by C. L. Stone
“Once you’re out, he can give it back,” I said. “We just have to check in with each other about what we say. You can’t tell her about my background, because if she calls anyone about it, or threatens him, we may not get what we want.”
“I was going to,” she said in a softer voice. “But when I told her she didn’t know anything about what he’s really like, to try to convince her to go away, she said she knew everything already.”
Did she? Or had he fed her lies?
Everything that went on between our father and Carol was a mystery. When had he met her, anyway? Was every business trip to see her?
Marie agreed to keep her head down and do whatever Carol said tonight at dinner. Later, when tensions were low, I’d mention to Carol that she was thinking about community college.
Marie was ready to play the same game as I was. Appeal to Carol. Convince her to let us go.
I left Marie so she could straighten her bed and tidy up as much as possible.
When I went to my bedroom, I stood just inside the door.
I breathed in slowly, and then out through my mouth. I had a fragile alliance with my sister.
If it took us a month to get out, could she last that long?
Cleaned Up
DR. GREEN
The condo smelled like lemon and baking soda, with a hint of rice being kept warm.
It was a smell Sean had grown up with all his life. He took off his shoes at the door and dropped a tote bag onto the carpet just inside the living room.
He paused, then put his shoes in the shoe rack and tucked the tote away so his mother wouldn’t pick up after him.
It was late in the afternoon. Too early to go for dinner, but all he was doing at the hospital was bugging the lab for updates.
Not that he expected Sang’s results to take priority. He suspected they’d be similar to the last time she was at the hospital.
However, the workload for the day was minimal. Dr. Roberts had insisted he get out of their hair and go home.
The condo, however, wasn’t going to be a place of refuge. His couch had been cleaned and was without a shadow of dust. The coffee table shined with fresh polish. The television was off.
No clutter in sight.
How could anyone relax? If he sat on the couch, she’d have him clean it again the moment he got up.
His mother had the door open to the kitchen. She stood at the kitchen island and chopped some carrots. Her head was bowed as she focused on the blade and made slices.
“I’m back,” Sean said, entering the kitchen. He dragged out a stool next to the counter and sat on it, watching her work and the amount of food she had out, ready to be prepared. “Didn’t I mention I had a dinner appointment tonight?”
“This is for my dinner tonight,” she said, scooting the slices into a small dish. “And for bento tomorrow.”
“That looks like it will feed more than you.”
She picked up a zucchini next. “You and Owen eat more than I do.”
“You’re making bento for us?” he said with a small smile. “You don’t have to do that.”
“Owen says you eat at the hospital most of the time. This is to save money.”
Sean sighed. No matter how well he might have been doing money-wise, she was always very focused on saving.
She managed to make even, round slices with the zucchini. He admired her skill. Watching her cook was something he had done when he was younger. He wasn’t a good cook, but he liked to study what she did to make all the delicious foods he’d grown up with. Udon. Rice balls. Stir-fry.
She chopped vegetables quickly, to the point that it was almost frightening. When she finally paused, she sorted the slices into different piles.
Certain ones she placed in little bowls. They were small and unfamiliar.
He studied them and picked an empty one up to examine it. “Do I own these?”
“I brought them. Owen said you didn’t have dishes this size.”
He didn’t have enough dishes? He wasn’t sure he liked the color, or if they matched the other ones. He put it back down. “How was your day?” Sean asked.
She continued to focus on what she was doing as she spoke. “The hospital requested I be around for visiting doctors from Japan to study techniques. It is a rare opportunity.”
“I didn’t know Japan would be interested in American techniques.”
“They are interested in medical technology they can try to duplicate and make better. With the proper licensing.”
“So, you’ll be here for a while?”
“They may request that I stay for more than a month.”
Longer? Sean’s smile stiffened. “Really? That’s great news.”
“I wasn’t able to check in with your hospital today, but I will tomorrow.”
Uh-oh. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I’d like to speak with Dr. Roberts about your progress and to see if there is anything you can do.”
“I don’t think there is anything to be done. Licensing requires so many hours to be completed before he can sign off.”
“If he can give you more hours, you may finish quicker.”
Sean’s eyes widened. “More hours? How? I’m there all the time?”
“If there’s time for dinner appointments, then there may be more time to spare at the hospital.”
Normal pace was never good enough for her. And she might be here for longer than a month? Owen used to fuss when Sean slept at the hospital, but he might do it anyway just so she thought he was working most of the time. “There are also laws to prevent doctors from working too many hours. It’s risky.”
“Be like Owen. Find a way.”
Ugh.
His phone started vibrating. He hoped it wasn’t the hospital with a problem. He slid his phone out of his pocket and checked the screen, being mindful to hide whatever it was from his mother.
Silas: Please inform North I can get into the attic just like everyone else. I’m just as good at getting in as he is.
Before he could think of a reply, his phone rattled again.
North: Kota is busy. We need a schedule. I’ve got Sang covered in the evenings.
“Is work calling you back in?” his mother asked.
