by Nora Cobb
“I’ve been waiting for you,” she says.
We enter her dorm room, and it’s packed up and smells of lemon cleaner. Some books sit in the center of the room, next to four cardboard boxes. The screen has been replaced.
“My parents insist I finish school back home. Up north.” Talia looks nervous as she sits on the edge of the bed. “I saw Vicki at her mother’s house. She didn’t look well.”
“What do you mean?” asks Chase.
“Dark circles, thinner,” she answers, “Her mother is cruel, and she lied about Vicki. She’s not interested in Vicki. I did something awful. I didn’t think that it would hurt her.”
Dom scowls. “Look, we’re not here for your remorse.”
I shush him and start over. “Talia, we can’t help her without that video.”
Her gaze goes to a pillow made of yarn, sitting on one of the closed boxes. She gets up and pulls out the filler. Inside are three phones.
“What are you going to do with it?” she asks.
Chase takes Marcy’s phone and checks it for the video. He frowns at the screen. “We’re going to give it to her father. He’ll need it to get her back.”
“Tell her I’m sorry,” says Talia, “Vicki’s not what I thought she was. Nobody here got her right.”
Chapter Twenty Three
Vicki
“Stop tugging at your dress.” Maya scowls as she examines my reflection in the mirror.
I didn’t have any clothing at Maya’s house, so she bought crap that she thought I should wear. These clothes are ridiculous, in pinks and sparkly denim. It’s the stuff a child would wear, not an eighteen-year-old grown-up. I tug at the collar. Nothing fits right since she won’t allow me to leave the house by myself for any reason.
Like a lot of students, I had to take my finals online.
Maya watches me whenever I go online. She sits behind me and watches the screen while making comments and criticizing everything I do. At night, she takes my laptop away and keeps it in her bedroom. I haven’t seen my cell phone in a week. Thank God I don’t have a dick pic on it. Our old dynamic is back, and she has the nerve to blame Dad.
I’ve been living with her for almost two weeks, and it isn’t great, but it hasn’t been all misery. There are definitely moments when she may be regretting her decision as she eyes the front door as if it has prison bars. Maya is older and fit, but it isn’t clear why Dennis left. Maya has a type, and Dennis wasn’t willing to butt heads with her. She likes conflict. It gets her off to shout at a man. In an odd way, she misses Dad. Maya must, or she wouldn’t ask about him so much.
“I shouldn’t have let him visit,” Maya says, looking me up and down in the mirror. “His visit obviously upset you. And that plastic woman. He won’t marry her. Stop picking at your dress.”
“It doesn’t fit right,” I complain. It’s some floral nonsense with a waistband under my boobs and a hemline that barely covers my knees. I guess it’s an effort to make me look innocent and fucking pure. “I look like I’m into Lolita role-play fetish.”
Maya’s eyes widen, and then she stops to consider me carefully. “Go put on some jeans underneath the dress. It will look okay.”
“You have any white tights I could borrow?” I ask sweetly.
I look worse with jeans on, not that I really care, but at least I’m covered up when we leave the house. Maya’s lawyer Emery Caldwell winces when he sees me but does nothing other than look concerned. The breaking and entering charges have been dropped. I don’t know the details, except it was downplayed as a high school prank gone wrong. Nothing was found in my possession, and Talia stated that nothing was missing. I wonder if Talia has posted anything else since we last talked. I don’t have access to the internet except for homework.
But I don’t waste my time thinking about Talia. I wonder what the boys have been doing. And the frustration of not knowing is slowly driving me mad. Are they still at Redwood? Is Chase okay? Does Dom have a place to live? Does Silas have to deal with any backlash? I wonder when I’ll see them again. How much will change? Will they still want me, or will they move on?
My heart is in my throat when I walk into family court. I had expected a large room filled with spectators and a man in black robes sitting on the bench. But it’s nothing like what I’ve seen on television. The room is large, but it also has windows, so it’s lit with natural light. The gallery has been close to spectators. Dad is sitting on the left, facing the bench.
Maya’s hand grips my elbow as she leads me to the table on the right.
I would shake her off me, but I can hear Dad say, “Play it cool.” Making a scene would hurt me, so I walk calmly and let Maya dote over me like she really gives a damn.
I sit down and stare at Dad. He smiles back, and somehow I know it’s going to be all right. The woman I saw at Maya’s sits behind him. Dad looks confident and even happy, like he knows he’s going to win. A sense of relief floods over me.
The doors open in the back, and Chase walks in. His gaze goes immediately to mine, but he frowns, and that worries me. Chase sits in a chair behind Dad, beside the woman. I glance at the door, waiting to see Silas or Dom, but they don’t appear, though I think I hear Dom’s voice out in the hallway.
“The Honorable Judge Arianna Poole presiding. All rise,” announces the bailiff.
The judge enters the courtroom. It’s an older woman with a stern face but sympathetic eyes. She sits down and glances at the room quickly before looking down at her notes. A chair moves behind me, and I sense them before I look. Someone clears his throat. I don’t look, but I know it’s Dom with Silas. My posture relaxes as if my whole body sighs. I shouldn’t feel exuberant, but I do.
