The Wayward Gifted - Broken Point (4 page)

Sam nodded.

“Mother lacks perspective. Quite
simply, the woman is unable to distinguish between dolls, actions figures, or
adopted dinosaurs. She doesn’t even know the difference between sports
equipment and simple beach toys. Frankly,” Steuart paused and looked towards
the water, “I find it pathetic.”

“I guess they didn’t teach those things
at her school.”

“I can’t leave Sparky alone.”

“Why not?”

“I haven’t told you the entire story.”

“There’s more?”

“Sparky was outside under the bushes
when I found him this morning.”

“What was he doing there?”

“He was abandoned. I rescued him.”

Sam laughed at her brother. “Steuart, that’s
really silly. You’re not big enough to rescue anything.”

“I disagree. I rescued Sparky. He needs
me.”

Sam made a face. “Let me make sure that
I understand this. You found a pillow under the bushes in the dirt and now you
want to carry it in the car and pretend it’s a dinosaur? That doesn’t sound
sanitary to me.”

“No,” Steuart let out a deep breath. “I
discovered
a baby dinosaur in the
tall grass on the south side of the house early in the day when I was outside
working as an explorer. Come on, play along.”

“Why?”

“Why not? Everything you do revolves
around using your imagination. Don’t tell me that you’ve never heard of a
simple thing called
willing suspension of
disbelief.”

“I’ve heard.” Sam impatiently looked at
her brother and waited.

“You’re not paying attention. I’m
trying to tell you. This is important to me. Get it? I need you to understand
what I’m saying.”

“I’m trying.”

“
Dry
her art
.”

“Stop it with the anagrams. I’m getting
annoyed.”

“You’re being difficult on purpose.”

“I’m not.”

“Pay attention, this is what you need
to know.”

“What?”

Steuart held Sparky and sat beside his
sister. “One
finds
a pillow. One
discovers
a dinosaur. We are discussing
two different things. I discovered Sparky. He is merely disguised as a pillow.”

“So why is he disguised? Why can’t he
just show who he is?”

“I already told you. You look awake but
I suspect your brain’s sleeping. I think you’re off somewhere far away. Wake
up, Sam. Listen carefully. Sparky is in disguise so that he can make the move
to Maybell. Unless he remains in costume he’ll have to stay behind with all of
my action figures.”

Sam yawned and rubbed her eyes. “Why?”

“If he isn’t in costume Mother will
mistake him for a doll and disapprove. If that happens, she won’t allow him to
make the trip. This is the only way he can safely travel. Sparky needs to go
with us.”

Sam nodded.

“Sparky needs me. He has to play the
game. We have to play the game too. It’s not a big deal. All you have to do is
pretend he’s a pillow when Mother is in ear shot and be aware that he is really
a wonderful baby dinosaur in need of love and attention.” Steuart hugged
Sparky. “We’re this guy’s family. I’m responsible for his care and upbringing.
Please….”

Sam cocked her head and threw her hands
into the air. “You’re right! Where did I put my brain? What’s wrong with me? Of
course you’re a dinosaur. I see now. Sparky, your disguise is perfect. I had no
idea. I was totally fooled. Mother will never guess your secret—
ever
. I don’t think anyone will. I won’t
tell.”

Steuart smiled and hugged his pillow.
“Sparky pal, you’re doing a great job.” He looked at Sam, “Thanks. This is
exactly what we were hoping for.” Steuart moved to the other bed, relaxed for a
few minutes and played with his action figures before becoming upset again.
“It’s not right. Kids should never have to hide toys or choose between them.”

“You’re right.”

Steuart picked up another action figure
and threw it onto the mattress. “This shouldn’t be happening.”

Ready for bed, Sam felt tired and
cranky. She didn’t want to leave her brother until he was feeling better. “What
about making up a story?”

“I told you, I made up a story already.
Remember the pirates and the turtle soup?”

“I’m too tired to remember,” Sam
yawned. “I’ve already forgotten. I know you’re upset. I am too, but we need to
go to sleep. We’re moving tomorrow.”

“No! We can’t give up without a fight.
Let’s ask Mother to change her mind. Let’s ask her to let us stay here with
Grandmother. She can go. We’ll stay here.”

“That’d be great Steuart, but it won’t
happen. Mother won’t allow us to stay here without her.”

“Why not?”

“We’re her children. Besides, we’d miss
her.”

“Not really.”

“I would.”

“We’d be fine. We’re not even her
children.”

“Don’t say that. Of course we are.”

“You’re ignoring the truth. Why
pretend?”

“I’m not pretending.”

“I’m serious. This is the time for
mutiny!”

“Stop it! You’re not helping things.”

“Why won’t you talk about it?” Steuart
threw another action figure at the bed. It missed and landed on the floor. He jumped
across the mattress, picked up the figure and held it against his chest.

Sam shook her head and yawned, “I’m too
sleepy to keep talking. It’s not important.”

“It is important.”

“It’s late.”

“So?”

“We don’t need to talk about these
things tonight. I’m tired Steuart. I need to get some sleep.”

“Then why won’t you just say it? You
know I’m right. You know it’s true.”

“Say what? What do you want me to say?”

“If you don’t care, just say it.”

“I’m going to bed. I refuse to have
this discussion with you tonight.”

“You sound like Mother.”

“Fighting words, Steuart. Don’t go
there.”

“I’m telling you that no one spends
more time with us than Grandmother.”

“Mother loves us.”

“Grandmother loves us too.”

“She’s not our mother.”

