Lighting the Flames by Sarah Wendell Read Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sarah Wendell
was
cold and scary dark, but he was as happy as he would be on a warm,
starry night in mid-July. They were running around at night
together, up to no good, as usual.
Jeremy lifted Gen through a window they knew from
experience was impossible to lock, and she had the Winter Camp
enrollment list in her hand in minutes. They shut the window, hid
their footprints with a few stray pine branches and more snow, and
headed back to the staff cabin.
“ We
might need a shopping list. The Super Mart opens at six. We can
head out at five if we have to and be there when it
opens, ” Jeremy said, lifting his knees to march through the
snow.
“ How
are we going to start a car without waking
anyone? ”
“ I
can get Scott ’ s truck keys from the kitchen. It ’ s parked over by the
garbage pickup. No one will hear. ”
“ You
scurvy dog. ”
“ We
are so doing this, and it will be epic. ”
Gen jumped in front of
his path and threw her arms around him, pinning his hands to his
sides. “ Stop. ”
“ What? ” He jerked once, then went still in her embrace.
She ’ d pressed her body against his, her arms holding tight. She
was uphill, so her face was inches from his, her smile wide and
bright like a full moon.
“ I
know you. You ’ re about to throw your arms in the air and
holler ‘ epic ! ’ and wake everyone up and knock snow on my head. Not
happening. ”
“ You
don ’ t know jack. ” She was right, but he ’ d never admit
it.
“ I
know you, Jack, and you be quiet. Save the hollering for tomorrow
morning. ”
“ Okay. But I know one more thing we ’ re going to
need, ” he said, not moving to break her hold. She stepped away,
but he slid an arm around her to bring her near him again and
guided her back to the house.
“ Caffeine. A boatload of it. ”
Chapter Three
Thursday, December
18, 2014 — 26 Kislev 5775
The last words of the morning prayers rose up into
the rafters in plumes of white, their collected voices visible in
the frigid air. Each person was layered in more down, Gore-tex, and
fleece than seemed possible. It was still and sparkling and
beautiful in the synagogue pavilion, but it was painfully cold.
“ This is nuts, ” Gen whispered to Jeremy. He watched
her out of the corner of his eye. She was huddled in six layers of
clothing and was stomping her feet to keep herself
warm.
“ This was your idea. ”
“ I
know, ” she murmured under a huge yawn. “ Why
didn ’ t you —”
“ Hush — almost time. It ’ s going to be epic . ” He pantomimed raising his arms above his head and yelling.
She shook her head.
From their spot on the
end of the front row, Jeremy watched Scott climb up onto the stage
next to the rabbi. Scott was so bundled in layers he almost tilted
side to side as he walked. His arms didn ’ t bend much, either.
He had to try twice before he could reach around himself to get
into his own pocket.
“ Today ’ s schedule is full of activities, so
let ’ s get started, shall we? ”
The families all sat down amid the shushing sound of
nylon against nylon, underscored by the muffled creak of many boots
on fresh snow.
“ The
morning activities are going to start in the —”
Jeremy and Gen unzipped their coats slowly when
Scott started droning through his schedule. Then they looked at
each other.
He winked at her. Gen smiled back.
“ Epic, ” she whispered.
They drew deep breaths
and threw off their winter parkas, revealing shorts, tank tops, and
bandannas on their heads. Gen ’ s arms were painted
in blue and white stripes. Jeremy ripped his shirt off and pressed
a button on the remote hidden in his pocket. Trumpets, drums, and
cheering flooded out of the speakers mounted on poles behind them.
Everyone in the room flinched back and looked around, including
Genevieve. He hadn ’ t told her about the music.
“ It ’ s color war! Let ’ s get crazy,
people ! ” Jeremy bellowed and
they leaped onto the stage in front of Scott. Gen
cold and scary dark, but he was as happy as he would be on a warm,
starry night in mid-July. They were running around at night
together, up to no good, as usual.
Jeremy lifted Gen through a window they knew from
experience was impossible to lock, and she had the Winter Camp
enrollment list in her hand in minutes. They shut the window, hid
their footprints with a few stray pine branches and more snow, and
headed back to the staff cabin.
“ We
might need a shopping list. The Super Mart opens at six. We can
head out at five if we have to and be there when it
opens, ” Jeremy said, lifting his knees to march through the
snow.
“ How
are we going to start a car without waking
anyone? ”
“ I
can get Scott ’ s truck keys from the kitchen. It ’ s parked over by the
garbage pickup. No one will hear. ”
“ You
scurvy dog. ”
“ We
are so doing this, and it will be epic. ”
Gen jumped in front of
his path and threw her arms around him, pinning his hands to his
sides. “ Stop. ”
“ What? ” He jerked once, then went still in her embrace.
She ’ d pressed her body against his, her arms holding tight. She
was uphill, so her face was inches from his, her smile wide and
bright like a full moon.
“ I
know you. You ’ re about to throw your arms in the air and
holler ‘ epic ! ’ and wake everyone up and knock snow on my head. Not
happening. ”
“ You
don ’ t know jack. ” She was right, but he ’ d never admit
it.
“ I
know you, Jack, and you be quiet. Save the hollering for tomorrow
morning. ”
“ Okay. But I know one more thing we ’ re going to
need, ” he said, not moving to break her hold. She stepped away,
but he slid an arm around her to bring her near him again and
guided her back to the house.
“ Caffeine. A boatload of it. ”
Chapter Three
Thursday, December
18, 2014 — 26 Kislev 5775
The last words of the morning prayers rose up into
the rafters in plumes of white, their collected voices visible in
the frigid air. Each person was layered in more down, Gore-tex, and
fleece than seemed possible. It was still and sparkling and
beautiful in the synagogue pavilion, but it was painfully cold.
“ This is nuts, ” Gen whispered to Jeremy. He watched
her out of the corner of his eye. She was huddled in six layers of
clothing and was stomping her feet to keep herself
warm.
“ This was your idea. ”
“ I
know, ” she murmured under a huge yawn. “ Why
didn ’ t you —”
“ Hush — almost time. It ’ s going to be epic . ” He pantomimed raising his arms above his head and yelling.
She shook her head.
From their spot on the
end of the front row, Jeremy watched Scott climb up onto the stage
next to the rabbi. Scott was so bundled in layers he almost tilted
side to side as he walked. His arms didn ’ t bend much, either.
He had to try twice before he could reach around himself to get
into his own pocket.
“ Today ’ s schedule is full of activities, so
let ’ s get started, shall we? ”
The families all sat down amid the shushing sound of
nylon against nylon, underscored by the muffled creak of many boots
on fresh snow.
“ The
morning activities are going to start in the —”
Jeremy and Gen unzipped their coats slowly when
Scott started droning through his schedule. Then they looked at
each other.
He winked at her. Gen smiled back.
“ Epic, ” she whispered.
They drew deep breaths
and threw off their winter parkas, revealing shorts, tank tops, and
bandannas on their heads. Gen ’ s arms were painted
in blue and white stripes. Jeremy ripped his shirt off and pressed
a button on the remote hidden in his pocket. Trumpets, drums, and
cheering flooded out of the speakers mounted on poles behind them.
Everyone in the room flinched back and looked around, including
Genevieve. He hadn ’ t told her about the music.
“ It ’ s color war! Let ’ s get crazy,
people ! ” Jeremy bellowed and
they leaped onto the stage in front of Scott. Gen