Like Jake and Me (3 page)

“I didn’t know you could do ballet!” said Alex. “You dance like me!”

“I thought I felt the spider!” said Jake. He put on his shorts.

“What on
earth
are you doing?” huffed Virginia. She was standing at the top of the stairs, holding the bottle with the pears inside.

“We’re hunting for a spider,” said Jake.

“Well!” said Virginia. “I like your hunting outfit. But aren’t those
duck
-hunting shorts, and aren’t you cold?”

“We’re not hunting spiders,” explained Jake. “We’re hunting
for
a spider.”

“A big and hairy one that
bites!”
added Alex.

“A wolf spider!” said Jake, shivering. He had goose bumps.

“Really!” said Virginia. She set the bottle down beside Jake’s boot. “Aha!” she cried, spying Alex’s tooth inside. “Here’s one of the spider’s teeth!”

Alex grinned at his mother. He put his tongue where his tooth wasn’t.

Jake took his hat from Alex and put it on.

“Hey!” said Virginia.

“What?” said Jake.

“The spider!” she said. “It’s on your hat!”

“Help!” said Jake. “Somebody help me!”

Alex sprang up into the air and snatched the hat from Jake’s head.

“Look!” said Alex.

“Holy smoke!” said Jake.

There, hiding behind the black feather, was the spider.

Alex tapped the hat brim. The spider dropped to the floor. Then off she swaggered with her fuzzy babies, across the porch and into a crack.

Jake went over to Alex. He knelt down. “Thanks, Alex,” said Jake. It was the closest Alex had ever been to the eagle. Jake pressed Alex against its wings. “May I have this dance?” Jake asked.

Ravens were lifting from the blackening fields and calling. The last light had settled in the clouds like pink dust.

Jake stood up holding Alex, and together they looked at Virginia. She was rubbing her belly. “Something is happening here,” she told them. “It feels like the twins are beginning to dance.”

“Like Jake and me,” said Alex. And Jake whirled around the porch with Alex in his arms.