Arnaud surrendered, thrusting his palms into the air. Cathy stopped running. She tried with great difficulty to hide her labored breathing, focusing instead on the rain that collected at the tip of Arnaud's chin.
"I think we had better go in now," he said.
"You wussy, it's just a little rain," Cathy mocked. She shoved him playfully, eliciting a delicate cry of pain. Arnaud clutched his shoulder to prevent further injury.
"I'm not a wussy," he pouted.
"Are too. You're just afraid that I'm going catch you!" Arnaud released his shoulder and smiled. He hesitantly reached forward to brush a lock of hair from Cathy's face. "What are you doing?" He pulled his hand away, blushing deeply.
"Oh... Nothing," he said. Arnaud crossed his arms over his chest, his blunt little teeth chattering. He then teetered strangely from side to side, looking past her. "I think my socks are wet," he said. Cathy rolled her eyes.
"Ugh, fine," she conceded. "Maybe I can get my mum to make us some hot chocolate or something." Cathy grabbed his arm and led him into the house.
In the kitchen, Cathy's mother was seated across from Arnaud's elder brother Vince, deep in conversation.
"But are you certain? You're taking on the sort of responsibility that many adults wouldn't be able to handle." Cathy's mum patted Vince's hand as if to comfort him. "You shouldn't be too proud to accept help when it's being offered to you." Vince looked startled, even a little flustered.
"Well I--" Vince looked away, pausing in search of the right words. "After our father died, our mother was always sick or working. I had to raise the other three on my own and take care of Mom as well. I hate to say it but if anything, this is easier."
There followed a brief silence. Cathy seized it.
"Excuse me. Mum, can we have some hot chocolate?"
Cathy's mother looked down at her blankly. Cathy knew that this meant that her patience was being tried.
"You know better than to interrupt when grown-ups are talking."
"I'm sorry."
"If you and Arnaud would like hot chocolate, you'll just have to wait."
Cathy glanced over at Arnaud who was leaning against the refrigerator. He didn't look as though he had heard what was being said.
"Ok, Mum," Cathy responded quietly. Her mother turned back to Vince.
"Anyway, as I was saying, you're still in the process of growing-up yourself. You'll miss out on all sorts of experiences..." Cathy's mother's voice was lost in the sound of Arnaud compressing air through his teeth to get Cathy's attention.
"Pssst, hey Cathy," he whispered. Cathy turned to him. "Do you wanna to sit on the floor with me?" She shrugged. It was probably a better option than standing.
A roll of thunder shook the windowpanes. Cathy jumped. It was like the restless groaning of a monster. Arnaud gave her a knowing look. Maybe she was the wussy after all. She smiled at him to mask her unease.
Leaning back on her hands she asked, "Ok, now what?"
Arnaud leaned in close.
"Now we talk," he said solemnly. "I think your mother wants us to move in with you."
"You think so, do you?"
"Yeah. And then we could play together all the time."
"I'd like that."
Arnaud turned his gaze to the linoleum-tiled floor. He seemed embarrassed but Cathy couldn't figure out why.
"I'd like it too," he said. "High five?" Their palms struck and Arnaud's fingers clamped down upon hers almost reflexively. She half-heartedly tried to pull away but he did not let go. His fingers were surprisingly strong for a hand that was as soft as a duckling and slippery as an eel. Vince's voice carried over their silence.
"Well, none of the doctors could really tell us what was wrong with her. But it was a brain aneurysm that finally..."
"Are you going to give me my hand back," Cathy whispered.
"Oh, right. Sorry." Arnaud let go, bringing his hand down slowly. His fingers slid across her open palm, forming a gesture that did not make much sense to Cathy. He was staring directly at her but his thoughts were clearly distant. Cathy realized that he must have been listening to her mother and Vince. She frowned. It was difficult for Cathy to imagine losing her own parents but she did have some sense of how inappropriate it was for these things to be discussed in front of Arnaud.
"Even if my brother doesn't let us live together, I want us to always be close by. Ok? Always near each other," Arnaud said. Cathy nodded but wasn't quite listening to what she was agreeing to. Big words that had no meaning for Cathy were volleyed back and forth above her head. Words like custody and parasomnia. Whatever the last one was, apparently both of Arnaud's sisters had it. He smiled gently at her. She thought that he might reach for her hair again.
Cathy stared at Arnaud in momentary wonder. It occurred to her that his was not the look of a recently orphaned eight-year-old boy. He wasn't oblivious to his situation and yet he was perfectly contented in it.
Revulsion began to brew in the pit of her stomach. Though she was ashamed to think so of her friend, Cathy didn't know what sort of boy could manage to smile in his position. And furthermore, she had the terrible sensation that she did not want to find out.
