Chapter 9: New Dream

“Well, last period is finally here. Enjoying the first day?” I asked, leading Muireann to some desks on the side of the classroom. I avoided my usual study hall spot, where Carl and a couple of other guys I usually sat with were already seated.

“Aye, though it’s been a whirlwind,” she admitted.

“Yeah, introducing you in each class ... I swear everyone has met you three times over!”

Muireann sniffed. “At least that many. It felt a bit odd, all that. But everyone seems nice.”

“For the most part, yeah.”

“Tommy will be most unhappy tomorrow,” Muireann stated, looking around the room.

“Why’s that?”

“No recliners after all.”

I sniggered. “I feel bad now! First the disappointment with the swimming pool, and now this.”

“He’ll survive,” she dismissed.

“True. Heck, they way he manipulated the principal this morning, I wouldn’t be surprised of we actually do get some recliners in here within the week.”

Muireann giggled. “You may be right about that!”

“One thing’s for sure, I need to start bringing my sunglasses.”

“Oh, you’re not going to encourage him too, are you?”

Too... ? She means Lara?

I grinned at her. “I might have to! Every now and then, at least.”

She shrugged amusedly. “I assume Lara will be wearing hers every day.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised at that,” I said, stifling a laugh. Yep!

“Does she do well in school?”

“Yeah, she loves it, for whatever reason.”

“Oh, that’s good. I hope she knows what she’s getting into with helping Tommy.”

“Probably not. But I don’t think she cares.”

“What do you mean?” Muireann asked, glancing at me with some worry.

“Oh, just that it’s Lara’s way, to dive in like that. Not that she’ll do a bad job or anything.”

“I see.” She pulled out her notebook. “I should probably do some work now, so I have time to help Tommy later. At least until she gets used to things.”

“Yeah, probably a good idea. Though technically you and Tommy don’t have to do anything until a few weeks from now.”

“I know, but it’s best to start getting into the flow of things.”

“Sure. What do you want to work on?”

She considered. “Is our maths homework going to be the same as theirs?”

“Usually is,” I replied. “Same material, even if some of the problems are different.”

“Then we can wait on that. French, then?”

“Sure, since that’s just the two of us.”

Study hall passed rather quickly, and it was a lot more fun doing French with Muireann than it was alone. She’d taken a summer course in the language, so she wasn’t a complete novice, but she did have some catching up to do for the level of our class. I was happy to help, and I was actually strong enough in that subject to be able to do so.

When the bell rang, I almost didn’t want to leave school – an utterly outrageous idea – but I could tell she was eager to see Tommy. We packed up and started through the hallway.

“That was fun,” she said, giving me a smile. “Thank you for helping me.”

“No problem. Maybe we should just always knock our French work out during this period.”

She nodded gratefully. “That would be most helpful. But it will cut into your relaxation time,” she teased.

I grinned. “You’ll find out that Lara likes to exaggerate when it comes to teasing me.”

We encountered Tommy at his locker, laughing it up with Lara.

“I survived the first day!” he bellowed, when he realized we were near.

“The first day’s not over,” Muireann said. “Homework?”

“But Dr. Kendall said we—”

“Mam said she wasn’t sending us on a vacation.”

“And Mam’s not here,” Tommy retorted.

“All the same, we will be doing our work these next few weeks. Otherwise you know who will hear about it when we call home again. And it won’t be you!”

“Fine,” Tommy grunted.

Lara and I grinned at each other, finding the exchange amusing. I was already wondering how much Tommy got away with things due to his eyesight, but it was also clear that Muireann wasn’t a pushover. Not like Dr. Kendall!

After splitting up to go to our lockers, we all met again near the gym to find Alice for our ride home. As had happened all throughout the day, a few kids joined us and talked to the twins about Ireland, what they were into, and so forth. Tommy seemed to bask in the attention, hamming it up as always, joking about whatever came to mind even as Muireann looked on politely. Eventually we managed to drag him away from his already adoring audience and piled into Alice’s car.

“So, how was the first day?” Heather asked, immediately after answering the phone.

“Hello to you too,” I said evenly. “I don’t know how you always manage to do that.”

“Are they settling in?” she persisted, ignoring me.

