Easternport Vol. 1, First Edition

Mikkel Fixes Everything - Part 2

Cory

"That's strange," Anna said, unzipping the back of my dress. "I can't imagine how it'd disappear like that."

"You mean you didn't hear anything or see anyone take my bed?"

"No," she said, "I've been washing sheets the whole time you were gone. Speaking of which, when do you suppose we'll get a washing machine? Because that would be just divine."

"A washing machine? I... I don't know. I can look into it, I suppose. How much do those things cost?"

"You need a washing machine?" Markus came out of his bedroom looking only a little frayed around the edges from his night on the town. His hair was still wet from a shower and his eyes were still red from exhaustion, but he stood straight and tall and smiled his kindest smile. "I can get you a washing machine, Anna. Would you like to go pick one out? I know nothing about them."

"Markus, do you know what happened to my bed?" I asked.

"Your bed? No, why?"

"It's missing," I said.

"How can your bed be missing?"

"You tell me."

"Well, I suppose someone must have taken it. But who would take a bed?"

"You tell me!" I said. I was certain he knew something about it.

"I wouldn't know. I suppose someone who needed a bed. Good thing you have two of them. Anna, would you like to go shopping? We can catch a car into town and I can buy you that machine. I also need to pick up a few things for Mikkel, he made me a list," he flashed a piece of paper from his pocket. I couldn't see much of what was on it, but the first line was already crossed off.

"Let me see that list," I said. I grabbed at it, but he held it out of my reach. His lanky arm hung over me like a lamp-post.

"It's my list, Rahab, get your own," he said, pulling it away when I jumped at it.

"Stop calling me that!"

"I think it's a beautiful name, Rahab. Don't let anyone use it offensively. It's the name of a heroine. Are you ready to go, dear?" He turned to Anna and shoved the piece of paper back into his pocket, protecting it with his hand.

Anna looked down at the clothes in her hands. "I... Let me check with my mother. She's taking care of the hoo-mystery lady in our room."

"Oh, that's right," I said. "Where has she been sleeping?"

"In my bed," Anna said. "But that's okay, my mother's bed is big enough for both of us."

"Let's go find your mother," Markus said, holding out his elbow for Anna like a gentleman. He smiled wide and waited for her to take it. He kept his other hand in his pocket to protect the note from me.

The two of them went out to the maid's quarters together and then headed down to the gas station to call God-knows-who for a ride. Probably Steven again. I wondered how that would go over.

The two of them made it home just after sunset, waking me up from where I had fallen asleep on the couch at the door. The house was dark except for a light from the kitchen where Ingrid was cooking dinner. "Markus bought me a washing machine!" Anna said as she bounced through the door.

"Really? Where is it?" I sat up and picked the radio off the floor where I had dropped it during my nap.

"My uncle and his friend from Midtown Station are going to bring it by and hook it up tomorrow," she said.