Kids are pulling a girl towards a bathroom, her hair, her clothes, bag; whatever comes to hand. Next, her books and freshly printed essay are in the grimy toilet bowl. Her cell shortly follows. She anticipates her head being next, but before this prophecy comes true the bell rings. Everyone dashes out, leaving her with an illegible essay, dead cell and tears streaming down her face.
The girl in the
dream started and opened her eyes, an icy dew speckling her forehead.
The tinny voice of the announcement for the train woke her from this
recurrent nightmare.
Ever since her father told her she was
going to an American boarding school, she had this replaying her
head, on a loop, every time she closed her eyes. She was no stranger
to nightmares. True, this was a sill irrational fear, but a nightmare
nonetheless. As a child she had had the usual monster-in-the-closet
sort of nightmares, but after a certain day in her life, a terrifying
recollection of that day would haunt her. Four years ago, her mother,
a kind-hearted soul, Jenny's best friend was killed in a
particularly nasty RTC. She couldn't imagine the details. She
didn't have to. She knew them.
She was sat in the back of the
car, next to her five-year-old brother Eric, who in turn was sat
behind their mother. Another car had ploughed into the driver's
side of her mother's Yaris, killing Eric outright and her mother
died a few hours later on the operating table of the Royal London
Hospital. The other driver was arrested. He stank of booze and had
cuts and bruises to his head. Jenny herself had narrowly escaped
death. She had suffered a broken pelvis and fractured ribs, along
with cuts and bruises all over her body. The doctors told her father
it was a miracle it had not been more.
Her father was in the
United States Navy. Highly ranking too. Jasper Shepard loved his
wife, but due to career commitments and promotions, they had to live
apart. Evelyn was a headmistress of a grammar school on the outskirts
of London. She loved her job and realised she couldn't leave, but
at the same time could not expect the love of her life to leave the
Navy and the rest of his life behind. Nor did she want him to; she
knew that he loved his job. They had decided that the children would
live in England with Evelyn, but in the summer, Easter and Christmas
vacations, along with Thanksgiving, they lived with their father in a
beautiful townhouse in Georgetown.
After the accident, Jasper
was torn. He didn't know what to do. Should he let Jenny finish
Junior School and then move her to the States or move her now
half-way through? Following agonising talks with Evelyn's family
and the school, it was decided that Jenny would finish Junior School
whilst living with her grandparents, and move to the United States to
start High School when she turned eleven.
The Amtrak pulled to
a stop in the Foggy Bottom-GWU station. There was no train stop in
Georgetown, so this was the next best thing. That was the only thing
Jenny hated about Georgetown. It was rather irritating; first taking
the Green line train from the airport to L'Enfant Plaza, then
hopping onto the Orange Line to Foggy Bottom, but she got used to it.
She grabbed her rucksack and suitcases and dragged them onto the
platform. She turned around slowly scanning crowds for a familiar
face.
She found him almost at once. He was stood there smiling,
arms held open wide. "My darling Jenny!" Jenny ran towards him
smiling "Daddy!" He embraced her in his strong arms, wishing he
could never let go. "I'm home."
At this, the Navy
Captain's eyes grew teary and he began to spin Jenny round, whilst
she was still hugging his middle. Her beautiful, long red hair fanned
out like sunlight falling on a stream in the early morning and her
eyes shone like emeralds in the Indian sun, as she giggled away at
this; a favourite childhood game. He eventually slowed down, and
wrapped his arm around his daughter's shoulder as they were heading
to the car that would take them home.
"Grammy sends her love and
Grandad said to tell you "אני
מצפה לראות
את הקיץ הבא
שלה!" (see
you next summer)."
Jasper smiled at this, "Next time you talk
to Sabba, tell him I said 'Shalom'."
A few days later,
the same car was pulling up to a large building with gardens and
trees reaching as far as the eye could see. The building was
reminiscent of a stately British country manor with its crimson
bricks and slate roof. Large white windows overlooked the beautifully
landscaped gardens, the fountain tinkling a song.
"This is your
new school Jenny, The Abbey Mount School of Bethesda."
After
a few petrifying minutes with the Principal, an elderly man with a
moustache that could rival a walrus, Jenny went her way to find her
dormitory. On the stairs, she tripped and fell, being caught by a boy
with ice-blue eyes and thick chestnut hair just before gravity
decided to pull her all the way down. She gazed at him in silent
adoration until she realised he was talking to her, "Hey... are you
okay?"
"Oh, um yes," blushing to the roots of her
vermillion curls, which were currently half covering her face, "thank
you."
"Jethro's my name, Jethro Gibbs, although my full
name is Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Nobody calls me Leroy except my
dad."
"Jenny... Jennifer Shepard."
A smile lit up his
face: "Nice name. So, Jen, do you need a hand?"
Jenny panicked
for a moment, then realised. Silly irrational fears are exactly that.
"Sure." As they were walking up the stairs she smiled. Maybe
school in America isn't so bad after all.
