by Tony Lavely
“I thought I heard… I didn’t get his name, sorry, tell the pilot he could fly back if he wanted.”
“Shen. Go Shen.”
Lisa nodded, and took a deep breath. “So, like I said, Mr. Jamse really impressed me. Ms Jinet did, too. Then, Dad got that call and Mr. Jamse’s plane brought us here, and… I got to see Wendy and she was alive! All bandaged up like a mummy and head over heels in love with… Mike, I think his name was.” She stopped. “I’m getting off-track. What I mean is that we got here and everyone was strong, and… professional and kind, all at the same time. I was… stunned, I guess. All those girls rescued, and most okay. Every one of them was awestruck that Mr. Jamse… and you…” She looked at Beckie. “… I think, though they didn’t know your name til Lissa said it… They thought they’d die there. You got them all out.” She took a drink; Beckie noticed that Amy’d given her what looked very much like wine; Amy smirked back at her questioning glance. “Mr. Jamse and Ms Jinet had already sold me; what I found here was, like, the icing on the cake—the cherry on top. I knew I wanted to do what you did: help people who need it,” She looked around the lanai. “I still do.”
After a moment when no one offered any opinion, Beckie’s phone made a polite noise. “Thank you for that, Lisa. Let’s begin the short walk to Shalin’s.”
Dylan’s dinner was the tour de force Boynton had promised, equal to those Beckie remembered. They could open a restaurant, but she smothered that idea before someone tried to make good on it. I’m so not ready to lose either of them to a life on the mainland.
Along with the coffee, Shalin’s security system announced arrivals. Together, the twins shouted “It’s Mr. Quinn and Miss Sue!”
“All right; go let them in,” Shalin said with an apologetic smile. When they’d done so, she said, “Okay, you still have some homework to do; they can take your seats while you finish up.” After a short stint of unsuccessful wheedling, they disappeared into the rest of the house, and Amy, finally permitted to assist Dylan, served dessert.
Sue was looking around, attempting, Beckie was sure, to understand why they’d been invited, since this gathering could not be related to their upcoming job. Sue’s eye caught where Rich’s had already stuck: Lisa. Even travel-rumpled, the girl was far too good looking. How can I use that— Stop! You’re not going to hire her. Well, not on the basis of her story so far, at least.
“I know you,” Sue started. Rich snapped around to stare at his partner. “I apologize. Your name escapes me, but…” She jabbed her finger in the air at Lisa. “San Diego! You gave us… Wendy’s passphrase. Yeah, Wendy.”
“Yeah, Ms Jinet. I did, I guess. I’m—”
“Lisa! Lisa Grove! That’s it.” Wow! The girl had left enough of an impression that not only Millie, who might be expected to recall things, but Sue, hard at work for the five years intervening, but also, having had no contact with Lisa after that meeting in her home, they both recognized the girl and quickly remembered her name.
“Right! Thanks.”
Sue and Lisa spent a few minutes on the story Lisa’d already shared; Beckie had to focus on other things when Sue described Ian’s promise to Lisa. The group allowed Lisa and Sue to reminisce a little further, then began the breaking up for the evening.
Beckie took Willie along the beach after asking Amy and Beth to make sure Lisa got back to the house. “What do you think, Willie?”
“Ian always used words very carefully, but even so, I don’t know how he could have seen any specific trait that made her more attractive than anyone else. Especially at age twelve. As for now, I see nothing that DQs her, and a few things that argue for giving her a chance.”
“Cool! I think that’s what we’ll do then.” She took a few more steps, then stopped. “What things did you see?”
“Besides her go-for-it-all attitude, you mean? She thinks before she speaks. She’s focused on her goals. And she does color up nicely, doesn’t she?”
“That she does,” Beckie agreed with a chuckle. “Thanks.”
“No problem. Need me any more tonight?”
“I don’t think so. We’ll get together tomorrow at ten for the usual, right?”
He nodded as he gave her a quick hug, then hurried toward the dock.
Beckie dropped to the beach and wondered about Ian. And Amy. And Lisa. After wiping a few more tears from her cheeks, she heaved herself up and went to find her musketeers.
