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I'm coming out there, Ahava declared.
Carol of the Bellskis 43
Seth sat up. No! You don't have to. It isn't going to make them show up any faster.
They're either okay or they're not, and trust me, if anyone can weather a disaster, it's your mom
and dad.
I don't care, she said. I can't relax knowing my parents have been ingested by bears.
I thought it was an avalanche, Seth joked.
It was? Ahava cried.
I'm just kidding. We don't know anything. Don't jump to conclusions. Seth had managed
to calm her down and get her to agree not to come, when he saw that he had a call waiting and
that it was from his parents.
My parents are on the other line. I gotta go.
Tell your dad to fly out and help you! Ahava shouted.
Seth switched over, went through the niceties with his mother, and then pretty much
repeated the entire conversation he'd just had with Ahava.
By the time Seth disconnected, it was already seven thirty, and he knew the folks around
the house stirred.
What was it with old people getting up in the morning? What made them rise at five? Was
it the aches and pains? The lack of sleep?
He didn't know, but sure enough, all his guests over the age of sixty were already wide-
eyed and cheerful, greeting him as he stumbled in his sweatpants down the stairs.
In his pocket, his phone rang. He hastily muted the ringer and grinned embarrassedly.
The coffee's on a timer. Help yourselves, he said, gesturing to the coffeepot in the dining
room. As their backs turned, he switched his phone to vibrate.
Seth went into the TV room and checked on Lars. He was still asleep, flat on his back, his
mouth slightly open, his hands crossed over his chest like a vampire. He always slept like that.
He looked at once innocent, sweet, and ridiculous.
Seth touched his shoulder. Wake up.
Lars didn't move. His body smelled musky and warm. Golden stubble, a shade slightly
redder than his yellow hair, covered his chin and cheeks. His lips pouted as he dreamed. Seth
wanted to lean down and kiss him.
44 Astrid Amara
He gently touched Lars's hair. It felt so clean, so good in his hands. Why did Lars have to
be such a jerk about all this? How could Seth love someone so much who was so bad for him?
No one had ever warned him that he would be in a situation where he'd have to break up
with someone he still loved.
Lars mumbled something and shifted over, turning toward Seth. Seth saw that Lars had a
large morning erection poking through the hole of his boxers. Seth's hands longed to reach down
and pull that hot flesh into his mouth. How many mornings had he woken Lars that way? Hadn't
he loved it?
It's not worth it, he reminded himself. Heartbreak. Shame.
Seth's phone vibrated in his pocket. He silenced it again and nudged Lars more violently.
Wake up.
Lars's blue eyes snapped open. Huh?
Time to start breakfast, if you're going to earn your keep around here.
Lars's eyes were slanted, and he grinned slowly. His hands came up, and he pulled Seth
down on top of him, curling his long body around Seth's, burying his head in the crook of Seth's
neck. Let's sleep in, he mumbled, and then he promptly fell asleep again.
Seth lay trapped in Lars's arms. He jabbed his finger into Lars's side, and he woke up
instantly.
Ouch!
Start breakfast, Seth said, getting out of bed.
Lars scowled at him. This is supposed to be my vacation too, you know.
Assholes who lie about their lovers don't deserve vacations, Seth stated.
Seth expected Lars to protest, but instead he just rubbed his hand over his face. Fine, fine.
Jesus. Why is it so dark in here? When are the lights coming on?
Around nine. Seth watched out of the corner of his eye as Lars got dressed. His rolling
suitcase contained an impressive amount of clothing. Lars was nothing if not a perfectionist in
his attire. As he struggled to pull a pair of jeans over his fading but still-noticeable erection, he
smirked at Seth and gestured to it.
Seth gave him the finger and left the room.
Carol of the Bellskis 45
Seth joined the guests in the dining room and chatted. All the while his phone vibrated
nearly constantly in his pocket. Lars served breakfast cheerily, although Seth knew him well
enough to see the exhaustion in his eyes.
Chaim, thrilled with his ugly bowl of teff grain, walked to shul. Seth reminded him to ask
about the Bellskis.
Seth changed into warm clothes and walked outside so he could finally answer his phone.
He didn't want the guests to see him breaking the Shabbat rules, but whoever was calling was not
giving up. Outside, the snow had stopped falling and the sun shone, but it was bitterly cold,
several degrees below freezing.
Seth walked down the road and listened to his messages. He had thirteen.
Dave Bellski, Carl's cousin. Rose Epstein, Judi's sister. Naomi Bellski, Carl's sister-in-law.
The entire East Coast Bellski clan had mobilized.
There was panic everywhere.
Seth retold the same story over and over, getting mixed results. Some of his relatives
yelled at him that the Bellskis were fine, that nothing could kill them, that they were
impenetrable forces of sheer will and strong bone. Others knew they were going to be killed out
there in the wild, with the bears and the rabid deer. Others said it was all up to God. Others said
it was all up to Seth Bellski.
You go out there and find them! was one sage piece of advice, from a Merl Greenburg,
some distant relation Seth couldn't even remember meeting.
For God's sake, lock the door and don't go outside! There could be anti-Semites out
there! was more astute wisdom, this time from Grandma Adler, his father's sister's mother-in-
law.
The sun beamed, the streets warmed, cars drove, people enjoyed the scenery, skiers slid
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