Chapter 8

Clusters of faceless men sat at tables scattered around a room. Well dressed and arrogant, they drank with a purpose, tossing back their whiskeys and gesturing for more. Most of them were older, with neat manicures and well-groomed steel-gray hair. A few, though, were young. Their eyes hot with lust and jealousy.

Stephanie and her mother, wearing identical skimpy outfits, rushed about the room serving drinks. As she passed amongst the men, hands snatched at her legs or pinched her butt. One of the balding men gestured, and Steph bent to listen. He mumbled a question, but she couldn’t make out the words. While she puzzled out his question, rough fingers slipped up her thigh.

And Stephanie woke. The Wichita Dream, again. She hated it and the sleeplessness it brought. Sitting up, Stephanie rubbed her eyes and glanced at the clock. Ugh, midnight. Maybe J’s still up?

The Timms’ didn’t have a fancy AI like Alfred. Not because Gene was cheap, but because he thought it would spy on him. Instead of Alfred and voice commands, Steph had the wireless keyboard from the living room and her wall-mounted display. Hopefully, Mom forgot to close the firewall ports, and she wouldn’t have to sneak downstairs to fiddle the security console.

“J, you up?” Each tap on the cheap membrane keyboard produced a faint rubbery thump. A minute passed without a reply, and Stephanie worried Jason might be asleep.

“‘Sup, sweetheart?”

Stephanie released the breath she hadn’t known she held. “Bad dream, can’t sleep.”

“Yuck, wish I could cu.”

“Me2.”

“I got an idea.”

“What?”

“Open your window. I’ll get a ladder.”

“You’re crazy!” He’d do it, too.

“Yeah, ‘bout you.”

“Me2u. Won’t work, windows wired, alarm.”

“‘Kay. I’ll stay up then, ‘till you fall asleep.”

“Goof, how will you know?”

“You snore rly loud.”

“Rat!”

“Love you.”

“Love you2, rat.”

A sound from outside, it might have been a car door slammed shut, woke her from a pleasant dream. Details of the dream faded, but it involved her and Jason and one of those things they’d recently begun doing.

Sitting up, she set the keyboard back on her night table and reached for her slippers. Darn it, where’d that other slipper go? There it was, half kicked under the bed. While fishing it out, Stephanie realized something was amiss. She looked around. What was it? Was it something she needed to do today?

Downstairs in the kitchen, Mom glanced up and smiled a “good morning” around her mouthful of muesli.

“Morning.” Steph took a mug from the dishwasher and sat. Maybe she’d have toast and some of that new, bitter orange marmalade. Oh, yeah, there was something she needed to do.

“Sweetie?” Mom said.

“Um?” This jam was awesome. Now, what was it she couldn’t remember?

“Something bothering you?”

Stephanie blinked; Mom didn’t miss anything. “There’s something missing, or something I forgot to do, but I don’t remember what.”

“Hmmm,” Mom stood and set her bowl on the sink. On her way back, she stopped and pressed her palm against Stephanie’s forehead. “You’re a bit warm.” Moving to the side of the table, Mom pulled out the adjacent chair and sat. “Sweetie, feel my head.”

Stephanie felt the heat before her hand made contact. “Mom, you’re burning up.”

“It’s normal when I’m in withdrawal.” She didn’t add anything else.

“Oh,” then she got it. “You think I got the bond?”

“Uh, huh. Close your eyes and think about Romeo. Imagine he’s kissing you goodnight. Feel his arms around you.”

Last night was easy to remember. Although, the exact memory wasn’t one she’d like her mother to know about. “Okay,” she reported.

“Now, how do you feel?”

A fog she hadn’t noticed, lifted, and her thoughts cleared. “Better.” The difference was more than she wanted to admit.

“I’m sorry, sweetie, but I think you got it now.”

If she concentrated, Stephanie could feel the distraction settle into place when her thoughts drifted. For example, when she watched her mother steal a piece of her toast. The condition reversed in a snap once she focused on Jason. With a little practice, she could keep a memory of him tucked to the side. If this was just the beginning of the bond ... what’s it like for Mom?

