Disclaimer: Don't own them, never will. Just borrowing them for my own entertainment, and making absolutely no profit doing it. Thanks to those sticking with me on this. The story of Lucas and Jenny's past will take a few chapters. I should get more posted by Friday night.
Too Young
Chapter Nine
Lucas and Jenny
"I met Jenny at Stanford." Lucas repeated in a stronger voice.
"Wait…wait." Kristen was the first to find her voice. "What…did your…father just say? You are married? You have a child? Lucas you are a child. You are too young to be married…much less to be a father."
The others' heads swiveled between the two of them as if the owners were watching a tennis match. "Doctor Westphalen, I…I am too young, but it did happen, and I am not sorry about any of it…But, I am sorry for the way you all found out…I didn't want that to happen this way…"
Kristen was still upset. "Lucas, precisely when were you going to let us know this trifling point about your past? I am shocked that you would be so irresponsible as to…"
"Watch it, Doctor." Mike warned, glaring at her. "I know Lucas, and if there is one thing he is not, it is irresponsible. You need to listen first and judge later."
Insulted, Kristen opened her mouth, but Lucas spoke first. "Now that you know about Jenny and Ryan…I'd like to tell you the whole story." He snuck a glance at his father, and Lawrence nodded encouragement to him. Even he hadn't heard some of this; he had cut himself off from his son and Jenny, and he…regretted that choice now. He wanted to hear his son's memories.
Everyone settled back in their chairs and looked expectantly at Lucas. The boy was blushing, but he met their eyes before he began again. "I met Jenny at Stanford…."
Eleven year old Lucas Wolenczak raised his fist to knock. Before his knuckles touched the wood, the door opened suddenly, and he felt his jaw drop slightly. She…she was lovely.
"Hello. Who may I say is calling?"
"..uh…um.."
She smiled. She had a dimple in her right cheek and a spray of freckles across her tanned nose. Her green eyes looked like the ocean at sunrise, and her hair—wow….it fell to her waist in red gold curls. Lucas wondered how old she was.
She tried again. "Can I help you?"
"Oh…sorry. I'm looking for Mike Norris? Am I in the right place?"
Her smile brightened. He was dazzled. "He's my uncle. Hi. My name's Jenny—Jenny McCallum.
"Lucas Wolenczak. I'm…I'm supposed to be rooming here—at this dorm house—am I in the right place?
"Yes, my uncle's been expecting you. Come on in."
Lucas followed her inside the Victorian. To their left was a flight of stairs winding upward. But she motioned him to accompany her through the double doors to the right, into a large sitting room. She turned back toward him.
"I'll go get Uncle Mike. You can have a seat."
"My stuff.."
"..will be fine on the porch for now. Have a seat."
She turned to go—then stopped and faced him. "Hey kid…"
Lucas winced.
"How old are you?"
"I'm eleven…and it's Lucas."
"Oh. You look younger. Sorry, Lucas."
She whirled, her hair swirling behind her like liquid sunlight. She spoke over her shoulder. "I'm thirteen. See you later, Lucas."
He sat down and sighed. 'Way to make a good first impression, Lucas. You are such a geek.' Well, she was too old for him, anyway.
After a few minutes, he got up to look around the room. It had hard wood floors, and there were area rugs scattered about. There was a fireplace at one end, and in front of it, two large couches faced each other over a coffee table strewn with magazines. Behind one couch was a stand up grand piano, and behind the other couch was a large table with game boxes piled in the center. Lucas walked over to the piano and studied the collection of photos on top. He recognized a younger Jenny in one. She was flanked by a man and woman who looked to be in their thirties—her mom and dad?
He heard steps on the stairs and turned back toward the double doors.
"Hi….Lucas?" A tall, dark-haired man came in.
"Yes." Lucas walked over and met him half way, putting out his hand.
"I'm Mike, Mike Norris. Nice to meet you, Lucas. I'll show you to your room."
"Uh..O.K., I need to get my stuff—I left what wasn't shipped on your front.."
"Porch. I know. Jenny told me. Look, my wife, Anne, and I supervise this dorm house. We live on the first floor, back there." He gestured vaguely behind him. "Besides you, there are seven other minors living here for this school year. But…you are the youngest by a few years."
