Catalyst (18 page)

"No, Mom." Her son laughed. "I was telling Jack, I
hope Renee doesn't start bossing me around again like she did when
we were kids on the school bus."

Diane saw the approval in her son's eyes and slipped
an arm around Jack. "Thanks Phil," she replied quietly and received
Jack's kiss.

****

After that day, the neighbors became inseparable with
their affection for each other deepening. Diane, Jack found out
later, had been attracted to him for years but being of
conservative rural stock had kept it to herself.

The two families with Courtney spent Christmas
together and two nights later, with the families away enjoying
themselves. Diane invited Jack to spend the night at her place.

The meal they had was superb but she was extremely
nervous when she excused herself and reappeared in the living room
fifteen minutes later dressed in a pink dressing gown.

"I love you, Jack," she whispered, "but I'm
scared."

"Don't be," he replied and drew her into his arms.
The dressing gown slipped off her shoulders to expose a black,
almost transparent negligée beneath.

"Cheeky Phil gave it to me for Christmas," Diane said
in an embarrassed voice. "I hope…"

"Don't talk." Jack undid the tiny silver ribbon that
zigzagged down the cleavage of her breasts.

Their tiny kiss on the lips became passionate and
they walked hand in hand to the bedroom. The gentle foreplay of shy
partners turned into excitement and exhilaration when both wanted
fulfillment and cast their clothes and inhibitions aside.

But was something wrong? Diane wept in the darkness
and clung to him. For a moment it seemed she was physically hurt
and he felt ashamed. It wasn't so.

"No, Jack. I wanted and needed you," she whispered
and tucked her head in the nape of his neck. "I've been alone all
these years and…" She glanced up so the whites of her eyes glowed
in the dull light. "I was too shy to tell you how I felt, then you
arrived with Amy."

"I didn't know. Amy provided an outlet for a lonely
old man but later I realized that was all it was." He kissed her
gentle lips and ran a finger along the tears on her cheeks. "No
more tears, Diane."

"No more tears," she replied and cuddled close.

****

CHAPTER
16

On the first Thursday in February Courtney sat
tight-lipped and nervous in the dean's office at Northside
Community College. She knew there was nothing to be worried about
but all authority made her apprehensive.

The woman in the armchair looked up from the sheet
she'd been reading and smiled at the new student. "And how have
your first few weeks been, Courtney?"

"I've enjoyed it Doctor Infield…I'm sorry, Dorothy."
Courtney stumbled. It was hard to get used to calling the staff by
their first names, something encouraged in the liberal college. "It
couldn't be more different than Miss Shelton's Academy."

Dorothy Infield smiled and started the interview. "As
you know, Courtney, this personal profile of all students in the
high school diploma classes is entirely confidential. Our little
chat is part of the process of helping you get the most of your
time here."

"I understand."

"Every answer is voluntary. If you don't want to
reply say, 'pass' and we move on. It is no reflection on you if
that happens."

Courtney nodded and glanced up. The dean had an
infectious smile and her nickname around the campus seemed quite
appropriate. Everyone called her Granny. She looked like
everybody's grandmother, fifty, gray-haired and rotund.

"Good. We'll get started then, shall we?" Dorothy
held up the questionnaire. "I must congratulate you on your
presentation, Courtney. It's copperplate and your command of the
English language and spelling is excellent. You should see some of
the styles our students have."

"It was something they stressed at Miss Shelton's
Academy," Courtney said offhandedly but felt proud of the
compliment.

Questions of a general nature were asked first and it
was ten minutes before personal matters were reached. "You listed
the most important males in your life as Lem and Jack and checked
family and friends in the relationship category." The dean looked
up. "I know Lem but who is Jack?"

"He's Renee's father."

"And you listed her as the most important female in
your life?"

"That's right."

"And you have no partner or steady boyfriend?"

"No." Courtney's voice quivered slightly and she
hoped this wasn't noticed.

