Chapter 5. Midian of the North
The day and time for basketball tryouts were finally posted the next morning. They’d been scheduled for Wednesday, right after school. During lunch, Jacob called up Scott—the older teen he used to practice with—and arranged to get together with the guys both Monday and Tuesday as soon as class got out.
The Makalos were busy with the people pulled from the scented air, and since Dad had told Jacob to focus on basketball, he didn’t feel guilty taking the time away from other things.
They played for three hours on Monday—Scott making sure Jacob knew the ins and outs of tryouts, what would happen and how things would go—then finally called it quits after Jacob was sure he’d never be able to lift his arms again.
That evening, Mom helped him ice his shoulders and upper arms so they wouldn’t get sore. Tuesday wasn’t nearly as grueling, and Jacob rushed inside after Scott dropped him off, eager to do homework with Aloren.
“Uh, Jacob . . .” Aloren tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Mom was curled up on the couch, reading a book, and Jacob and Aloren had just finished working on assignments for history and science.
“Yeah?” He grabbed her math book, glad she was a level or two below him—made it easier to help her when he didn’t have to look up the answer to every problem.
“I've decided I want to walk to and from Taga Village—it really isn't that far. Oh, and Jacob?” She hesitated. “Uh . . . Kevin’s going to help me with my math homework. Also, he wants to come pick me up for school. And take me home. From now on.”
Jacob dropped the book, gawking at her. “That’s . . . that’s ridiculous.”
“Why?” She paused. “You don’t like him very much, do you?”
“No, and for good reason. He’s a jerk. He damaged property, and he . . . he tried to keep me from playing basketball at the school, and . . .” Jacob had been about to say something about Kevin smashing him against the drinking fountain a couple of months ago, but decided against it.
“But he lets you play now, so what’s the problem?” She took a deep breath. “Never mind. It’s just that I’m . . . roma—I really like him, Jacob.”
What? What was she talking about? There was no way! “It’s only been a week! How’s that possible?”
She didn’t answer for a moment, instead opening her backpack and pulling out her art stuff. “I don’t know. He’s kind to me, and I find him very attractive.”
Jacob blew out his breath in exasperation. “Well, that’s just great. Most girls do.” Most girls thought Jacob was good looking, too. Why didn’t Aloren? And wasn’t he nice to her? He’d rescued her, after all. Didn’t that count for anything?
No one spoke for a while. Jacob leaned against the couch, staring at the ceiling. He didn’t feel like doing homework anymore. Aloren shuffled through her art papers, but he could tell she wasn’t concentrating on them.
Mom must have sensed the tension. She set her book aside. “Aloren, why don’t you tell us about your mother?”
Aloren fiddled with her backpack. “I . . .”
“That is, if you’re comfortable with it. I’ve been meaning to ask, but didn’t want to upset you.”
“Oh, Your Majesty, you could never upset me. And you’re free to ask anything you wish to know.”
“Come on, Aloren,” Jacob said, trying to keep the irritation from his voice. “Just treat her like she’s a normal person. Mom’s not a queen here.”
Aloren looked at Jacob, horrified. “I couldn’t possibly! She’s . . . she’s . . .”
“You don’t treat me like royalty.”
“That’s different.”
“How? Technically, you should—”
“All right,” Mom said. “That’s enough. Aloren, he’s right. Here, I’m his mother, and that’s perfectly fine. In Eklaron, it’s different. I would expect you to wash my feet, mend my clothes, watch over my horses, and serve me food.”
Aloren’s mouth popped open, then she must have seen the twinkle in Mom’s eyes because they both laughed. Jacob jerked the zipper down on his hoodie and yanked his arms out of the sleeves. Aloren took things way too seriously sometimes.
“I’m okay talking about my mother. It doesn’t bother me. What would you like to know?”
“How did she die?”
“She slipped away quietly. Gallus thinks she went into a coma.”
“What caused it? Do you know?”
Aloren rested against the arm chair behind her. “She’d sustained many injuries before I was born—possibly while she was pregnant with me—and her mind was never quite right after that. Her health was pretty bad, too.”
Mom leaned forward. “Did she ever talk to you about your family? Where you came from?”
“Yes, but by the time I was old enough to understand, she’d already forgotten my father’s name and who her parents had been. I’ll probably never know if half of the stories she told were even true. Her energy to talk left soon after she got really sick, and by the time she passed, she hadn’t spoken or moved for several months.”
Aloren looked at the art papers in her hands. Jacob peered at her from the corner of his eye—no tears. Oh, good.
