Bird Song by S. L. Naeole Read Free Book Online Page B

making a mental note to pick up my thesaurus and figure out a different word to use the next time I needed to ask a question using only one word.
    I don’t fully understand the chemical makeup of gems, Grace, so I’m truly at a loss when it comes to explaining why the star is no longer visible.   The inclusions don’t just disappear, or fall out.
    “The inclusions?”
    Yes.   It’s what makes up the star.   Every stone has inclusions in it, but they’re usually cut away so that you don’t see them in the final product.   Star sapphires are unique in that the inclusions are what makes them so beautiful, while in other stones, it makes them flawed.   They’re what the stars are comprised of.   To not see any…
    I walked over to the sunlight that now fully poured through my window and held my hand out in the warm light.   The stone, while beautiful, now appeared naked—uncomfortably bare without the six-armed splendor that had represented Robert’s divine nature far better than anything else ever could.   What would I do now that it was gone?
    The knock on my door startled me, and before I could answer, it opened, and Janice walked in, a plate balanced in one hand, and a bottle of water in the other.   “Graham said you might not be feeling up to coming down for breakfast, so I brought it up to you.   Are you okay?”
    My head whipped to where Robert had been standing just seconds before, and felt immense relief that he had managed to disappear before Janice had walked in.   It wouldn’t bode well for me if two people walked in on us together.
    “I’m feeling okay.   I was planning on coming down in a few minutes.”   I pointed to my clothes that I had left on top of the dresser, and smiled apologetically.
    Janice took everything in without missing a beat, and placed the plate and bottle on the nightstand next to the bed.   She walked over to me and took my hand, examining the ring in the same manner as Robert had just moments earlier.
    “This is a beautiful ring, Grace.   I don’t recall you wearing it before.   When did you get this?” she asked, eyeing me suspiciously.
    “Robert gave it to me for Christmas; it’s his birthstone,” I rambled quickly, being very careful not to let a stammer of nervousness break through.
    Janice nodded her head, her lower jaw sticking out in the same way a disapproving mother’s would.   “At least it’s on your right hand.”
    I giggled nervously.   “Of course.   It’s way too early to be thinking about lifetime commitments.”
    I felt something tickle my ankle and I quickly lowered my eyes to the floor and choked back a gasp.   Small wisps of black mist were curling around my feet.   Robert hadn’t left…he was hiding under my bed, and if Janice were to look down, she’s swear there was a fire beneath my mattress…
    I quickly raised my eyes to hers and grinned like a fool.   “So, I’ll get dressed and we can talk about this downstairs?”
    Janice shook her head and patted the bed.   Oh-no.   This didn’t look good.   “I think you and I need to talk about a few things, Grace.”
    Damnit.   Damn-damn-damn that Graham and his big mouth.   Damn that blond haired jock and his inability to keep his mouth shut.  
    “About what?”   I sat down at the very edge of the bed, teetering on the verge of completely falling off both the bed and sanity.
    “Grace, I know you’re legally an adult now.   I know that you’re very responsible, but there’s something that…well…gosh, this is difficult.   I want to know what you know about sex.”
    I felt the blush rise in my cheeks, and I giggled nervously.   It wasn’t the giggle of an experienced eighteen year-old, I could tell that right away and, thankfully, so could Janice.   “I know that I haven’t had any, and I won’t be having any for a while either,” I answered truthfully after the nervous laughter receded.
    Janice’s face held a look of disbelief.   “Well.   I