“I trust you,” Simps smiled.
“Yes, I know Simps.” Reeves watched Timothy and Seraphina walk off. “That girl doesn’t though.”
“She sure is weird. She's a new permie, but she never plays.” He shrugged his shoulders. “At least Timothy doesn’t cause much trouble anymore, he’s preoccupied now. It’d be nice if Timothy and she got married. As Mr. And Mrs. Varmint, you know Timothy could never cause problems for us again. He’d have to be good and stay good if he wanted her to stay.”
“Nice thought Simps,” Jackson showed up with him next to Rebecca. “Maybe they could get married and move to a different colony too. That would be even better. What do you think, Rebecca?”
“I’ve seen Seraphina looking at ads for a different place. I don’t know if Timothy would follow her.”
No way. “I promised I would never let anyone stay on those pills. I made a vow to myself. One way or another, I have to convince her.”
“Wasn’t she prescribed them?” Rebecca had to ask. “Should she ignore her doctor?”
Oh, he knew that was coming. He stood up straight and coughed, knowing he would have to speak carefully. It wasn't always easy being a child’s role model, and he was everyone’s role model in Hidden Secret. He noticed many of the residents nearby that were playing had taken interest and stopped to listen. Some were even running toward him. He gave his most valiant smile. “Doctors are darned good, and when people are sick or need them, they should listen to them. Only in extreme, very extreme, cases . . .” Reeves wiggled his tongue, trying to think of the words. “Modern technology can’t always help, or be the best, and all doctors are different and have different opinions?”
Everyone had coughed, scratched heads, swayed bodies or yawned. Yeah, that didn’t work. Oh the fun of making them understand. Time for a different approach. He motioned for everyone to gather around. He watched as the jump ropers, basketball players, soccer ball players, hopscotchers, taggers, and half of the red rover crowd came over.
“Okay, everyone, sit. Find a spot, no poking. Be good. Daryl, don’t tickle Amand-Don’t tickle Amanda right there, that’s a no-no spot! Thank you.” Reeves picked up a ball that was on the ground. “One person could say this is a ball for dribbling, another could say it’s for throwing, and another person might say you can sit on it. Everyone has different opinions, and even though they are all right, the best solution for each person is different. In this case, Seraphina’s doctor should be telling her to dribble.” Reeves started to dribble. “Instead he is telling her to sit on it.”
“Okay,” Rebecca looked at the other children, then back at him. “So, Seraphina’s doctor is wrong?”
“Not wrong, he doesn’t know everything, in this case.” Reeves spun the ball on his finger. “A person who has never seen a basketball before might think you should sit on it. They don’t have enough experience.”
“So, Seraphina shouldn’t sit on balls?” Simps asked.
“No, Simps.” Rebecca said. “Reeves means that Seraphina’s doctor doesn’t understand everything right. That’s what you mean, right Reeves?”
Reeves nodded, the answer was close enough. “I have a different doctor’s advice, and he understands better. If she would stop and listen,” a smidge of agitation leaked through his voice, “then she would be happier. She refuses though. No matter what I do or how I say it.” He caught himself and started to smile. “Who wants to play basketball?”
Everyone stopped playing basketball, including Reeves, as Timmers ran up to them screaming for them to stop. “It’s Seraphina,” Timmers wheezed, barely able to speak as he pointed behind himself, “she went unconscious, and I don’t know what to do.”
“Seraphina."
Timmers held his chest and pointed to his house. "Go, go! Wait, what?"
Reeves ignored Timmers, he had no time to talk about explanations. They needed to move, and Timmers couldn't run back with ease. Against Timmers will, he slung him over his back like a burlap bag and headed to Seraphina. Timmers yelled at him and beated on Reeves’ back, but he didn't care. "Quit belly aching and tell me what happened. Well?"
"She bit into some ice cream, and she fell over,” Timmers answered, "now let me down, this is childish."
Of course, the ice cream was the culprit, but why did it affect her if she were taking her pills? Reeves ran to Timmers house, placed him down and went over to where Seraphina fell. He knelt beside her and felt her pulse. “It’s weak.”
