by C. S Luis
July 2012 A month earlier…
* * *
The feeling of the liquid burned his throat. The past wouldn't stop haunting him with Nicholas' photograph in the drawer of his desk. Had he been ready to let it all go? To forget he could ever be with his son?
"It's okay. It’s over," he announced as if he were making a speech. "The connection is broken." His breath reeked of fine liquor. His words were a mere whisper.
His son, the big businessman, the head of a large financial firm, was involved with the royals of the big business world. But that wasn’t what had alerted him, it was the young girl by his side, his granddaughter. He had been ready to let it all go until he saw her. But was he ready to make that call? To make the connection again?
“Hello father,” a voice said loudly from the entrance of his office. Dr. Edwards looked up as the bottle he was holding shattered to pieces beside his desk. Dr. Edwards glanced at the blond man standing in the doorway. Fear and terror resurfaced, but the fear had been replaced with excitement and liberation.
“Nicholas?” Dr. Edwards gasped as he sat on his chair, gazing at the handsome man standing at the entrance of his office. He was speechless; so many times, he thought of what he would tell his only son, but now the words would not come to him. He blinked, his lips parted, but then he choked, dazed by the liquor in his veins.
“Yes, I know who you are,” Nicholas firmly said. “Father,” hissed the young blond man with the clear blue eyes as he stepped forward into Dr. Edwards’ office. Nicholas was a wise-looking man in his thirties, dressed in an immaculate clean, black suit.
“Nicholas,” he said, rising from his seat. “How did you know?”
But it didn’t matter how he knew because Nicholas was there in the flesh.
“I wanted to tell you,” Dr. Edwards again made himself say. “I wanted to tell you.”
“Stop,” Nicholas said, putting a hand out. “That doesn’t matter now. Just listen,” he firmly said.
“I’m sure you had your reasons, but that’s not what’s important now, nor why I’m here. So just listen very carefully.” Nicholas looked firmly over at him. He glanced at the shattered bottle on the floor beside the desk.
“I hope I haven’t interrupted anything,” he said. “Celebrating something?” He narrowed his eyes.
“Nicholas, try to understand I never meant to abandon you. I never wanted to, but—”
“Listen!” Nicholas firmly yelled. “I don’t care what your reasons are. I don’t have time for pity excuses, so just listen to what I have to say.” Dr. Edwards nodded as Nicholas motioned to him to take a seat behind his desk again. Nicholas sat in one of the chairs in front of it.
“I’m sure you’re aware you have a granddaughter,” Nicholas coldly said.
Dr. Edwards smiled excitedly; he wanted to say something, but Nicholas’ firm glare stopped him from opening his lips, and he only nodded nervously.
“It is because of her that I’m here.” Nicholas rose, stepping near the window. He looked nervous for a moment before turning back to Dr. Edwards.
“I want her to come and live with you.”
Dr. Edwards blinked. He was shocked by his son’s words. He thought that perhaps with time his son would allow him to see her, but he never thought he would simply have her live with him so soon. He was both excited and curious as to why his son had suddenly decided on such a thing. After all, this was their first meeting ever.
Nicholas looked over at him. His eyes were as cold and emotionless as they had been when he first came in. In fact, Dr. Edwards could not read them as he had wished that he could. Nicholas looked away sadly, trying to hide the pain in his eyes, but he remained firm, and this discipline frightened Dr. Edwards. His son was so withdrawn from the world around him.
“Nicholas, anything you want. But, what’s wrong son? Tell me what’s troubling you.”
Nicholas whirled around and faced his father. “That doesn’t concern you! You’ll either help me, or you won’t.”
He moved to the entrance and stopped again. Dr. Edwards rose and came around his desk.
“I’ll have my attorney make the necessary arrangements with your attorney, Mr. West.” Dr. Edwards blinked. It didn’t surprise him that his son knew of Mr. West. Nicholas turned to face him and coldly stared back at Dr. Edwards.
“She’s your only granddaughter. Make sure you protect her. Do this for her and not for me. My attorney will be in touch. Good night, father.”
