Bec twisted her head back to see her aunt standing there, pale as can be. “Dead?”
Patricia tried to play it off, “Oh dear, your mom told everyone you were gone. So, I just never corrected her.”
“Gone and dead are two very different things, Patty. I’m astonished you played along with that,” the older man replied.
Patricia now flushed with embarrassment and anger couldn’t even respond. She looked away and then back at Bec, “I’ll be sitting over here if you need me.”
“I won’t need you.” Bec said as she faced the front of the church.
Once the church started to fill in, Kyle sat back in his seat and began to relax. Bec was staring straight ahead at the casket that held her mother. He couldn’t imagine what she was thinking, but every now and again he could guess but he never tried to listen to her thoughts. He’d glance around and then back at her every few moments. Someone started speaking loudly from the back of the room and he noticed Bec flinch and close her eyes. He sent her a telepathic message, ‘are you okay? Anything I can do?’
She shook her head no. Bec needed to get this day over with and without any more interactions with friends and family of her mothers. The voice from the back boomed again, making her flinch. It wasn’t the loud voice that bothered her but whom the voice belonged to. Bec’s mom married again when she was in the hospital. The man was a high school friend of Jessie’s and obnoxiously loud. The only good thing Bec could say about Larry was that he always tried to be kind to Bec. She just could never trust a man like that again and shut him out.
The preacher stood in his pulpit making his speech and telling his version of how Jessie was in heaven enjoying glory, Bec blocked him out hoping it’d all end soon. Once her aunt took the pulpit to tell some memories, Patricia asked if anyone else would like to share. Bec didn’t move, no one moved. Jessie wasn’t someone who wanted to share a lot about as far as her daughter was concerned so she sat waiting for it to end.
The preacher stood, called out to everyone, “If you’d like to say one last goodbye before we lay Sister Jessie to rest, this is the time to do so.”
People from every pew stood and walked up to the woman, said their goodbye’s, and gave well wishes to Bec. Bec never looked at any of them. She stared straight ahead at the casket that held the woman who gave her life and hell. When everyone was done and the nave nearly empty save Bec, Kyle, and Patricia... Bec stood and walked up to the body that was once her mother.
Looking down at the woman’s shell, Bec plucked a carnation from one of the nearest bouquets and laid it on her mother’s chest. Leaning in she whispered, “I may hate you till the day I die, but you’re still my only mother. Rest well mama.” Kyle stood two feet behind her for support but also giving her space to make her peace. When she turned to leave, he followed silently behind her, reminding her of Jack who followed her silently for three years in the hospital.
Outside, in the car, Bec inserted the key into the ignition. Before turning the key, she said, “I need a drink.”
Kyle looked at her and without hesitation, replied, “Let’s go get one then!”
Chapter 12
Bec was never scared on the first day of school, because she only ever had one in her whole life in kindergarten. Her mother didn’t move from town to town as much as she moved from trailer to run down trailer. The town was small enough to have one school district. Every kid went to the same school no matter where in the county they lived, even the kids from the neighboring county came to the same schools. The area was that rural.
In the hospital, however, Bec would have a first day at school. Everyone wore the same clothes, what the hospital dished out, and they weren’t very flattering. Bec didn’t know what to expect because there was no schedule other than show up at nine after breakfast and go until two that afternoon. Jack shadowed her like any other day. At the door, Jack spoke softly, “Have a good day in there. Try to make friends.”
Bec wobbled her head back and forth, “Friends. Me? Okay. I’m just glad to get back into my studies.”
He placed a hand on her shoulder and looked her in the eyes, “What you are going to learn isn’t the normal school stuff. Be alert. Be cautious.”
“Um, okay. You’re kind of making me nervous,” she stepped back from him.
“Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He turned and took his place next to another guard standing by the wall across from the school door entrance.
Grabbing the doorknob, Bec looked back at Jack who nodded to her, then pushed the door open and walked through. Inside there were no desks. Students were in groups and seemed to be working on their gifts. There was one group with kids just staring at one another. Another group was holding hands and looked like they were phasing through a stack of books, this made her think of Jack. Then there was one kid all alone with a ball floating in the air. This would be her partner.
“Welcome, come in and find your place.” A bubbly man startled her as he spoke up with a high-pitched tone. She looked at his flamboyant clothing before he spoke again, “I’m the professor. Go on and make yourself comfy.” He waved her over the boy who worked by himself.
She could only nod and go. Bec walked up to the redhead with wild curls and covered in freckles who were now bouncing the ball three inches from the ground up to the ceiling and back again. “Can I join you?”
The ball froze mid air. The boy turned to Bec, “Can you do this too?”
Bec smiled, “Yeah I can.” She took control of the ball and made it whirl around the room and back, then let it sit in the air in front of the young teen.
He smiled, “Oh yeah, this is going to be fun. It’s about time they got me someone to work with!”
“You mean only we,” Bec motioned between them, “can do that?”
The guy smirked, held out a hand, “Wale.”
“Well, what?”
He laughed, “Nah. That’s my name. Wale.”
Bec just stared at him to see if he was joking. He apparently wasn’t, “Wale? Well, okay then. Bec.” She offered his hand to her.
