path: root/04-TheOutingPart1.rst

Episode 3.04, The Outing, Part 1
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Dark ominous clouds layer the sky as bolts of lightning strike the
ground far and near. An evil creature is approaching; dressed in
reflective armor, deflecting every photon bolt that is lunged at him.
His eyes glow, pulsating from red to purple and back again. Saliva
drips from his rimless lips, causing puffs of green smoke to rise
from the ground as it pulverizes matter back to its basic elements.
All that is holy curses him, but no one has been able to defeat him.
He is a phantom, elusive to every kind of attack. The people, the
lowly peasants across the land, have given him the name, Phantom
Warrior.

Other creatures, perhaps innocent bystanders, run to save their
pathetic lives. The attack continues to stop this demon from reaching
Grom City. For this is where Phaylor has made his last stand, and you
know he must be saved. For he, along with Duchess Maron, are the only
hope, the last chance to stave off a universe of darkness.

The soldier fires continuously from his photon cannon, and his
comrade is firing his as well, but nothing seems to affect this
creature. Do we have other weapons? Yes, but they are in the armory,
and to get there, you must cross the river of molten zornite. This no
human has succeeded in doing without losing his life. But you have to
try, it’s our only hope. Use the force, Luke. What… what force? Then
a korsite bomb explodes nearby, temporarily blinding them both. As
the fog clears from their eyes, they see the most terrifying image
flashing before them… Game Over.

Luke – “That was really cool! Where did you get this game?”

Friedman – “I hacked it off the Microgames website. The released
version will be out in a few months.”

Luke – “I really want to play this again, but we should get to doing
what we came here for. Do you really think you can do it?”

Friedman – “Piece of cake!No matter what security is in place, there
is always a way around it. I have been doing this as a hobby for a
couple of years now. Remember Angela’s diary?”

Luke – “Yeah and that didn’t work out so well, did it?”

Friedman – “How was I to know? I just saw her talking about her
breasts and thought, ‘Cool!’ I didn’t read the whole thing either.”
He pauses for a moment.

“But I have done some good things. I kept Judith from failing trig.
Every time she would fail something, which was almost always, I would
boost it up to a C. No one knew, not even Judith. She just thought
she faked her way through it. Always guessing c or c on an exam
really doesn’t work.”

Luke – “Have you done that for other people… yourself?”

Friedman – “Judith’s grades are the only ones I’ve changed. I have
been tempted to change some of mine, but it didn’t seem right.”

Luke – “I really liked Judith, too. We all miss her. But, I know you
and Joan miss her most of all.”

Friedman – “Yeah, my luck with women can be a testament to mankind of
what shouldn’t happen. Maybe I’m destined to become a lonely computer
geek.”

Luke – “No, you have to stay in the game. Things will turn around,
you’ll see.”

Friedman – “It’s a game? Well, it hasn’t been a game for me.”

Luke – “Maybe ‘game’ isn’t the best word. How about love is a
never-ending pop quiz? You never get all of the answers right, but
even the wrong ones prepare you for the final exam. The next time it
will be better. You’ll see.”

Friedman – “A pop quiz?That’s funny. You’ll have a good career in the
fortune cookie business. But hey, I can only go up from here, right?”

Luke – “Trust me, I’m right on this, but back to the task at hand.
Can you do this?”

Friedman – “Sure, let’s just start with their website. What are we
looking for?”

Luke – “Anything and everything. Grab whatever you can and we’ll sort
it out later. Knowledge is power, but don’t worry about what’s
publicly available. That is what Ryan wants us to see. We need to
find out what he is really up to.”

Friedman – “Wow, they have some heavy security in place. How can a
volunteer organization afford security like this?”

Luke – “Joan says Ryan is really rich. He probably paid for it
himself. Are we finished?”

Friedman – “No, let me bring up Whisker and see what we can learn.”
Mumbling to himself, “Windows XP, Dell Dimension 4700, Whoa!”

Luke – “What happened?”

Friedman – “It kicked me out! I’ve never had that happen before. This
is going to be more work than I thought. I know some hacker sites
where I can get some more ideas, but it will take time. You wanna
play the game again?”

Luke – “No, I told you that I couldn’t stay long. I have to help Joan
with a project. I’ll call you later.”

At Home

Joan wanted to tell Kevin last night, but he was out with Lilly when
she got home. The hours dragged on and on. Finally, she just couldn’t
stay awake any longer, and she had to go to sleep. It’s a good thing
because he spent the night at Lilly’s.

Kevin called this morning and said he would be home for lunch. That’s
why when Friedman asked Luke to come over, he told him that he
couldn’t stay long.

Joan has been in her room most of the morning trying to figure out
the best way to tell Kevin. She is happy that the other night went
well, but she feels she should tell Kevin in private. He’s her big
brother, and although she loves Luke too, Kevin has always had a
special place in her heart. However, she can’t decide how to do it.
Should she just blurt it out or should she work her way into it? This
is so important to her that she is even wondering if she should not
tell him at all. At least with a blue pill, there is no chance of his
feelings for her changing. What to do is tormenting her.

She hears Kevin come in the front door and can hear him talking to
the others downstairs. Then she hears the hum of the chair lift
bringing him upstairs. The bathroom door closes. She walks into his
bedroom, sits and waits.

Kevin comes in and sees Joan, “Joan! What are you doing here?”

Joan – “I have to tell you something.”

Kevin – “Sure, shoot!” Kevin has the cocky, cavalier attitude he gets
sometimes.

Joan – “This is hard. There is something about me that you should
know.”

Kevin – “I already know you’re a sub-defective.”

Joan – “It’s not that. Well, maybe it is. I don’t know, but something
has been happening to me for a long time.”

Kevin – “Like what?”

Joan – “I have dreams.”

Kevin – “So do I.”

Joan – “No, mine are different. Mine come true.”

Kevin – “Oh, I see where you’re going. This is a joke.”

Joan – “No, really, I see things, and then they come true.”