Nicholas walked out. Dr. Edwards hurried to the door, but Nicholas was gone by the time he reached his office entrance.
5
The Arrival
August 20, 2012 Present day…
* * *
In the middle of the afternoon, a Lincoln entered the parking lot of Milton High School and circled around slowly near the side of the old building. The metal doors of the school were cracked and coming off the hinges. The place needed a good renovation, and the principal, Dr. Edwards had realized it more than anyone. He waited as the vehicle stopped down below.
"She's here,” Mr. Michael McClellan, Milton's 10th grade English teacher said out loud. Even though he was younger than Dr. Edwards, he appeared much older.
Behind them, inside the building stood Mr. Claypool, the lower-class assistant principal, and Mr. Vasquez, the upper-class assistant principal. Both peered out the door window, curiously staring at the car that had just pulled up. They slowly stepped out of the building.
Michael's words made Dr. Edwards wonder why he had waited so long. He had gone so long denying he had a son. He had gone so long denying the calls he made to Nicholas' home just to hear his voice. And now he recalled it every moment.
"Hello?" Nicholas' voice answered on the third ring. Speechless, Dr. Edwards held the phone, unable to put it down or speak.
All he wanted to say was, "I’m your father. And I love you, forgive me."
He cradled the only photograph of Nicholas he had ever owned as he hung up the phone.
What indeed could he say? How would he expect Nicholas to respond in return? It was no different than the dial tone that now echoed from beyond the earpiece. No words would ever leave Dr. Edwards' lips. He only wanted to hear his voice, to know his son was there. Nicholas was an ugly kept secret from the world. Was it for the best?
"You can't keep doing this to yourself, Neil."
Dr. Edwards' eyes slowly met Michael's, caught off-guard by the piece of delicate photo paper in his fingers.
"Go to him, Neil. Go before it's too late," Michael said.
"I can't. I wish there was a way, but I can't," Dr. Edwards said, and then he became silent.
"Why not?" Michael boldly asked. Amazed by his words, Dr. Edwards gazed up to him, dumbfounded.
"You know why. I can't risk it. It's not safe. I won't let anything happen, not to him."
Michael bowed his head as Dr. Edwards scolded him angrily. "Not like what happened to my mother," he announced with determination.
"Neil, it wasn't your fault," Michael again said. "Think of all the time you've wasted."
"My mother said I was the connection. What if she was right? What if it was my entire fault? What if I led that…what if I led him to her? What if she's gone because of me? There can't be any other explanation. I don't want to put Nicholas in danger."
"Neil, you can't continue to blame yourself for her disappearance," Michael said.
"Disappearance? She was taken from me!" Dr. Edwards yelled, and then he collapsed. It wasn't Michael's fault; it was no one's fault but his own. There could be no other reason. It had never been far from his thoughts. He often wondered what had become of her, wondered whether she thought of him, as he of her. The past was still very fresh in his mind, especially the very night she was taken.
He recalled it well, how could he ever forget it?
The storm outside had lit the night sky as thunder and lightning followed. He remembered glancing back at the figure of his mother on the bed, blissfully
sound asleep. He remembered the dark hallways, the smell of damp and decay in the air, and he could still recall the wet floorboards and the above ceiling, looking partially swollen from the dripping water coming in.
There were leaks from above in almost every part of the house. The monstrous drops made too much noise; a distraction from what he was actually hearing. The next room was no different; rotting furniture scattered around the area and corners laid covered in cobwebs. The windows were intact, except for the leaking ceiling above. The second room looked the same except for a few rats that raced past his feet.
The rain didn't seem to let up, pouring even harder as the night dragged on. The thunder now became more frequent, shaking the house and rattling the windows. At the bottom of the staircase, leading to the top of the stairs, the floorboards creaked under his feet. The second-floor hallway laid dark, and only the lighter in his hand lead the way. Yellow light covered the molded walls and decaying floors throughout the hallway. The top floor had three bedrooms, two of which were on each side of the hall, while the third was a step from the staircase.