“My little sister couldn’t say Wallace and somehow it came out as Wale, so it stuck. What’s Bec short for?”
“Nothing I plan on telling you...” Bec smirked back. “So, what do we do here?”
Wale gave the young woman a once over, rubbed his chin, “Mostly the days are split between honing our skills in here and our studies. Sort of. They give us our assignments and we finish them in our rooms.” He shrugged, “We mostly work in here.”
“Why?”
“That is the hundred-million-dollar question sweetheart.”
Bec glared at him. She usually didn’t like anyone calling her sweetheart, but something about him let her do it. She wasn’t sure if it was because someone like her was here and gave her that little bit of comfort or if it were something more. His light blue eyes rimmed in grey intrigued her, so she was nice to him for now. “Teach me what you know and let’s see if there’s anything new for me.”
Wale looked at the beautiful teen standing before him. Her blue eyes were inviting and not far in shade from his own. She seemed nervous, but he couldn’t imagine a situation like this that wouldn’t make anyone uneasy. He wanted to comfort her but knew that anyone in this place would need time for anything, including human contact. “How about we go through some of the basics of what they’ve been having me do. Some of its pure nonsense,” he shrugged, “but it's better than sitting in our rooms all day.”
Bec nodded without great thought. Her first day out of the room with others and she is doing kindergarten tasks with her gift... go figure. Deep down, she had to admit that she was very glad to be out of her room and actually around people her own age, not that she’d say that out loud. She heard a familiar voice coming from the other side of the room. Glancing over she saw Kyle and Maria working together. Just as she looked over, Kyle glanced her way. Their eyes met and locked as if they were the only two in the room for several seconds. Wale in
terrupted the silent romance when he tapped her shoulder. Taken off guard, Bec grabbed his hand twisting it so that his whole body was turned away from her and he ended up on his knees. Instinct had kicked in and defense was her answer to being touched.
“Damn, what gives? I was just trying to get your attention?” The boy whimpered.
Letting him go quickly, her face reddened, “Sorry. I don’t like being touched and you took me by surprise.”
Hands up in the surrender position, Wale’s eyes were wide, “No touching. Got it. We have to practice so they think we’re staying busy. They have this whole productivity thing they drill into us.”
Glancing back at Kyle, she saw he was already facing his partner and Bec was no longer a thought to him. Turning to the redhead in front of her, “I am sorry. Still got to work on some things.”
“Yeah, I can see that,” he replied as he turned his focus on the ball. “Look I get there are some things that need to be worked on... but know this, I’m not the enemy. I’ve been where you’ve been. We’re the same you and I.”
“I highly doubt that,” she said with a smirk, “less talk more work.” Over the next two hours the two teens worked through the daily exercises that was required of them. Wale made sure to show Bec everything before lunch. He didn’t want to lose his only partner so soon.
Chapter 13
“Time for lunch,” the teacher called out. Professor stood watch over all the students by walking the room and nodding when he was pleased with the work a student was doing. He stood watching Bec and Wale for quite a long time. Bec figured he was evaluating her since it was her first day. She didn’t care after a while because she figured she was finally out of her room and doing something. All the students lined up at the door and the newest student fell in at the end of the line.
As the door opened and students began to file out, the guard to each student fell in line just behind their assigned student. As Bec hit the door's threshold, Jack fell in behind her and just a step to the side. Bec glanced back and up at him. He offered her small smile as comfort. He knew without her being told that the guard’s presence was welcomed and reassuring, something he understood well. He covered the distance between them slowly and offered a small word of advice, “When you get to the cafeteria, I can eat with you, if you want. Just know that this class isn’t the only one in this place and you’re about to get overwhelmed.” Bec nodded without looking his way and continued to follow the rest of her new classmates.
The cafeteria was down some halls and after multiple turns; the teen wasn’t sure she’d ever remember the way back and was even more grateful for the man who shadowed her. One more left turn and the hallway opened up to two giant metal doors that were opened in either direction. Inside the room, Bec saw the large cafeteria lined with enough tables and chairs that five hundred people could easily sit and eat. Nearly every table was filled to capacity except three in the back-right corner. A slight glance down and back told her that Jack was still there, so she continued to follow her classmates. The eeriest part of this cafeteria was that no one spoke. The only sounds you heard where the students forks hitting the tray and the servers spoons scraping the food to serve.
Wale was four students ahead of her and she caught him looking back at her. He gave a quick nod making sure she was ok. Bec nodded back but her system was on high alert being around so many new people. The meals were served like most cafeterias where you grab a tray and the cooks on the other side offered their dishes and served what you accepted. Bec wasn’t sure what was good since most of her meals were left untouched in her room. She decided to see what the others chose and made what she felt was safe choices; salad, green beans, baked chicken. Jack followed her closely as he filled his tray with every choice he could before running out of the room, then on to the table Bec chose.
