Chapter 80
Though Katelina expected Jorick to come after her, he didn't. Didn't he care that she was angry? Upset? Didn't he want to fix it?
It's his fault.
But apparently he didn't. When she got tired of waiting, she wandered into the basement. She hadn't spent much time down there, except in the bedroom, but now seemed like a good time for exploring.
She paused next to the big black "guest coffin" and slid the lid aside. A cloud of stale, musty air puffed up at her, and she wrinkled her nose and moved away from it. The door next to the bedroom caught her eye, and she headed for it. The room inside was nearly the same size as the bedroom, and full to bursting with random junk, including an old bicycle, so that there was only a small patch of visible floor left.
"My God, does he save everything?"
She rifled through a couple of nearby boxes, but there was nothing interesting in them; just some old newspapers, a couple of glass coke bottles, some half melted candles, a partial Christmas tree topper and - surprise - some musty books.
Bored, she abandoned that room and went back into the main part of the basement. The furnace sat shrouded in cobwebs and shadows and she wondered why Jorick never used it. After close examination, she understood. She was sure that if she wiped the grime off, she'd find a metal plate that said "1908", or at least "1950". He was right. Being semi frozen was better than dying in a raging house fire.
The basement door opened, and footsteps started down the stairs. She drew away from the furnace and peered up to see Jorick.
"There you are," he commented casually. "I thought you might want some food? It's been some time since we stopped at the gas station."
Katelina stared at him incredulously. Food? He wasn't concerned about the fact that he'd upset her, but the idea that she might be hungry! Of all the stupid, ridiculous, Jorick-like things!
"I cooked a," he paused. "Pizza, I believe it's called. The round, flat thing." He motioned with his hands. "It's done now."
She didn't know what to say, so she just mumbled, "Uh, thanks."
He gave a satisfied nod and withdrew, which left her nothing to do but follow him. She found him in the kitchen and the pizza on the countertop.
"I wasn't sure if you cut it up or-" he broke off and stared at it. "What is it?"
"Pizza." She dug a knife from the drawer and turned her attention to it. "It's kind of like bread with tomato sauce and cheese and toppings on it."
Jorick made a face. But, when she'd finished cutting it, he gallantly carried it into the dining room. Again, she followed him, though she stopped uncertainly when he deposited it on the table and pulled out a chair too near the old desk for comfort.
"Aren't you coming?" he asked as he sat down. "Your food's getting cold."
"Oh, right." Her smile was all nerves, but she did as he asked.
Jorick watched her with too keen interest, so she selected a piece of pizza and ate it. By the time she'd finished it, she couldn't take the scrutiny anymore. "What?"
He frowned uncertainly. "I don't know. You just seem-." He searched for words. "Unwell. You have for the last few days."
"I'm fine," she assured him quickly, and picked up a second slice of pizza.
He cleared his throat and studied the table top, seeking his next words in the wood grain. "Are you- happy?"
The question left her speechless.
"Are you happy?" he repeated. "Because you don't seem like it. You seem," he broke off again. "Angry."
"Well," she began slowly. "I guess I am angry. I mean, you won't tell me anything, you know?"
"Like what?" he asked, slightly annoyed. "What is it you need to know?"
She dropped the pizza back on the foil and glared at him. "How about what's in your secret room?" Or what happened to Velnya.
Jorick rolled his eyes and pushed his chair back. "I'm trying to have a serious conversation."
"So am I. Look, I know we're not in a committed relationship, so maybe it's none of my business, but, God! Just say it's none of my business. Don't give me any crap like 'nothing' or 'it's not important'. Just say 'it's none of your business, Katelina'. You know?"
Something in her tirade made Jorick's jaw tighten and his eyes narrow. "Never mind."
"What do you mean 'never mind'?"
He stood too quickly and the chair fell with a bang. He didn't bother to look at it, only strode purposefully from the room and out the front door.
"Great talk," she muttered as she wrapped the pizza up. "Great fucking talk."
***
When Jorick joined her in bed that morning he didn't say anything. She wanted to ask what had pissed him off so badly, but decided she didn't care. There was always tomorrow. However, when she woke up the next evening, he was already gone and the duffle bag from Loren's car was thrown on the bedroom floor. She moved to unpack it, but decided to do it later. It just meant more laundry, anyway.
She headed upstairs and baked her last cardboard carton. The "lasagna" was tasteless, but she choked it down anyway, then waited for Jorick to return; only, he didn't. When she decided he was gone with Loren, and maybe Kariss and the others, she moved to the front room to read, but couldn't concentrate. Her mind kept going back to their argument last night. Somehow, the mysterious white door reminded her of him. Locked and impenetrable, it protected the secrets inside and kept her firmly out.
She stared absently out the window and watched fat flakes of snow drift down from the sky. It could only hold her attention for so long, and when she'd had her fill, she took a hot shower and stuffed some clothes in the washing machine before she returned to the book.
Her hair was dry when Jorick finally returned, his calm, cool veneer firmly in place. He came to a stop before the couch and gazed down at her, his eyes unreadable. "Let's go for a walk," he said quietly.
"What?" she asked in surprise. He'd been gone for hours, but made no mention of what he'd been doing, only "let's go for a walk"!
"A walk," he repeated mildly. "You know, when people go outdoors and move their legs?"
"Yes, I know what it is." She remembered their last walk and how it had ended. Still, it had started out good enough. Maybe this was his attempt at an apology? "All right, let's go."
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