“What did she look like?” Mom asked.
“She was very lovely. Brown hair—a little darker than mine. And the prettiest, brightest smile you’d ever see. She was quiet—always said my father was the outgoing one. She missed him a great deal and spoke of him all the time.”
The front door opened, and Dad stepped through. “Honey, I’m home!” He put his briefcase down, hung up his coat, then kissed Mom and said hello to Jacob and Aloren.
“Dinner’s in the Crock-Pot,” Mom said. “We’ll be eating in an hour.”
He nodded, loosening his tie, and went to the family room, probably to unwind from work.
Mom turned back to Aloren. “Did your mother always live in Macaria?”
Jacob frowned. “So many questions. Aloren, you don’t have to answer if you don’t want.”
Aloren shook her head. “Honestly, Jacob, I don’t mind. It helps to talk about her.” She turned back to Mom. “She was from Maivoryl City—lived there her whole life.”
“Hmmm.” Mom picked up her book again and fingered the pages, a contemplative expression crossing her face. “What did she do there? Was she employed?”
“Yes. As a lady-in-waiting, I think, for someone fairly high up—a noble woman, perhaps. She didn’t quite remember everything.”
Mom nodded slowly. “I should remember her, then. Brown hair. Most everyone had brown hair.” She looked blankly at the wall opposite her, concentrating. Finally, she shook her head and looked back at Aloren. “I’m assuming your father also worked in Maivoryl. What did he do?”
“If what she said was true, he worked somewhere in the stables.”
“Really? That’s . . . that’s very interesting.” She put the book down, scooting to the edge of the couch. “What did he look like?” she asked, urgency in her voice.
Jacob perked up—the expression on his mom’s face told him this wasn’t a random question.
“I don’t know. She never told me.”
“What are you getting at, Mom?” Jacob asked.
“Nothing, dear. Only . . .” She paused. The colors for nervousness and excitement flowed in the air around her. “Aloren, what was your mother’s name?”
“She called herself Mide. Gallus said her name was technically Midian of the North, but she never used—”
Mom gasped, surprise and excitement flooding her features. “Oh, my . . .” She sprang to her feet, dropping the book on the couch. “Dmitri! Dmitri, you must come at once!”
Jacob jumped up too, eager to find out why his mom was so excited.
Dad rushed into the room, panic on his face. “What’s going on?”
Mom grabbed his hand, her face shining. Jacob was astonished to see tears in her eyes.
“Dear, guess who Aloren’s mother was? Guess?” She practically b
ounced up and down.
“I don’t know . . .”
“Midian!”
“Of the North? Are you sure?” Excitement crossed his features. “That would mean—”
“Her dad was Kelson!” they said at the same time. Mom squealed and Dad laughed, throwing his arms around her, holding her tight. The brightest shade of green Jacob had yet seen flowed through the air around them. They were really excited about this.
Then what they’d said hit Jacob, and he stumbled closer to them. “Kelson? As in—you mean—Dad’s best friend?” And then Jacob realized something else. Was it possible? Were Aloren and Matt siblings?
“Wait,” Aloren said, obviously very confused. “I don’t understand. You know my parents?”
Mom and Dad nodded. Both were crying now. Mom helped Aloren to her feet, and she and Dad hugged her tightly.
“They were very close to us,” Dad said.
Mom laughed. “I would never have dreamed Aloren was their daughter! Not in a million years!”
“Kelson’s girl!” Dad shook his head in amazement. “Midian must’ve been pregnant when we dropped her off in Macaria—”
“Had to have been—”
“It’s the only explanation.”
Aloren still looked shell-shocked. “Kelson—you mean the man who died when he tried to release the Shiengols?”
Mom nodded. She looked at Dad. “But why didn’t Gallus tell us?”
“He wouldn’t have known. When Kenji and I went back to Macaria, Midian had run off. Gallus assumed she’d died, since it had been a week.” Dad shook his head. “Obviously, she returned after we left, and we’d have sealed off the entrance to Taga Village by then. And Gallus didn’t know that we were still alive.”
Aloren nodded. “She ran away several times when I was little. Gallus always found her again, though, and after a while, she got too sick to do that anymore.”
Jacob held up his hands. “Okay, so let me get this straight. Kelson’s wife, the one Dad and his group came across while trying to find Mom and me, was Aloren’s mom? And Gallus was Kenji’s friend who took her in?”