“I guess. A lot of first-day kind of crap today, so it was a bit weird. Should be easier tomorrow.”

“Are they celebrities yet?”

I sniffed. “Tommy is. He sure doesn’t mind taking the stage.”

I recounted some of the highlights, including the sparring with the principal and my collateral permission to use sunglasses inside of school.

“You guys are going to be cool like Los Lobos,” Heather laughed.

“Uh, I think La Bamba went out of style in middle school.”

She giggled. “True, but they have some great songs anyway, so they’re still cool. Good for Tommy, though. He’ll shake stuff up there.”

“I have a feeling he will,” I agreed. “Muireann’s much more laid back. Well, maybe not laid back, but quieter anyway.”

“Probably not room for two hams in one house, I’m guessing.”

“No, probably not! Anyway, he’s a really good singer and guitarist. We played a lot yesterday and a bit tonight after dinner. We’re already talking about forming a band with Colin on bass.”

“Giving up on the old band?” she asked.

“I guess. I know I wasn’t sure the other day when we talked, but after hearing Tommy, it’s kind of stupid for me to go off and play with those guys instead of with him and Lara.”

“Lara’s not interested in reviving the band, I take it?”

“Well, I think she’s kind of over Pete now, the worst of it anyway. But if she was thinking about trying to play with him again, Tommy blasted that out of the water. They’re already working on her new song together.”

“Nice. What about Muireann though? I thought she played something too?”

“She does. Fiddle, and sings. And she’s good at both, at least I think so. But she’s been kind of funny about it.”

“Why?”

“Says she doesn’t fit in. She’s really into her music from back home, I guess.”

“Ah. Yeah, keeping the traditions,” Heather remarked knowingly. “Strong roots.”

“Hmm, that’s kind of what she said. How did you know?”

“My parents are into the same thing. You must’ve heard the Irish music playing here when you’ve come over.”

“Hmm, not really. I guess I didn’t pay attention. Not that I’d recognize it, anyway.”

“My parents used to play more when they were younger.”

“Oh yeah. Didn’t you say once that they wanted a family band?”

Heather laughed. “Yeah, they did. They haven’t in a while, though.”

“What do your parents play?”

“My dad plays guitar and sings. My mom, the concertina.”

“What’s that?”

“A little accordion.”

“Right on. They should bring their instruments with them when you visit. Maybe they can play with Muireann at least!”

“I’ll tell them. And maybe I’ll bring my flute!”

“I thought you haven’t touched it in a few years.”

“Sad but true. So yeah, maybe I won’t torture anyone and just leave it in the case.”

I laughed. “All right. Though I kind of wouldn’t mind hearing you play some time. Anyway, we’ll see about Muireann. I feel like she’s a bit unsure about everything here. She kind of seems like Tommy’s protector in a way.”

“Well, that’s kind of obvious.”

“It’s not even the blindness thing. She’s always helping him, even when he doesn’t want to be helped, you know?”

Heather sniggered. “His mom away from home?”

“Kind of. I guess their mom is pretty protective too, from everything I’ve heard.”

“Well, maybe being around your family will help.”

“Maybe ... What do you mean, though?”

“Just being in a less uptight situation.”

“Could be. So yeah, for now Tommy seems to make things happen, and Muireann just likes to watch.”

“The world needs all kinds,” Heather quipped.

“I know ... So, when you come up, we might have a new photography partner.”

“Tommy?”

I guffawed. “Funny.”

“What?”

“Come on, Heather.”

“Hey, that’s unfair.”

“Okay, okay, you’re right. I guess anything is possible. But no, it’s Muireann.”

“You shouldn’t cut Tommy out of stuff just because.”

“Hey, we’re not cutting him out! But there’s some things he probably can’t do. Or at least might not want to.”

“Are you going to go skiing?”

“How would we do that?”

“I know I saw a blind person with skiing with a guide once.”

“Hmm. I don’t know.”

“Yeah, it’s really too bad you don’t know anyone that could tell you. Like, if you only knew a ski instructor...”

“Oh, shut up! Fine, I’ll ask my mom about it.”

“I’m sure he could at least glide around on the bunny hill. You said he’s mostly missing the middle part of his vision.”