Judge Poole states the reason why we’re here. To determine if Maya Saunders should be given conservatorship over Victoria Saunders. I look over at Dad, and his attention is on the judge. I want to get up and go sit with him since I’m cheering for myself to win. But something is happening, and I’m not in on it. Maya sits proudly, watching the judge, and I wonder how she’ll react if she loses.
“Your Honor, may I approach the bench?” Dad’s lawyer, Jason Black, stands up. The judge nods, and then they speak in low tones, looking over at me.
“Mr. Caldwell.” Maya’s lawyer leaves his seat and joins the discussion at the bench. Maya starts to get up, but the judge speaks, “Just Mr. Caldwell.”
Maya slowly sits down, but she tilts her head, hoping to catch a stray word.
“There will be a short recess.” The judge enters her chambers with the two lawyers in tow.
Maya looks at me as if I can answer her questions. I look behind me at Silas and Dom. Silas controls his urge to make eye contact, but Dom grins like he owns the world. Still, there’s concern in his eyes. I turn around and wait. At first, I’m not sure of what I’m hearing, but then it becomes more distinct. It’s an argument between two women, and I recognize my voice.
Maya stares at me for an explanation, but I look back at Dom. The smile is gone as a thin bead of sweat trails down his forehead. Chase covers his eyes as if his head hurts. And ever so slowly, I feel as if the world is crumbling under me, and I’m headed for a free fall.
“What’s going on?” asks Maya. Her gaze darts from person to person around the room. “What is it?”
The door to the judge’s chamber opens, but only the bailiff exits. He refuses to look at me as he approaches Maya.
“Ma’am, please follow me.” Maya hesitates as if she doubts if she wants to know any more. She rises from her seat unsteadily. The bailiff motions to Dad, and he follows them into the judge’s chamber. I tense my ears shut while gripping the chair. Dom moves to come closer, but the bailiff asks that he remain seated.
I clutch the chair but open my eyes when someone sits beside me. I guess it’s okay for Naomi to leave her seat because the bailiff looks away. She places her hand on my shoulder and grips me as if I might fall apart. The audio plays softer this time, but we can all hear my screams.
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“It will be okay, Vicki,” whispers Naomi, “Just hang in there a little longer.”
I don’t know her, but her concern eases me, though I feel as if I’m about to unravel for all to see. And that won’t help my case.
The door to the judge’s chamber opens, and Naomi returns to her seat. Maya’s eyes are big, and the color has disappeared in her cheeks, leaving blotchy patches of makeup. She sits down heavily beside me and slowly lifts her eyes to meet mine. Her mouth moves, but she just shakes her head. Without warning, she reaches out and grabs my hand, but she doesn’t know where to look or what to do.
“All rise. The court is back in session.”
Maya lets go of my hand, and we all stand as the judge enters the room. Maya doesn’t reach for it again while we’re seated. Instead, she holds onto her purse tightly.
The judge looks down at her notes. “Is Chase Evans present?” Chase stands, and the bailiff escorts him to the chair beside the judge. He’s sworn in, holding up his hand and the other on the Bible.
“You wanted to offer testimony to the court that pertains to this hearing?” asks Judge Poole.
Chase nods. “It has to do with Marcy Bowen—the woman who shot the video.”
“How do you know she shot the video?” asks the judge.
“It was shot on her phone, and she also used to record us having sex on her phone.”
The judge checks her paperwork, and her face loses its icy demeanor. “She’s a teacher at Redwood,” she replies, “Was she your teacher?”
Chase nods. “I had a few classes with her.”
“So, the relationship started then?” asks the judge.
Chase shakes his head. “No, our relationship started freshman year. She had dated my father, so she knew who I was. She pursued me. It was her intention to send the videos to my father.”
The judge stills as she absorbs the weight of his words. Chase captures her gaze and says, “I have proof. I have copies of the videos.”
The judge leans back, taking in a deep breath. “Was the school aware of this relationship at the time?”
Only I notice that Chase pauses for a millisecond. “No, she would’ve been fired.”
The look on the judge’s face broadcasts her thoughts without saying a word. Yes, ma’am, this is wack.
“Take a seat, Mr. Evans. Counsel, in my chambers again.” She bangs her gavel. “Short recess. Mr. Evans, you’re still under oath.”
The lawyers disappear into the judge’s chamber again. The bailiff doesn’t bother to tell Dom to return to his seat when he sits beside me. The boys surround me, not speaking but holding my hand, clutching my shoulder, and rubbing my back. I hold myself tight, willing myself not to lose it completely.
Maya gets up from her seat and goes to Dad. I wait for the shouting, but instead, she sits beside him in an empty chair, leans in, and whispers. They glance over at me while they talk. Maya is visibly upset, but I can’t care. I hate her, and it’s a relief to say it. The tension lifts off me to actually think those words, and somehow, I believe it’s a start to loving her again. But only if she lets this go.
“Thank you,” I whisper in Chase’s ear. “You saved me again.”