The dean jotted a note on the sheet and switched to
other questions about Courtney's health, whether she smoked, took
drugs and other routine and less embarrassing matters. The
questions on the car accident and the reason she walked away from
home were more probing. Several times Courtney considered saying
'pass' but decided to answer.

It seemed as if Granny knew everything about her.
Courtney squirmed in her seat and thought of her time in
Florida.

"Back to your answer about other important people in
your life. I notice you wrote 'Grandma', then crossed her name out
and substituted 'Diane'. Is there a reason for this?"

"Not really," Courtney replied. "Grandma has gone
back to Michigan and I see more of Diane, that's all. She's Jack's
partner."

"And you don't include your parents on your
list?"

"No and I'd like to pass on any explanation."

Again, the dean made no comment and continued with
questions that involved subjects Courtney was taking and other
academic topics. Finally, Dorothy read the last page of Courtney's
questionnaire. She smiled and glanced at the teenager.

"In this section you said you're interested in
participating in our mutual help program where we buddy two
students together to help each other. Do you still want to do
this?"

"Sure."

"Good but why did you add the comment, females
only?"

Courtney flushed and said nothing.

"Pass if you wish."

"I was raped." Courtney burst out and tears flooded
her eyes. "Except for Lem and Jack, I hate all males."

The dean took a box of tissues from a drawer, slid
them across the desk and waited while Courtney cried silently for
several moments, before regaining control of her emotions. "I'm
sorry, Doctor Infield. I should be able to cope by now."

"There's nothing to be sorry about, Courtney. I'm
sure your friends have told you that."

The girl nodded and blew her nose.

"Would you like to tell me about it?"

Courtney almost said pass but saw empathy in the
dean's eyes. In hesitant sentences she began at the car accident
when Brigitte and Sada were killed and continued to her time in
Florida, the rape and meeting Renee and Lem in the cave.

"At least I'm didn't get pregnant like Linda
Wycherley." She sobbed at the end. Linda was another student and
rape victim in Courtney's class who had returned to college after
an abortion.

"True," Dorothy said without further comment on the
other girl. "Thank you for telling me everything, Courtney. You're
lucky to have friends like Lem, Renee and Jack."

She reached in the drawer and brought out another
personal profile document and turned to the back page. "Look at
this, Courtney."

In the mutual help section of the questionnaire the
student had agreed to participate but had written in block capitals
'No Males'.

"Would you be interested in being a buddy to this
student?" she asked.

Courtney glanced at the neatly written page. "I
suppose. What happened to her, or is it confidential?"

"There is one problem," Dorothy replied. "This
student is not female but a young man a little older than
yourself."

Courtney glowered but stopped and reread the page in
front of her. She glanced at the dean and bit her bottom lip. "Can
you tell me about him?"

"Like your history, his details are confidential. I
can say, though, that like you he is a victim of abuse and does not
trust males. Unfortunately, he hasn't had three wonderful friends
to help him and has become quite a loaner. I assure you he is a
gentle young man who needs a friend."

"Is he gay?"

"No. If you are prepared to meet him but don't want
to be his buddy, you can walk away. Once again, this will be no
reflection on you. There are several other girls I could buddy him
with but I think you are the best."

"Why?"

"Your personality, Courtney. You are bright and
outgoing. I know you are already one of the most popular girls in
your home class."

"Am I?" Courtney smiled for the first time in half an
hour. "I didn't realize."

"You can provide the friendship Ken needs at the
moment."

Courtney paused. She didn't know any student by that
name, not that this was unexpected. There were four home classes in
the high school section of Northside Community College with a total
of a hundred students.

"I'll meet him but promise you nothing. I'm not
comfortable with guys."

"They aren't all chauvinistic, sport crazy,
girl-chasing beer guzzlers, Courtney. Ken is none of these."

"Okay."

"Good, I'll see if Ken agrees and get back to you.
Meanwhile, please keep everything we said confidential." The dean
stood. "Your grades and assignments to date are excellent. You are
a most welcome student here. Thank you."

The interview was over. Courtney shook hands and
walked out with mixed but mainly confident feelings to find a
friend waiting.