“Do you have to think about Gene all the time?” asked Stephanie.

“Oh,” Mom smiled, “I’m an old addict. Everything like that’s second nature. Your addiction is in its early stages.”

“I guess it’s a baby bond.”

Mom almost choked on the bite of toast. “Don’t even think the word, baby.”

After breakfast on school days, she and Mom cleaned the house. Busywork distracted them enough to cope. They spent the afternoons working their way through exercise programs. The type of exercise didn’t matter. Sometimes they used martial arts training videos. Last week, they streamed an ancient series called “Aerobicise.” Mom laughed when Stephanie complained about its difficulty, then threatened to play something called P90X.

Of course, Mom noticed Stephanie’s increased symptoms. Instead of accusations, all Mom did was provide unwavering support. Most breakfast conversations revolved around post bond survival strategies.

“How much will I remember?”

When her mother didn’t answer right away, Stephanie grew concerned. Natalie lived with a lot of Gene’s muddled attempts at reprogramming her. Most of the time, Gene’s commands wore off within days, leaving Natalie with a vague unease that also wore off. Other times, Gene misjudged Mom’s period of susceptibility and issued orders she remembered.

“Looking back now, I remember growing up in Pavlo’s household. His wife, Maryska, thought me her husband’s bastard daughter. Their children used to bully me. Once I grew tall enough to fight back, they learned to avoid me.” She took a sip of tea. “But you want to know if you’ll remember Jason?” Mom quirked an eyebrow, and Stephanie nodded. “Our situations aren’t the same. You have Romeo, and I have the twin monkeys, Pavlo and Gene on my back.”

Stephanie snickered; she had no problem imagining Gene as a long-armed balding ape. No, maybe more of a balding baboon? Too bad only the girl baboons had red butts. Mom refilled their cups, and Stephanie realized her mother intended a serious discussion.

“If we don’t take steps, sweetie, you’ll forget about Jason for a long while.”

“What steps?”

“The steps we make up as we go. For instance, both of us insist we must stay in contact. Blame it on a lack of emotional stability. All men think women are unstable. We’ll confirm it, and the men will chuckle and allow it. You and I can figure out a code so we can talk for real. When we pack your suitcase, we’ll hide photographs of you and Jason. If possible, we’ll even pack that horrible slayer shirt you never wash. You’ll always have Jason tucked away somewhere. Then, when he’s an established adult, with the means to keep you safe, I’ll send him to you. You and he will run away and live happily ever after.

“But what if he forgets me?”

Mom rolled her eyes. “Do you think a human boy can forget you?”

Steph closed her eyes and nodded. She’d be gone for years; how could he remember her?

Mom’s extra warm hands brushed Steph’s sleep-tangled hair back. “Sweetie,” she said, “if you’re so worried, give him something special to remember you by.”

Something special? Steph’s eyes popped open. Yes, she’d write him a letter. Tell him everything she dared. Then make him promise to wait until his eighteenth birthday to open it. How to start? Dear Jason, No, too simple, how about...

Dearest Jason,

The months since I had to leave must have been difficult for you. I hope that by now, you’ve recovered enough to carry on with your life. Please don’t forget me, as I am doing everything possible to remember you and our time together.

Mom’s voice interrupted Stephanie’s thoughts. “You know, sweetie, I’ve read freshly worn panties are highly prized amongst human males.”

“Ew, yuck, Mom! Jason’s not—”

“Well, maybe not Romeo. After all, he is perfect.”

“He is!”

“You could ask him, you know, just in case. Wear an old pair for a day or two. Then offer them to him. I bet he’d love them.”

Stephanie loved her mother, but sometimes ... ick.

Then Gene returned from another business trip. As usual, Stephanie kept to her room. Sneaking downstairs for food only when Gene and her mother were busy. There must have been a lull in his business because he stayed for a full week.

On the plus side, Gene’s longer stay completely reset her mother’s bond. The morning her father left, Mom was so cheerful, they should have eaten waffles for breakfast. A week without Jason left Stephanie with a pounding headache. While Mom tweaked the security system, Steph told her about it.

“Well,” Mom said, “if you’ll recall, I tried to limit your exposure.”

