I’m also racking up a considerable amount of debt in Pie’s book. The generator is not cheap—I chose the biggest, bestest one. Plus, two solar panels. This is a new word for me, but apparently, they are the prison that captures the sun’s light and puts it into the black box.
I will find a way to pay Pie back. I will.
“I see you are a radio fan,” Big Jim says, pointing at my new radio.
I nod, unsure what to say. There are tiny musicians inside this little box. Madeline says all you have to do is fiddle with the dials and music comes out of it.
“Well,” Big Jim continues, “I just so happen to have a public access radio show every night from midnight to three in the morning on 623 AM.” He points at me. “You should tune in. An off-gridder like yourself will find my topics of discussion veeeeeeer-ry enlightening.”
I point back at him. “I will do that.” Even though I have no idea what 623 AM means. But that’s OK. I am thinking about how I will serve tea made in an electric kettle and peanut butter toast made in a toaster tonight when I tell my new monster friends all about my night on the town.
I hand over my slip of paper that says ‘money’ on it, and then Big Jim helps me put all my new things in the cab of the truck.
Once that’s done, he goes back inside. So Madeline and I are alone.
“So.” She smiles at me.
“So, indeed,” I reply back.
“It was kind of a weird first date, I guess. But that’s OK, right?”
“I do admit, it didn’t happen the way I pictured it.”
She blushes a little, uses the tip of her boot to trace a line in the dirt as she hides her face from me. “How did you picture it?”
“Oh. Hand-holding,” I say. “And we did that, so that was nice.” Madeline looks up from her feet, grinning. “And a walk through the park. And then, maybe…”
She blinks at me.
And I decide that Madeline, while maybe not completely my type, is very pretty in her own, wild way. She doesn’t paint her face, her jeans are old and worn, her boots are dusty, and she never even took off her work jacket while we ate, but I find myself wanting to look at her.
“Maybe what?” she says.
“Maybe a kiss good night would complete this first attempt at romance.”
“You have a nice way with words.” Then she grins. And shrugs. “We still have time for that.” Her cheeks go even pinker. “Right now, if you want.”
My heart begins to flutter. My palms become sweaty. But I take a few steps towards her, until we are so close, she has to tip her head up to look me in the eyes.
And then… then something magical happens. Cold, wet flakes begin to fall from the sky.
I look up and Madeline giggles. “The first snow of the year.”
Snow. I’ve heard the word, of course. And I’ve seen it before too. But it doesn’t snow inside the gates of Saint Mark’s. The sun always shines when it’s daytime and the temperature doesn’t deviate much.
I look back down at Madeline. “It’s a sign.”
Her eyes are bright. Almost mischievous. “A sign of what?”
“A new beginning, I think.”
She must like this answer because she places both her hands on my shoulders and leans up on her tiptoes.
I lean down to meet her. And when our lips touch it’s nothing at all like the kiss I had with Pie.
It’s so. Much. Better.
A soft and gentle kiss. So contrary to the wild and rugged girl on the outside. Madeline’s mouth opens a little, her lips parting just enough to let the tip of her tongue sweep against mine.