“He yelled at me because you didn’t come down, then I ran away. I guess I didn’t notice the bags falling down the ramp.”
“There! Was that so hard?”
Bonnie was looking down, clearly very upset. Lisa looked at her sympathetically. She could not be sure, but had a pretty good idea why Bonnie was so hurt by Denny’s abuse. Yet there was nothing she could say about it directly. She was treading on sensitive ground, and she knew it.
“Bonnie, I hope you’re not too bothered over what Denny said to you. He’s a jerk. He knows nothing about you, and what he says means nothing. Don’t let him get to you.”
“I guess…”
“Bonnie, I meant it when I said that I like working with you. I love working with you. When you’re around, we’re great together. Just being with you makes the day go by that much faster. I have to work evenings and weekends, well then I want them to be with you. So please, please. Let’s be in this together.”
“You’re right, Lisa,” said Bonnie as they embraced.
“In fact,” said Lisa, “I think you’re capable of much more than anyone realizes.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that…” demurred Bonnie.
“Alright,” said Lisa, “One thing is for sure. We can’t let this go on. I can’t work under these conditions. I don’t know what to do about it, but somehow we have to take action. We should have just said no to Denny in the first place. I feel like he was pushing us into something. Maybe he just wanted me in trouble, or both of us, and then he got just what he wanted. I don’t know. Seems like a lot of trouble for a vendetta. Maybe there is more to this. Either way…”
“You’re right Lisa,” snapped Bonnie, “Okay? I’m just overwhelmed right now.”
Just then Betty Boring emerged from Bonnie’s house. She wore a green peasant top and jeans with her dark hair pulled back.
“Hey girls!” she called.
“Oh hi, Mrs. B,” said Lisa.
“Hey Lisa. Do you want to stay for dinner?”
“Oh, I’d love to, but my grandmother’s over from China. She’s been bothering me to play my cello for her.”
“Well isn’t she lucky. You are a natural. I’d love to hear you again some time.”
“Hopefully not too soon,” said Lisa, blushing, “But I’d love to stay for dinner soon.”
“Next time. Okay honey?”
“Definitely next time,” said Bonnie.
“Of course,” said Lisa to Bonnie, “I love your mother’s cooking. It’s otherworldly.”
The Boring house was like many others in the outer boroughs of New York City. It was narrow, with its primary length vertical, and (to a lesser degree) front-to-back. Stairs seemed to dominate the place, with the flight leading upstairs walling a side of the living room. The rest of the living room was small but homey, carpeted and decorated with balsa wood and family pictures of mother and daughter, and class pictures of Bonnie. There were many typical homey touches, from vases to candlesticks and throw pillows. A short hallway connected it to a small kitchen, where Betty and Bonnie now sat. The steps to the basement interrupted a side of the kitchen, just inside from the hallway. The dining room formed a narrower back end of the living room, connecting to the kitchen.
“Do you feel okay?” Betty asked, feeling Bonnie’s forehead. “I was right before. You are sick. I worry about you out there. It’s not healthy being in outer space without a jacket.”
“A jacket?” sneered Bonnie, “Forget it. That would ruin the costume. Talk about a mother’s fashion sense.”
Betty reached into the air and pulled out what looked vaguely like a thermometer. She placed it into Bonnie’s hair.
“When are they gonna design these things so they don’t take forev…” complained Bonnie, but by the time she finished it had beeped. Betty took it out of Bonnie’s hair, flicked it with her finger, and waved her hands till a message appeared in front of her
“Oh, okay,” said Betty, “It is just another viral tiff. You will be better by last week, or by the least ironic page of a star’s orbital range. You have to remember to keep the flights within an inadhesive objective, and the colors of your coin bounces should remain warm or within an eighth of a galaxy’s ink stain. For tonight, you should also keep the carpets unliquidized…”
“Mom, I’m not a little kid! You don’t have to break it down for me like someone who doesn’t understand basic multidimensional logic.”
