Discovery

by Douglas E Roff

  “Dad, of course I would be happy to help. But what if there’s trouble. You know how Mom is about that. If I get in a fight, both you and Mom are up my …, uh, disapprove strongly about that kind of behavior. Mom will have a fit.”

  “I know. And that’s why we’re having this talk in my study while your mother is grocery shopping. No need to burden her with problems that may not ever surface.”

  “OK by me. What does Bethy say?”

  “She doesn’t know. Yet. If you agree, then Janie is going to talk to Bethy tonight and wants to see you at her home tomorrow morning at 6:30 sharp. You in? Hey, you’ll be escorting a cheerleader to and from school every day. Can’t be all that bad.”

  “Maybe. But I’ll tell you after tomorrow. I have a feeling Bethy isn’t going to like this one bit. I’m pretty sure about that.”

  “Do you need the car?”

  “And attract attention from Mom? No thank you. I’ll walk tomorrow morning, just like every other morning.”

  “I love you, son. Thanks.”

  “And I thought I was in trouble for something.”

  “Like what?”

  “Never mind.”

  Chapter 38

  Edward knocked on the door of the large white home in one of the better neighborhoods of Ames, Iowa, and was greeted by a handsome lady he recalled as Dr. Janie McQueen from her parents Christmas party. He was shown into the kitchen where a distinguished looking man and Bethy McQueen were seated drinking coffee. Both looked up as he came in but Bethy’s eyes were soon buried back in a textbook, either because she was really interested in the subject matter, Edward thought, or she just wasn’t excited about having “Eddie the dweeb” in her life.

  The other Dr. McQueen, Betsy’s father, was first to speak. “So, I understand you kids know each other from school? Is that right?”

  “Yes, I …”

  “Daddy, I’m not a child and not a kid. Stop talking about me like that. It’s embarrassing.” Bethy is unhappy: check.

  “OK then,” the Mr. McQueen continued. “So, Edward, I understand that you are Fred’s boy, er, son I mean. And I understand that you’ve agreed to chaperone our daughter for a little while. Also, true?”

  “Yes sir. Dad asked if I would walk your daughter to and from school and just keep an eye on things. Sounds great to me.”

  Bethy spoke up. “As much as I appreciate your offer, Edward, I’m not clear why Mom asked for you. Maybe you can you explain?”

  Everyone was now looking around the room, waiting for a response and making Edward slightly uncomfortable. He was beginning to feel like he was on a job interview and the senior VP, in this case Bethy, was completely unimpressed with what she saw so far.

  “OK, well from what I understand …”

  “Which is?” Bethy interrupted.

  “Which isn’t really very much except a few details, which was all I needed to know.”

  “And, those are…?”

  “That someone, we don’t know who, has threatened you, and by you, I mean your safety, and that your Mom and Dad are worried about the situation and asked if, for the time being, someone, a friend, might walk to and from school with you for your safety. That’s what I know. That’s all I need to know. What would you like to know? About me I mean. I see you have doubts. Most do.”

  “Well for starters, why you? No offense but it looks like I could take you on a good day. We don’t need both of us getting hurt, if it ever came to that. I can’t see how this helps. I’ll wind up more worried about you than me.”

  Bethy was disgusted and hated this whole thing. How embarrassing to have Edward St James, nerd chief and dweeb of the year standing in her kitchen, as if …

  “Well, I know why my Dad asked me to help but I don’t know why your parents asked him. Maybe a little help here Dr. and Dr.?”

  Dr. Janie spoke up, “I’ve known your father for many years. And your mother. I know them to be very genuine and decent people and I know the circumstances of how you came to live with them on the farm.” She looked at Edward, asking for permission.

  “I am adopted. It’s no secret and I’m very proud of that fact. I don’t know who my birth parents are, but I know who loved me and brought me into their home. That was Emma and Fred St. James.”

  “Your life wasn’t easy then was it?”

  “No ma’am, it was not.”

  “A lot of homes, a lot of families, a lot of conflict.”

