Frost

Chapter THREE

She settled down on the woven carpet, holding her hands out as an offering. "Ya terr" It was hard to speak around the potato chip stuck between her lips. Ben stroked his chin, black eyes lasering in on the back of the sticky cards.

"Any... hmmm... any sixes?"

"Go fiff." She pulled the potato chip in her mouth as he reached for the pile and after a few crunches pretended to try and peak at his cards. He flattened them to his chest and waved a finger at her. "Awww no fair Benji, how do I know what to ask for if I don't know what you have." She stuck out her lower lip.

"Gabby you have to guess, gosh."

"Gosh." She agreed picking up another potato chip and nibbling the edge. It was storming outside and they'd had almost no one come in, other than a poor couple who gotten spooked by the lightening and had asked to shelter in the shop for a few minutes. They'd bought a bag of tea before leaving after looking anxiously at the beaver skull with its endless yellowed teeth. Gabby had given up and decided to take her lunch out of the kitchen and play a round of cards with Benji. He seemed delighted to join her. It had to be horribly dull living here with an eighty-something year old and a twenty-something who was only around half the time. It was obvious he craved interaction but unlike his wild sister he showed his enthusiasm more calmly as though afraid he would scare off an invitation to play if he got too excited. Even if it was just a game of cards he'd beamed at her the whole time she'd tossed together their chicken sandwiches.

"Do you have any.... Tens."

Benji gave her a wild eyed look. Then frowned and started to pulled up a card. Then he pulled both lips in and finally giggled. "Nope! Go fish!"

She laughed genuinely and she reached for the pile. "You're a goofball, puppy."

He was about to respond when the creak of the stairs announced someone's arrival. Gabby had spun around before thinking. Chris glanced at them both and began flipping through the coat hanger. Gabby looked at the clock with the sea monster curled around the numbers.

"Hi Chris." Benji didn't bother to keep the enthusiasm out of his voice even when the older boy only nodded in response. As expected, Benji's head ducked. Gabby felt a twinge of irritation with how he treated the kid once again.

"I'd say good morning but its not morning anymore." She paused, trying to think of what would annoy him the most. "Where you headed? Can we come?"

She was right. Chris shot her look. "I'm going for a run."

"A run?" Benji sat up straight. If he had a tail it would have been wagging. "Can I-?"

"No."

This time Gabby glared.

"Its just a normal run. You wouldn't be able to keep up." He tried softening the blow at least.

"You don't want to go anyway, Benji, its raining cats and dogs. And there is lightening. Only idiots would go out now."

Chris didn't respond and pulled back off the too-small sweatshirt he'd tried on. Gabby watched his shirt slide up and despite him being an idiot and an asshole today she found her eyes tracing the dark line of hair that ran down below his navel. She jerked her head back towards the cards, exasperated. How could she jump when he accidently got to close to her and at the same time still...

Ben circled a piece of the rug that had been pulled up. "I don't mind rain. I could run on four legs with you-"

"Benjamin I said no." He snapped this time and Gabby got to her feet, stepping between the two of them.

"Give me one second Benji."

"Ok, Gabby." Ben's body had turned half way, arm thrown out. In a second he would have been on his back. A leftover instinct from when he'd lived in the forest so long ago. He clung to his cards and sat back up.