Kevin – “Right! You know, I believed that psychic for the longest
time. Now, I’m seriously thinking about asking Lilly to marry me. Do
you really think there is a chance in hell I’ll be dancing at my
wedding?” He slaps his legs.

Joan – “No, Kevin, I’m trying to tell you something.”

Kevin – “Come on, April fools is already past and this isn’t funny.”

Joan – “No, Kevin, please.” She now realizes she has failed. She runs
into her bedroom, locks the door, and begins to cry on her bed.

Kevin has no clue what just happened, but it still breaks his heart
to see his sister cry. He knocks on her door, “Joan, I’m sorry, come
out.” She doesn’t respond. “Joan, I’m sorry I didn’t laugh at your
joke, come on out.” Of course, this just causes Joan to sob even
more.

Kevin gives up and goes back down stairs, “What’s with Joan? I didn’t
laugh at her joke and now she all crying. I don’t get it.”

Helen – “Oh God, what did you say to her?” She doesn’t wait for an
answer. She runs upstairs and begins knocking on Joan’s door.

Luke – “Hey, big bro. You have really stepped in it now.” Kevin gives
Luke and Will that puzzled look. He still doesn’t realize what just
happened.

Will recounts the story of the other night, and Luke supplements
parts that he misses. Between the two of them, they reproduce the
conversation pretty well. Helen comes back down. She is furious, “She
won’t come out of her room.”

Kevin – “I’m sorry, I assumed she was joking.”

Helen – “Do you know who your grandmother is?”

Kevin – “Ah, yeah, Catherine Brodie.”

Helen – “Well, you’re right, and you’re wrong. She has been a
wonderful mother to me, but she didn’t become my mother until I was
nine. My other mother, the one who gave birth to me, had dreams too,
only they locked her away in an insane asylum until the day she died.
I was so afraid that I never told anyone about my dreams. It was
years before I was even willing to tell your father. Now, your sister
is having them. You had better get used to the idea if you ever plan
to have a daughter.”

Kevin – “Wait a minute! If you knew about this, why did you let them
send Joan away to Gentle Acres?”

Helen – “Oh, you better believe I thought about it, but that was
different. She was sick and we could all see that. We decided to let
the doctors try to help her. However, even if they hadn’t been able
too, Joan was coming home no matter what.”

Kevin considers her response and agrees with her argument, “Well, Dad
and Luke already told me what happened last Tuesday.”

Helen – “Well, there’s something else we need to talk about. It’s
Lilly.”

Kevin – “What does she have to do with this?”

Will – “You can’t tell her.”

Kevin – “Why not?She’ll keep it a secret.”

Helen – “It’s not that. What do you suppose Lilly will do when she
learns it was Ryan Hunter who trashed her church?”

Kevin – “She’ll probably go beat the crap out of him.”

Will – “That’s why you can’t tell her. We’ll find a way to get Ryan
Hunter, but none of us want Lilly ending up in jail or worse doing
it.”

Kevin considers Will’s argument for a moment, “Yeah, I guess you’re
right, but I have never lied to her, and I don’t want to start now.”

Helen – “You won’t have to. As long as she doesn’t know, there will
be no reason for her to ask.”

Kevin looks at Helen, and without saying it, she can see that he
agrees.

Helen – “Now, you’re going back upstairs, and you are going to talk
your sister out of her room.”

It took awhile, but Joan finally let Kevin in. He apologized again
and allowed her to explain what she has been going through, “So, do
you think I’m crazy?”

Kevin – “Earlier today, I would have thought yes, but now, I’m not so
sure. You certainly have been able to convince the others.”

Joan – “Do you still love me?”

Kevin – “Of course I do. Why would you even think otherwise?”

This is what she wanted to hear. She sits on his lap and gives him a
hug.

Kevin – “Come on downstairs. We still haven’t had lunch, and I’m
starved.”

They go downstairs where the others have also been waiting for Joan’s
arrival. Helen fixes soup and sandwiches.

Kevin – “So Joan, you look like you need a nap. Is there any chance
of getting next Wednesday’s lotto number?”

She gives him a smirk, “It doesn’t work that way.”

Kevin – “Don’t get mad. So, you have these dreams about different
places, but you don’t know why.”

Joan – “I just know it is someplace that I want to be, someplace that
I will be.”

Kevin – “So, how do you connect the dots?”

Joan – “I haven’t figured that out yet.”

Helen decides to change the subject, “Why don’t you wear your blue
dress to the Goetzmann’s tonight?”

Joan – “Mom, no, I want to wear normal clothes. Elizabeth won’t be
dressing up.”

Helen – “This will be the first time your father and I have met them.
I want to be sure to make a good first impression.”

Joan – “You and Dad can dress for the prom if you want, but I’m
wearing jeans.”

Helen – “Well, at least wear your new red pair. I washed them and
they’re in the laundry room.”

Kevin – “So, how did this come about, because of Elizabeth?”

Will – “Wayne Goetzmann called me last Monday and invited us over. He
wants to thank me for helping Elizabeth at the theater.”

Kevin – “For saving his daughter’s life?”

Will – “Yes, but all of this hero stuff is too much. There were two
other men who helped out too. They were barely mentioned by the
Herald. A simple thank you was enough and Elizabeth has already done
that.”

Kevin – “Then you might not like what Lilly and I made for you.”

He motions for Will to look in the pouch on the back of his
wheelchair. Will pulls out a brightly wrapped package with bows and
ribbons. There is a little card. It reads, ‘To my Dad.’

Kevin – “Open it.”

He opens the package and pulls out a large varnished plaque with the
newspaper article from the Herald decoupaged to the front. It has the
picture of him carrying Elizabeth out of the theater followed by the
entire article.

Will – “I don’t know what to say. This is wonderful.” He holds it up
for the others to see, “Thank you, Kevin.”

Kevin – “Well, Lilly did the decoupage. I enlarged the picture and
reformatted the article so it would fit nicely on the plaque.”

