Catalyst (23 page)

"Can I come in?"

"There was a rattle of a latch being slid back, the
door opened and Linda stood there with a towel around herself.

"I'm so sorry, Renee," she said. "I remember being
sick in that toilet then I woke up in Ken's bed. That scared the
shit out of me until I realized he wasn't there." She glanced up.
"Where is he, anyhow?"

"With Courtney in your room."

"They haven't…"

"Probably."

Linda frowned. "And what happened to me?"

"Nothing. We brought you home and tucked you in bed.
How are you feeling?"

Linda grinned. "A thumping great headache but it
serves me right. Apart from that end bit, I really enjoyed
yesterday. You know, I felt really important when I stood in that
church beside Jack and Diane."

"You were," Renee said. "Look, the whole house will
be snoring for hours yet. I was going to take Zona for a morning
walk, along one of the trails at the back of the farm. Would you
like to come?"

The sixteen-year-old smiled. "I'd love to. Here, slip
into the shower, while I dress."

****

Twenty minutes later an excited dog ran ahead of the
pair up the hill. A mist from earlier had lifted and water dripped
from the foliage. They trudged forward in silence and savored the
moment, before chatting. Renee explained what had happened but
instead of being annoyed, Linda chuckled.

"I knew she was thinking of doing it but she seemed
afraid. Spiking my drink, though. That was a bit over the limit.
All she needed to do was give me a shove and I would have
disappeared."

"What about Mark?" Renee asked cautiously.

Linda screwed up her nose. "Mark. Who's he?"

"The boy you were dancing half the night with ...one
of Diane's nephews."

Linda gasped. "I don't remember him." She flushed.
"Did I do anything stupid?"

"No." Renee laughed. "Just danced in your stocking
feet, that's all. You were the life of the party for a while."

"I've been merry before but never had this happen."
She patted Zona's head and stared over the damp valley. "I don't
want it to happen again. How can people call it fun if they have no
memory of what they did?"

"Beats me," Renee replied. "That's life, I
guess."

She glanced at the girl and compared her with
Courtney. In many ways, the two were the same; they had been caught
up in situations beyond their control and had attempted to cope.
Linda was more serious than Courtney but also appeared to be coming
to grips with her life.

"It's so beautiful out here in the country," Linda
whispered. "And at this time of day everything is peaceful. It
makes me want to forget the terrible things that go on."

"Yes," Renee replied. "I was brought up in the valley
but still enjoy the tranquility of a morning like this." She turned
and watched as Zona tore off to chase something in the nearby
trees.

"Renee," Linda continued in a serious but hesitant
voice. "Can you help me?"

The older woman turned and studied her young
companion. The girl stared out at the panorama below but her
thoughts were elsewhere.

"Of course. I'll help in any way I can. What's the
problem?"

"Not personal help. I know you would do anything for
us kids. It's professional help I need."

"My profession?"

Linda turned and bit her bottom lip in nervousness.
"Yes," she said quietly. "I need a lawyer but I've got no
money."

"Don't let that worry you. What do you need help
with, Linda?"

"My parents," Linda replied. "Now that I had an
abortion, they're asking to have me returned to their care."

"And you don't want that?"

Linda nodded. "You, Lem, Jack and even the dean at
Northside have helped me. I've broken away and don't wish to go
back." She sighed. "My life was a little like Ken's."

"How?"

Linda stopped and turned away again. "My parents are
autocratic and violent. I was never allowed to think for myself or
even have an opinion. It was obey or be punished. As a little kid I
was whipped with a belt or shut in my bedroom for doing something
other children took as natural."

"Like what?"

"Playing in the park," Linda replied. "I wasn't
allowed to go near a public playground because there were so-called
naughty children there. One sunny Saturday when I was ten I went
and used a swing. Nobody was around except my little brother and
me. He told Daddy." Linda stopped and sighed again. "Oh, I don't
blame Daniel. He was as terrified of my parents as I was. Anyhow,
my father took a long switch and belted me across the back. I
screamed and cried but it never helped. There are still traces of
the scars."

