Midnight Girl Part 16

"Sorry." Ilya stood suddenly and slipped his knife and pistol into the harness under his jacket. "I must go."

"Ditto the sorry," Cat said, wondering if he guessed how sorry she was. She wanted to ask when he would return to Budapest, but knowing Ms. Arkan, she knew the answer. Immediately. Ilya was another addition to the list of all she was losing now.

He turned and began walking quickly for the door, almost as if he wanted to run. Cat thought, Say something, Stupid. Then she wondered if she meant that to him or herself, and thought, Either stupid would do.

She said, "Ilya?" He glanced back. "Thanks," she said, and thought, Definitely winner of the best eyes award.

"I'll tell every Arkan about you," he said. "We'll hold my mother to the peace, I promise." Then she thought she saw him blush, and he hurried into the hall.

She thought, I'll never see him again. Losing Baldomero's for the best, but losing Ilya-- Zoraida rose to her feet, so smoothly she seemed to float upward. "If I wish to keep Alexandra from having her satisfaction--and I wish that dearly--I must tell the night folk they have a queen and peace."

Cat said, "Now?"

Zoraida smiled at her and Professor M. "I could not leave you in better hands, my fury." She turned, leaping toward the open window. A raven flew through it and disappeared into the darkening sky.

Professor M called, "Zora!" as Cat thought, Mama! We need you!

But whether the raven was too far away or it chose not to answer, Cat could not guess. She asked, "Will she come back?"

Professor M said, "She loves you, kid. Give her time." Cat nodded, thinking, Lost Mama and Granny Lupe both. Tarika pushed her chair back. "I should go. The parental unit will worry." She smiled at everyone and started for the door. Cat thought, Tee, wait! Tarika stopped still. Cat was grateful until she saw Tarika's stillness was statue-perfect. She heard a desperate, panicked thought, Cat! Let me go!

Horrified, Cat ordered, Be free!

Tarika whirled to stare at her. Cat added, Tee, sorry, totally sorry! I didn't mean-- You glammed me! By accident! Because I bit you. It won't happen again, I-- Too many accidents, Cat. But I didn't mean it! I swear-- Kind of how accidents work. Tee, please-- Tarika shook her head. Got to go now, was the last thought Cat heard clearly as Tarika ran from the house. Cat thought, Mama, Ilya, Tee. Three strikes, I'm out. Olujimi, Mr. Rahman, and Auntie Fong were talking near the door.

Professor M said, "I can make goodbyes for you, if you want." She said, "It's okay," while thinking, Not. But better to deal with being First of the Medianoches than think about how everything's better for everyone else and crummier for me.

Mr. Rahman pointed at the broken windows. "I can nail some boards or tarps--"

Professor M shook his head. "Thanks, Saeed. I'll call in some favors. We're good."

Mr. Rahman turned to Cat. "The Medianoches have had many fine Firsts, Cat. As the one who brought peace, you'll be remembered as the greatest."

She thought, Did any of them have friends? But he was being nice, so she said, "Thanks, Mr. Rahman."

"If someday you forgive me, call me Saeed." "Okay, Saeed." He smiled, and Auntie Fong said, "I don't expect you to forgive me, Catalina. But I hope you'll believe me that I'm sorry I couldn't trust you."

Cat shook her head, thinking, Don't want to be nice to someone who voted to kill me. But making peace means making people feel peaceful. "Hard to be mad at someone who was trying to protect everyone."

Professor M said, "That's one way to look at it." Cat said, "Dad, it ended all right, right?" "For now," Auntie Fong agreed. "You have a huge task ahead of you." Cat thought of what she had lost. "I know." "No, dear. You can't begin to imagine it." Auntie Fong smiled slightly. "But you'll be up to it." Cat thought, No way, only they don't need to hear that. She returned the smile, and Auntie Fong went to stand with Mr. Rahman. Olujimi stepped toward them. "Cat. Val. What this day has done to the friends.h.i.+p of the Medianoches and Udofias is-- Well. I don't believe anything could hurt me as much." Professor M nodded. "Good."

"If I can make up for it somehow--" Professor M pointed at the hallway. "Leaving's hard to beat." Olujimi frowned deeper. "I deserve that." Professor M shook his head. "You deserve nothing. You were my brother, but now--" "Dad!" Cat said. "You tried to kill me too!" "Which I'll live with for the rest of my life. I don't need him around besides." She looked from her father to Olujimi. "Forgiving you now, okay?

Both of you." Olujimi said softly, "Thanks, Tiger." Professor M looked away, and Olujimi's face grew sadder. Then he nodded to Cat. "If ever--" "Dad," she said. "Olujimi apologized." "Apologies are easy." "No, Dad. They're not. They're really hard."

He glanced at her. "Fair enough. Only no one has to accept an apology."

