Another chapter for my lovely reviewers...Thanks guys!
Purely out of curiosity I look to see what time it is. 3 o'clock.
I decide to wander around Dick's house some more. Not much else to do and I kind of want to see what I can learn about the guy.
I mean, so far, pretty much all I know is his name.
Which means he knows more about me than I know about him.
I may be only 9 years old but I don't think that I really want to put up with that.
I haven't learned much at all about him.
Then again there's still one room that I haven't checked.
His bedroom.
I look around.
Nothing.
Wait...There's something sticking out from under his pillow.
After debating whether or not to see what it is I finally decide.
It's a poster.
Old but not that old.
The Flying Graysons.
Graysons?
Oh.
I understand now.
Looking at the kid...he can't be much older than me.
But I can tell who it is.
It's Dick Grayson as a kid. The adults must be his parents.
I think I understand now.
As I carefully put the poster back where it was I smile.
Dick understands loss too.
I'm not exactly sure how I know this.
Seems like part of me can just tell. Just like I could tell that he knew about the event that robbed me of my voice. No way am I calling it by name.
I decide to look under the bed to see what else I can find.
There are a few benefits to being skinny.
Not much under here.
What's that gray lump?
Huh.
It's not exactly what I expected.
It's a stuffed elephant with a Haly's Circus blanket.
I wonder if he was looking for this. I mean, it doesn't seem neglected. There's just a bit of dust on it that's all.
Strange...I think my Dad took me to Haly's Circus once. I feel a pang which I quickly push back as I crawl out from under the bed.
Dusted off elephant in hand I leave the bedroom to go look for Dick.
I can hear him.
He's talking to someone.
Since I'm shy I'm really hoping that it's over the phone.
I feel extremely relieved when I discover that it is. What's more he's wrapping the conversation up.
A couple of minutes later I hear him say Goodbye to some person named Wally.
That name sounds familiar.
He grins upon seeing me.
"Hi Hope."
I show him the elephant I found.
"Looks like you found Eleanor."
Eleanor?
"I take it you've been in my bedroom then?"
I feel suddenly frantic. Am I in trouble?
"You're not in trouble. Was she under the bed?"
I hand i...Eleanor to Dick and nod.
"I thought so."
He changes the subject and puts Eleanor in his pocket.
I end up finally learning who the people in the pictures are. I'm kind of happy that I now know what Wally looks like. Though to be honest when I first heard his name I kind of thought he was the redhead.
After Dick puts Eleanor back in the bedroom (on top of the bed this time) he explains the poster under the pillow to me. I notice that he's biting his lip. I take his hand in both of mine and gently squeeze it.
My turn to reassure him. He smiles. "Thanks." I nod. He's more than welcome.
After we leave Dick's bedroom, I hear knocking.
I hide under the dining room table, my heart pounding as I anxiously wonder who's there.