“That’s right, son,” Dad said. “And think it through a little harder. When Kenji and I went to Maivoryl City after getting you and your mother, what were we doing there?”
Jacob scratched his cheek. “Cleaning up after the Lorkon? Taking care of people? Fixing broken buildings?”
“Yes, and we helped the orphans. Made sure there was someone to take care of as many of them as possible. And we took one of the orphans to raise as our own—Kelson’s son.”
Jacob nodded, a huge smile crossing his face. He’d been right! “Yeah, I remember now. That would mean Matt—”
Aloren gasped. “Matt . . . Matt is . . .” She put her hand over her mouth. “He’s my brother?”
Mom nodded. “His name used to be Devlin. We changed it to Matt when we moved here.”
Aloren laughed. “He’s my brother! I’ve found my brother!” She grabbed Jacob and flung him around her, dancing with him, squealing. Jacob chuckled, trying to keep up with her.
Then abruptly she let go and fell to the ground, bursting into tears. Mom dropped next to her, throwing her arms around her shaking shoulders.
Wow. Jacob hadn’t been expecting that. Dad didn’t look shocked, though, and Jacob folded his arms, matching his dad’s casual stance. “This is so crazy,” he said. “And it means that when Aloren went to Maivoryl City, all that time her brother was here, safe and sound.”
Aloren sobbed louder.
Jacob couldn’t believe it. Matt was Aloren’s brother! He never would have guessed it.
Just then, Matt walked through the front door.
Dad chuckled. “Speak of the devil . . .”
Matt dropped his backpack and gym bag. “Whoa. What’s going on here?”
“Would you like to tell him?” Mom asked, helping Aloren to her feet.
“Can’t . . . talk . . . you . . .”
Matt focused on Aloren, orange-yellow—the color for concern—flowing around him. “What did you guys do to her?” He grabbed a box of tissues from an end table, holding them out to Aloren.
“Oh, nothing,” Dad said, a huge grin on his face. “Just told her the most important information she’s ever heard. And it involves you.”
Matt’s face went white. “What’s going on? Who died? Am I being sent to prison?”
“No, of co—” Dad paused, the expression on his face and colors swirling around him showing his suspicion. “Why would you be sent to prison?”
Matt laughed. “No reason. It was the first thing that popped out of my mouth.”
“I’ll tell him—if you’d like,” Mom said.
Aloren nodded, keeping her face in Mom’s shoulder.
Mom took a deep breath. “Son, you know you’re adopted from Eklaron, correct?”
“Of course.”
“Well, when we brought you back, we had no idea your mother was still alive. Alive and pregnant.”
Matt’s face blanched even more. “She was? Where is she now?”
“I’m sorry, honey, but she passed away several months ago.”
Matt looked confused, as if this was too much to digest. “She’s de—dead?”
“Yes. A lot to hear right now, I know. But, the point is, she wasn’t having just any old baby.”
“She was pregnant with me.” Aloren finally pulled her face away from Mom’s shoulder and took a deep breath. “Matt, you’re my older brother.”
Matt fell onto the couch. “No way! Are you serious?”
Everyone nodded.
“Oh.” He expelled a big breath of air, the colors around him showing he was shocked. Very shocked. “Wow.”
Mom put a hand over her heart, her eyes bright. “We just now figured it out.”
Matt bounced to his feet, hooting. “It’s freakin’ awesome! So cool! I’ve got another sister! Does Amberly know?”
“She’s playing with Ida Mae’s grandkids.” Mom picked up her book and closed it.
Matt rubbed the side of his face. “Wow. It’s a good thing I was dating Sammy. ‘Cause things might’ve turned into a Luke-and-Leia relationship. You know, before they knew they were siblings and Leia was trying to make Han Solo mad—”
Dad laughed. “That’s enough, son. We get the picture.”
Matt sat back down on the couch, staring at Aloren. “We look nothing alike! I mean, I’ve got blond hair and blue eyes, and hers are brown.”
“There’s always the smile,” Mom said. “You both have Kelson’s smile.”
Jacob had grown up with Aloren’s brother! It just wouldn’t compute.
Wednesday, he’d gone to math and history, completely in a daze, and was now walking to woods class, still trying to digest this new piece of information. It was weird—really weird. And almost made her his sister. That thought made him stop completely, several students calling out to him in impatience when they ran into him.
Did she think of him as a brother? He definitely didn’t think of her that way.
He glared at the floor as he walked again—she’d fallen for Kevin, so it didn’t matter either way.
