Time for Raine

by C. Barry Denham

“Yes.” Noelle’s voice was strong and calm. Another glance at the monitor verified that the camera loved her as well. “In fact, her scores were near perfect on every section of the tests, something that hasn’t been done previously by any child.”

  “What are your favorite subjects in school, Raine?” asked John.

  Raine giggled. “I don’t go to school, silly.”

  A laugh from off-camera caught his attention.

  “Of course,” John said. He smiled. “And most will agree with you, little one. I am a silly man. Well then, tell us what you think your favorite subjects will be when you get to go to school? What are your ambitions?”

  Without missing a beat, Raine gave her answer. “Quantum physics, I think, and maybe calculus. But I like chemistry, too. I want to be a doctor.”

  A feather could have knocked Sean over. Noelle’s mouth fell open. This was the first he had heard of his daughter’s ambitions. He immediately thought of the nine-letter word on the crossword puzzle. A-m-b-i-t-i-o-u-s.

  At first, a few light laughs tittered around the couch. The look of determination on Raine’s face didn’t change. She was dead serious. John was fast on the reply.

  “And something tells me you will be a good doctor. Speaking of calculus, Raine, do you want to play a math game?” He reached into his pocket and held up a calculator. The camera zoomed in on it. “Are you fast at multiplication?”

  “I don’t know.” Raine shrugged her small shoulders.

  “Well, we’re going to find out. Okay, here we go.” John punched numbers in the calculator as he spoke them. “What’s twenty-five times thirteen?”

  “Three hundred twenty-five?”

  John held the calculator up to the camera and the numbers flashed on the screen.

  “Wow,” Margie cried. “That’s wonderful. And fast.”

  John didn’t seem overly impressed, but carried a sly smile. “Okay, now for an all-expenses paid trip for you, Dad, and a guest to Walt Disney World in Orlando, what’s five thousand six hundred and fourteen times seven hundred and eighty-nine?” Again, he punched the numbers in as he said them. “You have ten seconds for the—”

  “Four million, four hundred twenty-nine thousand, four hundred forty-six.” She giggled. “That’s a lot of fours. And at my next birthday, I’ll be four, too.”

  John’s face paled as he stared at the calculator and silently mouthed the numbers. His hand shook as he held it up for the camera. Several oohs and ahhs were heard on and off camera as the exact string of numbers filled the screen. Raine looked at the monitor again and smiled. For a moment, the set was quiet.

  Bret shook his head in disbelief. “Absolutely amazing. Folks, I can tell you this was not rehearsed. After this amazing display, we’re going to have to spend a couple of more minutes with Miss Raine. That is, if Dad and the doc don’t mind?”

  The camera framed both Sean and Noelle.

  “Well, ladies and gentlemen, the doc is nodding, and the dad is shaking his head. I’m going to take that as an affirmative. When we come back, we’re going to talk more to Miss Raine and talk with her father about the adoption program in China and across the world.”

  Sean could not remember being more proud of his daughter.

  Or more scared.

  The music was cued, and the cameras faded. Sean listened absently to the Global This Morning theme-song music. He looked at Noelle precisely as she found his gaze.

  “The music.” Her eyes widened.

  “I know,” Sean whispered. “It’s the song Raine hummed while waiting for the limo.”

  “Do you watch—?”

  Sean shook his head. “We don’t do a lot of TV, especially in the morning.”

  “Then where did she hear—?”

  A chill traversed his body.

  Chapter Ten

  It was a big morning for Raine. After her extended segment on Global This Morning, one of the staff from the show—Sean remembered he had introduced himself simply as Warren—invited them to meet in his office briefly before returning to the hotel.

  “Please follow me,” Warren said, as the network broke for commercials. He gave them only seconds to say their goodbyes to the hosts, before whisking them away down a long hall. “Right this way.”

  Several people looked out from offices along the hall. Others stood in doorways. A few were smiling. Others patted Raine on her head and congratulated her for her performance on live television. Raine laughed and gave high fives and seemed much more comfortable with the attention than was Sean.

