Waking, I sat forward with a gasp. I had physically joined Jaelle with two children. In the dream state, I had never before bodily united the potential mother with the hovering soul before. Was it an autonomous bestowment?

And what about Marik? He’d been lifeless. Equally distressing was the fact that I hadn’t accomplished anything on his behalf. As if aware of this setback, he appeared particularly run-down, and even a little withdrawn, that day.

After school a whole crew of us headed over to Pinewood to set up the gymnasium for Friday night’s show. I drove Penny, Jinky, and Marik.

From the backseat, Penny moaned. “I can’t believe we’re even cooperating with them on this Design Show. Why isn’t it in our gym?”

Theirs was bigger and had a built-in PA system, ample electrical outlets, and an adequate supply of folding tables, but I kept my mouth shut and punched at the radio dial.

If the balance of power with the setup crew was any indication of how things would be after the proposed merge, Norse Falls was going to be serfs to Pinewood’s landed gentry. Mr. Derry, Ms. Bryant’s counterpart from Pinewood, made a brief appearance to warn us against scratching the shiny new floors, dinging their mascot-painted walls, or grubbing up the foyer with our Norse Falls foulness. OK, so that last part was a fabrication, but, sheesh, the guy was one nitpicking old noodge. Ms. Bryant had explained that he was counting down to his pension party, but that didn’t explain why the students weren’t pitching in. Meanwhile our gang, chaperones included, hauled tables, set out the display boards, hung signs, and mapped out the room plan according to Ms. Bryant’s schematic.

It was a bear of a job, one for which Marik’s (albeit diminished) brawn, Ms. Bryant’s brain, and my dad’s brand of humor came in handy. He was pretty good at impersonations, and Mr. Derry did have an Elmer Fuddish quality to his voice. With everyone helping out, we had the room looking show-worthy in just under two hours. The teams were then allowed to store their boards and display materials under their assigned table.

“Ooh. Ooh. Ooh,” my dad had said when he saw a box full of our items. “Playtime.”

Ms. Bryant laughed like he was joking, but I happened to know that he had a bizarre fondness for any and all toys. A little odd for any forty-something man. It wouldn’t have mattered; I was pretty sure Ms. Bryant was at that bedazzled stage when the other person can do no wrong. Not that I was tapping into her thoughts. I was getting much better at drowning her out when my dad was around. I slipped once, though, right after his comment about toys. Ms. Bryant mused how fun and high-energy he was but odd that such a young soul would father an old one. Hearing that, I just about blew a lung. I knew she could guess people’s ages, but young souls and old souls? The latter a category she filed me under. Was I? And was my dad a new model? How could that be? And, more importantly, how could she know it? Such thoughts were interrupted by my dad continuing to thumb through our box of items. He pulled out a fireman’s helmet and plopped it on his head.

“Let me guess,” he said to Marik, “Kat has dedicated a section of the store to dress-up.”

I opened my mouth to protest his teasing tone, but what was there to say? I had planned for a costume corner, because what little boy doesn’t want to strap on a holster or little girl want to wrap a faux mink stole around her shoulders, or vice versa?

“No discussing the project,” I said in mock irritation. “We haven’t been graded yet.”

“Party pooper.” My dad removed the hat, replaced it in the box, and tucked the box flaps one over another.

I didn’t have time to defend myself or to further contemplate Ms. Bryant’s interesting thoughts because my head started to itch, indicating I had a date with council.

Figuring a meeting summons meant disciplinary action was upon me, I had to get out of that gym for a bracer of fresh air. I told the others to wrap up and meet me out front, where I’d pull up.

Walking to my car, I was so lost in dread that I didn’t notice the figure leaning against my driver’s-side door until I was just a few steps away.

“Jack. What are you doing here?” I looked left, right, and behind me. The last thing I needed was Marik coming out now.

Jack’s eyes chased mine. I could see the hurt and anger spark in them.

“I don’t buy it for a minute, you know.” His hands were dug so deep into his pockets that his pants rode low. A ribbon of taut tummy was visible between his jeans and his T-shirt.

“Buy what?”

“Any of it. Something’s up. Something’s wrong. And you don’t want a break any more than I do.”

“Well, you’re wrong. And I do,” I said with all the steel I could cut into my voice. “Now, can you move away from my car?” Fearing the others wouldn’t wait at the front doors, I shot a look over my shoulder.

“Is that really what you want?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll go, but I want you to know one thing.”

“What?”

“I still got your back.”

I turned away from him, squeezing my eyes shut. “Just go, Jack.”

Behind me I heard footsteps. And then nothing.