Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook

stating the obvious.
    â€œShe had all sorts of problems with impulse control and communication. No matter how old she got, she was still like a two-year-old. She’d start crying or pick her nose in public. She’d wander off if you weren’t paying attention. She could talk, but it wasn’t always easy to figure out what she was saying.”
    Even though I was curious to hear more, I didn’t want to pry. “That must have been hard,” I said simply.
    â€œYeah. My mom was great with Evie, but my dad didn’t have the patience. He’d get mad that she wasn’t doing what he thought she should do and then mad at himself for being annoyed. Evie would pick up on those feelings and it would ramp her up further.” Apparently satisfied with the fire, Nathaniel stood and brushed his hands off. “Anyway, I ended up moving back home.”
    â€œSo much for my plan of riding your coattails to the heights of popularity, huh?” I asked.
    He lost his serious look and managed a smile. “If you want to be popular, believe me, you’d be better off pretending you don’t know me.”
    The room was warming up as the fire grew larger, and we sat quietly for a few minutes, enjoying the popping sounds and the flickering glow.
    â€œYou know, I think you’re forgetting something if you want me to feel at home,” I said.
    Nathaniel started and then looked around. He gestured at a bag of cookies on the side table next to him. “Oh, sorry, you want some?”
    â€œNo, as I remember, you promised to sing for me.”
    He looked dubious. “Are you serious?”
    â€œDeadly.” I inwardly winced at my word choice, but pressed on. “You saw my humiliation and you offered—in fact, as I remember it, it may have been a promise—to even the score.”
    â€œI made you a fire.” Nathaniel motioned to the fireplace with a flourish.
    â€œNice fire.” I smirked. “Start singing, boarding-school boy.”
    â€œI don’t know any songs,” he protested, trying to weasel out of it with a pleading puppy dog pout. I pointed to the center of the room, and he must have realized that I wasn’t the kind to give up easily. Resigned, he stood up and cleared his throat. If I wasn’t mistaken, he was blushing a bit. “All right, but remember, you asked for it.”
    â€œLess warnings, more singing.” I flopped back in my seat and waited. “Pick a song from your heart.”
    He stood in the center of the room and thought for a moment, and then belted out, “ Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, had a very shiny nose .”
    I broke into giggles. He was right, he was closer to horrible than to merely bad. His voice warbled and sort of broke here and there. It was like a bad talent-show audition. At least he was giving it his all. As he got to the end of the song, he wentdown on one knee to really bring it home.
    â€œRudolph the red-nosed reindeer, you’ll go down in hissssstooooorrrry!”
    I gave him a standing ovation.
    â€œNicely done. I could tell you were one with the song.” I linked my hands to show the connection.
    â€œI think that’s because I get the whole emotion of being left out of reindeer games.”
    â€œAh, but don’t forget the important part. In the end Rudolph is the hero. He’s the one who lights the way for everyone.”
    Nathaniel snorted. “I’m not sure I’m much of the hero type, but that counts, right? We’re starting over. Even?”
    â€œEven.” We reached to shake hands, and as soon as we touched, it felt like a current ran between the two of us. My heart sped up. Our eyes met. Nathaniel cleared his throat, and I realized he was trying to take his hand back and I was holding on to it with a death grip. I dropped his hand like it was a burning log. Oh God, I was turning into a stepbrother groper. He was nice to me, and the next thing he knew, I