Tentyrian Legacy (13 page)

But deep down, the sisters weren’t so
sure.

2006 AD, June

New Haven, Connecticut Yale University

Ari heard the bells tolling ten as she dashed
across the green between Saybrook and Trumbull Colleges to join the
rest of her class already lined up. She spent the morning finishing
her packing and cleaning up the dorm room she shared with her two
friends, Jayne and Rosemary. Last night’s debauchery had taken a
toll on Ari’s small but charmingly Gothic dorm, as well as on her
roommates. Fortunately, Ari felt wonderful. Her head was clear, and
she couldn’t wait to toss her cap. Maybe if she got her aim just
right, she could hit Gloria in the face with it.

From her first place in the processional, Ari
scanned the crowd for Raad. She couldn’t wait to see him and
introduce Charles. Raad’s opinion meant the world to her. After the
graduation ceremony, they would all have brunch at Lena’s Café,
including her parents. They were in the second row—her parents and
Dr. Raad. Their excellent seats certainly weren’t surprising, but
the fact her parents invited Raad to sit with them was. They always
tried to avoid discussing her condition with strangers. Surely
having to explain who Dr. Raad was to the other families would be
awkward. Hi, this is our daughter’s (the valedictorian’s) personal
doctor. Yes, she has mental problems. But she is doing much better,
thanks. As far as Ari’s parents knew, she really did have
schizophrenia. This was because Ari and Raad had made the decision
to keep her gift a secret. The potential for her being exploited
was too great.

Since Dr. Raad entered Ari’s life, she
discovered what it meant to be independent, to feel that she could
control her future, and that there was a life for her outside of
her parents’ house. Together, they embarked on what seemed like the
impossible, treating a condition that had no historical precedence.
It became clear to Raad that Ari was misdiagnosed as a
schizophrenic, which had been a convenient diagnosis for many. But
Raad’s willingness to think beyond convention led them to an
effective treatment plan that enabled Ari to lead an almost normal
life and embrace rather than be tormented by her power of
telepathy.

Every morning, Ari began her day at 5:00 a.m.
She would start with a forty-five minute jog, followed by a
thirty-minute meditation session designed specifically by Raad. The
calming breathing exercises helped set the stage for the rest of
the day. Rather than coffee, Ari only drank tea. She regularly
infused it with passionflower and Schisandra, often referred to as
the “Chinese Prozac.” The soothing herbs helped ready Ari to face
the world and its conflicting thoughts. The herbal-infused tea was
also an excellent pick-me-up around two o’clock, when her mind
tended to get chaotic. Ari would conclude each day with a tai chi
session that helped center her and improve her unconscious
awareness. It all sounded so “New Agey” when Ari thought about it
and when Jayne and Rosemary teased her about her routines and
refusal to deviate. But Ari knew that without those routines, she’d
likely be in a padded room.

Ari had experienced her first breakthrough
about three weeks after Dr. Raad began treating her. It was hard to
believe that was over four years ago. When they’d first started
their meditation sessions, Ari would just sit there with her eyes
closed, mimicking the sounds Raad would make. She’d quickly become
bored and often would just stare at Raad, wondering what he was
seeing and feeling from all those “ommms” and death breaths. She
felt like a phony because she didn’t feel any different. But one
afternoon in the rose garden as they meditated, Ari had felt
something different—silence.

It was as if all the reverberations coming
from her mouth had filtered into her mind and chased away the chaos
with their ripples, leaving nothing. Ari had been able to quiet her
symptoms before, but this time was different because she found true
calm. She remembered she had opened her eyes in astonishment at the
realization and shared it immediately with Dr. Raad.

“Very good,” Raad praised. “Please continue.”
He then gestured for her to be silent, and they continued to
meditate until the sun went down. When they were finished, Raad
hugged her tightly. The unexpected affection was surprising but
meant all that much more to Ari.

Over the next few months, Ari learned how to
build imaginary walls around her mind, at will, to create the
necessary tranquility to function normally. Through careful
control, Ari learned she could successfully socialize and be with
large groups of people without crippling side effects later. It was
a giant step forward in realizing her dream of going to college.
Raad was there for her every step of the way. He took her on
experimental trips into town, to restaurants, and even into New
York City as her self-control became stronger. He drove her to and
from the SATs and helped proof all of her essay submissions. It was
Raad to whom she confided her hopes and dreams, and it was Raad who
helped gain her entrance into the real world.

Ari waited anxiously for days for her Yale
acceptance letter. She checked the online blogs religiously to see
if other applicants had received their letters. By Tuesday, the
blogs showed chatter—the letters had started to arrive. By
Thursday, Ari hadn’t received anything and she felt despondent.
Then the doorbell rang. Irena opened the door to the dean of
admissions of Yale University himself. He personally drove down to
hand deliver Ari’s acceptance.

Thursday afternoons were the only time when
her parents lunched together. Their therapist suggested it would
strengthen their romantic connection. The timing of the visit was
impeccable, just as Raad had planned. The dean was actually an old
friend of his; they had met at a conference many years prior. But
their relationship—as well as Ari already being a legacy
candidate—aside, she was a shoe-in. Ari had top-notch grades and
SAT scores in the highest percentile, spoke four languages, and had
extracurricular skills to boot. Not to mention she would be a boon
for the university as one of their youngest applicants. Despite her
age, Raad assured the dean that Ari was emotionally mature enough
to handle the experience. However, her parents were going to take
convincing.

Gloria and Walter were in the dining room
finishing their lobster bisque when Irena announced the dean’s
arrival. Walter’s first thought was that his alma mater was asking
for money. But he’d written his annual check just three months ago,
so why the house call? Curious, Gloria and Walter abandoned their
lunch to meet with the dean in the living room.

