Coin Tricks

by Willow Scarlett

My name’s Wiremu: Like William but said Widdymoo. My nickname should be ‘Wire,’ but my twin calls me Moo like I’m a damn cow.

Internalizing a really complicated situation in my head. I should have done my job and dragged the kid straight to the cops. But at the same time... I should have helped him. I would have, if he’d asked for money on the street or come to my door. I would have done everything I could to help him. But he commits a crime, and now he needs to be locked up instead of helped. Maybe given a fine, like what a desperate thief needs is less money. That’ll teach him not to be poor. I was all tangled between what I should do for my job and what I should do for a human in trouble.

Sid smiled a sweet little smile all warm and soft like clothes right out of the dryer.

“Yeah, I know what you mean. A gift from the hands is a gift from the soul.” “Yeah.” Sid was giving me something from his soul and that was even more tingly-awesome than a gift of his time.

What the hell was chemistry and how would I know when I had it?

Guess that’s how you measure a friend: not how long they’ve been in your life, but how much better they make it.

I wanted him to kiss me. I wanted to hear him say that he wanted it too, that he thought about me like I thought about him. I wanted him to tell me that it had hurt like dying to lose me because I was his future and losing me was losing his future.

For a moment, my impossible dreams were staring me in the face and daring me to reach out and catch them.

Sid smiled, then. The wind was fierce and cold but his smile was coconut summer warmth bathing my skin.

I swallowed down the lump in my throat. “Are you hitting on me?” Sid’s grip was trembling but he didn’t look away. “Would it be okay if I was?” “Yeah.” My voice was dry-throat croaky. “That would be great.” “Then... yes. I’m hitting on you.”

And as I kissed him, my nerves and fear melted away like his happiness and willingness were rays of brilliant sunlight beating on my skin. I was so full of Sid’s sunny beauty that it pumped through my veins and pounded in my heart, drumming out the blissful magic word. Possible. Possible. Possible.