“And you don’t have to give me super-powered attitude.”
“No, I guess I don’t technically have to.”
“You should get a good rest too. You know as well as I do that Misery isn’t staying away for long. You can argue all you want, but what you did really doesn’t pass for taking care of the problem. You’re going to be fighting her again before you know it. In fact, I’d be thinking about that soon.”
“Maybe not,” said Bonnie, “Yeah, I know. She will be back.”
“So, can you stay off those social networks for maybe one night. I see you in there lurking on that boy’s page. That Hal.”
“Mom!”
“Look, if you like him, fine. I like his taste in television. I see he’s also up on current events, and that’s a positive in my book.”
“Yeah?” said Bonnie, “What does he…”
“I know,” laughed Betty, “You just look at the pictures of him. That’s my girl. Looking through the photo albums to find a shot of him without a shirt.”
Bonnie didn’t speak. She only looked at her mother in shock and anger.
“Sorry dear. I’m your mother.”
“Yes, but none of my friends’ mothers have X-ray vision.”
“And none of my friends’ daughters are superheroes.”
“And that’s an excuse to invade my privacy?”
“It’s a reason to be concerned about you,” said Betty, “In fact, before I forget, you had a scary incident at work.”
“Yes,” said Bonnie, “Only in my life are an armed robbery and a hostage situation the back page story.”
“Think what that’s like for me, baby. You know it’s not easy watching you. A mother can only stand by so much. Anyway, you must have enjoyed that opportunity to get close to your crush.”
“Mom…”
“I think we should talk, don’t you?”
Bonnie rolled her eyes. “Alright mom.”
Betty pulled closer to Bonnie. “So I saw that you got close to your Hal, but one little catch there. It wasn’t exactly you. It was her, Ms. Infinity, Your alter-ego.”
“Hal’s pretty crazy about her,” said Bonnie, “I don’t really know how he feels about me, but he can’t take his eyes off her. I see his eyes glued to every TV appearance, every magazine shot. And then there was today.”
“And you’re jealous of yourself. This would be a good time to note that this whole thing was your idea. Now I think it’s wonderful, using your powers to help others, and obviously the earth needs protecting…”
“Mom, do we need to do this again?”
“Well, look at your approach. You turned yourself into a vision of perfection, an omnipotent superhero who looks like a supermodel. That’s an image that nobody can truly live up to, yourself included. So can you really be surprised if you have trouble competing with it?”
These discussions were always frustrating to Bonnie. The right to use her powers openly with her mother’s approval had been hard-earned, and even now the right to do so without criticism was still clearly a long way off.
Bonnie took a deep breath, then looked at her mother in the eye. “Look, I don’t want to always be using my powers in secret. That weighs on me after a while. That may be good enough for you, but I want to be able to do things in public. So I do it this way. I use my shape shifting and change into someone else when I do it. You know I’m a fan of the superheroes.”
“That transformation makes me uneasy,” said Betty, “You know that, right? You are more beautiful that manufactured image. At least I hope
you know that. I mean, I get it. If you’re going to disguise yourself, and you have that power, well obviously you would. But I just wish you weren’t so…I don’t know. Do you have to look like a runway model? I don’t like the statement. Besides, there was no reason you had to make yourself taller, was there? C’mon. Be a proud petite! I wear my five feet with pride!”
“Mom! I’m an adult. I get it, really. But you do have to lay off my personal choices here.”
“Alright,” said Betty “As long as you know how I feel about it. I do have a question though. Why the explosion, and the magic words? ‘Infinite Power?’ Besides the fact that your powers are not infinite, you don’t need magic words to change, or the pyrotechnics. What gives?”
“It’s all mind set,” said Bonnie, “It helps me get in the mood. I kind of wish I could get some music going too, but that might be giving myself away.”
Betty smiled and shook her head, “Why stop there? Why not wake up every morning with a title sequence?”
“You know I do in my head,” said Bonnie, “Look, I get it. I’m flashy. You’re under the radar. Can we just agree to disagree?”
