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Chapter10:Thirty-DegreeHeat—andClumsySupport
EarlyOctoberinTaipei—autumnstillhadn’tfullysettledin.Nowae-seasowavewouldstrikeback,fthecity’stemperaturepast30°C86°F.
Themomeeppedoutofthecram-schoolbuilding—wherethelobbyAChadbeencoldasafreezer—theheataCrahead-oairandharshsunlightmadeheralreadyfoggymindspinharder.Herlegswentsoft,andshenearlypitchedforwardontothesun-bakedasphalt.
Eliaedfast,hookinganarmaroundhershouldersandcatgher.
Atsix-foot-one,healreadytoweredoverCra’sfive-foot-threeframe.Andrightnow,withthefeverdrainingherofalmostallstrength,shesaggeddownwardlikewetcy.Elianmightntanduntouchablemostdays,buthealsouoodsomethingclearly:
Thiswasonlytheirthirdtimemeeting.Theyweren’tclose.
Evenifthesituationwasurgent,hecouldn’tbringhimselftodosomethingthatintimate—andthateasytogossipabout—likescoopioabridalcarryorthrowiohisback.
Sohesettledforanawkward,exhaustingpromise.
Onehandlockedaroundherupperarm.Theotherhalf-edaroundhershoulders.Hemovedherforwardinaposturethatwasalmosthalf-drag,half-carry.
“Hot…”Cra’sforeheadpressedagainstthesideofElian’sshoulder,aestedweaklywithoutmeaningto.
Onweekendssheusuallywht,casualclothestocramschool.Thefevermediehermotherhadforceddowhroatstillhadn’ttake.Shewasn’tsweatingatall—butthroughtheloosecottonshirt,Eliancouldfeelhhteninglydry-hotherskinwas,likeafurnaceburningwithoutsmoke.Herlegs,bareunderdenimshorts,weresoweaktheycouldbarelypushofftheground.Everystepfeltlikewalkingoncotton.
Elianwasn’tdoieither.
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