Steph knew about the ordeal Mom went through when Gene made her his slave. It must have been awful. Mom hoped that a “little addiction” might save Stephanie from the same ordeal.

Of course, happy/chatty Mom continued to make her point. “You, however, chose otherwise, and Romeo is now the happiest little Romeo ever. But because you know how the real addiction starts, you have not allowed him to return the favor more than once or twice. Am I right?”

“Pretty much.” The words peeped out. She hadn’t expected her mother to figure everything out.

“And because you know we can’t get addicted to ourselves, you take care of your own business. But you’ve learned it only helps for a little while, right?”

Stephanie couldn’t answer. From the heat, her cheeks had to be flaming.

“Well, daughter, why do you think I take so many long, hot soaks?”

Surprise made Stephanie glance up. Across the table, Mom matched her gaze. “Really?” asked Stephanie.

“Really. You’ll learn to draw it out and make it more intense. It won’t be close to what Romeo could do for you, but it’s what gets a girl through those long and lonely days.”

With that revelation, they tidied the kitchen and set to cleaning the rest of the house.

After today’s exercise, Stephanie took a long, hot shower, and Mom helped her pick an outfit to wear. Even though her mother still harbored concerns about Jason, she took great pains to ensure Stephanie looked her best. “After all,” Mom said, “we want him to stay focused on you.”

And it was rather nice when she caught Jason’s eyes on her. Almost as pleasant as his touch. It felt “right” to be the center of his attention.

While Stephanie dressed, Mom returned to the day’s post bond survival training. This session covered a worst-case scenario.

“So, our plan has failed. You’re fully bonded to some rich old man, and Romeo is unavailable. There’ll be a time you won’t remember anything of your past. Your entire focus will be on whoever has bonded you. Then one day, you’ll wake and remember bit and pieces. Even if you do nothing about it, those awake times will reoccur and last longer each time. Someday, you’ll be like me and be awake most of the time.”

“What about when you and Gene are ... together?” Stephanie felt her cheeks heat with the question.

“Not then, never then. It’s too overwhelming. And afterward ... do you remember what we talked about? How you’re susceptible to suggestion?”

“I remember.”

“If I hadn’t read the notes in Gene’s safe, I wouldn’t know about it. Even now, I don’t remember everything. Things feel wrong somehow. There’s something still not right with my memories. I hope it all comes back someday.” Mom glanced at the wall-mounted video display. “It’s almost time to meet Romeo, run next door, and I’ll go take a long hot soak.”

“Stephanie!” Mrs. Thomas smiled and held the door open. “Don’t you look cute today.”

Since she and Mom were almost the same size, Stephanie had access to a lot of clothes, all of which set-off her pale skin and red hair. Today she wore a black watch tartan wrap skirt with a short-sleeved blouse and her usual sneakers. A cold front moved in last night. To block the wind, she’d thrown on one of Jason’s oxford shirts. Her mom chuckled each time she acquired another article of her boyfriend’s clothes.

“My mom said I look like a schoolgirl.”

“Well, that’s appropriate, isn’t it?”

“Yes, ma’am. Can I help with anything?” A basket of green apples sat next to an assortment of baking supplies.

“You’re just in time to learn how to make apple crisp.”

“Miss Stephanie?” Alfred announced from an overhead speaker. “Master Jason is in view.”

Mrs. Thomas smiled and reached for the bowl of crumbles. “Give me the bowl and go meet your beau.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Thomas!” Stephanie untied her apron and slipped into Jason’s shirt. As she opened the back door, the older woman spoke.

“I hope my son knows how lucky he is.”

Pausing, Stephanie turned back. “Thank you, Mrs. Thomas, but I’m lucky to have him.”

Jason both loved and hated pep-rallies. Sure, he got excused from social studies—the worst class to have at the end of the day—but stuffing the participating students into the gym was a terrible thing to do. The “Sports Arena” already smelled like unwashed socks. Combine that with a couple hundred kids wearing those dirty socks.

