A Different Blue(133)

little chipmunk better watch out! Mr. Owl is watching him, and owls love to gobble up chipmunks!

” I bit my lip. Maybe that was scary. I tried again.

“Owls are the only bird that can see the color blue. Did you know that Melody?”

“Really?” Tiffa walked into the bedroom, shaking a bottle briskly in her right hand. “Is that

true?”

“Yes. I mean, I think it is. Jimmy, my father, loved birds, and he knew all sorts of random

interesting things. I've probably forgotten most of what he told me, but that was a joke between

us. I assumed, naively, that because owls were the only birds who could see the color blue that

I must be invisible to all other birds.”

Tiffa smiled, “Because you were BLUE.”

“Yeah. I thought it was awesome.”

“Invisibility would come in handy, wouldn't it?” Tiffa handed me the bottle, but I begged off.

“You do it, please! She's hungry, and I don't want to make her cry again. She tried to get milk

from my nose.”

Tiffa giggled, took Melody from my arms, and settled into the rocker. Melody began to suckle in

earnest. Tiffa and I watched her, our eyes glued to her happy face, her cheeks moving in and out

in ecstasy, so content and easy to please.

“Speaking of invisibility,” Tiffa said quietly, not raising her eyes from Melody's face, “I'm

a little surprised to see you. Happy – but surprised. What's going on, Blue?”

“The lab called today. They said they have a match. They know who I am, Tiffa. They know who my

mother is. They asked me to come to Reno.”

“Ohhhh, Blue,” Tiffa drew the words out in one long sigh. Her gaze was full of compassion and

a lump rose in my throat. I swallowed hard and tried to laugh.

“I hope I didn't scare you, showing up here, wild-eyed and panic-stricken. I just needed to

tell someone. And I thought of Melody, and how I need these answers for her sake, even if

sometimes I would rather never know.”

“I'm so glad you did. It was time. And you weren't wild-eyed and panic-stricken. You are always

as cool as a cucumber, Blue Echohawk. I read people pretty well, but you are always so self-

contained, so private. What's that saying? Still waters run deep? In that way, you and Darcy are

so much alike.” When I didn't comment, Tiffa just shook her head in exasperation, as if my

silence proved her point.

“He came by yesterday, you know,” Tiffa said casually. “I think he's smitten.”

My heart dropped to my toes. My face must have registered my distress because Tiffa stopped

rocking abruptly.

“What? Blue, what did I say?”

“Nothing,” I lied, shaking my head. “I figured as much.”

Tiffa cocked her head to the side, confused. “Figured what?”

“That he was smitten,” I responded flatly. I felt sick.

“He's smitten with Melody!” Tiffa cried, and shook her head, disbelieving. “You should have

seen your face. Who did you think I was talking about? Pamela?”

I looked down at my feet, unwilling to answer.

“Blue. What in the world is going on with you two? I thought after New Year's that you would

both finally admit you have feelings for each other. It's so obvious! I asked Wilson about you

yesterday and he acted so aloof. I didn't know what to make of it.”