“I really do. But you know why I do things my way. A good act can be enhanced when it is anonymous. It is not about getting the accolades. It’s about doing what is necessary whether anyone knows it or not. You may not fully appreciate the importance of one who works behind the scenes. There are many hands that are invisible, and are taken for granted, in many lives, yours not least.
“But I understand. It is very hard on you, always hiding who you really are. I see the point to the dual identity, and I don’t judge. Still, whatever your choices you have to live with the consequences.”
“And so, it’s me versus myself…”
Betty put her hand lovingly on her daughter’s shoulder. “But you’re still you. Why don’t you ask him out? You know, you. Bonnie Boring. Go up to him as yourself and ask him out. Is that so hard? He may like you more than you think. Ms. Infinity is just an abstraction to him. You’re a real person. Just approach him as an equal. Go out to a movie. Have dinner together. Ask him his interests. Tell him yours. You might be surprised how well it goes. If not, then on to the next.”
“But what if he finds out my secret? Or if we get permanent, do I tell him?”
“You know what? If you trust him, then yes. We don’t have to be an island here forever. We have our reasons for staying hidden, but it doesn’t have to mean hidden from everyone. If he is someone who can be trusted, then by all means trust him. These humans are not to be underestimated, dear. Living among them is an improvement, don’t you think?”
“Hal forgot a pen again today. I saved him one.”
“Nice of you. You know, I suspect there’s more to him than forgetting things. And good looks.”
“Yeah,” said Bonnie, “He likes kids. He’s sweet.”
“Well then that is something.”
Getting up from the table, Betty began to walk to the living room, but then turned back to her daughter. “Bonnie,” she said gingerly. “I think this is as good a time as any to discuss going back to school. I mean, you an Associates degree is never going to cut it in this economy. You need to have a permanent job. I can’t keep supporting you forever.”
“Please, Mom,” whined Bonnie, “I’m in no mood.”
“Look Bonnie. It’s not like I’m not proud of what you do. But fighting crime is reactive. You should also be working proactively toward the common good. Remember how lucky we are. Nobody else has it quite like us. It is our responsibility to give back. I thought you had a wonderful idea. You’d be a great social worker.”
“Alright Mom, I promise I’ll give it serious consideration.”
“Thank you, dear. You know what? It’s getting late. You really should be getting to bed.”
“Ok fine,” said Bonnie. Then in a stream of stars her clothes transformed to her pajamas.
“You know Bonnie,” chirped Betty, “It wouldn’t kill you to put your clothes on one leg at a time.”
“Never!” shouted Bonnie as she flew up to her room.
Betty sighed, “My girl’s going to get a rude awakening one day.”
Bonnie lay awake in her bed that night. Her mind was a rush of anger and confusion. She wasn’t sure what upset her more, the deliberate meanness of her supervisor, or the oblivious brush of high school acquaintances. Either way, she was disappointed in life. Sure it was much, much safer here than in her old world. She was endlessly grateful for that. There was really no question that Earth was home, and always would be. Yet even here it seemed she didn’t belong.
She read for a while, and eventually fell asleep to the TV. Soon her anger and disappointment were overcome by anxiety and bad dreams, just like most nights.
Bonnie and Betty kept many secrets; their very identity not least. While some of the secrets they kept were unusual, unique even, the need for secrecy was not. And while some secrets may be dangerous, theirs were not. Betty had taken great pains to assure that what their neighbors didn’t know would never hurt them. They simply kept their personal details quiet, much like anyone. Their privacy was the space they needed to live as a family, however small. Such is true of families of all sizes and shapes.
Their unique circumstances accounted for part of their secretive nature, but the culture of their origin was also part of it. Theirs was a society that valued privacy. Propriety was also important, and an aspect of propriety meant respecting boundaries. These things were not really as “alien” as all that. Many human cultures have similar values. Indeed this value is part of life in New York City, where it is common to have very different cultures living quite literally on top of one another. Respect for boundaries is central to the peace of a neighborhood.
