Chapter 2: Parent Student Mixer

Tess Di Rosa leaned back in the Jacuzzi and enjoyed the warmth and the soothing massage by the air bubbles. The first day back at school had been draining, both physically and mentally. It still took her full concentration to walk and a full day of concentration had left her exhausted. Add to that the need to give brief recaps of her story to at least twenty different people plus her own hunger for all the gossip she had missed in a year and Tess was almost out for the count.

The Jacuzzi was a Godsend. Their father had converted the basement into a family spa with a steam bath and a Jacuzzi. They had often used it together. Carla Di Rosa, their mother, had spent several years in Germany with her father where she grew up in the middle of the sexual liberation during the late sixties and early seventies, and she had educated her children not to be ashamed of their bodies. Carla Di Rosa had also been the one to pick the Victorian home in the multicultural Powelton Village neighborhood.

Tess stretched her neck muscles and the inflatable collar got in the way again. Oh, to be rid of this crap! Joey insisted on her wearing an inflatable collar in the Jacuzzi in case she had a dizzy spell. Tess smiled. Joey ― always worrying about her. Yet, she did not, could not mind. She had heard from Nurse Gabi how they had found Joey shielding her with his own bullet-torn body. She saw him return to their hospital room after three different surgeries. She witnessed the one time when his heart alarm went off and his body jerked under the electric shocks of a defibrillator, while doctors and nurses fought to keep him alive. No, there was no way she could ever feel annoyance over her big brother. She felt his presence and tilted her head, smiling up warmly.

"Come in! Aah, I'm so glad we have this!"

"Yup, it's nice," he agreed, stepping into the hot pool himself.

Tess was unconcerned over their nakedness. They had often shared hotel rooms growing up. Now that they depended on each other they relaxed even more. Tess had changed Joey's wound dressings when one of the scars had opened again three months before. Joey, on the other hand, had to help Tess to wash certain body parts she could not reach with her clumsy left hand. That was not necessary anymore but neither sibling thought it wrong to share the Jacuzzi.

"So, they paired you with the Irish lezz?" she asked after a few moments.

"Huh?"

"The Irish lezz; you know, like Irish lass, only gay," Tess giggled.

"Oh, you mean Deirdre. Behave, Tess. She's not bad. She may not be a lesbian either. Her mother is, and that big woman, Karen."

"Yup, that was obvious," Tess giggled again. "There are bets, you know, how long it will take for you to ask for a different partner."

"I don't think I will. She's really good. I won't have to drag her along like I had to with Chuck." Chuck Edwards had been his lab partner during junior year.

"She's pretty," Tess observed. "At least she could be if she tried."

"Must be hard for her, you know. I bet some of the snots are giving her a hard time. You know, living with a lesbian mother..."

"And looking like a Grade A nerd," Tess laughed.

"And that. Let's face it: Some of our peers are not exactly models of tolerance. That reminds me. Anybody give you shit?"

Tess shook her head. "Nope. It's amazing. Everybody was nice. Oh, I was in the Principal's office. She'll want to talk to you, she said. They have this idea that I could join my old class as a sophomore. I would need extra tutoring but they said I could do it."

Joey's face lit up. "That would be so great! You could be with all your friends again."

"Yeah, I'd like that. Principal Harlow is really helpful."

"Okay, I'll talk to her. Jeez, if I had known how much work it is with you..."

"Joey?"

"Yep?"

"You're the best."

"And don't you forget that," he laughed.

It was the Friday of the week after. Joey and Deirdre had completed their first assignment and submitted their work on Monday. Mr. Joyner had returned it with glowing praise and a smug smile. They had also done their first experiments, simple tests to learn how to handle the equipment. Here Joey had a decisive advantage due to the internships he had done and Deirdre had willingly submitted herself to his guidance. She was a quick learner though, and Joey realized that she would give him a run for his money soon enough.

Now they both stood with their classmates as the tasks for the open house event were delegated by the ruling queen of Benjamin Franklin Preparatory School, Deborah Stevens. Deborah loved to organize and to delegate, and she was the president of the Student Council. Of course, the more prestigious tasks were given to her fellow council members, leaving the menial work to those perceived as worker bees. Presenting the science lab was considered low-end work because parents rarely showed there. Deirdre had mentioned that she would volunteer, but when Deborah looked around for peons to staff the lab Joey lifted his hand first.

"My sister and I can do a shift there. It's quiet and she'll be able to sit most of the time."

Deborah nodded regally. "That sounds sensible. Any other volunteers?"

Hesitantly, Deirdre Darling lifted a finger.

"Okay, another senior. That should be enough; there won't be that much traffic."

Deirdre confronted Joey. "Why did you volunteer?" she asked almost accusingly.

"It's cool there and quiet. Plus, Tess and I can watch and bitch from the fringes. Anyway, it's not like we have anybody visiting. Is it a problem for you?"

"Yes. No. Oh damn! My mom's coming and so is Karen. It's better they don't see me with a boy."

Joey shook his head sadly. Deirdre was a little screwy. "Just pretend you're with Tess," he wisecracked, earning himself a smack on his head from Tess.

"Don't listen to him," she told Deirdre. "He enjoys his wise guy routine, but he's harmless."

Two hours later the first parents arrived. Joey and Tess were sitting behind a desk in front of the student lab watching the people stream by. Tess was giving a running commentary on the arriving families. Deirdre sat with them, but a little apart. They had decided to stay and let each take breaks whenever convenient.

Deirdre was apprehensive as Joey could tell. "You worried?" he asked.

Deirdre nodded gloomily. "Karen's caused upheavals in the past," she said. "Oh, speaking of the devil, here they are."

Karen had obvious problems with the heels she was wearing and she was staggering along the hallway. Tess giggled at the sight.

"You gotta give her points for guts," she commented. "I mean, she's over six feet anyway, and she's wearing three-inch heels?"

"It's sweet of her," Deirdre defended her mother's partner. "She's doing it for me, so people won't give me shit."

Joey barely followed the exchange. His eyes were focused on the other woman, Deirdre's mother. She was smaller than Deirdre, almost petite, but she looked stunning. She had curly, light brown hair with a reddish hue, but her face and eyes were strikingly similar to Deirdre's. The most winning feature was her friendly smile. They had already seen Deirdre and were steering towards the desk.

"Hi, Sweety! Here we are. Isn't Karen stunning?"

"I'll say," Deirdre laughed. "Who's driving home when she sprains an ankle?"

"You brat!" Karen laughed back, a deep, barking laugh. "Oh, and here we have Deirdre's lab partner and his gorgeous sister."

Joey affected to look around. "Gorgeous? Who? Where?"

This earned him a swat from Tess. He stood politely.

"Hi, Karen. Hi, Ms. Darling."

"Hi," her mother smiled. "Joey, isn't it? May I call you Joey?"

"Of course."

"I'm Maureen. Hi, Tess. Karen's right, you are very pretty."

"See?" Tess shot at Joey who stuck out his tongue.

"Maureen, what are you doing here?" a voice sounded from behind them. They turned to see a tall, balding man in a three-piece suit. "Has somebody been seen selling Viagra in the corridors?"

"Oh, hi, John. No, my daughter goes to school here," Maureen Darling smiled back. "Come here, Deirdre. John, my daughter, Deirdre. Deirdre, this is John Stevens. He is an attorney too. We have been known to argue in court."

"Oh, the famous Deirdre," Stevens smirked. "My daughter is in her class, you know. But you know Deborah, don't you?"

Deirdre was clearly withdrawing into her shell at the "famous" remark. "Of course, I know her."