by W.J. May
“Fine. I’ll try to keep quiet, but I’m positive I felt something. I’m just having a hard time sleeping. My dad told me if I get something really cool, he’ll buy me a car. They don’t allow them until our senior year, but maybe the headmaster or the dean would let me have one here this year. What kind of car do you think I should get? Hey, are you awake? Rae? Oh man, you’re asleep again! Damn English-American!”
Rae rolled over and drilled Molly’s pillow back at her. The thud muffled Molly’s voice, but only for a few seconds. Exhaling a long, silent breath, she blocked out the noise and went back to sleep.
At half past seven, Rae drifted back to consciousness. Sleep tempted her, but as she cracked her eyes open, she noticed Molly dead to the world, facing the wall, her pj top slightly lifted. Curiosity made her crawl out of her bed to get a closer look.
There, right along Molly’s spine, rested a unique tatù. No swelling or redness around the ink that hadn’t been there hours before. It seemed like it had always been there, like a birthmark. Fascinated, she got closer and could see a bolt of lightning, along with something else. She couldn’t make out the circle ink and didn’t want to touch Molly’s shirt to see it better. Straightening, she debated waking Molly but had a feeling her roomie probably hadn’t been sleeping very long.
Crawling out of bed, she slipped out the door and headed down the stairs. At least marble didn’t creak like the wooden stairs back home. Speaking of home… She checked her watch. It was pretty early in New York. She picked up the pay phone and then hung up. Her hand hung midair, debating if she should call Uncle Argyle.
Screw it. He owed her an explanation. Swiping the phone card with more force than was needed, she grabbed the head piece and punched the numbers into the phone. She tucked the phone under her chin and leaned against the wall. Out of habit, she tapped her bare toe against the heel of her other foot.
Nine…Ten…Eleven…Twelve…No one picked up. Middle of the night and no answer? Either they were out at some bed and breakfast or they had turned the ringer off at for the night. She’d try again later. She trudged back up the stairs and quietly slipped back into her room.
Now what? She stood in the center of the room, not quite sure what to do. Seeing her desk, she went and sat down at it. Gingerly, she opened the drawer, trying to avoid the squeak. She pulled out a sheet of stationary and a pen. At least if she wrote a letter, she could get some of her thoughts organized. There was no sense in e-mailing Uncle Argyle. He wasn’t computer literate. Rae toyed with the pen before putting it to paper.
Dear Uncle Argyle,
Why didn’t you tell me? About you, or Mom? Or any of this? I had a right to know before coming back to England. It’s pretty crappy of you not to tell me.
I want to know more about my parents, my mom and my dad. Everyone here seems to know about my past – everyone but me.
Call me when you get this.
Love, Rae
PS. Please tell Aunt Linda I’m settling in fine and am enjoying myself.
She reread the letter, noticing how deeply the writing was embedded into the paper. She’d been pressing down hard with the pen. Shoving the letter into an envelope, she quickly licked it shut and addressed it, too scared she’d chicken out. She stuck it in her bag. Later, she’d ask one of the students where to post it.
Rae heard Molly stir and swung around in her chair to watch. Molly sat straight up, a huge goofy grin on her face.
“Happy Birthday.” Rae smiled, literally feeling the excited buzz in the room.
“Thanks. It’s there, isn’t it? I know it is. I can feel something’s different inside of me – like there’s something new running through my veins. I bet this is better than sex.” She hopped off her bed and jumped to the mirror.
Rae waited quietly on her chair as Molly examined her tatù.
“What is that?” She turned left and right, trying to get a full view. “I see the zigzag. Oh…it’s a bolt of lightning. Cool.” She inched closer to the mirror, squinting. “What’s the thing beside it? A ball? I wonder if it’s supposed to be a balloon. It’s shaped kinda weird. Crap. I got a boring ink. There’s nothing sexy about this.” She dropped her shirt, only to lift it back up again. “The one mark’s detail’s so small compared to the bolt of lightning. Is it a cloud? Does this mean I’m going to have to wait until it storms to figure out what my gift is?” Molly ran to the window and looked out. “I heard it isn’t supposed to rain for, like, two weeks.”