Lisa understood this as well as anyone. As Bonnie’s best friend, she knew how essential it was to respect her space. It went hand in hand with trust, and trust was something that was very important to her. Bonnie’s trust was very hard earned, especially the amount that Lisa received. Yet it could be very frustrating at times. No matter how deep their friendship was, Bonnie could only give so much of herself. There were always many things she would never tell, even some very basic personal details.
For her part, Lisa could piece many things together, far more than Bonnie would explicitly tell. She would have preferred simple openness, and she tried at times to encourage Bonnie gently to speak out loud of what was already known. And she also always provided her a safe ear when she did choose to speak. Yet Bonnie rarely did open up, and Lisa had to be content with the inevitable distance between them. If Lisa had known it, this was just as frustrating for Bonnie. She also needed Lisa’s friendship, and deep inside she wanted to trust her more, even if it was difficult for her to do so.
Yet there was always more to that picture than met the eye. And Lisa also understood another essential piece of context that made this situation less bitter. Bonnie and Betty were not much more open with each other. Deep though the love was between mother and daughter, there was also an eerily deep silence. So many things were simply never discussed, many of them important details of their past. And then the two also kept not a few secrets from each other, Betty more effectively than her daughter. But then if privacy is essential to a family’s living space, so too is a measure of space necessary to the individuals in a family. That respect is one of many things a family needs to survive as a unit.
Whatever the difficulties, this family unit was carrying on quite well on its terms. It is not every family that holds together this well. Some do not hold together at all.
5. Competition With Herself
In a small, Spartan apartment in Jackson Heights, Jerry Holstein finished getting breakfast ready. “Hal,” he called, “Come to breakfast. You have work soon.”
“Hey Dad,” said Hal as he came in, “I finally got a good night’s sleep for a change. Well, next to my apartment everything seems quiet.”
“Yeah, that roommate of yours. I kn
ow. Listen, I spoke to your mother.”
“You spoke to Mom? And it didn’t wake me up?”
“Listen, after yesterday, of course we were going to talk. You’re more important than any argument. We’re both just relieved that you’re safe. Anyway, your mother wants to see you tonight. Please, please talk to her at least. She misses you. See what you can arrange. Maybe you can stay there tonight and have two quiet nights in a row.”
“That’s pushing my luck. Quiet in either of your places is a miracle. Why do you think I moved out? Besides, Stacy is staying over my apartment for pretty much the same reason.”
“She’s done that a few times, right? You are a great brother, Hal. I don’t know how many guys your age would put up with a nine-year old girl staying over. But is it safe with that drunk roommate?”
“She takes the bedroom and I sleep on the couch. I can manage.”
Jerry was beginning to cry. “This is not how family is supposed to be! Divorce is hard on everyone, but at least you should both feel like you have a home.”
He then wiped his tears and shook his head. “Listen Hal. Stacy lives with Mom over the week, and me for the weekend. That’s the arrangement for now. You’re an adult, so it’s different. And it’s wonderful that you want to help, but you actually complicate it this way.”
“Oh yeah. It’s just, neither one of us wants to be there…”
“Yeah. It’s…him. Right? Your mother’s new squeeze.”
“Please dad,” begged Hal, “Let’s not bring him up. We’ve been getting along so well up through now.”
“Damn that woman!” snapped Jerry, “Doesn’t even wait till I’m packed to invite her new boyfriend in!”
“Dad! Stop! This is why I had to move out!”
Jerry took a deep breath. After a moment, he collected himself and spoke again, “Okay. I’m sorry. Soon we’ll have this divorce worked out, and this will stop. It has to. But you, you’re twenty-four. A boy your age should be living his life, not working twenty-four hours a day just to afford a horrible upstairs conversion with a miserable roommate. At the very least, you should never forget that you have a home here, and at your mother’s.”
Ms. Infinity (Book 1): Earth's Greatest Hero Page 5