As she expected, they were scattered on the chairs of the lanai, while Lisa was curled up on the end of the sofa. The surprise was two-fold: The first was minor, they had all changed into shorts; while Lisa kept her tank top, Amy and Beth had donned halter tops. Second, Trillian was lying across Lisa’s legs, allowing her to scratch behind her ears. Beckie stopped at the door for a second when she took in the sight, then she stepped down and took the opposite end of the couch.
“I see Trillian’s made her choice,” Beckie said as she petted the ocelot’s back. Lisa drew back, as if she’d been caught with her hand in the cookie jar, but Trillian would have none of that; she pushed her head into Lisa’s belly until the girl took the hint. “Don’t worry,” Beckie said. “As Maurice told me, if there’s no blood, your introduction has been successful.” She pulled her legs up to sit with her back against the sofa’s arm, facing Lisa. Trillian took offense at the movement; she jumped to the floor and padded out.
“We’ve got a handle on your reasons and what you want to do; anything you want to add now?”
Lisa chewed her lower lip for a moment, then shook her head. “I don’t think so.” She pressed her hands against her legs. “No. Nothing.”
“Okay. Couple more questions. You’re in school?”
“Senior in high school.”
“Grades?”
“Three point four overall average.”
Good. She’s not overly proud of that. Still, it isn’t too bad, either, recalling the term she would have killed for a 3.4. “High and low?”
“High, physics, 4.0. Low, Modern Lit, 3.0.”
“Relationships?”
“Huh?”
“Are you in love? Sleeping with anyone? I’d ask about—”
“I was in love, once. It didn’t affect him the same way. Haven’t ever slept with anyone. I have friends, but… no real attachments.”
“Two names: Who will you miss most when you leave? Who will miss you most?”
Lisa’s eyes dropped and she clutched her hands between her legs. “Cori. Eric.”
“Okay. What do you plan to do when I send you home?”
Lisa’s head snapped up, her breath caught and her eyes widened. She took a deep breath and pulled composure back. “I don’t under—”
“What are your plans, whether or not you do anything with us? College? MacDonalds? Homeless? Screwing guys on the street? What?”
Lisa’s shock grew to a peak when Beckie said “screwing guys” but once more, she recovered; this time she glowered. “What gave you the idea—”
“Nothing. It’s an honorable career choice in many lands, though not so much in the US. What’s your plan?”
“Whatever would help me get a job here. I can get into any of the Cal State schools, with financial aid, so… what do you want?”
“Where’s her stuff?”
Amy said, “We left it in the front. I loaned her the shorts.”
Beckie laughed. Lisa was the only one of the three with Bermuda length shorts. Minimal bare skin to attract Dylan’s attention. “Take her to Maurice and ask him to put her next to my room. Help her get settled for the next few minutes, okay?”
When they were gone, Beth came to the sofa. “What’s on your mind, Beckie?”
“She’s way too fixated on us. Obsessed wouldn’t be too strong. I’m afraid of what she’ll do if I send her home… and if I keep her, too. Interesting, her choices about missing her.”
“It was. One girl and one boy. I assume, anyway. But, while interesting, probably not relevant.”
“Depends if she’s gonna look for a husband here. Or whatever two girls call each other.”
“I got no sense of that today. Later on, who knows. I might even look, one day.”
Beckie laughed. “Point conceded. What about her obsession, then? Will she hurt herself, either way?”
“You know we can’t answer that. I doubt she can, honestly. I don’t think so is the best I can do. She’s set a goal and she’s fighting to succeed at it.” The woman paused and twirled a strand of her blonde hair between her fingers. “Any place we need someone?”
“In four, five years? Sure. We can use help, especially young, motivated help. And intelligent.”
“You’ve answered your question then. So how will you do it?”
Beckie had smirked at Beth’s comment; it stayed as she said, “Wait and see.”
Fifteen minutes passed, and another fifteen, before Amy pushed Lisa back on to the lanai. In the other hand, she held a fresh glass which she handed to Beckie.
“We’re ready for whatever. Or, I am, at least, but Dylan’s waiting, so…”
“Invite him in, unless, Lisa, you’d rather not?”