Rae grinned. “I don’t know much about these tatùs, but I’m pretty sure you’re not gonna have to wait until it storms to figure out how to use your gift.”
“Can you take a closer look?”
Rae nodded and pushed her chair back. Squinting, she leaned in and rested a hand on Molly’s hip to steady her. “Sorry. My hands are cold,” she murmured when Molly twitched.
“It’s fine. I’m just wondering if anyone else has a lightning bolt.”
“Hmm…not sure. If it helps, my mother had a tatù of the sun.”
“I heard she was inked but couldn’t remember what it was. I wish she was here so she could explain mine.”
“Me, too.” More than you could ever know. She stood up to look more closely at the ink. The detail was ten times better than any real tattoo Rae’d ever seen. She stared at the circle-thing beside the bolt. She slapped her forehead with the palm of her hand.
“I know what the circle-thing is!”
“What?” Molly twirled. “If you can tell me, that’ll be the best birthday present I’ve ever had – besides this tatù, of course.”
“I think it’s supposed to be a kite. You know, like Benjamin Franklin when he flew his kite in a thunderstorm?”
Molly scrunched her face into a puzzled look, then suddenly she brightened. “Holy crap! You’re right. I’m going to be able to create electricity or something super cool like that. Oh my goodness, this is going to be so awesome.” She swung around and grabbed Rae’s hands as she jumped up and down.
Rae went flying across the room. She slammed into the wall and slid down onto the bed. She rubbed her head, just above her ponytail. Shocked, she stared at Molly who stood with her mouth open, surprise written across her face.
They both started laughing.
Molly offered Rae her hand. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t think…I had no idea…”
Rae crawled around the outstretched arm, shaking her own hand. “Thanks for the offer, but I think I’ll avoid the hand contact for a bit.” She stood. “I’m fine. Just wasn’t expecting that.”
“Neither was I.” She spread her arms wide, bumping the wall. The lights dulled and then began flickering above them. “What the…?”
“Hand.” Rae pointed. “On the wall.” Shouts sounded outside the hall.
“Oops. Guess I’d better figure out how to control this.” She stuffed her hands into her pockets. The lights stopped flickering and the shouts outside stopped.
A knock at the door made Rae turn around. When she opened it, Haley came barging through, Maria trailing behind. Haley pulled Molly’s shirt up to see the tatù.
“I knew it was you.” Haley crossed her arms. “I knew if the walls starting shaking, or torrential rain storms started today, or anything weird happened, it’d be you not being able to control your gift.
“Ohhhh yeah, it’s me,” Molly squealed and jumped up and down, hands still firmly stuffed in her pockets. “This is gonna be sooo awesome!”
“Let’s go eat. I’m starving.” Haley pulled Molly and Maria out the door, ignoring Rae.
“Don’t worry ‘bout me,” Rae mumbled. “I’ll catch up.” She thought about Molly and her new skill. Hopefully, Molly didn’t end up frying somebody. This seemed a lot like giving a kid a gun, but not giving them any lessons in proper handling or safety.
She headed over to the Dining Hall.
The birthday cake was perfect – almost perfect. Julian walked in, carrying the cake with all the candles lit, and Nicholas, Andy and Riley be
gan singing “Happy Birthday.” Molly raised her arms.
“Wait,” she said. “Something’s not right.” She spread her arms and knocked all the lights out in the dining hall. “Now sing.”
Rae giggled as Julian came by, his long hair standing straight on end from the static in the air.
Molly slapped Nicholas’ hand as he reached for a slice of cake and sent him flying about three feet backward. “Wait your turn!”
Rae died laughing when Molly tried something on Haley, a crackling and popping noise whizzed by her ears. When Haley pulled her hand away, the air around them smelled crispy. Her hair looked like the picture from an old Bon Jovi album cover Rae’s aunt had from the 1980s. Rae couldn’t stop giggling every time she shot a glance at Haley’s frayed ends, or Molly’s constant apologizing.
