The Butter Spirit's Tithe by Charles de Lint

Author:Charles de Lint [de Lint, Charles]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

- 5 -

Strong whiskey was the order of the day when we got back inside, because Lord, did I need a drink. Jameson's in glass tumblers, no ice. I had the waitress leave the bottle at the table where Nita and I sat with Miki and her friend Tommy. We still had a half hour before Miki and I had to start our next set.

"I can't believe you let me go into that so blind," I told Miki.

"Shut up and drink your whiskey."

"No, really."

"I told you why. It was so that the butter spirit wouldn't get a hint of what I had planned."

"But how could you know the Grey Man would swallow him and let me go?"

Miki shrugged. "I listened to your story, and then I talked to Nita about it. I knew the butter spirit didn't have a hold on you except for his malice. He couldn't offer you as a tithe. But if I'd mentioned it to you, he could have heard and made a different plan."

I was only half-listening, my attention now focused on the other thing that had been so troubling to me.

"And I can't believe you put Nita in that danger," I told her.

"I had to make sure you were both free of his spells. She had to be here for that. Besides, although you won't get them to admit it most of the time, the spirits are big on courage and true love. I figured with the two of you there, you'd show both."

"It's okay," Nita said, putting her hand over mine and giving it a squeeze. "Once she told me how it would go, I agreed to it."

I shook my head and used my free hand to have another sip of the whiskey. I knew I'd be playing very simple chords when we got back on stage for the next set.

"I don't even know how she got hold of you," I said.

"Oh, that was dead simple," Miki told me. "Once I knew she worked for the city's social services, it was easy to get her number."

I glanced across the table at Tommy. Of the four of us, he was the only one not drinking the whiskey. He had a ginger ale on the table in front of him.

"You don't seem much surprised by any of this," I said to him.

That seemed to be the tagline of this whole sorry affair. Maybe I should have been more surprised by people not taking it all at face value.

He shrugged. "I grew up on the rez with the aunts. There's not much that surprises me anymore."

"I never got to thank them."

"I'll pass it on for you."

"So, are you happy?" Miki asked.

She looked from me to Nita, beaming with the look of someone who'd not only got the job done, but got it done well.

"Very," Nita assured her.

"And will you be together now?" Miki asked.

I met Nita's gaze and saw the love shining in her eyes, just as I knew it was in my own.

"Of course you are," Miki went on before we could answer.

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