Finally, as school neared an end, Jacob’s thoughts turned to tryouts that afternoon. He was nervous, but surprised at how calm he felt, too. He’d practiced his hardest. He’d been working toward this for years. He was as good as any of the seniors on varsity, and definitely as good, if not better, than Kevin, Coach’s son.
Right when the bell rang after choir, Jacob sprang from his seat and rushed to the locker room. He changed into his basketball clothes as quickly as possible, then raced to the gym where tryouts were taking place.
Fear hit him really hard when he saw how many people were there. Where had they all come from? He only recognized a handful of them—a couple of which he knew for a fact had never played a game in their lives. He jogged onto the court with his ball and shot baskets, warming up.
After a couple of minutes, the as
sistant coach blew his whistle, and Coach Birmingham stepped away from the bleachers, calling everyone over.
“Many of you have tried out for varsity before and so you know what we’ll be doing. For the rest of you, we start by shooting drills, and then we’ll practice lay-ups. Next, we’ll test your endurance and strength. We finish off with a few timed games.”
The students lined up in front of the different hoops, and Coach and his assistant meandered through the players, watching closely and taking notes. Jacob kept his eyes on the others too, making sure to play harder and faster than they did. He mostly paid attention to how Kevin was doing. Excellently, of course. Kevin waved at him before slam-dunking the ball. Jacob rolled his eyes, but smiled just the same. He’d spent more time with Kevin in the past week—through Aloren—than he had since third grade. And . . . he hated to admit it, but Kevin wasn’t all that bad.
Jacob growled at himself when that thought crossed his mind. Kevin and Aloren . . . Okay, that was it. He had to focus on basketball, not the problems in his social life. He put everything else behind him, and pressed forward as hard as he could.
Sweat poured down his face, and his limbs burned from exertion. Coach was having them run across court in a complicated way, dodging cones borrowed from the driving range. The guys had to step over and around the cones, going both forward and backward.
Gratitude for Scott and their team rushed over Jacob—they’d practiced something similar to this during the past two days, and he knew he was doing well. He felt the assistant coach’s eyes on him several times and made sure to be at the front of the line every time. If he wanted to make the team, especially as a point guard, showing leadership was essential.
Finally, everything was over. Coach congratulated the players on how well they’d all done. Jacob looked around—a few of the applicants had fallen out, but he wasn’t sure when. Maybe twenty had made it all the way through, and out of those, only three were point guards. Jacob was much better than the others.
“First cuts will go up tomorrow morning. After school, we’ll have the next—also last—round of tryouts. Final cuts will be posted Friday morning.”
The students filed toward the locker room to shower and change. Jacob’s heart swelled inside him—he’d done exceptionally well. Possibly the best he’d ever done.
As soon as Jacob got home, Mom had him run an errand to Taga Village—taking a huge box of Walmart stuff to Ebony. It looked like Mom was planning her party with a lot of energy and excitement, and Ebony would be helping. He sighed in relief about the errand—he’d wanted an excuse not to be around when Kevin brought Aloren back from school, and using the Key to get to Taga Village meant not running into her as she walked past his house. She’d attended tryouts, and Jacob was grateful he hadn’t seen her there until it was all over. She would have made him too nervous.
He Keyed to Ebony’s place, gave her the box, then spent some time with Akeno until dinner was ready back on Earth. He’d missed hanging out with the Makalo.
The next morning, Jacob, Matt, and Tani rushed to see the list of who’d made first cuts. Jacob’s name was second from the top. He nearly dropped his bag in excitement. He’d made it! His first response was to look for Aloren, but she wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Tani threw her arms around him, saying over and over again that she knew he’d do well.
Jacob laughed. “I’m not on the team yet.”
“Yeah,” Matt said. “For all you know, he’s going to fail miserably this afternoon.”
“Oh, be quiet,” Tani said, elbowing Matt in the side.
When the assistant coach blew his whistle during tryouts that afternoon, Jacob knew things would go well. He was alert and energetic—definitely in the mood to play. He was ready for this. Nothing could stop him.
An hour and a half later, he dropped his ball near Tani, Gus, and Josh, completely satisfied with how he’d done. If that performance didn’t get him in, he didn’t know what would.
“Congrats on making varsity,” Tani said.
Jacob waved her off, looking around to see if anyone had heard her. “We don’t find out until tomorrow morning.”
“Oh, I know. But you’re definitely on the team. They’d be complete idiots if they didn’t let you.”
Jacob hoped she wouldn’t jinx him by saying that.