  “Yes, ma’am a lot of conflict. Bethy, just in case you don’t know, it’s code for fights. I was in a lot of fights. I got beaten up a lot and was difficult to manage. I was eight years old and unadoptable. Until Emma and Fred came along. They adopted me and showed me a different way to live. A kinder life that any child would pray for if you had ever been in the system.”

  “But it didn’t quite change in that way, did it son?” Mr. McQueen was apparently up to speed on the story too.

  “No sir, it didn’t. The problem was that the other kids still picked on me, but I wasn’t allowed to fight back. My Mom, Emma, doesn’t believe in violence of any sort, so she asked me to bear it and one day it would stop. This she promised.”

  “But not your Dad,” said Mrs. McQueen.

  “No, not my Dad. My Dad said a man should always be able to defend himself, but he should never start trouble. Mom was … unhappy, but Dad’s solution was to make me fight capable – his realm – and Mom could brainwash me in whatever fashion she thought would keep me in line. So, that’s when I started working out.”

  “So, you work out?” asked Bethy.

  “Sure. Every day.”

  “I don’t ever see you at the gym.”

  “I don’t work out there.”

  “Where then?”

  “On campus. At the U. I train there with Professor Jameson. He’s the martial arts instructor. Bronze medalist at the Olympics. Dad asked Dr. Jameson if he would train me. Help me along.

  “You’re saying you do some kind of kung fu?”

  “Well, I swim for cardio and I lift for strength but yeah I guess you could say I do kung fu. Sounds silly like that, but yeah.”

  “What do you do exactly? I don’t know anything about it.”

  “Well, I started out with Brazilian jiu-jitsu and did that until I was about twelve or so.”

  “Do you compete?”

  “No, mother forbids it. I can only train and spar. But I spar a lot and I’m the champion in my weight class on campus. Just not allowed to fight.”

  “Doesn’t seem fair, with all that work.”

  “I’m fine with it. Mother can be quite a handful, especially if she gets mad. Dad and I just tend to go with her flow. Easier on everyone and I’m very proud of her. Not a cruel bone in her body and very protective of her little boy. Wow!”

  Bethy and her parents laughed.

  “What else?”

  “Around age twelve or so, I got started on a new discipline called Muay Thai, and like it sounds, it’s from Thailand. Brutal national sport but street ready if you know what I mean. Then about three years ago, I started on the IDF discipline, Krav Maga.”

  “Krag what?”

  “Krav Maga, the Israeli Defence Force martial discipline. All street and no sport. Anything goes, the object is to fu..., I mean to disarm and disable your opponent quickly and decisively. Dad knows my preferences and although he doesn’t approve of the latter two, he is solidly in agreement that Mom can never, ever know. Now the only people who know my secret are you guys and Dad. Don’t tell Mom. I’d get it bad.”

  Mr. McQueen spoke up, “You secret is safe with us, all of us. Right Bethy?”

  “Cross my heart and hope to die.”

  “That means your girlfriends too, right. No gossiping with the girls. Edward is helping, so we mustn’t share his private matters without his permission. Agreed?”

  They all said yes.

  Edward looked at Bethy, who was quite simply beautiful,
and said “OK, then. Let’s be off to school. We’re late already.”

  “Mom can drive us.”

  “Let’s walk. Good exercise and I’ve never walked to school this way.”

  “Which way do you go?” asked Bethy.

  “I run in from the farm early, go to the U to work out before class, then run to school and change at the gym. The exercise is good. Mom says it’s Godly. I think Mom just doesn’t want to spring for a car for me yet. Who knows? Ready?”

  “Ready.”

  Chapter 39

  Bethy gathered her books and backpack and headed for the door, which Edward opened for her. He put his own backpack on and asked if he could help with her load.

  “No thanks, I’m fine.”

  As they walked away, Mr. McQueen said to his wife, “I give it a week, maybe less. She’s gonna eat that boy alive.”

  “Mrs. McQueen said, “I’m not so sure about that, sweetie. My moneys on the boy.”

