SWNOVELS The lies we tell (Chapter 12)
Ivy:
I do a slow lumber back to my room. I know my shoulders are slouched forward and I am barely looking up from my feet as I walk. It’s okay; I know where I am going well.
As I pass one of the doors to the courtyard I look up. Someone has propped it open and I can make out a couple of figures standing on the veranda.
Thump, thump, thump.
Curiosity gets the better of me, as so often it does, and I find myself outside on the veranda. I come to a stop next to Sean who is chatting to an agitated James.
“How is it going?” I try to ask politely.
Both Pinns glance over at me and Sean chuckles a little.
“I can’t believe this shit” James mutters, shaking his head and turning back to face the courtyard.
I am shocked by the crude language coming from him. He is usually such a soft-spoken kid.
After giving him a quick look of reproach which he dutifully ignores, I too turn to see the excitement.
Thump, thump, thump.
The contractor stands on the stone platform in the middle of the garden behind the goddess statue, a hammer in one hand and a chisel in another. He seems to be delicately chiseling off pieces of the statue. A finger, a bit of shoulder, the tips of her breasts. The bits of stone tumble unceremoniously on the ground, a few bouncing off the leaves of nearby vegetation on their way down. A thin chalky white dust flies along with it, staining the surroundings as well as the contractor white.
“I’m going to be stuck here forever” I hear James grumble lowly.
Sean chuckles again.
Thump, thump, thump.
I watch a little longer. “That’s a…uh… unusual way to take down a statue” by which I meant terrible.
“If the Senator had given me a week, I would have been able to find a proper contractor,” James says defensively throwing his hands in the air. He is really on edge today.
Sean finally decides to speak up, “I like statues, I like the stories they create”
“How can you-“
“The goddess-“
James and I speak at the same time. James puts out his hand gesturing that I should continue.
“How can you say that when you know what that story brings” I question Sean.
Thump, thump, thump.
“The goddess is more than some of her follower’s actions” James replies for Sean.
“I didn’t mean all statues should stay.” James starts to object but Sean holds up his hands stopping him, “Did you know, Mrs. Senator, that city hall is littered with statues of past monarchs? What does it mean that a democracy chooses to honor the monarchy it overthrew?”
“That it is our history!” James is aggravated. The poor boy is having a rough day and Sean is making it worse. I gather this is some long-held debate between the two of them that I managed to step into. I shouldn’t get any more involved, but I’m having a bad day too.
Thump, thump, thump.
“Who we choose to honor is important,” I say trying to sound wise. I don’t mind a good debate; it will take my mind off of my problems….
“As well as the lies we tell about them to make the statue-worthy” Sean says with a grin. He is definitely trying to poke James.
I’m impressed James’ ears don’t turn red, but his face is screwed with annoyance and his fists are clenched. I smile to myself, it’s fun teasing James.
Thump, thump, thump.
“The goddess is not-“ James begins.
“Tell me you are going out today.” Sean pleads with me. When did Sean become so talkative?
“Actually I don’t-” I begin
“The goddess is not a lie” James huffs crossing his arms.
A crash interrupts any response to James’ outburst and we are all forced to focus back on the contractor.
The head of the goddess statue lays on the ground, partly concealed by the adjacent foliage. The sandy soil around it flecked with white dust and small pieces of stone that look like crumbled feta cheese. The contractor still standing behind the statue has a look of pride as he jumps off the platform of the beheaded goddess. He walks around the base and dusts off some of the debris before taking a seat. He takes out some sort of sandwich and begins to eat, unashamed.
“Oh, goddess” I hear James mutter under his breath as Sean gives him a pat on the back.
The pause in the conversation gives me time to reconsider my earlier answer. There is somewhere I would like to go- someone, I would like to see. I eye the tall dark giant beside me, the real question is will Sean be willing to take me there?
“Sean, actually-“I begin.
James lets out a noise of agitation and marches down the steps of the veranda and over to the contractor who barely looks up from his sandwich to acknowledge James.
Sean looks down at me with his dark eyes which are so similar to Giddean’s, waiting for me to finish what I wanted to say.
“I do have somewhere you can take me.”
He nods, “when would you like to head out?”
“I’ll be ready in 20 minutes”
He grunts in acknowledgment.
As I turn back to go into the house, all I can hear is James arguing with the contractor.