Double Bind (2008) by Bohjalian Chris

Author:Bohjalian, Chris [Chris, Bohjalian,]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2010-12-19T00:39:36.265000+00:00

Chapter SIXTEEN

WITH A COUPLE OF FINGERS, Whit could hoist his Bianchi road bike up and over the wheelbarrow in the old Victorian's crowded carriage barn, as well as the other tenants' detritus: skis and snowboards and skateboards and boots and his own second bicycle, plus the cardboard computer cartons packed with books and clothes and hot plates and mugs. Vaguely aware that Talia was somewhere behind him in the driveway skimming her mail, he lifted his bike in precisely this fashion now as he put it away for the night. It was early Friday evening, and the last of the sun had just disappeared behind the Adirondacks across the lake. It was still light out, but it wouldn't be soon, and the air was moist with the coming dark. He wasn't sure whether he was lifting his bike with two fingers now to demonstrate how light the frame was--which, in his mind, was an indication of his prowess as a rider and the sophistication of his bicycle--or because this little maneuver would strike the girl as a casual indication of his brute strength. As inherently contradictory as these motivations were, he guessed the reason was a combination of both. Though he was not interested in Talia, he was in her roommate: This meant that the laws of hormonal transitivity invariably led him to gravitate toward her now. The truth was, he thought about Laurel often when he wasn't focused on classes and labs, despite his awareness that she was involved with some other guy. She seemed lonely and kind and the possessor of a secret that almost made him ache when he saw her.

Quickly, he locked the bicycle to the jack post. When he emerged from the barn, Talia was seated on the house's front steps. It was clear that she hadn't had the slightest interest in how he had put his bike away or noticed the ease with which he had handled the frame.

He decided that he hadn't ridden far enough or hard enough to smell especially repugnant, and so he joined her on the steps. He was nonplussed to see she was reading a brochure about paintball. He presumed she had received it as part of a bulk mailing.

"Junk mail, I see," he said.

She looked over at him and seemed momentarily perplexed. Then, understanding what he was referring to, she said--her voice dramatically defensive--"I ordered this. I requested this. Be careful, young man."

"You ordered a brochure about paintball? Whatever for?"

"Oh, you weenie cyclists in your tight little shorts are all the same."

"Has my manhood just been insulted?" He smiled as he asked this, but a part of him wondered always just how seriously Talia meant half the things that she said.

"I just call them as I see them."

"Really. Why do you need a brochure about paintball? Please don't tell me you're actually going to take your church kids there someday this fall."

"Tomorrow."

"You're shitting me."

"Nope."

"Really?"

"Which word didn't you understand? We're meeting at the church and leaving around nine o'clock. Want to come?"

"I don't think so.

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