  The sparsely appointed office gave no hint as to Warren’s capacity with the network; maybe an associate producer or a security staff person? In the aftermath of Raine’s amazing performance on live television, the entire aura on the set and elsewhere in the studio changed to one of uncertainty or even shock. Everything seemed to take a back seat to the fact that the world had just been introduced to something seldom seen, someone very special, all in living color and on live TV.

  Sean was surprised to discover the reason behind the short meeting was to ensure the security of “Miss Sampson’s party,” as Warren put it. He explained a lengthy procedure concerning how the rest of the day would be handled—as he put it—beginning with the return to the Hilton. Instead of the limo picking them up curbside, the three of them were escorted through a maze of halls, corridors, and elevators until they reached a parking garage. There, two men dressed in dark suits loaded them into a dark-colored SUV with tinted windows. They were whisked into another parking garage attached to the Hilton, where they were escorted via a service elevator to a different suite. At first, Sean was amused at the cloak and dagger procedure, until one of the men who stood outside their waiting suite delivered the rest of the instructions.

  “Mr. Sampson, Global News has taken the liberty of arranging an escorted tour of the Empire State Building at four p.m., followed by a private dining room for your party at Ellen’s Stardust Diner in Times Square at six thirty p.m. this evening. This all, of course, is complimentary, and Global will provide the transportation to and from your tour, dinner, and the play. We have taken further liberty to upgrade your theater tickets to a stage-side balcony section, which affords privacy and outstanding close-up action of the play.”

  A couple of bell hops arrived with their luggage. For a moment Sean was astounded by the reality of the situation. He looked at Noelle, then Raine. His daughter’s mouth dropped open, and her eyes widened. It might be difficult to enforce the required nap that was on the agenda for early afternoon.

  “Daddy, did you see all the wires and stuff and cameras in the studio?”

  “Yes, sweetie,” Sean said. He never took his eyes from the man in the suit.

  “Noelle, would you take Raine in the suite and check out the room-service menu?” He smiled at the two ladies. “I would like a word with our friend here. Then, my little celebrity, I want to hear everything you have to say about your first time on camera.”

  “Of course.” Noelle took Raine’s hand.

  After the door closed behind them, he addressed the escort. “We’re only blocks from all the events you mentioned. What if we walked? The weather is great. I was thinking of maybe taking my daughter and the doctor to a few other stops along the way. I wanted to buy my daughter an American Girl doll, and take her on the carousel at the Toys R Us.”

  Without so much as an acknowledgement of Sean’s statements, the escort pushed the button on a device attached to his left shoulder and leaned toward it.

  “Chuck, can you get Paula for me?” He smiled at Sean while he waited for an answer. “Mr. Sampson, I hope you will forgive our cautious behavior. Your daughter’s appearance this morning has created quite a stir among the media. Because Global This Morning has consistently rated the top spot on morning shows, several million people witnessed her segment this morning. No doubt, she will become an instant celebrity. We at the network take responsibility for this notoriety and are obligated to assist you in retaining your privacy fo
r the duration of your stay in the city. That’s why we moved you to this suite and changed the registration to a random name. When is your return flight, Mr. Sampson?”

  “It’s not until late tomorrow, but—”

  “Allow me to schedule an escort for you tomorrow morning, say around ten, for a walking tour to the attractions of your choice, in addition to today’s planned events?”

  “Well, sure, that would be nice—”

  The man held up a hand and pressed a finger to his ear. He nodded as he listened, mumbled something, smiled, and turned to Sean.

  “Everything has been taken care of. Your shopping tour is scheduled for ten a.m.”

  Sean nodded. The man thanked him, and Sean started toward the room. He stepped toward the door and then turned to thank the man.

  The suit with shades was gone.

  Inside the suite, Raine had cornered Noelle at the small table in the dining area. She looked up as Sean entered.

  “Daddy, did you see all those TV sets this morning?” Her eyes were wide, matching the smile on Noelle’s face. A more delightful sight Sean could not remember. They looked so natural together. “I bet there was a hundred of them.”