Helen – “It’s so beautiful. It almost looks like a painting. I have
decoupaged before, but I have never gotten results like this! Lilly
and I will be having a talk.”

Joan leaves and in a few minutes, they hear pounding. She comes back
and takes the plaque from her father, “I know just where to put this,
come on.”

They all go into the living room and Joan places the plaque on the
nail. It is prominently centered above the bookcase, “There.” She
steps back to look at it with the others. She gives her father a kiss
on the cheek and says, “You will always be my hero.”

Later, they have all gotten ready to leave. Joan has on her jeans,
but they are actually burgundy in color. She chose a dark blue knit
top that has ‘Breathe’ in white decal across the chest.

Helen – “Well, you look nice, even though it’s toned down a bit. I
saw that when you bought it. What does it mean?”

She turns around to show Helen the back of the shirt. It also has a
white decal that says ‘2 AM’. “It’s a song by Anna Nalick. I love her
music.”

Will has chosen black dress pants with a light gray dress shirt,
matching belt and shoes, but no tie. Helen is wearing a summer dress
similar to what Sarah bought, except Helen chose it in brown tones.
She also bought the matching bonnet, but will not be wearing it this
evening.

Kevin and Luke are ready to go as well, but not to the Goetzmann’s.
For them, this will be a boys’ night out. They haven’t done this in a
long time, and this is the perfect opportunity.

Luke – “So, when are you going to tell me what we are doing tonight?”

Kevin – “It’s a surprise. Trust me, you’ll like it.”

At the Goetzmann’s

Will is driving again. His burn is not completely healed, but well
enough to permit the use of his hand. He still wears a bandage, but
just to keep it from being bumped.

They ring the bell and June answers the door. Wayne and Elizabeth are
also there. She invites them in, “Hi, I’m June. This is my husband
Wayne, and of course, you know Elizabeth.” They exchange greetings.
Helen offers the lime and carrot Jell-O she has made for dessert.
June excuses herself to put it in the fridge. Wayne begins to offer
his hand, but retracts it. He then offers his left hand, “I am really
glad to finally meet you. I hope to be able to do this the right way
soon.”

Will – “It’s nice to meet you too. The hand is almost healed.”

Will turns and Elizabeth is there. She gives him a big hug, “I just
needed to do that. Thank you, Mr. Girardi, for saving my life.”

Will – “It was my pleasure. I’m glad to see you are looking well. It
is certainly a change from the last time I saw you.”

Elizabeth – “Well, it’s all because of you.” She looks at Joan, “Come
on, let’s go up to my room.”

At the Restaurant

Kevin has decided to take Luke to Lin’s Family Restaurant. He has
eaten there on several occasions and enjoys the food. It has always
been for lunch, but the dinner menu is the same. Actually, it is
buffet style with a bounteous selection of Chinese food. He has never
had a problem with finding something good to eat.

When they arrive, Chun Chen, known by all as Cee-Cee, escorts them to
their table. She is an exquisitely beautiful young woman and would be
enough to cause the men to come visit, even if the food was lousy.
She welcomes them and takes their drink order. Kevin and Luke both
order sweet tea.

Kevin and Luke go and fill up their plates with a variety of foods.
Kevin suggests that Luke try the sweet and sour chicken. When they
return to their table, Kevin begins to speak, “Let me tell you
something about Cee-Cee. It’s a story the Herald was going to run,
but pulled at her request. You’ve heard about the bombing in Atlanta
during the Olympics in 1996?”

Luke – “Yeah, Eric Rudolph, everyone knows about that.”

Kevin – “Well, here is something you don’t know. Cee-Cee was an
athlete for the Chinese team that summer. She was only one of the
alternates and never actually performed. She and some of her
teammates were in the park when the bomb went off. They all ran along
with their burly escorts, you know, their protectors, although
everyone knows their job was to make sure they didn’t get away.
However, when everyone ran, Cee-Cee kept running. You see, she was an
alternate for Women’s 100-meter event. She took advantage of the
confusion and escaped. This was an embarrassment for the Chinese
government and there was a deal made to keep the story from the
press. That’s why Cee-Cee didn’t want us to run the story. Her family
is still in China and she fears for them. The owner here, Mr. Lin, is
a distant cousin, and he took her in.

Luke – “How did you find out about it?”

Kevin – “One of her younger cousins blabbed the story and somehow
Andy Reese found out about it. I just think it is awe-inspiring. When
you look at her, you would never imagine that is her story.”

At the Goetzmann’s

Elizabeth – “I like your shirt.” She puts in a CD and Anna Nalick
begins to play. She turns the volume down low so they can talk, “Do
you like my hair?”

Joan – “Yeah, it looks fine, but I heard some of it got burned off.”

Elizabeth – “It did, this is a wig. I’m glad you couldn’t tell. This
wig is a little more blond than how I usually wear my hair. It’ll be
months before my real hair grows back long enough. Will you keep my
secret?”

Joan – “Sure, I’m good at keeping secrets.”

Elizabeth – “So, whatchabeen doing since you got kidnapped?”

Joan gives her a look, because she can see she is smiling,
“Housework, mostly. I got grounded for three weeks, but I spent this
last week at Lake Nashman. I had a wonderful time.”

Elizabeth – “You had everyone worried for awhile. Mom was watching
the news when I got home. I’ve never gotten a hug like she gave me
when I walked in the door.” She reconsiders for a few seconds, “Well,
except for last Sunday. That was a biggest ever.”

After the girls went upstairs, Wayne asked if anyone would like a
drink. He and Will have a Sam Adams, and June and Helen drink
homemade lemon-limeade. Helen has gone into the kitchen with June
while she tends the stove. Wayne and Will are still in the living
room.

Wayne – “I already know a lot about you. I’ve seen you on the news a
few times. Let me tell you about myself. We are originally from Fort
Wayne, Indiana. We moved here about 10 years ago. I own a small
business on South Clinton Street. We sell mobile homes and, more
recently, modular homes. As you probably know, Arcadia doesn’t allow
mobile homes within the city limits, so I built a mobile home park
just east of town. It’s called Sandalwood Estates. Have you heard of
it?”