“Yeah, and that’s the part that tells you to avoid the tree heading your way!”

Heather groaned. “Which is why he would have to ski with help. Anyway, I don’t think you should dismiss doing anything just because of his vision.”

“No, I know,” I sighed. “I’m still getting used to what it all means. He did say not to change things just to accommodate him.”

“Then you should take his advice. Hmm...”

“What?”

“Oh, nothing. Just had an idea.”

“Okay. I’ll just wait for you to tell me in February or something.”

Heather laughed richly. “You know I’m not even going to tell you.”

“That’s right! My bad. I’ll just end up finding whatever it is inside a shoebox when I’m, like, sixty-four.”

The laughing continued. “Probably!”

“Speaking of random things in shoeboxes, what’s up with the picture you left us in the Trilogy box?”

“Oh, that ... It was just a ... a love memento,” she said.

“Huh?”

“A memory. You know, if nothing ever happens, at least it’s written down somewhere. That’s all.”

I frowned, and then opened my desk drawer. “Are we talking about the same picture?”

“Oh ... Too subtle, I guess.”

“Subtle?”

“You didn’t look at the photo closely enough.”

“Okay ... Wait, did you just outright tell me I missed something?” I exclaimed.

“Maybe?”

“Losing your touch!” I cried.

“Not really. You seemed to be complaining about it way too much, so I put you out of your misery.”

“Hmm. I don’t believe you.”

Heather giggled. “Wow, that’s bad. You don’t believe me when I actually do tell you something straight.”

“The girl who cried wolf.”

“Not this time.”

“Prove it,” I challenged, as I pulled the photo out of the envelope I’d dug out.

“Prove what?”

“That you’re actually telling me something legit. What am I supposed to see in the picture?”

“I made my own photo for your Initials project.”

“You already did that, for the hunt. The eye ones.”

“Nope. That was Reflections. This is Initials. Look, and you’ll see.”

“Okay. I’m looking at it now.”

Heather was silent, so I scanned the odd photo. With my old project on the brain, I saw it right away. Painted within the mess of graffiti on the wall were three sets of initials surrounding a plus sign. Each was paired with a Chinese character, and the entire collection was encircled.

“Hmm ... I found it,” I murmured.

“Told you.”

“Okay, fine. And what is this place? It’s a bit weird, honestly.”

“It’s my basement dungeon,” Heather said ominously.

I snorted. “Okay, I guess the straight-shooting lasted twenty seconds.”

“Oops, sorry!”

“Like you really have graffiti in your basement ... I figured it was a train station, or subway, and that maybe we were going to take a trip when we came to visit?”

“Nope, definitely not.”

“All right, another thing I’ll find out about when I’m old, then.”

“It’s a bowling alley,” she joked.

“Funny!” I chimed.

“I’m serious.”

“I’ll believe basement dungeon before I believe that.”

“It’s an old abandoned bowling alley near here, on what used to be a military installation.”

“You’re serious?”

“I said I was!” she cried.

“Yeah, but that doesn’t ever mean anything,” I dismissed.

“I can’t win!” she wailed.

“Um, no, I think it’s the other way around!”

Once we stopped laughing, I examined the picture again. Sure, it could be part of a long corridor, but it could be anything, really, given the structure’s state of disrepair.

“All right, so what’s it mean,” I asked. “You know, since you’re being all serious and stuff.”

“I already said, Matt. It’s just a photo of our initials. That’s all! It was a cool photo. I thought so, anyway. I just threw it in there for the heck of it. I had to leave you something in place of the Trilogy pictures!”

“It is a cool shot,” I said, relenting a bit. “But it must be something else too, right? Another hunt?”

“No! It’s just what it is!” she wailed.

I considered the photo for a bit. Finally, I sniffed. “I still don’t believe you!”

Heather moaned. “Fine, you’re right. Caught. It’s the start of the biggest treasure hunt you’ve ever seen. Ready? Three, two, one...”

I laughed for a good while. “Okay, so why put our initials in some destroyed old ruin? I mean, it’s a bit creepy, almost.”

“Well ... I’m not sure. It’s not a place many people go. It’s not open for public access, really.”

“Oh, that sounds real safe,” I said dramatically.