“She’s like a mother should be. We love
being with her, and we love Atchison Bay. We’re happy with Grandmother.”

“I know, but it’s complicated. We can’t
just tell Mother to go by herself. She needs us.”

“This is the only home that either of
us can remember.”

“That’s true, but it doesn’t mean that
we won’t like the new house.”

“Why does Mother have the right to
force us to leave our home?”

“Hush, Steuart.”

“I refuse to hush. Mother’s too busy
for us. I doubt she’d miss us. I want to stay here and live with Grandmother.”

“Mother’s busy, but she would miss both
of us. We’re her family.”

“She never has time for us.”

“She’s busy working hard to make money
to support you and me so that we can go to the best schools, become well
educated, and have good futures allowing us to lead happy lives as productive,
contributing members of our society.”

“Whoa! That’s impressive. When did you
memorize that one?”

“Stop it.” Sam rolled her eyes, “Mother
takes care of us. She has an important job. We’re not the only people who
depend on her.”

“I know she’s busy. That’s exactly my
point. Maybe she’s
too
busy to be a
good mother.”

“But, she
is
a good mother.”

“A good mother wouldn’t make us move.”

“She got a better job.”

“A good job is not the most important
thing in the world. Grandmother has time for us. Grandmother loves us. We
should stay here with her.”

“Grandmother can do all the things she
does because she doesn’t have to worry about money.”

“Mother doesn’t either.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I know Grandmother gives Mother
money.”

“Steuart, you’re being stubborn. It’s
useless. Children don’t make the rules.”

“Ladies and gentlemen,
that
is the understatement of my entire
young life.”

“I’m tired of arguing with you. I’d
rather stay here too, but we can’t change things. Like it or not, we’re moving
tomorrow.”

“Not if I can help it.”

“Let’s count our blessings and be
thankful for what we have.”

“And that is...?”

“We’re together. That’s something,
right?”

“Whatever,” Steuart huffed. “I’m going
downstairs for a snack.”

* * *

Steuart paused at the top of the stairs
and looked down. Dim lamplight illuminated the front hall, living room and
kitchen. Flickering gaslight streamed in through the transom and sidelights
that surrounded the heavy front door. The remainder of the first floor was
bathed in quiet shadows as a heated conversation took place between Olivia and
Ida. Interested in knowing more, Steuart raised his hand, placed his index
finger next to his lips, and rubbed his mouth. He considered his options and thought
about what he should do. He also thought about what he wanted to do. He
considered turning around and returning to bed. He deciding he would, but only
after a bit of investigation. Perhaps his grandmother was going to insist that
he and Sam stay with her.
Wouldn’t that
be wonderful?

Steuart walked down three steps.
Listening hard, he bent down, cupped his hand behind his ear and pulled it in the
direction of the living room. From the higher stairs, the voices were muffled.
Again, he moved down. Again, he put his finger to his mouth and contemplated
turning back. Straining to hear what was being said, he moved further down the
stairs and found himself both surprised and curious by the realization that one
of the voices was unknown to him. He was not hearing his grandmother. Holding
the banister, Steuart pulled himself up so that his feet left the stairs. Leaning
across the railing he looked back towards the living room, cupped his ear
again, and this time lost his balance. Three steps from the floor, Steuart
caught himself on the other side, dropped quietly onto the rug, and continued
his spy activities.

The voices grew louder.
Who’s she talking with,
he wondered? As
his mother’s voice rose, Steuart considered running up the stairs. Instead, he ran
behind the living room sofa and quickly ducked. Stealthily, he began following
his mother and the visitor from room to room. Making out a handful of words,
Steuart listened intently to shifting voices; raised one minute, low or muffled
the next.

While hearing the argument was
difficult, moving about was relatively easy. He was small for his age and made no
sound jumping from carpet to carpet across the polished wooden floors. Not only
curious, but also determined, Steuart moved forward into the study where he
crouched low behind a wing chair and listened. The women continued arguing in
hushed, harsh voices. At his mother’s insistence, the visitor moved into the
foyer and stood near the front door. That’s when Steuart heard the intruder say,
“You must return them. They do not belong to you.”

Olivia turned away and walked into the
study where she stood at the front window and watched. Ignoring the woman’s
request, she began with a soft voice that became only louder and more annoyed
as she spoke. “A cab is on the way. We have an agreement.”

“Coercion is not an agreement,” the
woman said.

“I want you out of my house.”

Steuart peeked from behind the chair
and watched as his mother looked out the window. Standing beside the front
door, the stranger wore a red floral scarf around her head. The room was too
dark for Steuart to see her features. Thinking he might get a better view of
things from the other side of the house, he elected to move. He silently
counted to three, popped up, and made a dash for the rear study door. He raced
through the living room, and into the hallway where a misstep from carpet onto
wood caused him to slide, accidentally pushing a magazine out of a basket and
across the floor. Fearful of discovery, he quickly stood, dashed towards the
kitchen, and through the butler’s pantry, moving towards the dining room which stood
on the opposite side of the entryway and—unfortunately offered no
adequate cover.

The women continued arguing. They noticed
nothing. Steuart reversed his route. He moved from the dining room, through the
butler’s pantry, and into the kitchen. He crossed the hallway, picked up the
magazine, replaced it, and then ran into and through the living room before
successfully moving into the study where he stood silent, straight, and tall, this
time hidden by the heavy draperies. He peered through the curtains, calming
himself and catching his breath while remaining as still and watchful as the
twin Magiscopes guarding the study mantle.