Will – “Yes, I’ve driven by it a few times.”

Wayne – “Good, well, here is the part of the story that I assume you
will like.” He pauses for a brief moment, “About two years ago, they
annexed us into the city limits. Then I started receiving notices
that I was in violation of this and didn’t have a permit for that and
just everything you can imagine. I had all of my permits. They were
registered with the county, but the City of Arcadia didn’t seem to
care about that. The fines kept accumulating, and I refused to pay.
It went on and on until finally, I reached the point where I was
about to give up. I couldn’t afford to pay my lawyer anymore. Then
guess what happened?”

Will – “I don’t know, what?”

Wayne – “You toppled the Arcadia City government, and the whole
problem just went away. I thought about calling you then, but I put
it off and never got around to it. I wish I had called. But at least
you know the story now.”

Will smiles. “Well, it is my honor to protect and serve.”

Wayne – “Well, you sure did. I have two other parks, but they are far
enough outside of the city limits that I shouldn’t have any trouble
for years.” He pauses while he takes a drink of his beer, “Now, about
me. Well, there’s June and Elizabeth. I know that sounds boring, but
that’s all I care about. I play a little golf occasionally, and I
enjoy playing Euchre, but that’s about it.”

Will – “My son and I play golf occasionally. Maybe we could get
together sometime.”

Wayne – “That would be great! Elizabeth mentioned Joan had a brother
after we talked. Luke is it? It will be fun.”

Will – “I have another son. His name is Kevin. He’s the one who plays
golf.”

Wayne – “Oh, sorry, I didn’t know about him. Do you have any other
children?”

Will – “No, just Kevin, Joan, and Luke. What is Euchre?”

Wayne – “It’s a card game my family has played for years. I was going
to ask if you would like to play later, but it just kind of popped
out now.”

Will – “Yeah, sure. It has been quite a few years since Helen and I
have played cards with friends, but you’ll have to teach us the
game.”

Wayne – “It’s not hard. It is sort of like Bridge.”

June calls from the kitchen, “Wayne, it’s time to finish the steaks.”

Wayne – “We are having porterhouses. I’ve cooked them all to
medium-rare. They have been keeping warm in a warmer-steamer next to
the grill. How would you like yours done?”

Will – “Medium, with just a little pink in the middle.”

Wayne excuses himself to finish the steaks. Helen and June have been
talking in the kitchen, mostly about the meal that is being prepared.
June mentioned that she works part-time helping with the
administrative tasks of Wayne’s business. Just after she calls Wayne,
she mentions she has another part-time job, “Go take a look at the
painting in the living room.”

Helen had noticed the painting before, but is now getting her first
close look. She studies the painting and absorbs its beauty. Then she
begins to look closer, examining the technique, the strokes, the use
of blending, and other characteristics. She realizes and exclaims,
“This is by Thomas Gainsborough!” She calls out to June, “Is this an
original?”

June enters the living room, “No, it’s a reproduction. It’s titled
‘\ \ `Rocky Landscape with Hagar and
Ishmael <http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a361/mshaffer2/Gainsborough-RockylandscapewithHaga.jpg>`__\ .’
That’s my other part-time job. I do contract work repairing and
reconditioning paintings through the Arcadia Museum of Art. This one
was damaged at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art in Tennessee in 2000.
When I finished the repair, I painted this copy.”

Helen – “You do such marvelous work! Why haven’t I heard of you?”

June – “Oh, I don’t get to put my name on them. The paintings still
belong to the original artist. There is a sticker on the back with my
name and the date restored, but that’s it.”

Helen – “But you are so good, why don’t you do your own work?”

June – “I get to duplicate the masters. I am happy doing that.” .

At the Restaurant

Luke and Kevin are on their last serving of food. Kevin continues,
“When Joan told me about her dreams, it reminded me of Cee-Cee. Both
Cee-Cee and Joan have secrets that if revealed, would radically
change their lives. In Cee-Cee’s case, maybe, maybe not, but she
believes it. Cee-Cee just wanted to be free; and Joan, she just wants
everyone to think she’s normal. They both just want an opportunity to
live a normal life. So they carry their secrets. Now we have to carry
their secrets, and I haven’t even mentioned Mom. All of those years
of being afraid to tell anyone about her dreams. I just wonder how
many other people there are like Mom, Joan, and Cee-Cee.” Kevin
really wasn’t looking for Luke to answer. He was more thinking out
loud. Kevin hands Luke a page from the newspaper, “Hey, here’s what
we are doing next.” Luke unfolds it and Kevin points, “Read that
article.”

Luke reads the headline, “Local Inventor Sells Patent to Sealy Corp.”
He reads on, “Dietrich Steinholz, a resident of Arcadia, recently
sold his patent for a newly designed mattress coil system. A
representative for Sealy Corporation stated ‘It will revolutionize
the industry’. Dietrich Steinholz will be one of the featured
speakers at the Arcadia College Science and Industry Fair on Saturday
night. He will discuss his recent work, and also update his thoughts
on String Theory since the 1975 publication of his book Positing The
String Theory\ …” He looks at Kevin, “This is so cool! Is this where
we’re going?”

Kevin – “Yeah, I remembered you telling me that you had met him at
the bookstore. Let’s head over to the college. I will probably be
bored out of my mind, but I’m sure you will enjoy it.”

Luke – “Thanks, Kevin.”

At the Goetzmann’s

Joan and Elizabeth are still talking. They have gone through quite a
few subjects, from school last year to boys. The latter was a sore
subject for Joan. Elizabeth had heard about Joan and Adam’s breakup
with Bonnie as the other woman. Information like that always spreads
like wildfire through a high school. She offered her condolences.

Joan – “Adam and I are still friends, but it’s hard.”

Elizabeth – “I really don’t know what to say. I feel bad for you.
When Jim and I broke up, it was hard, but it was because he was a
jerk and not because of someone else. I’ve been so busy studying for
the play that I haven’t even tried to find a new boyfriend. Maybe
when school starts we’ll both meet someone new?”

