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With the chapel area fully inspected and envisioned, he suggested to Sang that they find the kitchen. Time to look at how realistic that would be, to make it big enough to cook all the things a diner would need.
He went to the other hallway on the opposite side of the building, one that had a lot more windows that allowed more light in. The hallways were still a little dim. It was unclear at times if there were lumps in the carpet in the floor or if it was debris.
As such, she kept her hand on his back, very lightly, as if to make sure to follow.
He found the door to the kitchen, from what he could remember, and opened it. He tried the light.
Nothing.
Whoops. Can’t continue the tour like this.
“There must be a breaker down,” he said. He hoped it was just that and not something that needed fixing. Where would the breaker box be? “Want to stay here? I think I know where it is.” He didn’t really, but North likely could find it if Luke couldn’t. Where was he anyway?
She nodded. Luke hated to leave her alone in the dark, but she had her phone. And his number. And a light on her phone. And everyone else’s number... and likely more. And 911. And they hadn’t ran into any ghosts or hobos yet so it was likely safe enough.
While looking around for the breaker box, he heard a noise in a different room down the hall.
“North?” he called out.
North came out of the room, some sort of storage area. “Light in the kitchen went out when I was in there. Looking for the breaker box.”
“I was just in there,” Luke said. “Did you find it?”
He shook his head. “There’s either another utility room like this, or it’s outside. I don’t think it’d be outside, though.”
“I’ll check the rest of the rooms this way,” Luke said. “And then outside if there is one. There’s a window in the kitchen, though. You could try taking down the curtain or whatever was blocking the light out.”
North nodded. He was about to move on when he stopped and looked at Luke. “I’m sorry, by the way.”
Luke froze where he was. He’d been half-thinking to mention Sang was in there, and this made him forget that for the moment and fully focus on North. He rarely ever said he was sorry, not like out of the blue. “For what?”
“I haven’t been talking lately because...of the diner. And because...I recently tried dating someone and it didn’t work out. And I was angry.”
Oh. “Sorry,” Luke said, although he wasn’t sure what to say. He hadn’t known, but it wasn’t unusual for North to keep that kind of thing to himself unless he was pretty sure a date would stick around for a while. When did he have time to go see someone? Didn’t matter. He probably shouldn’t ask, even if he wanted to.
Since Luke said nothing, North cleared his throat. “Said I was too...asshole...” he continued.
Well...that wasn’t totally incorrect. But still. “That really sucks,” Luke said. He reached out, trying to show some support by lightly touching his shoulder. “You do get grumpy. But usually you get grumpy because you really care and you can’t figure out how to express it without sounding like...an asshole sometimes. I get it.”
North sighed. “Probably not the time...” he said, and started to walk away.
“Cheer up,” Luke said with a grimace. “You want someone who understands you. Like I do. But maybe...try being a little nicer? You know, like you are when you’re not grumpy?”
After North walked off, he closed his eyes and scolded himself. Good going. North’s in emotional pain. Criticizing him for being who he is and having feelings and how he showed them wasn’t exactly the best thing ever.
He wanted to apologize to him. Later. He was grumpy. And he was grumpy enough that his date called him out on it.
But he was his brother. North was good. What he said was mostly true. North needed people around him that understood him. North never hid his feelings, which is what Luke could appreciate. He was grumpy, angry...usually at everything all the time, but he meant well. All the times he fussed after Luke to eat better, pick up after himself, stay focused...
Maybe Luke could help him be a little less cranky.
And maybe Luke could learn to focus more in the real world, like North did.
Luke moved on, in search of how to get the lights back on. He thought of Sang. Maybe he should have warned North, but he’d find her in a minute. He knew of Sang at least. She’d tell him how she got in.
And Sang...Gabriel said something wasn’t right with her. She...Sang...seemed perfect. Everything was perfect.
So...the only thing left that could be wrong was at home.
Again, Luke didn’t want to picture it. He could call Gabriel. He could call Kota...actually, that was a good idea.
He suddenly understood, too, with Gabriel doubting their ability to work on the motel and what was going on there.
He would have to juggle everything. Figure out how to prioritize.
Sang. The new kid at the motel. The diner. The school assignment. Helping North figure out how to be less of a grump.
No particular order.
But Sang was pretty close to the top.
Next Up—Meeting Sang: NORTH, free for newsletter subscribers.
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