He shook his head. “Getting updates, but nothing they can’t handle.” If Kota was occupied, it was natural for many of them to turn to him for family disputes.
Tackling a dispute between North and Silas got tricky. If it had gotten far enough for them to ask for help, North had dug his heels in.
When it came to Sang, he was way more argumentative these days, and quick to be stubborn.
“Is it your date?” His mother asked.
Sean blinked repeatedly and then picked up his head.
His mother was focused on slicing. “Did she cancel?” she asked.
He quickly went through everything he’d mentioned to his mother since she’d arrived. Had he said that he was seeing a girl tonight?
“I...” He stumbled for what to say.
“Owen said it was a date. You can tell me these things. I know I said you shouldn’t think of dating until you were already a doctor, but he mentioned she was smart and from a nice family. You were frowning. Did she say something?”
His lips tightened. When he was younger, he was convinced his mother could see through walls and knew everything in his life. Sometimes he got that feeling now.
It didn’t help if Owen constantly fed her information and didn’t warn him about it. How much had he told her, and was any of it a lie?
“She didn’t cancel,” he said. “It’s something else.”
“I laid out your best clothes on your bed.”
So she was willing to let him date as long as Owen approved of his date? He smothered a groan. “Thank you,” he said. If he said no to what she’d picked out, she’d complain about anything else he selected. Hopefully what she’d picked wasn’t too formal.
“There’s also a collection of flo
wers. Owen left them for you to give her.”
For Sang. He frowned. He probably should have thought of flowers, but it seemed less interesting to give her any that Owen picked out and not buy some for her on his own.
They might be interested in the same girl, but did he have to interfere so much?
His phone buzzed in his hands. Again. And then again.
Uh-oh.
The phone continued to vibrate even as he was reading messages.
Gabriel: I was going in tonight.
Silas: We need to split the time.
North: Call me.
Gabriel: I could go in now. I think I can climb up the far side of the house, where there aren’t any windows.
Kota: Ignore them. I’ll handle it.
Kota might be able to handle things, but there was no need to do it alone. Sean stood up, taking the phone with him. “Have to make a call.”
His mother finally raised her head, her dark eyes curious, but said nothing.
Sean went into his bedroom, shutting the door behind him. He leaned against it as he hit a few buttons, getting all five of them on a group call.
North was the first one to answer. “We don’t need everyone in there every night. I stay up at night. I’ll do it.”
“You don’t need to be the only one,” Silas said quickly. His deeper voice was strained and croaky, which often meant he’d been yelling recently. “I haven’t seen her for two days.”
“You saw her yesterday. At camp. And just today. I was here for that.”
“For five minutes.”
“Guys,” Kota said, his voice sharp. “This isn’t about who saw her last.”
“Let me go in,” Gabriel said. “Besides, Luke and I are the lightest people. We should be doing this. You guys are too loud and noticeable.”
North grumbled. “I was there last night. I was fine. I’ve slept all fucking day so I could be ready tonight.”
“I need to talk to her,” Kota said. “I’d appreciate—”
“Wait,” Silas’s voice boomed over Kota’s. “I need to talk to her, too.”
An eruption started of each one of them talking at the same time.
“Hey, hey!” Sean called into the phone. He pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes tight. “We can’t all go in.”
“Right,” North said. “Only one. I go at night. You guys can go in during the day.”
“You’re going to be needed at the security trailer, aren’t you? With Silas. To hook it up properly.”
“Someone else can do that.”
“I’d rather you did it. And Victor will need to get stuff hooked up for the laptops. Kota”—he emphasized the name to be sure Kota heard him—“we need you to watch their backs to make sure no one sees how much stuff is going into that trailer. We don’t want to draw attention to it.”
There was silence. They weren’t arguing with him, but they weren’t happy with the decision.
“What is wrong with you all?” Sean asked. “We’ve been doing this for a while. And suddenly we’re not able to come up with a plan and stick with it? She’s not dying in there. She’s just sleeping tonight. She’ll be out again tomorrow.”
“He’s right,” Kota said quietly. “I know I’d prefer to talk to her, too...”
“If you want to talk to her, text her,” Gabriel said. “She’s got a phone.”
Kota mumbled, “I...I don’t...”
Kota rarely fumbled with words. He must still be trying to seek some sort of rectification with Sang.
Or perhaps he was still thinking he needed to win her over, to regain her affection after yesterday.
Sean turned from the door, pacing across the bedroom floor as he spoke. “If you want to keep in touch with her, text her. Except tonight at dinner. She’ll be busy. And she needs sleep. She’s been very stressed, and she had her blood drawn. I was worried about doing that, that it might cause her to pass out again. So maybe it is better to wait until tomorrow. It’s one night, guys.”
“This is so stupid,” Gabriel said. “She hates it. We hate it. Let’s get her out.”
This started an avalanche of all of them talking at once again, most in the affirmative.
“We’re trying,” Kota said. “I know we’re all frustrated.”
“Especially her,” Gabriel said.