Joan – “Yeah, maybe, but I’m just not ready for anyone yet.”

Elizabeth – “I hear you. You need to find something else to occupy
your time. What do you like to do?”

Joan ponders her question for a moment, “I recently started to learn
yoga. I like it.”

Elizabeth – “Then go for it. If you like it, then learn everything
you can about it. It will give you something positive to pursue and
keep your mind off the bad things.”

Joan – “What would you like to do, other than sing and act?”

Elizabeth – “I have started taking dance lessons. I’m not a bad
dancer, but I’ve never had formal training. It’s just something that
I want to learn because the day is coming when I’ll have to sing and
dance, and I want to be ready.”

Joan – “You really do love to perform.”

Elizabeth – “That’s my passion. Isn’t it obvious?”

Joan – “Yeah and you are good. Sometimes, I wish I had your ability.”

Elizabeth – “You did good when you were in the chorus, and when you
sang your song, it was beautiful. You have it. It’s there if you want
it. You just need to tune it up.”

Anna Nalick is on her second run through, so Elizabeth ejects it to
change to something else, “Do you like country western?”

Joan – “Not really. I like White Stripes, Mariah Carey, Kelly
Clarkson.” She pauses to think, “I have actually been listening to a
lot of old music lately. My Dad found a record/cassette/CD player and
bought it. He has a lot of records that he hasn’t listened to in
years. Anyway, I’ve been listening, too. Most of them are really
awful, but some of them I like. He has an album by Bette Midler. I
love her song, The Rose.”

Elizabeth – “Sing it for me.”

Joan – “No, I can’t.”

Elizabeth – “Come on, it’s just you and me, I want to hear it.” Joan
begins to sing.

-----

Some say love, it is a river
that drowns the tender reed.
Some say love, it is a razor
that leaves your soul to bleed.
Some say love, it is a hunger,
an endless aching need.
I say love, it is a flower,
and you its only seed.

*It’s the heart afraid of breaking
that never learns to dance.
It’s the dream afraid of waking
that never takes the chance.
It’s the one who won’t be taken,
who cannot seem to give,
and the soul afraid of dyin’
that never learns to live.*

*When the night has been too lonely
and the road has been too long,
and you think that love is only
for the lucky and the strong,
just remember in the winter
far beneath the winter snows
lies the seed that with the sun’s love
in the spring becomes the rose.*

Elizabeth – “That was really beautiful. See, I told you you could
sing. I like the song too. My Dad has the album.”

Joan – “Then why did you ask me to sing it?”

Elizabeth giggles, “Because I wanted to hear you sing.”

June calls up the stairs, “Time for dinner.”

They all gather around the table.

June – “Would you mind if we say a prayer before we begin?” Everyone
gives their approval, “God is great, God is good, and we thank him
for this food. By his hand we all are fed. Give us Lord, our daily
bread. Bless our home with peace and love, and grant in Christ a home
above. Amen.”

Helen – “That was nice, do you belong to a church?”

June – “Arcadia United Methodist.”

Will – “Oh, I remember Reverend Yardley. That was so terrible. How is
he doing?”

June pauses before she responds, “Reverend Yardley never fully
recovered from his injuries. He went to be with God last summer. We
miss him a lot, but before he died, he found us a new minister. His
name is Reverend Sharpton. He’s young, but we like him a lot.”

Will – “I’m sorry to hear about Reverend Yardley.”

June, wishing to change the subject, directs her question to either
Elizabeth or Joan, “What have you two been doing?”

Elizabeth – “Oh, just talking, listening to music. Joan sang me a
song.”

Helen – “What song?”

Joan is totally embarrassed, “\ The Rose. I didn’t want to have to
admit it, but I like some of Dad’s music.”

Will smiles, “There’s nothing wrong with that. It just shows you have
good taste.”

Joan gives him half a smile, “ Well Elizabeth, you had better not let
it get around school. I’m already a sub-defective. That’s your secret
to keep.”

Elizabeth – “I was about to tell you upstairs that I like all kinds
of music. Well, except Rap. I just like real singing.” She pauses for
a moment. “I listen to some of the old stuff too. I really like the
Supremes, the Chilites, oh, and Lesley Gore, the Carpenters, Patsy
Cline, the Everly Brothers, Peter Paul & Mary. I could go on and on.
I’m not ashamed of it, but I’ll keep your secret if you want.”

Joan – “Thank you.”

Wayne has been sitting quietly, soaking it all in. He does that
sometimes. He’s the kind of man who prefers to keep his mouth shut
until he feels he has something worthwhile to say. “I don’t know what
album you have, but I have Bette Midler’s Greatest Hits. There are
other songs like From a Distance and Wind Beneath My Wings that I
think you might enjoy as well. You are welcome to borrow it.”

Joan – “No, I don’t think I should.”

Wayne – “That sounds like a yes to me. I’ll get it for you after
dinner.”

Joan – “Thank you, Mr. Goetzmann.”

At the College

Kevin and Luke arrive at the auditorium. There are not as many people
there as they had expected. They are able to find seats near the
front. A woman is speaking, but neither of them recognize her. Luke
looks at the program. She is Susan Jordan. She is an ER technician at
University Medical Center. She is explaining about the new medical
equipment they have received and how it has improved medical
treatment. Dietrich Steinholz is the next scheduled speaker.

At the Goetzmann’s

When dinner is over, Elizabeth and Joan help June and Helen with the
dishes. Once they are nearly finished, June asks Elizabeth and Joan
to finish up, “Come on, Helen. I have one more painting to show you.”
She takes Helen up to her bedroom, “I like to see this one just
before I go to sleep and the first thing when I wake up.”

Helen – “You don’t have to tell me about this one. It is ‘\ \ `The
Madonna and
Child <http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a361/mshaffer2/TheMadonnaandChild-AndreaDelSarto.jpg>`__\ \ ’
by Andrea del Sarto. How did you ever get the chance to restore this
one?”