When Dean Whittaker told them the news, they
were taken aback. They had no idea Ari even applied to Yale. Ari
was called in to explain herself immediately. In the meantime,
Whittaker flattered Walter and flirted with Gloria, just as Raad
had suggested. When Ari arrived, she recognized Dean Whittaker and
stopped in her tracks. She couldn’t believe he was actually in her
home.

Fortunately, before Ari could be
interrogated, Whittaker covered for her. He said that he had spoken
with Ari personally and understood that she wanted her potential
acceptance to be a surprise to her parents, that she expressed to
him in earnest how proud she wanted to make her parents. It was a
bunch of bologna; Ari hadn’t told them because she knew they would
forbid it. But the words coming from Whittaker’s mouth, a
well-respected academic and winner of the Pulitzer Prize, appealed
to the Parkers’ egos. The words, “You certainly raised a talented
young woman, Mr. and Mrs. Parker,” sealed the deal.

Whittaker said he was aware of Ari’s health
issues and felt assured she would do just fine at school, with Raad
monitoring her progress. He was confident that she would not only
succeed but that he’d be surprised if she didn’t graduate at the
top of her class. The dean then shook Ari’s hand and welcomed her
to the class of 2006. Shockingly, her parents seemed pleased.

Today’s graduation speech, though, was not to
please her parents. It was about honoring Raad and all that he had
done for her. With his support, Ari came to Yale a shy
sixteen-year-old—she remembered she felt like a baby surrounded by
older kids—but now, she was leaving a woman who people
respected.

The ceremony music began, and Ari led her
class up the aisle as families’ and friends’ cameras flashed. Raad
was holding up his vintage eight-millimeter camera. Although
slightly embarrassed, Ari was delighted. The only thing that would
have made the moment more perfect was if Charles was next to Raad.
Charles’ early morning meeting prevented him from attending, but he
promised to be there for brunch to make the inaugural meeting of
the parents.

The music concluded, and the dean of her
residential college, Saybrook, delivered his welcome speech with
warmth and levity. Soon enough, it was her turn. Ari willed her
long legs to gracefully take her to the podium. The black fabric of
her graduation robe and the cords designating her various honors
brushed her shins. She was confident and fresh, like a model from a
Neutrogena commercial. Everyone there wanted to hear what she was
going to sell. And sell she did.

“When I first came to Yale,” Ari began, “I
was overwhelmed by how intelligent and intense everyone was.
Everyone wanted to participate in class, everyone worked around the
clock for straight As, and everyone wanted to be a success. Even
flag football was serious business, which I quickly learned through
a dislocated shoulder. I actually never attended a real school
before coming here. So imagine my shock when I encountered thirteen
hundred A-type personalities. I thought for sure I wouldn’t make it
more than a week. But someone in my life told me not to throw in
the towel. He told me to get my ass to class and to raise my hand.
And to go back to that flag football field, throw some elbows, and
even break some bones if I needed to. I just want to point out that
the person who gave me this advice spent two years living in an
ashram.” Raad shifted the video camera and gave Ari a wink.

“So I took this wise man’s advice. And soon,
something amazing happened. I no longer was just one girl against
thirteen hundred; I was one of thirteen hundred all striving for
excellence. It felt like a harsh initiation for a sixteen-year-old,
having to run alongside and oftentimes try to run faster than those
who seemed so much more experienced and smarter. But as I ran in
this unspoken race, I noticed two things. First, people fell. But
when they fell, they were helped back up by their peers. And
second, people found unique trails I would have never even thought
to find, much less follow.

“Everyone up here today has participated in
this race with success. But what we have accomplished is more than
just finishing a one-time event; we have entered into a lifelong
marathon with some of the brightest and most adventurous people of
our generation. It’s easy enough to get caught up in yourself and
feel like you have to be first. But the reality is, being number
one is meaningless, unless you have reached your destination with
the knowledge that you made it with the people that matter and that
you know you’ve explored the unique paths they’ve shown you. To the
class of 2006, thank you for letting me run with you.”

Ari received a standing ovation. Rosemary and
Jayne gave her thumbs-up signs. It wasn’t long before Ari collected
her diploma, posed in front of the camera, and tossed her cap into
the air. She had done it.

Ari decided to ride with Raad in his beat-up
Civic to brunch rather than in her parents’ chauffeured car. She
wanted a few minutes alone with him.

“You did great up there, Ari. I was so
proud,” said Raad as they turned off Elm Street.

“Thanks, I wanted to keep it short. I hope it
didn’t come off as arrogant,” she said.

“Not all. You spoke the truth. Except for the
fact that you never really ran alongside anyone . . . You’ve always
led the pack.”

“Well, you have to say that.” “Because
why?”

“Because you are you,” said Ari with an
indulgent smile as she tapped away on her phone, sending Charles a
text.

“So I get to meet your new beau? Charles
Dumore, is it?”

“Yep, I really hope you like him.”

“Me too. But he is older, Ari, which worries
me. And he works on Wall Street.”

“You are just being cynical. He is smart,
handsome, and kind. I’ve never met anyone like him.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of, my dear.”

Wanting to change the subject, Raad said her
“real” Beau sent his love. Since dogs weren’t allowed on campus,
Beau went to live with Raad and his dog Luna while Ari was at
school—to her mother’s delight. Beau became Luna’s constant
companion. Even though she visited every weekend, Ari missed Beau
terribly. But she knew Luna and Beau were a match made in heaven,
and Beau was surely happier having acres to romp in rather than
being confined to her dorm room.