“I went with Bill once, just to check it out. There’s this crazy giant radar dish and a bunch of other weird stuff around the place.”

“Jeez, Heather ... Is it legal to be there?”

“I don’t know. It’s been closed for a long time, and the park service owns it now. At least that’s what Bill said.”

“I’m glad at least he was with you.”

“Nah, that was a while ago that he took me. I know the place enough to go on my own.”

I shivered. “Seriously?”

“Always.”

“I don’t like the sound of that.”

“I’ve only gone a few times. There’s some really cool photos to be had there. But it definitely has a weird feeling, so you kind of have to be in the right mood to visit.”

“All right, well ... Maybe don’t go back anymore? I’d sure feel better if you didn’t. Who knows who might be hanging out there?”

Heather sniffed. “No one. The place is always deserted.”

“Until it isn’t. Just be careful, all right?”

“I always am, Matt,” she said.

I felt a tingle run through me. Her tone, for once, let me know that she wasn’t joking.

“All right,” I said slowly. “I believe you.”

“You sound serious about that.”

“I am,” I said.

Heather laughed quietly. “If you insist.”

I huffed. “I’m suddenly feeling this overwhelming urge to steal my mom’s car and drive down there to see you. I miss you like crazy.”

“Do it!” she joked. Although, she did still sound a bit serious.

“Don’t encourage me.”

“Oops, you’re right. I’m the one who does all the illegal stuff!”

I groaned as she laughed happily. “All right, I need to call it a night, because I’m about to suggest doing something bad.”

“Which is?”

“Pause the world and talk to each other until the sun comes up.”

“Just ... talk?”

“Well, you know...”

“I’m in. I’m even nude already,” she said matter-of-factly.

“Oh god.”

“Who goes first?”

“What about school?” I moaned, as if Heather gave a fuck about that. “It’s already way later than it should be.”

She didn’t give a single fuck, of course. “I’ll just stay home.”

“Whatever.”

“I will.”

“Well, lucky you, then. I still have to go in. It’s the twins’ second day. It’s too early to start bailing.”

“Hmm, that sucks for you then. But you’re the one who called me so late.”

“Well, it’s, uh ... Hey, it’s Muireann’s fault!” I cried.

“Really...”

“Yeah, she started telling us a story last night. I guess she reads to Tommy a lot, you know, for school. But she also tells really cool stories, and she told us some more tonight.”

“That actually sounds pretty cool!”

“It is. And no one wanted her to stop, so it got late. Blame her!”

“But it’s your choice now. You’re the one who has to go to school tomorrow.”

“Ugh. I’m not going to be able to stay awake in class!”

“True. But luckily, everything has a bright side, Matt. Everything!”

“And what exactly is the bright side to falling asleep in History?”

“When your head hits the desk and you take a nap, you’ll dream of what we did tonight again! A two-for-one deal!”

“Until I get in trouble with the teacher,” I groaned.

And then, somehow, my clothes were off.

“Fine,” I said. “Just a little longer and then I’m going to sleep.”

“The remote’s in your hand, Matt.”

“You’re going to kill me.”

“Eventually,” she agreed, giggling. “But I think you’ll survive for now.”

Who’s a pushover?

Lara and I both scared each other the next morning. I opened the door to my room and there she was, seemingly just about to enter.

“Whoa,” she blurted out as she looked me over.

“What?”

“Are you okay?”

I made my way into the living room, stretching. “Yeah, I had trouble sleeping, that’s all. Still waking up.”

“Hmm,” she sang. “Like, ‘bed was uncomfortable’ kind of trouble sleeping, or the other kind?”

“What other kind?” I asked, stifling a yawn.

“The ‘Lara, if you see the phone bill in the mail, can you trash it?’ kind.”

I stared at her as she smiled sweetly at me.

“Don’t worry,” she added. “I wasn’t listening in. It was just a guess.”

“A guess...” I said evenly.

“Well, you know what they say about guesses. So no, not exactly a guess!”

I rolled my eyes, even though it hurt to do so. “Good morning to you too, sis.”

“A lovely day, bro, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, lovely as fuck. All I know is I’m definitely going to be needing my sunglasses today.”

She laughed heartily. “Didn’t that work out nicely for you! Sounds like you owe Tommy for that.”