“Well do something, you’re a Paladin.” Timothy adjusted his tie and dusted his suit off. “Fix her.”
“I’ve been trying to fix her, but she’s been like a stubborn kid and won’t listen,” Reeves reminded him. He felt her pulse again. “It’s getting weaker, Timmers.” Oh, why hadn’t he convinced her in time?
“What can you do?” Timothy gestured, his hands were going all over the place. “What, what do we do?”
“Hope she pulls out,” Reeves picked her up and laid her on the nearby couch. “Stay calm and don’t move. Oh and, by the way, you could give me any of those pills of hers if you’d like.”
Timmers ignored him of course. “She’s been fine, what happened?”
“She may have stayed away too long and needs a stronger dosage,” Reeves threw out as a possibility. “I don’t know, but we'll know when she wakes up. After all, she thinks she knows better than me. Remember?”
“What could she have done that was so physical and took energy?” Timmers rubbed his forehead. “What have we done?”
“Anything physical will stress her overboard, even if it’s fun.” Reeves tried to figure it out. What could Timothy and Seraphina have possibly done that was physical and fun? They couldn’t have already. “Well, is there anything else you’ve done recently that took energy?” Reeves asked. “I mean,” He gestured offhand, not comfortable with what he had to ask. “Have you been uuuhh...the umm...” He quoted with his fingers. “Doing those ‘special exercises'?”
“Do I look like I’m an acrobat?” Timmers complained. “What acrobatic exercises?”
“You’ve been through the retraining program,” Reeves said, “so you know, the ‘special exercises’ between a man and a woman? The . . . ” His nose crinkled. “Sex.”
“Oh.” Timothy laughed with delight, apparently enjoying Reeves’ humility. “Sex?” He snorted. “No, of course not stupid. Just met her a few days before she left for two months, Moron."
“Well, she messed up somewhere, Meanie.” Reeves shot back. “She took her usual dosage? Did she take anything else with it?”
“Let’s see. Oh yes,” Timothy stood up straight, apparently proud of his memory. “She had a headache and said she needed a pill, so I gave her a headache pill.”
“A headache pill?” Reeves grabbed his head. “She meant her meds, Timothy Varmen. She could have gotten a headache from not taking it, so she would want to take it. She can't have any pills for anything else.”
“Don’t yell,” Timmers whined like a child being scolded and rubbed his foot against the floor. “I didn’t know.”
“You’re such an idiot. What type of headache pill?” Reeves questioned immediately.
“A generic brand,” Timothy answered, “and you’re the idiot you ogre.”
“Okay,” Reeves let out a sigh of relief. “Not the best, but not the worst. She should pull through fine.” He looked over at Timothy. “You drive me crazy, Varmint.”
“Don’t call me that,” Timmers complained. “What can I do to help?”
“Not give her any more headache pills would be a good start, duh.” Reeves said as he stood back up.
“Oooohhh . . .” Seraphina grabbed her head. “What happened?”
“I gave you a headache pill, sorry.” Timothy apologized.
“It’s okay,” Seraphina sat up slowly. “I better take more medication.”
“Of course,” Reeves rubbed his Champion medallion in his hands. “Almost die, just ‘it’s okay, I should take more’,” R
eeves mocked her in a high voice. “If you are going to be this reckless anyhow, why not try my method?”
“It was an honest mistake,” Seraphina stood up for Timothy as she looked upon him. “Just ask if I need to be more specific.” She felt her head again. “I’ll be back, I need to lie down again.” She laid her head back down and drifted back to sleep, not quite being able to stay awake yet.
“She’s fine,” Timothy said in a bright voice. “I’ll know next time.” He looked over at Reeves. “Get out now.”
The hardest headed individuals on the planet. There was no choice, Reeves didn’t want to do it, but there was no other alternative. There was only one option: Like a child being unfairly punished to teach a lesson, he had to do it.