"Hi, Linda," she said.

"You were in there forever," the other high school
senior replied. "How was Granny? I've got my interview
tomorrow."

"Fine," Courtney replied, "but I'm famished. Let's
head for the cafeteria."

The two walked down the corridor, chatting as they
went. In her short time at Northside, Courtney had made a circle of
friends. Her earlier fear that she'd be a year older than everyone
hadn't materialized. Only Linda and a handful of others were
younger. The students ranged from their late teens to Renee's or
even Lem's age. When one is eighteen, thirty is truly ancient.

****

That afternoon at four, the weather was terrible. A
northerly squall hit Seattle with hail and sleet. It pelted the
campus. Though she didn't expect him, Courtney looked across the
car lot in case Lem's Cadillac was there. It wasn't and she was
about to head out to the bus when she heard a toot.

"Renee." She laughed when she saw the Cavalier a few
yards away. "Come on, Linda, we've got our ride."

She ran to the auto and flung the passenger door
open. "You can drive Linda to her apartment, can't you?" she said
and without waiting for an answer, dived into the back.

"Sure. Hop in, Linda, before you get soaked," Renee
said. She drove in bumper-to-bumper traffic toward home.

"How come you're here?" Courtney asked.

"I had a client to see in Seattle, so worked it out.
I didn't have to make an extra trip."

"Renee's a top criminal lawyer," Courtney said
proudly to Linda. "I'm going to study law next year."

"Are you?" Renee replied.

"And why not?" Courtney retorted. "Don't you think I
can?"

Renee laughed. "Courtney, I'm sure you can, as long
as you don't chatter all the time."

"She does, doesn't she?" Linda added in a soft voice.
"It was like a bombshell hitting our class when she bowled in."

"Oh, shut up," Courtney retorted and continued to
chatter about her interview. She did not mention being budded up to
a male student.

****

After dropping Linda off, Renee drove home to the
apartment. With Dad and Diane firm companions, it hadn't been as
difficult as she had expected to tell him she was going to live
with Lem in Seattle. Courtney would stay with them.

So for the last month, their lives were reversed.
They spent the week in Seattle and the weekend on the farm. Lem and
Courtney insisted on accompanying her home and it worked out well.
As long as she gave herself plenty of time, even the daily trip up
the interstate wasn't too bad, since most traffic traveled in the
opposite direction.

"So what else happened in your interview with the
dean?" she asked.

"How do you know there was more?"

"Just a guess," Renee responded. "But there was,
wasn't there?"

"Yeah. I was a cot case again and bawled like an
idiot."

"So what?" Renee shrugged. "I'm sure Doctor Infield
understood."

"She couldn't be better," Courtney admitted. "I
didn't intend telling her what happened but it sort of slipped
out."

"And how do you feel now?"

"Better but she's paired me with a guy. I should have
refused."

"Has she?" Renee's eyebrows shot up.

"Yeah." Courtney told all about the buddy scheme.

"It sounds like a good idea. Linda seems a nice girl,
too. You're getting quite a group of friends."

"Linda had the same problem as me," Courtney added.
"Worse actually. She had an abortion a few weeks back."

"The poor kid."

"Yeah," Courtney said in a hushed voice. "She's only
sixteen. Doctor Infield said I was lucky to have you and Lem and I
agreed. Seeing some of the other students made me realize how
fortunate I am. You know, two girls in my class are pregnant and
one is a paraplegic. She broke her spine in a car accident not a
lot different from the one I was in."

"I think we're all fortunate," Renee said. "We could
have been killed or seriously hurt in that cave."

"So how's the ankle?"

"It aches in this cold weather but isn't too bad. I
tire if I walk too far."

"We help each other, remember."

Renee glanced at her young friend, smiled and
switched her attention back to driving. They would be home in
twenty minutes and she couldn't wait to get there. Her ankle ached
like a throbbing tooth and had all day. This was the real reason
she was back early. Annette had insisted she go home and take
Friday off.