“Yeah, I guess I do. And if he hurries up and gets Dr. Kendall to install those recliners in study hall, I’ll owe him triple.”

Lara patted my shoulder. “You better eat and shower. Alice will be here soon.”

I glanced at the clock and groaned. “Shit, I thought I only snoozed the alarm three times. Why didn’t you wake me up?”

“Why do you think I was just about to barge in to your room?”

“Oh, right...”

Later that morning, I was a bit disappointed in Heather, for once. When I fell asleep in first period, I didn’t dream of the previous evening. Nope, I never had the chance, because I almost fell out of my chair and made a huge commotion in trying to keep myself from going to the floor. This was to the amusement of most of the classroom, including Lara and the twins...

And my teacher, luckily. She raised a brow at me. “Are you okay, Matt?”

“Yeah. Sorry about that.”

“Darkness makes people sleepy,” she said.

“Huh?”

“The shades, Matt? Maybe some light will help you to stay awake.”

“Oh, right,” I said, quickly taking them off. “Sorry.”

Tommy leaned over and whispered, “Don’t worry lad, it gets easier with time!”

I sniffed at his joke, shaking my head in amusement even as my face still burned.

The day was a torment. Oddly enough, reliving the previous night was what kept me awake, in the end. At lunch, the long cafeteria tables made for inviting beds. Unfortunately my schoolmates had the gall to use them for their meals, so that nap didn’t pan out. The first real respite came the following period when Tommy and I went to study hall while Lara took Muireann to typing class.

“Where do you sit?” he asked me.

“Wherever you want.”

Tommy slowly made his way to an area in the middle of the room and I gratefully slumped into a chair.

“Do you want to do any work?” I asked him.

“Not especially,” he replied. “I’m too tired from lunch break, lad.”

I guffawed. “Good, because I sure as hell don’t want to work either.”

“Aye, Lara mentioned you were on an important call last night.”

“Oh, did she?” I drawled, even as my face prickled once more.

“Take a nap, lad.”

“Nah, I’ll survive.”

Still, I put my head down on the desk to squeeze a little relaxation in. Without the fear of falling over or getting called out by a teacher, I drifted off. But it lasted only a couple of minutes.

“Hi! You’re Tommy, right?” came the bubbly interruption.

I spun out of half-sleep, the familiar voice awakening more than just the present moment within me. For a second I felt drunk, or stoned. I couldn’t remember, but either way my stomach twisted into a tiny knot.

“Aye, that’s my name. And you are?”

“I’m Carmen ... Uh, Matt? Are you okay?”

I sighed and raised my head. “Say what?” I rasped, blinking at her.

She giggled as I let my head fall to the desk again.

“Late night at the pub,” Tommy whispered, thumbing me. “Drank me under the table, he did!”

“It’s true,” I said, looking up again. “Tommy brought a little too much of the Irish way with him.”

“Or not enough, lad. You came out the worse for it!”

“Well, like you said, it gets easier with time, right?” I echoed.

Tommy laughed. “Aye, it does!”

“Now if you don’t mind, keep it down,” I said, before slipping my head back to my arm pillow.

Unfortunately Carmen didn’t take the hint, but she did take one of the chairs in front of our desks. And of course Tommy entertained his latest audience with all the charm and humor that he didn’t even have to muster. It was just there. Carmen swooned at his accent, his smile, and his use of sunglasses in a room without enough windows to justify it. She aw’ed at his description of his vision and ooh’ed at his ability to do something involving his pencil that I didn’t have the energy to open my eyes and watch. Even the low-energy and submissive room monitor was lax about warning them about the noise levels.

Then I fell asleep...

When I came to, the room monitor was gone. In fact, everyone had left besides Tommy, Carmen, and me.

“Uh, what’s going on?” I asked groggily, looking around.

“You looked like you needed the sleep,” Tommy said simply.

“What? Did the bell ring? What time is it?”

“It rang a while ago. And it’s half one.”

“Say what?” I looked at the clock.

One-thirty?

“Shit, are you serious? We have class!” I exclaimed, rising.

“I think the sleep was better for you than whatever we were going to do in English,” Tommy said calmly, as Carmen looked on in amusement.