She gave no hints as to her mental state as she looked at Beckie, then Amy, then Beckie again. “I don’t think it matters. He’s an insider, so he’s going to know about my foolishness no matter what. He should see first hand.”
“Foolishness?”
“Embarrassment, chagrin… shame even, maybe, if we keep going on.”
“You heard her, Amy. But we’ll go ahead.” She drank from the fresh glass. “You left out humiliation. Why?”
“Didn’t think of it. You just seem so… you’re both like Mr. Jamse… and not, at the same time. Amy said… Did you play that song? Why’d you think of it?”
“The name seemed to fit you. Brazen, shameless, impertinent. The embodiment of the term, even if you are female. I consider it a compliment. If you’d had nothing, I’d have left you there, since I knew from nothing about you. But I liked your attitude, your willingness to put your whole self out there without knowing for sure where it’d take you.”
By this time, Amy and Dylan had slipped in and were seated together on one of the chairs.
Beckie surveyed the others. Yeah, it’s time to see if Amy’s learned anything. “So, Lisa, I don’t know quite how you’d embarrass yourself more than admitting you needed me to pay your way out here after getting yourself to Fort Lauderdale. By the way, I bet Amy and Beth you used every cent you had getting there. Do I win?”
Lisa blushed. Wow! Redheads do color up nicely. “I have a round-trip ticket, but yeah. Mom and Dad wouldn’t spring for anything, so all my baby-sitting and tutoring money went into the ticket. Oh! I meant to say thanks for the sandwich they gave me. He said it was with the fare.”
“It’s okay. So, have I ruined your expectations? Did Ian’s death dissuade you? Or the thought of working for me?”
“No. None of that, though I’m… sorry to hear about Mr. Jamse. Ian. Mr. deVeel, too, but I don’t think I ever met him.”
Beckie nodded and turned to Amy. “Come over here, Amy. You’ll need your concentration.” When the girl came to the sofa, Beckie stood and pressed her to sit. From her stance by the railing, she said, “Amy. What does Lisa have to do?”
Her eyes rounded. “What? Why me?” Then she sat up a little and focused on Lisa. “The first and most important thing is get back home. While you’re there finishing school the best you can, make sure your parents know how you feel about them… If they should… Yeah, I can see that. Let them know. And your sister. Decide what you want from Cori and Eric both. And anyone else. Don’t play with people, but understand them; how to react to them, how they react to you.” She looked at Beckie.
“Good start.”
“Thanks,” Amy said and turned back to Lisa. She slid close enough to take her hand. “While you’ve got all that schoolwork and relationship stuff going, think about everything you’ll learn… How long do you have, anyway?”
“School’s out til Tuesday.”
“So, this is Thursday? We have you until Monday morning, then. Excellent!”
Beckie almost broke out laughing at the look of anticipation on Amy’s face. “Hold on, Amy. Aren’t you and Dylan supposed to be back in class Monday?”
“We’ve only got one class Mondays; this is more important.”
“Derek will not paddle you the way Dylan might. Don’t screw up at school.”
Amy flushed. “Yes, Mom.” She pulled Lisa close enough to stage-whisper to her, “Remember everything you learn this weekend. Consider if it’s the best way for you to spend your life, or part of it. Decisions come along all the time, and almost never can you redo one if you don’t like the way it turns out. And more important, you’ll never be able to tell what the result will be, down the road. Think really hard about that.”
“Thanks, Amy. I’m impressed. You can go back to Dylan now.” As Amy did, Beckie went to sit on the floor by Lisa’s foot. “Sitting here is kind of symbolic. I see you put yourself out as an applicant to be one of us, of this funny, extreme, wonderful group, and I think that raises you above me. Without knowing, far less understanding, what it means, you’re willing to try to change to conform to our norms, our life. Thanks, Lisa Grove.
“It’s October. You will go home Monday unless you want to go sooner. Here’s my offer: Spend the weekend learning everything you can about us… that won’t hurt you, at least. Go home. Amy, will you and Dylan be here Christmas, or in Chatham?”
“We haven’t decided yet. It’d be okay if we were here, I think. We’d go there for Thanksgiving, then.”