At the tables, the students all ate in silence with their guards next to them. Not once did anyone speak! Bec looked around, then towards Jack. He must’ve understood her question and gave her a quick wink. She smiled and ate her food. As the two ate, Jack would brush his arm against Bec’s as he ate. The light touch would send tingles through her body as they were some of the only physical touches she had had in months that were gentle and welcomed. The first time it happened, Bec froze and only her eyes moved towards the arm that had touched her. Jack froze in anticipation of the reaction that would happen but instead of a fight starting Bec only grinned to herself before continuing to eat.
Across and down the table, Kyle sat watching the interaction between student and guard. Anger welled up in him at the thought that she welcomed the touch of the former resident of the hospital yet would barely open up to him. He didn’t understand why it bothered him so much; it wasn’t like Bec and he were close or anything. Why did it make him mad? The telepath sent the girl a message, Do you like him? He asked. Bec froze again. Looking up she glanced around. She knew she heard a voice and it sounded like Kyle, but he was at the other end of the table and no one else reacted to him speaking. Tilting her head, Bec looked at Kyle blankly before he repeated the question. She glanced at Jack then back to Kyle and scrunched her face.
Kyle continued, I saw him touch you and you glance at him. Do you like him?
Bec knew she couldn't respond, so she just stared.
Realizing that Bec didn’t know she could talk back to him, he spoke again. If you answer me in your head, I can hear you... like your thoughts right now saying what are you talking about’. Well, I saw the touches and the glances and smiles. So, I ask again, do you like him?
Realizing that Kyle had read her thoughts only angered her, not exactly the conversation the young man was aiming for. So, she replied, Get out of my head. He is kind, not that it is any of your business...he is being a friend as much as he is allowed.
Uh huh, was the only reply Kyle could give before retreating from her mind.
Jack must’ve noticed the stares between Kyle and Bec because just as she had replied to Kyle, the guard tapped Bec on the shoulder to signal her to follow him. He led her to discard her tray and leave the cafeteria to go back to the classroom. As they exited the cafeteria, Jack spoke softly as not to raise awareness from others around them. “Kyle likes you.”
Bec stopped mid-step, sighed, and then responded, “Kyle is a jerk and nosy. Thank you. For in there.”
Jack nodded, not that she could see that, before they started walking again. He only spoke again when he gave her directions on when to turn to get back to the class. When they got to the door, Bec turned around and faced the guard, “Thank you, for being a friend in a place where I have none. You never push me and that means a lot.”
Looking deeply into her eyes, Jack lost himself before replying as he ran a finger over her jawline, “It’s my pleasure. I know what’s it like in here and not knowing what to expect. I can’t stand by and let anyone else go through that.”
Her head instinctively leaned into his touch, eyes closing just a bit to savor the feeling Bec relaxed. Glancing up at the man, her question took him by surprise, “How long were you here?”
Stunned by her question, Jack straightened and remembered his position, “Time for class Bec,” then fell into his place on the wall.
Bec stared at him blankly, had she overstepped so much that he now froze her out? Just when she thought she might have a true ally inside these walls, she pushed too far. Sighing, she relented and went inside the classroom. No one else had returned yet, so she took a few random objects and began making them spin in the air in different patterns. Entertaining herself for quite some time, something tingled at her neck. Turning slowly, Bec found the professor and all the students staring at her, watching her manipulate six items at once. Looking blankly at them, she asked, “What?”
Wale was the one who spoke up, “How long have you been able to move multiple things at once?”
Shrugging, the teen replied simply, “Always.”
Chapter 14
For days after her mother’s service
, only speaking when it was necessary, Bec stayed silent. She’d rummage around the house shared with Kyle randomly but mostly stayed in her room. The salon’s business went on and on without skipping a beat. Kyle would leave his job in the evenings and go sit in the back of the salon watching his friend work silently. None of the staff knew what to say or do around her, afraid of her reaction. Bec never cried after her mother’s funeral, never mourned. Kyle knew this was a dangerous combination with such an angry woman. He tried to anticipate when she’d explode, hoping to shield those around her from her wrath.
On the fifth day, it happened. Bec snapped. Kyle wasn’t around. The staff had just arrived to get their stations ready for the day when one of the stylists bumped into her. Wendy turned, fear apparent on her face, “I’m so sorry Bec,” the woman’s voice quivered.
Bec froze. She knew she’d blow up if she wasn’t careful, but the fuse had been lit and emotionally she had no more strength to control herself. “Get out,” she whispered.
“But what about-,” Wen tried to question her.
Turning looking at the stylists, she growled, “Get out. Everyone!” Her hands clenched at her side, Bec’s face turned red. Charlie had seen Bec lose her control before and knew that none of the women there needed to be around.
On her way out of the salon's back door, Charlie tapped her phone and dialed Kyle. “You need to get over here. She just kicked us all out.”
“Shit. On my way. Take the day, I’ll take care of her,” he replied breathing heavily into the phone.
“You okay?” Charlie questioned.
He paused, looked at the woman by his side, “Yeah, just working out. Be there in five.” While he loved Bec, he knew that Bec wasn’t ready for him and a man had needs. Rolling out of the hotel bed, Kyle looked back at the woman who feigned a pout as she tried to tempt him back under the sheets. “I gotta go which means you gotta go.”
After the Storm (Gifted and Special Adolescents Hospital Book 1) Page 6