the crumbs off his face. "Huh? Oh… well, to pay you back for the Thanksgiving Festival. You know, the cake. I thought it was really good, and I'm not skilled at baking things myself… if I was, I would have baked you a big, huge cookie, but I knew I would see you here so I brought extra money."
Ann flew into it before she could stop herself, and threw her arms around Jack, embracing him tightly. "Thank you!" When she had eaten and finished her drink, Jack surprised her and did something she was bound to remember for months afterward-
"Ann." At the sound of her name she turned around and ended up in Jack's arms. They were so warm, so soft….Ann remained there for about three seconds, which seemed to her like it could have very well been three minutes, as if he wasn't willing to let her go for anyone or anything. Her arms moved under his, across his chest and around his shoulders and stayed there for awhile, then they heard footsteps and broke apart as if nothing had ever happened.
"Hey, you two," Cliff said, slumping down between them. "Is this a date, or can I join you?"
Ann was in too good a mood to shoo him off, so she only said, "Nah, you can join us. How are you doing today, Cliff?"
Cliff was taken aback by her disposition and beamed proudly, announcing his observations. Ann explained that she was very happy on this day in particular, and Jack smiled at her sunnily, as if he knew why. According to Ann, that look showed that he did know why, and it was one look she wouldn't forget for a very long time.
It was a surprise in itself to even spot her brother at the Annual Dog Races. He hadn't watched one in so long-the last he did, Ann could not remember-since he claimed he was always so busy. Busy doing what, he hadn't cared to tell her either, but he was here today, and she had to keep up her competitiveness to keep him coming up here every following Winter 19th, too.
The races wouldn't start for at least fifteen minutes, and looking around her, Ann saw Popuri and a few other people who had come to watch the race, including-Karen!?
"Karen!" she hollered, cupping her numb hands for her voice to carry in the raw, crisp air. "Whatcha doin' out here?"
Karen, crunching through the snow in her custom brown boots, smiled whimsically with the little blond hair she had framing her face and the chestnut-brown length of it falling back behind her shoulders. Her green eyes seemed like they had just opened from a deep sleep, but her rarely-ever-seen grin was present to show that she was living comfortably for a change. Or maybe she had finally gotten used to the problems that arise in her home?
"I just came here to see Jack and watch his dog race. I had nothing better to do anyway; my dad of course isn't talking to me and my mother's too afraid to even look at me because she thinks I'm gonna blow up at her. Well, the truth is, I'm really tired of taking it out on people, and when I do, it's entirely their fault for purposely trying my nerves." Karen stuck her nose in the air and brushed back a few loose strands of her hair, then looked at Ann again. "So what's going on? Did I miss the first race?"
"Nope," said Ann cheerfully. "You like it here? At the races, I mean?"
"For one thing, it's a happier atmosphere than my house."
"Who do you think will win?" Ann's bare white finger pointed out onto the track.
"I don't know. I'm just looking at the dogs because they're cute."
"Ann!! Karen!!" Jack came up running, huffing and puffing and then jumping over the picket fence. Seating himself on it, he panted so hard he couldn't say much else, and gave a flicker of the fingers that passed for a wave. "Came to watch?"
"We don't have a dog," Ann explained sheepishly, "but I love watching the races. See, it just goes to show you how smart dogs are. They push themselves and try to do their best, just like humans should."
"Your dog doesn't seem too clever, though," Karen teased Jack. "He's gonna have to push himself a lot harder."
"I voted for Spunky," Ann turned to Karen and shot her a look, and Karen laughed at her expression.
"You did? Aah, I just entered him to give him a little exercise. Just for fun, ya know." Jack peered over their shoulders and extended his arm out to wave at Cliff, who was standing just in front of the far back picket fence by the concession stand.
"What's he doing here?" Ann scowled in annoyance. "He seems to be everywhere these days."
Karen and Jack eyed her strangely.
"Doesn't he have just as much right to be here as anybody else?" Karen asked, raising an eyebrow. "More right than I do, I should expect. After all, he's only been here for the beginning of this year-"
"The first race is about to start," came the announcer's voice, and every spectator hushed as if the place's sound had an off-switch.
Ann held her breath as the dogs' feet pounded hard into the cold track that had just been shoveled clear of snow, and released it only when she could feel her face turning blue. She held her frozen hands up to her chest and puffed her breath out onto them. Spunky was in the lead and approaching and her heart thundered inside her body-she could feel no other organ! Suddenly she burst inside as she felt a sharp twinge in both of her sides, and turned her head to see that it was Cliff who poked her in the sides.
"What are you doing, you IDIOT!?!?!?!?!!" Ann shouted for mostly everyone to hear. Cliff didn't seem embarrassed at all, but she sure was. Instead, Cliff was smiling dreamily and looking out onto the track again.
"Well, don't seem too happy to see me then," Cliff half-laughed.
"Can ya blame me?? You can't just go jabbing people's sides like that!! I'd like to see you go and poke Karen, and see if I'm the only one who takes it seriously!!"
"Sorry," Cliff said in a low voice that was not thoroughly convincing. "So… you bet on Spunky, didn't you?"
"Yeah," Ann looked at him skeptically. "Look, what do you want?"
"I just came to say hi, is all. Last time I checked, there was nothing wrong with just saying hey to my favorite little friend." Cliff looked down and rubbed his palm into her head. "But, have it your way," was all he said then before he walked off to the concession stand.
Favorite little friend? Do I even want him to be my friend?…….. That's a good question.
Turning around, she caught a glimpse of her father seizing Jack by the wrist in a victorious position. Jack hugged his dog to his chest and went with Hall to the mayor to receive the medal that Spunky had earned. Spunky wagged his stubby little brown tail and dangled his tongue out of his mouth. Ann tried to be happy that he was victorious but she was still in rage that Cliff made her miss it.