  ***

  Bethy and Edward walked for a long way, not speaking a single syllable to each other as they went. On Edward’s part, he didn’t know Bethy and had little to say to her. On Bethy’s part, she was grateful for the walk but couldn’t believe that her chaperone was Edward St. James. She was mortified and knew when this got around, her rep would be toast.

  As they drew nearer to school, she suddenly stopped.

  “Look, I appreciate what you’re doing for me but let’s be clear. We’re not a couple, not boyfriend and girlfriend, and there’s nothing between us. Just hang out with your friends and I’ll hang out with mine. I’ll see you at my house in the morning and you can walk me home after school when I’m finished studying at the library. We good?”

  “Heck yeah we are. But don’t you get the wrong impression either. I don’t know you and you don’t know me. I’m doing this as a favor for my Dad, who is doing a favor for your Mom and Dad. That’s all. I don’t know and don’t want to know your girlfriends, or cheerleaders or boy models. I keep to myself, and like it that way. My Dad said I should keep an eye on you at school and I will. That’s all.”

  He continued, “If there’s trouble, I’ll take care of it. Just stay close and nothing will happen to you. I can promise you that. If someone even looks at you the wrong way, a guy I mean, you should tell me about it. Now as far as what I know, I know a lot contrary to what I said in your kitchen this morning. I was trying to be tactful and not embarrass you in any way.

  “But what I don’t know is who attacked you or why. I don’t know what happened but I gather it was unpleasant and unwanted attention. If you’d like, you can tell me who did this to you and I can settle this quickly and you won’t need to be fussed about it ever again. Then I can be very quickly out of your very charming life and go back to being anonymous just like before we ever met. So, what do you want to do?”

  “I want to go to class. I’m late. I’ll see you at the library after ninth period. I usually study there for a couple of hours, then walk home through the Park. See you then.”

  And so, it was that Edward unfailingly arrived at Bethy’s home by 6:00 am, politely waited for Bethy to get ready and declined offers of coffee and pastries from both Mr. and Mrs. McQueen. Edward then kept his eye on Bethy at school but if the culprit was a student there, she didn’t let on one iota. He studied at the library, away from Bethy and her friends and waited for her to leave. She would have a small head start, then he would catch up to her when she was far enough away not to be seen.

  “You don’t have to hide from me at school, before or after. It’s not like I’m ashamed to be seen with you. My rep is solid.”

  “Aren’t we magnanimous? Maybe it’s the other way around. I don’t want to foul my rep being seen with a beautiful cheerleader. Could get me ostracised from Nerdland. At least I don’t wear Poindexter glasses.”

  Bethy smiled at him for the first time in weeks and that single smile just lit up her face. He wasn’t smitten – not yet anyway, but he was curious. He wasn’t good with girls; in fact, he wasn’t good with people. But this had been uneventful, if not enjoyable. It would end soon, he thought: nothing was happening.

  Over the next few weeks, Bethy began to talk to Edward more. She dropped the attitude and began to enjoy studying with him at the library. They had many of the same classes and Edward was a smart kid, so they began to talk more, even at night by telephone. She asked him to accompany her to a few events and then began taking flak from some of her friends and classmates. It also attracted the attention of some other kids, who had been watching at a distance.

  This, to Edward, attracted too much attention but he began to like Bethy, who was smart and had a wickedly funny sense of humor. She could be catty and sharp but never turned her sharp tongue on him. Edward, for his part didn’t mind watching the ‘Princess’, as he now called her, do her thing and level those who came after her in one fashion or another. She didn’t need his help; she was perfectly capable of defending herself. In this he admired her and even gave her some props.

  Several months in, everything had returned to normal for Bethy and she was back to all her former activities. Whether this had anything to do with her chaperone was never clear but Bethy had come to enjoy, even look forward to their walks and talks. Edward was smart and funny but funny in a smart way. He would make jokes, more like veiled references to teachers or other students that only Bethy would get. He never laughed at his own jokes but waited to see if he could get Bethy to smile or laugh. He often did.

