Chapter Six
Atlalanta
Thankfully, the rest of my school day was uneventful. Jason was in my last class, Social Science, but we didn’t really interact. His friend Davie was really sweet though, offering to share his notes from the past month so that I could take the test later that week.
Unfortunately, Cal nor Dad could pick me up from school as Dad was off at the dock to find a job as was Cal in town. So, walking home in the snow was my only option. First, though, was a trip to the community center to see about getting a job. Luckily, it wasn’t a far journey.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. The wind flowed softly through the branches of trees that had lost their leaves this past fall and the resilient pines, who’s bristles easily withstood the cold northern air. Argos was even closer to the beach than Forks and you could smell it on the air here. That crisp saltiness brought in by the waves.
I sneezed, my nose protesting to the cold air.
I pulled up the hood of my hoodie and tugged the drawstrings tight. These clothes were definitely not for suited for a walk in half a foot of snow. I didn’t even have any gloves. I wasn’t able to find my old pair when I woke up this morning. It was probably in one of the boxes I hadn’t bothered to open yet.
Picking up my pace, I briskly jogged the rest of the mile or so up the hill to the community center and the library next door. I hadn’t paid it much mind the other day as it was a rather plain looking building at first glance: large with an overhang shadowing the steps to the doors, two columns supporting it. Upon second inspection I saw that the columns, like the library, had paintings on them. Two mermaids posed facing each other, a male and a female, the female’s hair long and covering her naked chest. They were just a pop of color on the otherwise plain gray box of a building.
Shuffling closer, I got a better look at the two mythical creatures. Their tails, both a bluish-green color, were entangled around their columns. They were so lifelike. Each scale was painted in painstaking detail and the shadowing made it look like they were popping right off the columns. They had to be related, with matching golden hair and green eyes.
They also looked sad.
The style was certainly the same as the paintings on the library and I had to wonder who this mystery artist was who could paint like this.
I heard a door creek open and saw a small mousy woman with huge glasses that magnified her eyes pop her head out of the entrance.
“Are you okay, dear?” She asked, her voice betraying her youthful appearance.
I plastered on a smile, my lips cracking a little. “Yes, I’m fine. Just admiring the paintings.”
“Oh, they are beautiful, but you look half frozen. Please, come inside to warm up,” She beckoned, opening one of the big metal doors further.
Nodding, I quickly jogged up the steps to the doors. I hadn’t realized how much snow had piled onto me while I stood there admiring the mermaids until the kind woman began to briskly brush it off of me before I entered. I tried to stay still while she touched me, but it didn't stop my knees from going rigid.
“Like a popsicle, aren’t ya? Oh, golly, you don't even have any gloves! Come in. Come in! Let's get you some nice hot cocoa.”
I nodded again and shuffled inside after her, rubbing my arms back and forth.
Holy shit! Why hadn’t I noticed I was this cold?
I brought my hands to my face and breathed hot air on them in hopes to get some feeling back. Stupid cold, I didn’t have to deal with you when we lived in Florida.
I looked around, desperate to distract myself from my numb, shaking limbs. It was a little more impressive on the inside than the outside. It was like stepping into autumn, with warm brown walls with pops of orange and gold, fake flowers and plants scattered here and there. The air smelled of cinnamon, like those brooms you found stocking up shelves in the fall. We were in a small lobby area with a tall desk and a few cozy chairs propped near a window that looked out into the parking lot. On either side of the desk, I spied hallways leading off far into the building.
It was cozy.
The little mousy woman came hurriedly out from a door behind the desk, holding a steaming mug.
She handed me the mug. “I always have a fresh pot ready during this time of year. This will warm you right up.”
The heat from the mug almost scorched my cold palms but I still held onto it tightly, taking tentative sips. The hot liquid settled into my stomach and slowly I felt my insides begin to thaw. It didn’t just taste like hot chocolate though, as if there was something else in it.
“Is there cinnamon in this?” I asked the woman.
She smiled brightly at me. “Why, yes. I love cinnamon and I think putting a dash into the cocoa really makes the difference.”
“It’s delicious. Thank you.”
“Of course, honey,” She stared at me for a few silent and almost awkward moments before asking, “So what brings you here? It couldn’t have been to just stare at those paintings.”
I pulled the lifesaving liquid away from my mouth and shook my head. "No. I was at the library yesterday and the librarian told me that you might have job positions open.”
“Oh! You must be one of the sisters I heard about. Yes, Percy mentioned you might be stopping by. He’s such a sweet boy isn’t he?”
I gave a wry smile, remembering the blunt, almost rude man I had met. Sweet?
“Word travels fast in this town,” I commented, taking another sip from the mug.
“You're right, it does, especially when Charlotte and Mona are involved. They're the town gossip. I believe you met them when you asked for directions. Goodness, they called me right up after to tell me about the two beautiful dark skinned girls that had pulled up in an old pickup to ask for directions.”
Great work, Cal. Of course the first people you decided talk to would spread the word of our arrival like a pair of Town Criers.
She sighed. “Unfortunately, the mayor’s daughter, Lidia, just took the position we had open in the daycare.”
My shoulders drooped in disappointment.
Those big eyes studied me, scanning me up and down before saying, “However, if you need a job, Thesis could use some help cleaning around here. Lord knows he’s stubborn and insists he do it all by himself.”
Thesis? What kind of weird ass name is that?
“We wouldn’t be able to pay you much, but I hope that you’ll consider it.”
“I’ll do it,” I said, probably a little too enthusiastically.
Cleaning was one thing I could do blindfolded, and unlike the daycare job I wouldn’t really have to interact with people while doing it.
She clapped her hands together. “That’s great! Let me get the paperwork. My name is Dorris, by the way. I nearly forgot to introduce myself.”
“My name’s Atalanta, it's nice to meet you,” I replied, tentatively taking the hand she held out to me.
“What a pretty name.” With a smile, she went back into the room behind the desk before coming back out with a little pile of paperwork a few minutes later. “Is your sister your only sibling?”
“She is,” I nodded.
Sadly, I drained the rest of my cup of cocoa. Not really knowing what to do with the mug, I gently put it on the desk in front of me.
“I always wanted siblings,” She picked up the cup with a smile and put it away in that back room, speaking as she went. “I think growing up an only child is why I just love to gab with others. Did your parents move here with you? I know kids these days are just so independent. I mean, look at you, walking here yourself from school to get a job.”