"That was great, wasn't it?" Karen looked at Ann with a mild grin, then her face fell again. "What's wrong?"
"That stupid… guy over there… YOUR COUSIN… I-I missed it because of him," Ann seethed. "Why is he always bugging me? Is it a goal of his to get on my nerves? Or is he really so stupid that he doesn't realize that no one wants him here!!"
Karen was taken aback by her comment. "Whoa, Ann! Last time I remembered, no one actually said that about him, but…. Where'd you get the idea that no one wants him around? For one thing, Jack is a good friend of his and he wants Cliff around. So do my parents. You know, my mom invited him over for tea one time when my dad wasn't home. You might want to watch what you say about him, because he's getting along okay in this village. Besides, don't you think that maybe there's something wrong with you? He wouldn't be so annoying if you didn't let him get on your nerves. I think it's best to hold back your anger when dealing with him."
Ann shut up immediately but didn't change her opinions. Karen shouldn't have been one to comment on holding back anger when she herself had been struggling through it with her family for years. Karen had outsmarted her, and there was nothing Ann could do about it, and that was the part that annoyed her the most.
"That was awesome, wasn't it???" Jack hollered when he ran up to Ann. "Did you guys see that? The little fella's come a long way, hasn't he?" Spunky's tail thumped harder and harder against Jack's stomach.
"Congratulations," Ann said to them both. "It was awesome. Not like I expected anything different, of course-not after the Horse Race. I tell you what, it's got my brother really jealous!!" Ann smiled and scratched the dog between his little ears.
"Here, Spunky, meet Ann. Go on, boy, she's not gonna bite ya….There ya go….Yeah, she's real nice, isn't she?" Jack shoveled Spunky into Ann's arms. Ann held him eagerly, scratching the fur between and behind his ears and on his stomach.
"So you're ticklish, Spunky!!" Ann giggled, and the dog squirmed, alive in her arms. Its little right hind paw kicked violently and his tail hammered just as hard against her stomach.
"Alright, alright, that's enough. Stop flirting," Jack scolded his dog and plucked him off Ann when Spunky started licking her face enthusiastically. "Well, we know he likes you, for one thing."
"It's easy to learn the trust of animals when you've grown up around them for so long," Ann smiled. "He really likes you, too. I can tell. All people who animals like are nice."
Jack chuckled. "Either that, or he's seriously kissing up to me for feeding him extra all winter."
Casual conversation with Jack felt nice, of course, but the cold winter air gave her the same sensation about him that she got several times before-the way she felt like Jack was telekinetic and moved the insides of her stomach double-flip by double-flip. Suddenly she noticed again just how clear his brown eyes were, and his complexion so flawless…his arm muscles were becoming more toned and she noticed the strong shoulders and neck he'd developed. Out of the blue, or rather in the gray of winter, she envisioned herself being carried in his arms without fear of being dropped. It was as if he had the power inside to take her away to a place that didn't exist-to a place where they could abandon all their fears.
Suddenly Jack cleared his throat and let Spunky down to run around in the snow. The dog stretched out his tongue and caught snowflakes as he ran in circles barking. Ann and Jack both laughed until they found themselves staring into each other's eyes in an uncomfortable silence. He cleared his throat again and then started, seriously, "I wanted you to be there. You know, whether we won or lost. It's nice to…to have you around," he choked the last part.
Ann tilted her head and stared curiously. "Really?" His comments warmed her heart and she felt as if she would melt along with the snow.
"Yeah. I'm glad to see you around a lot of times, I feel like I can always come to you for things, and… well… here, let's go to the concession stand. I'll buy you a cookie."
Before Ann could object, Jack seized her wrist and pulled her to the concession stand where the Bakery Master was serving refreshments. On the way she thought she saw Jack's ears turn pink, and she guessed that it wasn't from the cold. The rest of his face was pink but the original color restored itself quickly as Jack made small conversation with Jeff, then asked for two cups of hot milk and cookies.
"Are you going to watch the rest of the race, or do you want to come sit down on the stairs with me?" Jack rushed his request so fast that Ann had to replay it in her mind, and Jack pointed to the stairs leading out of the square.
"I'll go."
When they were seated, Ann set down her drink next to her and turned to Jack, eating heartily. "Thank you so much, but what is this for?"
Jack took a swig of milk and then wiped the crumbs off his face. "Huh? Oh… well, to pay you back for the Thanksgiving Festival. You know, the cake. I thought it was really good, and I'm not skilled at baking things myself… if I was, I would have baked you a big, huge cookie, but I knew I would see you here so I brought extra money."
Ann flew into it before she could stop herself, and threw her arms around Jack, embracing him tightly. "Thank you!" When she had eaten and finished her drink, Jack surprised her and did something she was bound to remember for months afterward-
"Ann." At the sound of her name she turned around and ended up in Jack's arms. They were so warm, so soft….Ann remained there for about three seconds, which seemed to her like it could have very well been three minutes, as if he wasn't willing to let her go for anyone or anything. Her arms moved under his, across his chest and around his shoulders and stayed there for awhile, then they heard footsteps and broke apart as if nothing had ever happened.
"Hey, you two," Cliff said, slumping down between them. "Is this a date, or can I join you?"
Ann was in too good a mood to shoo him off, so she only said, "Nah, you can join us. How are you doing today, Cliff?"
Cliff was taken aback by her disposition and beamed proudly, announcing his observations. Ann explained that she was very happy on this day in particular, and Jack smiled at her sunnily, as if he knew why. According to Ann, that look showed that he did know why, and it was one look she wouldn't forget for a very long time.