Someone Else's Fairytale

Thirty: His Answer

“What? You're crazy.”

“Kyra...”

“No way. No way.”

“Just, okay, keep your voice down at least.”

Jason's conversation with Kyra was not going well. I stayed in my room and debated whether to stay put and stay out of it, or try to intervene.

“You want to give me advice on my love life? You don't even know what you're talking about.” Kyra was angry.

“Yeah, thanks.”

Well, I wasn't a psychologist, but I was pretty sure that Jason getting defensive would only cause the fight to escalate. I went out into the main room.

Kyra was standing inside her door, looking at Jason like she thought he was an idiot. Her arms were folded across her chest.

Jason just looked frustrated. He leaned against the wall and kept running his fingers through his hair.

Kyra nodded in my direction to let Jason know I was out of my room and he turned to look at me. “Yeah, sorry,” he said, before he turned back to his niece. “Please let's not fight. Just, come on. I'm trying to talk to you like another adult. Think you can help me out here?”

She raised an eyebrow at him.

“I'm serious. I wouldn't talk to you about this if I didn't trust you, or if I thought you were a dumb kid.”

I watched Kyra struggle then. I could see that she wanted to just roll her eyes and withdraw, but Jason's words had a marked effect. She chewed her lip a moment, looked at him again, then dropped her arms and stalked across the apartment to me.

“Everything all right?” I asked.

She glanced back at Jason. “Yeah.”

“Anything I can do?”

“Can I borrow your green shirt?”

“Sure.”

“And that silver necklace you have?”

I waved her into my room. “You can borrow whatever. Go ahead.”

She ducked inside and Jason just shrugged at me. Clearly he'd tried. At least she'd made a graceful exit. No slammed doors, no yelling.

Jason, however, looked defeated. I went over and gave him a hug.

“I'm bad at this,” he said. “Maybe it's better if she talks to you?”

“Yeah, sure if she wants.” I always waited for Kyra to come to me, though. I wasn't sure if that was the best idea, but it was the only strategy I had.

***

That evening, after Jason left, Kyra knocked on my door.

“Yeah?” I said. I was cross-legged on my bed, my netbook in my lap.

She opened it, but didn't come in, just leaned against the door frame. “Sooo, I borrowed your lapis ring and pendant.”

“Yeah, fine.” I shrugged. “You always take good care of your stuff. You can borrow whatever. Just ask.”

She traced an idle pattern on the carpet with her toe.

I looked up at her and waited.

“I'm sorry I eavesdropped on you and Jason,” she said.

“Sorry we didn't have anything juicy to say.”

Clearly not the answer she expected. She giggled.