June – “A buyer purchased it at Sotheby’s in January 2000. He kept it
for a while, but then decided to have it restored. I bid on the
contract, and I won! I really wasn’t expecting to win this one. Of
course, this is another reproduction.”

Helen – “It is just amazing! You have done such a wonderful job. I am
so impressed.”

June – “Thank you, Helen. Let’s go downstairs and play cards.”

Helen is totally flabbergasted by June’s lackluster recognition of
her own talent. She has only done one painting close to hers, and she
turned that into ashes, “June, have you ever thought about teaching?”

June – “I’ve tried, but I just can’t explain how I do it. Doing
something and teaching others how to do it are two different things.
Besides, I really enjoy the freedom to work when I want. That allows
me to spend time with Wayne and Elizabeth.”

Helen – “Well, the next time you decide it’s time to paint, let me
know. I would love to watch over your shoulder. Maybe I can learn and
pass it on to my students.”

June – “I would enjoy that. Maybe you can put into words what I
can’t.”

At the College

Dietrich Steinholz begins to speak, “I was asked to speak to you
tonight about science and invention. Science is all around us. It is
in everything we see and touch. Invention is just the application of
science to create something new. Both are sometimes difficult
concepts to understand and achieve.

I am proud of my achievement with the new mattress design. Millions
of people will now sleep better because of my invention. I know I
have slept better since I started sleeping on my own mattress.
However, there is also the practical side of the equation. In
industry, for people to listen, there must be a practical application
for your ideas. That is a hard reality that you must understand.

There have been many times when I felt that I had a brilliant idea
and nobody listened. That is the lesson I would like you to take away
from here tonight. Never give up. Keep those ideas coming. Someday,
somebody will listen. And when they do, then you will also have an
opportunity to represent those ideas that were once ignored. I really
do believe it all works out for the best in the end.

The program says that I will also speak about string theory. The only
new idea I have been pondering lately has been one presented by a
young man I see in the audience tonight. We have a small group here
tonight. For those of you who are interested, I will be in room 21b
for a discussion of the subject after I leave the stage. Thank you.”

After Mr. Steinholz leaves the stage, Luke and Kevin proceed to room
21b. On the door they see stenciled, Professor Steinholz.

Professor Steinholz – “Luke, it is great to see you again. Come have
a seat.”

Luke – “It’s good to see you again, too.” He ponders for a moment,
“How did you know my name?”

Professor Steinholz – “I will explain that in a minute. Who is your
friend?”

Luke – “This is my brother, Kevin.”

Professor Steinholz offers a greeting, and they gather around a
table, “After our meeting at the bookstore, I began to wonder about
what you had proposed in your submission for the Hawking Award. I
know a member of the panel, so I was able to get a copy of your
submission. This is how I learned your name. Your hypothesis is
brilliant, but I believe some of the assumptions used in your formula
may need to be adjusted. I would like to discuss them with you.”

Luke – “Great, which assumptions?”

Professor Steinholz – “I don’t have my notes with me tonight. Perhaps
we could get together tomorrow and discuss it. Are you free?”

Luke – “Free as a bird.”

Professor Steinholz – “Here is what I propose. We get together
tomorrow afternoon and discuss your hypothesis and my concerns about
some of the variables. Then we follow it up with dinner at Don
Thornberry’s, my treat. You deserve it.”

Luke – “That sounds great, but I’ll have to get my parents’
permission.”

Professor Steinholz – “I certainly expected that. Would you like me
to call them or for them to call me?”

Luke – “Why don’t I talk to them and have them call you.”

Professor Steinholz – “Good.” He writes his home phone number on his
business card. “I will be home tomorrow morning waiting for their
call.”

At the Goetzmann’s

They started the card game by explaining the rules followed by a few
hands played with everyone’s cards showing. That way, they could
explain the different strategies available to them. Of course, Wayne
and June were playing quite well, but Will and Helen quickly caught
on to the game. It wasn’t long before they won their first set.

Joan and Elizabeth are in the living room. Elizabeth found the Bette
Midler album and Joan is especially enjoying the songs she hasn’t
heard before. Elizabeth begins to do a warm up routine she learned at
dance class. Joan observes that it is different, yet similar, to the
exercises she does for yoga. She begins to mimic Elizabeth’s moves.
Soon, they begin to chortle as they actually anticipate each other’s
moves. Wind Beneath My Wings begins to play on the stereo. The living
room becomes like a chorus of swans readying for a ballet. Outside, a
man walks by the window with a herd of dogs. He stops and smiles for
a moment. Then the tempo changes as Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy begins to
play. They breakout into a makeshift swing dance. The laughing
continues until the album reaches its end.

Helen – “Well, it’s getting late, and I have to go to church in the
morning.”

June – “I’ve enjoyed our evening, but we have church in the morning,
too.” They gather their things and collect by the door.

Wayne – “I enjoyed our visit. Let’s do it again sometime soon.”

Will – “I had a good time, too.”

Elizabeth – “Oh, Joan, don’t forget the album.”

Joan – “Thanks Elizabeth and Mr. Goetzmann, but I’ll be okay. I think
I will have the music in my head for a long time to come.”

They depart and the evening comes to a close.

At Home

Everyone is up early, even though only Helen and Kevin will be
leaving. Kevin will be attending Mass with Helen and Lilly. He has
decided to make this concession to take a look, but also because he
knows that Lilly probably had an exciting evening last night watching
reruns of T. J. Hooker or something. Kevin has been reading the
newspaper, but also listening to the conversations. The weekend
newspapers are the only ones Kevin bothers to read anymore. For all
other days of the week, he has already read most of the stories.

Luke has been begging to be able to go over to Professor Steinholz’s
to spend the afternoon and dinner. Both Helen and Will are concerned
because they know nothing about this man.

Luke – “I really want to go. It’s a great opportunity to talk to a
real scientist.”

Kevin – “I met him, too. He seems like a real nice guy, and he is a
professor.”

