Chapter 2

SHERRY
(Thursday 9/8)

Natalie looked really happy this morning. George and I caught her going to our first class so we chatted away. Bob got in just under the bell, but we still managed to sit together.

Bob and I got Natalie between us so she couldn't escape; she sure didn't look as if she wanted to escape. Almost every time I glanced at them during class, they were paying attention all right, but they were constantly touching.

George and I do it; most couples do it without realizing. Bob and Natalie were doing it knowingly. They would have their elbows together then maybe a foot against one another's, or a shoulder. All very light touches, but I knew how nice those seemingly casual contacts could feel. The Touch Game was on!

NATALIE

First period was such fun! The teacher was interesting, but Bob and I got this little touching game going. It was quiet and casual but nice. I'd ease my hand real slowly over towards him, and he'd slip his hand over towards mine. We'd inch towards each other for a minute then maybe the ends of our little fingers would touch lightly; just enough to feel.

We'd stay that way for several minutes, intently listening to the teacher and apparently being absorbed in the lesson. But at least on my part, it was only about half on what the teacher was saying.

It felt really comfortable, as if we were old friends who liked to be close. I'd flick a glance at him, and he'd have this little twitch in his nostrils like he was trying not to laugh.

Then we'd slowly draw apart and act really nonchalant for a while -- we'd glance at each other and play Mister and Miss Innocence. Then he'd start something like crossing his legs and slipping his foot slowly against my leg. After he felt my leg, he'd twitch his foot, like he was nudging me.

We played the game all period, alternating being the "aggressor" and trying to come up with some other way of casually touching the other. So much fun!

BOB

It was the first time I'd played the Touch Game. The objective was to be as seemingly unaware of doing it as possible, yet get the most pleasure from it. I'd seen other couples do it, but I think we did it the best!

I'm empathic; apparently I got it from Father. I'm able to feel or sense what people were experiencing emotionally and even pick up a stray thought or image once in a while. It's both a blessing and curse; I'm able to control it fairly well, but the sense was always available.

It's like a stereo; you could have it on some background music and tune it out, but if one of your favorites or something unusual came one, you'd become aware of it and turn the volume up for a while.

I don't know if Natalie felt my happiness, but I sure felt hers. If she could purr like a contented kitten, she would have broken our eardrums with the volume and rattled the room like an earthquake.

I'd never gelled with anyone this quickly and closely. It seemed we were two different chords which came together, complemented and reinforced each other until they filled the world with the sound of our joy.

Corny? Well, yes ... and so what if it was? It was something totally new to both of us, I'm sure. We didn't get lost in each other like we did the day before, but it felt as if we were touching mentally and in some ways it was more intense since we were able to control the time, depth and pace.

I decided not to analyze it to death; I'd think about it later during one of my routine jobs like sanding or painting. For now, I decided to enjoy it as long as possible.

SHERRY

They were still going at it during lunch. They were probably playing footsies under the table while we ate. Then, while we were all talking away afterwards, they ended up shoulder-to-shoulder (and probably hip-to-hip, too). Just barely touching; it seemed as if they tried to do it as lightly as possible but still feel the contact.

George caught on quickly after I nudged him and flicked my eyes towards their hands creeping towards one another's. I slid my foot over towards George's ankle, and we played the Touch Game, too.

I thought Bob must be able to project his empathy, too. I felt the energy flowing back and forth between them like the gentle waves of the tide coming in, going higher and higher.

To someone outside, it probably looked as if we were doing our normal lunch routine, discussing the chances of this year's football and basketball teams, upcoming Drama Club events, dances, rallies and other fun stuff.

Bob, George and I had known each other for years and had become a really effective team. Natalie had appeared yesterday, today had slipped into our group, and she fit perfectly. She seemed to add the final piece to us, like the subtle strokes to a painting which turn it from merely pretty to beautiful.

I was the lookout. I usually flittered around the school, talking and listening and bringing back information. George was the First Mate, in charge of keeping loose ends from getting too loose.

Natalie, it seemed, added a layer of aesthetics with her sensuality, grace and beauty (even if she dressed like a Goodwill-store reject) which I'd never seen in someone who appeared so innocent, and an outside view.

Bob was the Captain and Navigator, who was our rock-solid foundation and who orchestrated us (I'm mixed-race, so I'm allowed to mix my metaphors, too).

From then on, I noticed any two of us had a heightened energy when we were together. Add a third and it really increased. When the fourth one joined, we felt complete.

BOB

Lunch was great. Natalie and I played with towards-and-away from each other; we'd see just how close it took to feel or touch the other. The physical touch was wonderful, but the bonding, energy or emotional and spiritual contact was even better.

