Chapter 11: Plans

Mornings in New Jersey so far had always provided surprises. This one seemed no different when Tony awoke to someone screaming for Tina. Rebecca was in bed but was waking up as fast as he had. It only took him a second to recognize that it was Anita screaming Tina's name.

Rebecca managed to grab her robe and wrap it around her faster than Tony could get into his shorts and a T-shirt and she was out the door like a shot. By the time he made it to the hallway both Rebecca and Tina were talking to Anita through the bathroom door. Rebecca waved Tony back and followed him into the aft cabin. She took a left into the bathroom and came out carrying a sanitary napkin.

"I'm going to kill Jan Breeland! The poor girl just got her first period and she doesn't even know what one is."

Tony sighed in relief and managed a small chuckle. "Yeah, that's definitely a mother-daughter thing. Well, I did tell her mother that if there was anything I couldn't handle you girls could. I definitely wasn't thinking of this though. Obviously I'm not going to be of any help. Can I do anything?"

"I think we can handle it. Can you call over to the condo? Gwen went through this with Penelope not too long ago. She can probably help more than anyone. And it's not funny Tony."

"I'm sorry, I'm just relieved. Being awakened by a screaming eleven-year-old had me on edge. There are definitely worse things it could have been than this."

"Tony if it was anything else she would have been screaming for you, not Tina."

Tony nodded at Rebecca and said, "OK, I'll clear the guys out. We'll go out to breakfast or something and get out of your way."

Rebecca paused long enough to peck Tony on the lips. "Good plan, it'll make it easier for her."

Tony made the phone call and asked Kyle and Dewayne to meet him and Jerry with one of their two rental vans in front of the office. The girls would come over in 'Too!' Tony left the keys to the other van so that Gwen or Chrissie could take the girls anyplace they needed. He figured at the very least there was a trip to the drug store in their near future.

The guys didn't mind. They spent the morning eating steak and eggs then went over to the Gilchrist area at the state park for registration. From there they were directed to the local community college that would be used for the seminars beginning Monday. What they found at the registration table with a Gilchrist staffer was completely unexpected. Two things pretty much floored them:

Guitar, Theory and Practice for Classical and Rock. Mon, Jun 17, 10 AM, and Tues, Jun 18, 10 AM, Rm 112 Instr. Charles Redmond, Dewayne Wade.

"Uhm, is this right?" Dewayne asked the woman behind the registration table. "This has me listed as an instructor."

"Well yes, probably. Every seminar has a primary instructor, normally a music professor. The primary instructor listens to the submissions and chooses a student instructor."

"Ahh, someone seems to have forgotten to mention that to me. Thank you." He turned to Tony and said, "I am going to spank that sister of yours and you can't stop me."

"I wouldn't even try, Professor," Tony deadpanned. "But look here, I think she got a bit of her own medicine." Tony pointed back to the sign up sheets on the table.

Flute, Dynamics in Symphony and Popular Music. Mon, Jun 17, 1 PM and Tues, Jun 18, 1 PM, Rm 114 Instr. Francesca DuBois, Tina Smith.

"Oh, that's Tina Smith isn't it? That was a big deal. Mr. Madison wanted her for violin as well but she had a conflict on Wednesday. She's playing with a group at the pier in one of our concerts."

"Right, that's our band," Tony replied.

"Oh, you guys are the band that was invited! Oh all of you are teaching something I think. See here on Thursday. That's Rock Vocals, Male and Female. That one doesn't even have a primary instructor because, well, there aren't any professors who teach that; so that one has Tony Smith, Tina Smith, and Rebecca Harris as instructors. I think they added a second student instructor to the Jazz bass class. See here, Kyle West. The instructor wanted him because he was accepted as an electric bass player which we don't normally have.

"It's actually quite exciting. The Gilchrist Foundation has never had rock musicians before. When they decided to do it they went all out to expose the classical artists to a different style. It's quite an honor to be selected as a student teacher."

"I'm sorry, Miss..." Tony read her 'Hi, my name is' name tag. "Sally. It's not that we aren't honored. We just weren't prepared. My sister put in our submission and I'm not sure even she knew about this. I think we have a bit of work to do to prepare."

The guys talked Sally into making photocopies of the information they would need. Jerry was also on the list as the student teacher of Jazz percussion and something called alternative percussion. The other boys had no clue but Jerry just nodded. He did still have his strange menagerie of sound producing toys. Rebecca would probably be drafted to help as he had taught her how to use those that he couldn't while playing his drums.

They stopped for an early lunch of burgers and went back to find Kalliste deserted. Seeing as there was no time like the present they each grabbed a beer, some paper and a pen and began picking each other's brains on just what kinds of things should be presented at 'their' seminars.

Tony took some time in the early afternoon to make a phone call.

"Tony, is everything OK?" His mom was only mildly worried, since she already knew the kids had arrived. It was unusual for them to call her at the firm though.