  One day after their library study was over, a couple of her guy friends came up and had some words with Bethy. Edward was clearly not included, so he hung back and waited for her. Their voices got louder and Bethy walked away, clearly unhappy.

  “Everything OK?”

  “Right as rain. God I’m starting to talk like you. I’m so fucked.” She walked off ahead of him in a mood, so he let her go. He hung back but not too far. He never let her out of his sight, but she had gotten a fair distance from him as they entered the Park.

  He could see a guy approach Bethy from behind and come up behind her. Edward picked up his pace.

  “Hello there, girly girl,” the boy said. “Remember me? You and me and a couple of my buddies hooked up with you, well right here as a matter of fact. Not that long ago. You looked good then and you look mighty fine now. How ‘bout you come with me and we can party a little in the woods. Got some beers and some weed. It’ll be a blast. I hear you like to party. That’s what Conway tells us. You remember him, don’t you? Says he got in your pants, no problem.”

  Bethy looked panicky and began trembling, remembering the last time she saw this guy and two of his friends. She didn’t want to see them again and began to walk of quickly away from him, in the direction of home. The boy rushed up behind her and grabbed her shoulder, just as Edward arrived.

  “What do you think you’re doing there, dude? Step away from the lady and get your hands off her.”

  The boy turned around and said to Edward, “Who the fuck are you, dweebmaster? Her bodyguard or maybe her boyfriend? Get the fuck outta here while you can still walk. We’re busy.”

  “I’m not going to ask you twice, get your fucking hand off the lady before I take it off.”

  “You know who I am, fuckface? I can fuck you up in a thousand ways, including with my little friend here.” The boy pulled out a knife he had tucked in his boot. A quick jerk, and a four-inch blade popped out. “See this. Now bugger off, as the Brits say. Like I said, I’m busy with this slut. Now mind your own business.”

  “I’m sorry, what did you call my girl? I didn’t hear that.”

  “This whore is your girlfriend? That’s delicious. This slut has been banged by half the guys at school and just about every guy on the football team. You can have her when I’m done, if you still want her. Now back off.”

  “OK, I just needed that little clarification.”

  “Good, now blow. I’m busy.”

 
“No, I meant I’d like you to apologize to my girl before I break your arm in three spots. Now, say you’re sorry. And mean it. Any insincerity will not go well with my girl. She can be kinda bitchy that way. So, say you’re sorry and we can all go home. Now!”

  The boy turned, and grinned and said, “You asked for it shithead. I’m gonna slice you up.”

  The boy never saw what happened next. Edward grabbed the boy’s wrist and twisted hard as the kid lunged at him, pulling him forward and causing him to drop his knife on the ground. Edward picked it up and handed it to Bethy, who he told to stand back. Edward let go. The kid came after Edward again, this time from behind.

  Edward dodged his punch while he swiveled to launch a kick, full hip rotation just as he had been instructed over the years. The kid was introduced to Edward’s lightning fast roundhouse kick, which connected squarely on his jaw, a favorite move Edward practiced frequently when sparring. The kid dropped like a pile of bricks and began cursing at Edward through the spaces that used to hold his teeth.

  “You my friend were about to do something very foolish and quite possibly criminal. I don’t know who you are, or who your friends are, but if I ever see you anywhere near my girl again, I will cause you a great deal of damage and pain. Do you understand? Now, say you’re sorry, or the next thing I’ll do is break your arm.”

  “Fuck you and fuck your slut. I’ll fucking kill you the next time I see you.”

  “As you wish, my friend.” Edward moved in on the kid and grabbed him by the hair and yanked him up. The kid was screaming at the top of his lungs, but Edward ignored his howls and proceeded to force him back down on his knees, arm extended and twisted so the kid couldn’t move.

  “Edward, don’t. Let him go. That’s enough,” shouted Bethy, now watching in horror.

  “Is he the one who molested you before? Tell me right now.”

  “OK, OK, he was one of them. He held me while …”