Words were one thing but being provoked should do the trick against Timmers. “You need to make her see reason, Timothy. Otherwise,” Reeves chuckled, “you’ll never find anyone else with your vision. You will never change this sector. All the kids love me, the adults love me, and the press finds me fascinating when they visit. As it stands, you’ll never create what you want here. In fact, I could run this sector, and I could organize all kinds of mandatory playing events. As often as I want to,” he chuckled. “I think it’s great. What do you think, Timmers? We could start with cross-sector Red Rover Fridays?” Timmers was flabbergasted. Reeves continued to tell him about the organic gardens everyone would be required to produce, taking trips out of Hidden Secret to help endangered animals, and even planned on opening a mandatory lunchtime where he fixed every morsel of food. He was about to discuss strategies he would use to attract more children to Hidden Secret, when he finally won.
“No, that’s it,” Timothy couldn’t take it anymore. “Seraphina will train under you, she will fail you, and you will be out of here!”
Reeves grinned and scratched his cheek. He was bluffing with most of it, there’s no way he could make any of it come true. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
Reeves waited outside Timmers door, kicking dirt around since there was no grass. Had Timothy convinced her to finally listen to him? He watched as Timmers came out. “What’s the verdict?” Reeves was down to his last cards and had run out of ideas to persuade her anymore. This had to work, or the villain won.
Timmers smiled oddly. “Well, Reeves, I had a long talk with her and, given the right incentive, she’ll do it.” There was something unsettling in the grin. “That right incentive is the opposite.”
“The opposite?” Reeves questioned. Timmers was up to something. “What’s that mean?”
“You want her to give up her pills, so if you fail, you have to go back,” Timmers’ grin could not have gotten any bigger as he said his next words, “on your pills.”
Definitely Varmints influence with that decision. “Can I talk to her?” Reeves asked instead.
“No, a yes or no. Seraphina says she’s tired of dealing with you. If you say no, but continue to harass her, she is moving away.” Timmers stared at his door and rubbed his finger down the side of it. “She will move to a different colony.”
Reeves knew he wouldn’t lose that bet, but even having to agree to it? He vowed never to take those pills again. Seraphina Medina had almost died twice because of her medication though. “Maybe,” Reeves stood straight. This was not a choice he should jump into. True, Seraphina Medina needed his help, but to put his own self on the line? If I win, I know she’ll be mine. “This is a difficult decision,” Reeves said as he moved around. He was putting his own activeness, his own life, his reason for being on the line. To slip back into those pills. “I swore I would never use them again. The spirit can’t endure it.”
“Well then, she’ll leave.” Timmers didn’t sound happy about that.
Reeves paced back and forth. What a decision. This was not a little bet by any means. If I fail, I have to go back to the pills. He stopped and tapped the bottom of his left toe against the ground. If I win, she’ll gain interest in me. He moved to tapping his right toe against the ground. Wife, family, kids. I could have it all with her. He moved his feet from left to right then paced back and forth again. She’s already messed up twice anyhow. Isn’t this the right thing to do?
Timmers rolled his eyes at him. “You’re driving me crazy, stop that.”
Reeves couldn’t stop, not this time. He jiggled his metallic medallion up and down. He took off his shades and swooshed them around as he talked. “One month, with me, a-and if she goes back, I go back too. Isn't she willing to make any other deal? I could leave my post here forever. I could agree to never bother her again. Anything?” He finished by placing the end of his shades in his mouth, "Anything at all?"
“She doesn’t want anything else,” Timmers insisted, “Seraphina wants an equal trade.”
Reeves took his shades out of his mouth and waved them around again. If she used to be active, the chance he could get her to change her mind were strong, almost one hundred percent. He’d have her jumping and skipping around in a couple of weeks. He could do it in a month, there’s no way he could lose. Once she felt the adrenaline, she would want to stay away from the medication forever. But was he sure enough to stake something so great on it?
Reeves loved Hidden Secret; it was a fun place with fantastic people. He looked down at his shoes. This would be a goodbye to himself. A goodbye to playing and to being a Champion. He’d have to take his Paladin duties elsewhere to make a difference. He promised he would never go back on those pills, but she had potential he needed her to reach. A life for a life. That was what Seraphina Medina wanted, and she would take nothing less.