  Sean’s thoughts meandered to the senator. He had to broach the subject with Raine, but now wasn’t the time. He resolved to keep things light.

  “And you were a natural on every one of those screens.” He pulled a chair out and sat.

  “Would you like something to drink?” Noelle pushed away from the table.

  “No, please, sit,” he said. “I’m fine.”

  From the corner of his eye, he could see the look from Noelle. It gave him a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach. Raine continued her rhetorical recital of the morning’s event, but he felt the heat from Noelle’s gaze. He glanced quickly over to her, and she looked away, back toward Raine.

  “And all those people at the TV station were so nice.” Raine’s eyes beamed as she hesitated. “That was really fun.”

  “You did so well on your interview,” Noelle chimed in. “You looked so pretty on television. I think your daddy is right—you are a natural on the camera. You could be sitting on that couch some years from now, hosting the show.”

  “I think maybe she’ll be sitting on that couch again one day, but maybe as a quantum physicist?” Sean said. He reached across the table and squeezed Raine’s hand. “When did you decide that was what you wanted to be? You never said anything to Daddy about that.”

  The smile vanished from her face and she withdrew. “I don’t know.”

  Sean realized his err. “Honey, it’s okay if that’s what you want to be.”

  “Are you mad because I didn’t tell you?”

  Sean walked around the table. He lifted her into his arms and sat. “Of course not, sweetie. I’ll be very proud of you no matter what you decide to be. It’s okay you didn’t tell Daddy.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Of course.” He held her close. “Daddy was surprised, not unhappy. I think it’s great to know what you want to do, even at three years old. But if that changes someday, it’s okay also. Isn’t that right, Miss Noelle?”

  Sean glanced to Noelle, who quickly wiped a tear from her eye.

  “Are you okay, Miss Noelle?” Raine jumped down and held her arms out to Noelle, who lifted her onto her lap.

  “Yes, sweetie, of course.” She glanced at Sean. “I’m better than okay, little lady. I’m very happy you did so well today and that you know what you want to do.”

  Noelle never took her eyes from Sean. “In fact, I can’t remember ever being so happy.”

  ****

  “What the—?” James looked at the others and shrugged his shoulders.

  “What happened to the senator?” One of his friends stood from the table of eight, as if his action might change the programming for the popular morning news program. “Didn’t they just say Blane would be on next?”

  The others looked at him as if he were to blame that the senator hadn’t shown. Instead a little Chinese kid’s face had filled the screen.

  “Just like them TV people to bring in foreigners instead of one of greatest men what ever lived.” Another stood and for a moment James thought he might walk over to the counter of the small diner and bust the old RCA set that was mounted above it.

  James looked around at the angry faces. “Wonder where the hell he went? Ain’t like him to take no second place to no chink.”

  Yet another of his friends motioned for the waitress and pushed away from the half eaten plate of eggs, sausage, and biscuits. “I’m going out for a smoke before heading to the work site.”

  “I’m with you,” said another.

  James stood and retrieved his wallet. He flipped a five and two ones on the counter for the dark-skinned server. A dollar is about all the work she did. Most of the time, she avoided the table altogether. Can’t find good help anymore.

  He was not happy with World Cable News. Putting on a foreigner in place of the great Senator Blane on Global This Morning. What was that all about? He made a mental note to see if he could find out what happened to the senator.

  The country was messed up enough. They sure didn’t need any more foreigners coming in, taking all their jobs and benefits. That network better get it together, or they were going to lose him and his friends fast.

  Chapter Eleven

  Life can sometimes be defined by one moment in time. Noelle found this to be true countless times during her six years of treating troubled children. A harsh word, a hateful slap, something as simple as a parent’s failure to show up for an important event, can often change the course of a child’s life. The human condition is fragile. One moment can alter a life forever—many times for the worse. A child’s life can be virtually destroyed by thoughtless actions, sending him into a spiral that hurls him into failure, or worse causes him to make foolish decisions, even as far as ending his own life or taking someone else’s. She often felt helpless, unable to reach a child buried far too deep in despair.