Every time she spoke with her lilting Irish accent, we seemed to become more and more aware of each other. Is this what it was like to be in love?

What I felt between Natalie and me was different from George and Sherry. With George and Sherry, I got a feeling of pride, of belonging to something which extended beyond me. With Natalie, I felt whole, like I'd found another part of me I'd never known I'd missed or even had existed, and we wanted to push each other up as high as we could.

NATALIE

Lunch that day was the happiest I'd ever been. I recognized the feeling. Before Mom had her troubles, she and Dad and I used to sit around the dining table, living room or den and just talk, laugh and enjoy being together as a family.

Well, some things must end. The lunch warning bell clanged away, and we dutifully trotted off to our classes like good proles.

Bob and I played the Touch Game, both physically and mentally, in the other classes where we were together. We kept the volume down considerably, though. I guess we were learning to control what was happening between us, and it was even more exciting than the first couple of times. We kept it down to a dull roar instead of a cheering crowd.

While I was chatting with Sherry before our last class, I dug around in my purse for a pen and touched something strange. It was a CD in a paper envelope. I took it out; it was labeled, "Natalie" with today's date.

I sure hadn't put it there. I showed it to Sherry and asked, "Any idea what this is?"

She looked at it and said cautiously, as if it were a trick question, "A CD-R. Burned in a home computer."

Jaysus, I knew that! "Not what it is, just what is it doing in my purse? I didn't put it there and have no idea where it came from."

She looked at it again. She shrugged and turned her hands out in mystery. "All I can say is it looks like Bob's printing, but I won't guarantee it." She got a mischievous look in her eyes and whispered, "Maybe it's some pictures of nude Bob doing IT to a wall with a paint roller! Or some raunchy photos of the construction crew working with their ... tools."

I just rolled my eyes and groaned. On the other hand, nude Bob pictures? Could be very interesting.

She smirked with a lifted eyebrow, "Just shove it in your CD drive and see what it is. Do it in private, just in case."

It sounded good to me. A mystery can be fun.

DON

Natalie and I stopped for a few groceries on the way home. We chatted a bit like we usually do, but she didn't appear as bubbly as she was yesterday.

When I looked a little closer, she seemed more serene, more in control and had a little smile suggesting all was right with the world.

I asked her casually, "Have a good day?"

She told me, "Not a good day at all. It was a wonderful day!" Her smile must have caused sunburn for several aisles.

After we got home and had put the groceries away, she came over and gave me a firm hug. She whispered earnestly, "Dad, I love Mom and I love you. I want us back together again like we were before." She frowned a bit then said, "No, actually, I want us better than before. I felt today what a friendly and loving group could be and I want it for us.

"I know we've just been letting Mom 'get over it' and giving her our support. We need to think of a way to be more -- I guess it would be causative or proactive -- instead of reactive. We need to find a way to make her feel more her own person, more special, not just the effect or reaction of what happened to her. Can we get a plot going, a conspiracy, to help her become more herself than she's ever been?"

I gave her a hug back. "You are her brilliant daughter. I agree; it's time we took some action instead of waiting around."

She told me, "Well, even with all the work we've had moving here, I think it was a great idea. The people are more friendly, they're excited and enthusiastic, the weather is great and Mom seems less, well, 'moody, ' I guess is the best way to put it."

I agreed. "It's a deal. Although we're still getting settled here in the house and at school, we need to start finding resources, ways of getting her attention ... actually all our attentions, more outside of us. It seems as if we've collapsed into 'us' with all our problems and 'them, ' who we view with some fear."

I told her firmly, "We've got to change it somehow. We used to visit other couples a lot, have some fun parties, and, while still being a family, be part of the rest of the world. I want it, too, just as you do."

NATALIE

I started my homework and getting ready for bed. While I was in my purse getting a pen, I discovered the CD again. Although I was very curious, I put it off until I got my homework done.

Okay, ready for bed. The computer was already on, so I slid the CD in the tray and closed it. Windows hemmed and hawed a bit and popped up Media Player with an audio CD. Hmm, Track 1 of 1 seemed the best one to pick. I clicked on Play and heard "Welcome to My World" in a deep, rich voice.

(Welcome to My World by Jim Reeves)

Welcome to my world
Won't you come on in
Miracles, I guess
Still happen now then.

Step into my heart
Leave your cares behind
Welcome to my world
Built with you in mind.

Knock and the door will open
Seek and you will find
Ask and you'll be given
The key to this world of mine.

I'll be waiting here
With my arms unfurled
Waiting just for you
Welcome to my world.

Waiting just for you
Welcome to my world.