“Then the best thing we can do is push the private school issue,” Kota said, his voice a little steadier than before. “I have a couple of the same brochures I altered from old Academy files. New phone numbers that simply redirect to Dr. Roberts, since he’ll give them the spiel.”
“How do we get Sang to convince her to even make a call?” Gabriel asked.
Sean switched ears with the phone, thinking. “I think we should push how dangerous Ashley Waters is.”
Kota spoke. “If we push that, she’s going to want to send her son somewhere else.”
This did make things a little complicated, but like with Jessica for Kota, or Theo for Silas, there was always something they could do. “Which we were probably going to look at anyway. If she’s more interested in her son’s interests, then getting Sang may mean dealing with Jimmy.”
Kota spoke. “I’ll pull up his school records. Maybe we can get him into accelerated testing and pull some strings at the college.”
“Get on it,” Sean said. “But the rest of you, stop thinking about tonight. Start thinking about this week. The trailer is our best place to have her go to for the next two weeks while she’s working, and possibly in the future, until we figure out when we can get her out permanently. Make it comfortable for her.”
He hung up, although he wasn’t sure if things were truly settled with them.
They had to find some sort of control with the guys, especially with this new situation. Perhaps because they’d resisted giving Sang any attention for so long, and now everyone knew the others were interested. Now everyone wanted time with her.
Only their time was now under the control of Carol and her whims.
It sucked, but for the moment, it was the only thing to do.
He found the suit and tie on the bed, the one his mother had left for him.
Gray suit. Red tie.
Be like Owen.
He rolled his eyes. He’d wear it out of the house, but he’d switch the tie out and wouldn’t wear the jacket.
Wasn’t being Sean Green good enough?
Dinner
At six twenty-eight, Sean stood on the front porch of the Sorenson house. The wide concrete porch was lit by the yellow glow of an outdoor wall sconce to the right of the door. The bushes in the front had been cut back neatly. The only thing that had changed from the last time he’d been here was a new doormat, blue with snowflakes. There hadn’t been one before.
He cradled the roses in his arm. Owen had tied them neatly and wrapped them with red-and-white paper and a twine bow. Simple paper, so as not to distract from the flowers.
Would roses be a little forward? Should he have gone for something like carnations? He disliked the thought of using Owen’s roses, but he hated to waste them.
While he’d hoped to impress Carol, was impressing on her that he was very eager to date Sang going to be a problem?
Sean pushed the doorbell. The chimes sounded.
His fingers tingled.
He held his breath, anxious.
A moment later, the door opened.
Carol stood in a pair of dark slacks and a maroon top, billowy around her body. A smile plastered her face. Not totally sincere, almost too fake.
Was there tension in the house? He hadn’t checked in with anyone about what was going on inside. He anticipated someone would have sent him a text if there was a problem.
“Welcome, Sean,” she said and stood back, leaving him room to enter.
He wiped his feet a little on the mat and stepped inside. The foyer was bright, with lights on over the stairwell in front of him, above his head, and a lamp had been placed on a side table. It made the white wall
s shine.
The effect was like he was under a spotlight. It was a little too much, as if to make the small space appear cleaner.
Carol instantly noted the bouquet. Her hands went to her cheeks, and her mouth made an O shape. “Those are lovely,” she said.
He presented the roses to her. “Thank you for inviting me.”
She received them into her arms and then nodded toward the living room. “Would you please come and sit with us?”
Immediately to the right, the living room was overcrowded with furniture. A couple of chairs from the dining table had been added, sitting across from the couch with a coffee table between them.
In one of the dining chairs sat Mr. Sorenson. He wore dark slacks and a white collared shirt a little too big for his frame. His graying dark hair appeared wet and combed down.
Sean combed his own sandy-blond hair over his forehead nervously. He’d tried to get it to behave so he appeared a little different, hopefully a little closer to Sang’s age. He nodded to him. “Hello.” Would he possibly recognize him?
Sean had carried his wife out of the house on a stretcher. But his appearance might not have been noticed that day. There was a lot going on.
Mr. Sorenson nodded and partially stood up, offering a hand. “Welcome,” he said. “I’m Mr. Sorenson.”
I know exactly who you are. Sean forced a smile and did his best not to recoil from shaking his hand. He let go quickly. “Pleased to meet you. Sean Green.” He hadn’t planned on having to exchange pleasantries without Sang being in the room.
Where was she?
Mr. Sorenson motioned to the couch. “I hear you’re going to become a doctor.”
The couch had faded flowers and appeared to have been in the family longer than Sang had been around. He’d seen it a few times in the house before. When he’d sat on it, the cushions had sunk into the wood shortly. It was as if he was sitting on wood by itself.
“I hope so,” Sean said. “I’ve already taken a number of prerequisites, and tested out of a few classes to get ahead.”
“It’s a good choice,” he said. “I went into engineering. Electrical.”
Sean feigned being impressed, widening his eyes just a little. Not that engineering wasn’t a good career, but he couldn’t get himself to be interested in him. “Yes, I believe Sang mentioned it.”