“Does anyone want to head over to Aumbry House an’ hang out?” Molly blew her bangs out of her eyes, exasperation written across her face as Haley stomped away to drop her tray off. The boys didn’t need convincing. The four of them stood simultaneously and rushed to clear the table.
“Let’s get everyone and we’ll have a games challenge,” Nicolas said. “Like a games competition of juniors versus seniors. That is, if you older boys are up for it?” He laughed, directing the last sentence toward Riley.
“Dude, you’re so going down. We’ll even let you have Devon to make the teams more even.”
“You can keep him. Just don’t give future-boy,” Craig nodded his head at Julian, “a pen and paper to show the outcome or you guys won’t even play.” He ducked as Julian threw an empty plastic cup in his direction.
“We’ll meet you there shortly. Pick some events, but make sure the rest of the girls actually want to play before you set up to destroy their game room,” Andy said.
Julian turned to Rae. “You interested in participating in this crazy challenge?”
“Heck yeah! But I’m supposed to meet Dean Carter after breakfast, and I don’t exactly know where his office is, or who he freakin’ is.”
Devon leaned his elbows on the table. “Dean Carter’s in charge of the school. Where Headmaster Lanford’s in charge of the students, Dean Carter takes care of the buildings, the alumni and the financial end of the school.”
Andy and Julian both cut into Devon’s academic explanation at the same time and blurted out, “I can walk you there.” “I’ll take you.”
Devon rolled his eyes and sat back in his chair, crossing his arms, not saying a word.
Rae glanced back and forth between the two guys, wondering who to choose, wishing it had been Devon who had offered. “Julian, if you don’t mind…I’d really appreciate it.” Seeing Andy’s disappointed face, she added, “Don’t you have to set up the competition?”
“It can wait. I don’t mind walking you.” Andy nodded, whether in agreement or defeat; Rae couldn’t tell.
Julian pushed back his chair like he had a tatù gift for speed. He grabbed his own and Rae’s trays to dispose of them. Andy stood and headed toward the front exit with the girls. Devon stayed in his seat, playing with the egg yolks on his plate. He kept his head down. Rae couldn’t see his eyes.
“You gonna play, too?” Rae asked quietly.
Devon looked up and grinned, showing Rae his dimple.
“Wouldn’t miss it. Should be interesting to see how the young lads fair against us big boys.”
His attempt at smack-talk made her grin. “Hey, there’re girls competing, too! I’ll be in the young lads group and plan on kicking your butt!”
Devon’s smile turned sly. “Ohhh yeah. That’s why I think the younguns are going to struggle – all this fresh, feminine DNA is going to confuse them.”
“And, of course, you big boys don’t have that problem?” Rae taunted.
Devon didn’t miss a beat. “Maybe just Andy and Julian.”
Rae saw the glint in his eye. “You’re going down for that.”
“Just don’t come sobbing to me afterward when you lose.” Devon laughed back.
Julian returned, and Rae stood up to leave. She gave Devon a dirty look as she walked by, and, in return, he stuck his tongue out at her.
They left the Refectory, heading toward the main building of the school. Ten minutes later, Rae stood looking upwards. She marveled at the structural design of the main building. It reminded her of Hampton Court Palace her parents had taken her to when she was about five or six. The main entrance included a large, round tower on each side with beautiful, probably original, leaded oriel windows in between on the second floor above the archway.
“The architecture of the building’s amazing, isn’t it?” Julian watched Rae.
“Totally awesome. Is the dean’s office inside?”
“It’s in the right tower of the main building. Enter these glass doors and go up the flight of stairs. There’s a main lobby where the dean’s secretary is, and you can wait there. It’s the room above us, with the big leaded windows.”
“Thanks.” Rae headed toward the door, then turned back. “Oh, one more question. Is there a place I can buy a stamp to mail a letter to America?”
“Lucky guy.” He sounded disappointed.
