Bad Beginnings

"Fuck," Iona couldn't hold it under her breath any longer, but she didn't think Micah heard a thing.

As luck would have it, Iona took the first bed she could find at her brother's house. No way was she going to sleep in the room that was meant for Diago and Char's baby. She already knew Char wasn't sure Diago knew his little sister well.

Of course, he didn't. They hadn't been a family since they were very small and even then it felt very cold and uncomfortable. Yes, she felt he might be her only hope and then she crashed before she could really talk to him.

It felt like days of travel only she lived in Minot which felt like a world away. And then to wake up next to Micah, who she'd somehow had a drunk moment with last summer. It didn't seem true.

Of course, he looked at her from across the room now as if she might be a faded dream of some kind. He was never quite as sexy as some girls had said. But perhaps they knew him better. She'd only slept with him, taking his coat in the process.

"Well, do you still have it?" He wanted to know.

She looked at him blankly.

"Do you want me to get it?" Of course, she'd brought the momento in her makeshift overnight bag.

He shrugged.

Iona found herself a bit frantic but looked at him rather cool. "At least you remember me."

She thought he cracked a smile in the shadows, but his eyes remained sleepy. He told her he needed rest. He stocked canned goods at the nearby grocery store through the night to make ends meet. He'd aged so much, but then again he was only fun when he drank, anyway.

Iona told him she wasn't looking for him. After all, Diago was her brother.

She kept her eyes on him, thinking what a small world it was. But she doubted she would call this a connection. She said she'd sleep on the couch.

"No, don't do that." His hands were shoved in his pockets. "We're just friends."

She nodded. She supposed he was right. After all, the time she kissed him she was thinking of an old flame who was now married with a baby on the way.

Iona got up and pulled up the comfy overalls she arrived in.

"Just tell me, you're not pregnant," Micah said.

Iona only shook her head no, wondering what Micah was getting at.