Being a Paladin was hard. It wasn’t always as easy as being an excellent role model or keeping bandages on hand. Reeves knew that and faced the facts. He nodded with a heavy sigh. “Okay.”
“What?” Timmers held his hand to his ear, “I didn’t hear you.”
Reeves took a deep breath. “If she chooses to go back to the pills in one month, I will go back too.”
Timmers grinned. “Great. But there’s one more thing, tied to this bet . . .”
Chapter 6
“This has plenty of poison to you. Lots of it,” Reeves said as he trashed a chocolate roll in the garbage can beside him. He was going through Seraphina’s refrigerator, to remove all temptations he could find. She wasn’t ignorant, as soon as they begun, she would be vulnerable, and even a pinch of sugar could cause her death. Her sugar bowl was the first to go, and then her cereals. Next he got rid of her candy, some oatmeal cookies, and her ice cream. He had found, even to her surprise, some sugar cookies she had forgotten about way in the back of her refrigerator. Oh, those had to go whether they had sugar or not. Yes, she should have given her refrigerator a quick look over before he came.
“Anything else?” Reeves searched once more around her refrigerator as he grabbed her maple syrup. “Maple syrup definitely has the capability to kill.”
It also has lots of flavor and it was rare to get, Seraphina couldn’t help but think as she watched him dump her favorite syrup into the trash. Once the month was over, she’d have to go grocery shopping again. When he asked if there were any more temptations, she lied as she looked above the refrigerator. On an unmarked canister were her world favorite cookies. She'd send him to hell packing before she'd allow him to take those. She thought that would be the end of it, but oh no.
"Well that takes the sweets out that are the deadliest. Now for the rest." He reached into her freezer. "No more pork, no more beef, and fish sticks?" He wrinkled his nose as he tossed them with gusto. "Frozen fish sticks, that's not even real fish I guess, but it's filled with all those-"
"All the things under the atmosphere. I get it," Seraphina interrupted.
"Once you get in synch and become more active, you can eat certain meats. Just not sweets. A cupcake would still hurt me. Speaking of cupcakes, what are those?" Seraphina shrugged her shoulders. "What are you doing with cupcakes in your freezer?"
Seraphina rolled her eyes. That was becoming a com
mon occurrence. She debated if she should lie and say it was for a kinky orgy, but the guy was so clueless, it'd probably be a wasted joke. "Just toss them already." After her refrigerator had been emptied of all the delicious treats and filled with all the crap she would be eating for the month, she watched the Paladin leave to her living room. Now what else was he going to do? The Paladin had to show off his super strength by lifting her TV up like a child's wooden ABC block. That bastard was even taking her TV. “You break that and it's your butt.”
“I’ll be sure to be careful, but please watch your language.” Reeves set the television on her couch. “Now where and how long do you sleep? Is your mattress too comfy to get out of in the morning or is it too hard to get rest on?”
“Doesn’t matter,” Seraphina folded her arms, “I don’t sleep on it that much. I sleep at Timothy’s.”
“Oh. Timothy.” Reeves scratched his nose, she knew what was coming. “Speaking of Timothy Varmen, I don’t suppose you-"
“Could keep my distance so he doesn’t tempt me in any way?” Seraphina finished for him. She wasn’t even dating Timothy, but the fact that it bothered him? Meant she wasn’t going to say it out loud. “I won’t fall for temptations.”
“He wants you to fail,” Reeves reminded her, “and he wants to win this.”
So did Reeves. “I don’t care what you want.” Seraphina unfolded her arms and placed them on her hips. “I’m not staying away from Timothy.”
“You are making it harder on yourself,” Reeves warned her, “he will be full of temptations.”
“He knows the risk of tempting me when I am not on pills.” Seraphina blew a loose strand of hair out of her eyes. Timothy wasn't stupid, and the Paladin wouldn't change her mind. He asked a couple more times, but as the word ass made it into the conversation, he stopped pursuing. Really, she could use worse words if she wanted to.
Reeves Page 4