He grins. “You saved me plenty of times.”
I shake my head. “I really screwed this up. Showing off everyone’s shitty laundry out in the open.”
Chase takes my hand. “Everyone else’s dirt is off me now. Any mistakes I make are on me, and that’s what I wanted all along.”
I squeeze his hand, and the judge comes out of her chambers. She looks over at Dad and Maya. Her lips tilt as if she’s pleased to see them where they are seated. She sits down and bangs her gavel quickly. “Court is back in session. In the light of the evidence presented today, Maya Saunders has no case. Vicki Saunders acted in a manner that would have been expected in the circumstances. Court is adjourned.”
She smacks the gavel and gets up to leave.
“Wait,” I stand up, “Am I free to go?”
The judge smiles fully. “My dear, you’re free to do whatever you want to do.” She raises her index finger. “Except break the law.”
I’m covered in hugs as I feel bodies surround me. The relief is too much, and I start to cry though my eyes are squeezed shut. When I open them, I just want to be home in the suite with the boys again.
“Vicki?” Maya waits for me to acknowledge her.
Chase won’t let go of my hand, Dom scowls in her direction, and Silas takes a step closer.
“Vicki,” Maya starts again. “I’m deeply sorry that happened to you. I wonder why you didn’t tell me.” She looks at me but starts when I give her a hard glare. “I’ll send your things to your father’s.”
“I need them today,” I tell her, “I have to submit my film project.”
Dom steps between Maya and me. “I’ll drive you to get your stuff.”
Chase frowns. “Why you?”
Silas moves forward. “You two are selfish. Vicki, I’ll drop you off and pick it up for you.”
I shake them off me, and I actually stand beside my mother. Maya looks completely confused, and then her eye twitches as the realization hits her. She looks at Chase, then Dom, and then Silas. Her mouth drops open.
Dad walks over and hugs me. “Vicki, are you ready to go home?”
I nod. “But I’m going to ride home with Silas, Chase, and Dom. We have a lot of catching up to do. Alone.”
“What is going on here?” Maya’s voice is low, cautious not to cause a scene.
Dad looks at her with a tired grimace. “Maya, we’re adults. Just figure it out.”
Chapter Twenty Four
Vicki
“So this is it?” I ask Jagan as I walk into his office. A cardboard box sits on his desk, holding his plants. “Is that all you’re taking with you?”
Jagan smiles. “It’s all I need.”
The law took it easy on Jagan. He knew too many secrets, and his legal team would’ve made O.J. Simpson drool. But the school’s board of directors couldn’t be swayed so easily, and Jagan was asked to take early retirement.
“You don’t look sad.” I plop down on the couch for the last time.
“I’ve got better things to do, just like you,” he replies.
I smile. “Are you coming tonight?” Jagan sits beside me and stretches his arms across the back of the couch. I lean my head against his shoulder, and he laughs.
“Of course. It’s been a rough year, kiddo, but I had a feeling you’d end up on top.”
“Did you really?” I ask. “Why?”
“I saw that gleam in your eyes the first day we met. The hungry ones always come out on top.” he continues. “I have a gift for you, but I’ll give it to you tonight.”
I hugged Jagan. “Thank you for believing in me.”
“Vicki, you’re a great talent.”
I shake my head. “That’s not it. I didn’t tell you about the drugs because I thought that would label me, but when I told you I was clean, you believed me. Thanks.”
Jagan smiles. “Remember your old uncle Jagan when you’re rich and famous.”
“Oh, I’ll never forget you.”
And then, almost on cue, both of us said. “Feel the prana, baby.”
***
Redwood comes back to life on the opening night of the film festival. Instead of scandals frightening people away, the alumni come out in force to support the school that taught them. People congregate and reminisce about teachers that shared their knowledge and time. I watch from a distance as Mr. Carroll is surrounded by his former students, who are now experts in the industry.
“I didn’t get those old films,” laughs one woman, “And then on my first job, the director was shocked that I had heard of this obscure French film. I earned big points that day.”
Jagan has come back for one night at the insistence of the parents, the alumni, and the students that supported him through his hardest year as a principal. He walks out onto the stage, wea
ring a white suit with a flashy waistcoat, fresh flowers encircling his neck, and his long hair fluffy and combed.
“Excitement is what I feel when I introduce the film festival projects this year,” He addresses a packed auditorium. “It’s been a challenging year at Redwood, but through the hard times, creativity is wrought. I am glad that I was here to see what our students could do when we only had faith. Enjoy the night, and trust me, more recognition for this group will follow through the years.”
Jagan allowed other students to participate in the festival this year as compensation for the screwed-up term. So, the opening film is Chase’s collaboration with Silas and Dom. The film is entitled Ennui and is narrated by Silas. The face of a young Adrian flashes across the screen, spinning in a circle as the background changes from a view of the Pacific at sunrise to a red-brick school covered in vines, and to an office building silhouetted against a gray sky. When the camera focuses on the boy again, he’s a grown man, staring unblinkingly at the viewer. The narration begins.