The only bright part at the pep rally was hearing other students refer to Connor O’Sullivan as “Raptor.” As a new student to North Allegheny, he didn’t have any baggage. The bullies and jocks didn’t know if Jason was a big fish or a little fish. The testing began his second week. A football jock, Connor O’Sullivan, the self-declared “greatest wide receiver of all time,” elbowed Jason on his way out of the locker room. Jason knew the drill and pushed back.

Their relationship had gone downhill since. Connor continued pushing, and Jason continued to push back. Disliking bullies, Jason thought to teach the larger kid a lesson. At lunch with a group of math nerds, they discussed the North Allegheny Tigers football team. Jason referred to Connor as “Raptor.” At face value, it sounded like a compliment. After all, raptors were well-known prehistoric carnivores. Then came the next football game, a loss, in which Connor missed several key passes, and the true meaning of Raptor became known. Raptors with their little arms couldn’t catch. The nickname stuck and grew in popularity. The pep-rally had its intended effect, and Jason left school in a fine mood.

Stepping off the school bus, the best part of his day lay ahead. That is, if Steph’s father hadn’t come home again. He took a bare half-dozen steps onto his parents’ driveway when Stephanie stepped into view.

She smiled and waiting until he closed the distance. When he was only a step or two away, she said, “I used to be an adventurer like you. Then I took an arrow in the knee.” They’d recently started playing a cooperative role-playing game. Jason was the knight in shining armor, and Stephanie a beautiful and mysterious mage. She was always quick with a fireball or a healing spell. Although he got the impression, she’d be happier if they reversed the roles.

“Let me guess,” he said, “someone stole your sweet roll?”

Laughing at the corny game dialog, they closed the distance. Jason picked his girlfriend up and spun her around. He held the best girl in the world in his arms, and everything was perfect.

She held his arm while the walked towards the back of his house. “I missed you,” he said.

“I missed you more,” she said and pulled him down for another kiss. “You don’t know how good you feel.”

It took a few seconds before Jason felt steady enough to continue walking. “If Gene,” it still felt odd referring to her father by his first name, “wasn’t a jerk, you could go to school with me. I’d walk you to your classes, and we’d sneak kisses along the way.”

“In school? Kids kiss in school?”

“They do all kinds of stuff, all over the place.”

“And you do what? Ignore it?”

“It’s creepy to stare. So, yeah, ignore it and keep walking.”

Inside the kitchen, something besides Stephanie smelled great. Mom had something in the oven. While tempted to check and see what it was, sneaking downstairs with Steph seemed a better idea. Mom’s sudden appearance in the hallway door forced a change of plans.

“Hey, you two,” Mom said, clearly knowing his intentions, “no necking until after the homework is finished.”

Jason sighed a heavy teen sigh. It wasn’t fair that Mom could read his mind. Together, he and Steph settled down at the kitchen table.

Stephanie picked up his Algebra 2 textbook. To her left, Jason rooted through his backpack and muttered about a missing mechanical pencil. She flipped the textbook open, and an envelope spilled out.

An envelope for homework assignments was something new. Usually, Jason folded the assignment sheet in half and stuffed it between the pages. Whatever, she opened the flap, and that’s when her world went sideways.

The envelope contained a single, folded sheet of paper. The instant Stephanie unfolded the single page, a velvety, musky scent with hints of vanilla wafted out. A part of her brain recognized it as the spoor of a rival.

Something was wrong with the paper, the more she re-read the words, the blurrier the letters became.

“Stephanie,” Mrs. Thomas asked, her voice soft, “is something wrong?”

Jason brandished his pencil. “Found it!” His mother’s question sunk in, and he craned his neck, trying to read the note.

At the last second, Stephanie decided she didn’t want Jason to read it. Her hands moved with unthinking precision, folding the paper, and returning it to the envelope. She kept the envelope pinched between index finger and thumb.

“Stephanie?” Mrs. Thomas now stood in front of her and handed her a tissue.

“Oh, I’m fine, Mrs. Thomas,” she took the tissue and dabbed her eyes. The lack of emotion in her voice surprising. “Some girl named Caitlin invited Jason to a ‘Girl’s Choice’ dance next Saturday.”

“No way!” Jason asserted.

