Page 59 of The Same Flesh
Ms.Winfield didn’t say anything.In the background, someone was shouting, “Give me that!Ms.Winfield, make her give me that!”
“Caroline, give him the glue,” Ms.Winfield said distractedly.But then she stopped.
“For example,” Tean said, “do you remember if Kai had any close friends whose names began with an S?”
“I know what you’re asking me,” Ms.Winfield said.“But you’ve got to understand that this was ten years ago.I’m ashamed to admit it, but it’s the theater kiddos I remember.If I have them in a freshman Language Arts class and don’t see them again, I forget their names by the next semester.”
“Ah.I see.”
“Hold on.I don’t remember a boy with an S name, but let me look.I’ve got the ITS rosters right here next to the photos, one for every year.”
“Thank you,” Tean said.“Although it may not be a boy.”
Ms.Winfield gave a short laugh, but she didn’t respond.After a moment, she said, “No.I checked every year I had Kai.He’s right there in the photos, but there’s nobody with an S.”Dryly, she added, “Boy or girl.”
“Okay.Thank you for checking.”
“If I think of anything, I’ll give you a call.”
“Thank you.”
He was lowering the phone to disconnect the call when he saw, in his mind’s eye, the yellowing photograph of his grandfather’s class.He fumbled the phone back to his ear.“Ms.Winfield?”
“Yes?”
“What about the yearbooks?”
She was silent for a beat.“That’s a very good idea.I’m afraid I don’t have any yearbooks in my classroom, though.”
“But maybe the library?”Tean asked.“Or the school administration?”
Someone said something, and Ms.Winfield laughed.“Thank you, Gracie.”Then, into the phone, she said, “The joy of having teenagers.They’re not even ashamed of eavesdropping.As Gracie just reminded me, you don’t need to see the physical yearbooks.A few years ago, our yearbook staff digitized all the previous books.There’s a website now.I’ll send you the link.”
13
Jem woke to the sound of a key in the lock.
In that first, disoriented moment: panic.
What are you doing out here?
Why aren’t you in bed?
If you keep this up, you’re not staying here, I can tell you that.
But then the sunlight was in his eyes, and Scipio was pressed up alongside him, the Lab huffing, partly annoyed, partly trying to work himself up to a bark, and this was home.This was his safe, nice, beautiful home.His.
Jem managed to sit up before Tean stepped inside.But when he started to say, “Hey—” he broke off in a yawn he couldn’t swallow.
Tean’s face was unreadable, but all he said was “I woke you up.”
“We were just closing our eyes for a minute.”Scipio was halfway off the couch, stretching his tail wagging because Tean was back now.“Don’t let him fool you.He was zonked out.”
With a small smile, Tean scruffed Scipio’s ears.He got a few welcome kisses in return.As Tean crossed the room, he paused to give Jem a welcome kiss of his own, and then he was moving toward the back of the house.
“I thought you were at work today?”Jem said.
Tean said something, but by then, he was down the hall, and the words didn’t carry.
