Hammered

he’ll be kind of squished in my tiny little car, « Granuaile said.
    » Right. Let’s head back into town and stop by the bank. I’ll get you some cash; you can use it to rent a truck, and you can go get some camping gear and some giant paint buckets to put the crayfish in. «
    » Sweet! « Granuaile said, and the three of us piled back into her small Chevy.
     Oberon said.
    Don’t go running off and making her worry. We’ll go hunting together when I get back, just you and me .
    
    I’m thinking the San Juan Mountains in Colorado .
    » After you’re finished, « I told Granuaile as we cruised back to town on the Bush Highway, » just bring Oberon over to the widow’s place. I’ll stop by there this afternoon and let her know that you’ll be coming. «
    Granuaile was all bubbles and excitement over her new mission, and it recalled for me my first interaction with an elemental, a bog spirit in Ireland. My sense of wonder had been every bit as profound as Granuaile’s. Her temperament, I reflected, was well suited to a Druid’s life. She remained giddy until it was time to part ways at a Mill Avenue ATM. I was going to go grab some lunch, and she was going to grab some gear at REI, with Oberon in tow, then rent a truck.
    » You come back, sensei, « she said, poking me in the chest to make sure I was getting the message. » You can’t leave me dangling like this now that you’ve started. It would be like buying a kid an action figure and then telling him he can’t take it out of the package. « Her green eyes met mine and I found myself tongue-tied, even though I knew I was supposed to say something reassuring. A few awkward heartbeats passed, and then she gave up on waiting for me to speak. She grabbed my shirt front and pulled me toward her, delivering a quick buss on the cheek. Her scent lingered as she withdrew, a dark-wine-and-floral shampoo with a top note of strawberry lip gloss. She turned her back immediately and strode to her car, shoulders hunched up high as if she expected me to scold her for something. She opened the back door for Oberon to jump in and then circled around to the driver’s side, climbing into the car without looking at me.
    
    I squatted down and chuckled, hugging Oberon around the neck. Be good , I told him. I’ll be back as soon as I can, and then we’ll go find a new place to live .
     Oberon said.
    I think that can be arranged . I escorted him to the car and he jumped carefully into the backseat. I shut the door behind him and waved as Granuaile drove off.
    I sighed happily, replaying her kiss and still enjoying the faint traces of her scent, while simultaneously feeling guilty for even permitting it. I hoped she would do that again someday, and I berated myself for wishing it.
    A last meal of the world’s finest fish and chips awaited me due north at Rúla Búla, so I shook myself out of my trance and walked that way, determined to savor my last few hours in Tempe.
    » Hey, Siodhachan! « a man’s voice boomed from behind me, and I ducked instinctively and pivoted on my heels to meet an attack. My right hand flew to the camouflaged hilt of Fragarach over my right shoulder, but I relaxed and left it sheathed when I saw there was no threat. A fit-looking African man was standing in front of Trippie Hippie and laughing at me. » Wow. You’re even more paranoid than the last time I saw you. «
    I felt acutely embarrassed not to recognize someone who knew my true Irish name. He looked friendly, but I had no idea who this guy was.

Chapter 10
    » Come to Jesus, « the man said, smiling hugely, with his arms open and inviting embrace. He wore a tie-dyed T-shirt in predominantly reds, yellows, and greens, with a white peace sign screen-printed on the front of it. He had on a pair of relaxed-fit blue jeans, and his Chuck Taylors were classically black. He appeared to be an affable sort, and his voice and rugged good looks reminded me of that guy from the Old Spice body-wash commercials.
    I still couldn’t place him, and it was supremely annoying because I should have been able to. Random strangers don’t know my Irish name—most of my current friends don’t know it either, including Granuaile.