"I see," Renee replied and pursed her lips in
anger.

"One other thing," Linda said. Her eyes were dry but
reflected inner turmoil. "I've never told a soul."

"Wait a minute," Renee said and noticed the girl's
face turn white and her lip quiver. "There is one small point."

"Go on."

"I not interested in a fee but would you like me to
be your lawyer?"

"Yes, please."

"Good. We have what is called client confidentiality.
Anything you tell me is confidential and protected by law. It's
like a doctor and his patient. Nobody can force me to divulge what
is said between us. Can you understand that? "

"I think so," Linda said.

"Good. Now what are you going to tell me?"

"I'm not like Courtney," Linda said in a strong
neutral voice. "I was not raped. In fact, I had several boys who
had sex with me from the time I was fourteen. I enjoyed it. For a
few moments there was someone who would love me. The inevitable
happened in the end and I became pregnant. The father could have
been any of three boys." She stared into Renee's eyes and for the
first time, tears appeared. "I'm not a prostitute, Renee but I was
what one would call an easy lay. All I wanted was love and that was
a way of getting it."

"And getting drunk?"

"That happened quite regularly. It was another way
for me to forget. Guys would get me drunk and have sex with me. I
didn't mind. Courtney had nothing to do with my drinking binge last
night."

"And now, Linda?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you still have casual sex?"

"No," Linda said. "Not since my abortion. I promised
myself I would work hard to get a decent education and not drink or
have sex. Yesterday was the first time I broke that promise." She
reached down to pat Zona who sat patiently beside the pair. "If I
hadn't passed out, I might have gone off in a car with that nephew
of Diane's."

"But you didn't." Renee studied the girl again.
Something was wrong. She could tell by her body language.

"I will represent you to try to prevent your parents
regaining custody, Linda but you must tell me everything, the lot.
You're holding back on something, aren't you?"

The girl nodded.

"What is it?"

"I've been raped. Many times."

"By whom?"

"My father," Linda replied and burst into a flood of
tears. "Ever since I was twelve, he did it. He stopped a year ago
when I threatened to go to the police. I would have, too and he
knew it." She sobbed and ran up the trail.

Renee followed, caught the girl, swung her around and
held on. Linda buried her head in a soft shoulder and cried long,
shuddering tears that gradually subsided into silent weeping.

"You're a brave girl, Linda," Renee said in an
empathetic voice. "I'll do everything I can to help you. There are
several things we can do so don't despair. It will turn out
okay."

"I tried to cope by myself," Linda whispered. "Then I
met Courtney, you, your dad and Lem. I realized there were decent
people in the world who would help me but I never had the nerve to
ask, until now."

"And we'll all help you, Linda," Renee said. "That's
a promise."

She turned and with her arm around the teenager,
headed down the trail. Zona ran beside them and looked up at Linda
with his large brown sympathetic eyes.

"Oh, Zona," Linda said and squatted down to pat the
Labrador. "You are the loveliest doggy in the world, aren't
you?"

"Woof," came the almost human reply as Zona wagged
his tail.

****

CHAPTER
21

When Renee arrived home in Seattle on Wednesday night
she had a look of quiet confidence.

"Linda," she said. "Can we have a word?"

"Sure, Renee." She stood up from the assignment she
was doing on the living room floor with Courtney and Ken.

"It's about your parents," Renee began when they were
in the kitchen.

The girl's face dropped. "Go on," she replied
cautiously.

"Cheer up, it's good news."

"I hope so." Linda sighed.

"I've placed a court injunction on your behalf. Your
parents are not allowed to have contact with you until the custody
hearing is heard."

"And when will that be?"

"In six to twelve months."

"That long?"

"I'm afraid so. There's one other thing. The court
has put you under private foster care as of Monday."

"What?" Linda gasped. "I'm being forced into a foster
home?"

