Ice Read Online Free PDF Page B

just like every day.
    He smiled at me briefly before giving Big John’s neck a good ruffling. Big John was always the first to greet him, running up to him and wagging his tail.
    “Aw, same ol’, same ol’. Busy, but at least it’s not boring.”
    He always had an optimistic take on things. I wish I had that gift, especially right then. I was still thinking about the injured wolf that had miraculously disappeared.
    Uncle Justin started telling me about some kind of factory that had recently opened in town, completely oblivious to everything that had transpired while he was gone. I had cleaned everything up, already washed and folded the towels the wolf had laid on, taken out the trash that had the bloody cotton balls, and had returned the sled to the shed. Everything was as it was before.
    I headed back to my room while he took a shower. I sat on my bed, staring at the wall again, listening to the water running. Big John jumped up onto my bed and started licking my face. I realized that in my daze I had forgotten to close the door to my room. I petted him and buried my face in his thick, gray fur. I smelled the sweet vanilla and oatmeal shampoo and overwhelming honey cologne. I knew I had to explain why Big John was suddenly so fragrant, and maybe tell him not to use the honey cologne to be on the safe side. I had no idea how I would convince him to without telling him about the run in with the bear, though.
    I decided to let Big John lay beside me until Uncle Justin started fixing dinner. I got up after I saw Uncle Justin in a different plaid shirt walking through the dark hallway into the living. Big John followed me into the kitchen a few seconds later where Justin was already pouring something into a pot. He gave me a quick glance from the stove like he was surprised to see me. I usually didn’t come out of my room until he would yell that dinner was ready.
    “Can I help?” I asked, trying to sound calm and casual, instead of nervous and guilty.
    “Sure,” he said, sounding almost excited.
    I walked over to the sink and started washing my hands. Once I had dried my hands on some paper towels, he told me what he was cooking on the stove. I peeked around him and peered into the pot. There was a medley of vegetables he was stirring. Right when I was looking forward to not having to choke down meat, he told me he had a fish in the oven. He seemed happy about this, like he was looking forward to it. I wasn’t, but I acted happy, too, saying with my best fake smile, “Yum!”
    I didn’t know what was worse: a smelly fish, or a smelly cow.
    Even though it felt even more awkward than usual because of the secret I was keeping, cooking with Justin was a nice change. It was good to be doing something together. I guess that would be called “bonding,” but that would probably require a conversation, which we didn’t have. We said a few words back and forth now and then, but that was it.
    After we were done cooking and grace had been said, I decided to work up to confessing about the encounter with the bear. I didn’t know if I was going to tell him about the strangely colored injured wolf that disappeared from his house. I was leaning towards leaving that part out. I poked around at my fish for a bit and had nearly decided not to tell him anything when he suddenly spoke up.
    “I’m glad you got out today,” he said casually, but I snapped my head up, fearing he suspected something. I just stared at him, unsure of what to say. He didn’t seem upset when we made eye contact. It was like he was asking me about the food, or the weather. “I’m just sorry it was to mow the lawn. The grass really shot up after all that rain last week. I appreciate it.”
    “Uh, no problem,” I nodded awkwardly.
    He gave me a little smile. He was probably hoping that meant I was getting used to the weather, or something positive like that.
    I looked down at my fish and added, “I also gave Big John a bath today….”
    “That’s