An Exaltation of Larks by Suanne Laqueur

Author:Suanne Laqueur [Laqueur, Suanne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Cathedral Rock Press
Published: 2016-10-22T00:40:40+00:00

May 2006

Guelisten, New York

I found a friend.

The sentiment was identical, eerily and fabulously identical to when eleven-year-old Alex rode home from his first trip to Stowe with the Larks. Dozing off with Roger in the back of the station wagon, Alex knew, in a warm haze of certainty, everything was different now. Monday at school would be different. After school would be different. The weekends would be different.

I found a friend.

The moment Alex recognized Jav on Main Street, he felt the same crackle of serendipitous relief.

Finally. You’re here. You’re back. Are you staying? You want to hang out? Will I see you at school tomorrow?

Within six weeks, Jav had rented Roger’s apartment over the bookstore and moved himself and Ari in. Roman presented a problem: the shelter needed the space he was occupying, and Trelawney was protective of her investments and wouldn’t budge on the no pets policy. Ultimately, it was decided Roman would stay with the Lark-Pendas, and Ari had carte blanche to come see his dog whenever he wanted.

At first, Jav, running around like the proverbial chicken, had no time for anything. The legal, financial and spiritual details of getting Ari settled and safe took up all his hours.

The emptying and selling of the home in Morgantown was the most draining ordeal. The house was broken down in coordinated waves. First Ari went through, collecting what he wanted to have and keep and cherish. Some things he took to the apartment, some went into storage. Then an auction company came through. Then the Salvation Army. Last, a volunteer group made up of Guelisten residents and Lark House teens—organized by Alex—cleaned out the rest and threw a coat of paint on the entire downstairs.

One hard-working day, Alex saw Jav wrestle a handful of photographs from where they’d fallen behind a bookcase. Long minutes passed as Jav went through them and something in the tense line of his jaw made Alex curious.

“Find treasure?” he asked, looking over Jav’s shoulder. Funny how his memory recalled Jav being much taller twenty years ago when they were actually the same height.

The photos were faded Kodak prints, all of the same three kids against an urban backdrop. Two boys and a girl. Playing in the spray of a fire hydrant. Mugging over ice cream cones. Big toothy grins as they sat cross-legged in front of a Christmas tree.

“Is that you?” Alex said, pointing to one of the boys. Gangly and awkward, but already showing signs of being dangerously good-looking.

“That’s me,” Jav said quietly. “This is my sister.”

“Who’s the other guy.”

“My cousin. Ernesto.” Jav flipped over the last picture. This one of just him and his cousin, later in their teen years. Shirtless and laughing, arms around each other’s shoulders.

“Do you talk to him?”

“He died,” Jav said. “Long time ago.”

“Shit, I’m sorry.”

Jav shook his head a little, then gave Alex a closed-mouth grin before lobbing the stack of pictures into one of the ubiquitous industrial garbage bags. His stride walking off was so full of

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