“What did you do, Jason?” Mrs. Thomas demanded.

“Nothing!” he shouted. A hint of anger made his voice harsh.

“I swear if you hurt Stephanie...”

“I, I hardly talk to Cait, I didn’t know she liked me.” He swiveled in his seat. “Steph, you gotta believe me.”

Stephanie thought she should have felt angry, but all she felt was numb. Even her bond remained mute. Something about the note bugged her, whatever it was, tickled at the edges of her thoughts. The perfume! Something about the perfume’s scent. Then she had it. With understanding came peace. Her hand stopped flipping the envelope back and forth. “I believe you,” she said.

Jason breathed out a huge sigh.

Mrs. Thomas plucked the envelope from Stephanie’s hand and read the note for herself. For the first time, Stephanie saw Jason’s mother as a peer. A boy from her past must have hurt her pretty bad. “How can you be so sure?” Mrs. Thomas returned the note.

Smiling, Steph lifted Jason’s right hand. “When I kissed him before, he didn’t smell like the invitation.”

“Oh, now that’s smart. Jason, make sure you tell that girl you’re already taken.”

The next morning at school, instead of heading directly to his locker, Jason made a detour. He found Caitlin and her friend Elise in the library. Both girls glanced up when he stopped at their table.

The girls shared a look before Elise stood. “I’ll catch up with you later.” She gave Jason a knowing smile and left.

Jason took Elise’s chair and sat. “I got your invitation,” he said.

At first, Caitlin seemed to have a hard time looking away from her textbook. Then her vivid blue eyes searched his face, but after she failed to see acceptance, they dropped back down. She said, “Thank you for telling me no—face to face.”

“Hey, if I didn’t already have a girlfriend, I’d have accepted.”

“Really?” Caitlin’s blue eyes met his again, and this time, she smiled. “Not many guys like gingers.”

“My girlfriend’s hair is a little darker red than yours. She also has freckles, and I think she’s beautiful.”

“She’s lucky.”

“Maybe, but I’m way luckier.” Jason pushed back his chair and stood. “See you later in algebra.” On his way out, Elise passed him, headed back into the library.

“Mom, two weekends from now, if Gene isn’t here, I’m going to a dance with Jason.”

“A dance?” Mom glanced up from her book.

“Yes, at his school, Saturday night, week after next.”

“Absolutely not! You know the rules. What if Gene called for you or came home?”

“Then he grounds me for real. It’s not like it’ll make any difference, I’m already as addicted to Jason as possible without—”

“Yes, well, let’s not go there. You don’t want to go through what I did.” Mom sighed and stood. She set the teapot on the stove and fiddled in the cupboard for her tea. Knowing this was part of Mom’s decision-making process, Stephanie remained silent. The water came to a boil, a loaded tea ball was plopped into the pot, and Mom brought everything to the table. “A real high-school dance. Like in the movies?”

“Uh, huh,” Stephanie accepted a cup. The aroma of lemongrass and grapefruit filled the room. She liked this fragrance a lot better than musk.

“Do you know what to wear?”

“Mrs. Thomas said a cocktail dress.”

“Hmm ... you know, I may have something you could borrow...”

“Thanks, Mom.” Mother and Daughter sipped their tea. A few minutes passed before Stephanie remembered something else. “Mom, it’s not going to be much longer, is it?”

“No, I don’t think so,” Mom grimaced and studied the depths of her tea. “Gene’s callers ask about an auction.”

The next day Stephanie met Jason after school and walked him inside. They sat at the kitchen table. No one mentioned the invitation.

“In algebra today, we covered polynomial division.” Jason flipped to the marked page of his textbook. “It’s pretty cool...” His voice trailed off when he realized Stephanie was giving him “the look.” “What?” he asked.

“Did you tell her?”

“Yes,” he sat back and crossed his arms. “Caitlin already expected me to say no. It seems some guys don’t like redheads.”

“Really?” she asked, wrapping a lock of auburn hair around a finger.

“Something about their cooties, I think. Either that or they steal souls.”

Stephanie grinned. She and Jason had browsed pages of memes. “Aren’t you worried about yours?”