Chapter 8

The ride home was pleasant, if quiet. Carol seemed to be deep in thought, and I didn't wish to disturb her. Just as we approached the house, she turned to me and said, "I got a call from your school today. It seems they are leery about having you back in school this term. Their concern is that you will bring too much baggage with you to school and disrupt things due to being a sixteen year old, abuse victim, with a serious head injury."

"I bet they talked to their lawyers and are worried about me hitting my head or getting pushed and ending up with a law suit." I remembered Mr. Bell using that same logic on my behalf to get me out of school, in Branson.

Carol was upset and worried. "David, they want to you to stay home for the rest of the year, take some placement tests after the term ends, and be accelerated, either to your senior year, or even junior college. We've always known your grades were good, but I had no idea they did. I bet you didn't do it intentionally, but you packed so many extra credits into your first two and a half years that the guidance counselor says you can graduate if you want.

"Apparently your tuition gets paid by the school district if you go to the state college as a high school student. That's a lot of money I wouldn't have to borrow, and you won't have the pressure of constantly explaining why you don't remember people. Let's think about this and talk later, Ok?" She smiled already onto another subject in her mind. With her husband in jail, and three children, money had to be an issue - all the time! That I could fix, I just needed to figure out how.

"There's nothing to think about," I said, thinking fast. Having no problem with school would be a huge burden I wouldn't have to deal with. "As far as I'm concerned, I'm done with high school. My grades are good, but there are a lot of options I have for college, that don't cost a cent. I'll look up the details at the library tomorrow. The librarians love to help students who want to go to college. They'll know exactly who to call and what to ask. You'll see, and we can talk about what I find out after you get home from work tomorrow.

"I might be back later than you, tomorrow. I'll stay at the library as long as they'll help me. We can call east coast to west and talk to the admissions people late in the afternoon because of the time change. If it gets me out of being teased because I can't remember things, then that's good." I gave her my megawatt smile to prove I meant it and got one in return.

In my room, I couldn't believe my luck. Part of my plan was to have Mr. Bell intimidate the school into letting me graduate early, to get out from under them. Instead they're trying to convince me it's in my best interests. Dying, and finding myself in a body that is in infinitely better shape than Brian's was also good luck. Having the school district want me to graduate early, instead of having to fight to get out of it, cleared some more of the road back to my life.

Now I needed to work out all my other obstacles and life will get good again.

Thinking about my former life, reminded me that I hadn't read Rebecca's email. I ran to the laptop and opened it.

Brian,

If you are Brian, that is.

How could you not be Brian and know all the little details about Brian's quickie with Sandra?

Whatever this is includes us, Brian. Jim, Millie, Colleen and me. We'll be there tomorrow, around one, and Jim got us a suite near the airport at a place called, Sanford Suites. We'll be waiting - but not patiently - to see you and decide this thing, one way, or the other.

I can tell you that none of us slept much last night. If we believe you are you, then we have to be certifiable. If we don't and you are, then we lose ... you ... if you're you.

My head hurts from thinking about it.

We will be waiting.

Come see us and prove to us, that you are you.

Rebecca.

I thought about Rebecca and Colleen until I realized I was making myself crazy. Instead of playing that game I grabbed the laptop and checked on my bank accounts. It was thoughtful of David to write his username and password on a sticker, taped inside of his laptop case, so I could go in and change the access codes.

The Swiss numbered account was earning interest at the rate of fifty-three thousand dollars a month. I had the interest set to automatically transfer to David's Florida account every Monday. I planned to leave that account for Carol's use after (if) I went back to my old life as Brian.

The money from the Swiss account would take care of Carol and the girls for life. That part would be easy. When the girls needed college money, I'd see that it appeared. As an afterthought, I looked up the mortgage on Carol's house through the county's website, and paid it by wire transfer from the Swiss account. Carol wouldn't find out for a few weeks since she'd paid it a week earlier.

If I found myself rejected tomorrow, I would have the income from the account for the rest of my life, and I would be able to take care of Carol, Joan, and Jill.

Mostly I was dotting I's and crossing T's in an imaginary game of 'what if, ' while waiting to see if the rest of my life would be the rest of my old life.