Cat's throat felt thick, but she made herself speak normally. "Okay, they don't, but they should. Because sometimes things just go wrong. And, like, it's your best friend. And you should be able to apologize, so you do. But your friend won't forgive you, and it's like--" Her eyes were getting moist, so she blinked to make that stop. "It's like so stupid you can't believe it, and it hurts the worst of anything you've ever felt, and all you want is for everything to be like it was yesterday when you were best friends, only you can't make it be yesterday again, no matter how much you need it to be okay again--"

Professor M said, "Cat--" "So say you forgive him!" "I can't just say--" "You can!" She gasped as the tears came, too strong to hold back.

"You say you forgive him, and maybe you don't really, not completely, but you say it, and you act like you mean it, and then you both remember how good it was to be best friends, and maybe it can't be just like that again, but it doesn't have to be like the worst thing ever. And maybe it can be pretty good again. Or, you know, maybe, even better than ever. So forgive him. Please."

"Cat--" "Dad! Forgive him!" Professor M inhaled, then turned to Olujimi. "Fine. I forgive you.

But if you ever screw up again--" Cat said, "Dad! That's not forgiving!" Olujimi smiled. "It's something to build on, Tiger."

Professor M told him, "You are much luckier than you deserve."

Olujimi glanced at Cat, then back to her father. "Not the only one, Bro."

Auntie Fong said, "Yes. She'll be a fine First." Then she, Mr. Rahman, and Olujimi smiled and went into the hall.

Professor M cleared his throat and looked at Cat. "Seemed like Tarika rushed off."

Cat said softly, "I commanded her accidentally." "To go?" "To stay. I undid it, but-- Maybe I shouldn't have a best friend now that I'm, you know." Professor M said carefully, "Tarika's got a lot to deal with, but--" "No dadly advice, Dad," Cat said. "Not right now, okay?" He reached over and squeezed her hand. "So, kid, what would you like for dinner? Spaghetti? We bought soy meatb.a.l.l.s--" She shook her head. "Not hungry." "Not at all?" "I'm getting to know the signals, Dad."

"Then that's the last time I'll ask twice."

She made herself smile so he wouldn't worry. "I just want to go to my room and sleep."

"You think--" He glanced out at the darkening sky. "Sure. Sounds like the best idea. Rest well."

She nodded and, to her surprise, yawned. Maybe her room would be more than a place to hide. She kissed her father's forehead and went back through the very large, very empty, very quiet house that no longer felt like home.

When she reached her room, she looked at the pictures of her birthday meals. In every one, she and Tarika hugged and grinned as if life couldn't get better. Professor M had always asked for a photo of the birthday duo, but Tarika had always insisted on the same pose.

Think about it tomorrow. Cat pulled off her high-tops, fell into bed, dragged her purple blanket up over her shoulders, wondered if she would be able to sleep, and fell asleep immediately.

She woke with the sun warm on her face. She smelled potatoes frying. A mug of soy milk was by the clock on her bedside table with a note saying, "Happy Belated 14!"

She thought, Right. Just me and the dad now. Well, that's okay. I mean, that's good. As good as it can be, anyway. So it's good.

She drank the soy milk, thinking, Got to learn to control the glamour. And to be a raven and a wolf. I'll keep busy learning things. And making sure the peace doesn't fail. So it'll be lonely? Sometimes you just have to be lonely.

She wrapped the blanket around herself, stepped into her slippers, and went downstairs. The curtains were still closed for the night, but the gloom fit her mood. Then the smell of garlic and peppers joined the potatoes, and she thought, Starving now. The best kind.

In the kitchen, her father had his work chair cranked high so he could watch the skillet. He said, "Morning, sleepyhead. Since you didn't seem to mind garlic yesterday--"

"Smells dee-double-icious, Dad." She put her empty mug in the sink. "Do you need something else? If vegetable protein doesn't cut it--" "Really not about to go bitey, Dad." "Sorry. Sometimes I'm Captain Overprotective."

"Only sometimes?" She kissed his forehead. "I shouldn't have said anything. Could've gotten breakfast in bed every morning from the captain if I'd played that better."

He added tofu to the skillet, then poured in salsa. "Tell you what. You get room service on one morning of your choice. Offer void in a year." He turned off the burner and looked in the oven.

"Biscuits!" Cat said. "Best Dad Ever award!"

"Fourteen years, and still number one." He took out a tray of perfect golden biscuits. "If you're up for serious scientific experimentation, grab margarine, honey, maple syrup, apple b.u.t.ter, and all the jam and jelly."

"It's good to sacrifice for science."

She devoured the tofu scramble and two biscuits, saying little more than, "That's great" and "Ginger preserves win," and "Wait, apple b.u.t.ter with cinnamon does," and "I really haven't been fair to the orange marmalade."

When she pushed her plate away, her father said, "Only two biscuits?"