"You are a minor, Linda. That's all I could do."

"I don't want to go." She raised her voice to a
scream. "It's not fair. I'm happy and safe here."

Renee glanced at Lem, grinning from across the table.
"Do you want to know the name of your new foster parents?"

"No," Linda retorted. "I'm not damn well going."

"A Mr. Lem Erksberg and his partner, a Renee Bonnett,
are your temporary foster parents."

"I said I don't care." The words sunk in and she
turned with her mouth open in astonishment. "Huh?"

Renee repeated her reply and glanced at Lem. "I don't
think she wants us, Dear."

"Pity," Lem replied. "She's a good kid. I think…" He
got no further as the sobbing teenager flung her arms around his
neck and kissed his cheek.

"Oh Lem." She rushed to do the same thing to Renee.
"I knew you wouldn't let me down. I just thought...."

"It's not permanent, I'm afraid," Renee warned. "A
judge at the court hearing makes the final decision."

"I know but this is more than I'd hoped for. I'll go
and tell Courtney." She kissed the pair again and rushed into the
living room.

"One happy girl." Lem observed. "What will happen in
the end?"

"I'm not sure," Renee said. "Linda will be seventeen
shortly and by the time the case is heard she'll be well on her way
to her eighteenth birthday. The judge could postpone any decision
until then. At that point she's an adult and any ruling becomes
redundant." She smiled. "That's what I'm aiming for at the moment,
rather than an outright decision."

"Why?"

"This is an unusual case since Linda's parents are
together. Most custody cases involve separated parents fighting
over a child. In the few cases like this that I have researched,
the minors are returned to their parents unless the child's
well-being is seriously affected."

"Well, doesn't this apply to Linda?"

"Yes." Renee sighed. With Linda's agreement, she had
told Lem everything. "But what proof do we have? I don't want to
put her through the trauma of testifying against her father."

****

Over the next few months, hectic life continued for
Renee, Lem and the three teenagers. The biggest event during this
period was the decision to open a branch office of Usborne and
Bonnett in Seattle. More and more family cases were referred to
them from the city. With the shift to a new office on the mezzanine
floor of
Northworld Hypermart
, only a few blocks from their
homes and the college, came a change of name to
Law Bonus
,
the last word formed from their names. Business became so brisk in
the city that Suzanne Norwood shifted south with Renee, while
Annette continued traditional services in Mount Vernon.

Epsilon Products
completed their contract with
Boeing and against intense competition, won a new contract for
internal latches in the 737-800 series passenger jet.

After Jack's wedding, Linda immersed herself in
schoolwork. She coped easily with the senior program but for
reasons unknown to Courtney and Ken, wanted to prove something to
herself. She refused to drink alcohol and withdrew into herself.
Invitations to accompany Courtney and Ken when they went out were
politely refused and instead she would turn up at
Law Bonus
and help the secretary with photocopying and odd jobs. In the end,
Renee offered her a part-time job that she readily accepted. She
spent several hours a week helping out.

Finally, summer arrived and with it the end of the
senior high school year.

****

On the last Monday of the academic year, the
auditorium was filled to capacity for the high school graduation
that was independent from the other college graduations.

After brief speeches from the principal and guests,
Doctor Dorothy Infield walked to the rostrum and smiled at the
hundred and five graduates. Though small in number compared with
high schools throughout the city, the students here were every bit
as proud and striking in their light blue graduation gowns.

Courtney sat only a few seats away from Ken, while
Linda with her surname Wycherley, was near the back of the student
body and in front of the public guests. She glanced back and tried
to see Renee and the others but couldn't. It was time for her line
to move to the off stage assembly area. The gowns of her companions
glistened in the light and her own felt cool with its smooth,
silken material and the tassel from her mortarboard bobbing in the
periphery of her vision.

"Courtney Elizabeth Howlett," the announcer said. In
almost a trance, she stepped out in front of hundreds of guests and
shook hands with Doctor Infield.