Surrender by Lee Nichols Read Free Book Online

“But
delicious
peat moss.”
    â€œAnd the frosting’s perfect,” I said, licking it off my fork.
    Mr. Stern made a
hmph
ing sound, but I could tell he was pleased.
    â€œJohn’s mad he doesn’t get to eat it all himself,” Mrs. Stern told Lukas. “He likes to sneak into the pantry and cut off chunks well into January.”
    We finished our meal, and I stood in the doorway, ready to escape upstairs. We’d survived Christmas Eve. But as I looked at the Sterns, I couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for them.
    â€œI know you probably didn’t want us here,” I blurted. “Three teenagers who can’t make things work with their own parents. Nobody wants that. So, thank you. For letting us stay here and for sharing your holiday with us.”
    â€œAnd your dessert,” Lukas added.
    â€œYeah,” Natalie said. “Thanks.”
    â€œOh,” Mr. Stern said, looking startled. “Of course.”
    And I wondered if things were going to get better, now that Lukas was back. The ice was officially broken.Then I noticed Mrs. Stern. She had a funny look on her face I couldn’t decipher, but I was pretty certain it wasn’t positive.
    As we headed upstairs, Lukas said to Natalie, “Dude, you say you’re not Amish, but what are you wearing?”
    â€œShut up,” she said, but there was no venom in her voice, only happiness.
    Okay, so maybe the ice was only cracked, but I was still glad Lukas was back. And he made Natalie happy, too.

4

    That night I dreamed of a man made of smoky snakes. The snakes untwined from his body and slithered around me, wrapping me tight, squeezing the life from me. Just as they were covering my face and mouth, I woke. My heart raced and I couldn’t catch my breath. The sky outside my window was a crisp blue, and the scent of something sweet wafted from downstairs—but inside I knew something was wrong.
    I reached under the extra pillow on my bed for my dagger.
    â€œYou sleep with a knife under your pillow? I had no idea.” Bennett sprawled in the chair beside the dresser. He looked tense, but amused. “Did you have a nightmare?”
    â€œHow long have you been there? You scared me.” I started to calm down. “And I sleep with it in case I wake up and find a strange man in my bedroom.” I stuffed the dagger back under the pillow.
    He held a paper cup with a plastic lid—it was the chaiI’d smelled—and he’d started a blaze in the little fireplace. I’d missed having a fire since Nicholas was gone. But all I really cared about was that Bennett was back. It’d been four cold, lonely days without him. And that dream had left me feeling shaky.
    There was a glint in his eyes. “I’ve seen you use it; I’m glad I’m not strange.”
    â€œThat’s debatable,” I quipped, just feeling so grateful to see him. I was glad it hadn’t been him in my dream. I wanted to believe that he’d always be my safety net. “What are you doing here?”
    â€œWill that ever get old? When this is over and we’re finally together forever, I’m going to have to invent new ways to surprise you, just so you can say that to me.”
    Together forever
. I liked the sound of that. I liked when he was the surprise, too.
    He handed me the chai and sat beside me on the bed. I took a comforting sip, trying not to recall what happened last time he’d brought me one. But I did remember—he’d disappeared for a month. I didn’t know why everyone I loved went missing. I think they all thought I was stronger than I really was. At least Bennett came back.
    I pulled the covers higher, suddenly self-conscious about my unsexy red flannel pajamas.
    â€œI’m sorry,” he said, “for being such an ass on the phone the other night. The Knell’s in rough shape. As a kid I always thought they were like James Bond meets Jason