"Resting. Then ginger preserves and rose hip jelly enter the death match."

"An impeccable plan."

She broke open a third biscuit, looked up, and said, "I don't want to be the Queen of Shadows."

He frowned at her. "Kid, any idiot can be royalty." "Real comforting." "And you're no idiot." "Better."

"What's the problem? Don't they have to do what you say?" "Yeah. It'd be like having slaves." "Oh." He pursed his lips, then said, "Normally, I'd admire your democratic impulse, but in this case, I think being aware of that is what'll make you a great queen."

"Isn't that like being a great slaveowner?" "Kid, they're nighters." "Dad, so am I." "Oh." He tapped his fingers on his coffee cup, then pushed the ginger preserves and rose hip jelly closer to her plate. "You really don't want to be queen?"

She nodded. "Except I have to. So I'll do it." He shook his head. "Abdicate." "And let Mama take over?" "If Zora wanted to be queen, she would've made you a princess." "Then who? Wouldn't anyone else be worse?"

He shook his head. "Free them all. Say it's democracy time, but if anyone tries to restore the monarchy, they'll answer to the same judges that try nighters for murder. Getting people to try something new is tough, but--" He blinked. "What?"

She realized she was staring at him. "The nighter prophecy. One born between the worlds will lead the folk to glory."

"Huh." Professor M picked up his coffee cup, then set it down without drinking. "Make this work, and it'll be plenty glorious to me."

She threw her arms around him, and after a moment, his arms closed around her. "Kid, this is a lot to bear, no matter how we do it."

She nodded, then jerked back from him. "A B&B!" "What?" "We should start a Bed and Breakfast!" "Huh. That's better than Olujimi's idea."

"For what?" "Professor Midnight's Museum of Marvels." She nodded. "Professor Midnight's B&B of Marvels." "Well. We'll think about it." "Dad?" "Hmm?" "Yesterday? The nighters showing up just in time to save me was kind of a coincidence." "Coincidences happen. That's why they're called coinci--" "If you wanted to reach Mama, could you?" He inhaled deeply. "I've got Granny Lupe's cell and e-mail." "So, yesterday, did you--"

He nodded. "After you said she freed you, I figured out why she bit you."

Cat squinted at him.

"It wasn't to control you. It was to make sure no one else could. So I took a chance and called her. She tried to sneak out, but Baldomero bound her and learned what was up. If anyone hears I told a nighter about a meeting of the clans--"

"Totally our secret. Dad?" "Kid?" "Great biscuits. Just saying." She crammed the last bite into her mouth as the doorbell rang. Professor M hit his forehead. "I forgot to pay the paper guy! Kid, tell him I'll be there as soon as I find the checkbook, okay?" "Sure thing." Cat ran to the front door and swung it wide. On the porch, jaw set as if for battle, stood-- "Tee?" Cat said, then thought, Right. She would think it was cowardly not to tell me to my face that our friends.h.i.+p's over.

Tarika said, "I came to say--" Cat nodded. "Our friends.h.i.+p's over." "Because I freaked yesterday?" Tarika stared. "So not fair!" "It's not over?" "I came to say I was sorry about the freaking." "But I nearly killed you twice, and then I ordered you--" "But you couldn't help that!" "But you didn't know that!" They stopped simultaneously. Cat said, "You, first." Tarika said, "No, you." "I can't make you do anything now that I freed you. That's how it works." "What about talking in my head?" "I don't know." "Try." Cat thought, Tee? Tarika grinned. The cool! We can talk in school in separate cla.s.srooms! So we're good? We're best. Cat smiled. You're the best. Tarika said aloud, "Why, yes, I am the best. And you know why?" Cat shook her head. "Look what I brought." Ilya stepped out from behind a porch pillar. "Hi," he said shyly.

"Hiding was Tee's idea." "You're not gone?" Cat said, then thought, What is it about him that makes me ask the stupidest questions?

He patted his chest and arms, then head, then smiled. "I think I am all here."

Tarika said, "He's not going!" Cat said, "I thought Ms. Arkan--" Ilya nodded. "She wanted to leave Tucson when the Cat Medianoche problem was solved. But it's not solved, so we must stay." He grinned at Cat. "I hope this problem lasts forever."

Cat thought, Tee? Uh, you liked Ilya first. Would it be cool-- Tarika answered, For you to settle for him because I am so going to convince Trick Zapia he's cool enough for a girl who's taller than he is? Why not?

Cat heard her father rolling behind her and turned. He said, "So, what does the birthday girl want?"

She squeezed Tarika's hand, then smiled at Ilya. "The birthday girl got it."

"Huh," Professor M said. "That was easy. I was sure we would have to--"

"Movie, miniature golf, Thai restaurant, and no talking about nighters or clans or the Ouroboros War all day?" Cat asked.

Her father nodded. And that was what they did.