Looking at the entrance, the room was empty except for an old, mirrored dresser and an old bed, whose sheets were covered in dust and cobwebs. The curtains on the window were just as old and crawling with spiders like the rest of the house.
A sound at the end of the hall startled him; perhaps a window had been left open, glass missing or broken? Then he heard it as clearly as he heard the rain pouring down on top of the crumbling house.
Radiant, deceiving, and beautiful ageless purple eyes, set on a pasty youthful face, with strands of dark, matted hair draped on each side of his head. This time, it wasn't the wind's whispering from some peaceful place. And he knew—
“I’ve come my Maya…”
Dr. Edwards blinked. The details of that night were still very vivid in his mind. Those few memories had started his journey and had brought him to this very spot, waiting for this very moment.
"You think she'll like me?" Dr. Edwards nervously voiced. "How will I ever explain it…all of it… our lost time?"
"It'll come to you, my friend. Don't worry," Michael offered.
"But what if she doesn't understand? What if…" Dr. Edwards anxiously whispered, looking about. A small breeze gathered, blowing all around them, and a growing peace settled upon the parking lot as a breath escaped Dr. Edwards’ lips. He finally exhaled for the first time it seemed in years.
"Relax. This is the moment you've been waiting for," Michael said.
Dr. Edwards smiled, gripped only now by both excitement and anticipation of the day that had taken so long to arrive.
Michael cleared his throat as the driver stepped out of the car and opened the door. Immediately, a hand pushed the car door back, and a beautiful young girl with dark brown eyes and bronze skin climbed out from the inside of the vehicle and came to stand at the bottom of the steps before them. She had a pair of headphones in each eardrum and was holding an iPod in the palm of her hand. Her dark brown eyes danced around the side of the building and up to the steps, finally meeting the watchful assistant principals and security guard gawking from the top of the steps near the entrance. And then, her eyes firmly stared at Dr. Edwards and Michael standing right in front of the others.
The driver took a single piece of luggage from the vehicle's trunk and set it near the steps of the building as Dr. Edwards and the others now came down to greet her.
A mixture of emotions stirred Dr. Edwards awake. He knew her before she had spoken a word. Her name, her favorite flowers, roses, and daisies…her mother's favorites.
The red color that designed her room and enlightened her mind. The nights she spent alone to watch the stars from her bedroom window. There was magic in those eyes that dreamt of faraway places, but there was also a sadness; mourning he recognized as his own. In a brief moment, he knew her secrets, like an open wound bleeding its truth.
The knowing of such things didn’t surprise him. He felt a bond and connection to her right away. She indeed was his granddaughter. Although he had not shared this bond with his son, he could share it with her. He remembered his mother’s face as clearly as he did then. Speech and thoughts were never boundaries to them. He had only to think of what he meant to say, without opening his lips to her, she would understand. Their bond was deep, and it was something it had tried to sever when it had claimed her.
Then, the accident revealed the fear in Nicholas’ words that evening. “She’s your only granddaughter. Make sure you protect her. You owe me.”
Finally, Nicholas' words made sense to him, but the danger and the fear in his eyes didn’t. What was he hiding, and why send her to him? But whatever it was, he knew he had to protect her as he had promised his son. He indeed owed him.
Claudia removed the headphones and put her iPod in the red backpack she carried. She was dressed in a simple daisy patterned short-sleeve blouse, a pair of jeans, and red Doc Martens. She looked just like any average young girl, too absorbed in her own world to care what adults were doing. Dr. Edwards couldn't help but think how her large, sparkling dark brown eyes and long waist-length brown hair reminded him of his mother.
“This is a school,” she softly uttered, in reference to Milton.
"It is an old building rich with history," Michael offered the young girl. "I assure you, you'll never find any place like Milton."
The way Michael said it made Dr. Edwards realize he knew far more about the history of Milton than he ever had, and it was an abundance Michael was willing to share with whoever was willing to listen.
Mr. Vasquez and Mr. Claypool came down the steps to stand behind them, both were grinning and waiting for an introduction that never came.