“It’d be helpful. If Lisa can come here then, at least. I want you and Beth as her mentors. So, Lisa… You think you can come back over your Christmas break?”
“I’ll check with Mom tomorrow, but I think I can.”
“Okay. If you can, you’ll tell us what you’ve been doing against Amy’s list, and by then you should know what school you’ve chosen. You’ll tell us about that, too. That’s for starters; I’m sure other topics will arise.” She stood up and sat beside Lisa. “Any reaction so far?”
“Aside from being out of my head happy, no. Amy didn’t put any hallucinogens in my drink did she? This is real?”
“As real as anything. Okay. I…” Beckie remembered that her baby was due in March and regrouped. “Well, I or someone will be at your graduation along with Amy and Beth. Dylan, too,” she said with a snort of laughter. “Your grades can be no lower than you’ve told us, and higher would be an advantage. By the way, depending on how things go, I might be able to assist you getting into the University of Miami, in the Engineering school at least, since I’m an alumna. They’re always looking for us to recommend qualified applicants. We can talk about that a little later. Oh, I’d like you to bring one or both of your parents Christmas. Wendy’s welcome, too.
“Back to graduation. Once you’ve done all your parties, and if you haven’t changed your mind, we’ll bring you back here for as long as you can stand it next summer. I don’t want to spoil it too much, but Beth? How would you describe it?”
After a second’s thought, Beth smirked. “We will test you. You will test us. You will get stronger and faster, leaner and hungrier. You will hurt. You will learn your breaking points and how to avoid them. But the most important thing: you will test you.” She glanced at Beckie. “That what you meant?”
“Couldn’t have been better if we planned it.
“Okay. Dylan, I’ve been watching… Our lovebirds are getting anxious, so we’re going to break for tonight. Amy, you guys going up to Cottage?”
“I think so. We’ll boat along with Beth.”
“Cool. Breakfast at 7:30, I think, because Willie and I are meeting at ten. Amy, in the morning, ask your mom if she or someone can give Lisa a physical? And I promised Shen she’d stop by to fill out forms. Even more, now. Beth, tomorrow and Sunday night, would it be okay if Lisa stayed with you? Give her a more r
ealistic view than staying here with me and Maurice.”
“Could move her tonight, if you want?”
“Nah. Tomorrow’s fine, thanks.”
“Mrs. Jamse,” Lisa said, “how will I afford all this flying back and forth? And Mom and Dad, too? We aren’t broke, but… Dad got laid off last year and with Wendy in school…”
“But… Oh. Wendy’s money is in a trust, for her, right?”
Lisa nodded. “I guess; we don’t talk about that a lot.”
“Well, this is one thing I can make easy. As long as you’re a viable candidate for us, we’ll take care of expenses. If you like Miami, I might be able to wrangle a scholarship. Those are things to worry about later. Com’on.”
They watched Beth, Amy and Dylan to the boat and out into the dark. After the few steps to the room Lisa would use, Beckie left her at the door. “I’m right next door if you need anything and don’t want to bother Maurice in your jammies. Coffee will be ready at 7:15; I’ll break the door down at 7:20.” She gave her a smile. “Thanks again, Lisa Grove.”
“Hmmf. What…” Beckie looked over at the clock. Three-fifteen glared back at her. Not time to be awake. What—
Two soft raps on the door. Well, there’s a surprise. Maurice would never wake me off hours unless the house was on fire, and even then, he’d make sure I was dressed first. So, it must be Lisa. I told her… By this time, Beckie’d reached the door and opened it.
As she expected, Lisa stood there, hugging herself. She was still in the tank top and shorts; while she was distressed, no tears were evident.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Jamse, I don’t know what I was thinking.”
Beckie grabbed her arm and pulled her into the room. She tapped the nightlight to be able to see, then pushed Lisa to sit on the chest at the foot of the bed. She fetched a chair to sit facing her. Lisa’s eyes were fixed on her lap. Her hair was all over, tousled, and obviously direct from whatever dream Lisa’d been fighting. She was still hugging herself with the one hand Beckie hadn’t taken and she was crossing and uncrossing her legs at the ankles.