Helen – “Well, Professor Rader seemed like a real nice guy too, until
they found out he was the BTK killer. Luke, you can’t go.”

Lilly has just arrived and she, Helen, and Kevin prepare to leave for
the church. Before they leave, Kevin informs Joan of an article he
just read, “Take a look at the Milton Library story in the Arts and
Culture section.” They depart for the church.

This seemed to put an end to Luke’s desires to meet with Professor
Steinholz. Will can see the disappointment on his face and decides
upon a compromise, “Why don’t you see if he can come over here? Let
us meet him and if we think he’s okay, we’ll let you know about
dinner.” Luke is thrilled. He is also looking forward to dinner, but
being able to discuss string theory with Professor Steinholz is what
he is looking forward to the most.

Joan begins to read the article Kevin that alluded to, ‘Milton
Library Selects Sculpture.’ She reads on, ‘Earlier this summer, the
library staff solicited submissions for a new sculpture to be place
outside of the entrance to the library. The theme was required to be
in regard to reading. Adam Rove of Arcadia made the winning
submission. Adam is a student at Arcadia High School. The piece is
entitled, Mother and Child. Further details of the sculpture will
remain secret until its unveiling in a few months’.

Joan is happy for Adam, but she is also left to wonder, ‘Why hadn’t
he mentioned his submission to her?’ This is something he would have
told her in the past. Once again, the confused feelings of her broken
heart versus the longing for the closeness they once shared begin to
torment her. Should she call him or should she wait until she sees
him again, whenever that is? Confusion reigns. She decides to
practice her yoga. That always seems to ease her mind.

Luke has been on the phone with Professor Steinholz. He has agreed to
come there and will arrive about one o’clock. Luke gives Will the
good news.

Will – “Well, that gives me some time to listen to music.” He puts a
record on the phonograph and
a\ `song <http://dc19.4shared.com/download/51243773/c697fe78/Uriah_Heap_-_Rainbow_Demon__Clip_.%20mp3>`__\ begins
to play.

*There rides the rainbow demon
*On* his horse of crimson fire.
Black shadows are following closely
*On* the heels of his desire…*

Joan – “God, what is that?”

Will – “Uriah Heep, great, huh? The whole album is mystical.”

Joan – “Well, get rid of it! I’m practicing my yoga, and I was here
first.”

Will – “Why can’t you do that upstairs?”

Joan – “I need to watch the tape. Put on something else or turn it
off.”

Will grumbles to himself, “Can’t even listen to music in my own
home.” He leafs through the albums, finds another one, and
another\ `song <http://dc19.4shared.com/download/13060793/6e7c91a0/The_Carpenters_-_Weve_Only_Just_Begun.%20mp3>`__\ begins
to play.

*We’ve only just begun to live,
White lace and promises
A kiss for luck and we’re on our way.
And yes, we’ve just begun.*

*Before the rising sun we fly,
So many roads to choose
We start our walking and learn to run…*

Joan – “Okay, I can live with that.” She continues her routine. The
yoga is having its usual calming effect, but the music is doing just
the opposite. It’s making her sad. She decides it’s time to get
cleaned up before Mr. Scientist arrives. Unfortunately, she finds
Luke has beaten her to it, “Save me some hot water, Squidboy.” She
sits on her bed and stares at the phone. Minutes seem like hours. She
makes the call.

Carl Rove – “Rove residence.”

Joan – “Hello, Mr. Rove, this is Joan Girardi. May I speak to Adam?”

Carl Rove – “Sure, it’ll be just a minute; I have to go get him.” He
lays down the phone and in a few minutes, Adam picks up, “Hi, Joan,
what’s up?”
Joan – “I read in the paper this morning about you doing the
sculpture for the library. Congratulations.”

Adam – “ Thank, you. I was surprised that I won.”

Joan – “Why didn’t you tell me about it?”

He pauses before he responds, “I was going to, but…” He trails off.

Joan – “But what?”

Adam – “The Jane thing.That was the last thing we had that was just
ours. It really hurt. I still…”

Joan interrupts, “Wait a minute, you’re hurt? Hey, it wasn’t me who
dipped the donkey with Bonnie. I spent all last week trying to ignore
it, but it’s still there. How could you do that to me?!!! You are not
the victim here! I’m sorry I called.”

She hangs up the phone. Now she’s mad at Adam and even madder at
herself, because she didn’t want it to go this way. The conflict
within her is making her an emotional wreck.

To the rescue, Luke finally exits the bathroom. Joan rushes in to
hide her tears in the shower. ‘Olay your troubles away!’ If only it
worked.

Helen, Lilly, and Kevin return home. Helen is surprised to see Luke
dusting the living room furniture, “What’s the occasion?”

Luke – “Ah, Dad has something to tell you.” He scurries toward the
kitchen with the cleaning supplies to put them away. He passes Will,
who is walking toward the living room, “Did you have a nice service?”

Helen – “Yes, it was good. What do you have to tell me?”

Will – “Why don’t we go up to our room? We can talk while you
change.”

Helen takes the hint and knows that she is not likely to like what he
is about to tell her. They head upstairs.

Kevin and Lilly are curious, but know this is an occasion to keep
their mouth shut. They sit on the couch and Kevin picks up the
newspaper, “There are some movies we could go see, but I’m not sure
there are any we would both like. There’s War of the Worlds. Looks
like a lot of action and visual effects. Tom Cruise stars.”

Lilly – “I don’t know about that one. I don’t like scary movies.”

Kevin – “Okay, there’s…”

Joan comes downstairs, “Hi Kevin, Lilly, whatcha doing?”

Kevin – “Figuring out something to do today.”

Joan – “Well, have fun. I have to work.” She begins to leave, but
turns around and comes back, “Lilly, I need to talk to Kevin, and
it’s kind of personal. Can I borrow him for a few minutes?”

Lilly – “Sure, I need something to drink anyway.” She departs for the
kitchen.

Joan – “Kevin, I need some advice… help really. I’m all mixed up and
I don’t know what to do.”