"Everyone's fine Mom. I just have a situation that I actually need some legal advice on. Since you're my all time favorite lawyer..."

Carol Smith giggled. "Tony why would you need legal advice?"

"Hmm, well I have a runaway girl staying on Kalliste."

"A what?"

"A girl, her name is Cheri. She's Rebecca's cousin. All that stuff hit the papers and she saw Rebecca and found us. She ran away from home almost a month ago."

"It was in the paper here this morning as well. The phone was already ringing when I left for work. But what about this girl, why did she run away from home?"

Tony sighed heavily. "It's bad Mom, real bad. Abuse, mental, physical, some sexual but not rape. Neglect too, locking her in her room for days at a time; her stepfather."

"Oh my God!"

"Yeah, she's safe now, I have her here. Tina and the girls are a big help. I just feel responsible."

"Yes, you probably would be held responsible. It's your boat she's staying on. How is she?"

"Good, all things considered. She's underweight because she hadn't been eating well, but we're stuffing food down her as fast as we can. The girls threw out all her clothes and took her shopping. We took her to an optometrist to get some new glasses."

"You took her to an eye doctor? How did you manage that?"

"Well if you get anything from a doctor in New Jersey about Tina's new glasses and contacts that's for Cheri. I kind of told them she was my sister who lost her glasses and my parents were out of the country on vacation."

Carol laughed again. "Well your legal situation isn't exactly getting better son. You lied to a doctor to gain treatment. Don't worry, those laws are really meant for people trying to get prescription drugs. No one would charge you with anything in this case but you need to realize that doctors are people too. As far as I know there really is no legal rule that says doctors need parental consent. It happens all the time in emergencies."

"Oh. I thought they would insist on a parent."

"Maybe, maybe not; now you need to get that girl to a real doctor soon. Let me talk to Tina for a minute."

"Uh, she's not here. She's out with our other addition, but I think the girls have that one handled. That's just a minor crisis."

"Another addition?"

"Yeah; Anita, the girl from the boat we helped, is staying with us. She's like a week shy of twelve. She kind of woke up to her first period this morning and her mom never had that talk with her. Don't worry, she has Tina, Rebecca, Cheri, Gwen, and Chrissie all playing mother hen now. I know Gwen just went through this with Penelope so I'm sure she's OK."

"Well what I was going to tell Tina is that, uh, Cheri should see a doctor. I mean she also needs to see a gynecologist. We're talking a basic physical but a GYN should be able to give her that as well. If this turns legal we need to establish her physical condition."

"Oh, I see. That makes sense and you're right, I wouldn't have thought of the gynecologist thing. I'm in a hard spot. I'm told she wasn't raped, but if Cheri asked Tina and Rebecca not to tell me and she really was I don't think either would break that trust. I'd feel awful if I tried to pressure them to tell me. On the other hand, like I said, I feel responsible for her."

"Find one Tony. Preferably a female one and then explain the situation to her. I think you'll find that the doctor will do an exam with no questions asked."

"OK, I'll look today. It would definitely have to be a lady doctor though. She's pretty terrified of guys right now."

"That bad?"

"Yeah, she'll talk to me. She seems to be warming up to Jerry though they haven't talked. Believe me that's a big improvement since yesterday morning."

"Tony what do you plan to do?"

"Well she can't go back to her home. I'm bringing her home with us. She is Marj and Chris' niece after all. After that I intend to hire my mother to make sure some dumbass judge doesn't decide to send her back."

"Tony, have you thought this through? Moving her across state lines opens up a whole new can of worms."

"Is there really that much to think about Mom? She can't go back. I can't leave her to sleep under a pier, which is where she was. I might as well cut my own throat if I turn her over to social services to go to a foster home. If I don't cut it my girlfriend and my sister will surely do it for me. Not that I'd do that anyway. What choice do I have? I certainly can't come up with anything else. Maybe other relatives, but Chris and Marj are her closest ones."

"You haven't talked to Marj yet have you?"

"No, this all started just yesterday morning. I think it better to talk to Marj when Rebecca and Cheri are here."

"No, talk to her now if she's home; I know you Tony. You're making promises to those girls; promises that are no good if Marj doesn't agree. Look we both know she will, but you need to talk to her."

"OK, I'll talk to her as soon as I can."

"OK, try and reach her now. I'm going to find some experts on this kind of thing and New Jersey law. I'll call you when I know more Son."

"Alright Mom, love you, and thanks."

"I love you too Tony."

"Hi Marj, its Tony, do you have a few minutes to talk?"

"Well sure Tony, is Rebecca alright?"

"She's fine Marj. She's out with the girls now. I need to talk to you about Cheri."

"Cheri, my niece?"

"Yes, she's here on the boat with us. She's staying with us for now."

"Oh! Well that's wonderful! She and Rebecca always did get along."

"Well, it's not so wonderful. Her mother and stepfather have no idea where she is. She found us here because of the stuff in the paper. She ran away from home almost a month ago. Marj she's been severely mistreated at home by her stepfather."