Westward Moon (5 page)

              Tessa left the post office with a worried expression on her face.  Her beloved travellers weren’t back yet and it was the 20th of December.  Though she desperately wanted them home for Christmas, their safety was much more important and she was deeply afraid that some horrible fate had impeded their progress home.

              She heard children playing and knew that Claire had let school out early for the day due to the cold temperatures.  The snow wasn’t too deep since the storm had stayed mainly to the south.  While this was good for Dawson, Tessa knew it spelled trouble for Dean and company. 

              Jack had pleaded with her to understand why he had to go get Sparrow.  He assured her that if it hadn’t been so urgent, he wouldn’t have gone.  She’d known he was going to go whether she wanted him to or not, so she’d finally given him her blessing.  He was a man now and really didn’t need it, but she appreciated his consideration of her.

              “Mama!”

              She recognized D.J.’s voice and smiled as she saw her nine-year-old son running at her.  At the last minute, Mikey came from another direction and mowed his brother down.  The two of them laughed and rolled around in the snow.  Tessa startled as two strong arms embraced her from behind and someone kissed her cheek.

              “Hello, Aunt Tessa,” Raven said.

              She swatted his arm.  “Shame on you, Raven!  You scared me to death!  You’re too much like your uncle.”

              Raven came to walk beside her.  “Which one?  I have many.”  At seventeen, Raven wasn’t too much shorter than his father now and his voice had deepened. 

              Tessa laughed and said, “It could be any one of them.”

              Raven turned and walked backwards so he could face her.  “Except Boss Man.”

              “Yes, even him.”

              A snowball hit Raven’s neck and Tessa heard Katie’s giggle.  Raven ran after D.J.’s twin sister and Tessa turned to watch him catch her.  He held her and tickled her.  She chuckled as she watched because Tessa knew that Katie was completely safe with her big cousin.

It seemed as if everyone wanted to play in the snow that day.  Even some of the adults got in on the action.  With Christmas almost upon them, most people were in a good mood.  Claire waved at Tessa from the school house and Tessa waved back at her sister.  Claire motioned for her to come to the school and Tessa’s heart dropped.  Claire’s expression was not a happy one.

With a resigned sigh, Tessa started towards the school.  She went inside and walked with Claire to the front of the room.  She sat down heavily in one of the seats.

“What has he done now?” she asked.

Claire looked at her with sympathy.  “Nothing today, but Marcus wants you to take him to see Ben.”

“Why Ben?” Tessa asked.

Claire said, “Because he would like a fresh perspective.”

“Ben is a surgeon,” Tessa said.

“Yes, but he’s also a medical doctor who does a lot more than surgery, Tessa.”

“Do they really think there’s something medically wrong with Mikey?” Tessa asked.  Her worried frown saddened Claire.

“I really don’t know,” Claire said. 

“When does he want to see him?” Tessa asked.

“Whenever you can get him there.  Today is fine.  They have a light day,” Claire said.

“I’ll see what I can do,” she said.

She knew that it was not going to be easy getting Mikey to go see Ben.  It wasn’t easy getting Mikey to do anything unless Raven was involved.  She loved Raven and was grateful to him for his help, but it frustrated her that she couldn’t control her son’s behavior.  She suddenly felt tired as she left the school.

“Michael!” she called as she saw him near the square.  “Come here, please.”

Mikey ran over to her and said, “What, Mama?”

              She looked at her beautiful boy and said, “Will you please go with me to the clinic?”

              “Why? Aren’t you feeling well?” he asked. 

              “Not especially,” she said.  “Will you walk with me?”

              “Sure.  Guess what?” he asked as they walked.

              “What?”

              “That book report I did?  I got a really good grade on it,” Mikey said.

              Tessa’s smile was genuine.  “That’s wonderful.”

              “I’ve tried to tell Aunt Claire that if I like a book, I’ll do a good job reading it.  I’m bored with the stuff she gives me,” Mikey said.  “Can’t you talk to her?”

              “I’ll try again,” she said as they entered the clinic.

              He saw Hannah and greeted her.  “Mama needs to see Uncle Marcus.”

              “Actually, I need to see Ben,” she said to Hannah.

              Mikey had started looking around at the people in the waiting room.  Tessa stepped close to Hannah and said, “Ben wants to see Michael.  I got him here by telling him it was for me.  Can you help me?”

              Hannah said, “Sure, Tessa.  You two have a seat for a moment.  I’ll make sure Ben can see you.”

              Tessa sat down with Mikey.  “I have to see Ben, but will you go with me?”

              “That’s a little weird, Mama,” Mikey said. 

              “I know, but please walk me in. I’m a little dizzy,” Tessa said.

              “Ok.  Sure,” Mikey said as Hannah came back to the waiting room.

              “He’s ready to see you, Tessa,” she said.

              Mikey was concerned about his mother.  She really didn’t look good and he wondered what could be wrong with her.  He took her arm and stayed close as they went into the examination room.

              Tessa and Mikey had no sooner entered the room when Dr. Ben Walker threw a book at Mikey.  Mikey’s reflexes were good and he caught it easily. 

              “Page 84.  Open it and read that page out loud, please?” Ben said in his Georgia drawl.

              “Why?” Mikey asked.

              “Because I asked you to,” Ben said.  His green eyes watched Mikey closely.

              “This is a medical book,” Mikey said.

              “That’s right,” Ben said.

              Mikey opened it and flipped to the appropriate page and started to read it.  It described a very descriptive suturing technique and Mikey was quickly absorbed in it.