Rae felt her cheeks burn at Julian’s assumption. “No boyfriend. Just a letter to my uncle.”
Julian grinned, appearing happy and pleased once again.
He pointed along the brick building. “The door with the small red flag hanging on the side is the student post office.”
Rae headed into the main building as Julian turned back to the dormitories. She ran up the now familiar-looking black and white checker marble steps into the lobby. Rae gave her name to the secretary and watched her disappear behind a door down the hall. She was too antsy to sit, so she walked over to the oriel windows and admired the view; so much so that she completely missed the secretary coming back into the room.
“Dean Carter will see you now, Ms. Kerrigan,” the secretary said in an extremely chipper voice.
Rae felt a knot settle between her shoulder blades. She wondered why she felt a vague sense of foreboding.
Chapter 8
Dean Carter
Rae turned to follow the secretary into the dean’s office. She stopped short just inside the door. The bright room was round and completely brick, like the outside of the tower. Ancient-looking portraits hung on the walls, alongside fleur de lis emblems etched into the red stone. Curved bookcases lined half the room. They must have been custom built a couple of hundred years ago, maybe when the vines outside had started growing. While warm and humid outside, a cool draft circled the room, making it feel like the frigid breeze from her aunt’s window air conditioner back home.
A thin gentleman sat in a black leather chair, his long, spidery legs sticking out from under the large oak desk. His expensive grey suit made his dark hair appear black. He wasn’t what Rae would call handsome, but his features were striking. He had a straight jaw shaved perfectly clean, a straight nose and dark eyes, which seemed slightly larger than normal.
“Good morning, Ms. Kerrigan.” His crisp, business-like voice punctuated his sentence. “I assume you’ve settled into your dorm and met a number of our students?” He didn’t glance up from the paper he was signing until he’d finished. The secretary took the documents and headed out of the office, closing the door behind her.
“Yes, thank you, Dean Carter. I appreciate being given the opportunity to finish my high school education here.” She babbled nervously. She continued to look around the room, concentrating on the paintings, probably past deans and headmasters, and not one of them smiling. I bet he fits right in.
The dean harrumphed. “Your parents would’ve wanted you to attend Guilder, so we had to find a way to make this work. It would have been easier, of course, if you had been a boy, but Mother Nature had to have her way.”
Rae stood silent, greatly insulted, but not sure how to respond. Cranky old geezer.
He rested his elbows on the edge of the desk, interlacing his fingers. “Seems th
e board thinks the school needs to modernize, allow women in.” He harrumphed again. “There was nothing wrong with the system being an all boys’ school. You’d have thought, with all our resources, they’d have built a separate one for females.”
Excuse me? Ouch. Seemed the dean wasn’t too pleased with the new enrollment rules. Rae swallowed, holding back a snide comment about being old-fashioned and chauvinistic. Not a good way to impress the dean and change his mind about girls being allowed on campus. An inner sense told her she didn’t want this man to know how he made her feel. It’d be like giving him ammo or something.
“What do you think of my office, the Round Room?” Dean
Carter leaned back in his chair.
Rae bit her lip as she glanced around again, trying to think of something intelligent to say. “It’s interesting. Is there a reason it’s round or just easier for the builders, back in the day, to keep the inside circular to match the towers?”
“Round rooms were very important to the Catholic church, at least in Wolsey’s time.” He stared down at her. “Do you know who Wolsey was, Ms. Kerrigan?”
“Sure.” Maybe the man also thought females were dense, on top of not good enough for Guilder. “Thomas Wolsey was a Cardinal, and I think he became the Archbishop of York. He’s the guy who helped King Henry the VIII – well, until he couldn’t get King Henry’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon.”
Score one for the GIRL, Rae inwardly cheered.
He snorted “It seems American schooling has taught you a bit of our British history.”
Surprised? Women not equal to men and now he considered America less developed than England? What was this guy smoking? “Actually, my mother and my uncle always had a fascination with the monarchy, especially the Tudor history. I guess the interest got passed down to me.”