  Conversely, children on the verge of self-destruction could be set on the right track by a kind gesture, a loving touch, or a thoughtful act. She had played a part in several success stories, which made her life as a psychologist rewarding.

  As a child she had been one of the lucky ones. Growing up was easy for her. She had parents who cared deeply for her and were always there for her. It was easy for her to determine what constituted a good father—she grew up with one of the best. She remained close to her parents, now more than ever. They lived in New England, but she spoke to them at least once a week. One day she would find a man to love, a man like her father. He would be a man who loved her and cared for her, as her own father had.

  Such a man was a few steps away from her at that moment. But was he really a man she could trust? As much as she tried to keep things in perspective—after all, she had known him for only a matter of months—she was losing a battle between her logic and her heart.

  She looked at herself in the bathroom mirror, and it all became so clear. The moment that would perhaps become the defining moment in her life happened earlier in the day, while sitting on the curvy couch at the studio. It happened in front of millions of people across the country and the world. It was the instant she looked at Sean looking at his daughter as she dazzled the world on live television. At that precise moment, Noelle knew she was falling foolishly in love with Sean Sampson.

  Yet, if she were totally honest with herself, there could have been other moments that came very close. She peered into the blue eyes of her reflection and could recount several. Watching him set up the tarp on the beach. When he lovingly wipe the blood from his daughter’s lips after she fell at her birthday party. His expression during any number of occasions when Raine smiled at him. Oh, she had tried to convince herself otherwise, but there had been another very special moment—when he kissed her. Whether he knew it or not, he took possession of her heart that day in his kitchen at the moment he took her
face in his hands and claimed her lips. He might as well have held her heart in those strong hands. At that instant, as much as she denied the truth, she became his to do with as he desired.

  The circumstances around that unforgettable day in the kitchen had not allowed things to progress. In retrospect, this was good. Otherwise, she would have been helpless to stop any intentions he held. She would have been unable to stop him. It would have been a done deal. She had fantasized a thousand times about his body against hers. Even a passing thought of him or that kiss had her juices flowing.

  She remembered thinking, hoping a time would follow when he might have designs to finish what he started. Instead, nothing was finished or resolved. Discussions concerning the kiss remained taboo.

  Noelle knew it was up to her to make something happen to resolve—one way or another—the feelings that were aroused by the kiss. But was that what she truly wanted, to put herself out there to be hurt again? Had he given her any reason to believe he had similar feelings? Surely he also wanted to see where the kiss might take them, didn’t he? She was aware of it when he looked at her. She was sure of it when he touched her hand, as he had while helping her from the limo.

  She finished putting on light makeup and brushing her hair and wondered if she was kidding herself. What made her think she had a chance with this man? It was hard enough competing with the situation surrounding meeting him. She also had to compete with the memory of his wife. The thought of his losing his wife still made her want to cry. It is so hard to fight a foe you cannot see, but one you know is still very much there.

  She slipped the cocktail dress over her sleek body. All was fair in love and war, right? She turned in front of the mirror and smoothed the navy blue fabric against her slender body. The dress and jewelry she had chosen were exactly what she wanted. She liked what she saw.

  She prayed he would feel the same.

  ****

  “Damn it!” Sean looked outside the bathroom toward the king-size bed where Raine rested. She didn’t stir.

  He hated neckties. He struggled to get the length correct. His hands trembled, no doubt some leftover adrenaline from the brief but intense encounter with the senator. He tried to forget the flustered lawmaker’s words, but the scene played over and over in his mind. He had read once that the senator had suspected links to white-supremacy organizations and others of less savory character. Did the incident have anything to do with Raine being Asian? There had always been, lurking in the back of his mind, a fear that one day she would be faced with racism. He hoped and prayed he would be equipped to help her deal with that issue. Because Raine refused to talk about it, he might never know exactly what transpired between her and the senator. He refused to press the issue, not in the near future. Today was such a joy for her, so he wasn’t going to spoil it by pressuring her to fill in some blanks. There would be a better time for that.