              “Mikey?  Out loud, I said,” Ben reminded him.

              “Ok, but it’s just ‘Mike’.”

              “All right, Mike.  Read the damn thing out loud, will you?” Ben said.

              Tessa looked surprised at Ben’s use of foul language but Mikey just smiled.  He read three paragraphs before Ben stopped him. 

              “Did you understand what you just read?” Ben asked.

              “Yeah,” Mikey said.

              “Tell me in your own words,” Ben said.

              Tessa was amazed that Mikey was cooperating so much.  He became excited as he did what Ben asked.  “Did I get it right?”

              “Perfectly,” Ben said.

              “Can—may I borrow this?” Mikey quickly corrected his grammar.  Tessa was always after him about it.

              “You may.  In fact, I put a marker in a place I want you to read.  You come to see me about it tomorrow.  Don’t make me come looking for you, now,” Ben said.

              “I won’t, Dr. Walker.  Mama’s not feelin’ good—well, I mean.  I’ll wait for you out here, Mama,” Mikey said and left the room.

              Tessa said, “I’m afraid I don’t understand, Ben.”

              Ben sat down and said, “It’s a theory that Marcus has told me about, but he wanted my perspective.”

              “What theory?” Tessa said.

              “He thinks that Mikey—Mike has a couple of different things going on.  He complains about being bored in school but he’s not deficient in his subjects, correct?” Ben said.

              “That’s right.”

              “Mike has mood swings and a lot of anger issues?” Ben said.

              “Yes.”

              “What sets him off the most?” Ben said.

              Tessa tried to pinpoint any one thing but couldn’t.  He argued about everything, it seemed.  Sometimes his arguments actually made sense, which was even more frustrating.

              “It doesn’t seem to matter.  It can be anything,” she said.

              “Is it any one person?” Ben asked.

              “No.  He’ll argue with anyone, except Raven.  For whatever reason, Raven is able to get him to do things when no one else can,” Tessa said.  “But we cannot rely on Raven to be around all the time.”

              “I want to try an experiment.  Is it ok with you?” Ben asked. 

              “Yes.”

              “All right.  Now no matter what I say or do, do not interfere,” Ben said as he opened the examination door.

              Ben went out to the waiting room and Tessa followed.  Ben walked up to Mikey and held out his hand.  “I need that book back, Mikey.”

              Mikey looked at Ben and said, “But you said I could borrow it and I’m reading what you asked me to.”

              “I will give it back to you in a minute.  Now hand it to me,” Ben ordered.

              Tessa saw the familiar mutinous expression on Mikey’s face that she’d grown too accustomed to. 
Oh no, Ben.

              Ben seemed unperturbed, however.  “I said to give me the book, Mikey.”

              “It’s Mike and no.”

              Ben laughed and said, “All right, Mike.  Can I please see the book for a moment?  I promise I’ll give it back real quick.”

              Mikey gave Ben the book and even smiled a little.  Ben opened it, pretended to read something and then gave it back.  “Thanks, young man.  Now, I still expect to see you tomorrow.  All right?”

              “Yes, sir,” Mikey said and went back to his reading.

              When Tessa followed Ben back into the examination room, she sat on the chair and looked at Ben in wonder.  “How did you get him to do that?”

              “Did you see the way he acted when I demanded the book from him?” Ben asked.

              “Yes.  That’s the way he always acts when you tell him to do something,” Tessa said.

              “So you’re
telling
him, right?” Ben said.

              “Yes.”

              “Now, did you see the way he acted to the second way I approached him?  When I actually did ‘ask’ him?  Not ‘told’ but ‘asked’?” Ben asked her.

              “Yes, I did.  What does it mean, Ben?” Tessa asked.

              “How did you get him here, Tessa?”

              “I asked him to come with me,” she said and actually heard what she’d said.  She looked at Ben with wide eyes.  “I asked him.  I didn’t tell him.  He came along without any complaint.”

              Ben smiled.  “It’s a behavioral issue that’s come about because everyone is always telling him what to do instead of asking.  He feels like he has no choice in the matter and he tries to let you know that he does indeed have a choice.  Who treats him like that?”

              “No one means anything by it, Ben.  No one is mean or cruel to him,” she protested.

              “I know that, Tessa.  But Mike’s brain isn’t quite like other brains, I’m afraid.  That section I had him read?  It proves another theory that Marcus has and I agree with him.  He really did understand the procedure outlined in those paragraphs perfectly.  I’m sure that if he were tested, Mike would be somewhere in the genius level.  It must run in the family.  Claire needs to move him up a couple of grades if she wants his cooperation.”

              Tessa couldn’t speak for several moments.  “Are you sure?”

              “I’m so sure that I would bet that if I cut myself and asked Mike to suture the cut using that book as a guide, he could.  His brain in one aspect is adult but in another he’s still just a kid.  He’s at war with himself and when other people make him feel like he’s in a war with them, he freezes up and he can’t see past his anger,” Ben said.

              “So you’re saying that with more difficult school work and people being more considerate of his feelings, he will improve?” Tessa said.

              “Yes.  It’ll never be perfect, but he will be much more cooperative than he is now.  Does Raven ask or tell Mike what to do?” Ben asked.

              “Mainly asks, but sometimes he dares Michael to do things,” Tessa said.

              “Raven has figured out the riddle that is your son.  Mike needs challenges and presently, he's not getting any so he’s creating challenges in the form of arguments.  Please don’t’ take this the wrong way, but I know the type of men Mike is around all day.  They have a certain way they relate to boys his age.  Think of how they acted with Jack.”