"Welcome Claudia,” Dr. Edwards said as her curious, dark brown eyes gazed up at him. Her stare paralyzed him briefly, and he wondered if she was even aware of her abilities.
"Do I know you?" She managed to voice this question softly, staring at the strange faces in front of her. There was dread in her eyes as her thoughts swirled uncontrollably in her mind, but he couldn’t make sense of them.
Had she known? The fear and disappointment was marked in her expression. As a matter of fact, she glanced up at him and at the building and those around them. Had she had high hopes of where she was going?
"I'm Dr. Edwards, principal of Milton High. I'm also your grandfather,” he added, sensing her heart skip a beat.
Speechless now, she stared at him much more closely than before, glaring at the others with what seemed to be disapproval or uncertainty. Her disappointment seemed obvious.
"My grandfather?" She replied doubtfully. "That can’t be." She seemed to almost roll her eyes; an unmistakable teen trait.
"Yes," he answered as her brow folded. A single word formed in her mind, No. And he was surprised when he heard it.
"I don't believe you," she uttered, and she looked back towards the car that had dropped her off, but the vehicle and its driver were now long gone.
"Why haven't I ever met you before? Or heard about you until now?" She asked, sounding disgusted. He was aware she had been informed by his attorney, but there had been no options then to deny it.
"No, it has to be a mistake," She again said before he could answer. "I don't have a grandfather. My parents are…" Her eyes looked away. "Were…" she softly whispered before Dr. Edwards interrupted.
"Adopted?" He sympathetically answered. Their eyes met again, but the doubt, if there ever had been any, suddenly seemed to drain from her. She had the gift. She made the connection and wanted to deny that she had. But why?
"I've been waiting for a long time to meet you," Dr. Edwards revealed. "Now here you are." He prepared himself for the reaction on her face, for the rejection that he expected from a young girl just discovering she had a grandfather she’d never met. But there was only one obvious expression he expected. She seemed lost, struggling to clarify what she had just learned with what she already knew. Dr. Edwards didn't know what els
e to say or how else to console her. Perhaps she didn't know how to react to this new reality placed before her. Silent and withdrawn, she avoided Dr. Edwards’ eyes.
"I'm sure you have a lot of questions for me."
She blinked up at him.
Michael touched Dr. Edwards gently on his arm, aware his friend wanted to tell the young girl the truth about the evil that had separated them for all those years. It was the evil that they had both kept secret for so long.
Dr. Edwards picked up the single suitcase and led Claudia to the top of the steps. She reluctantly followed, briefly lost in the chaos of her own thoughts. It was remarkable how he couldn't quite read her entirely as he had his mother. It was as though she could control it better than he ever could. He had trouble keeping things hidden when his emotions got the best of him. The men standing behind him moved to the side, allowing them to pass as the security guard opened the door.
"Well," Dr. Edwards uttered. He turned, feeling the blood rush to his face and the beating of his heart drumming inside his chest as they entered the hallway.
Michael finally broke the silence.
"Perhaps you should take Claudia home to get settled in, Neil. I'm sure she's tired from her long trip. " Michael suggested this before his friend could protest, knowing his mind was on the details relating to the first day of school. Dr. Edwards glanced over at him, his soft blue eyes thankful.
“Don’t worry. I know the drill,” Michael said, and the principal smiled in return. Michael was like his second hand. A mere teaching degree had not earned him the position of such, but the fact that the faculty also respected him and trusted him was very reassuring.
"Besides, you two have a lot of catching up to do," Michael said. Dr. Edwards gazed over at him and nodded. Behind him, Mr. Claypool and Mr. Vasquez didn't offer much but a stupid grin, like two overgrown children.
A distance down the hall, Dr. Edwards noticed Claudia walking forward into the hallway. She was mesmerized and captivated by Milton's hallways. Dr. Edwards came to stand beside her. She seemed mystified by the architecture and detail, as he had always been. The ancient building had a magical element carved upon every molding and door frame. With the occasional cool draft and its poor lighting, there was still something beautiful, something mysterious about the whole building.