Kevin – “Well, you’re going to have to be more specific than that.
Let me guess… Adam?”

Joan – “How did you know?”

Kevin – “It was just a guess. I expected there might be trouble when
I learned he would be there with the Polonsky’s.”

Joan – “I thought I was over it, but it’s all come back now. I just
hurt so bad. How did you make it through it after Beth?”

Kevin – “I did what you suggested. I stayed in the game.”

Joan – “I know I said that, but… I still love him, but when I think
about what he did… it just tears me apart. I’m all mixed up, and
don’t know what to do.”

Kevin – “I can’t tell you what to do, but you have to find a way to
get past this. It has to be your choice. I don’t know what else to
say.” He takes her in his arms to try to comfort her. “Think about
it. When you decide what you want to do, come back and we’ll talk
some more.”

Upstairs, Helen is changing, “What is it that I don’t want to know
about?”

Will – “I’ve invited Professor Steinholz to come here to meet with
Luke.”

Helen – “I thought we already decided Luke wasn’t going?”

Will – “That’s because we don’t know him. Luke thinks he’s okay and
so does Kevin. We’ll have him here and we can both talk to him. If we
still don’t trust him, then dinner is off.”

Helen is not happy. She almost always wins the arguments when it
comes to the children, “Okay, but you are wearing your gun today.”

Will almost laughs, but limits himself to a smile, “Okay, if it will
make you happy.”

When Lilly enters the kitchen, she finds Luke adding sugar to a
gallon of tea, “Hey, can I have some?”

Luke – “Sure, I have two more gallons in the works in the backyard.”

Lilly – “Sun tea is the best kind. So what’s the occasion?”

Luke – “Well, Dad let me invite Professor Steinholz over.”

Lilly – “Yeah, I think I caught the tail end of that conversation.
The BTK killer?”

Luke – “No, he’s a real nice guy. They’ll see.”

Joan comes into the kitchen, “He’s all yours, thanks.”

Lilly – “Hey, if you ever want to talk about something, I’m here.
Just want you to know that.”

Joan – “Thanks, Lilly. Did you bring Mom home with you?”

Lilly – “Yeah, Helen and your father are talking upstairs. Ask Luke.”

Joan – “Never mind, I know what they are talking about.”

Lilly rejoins Kevin on the couch, “So, are there any other movies you
would like to see?”

Kevin – “Well, not really, but I have found something else. The Hogan
County Fair opened yesterday. There are a lot of things to see and
do. It’s been a long time since I’ve had funnel cake. You wanna go?”

Lilly – “Sure, it sounds like fun.”

Will and Helen return downstairs. Helen invites them all to lunch.
Will put a deli ham in the oven earlier to heat for sandwiches. They
all gather around the table.

Helen – “Luke, your father and I have decided to talk to Mr.
Steinholz, and if he seems okay, we’ll let you go to dinner.”

Luke – “Thanks, you’ll see he’s a really nice guy.”

Kevin – “Lilly and I are going to the county fair. We probably won’t
be back for dinner.”

Helen – “Will and I are going to the school board meeting, Joan is
working, and if Luke has dinner with Mr. Steinholz, no one will be
here anyway. There will be ham and other leftovers if anyone is
hungry when they come home.”

After lunch, Kevin and Lilly leave for the fair. When Professor
Steinholz arrives, Luke introduces him to Will, Helen, and Joan. Joan
almost immediately excuses herself, “I have to catch the bus. It was
nice meeting you.”

Will and Helen sit down and have a chat with Dietrich. They learn he
has been an assistant professor at Arcadia College for many years. He
has just received his full-time appointment. Until recently, he also
worked part-time selling mattresses at Mattress World. He is a
widower whose wife died in 1981. He spends most of his time with his
work. He does have a longtime girlfriend. She is Susan Jordan, the
one who was speaking before him last night.

At the Bookstore

Joan has been busy doing the inventory, boxing up the remainders, and
unloading stock. There were quite a few customers when she first
started, but there is no longer anyone else in the store. She is
reading by the cash register, waiting for 7 o’clock to roll around so
she can go home. The door chimes as a customer walks in, “Hi Joanie!”
He continues walking back into the store.

Joan drops her head into her hands, “Oh God!” She gets up to find out
where he has gone.

God – “I’ve been meaning to brush up on my Shakespeare. So many
things to choose, so many words of wisdom, take this one for example.

*Love is a smoke made with the fumes of sighs;
Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers’ eyes;
Being vexed, a sea nourished with lovers’ tears;
What is it else? A madness most discreet,
A choking gall, and a preserving sweet.*

Isn’t that just so beautiful?”

Joan – “Yeah, just what I needed. So, are you going to lecture me
now?”

God – “That spiritual spinach has come back, Joanie. You need to
clean it up.”

Joan – “God, I’ve tried, but I just can’t get past it.”

God – “What about your dreams?”

Joan – “What about them? I haven’t had one, not one about Adam.”

God – “That’s my point. Why do you think that is?”

Joan wonders for a moment, “I don’t know.”

God – “Your dreams are a result of choices you have made. You haven’t
yet made one about Adam.”

Joan – “What’s the hurry? I’m only seventeen. Am I supposed to be
choosing a husband already?”

God – “It’s not about marriage or even dating. I am talking about
your feelings. You are letting your pain control your actions. It’s
clouding your judgment. You need to learn to deal with pain. It
affects a lot more than just you and Adam.”

Joan ponders what God has said. She almost wishes he would make the
decision for her, because it is torturing her so.

God – “Changing the subject here, so don’t get confused. Do you
remember our discussion after you first started AP Chemistry?”

Joan – “Sort of, I won’t always know why you ask me to do things.”

God – “And what else?”

Joan considers God’s question, “I don’t remember.”

God – “The smallest catalyst can set off the most mind-boggling chain
reactions. This is not for now, it’s for later.” He hands her the
copy of Romeo and Juliet, “Can you gift wrap this for me?”