Mike studied the boy standing before him. He was slight, only a little over five feet. He had clear blue eyes and streaky, shaggy blond hair. He looked so young. Too young to be here, and way too young to be here alone. Then the boy smiled, and Mike's eyes widened. The kid was….beautiful. Well, boys weren't beautiful, but this little guy would break some hearts in a few years. Lucas' smile lit up his eyes, somehow. He felt the first faint stirrings of alarm. This kid wasn't that much younger than Jenny. And Jenny was blushing when she told him that Lucas had arrived. No wonder she wouldn't come back out with him. Well, he'd send Anne in later to talk with her—reinforce the strict policy that the boy's floor was off limits to her. And this kid better mind his manners.
Lucas followed the man up two flights of stairs, listening to the house rules along the way.
"Your roommate will be here tomorrow before the Dean's orientation. His name is Viktor Monsovian, and he's from Moscow. Victor is fifteen and is in the Engineering Department. Down the hall from you two are the other guys in the house: Mark Banks and Tyler Andrews, both sixteen and both Pre-Med. All of you will share the bathroom across the hall. Mark and Tyler are arriving tomorrow, too. In fact, you are the only one here now besides Jenny, Anne and me. Breakfasts and dinners are together in the dining room; the times are posted in your room. Anne and I cook the meals— you dorm residents will take turns cleaning up afterward. The parents want to make sure that you get two decent meals a day." He laughed.
Lucas laughed with him, but thought. 'I doubt my parents care.'
Mike continued. "I'm a third year law student." He glanced at Lucas, then added. "Yeah…I'm a little old."
"I….didn't say anything.."
"I know, Lucas. In case no one has ever told you before now, most of what you are thinking shows in your eyes. I caught your surprise."
"Lots of people go to school later."
"That's true. I guess I'm one of those. I worked for my father for years and went to school at night. Then my wife's sister and her husband were killed in an accident, and we 'inherited' Jenny—she's my wife's niece. Jenny has been with Anne and me for a year now, and she's in the Physics Department—you may have some classes with her."
"Jenny—is enrolled here?"
"Yes, she was accepted right before her parents died."
"Oh." Lucas looked at Mike. He didn't really know him, but he was telling him some pretty..personal..stuff. Lucas wasn't sure how to respond.
Mike noticed his uneasiness. "I know—I talk too much sometimes. But you're easy to talk to, Lucas. I transferred here from a night school law program at San Francisco State. Anne and I wanted to respect Jenny's parents' wishes and let Jenny come here to school, but we didn't want her to come alone…so soon after losing her parents. I still think that one of the reasons I was accepted at Stanford was that they wanted Jenny to attend here—recruited her heavily, you know."
Lucas hadn't known. But he recognized the pride in Mike's voice. Jenny's parents may have been killed, but she was lucky. She still had at least one person who loved her, who thought she was great, who sacrificed for her happiness.
Mike laughed, breaking into his thoughts. "Maybe they saw Jenny and me as a package deal, or maybe it was the fact that Anne and I agreed to run this dorm…Stanford's experiment to make parents feel better about leaving their kids here…" He paused and looked down at the boy's suitcase. "Lucas, I didn't see your parents downstairs. Will they be back soon? I need them to sign a medical release form and a temporary guardianship form."
His voice trailed off as he looked back at the child following him. Lucas was looking down at his shoes, but Mike could see the blush rising, pinking his ears. 'Uh, Oh, I think I hit a nerve.' Mike thought.
Lucas shifted his feet. "No. I…I have a letter from my father giving permission for necessary care…and I have some….numbers that you can try if you need to contact them." Lucas glanced quickly up at Mike, then looked away. But it was long enough for Mike to see the pain in the boy's eyes.
'Oh, crap. Did his parents just leave him here? Leave him like a parcel left on the porch by the mail carrier? Just took off without even meeting the people he was staying with?' Mike sighed. Poor kid.
Mike opened the door to Lucas' room. "Here you go."
Lucas looked around. It was…nice. A big room, two beds, two desks, two closets and a large double hung window with lace curtains. He knew which bed was his by the packages stacked on it. He recognized the shipping labels.
Mike set down the suitcase he was carrying. "If you need anything, or have any questions, I'm right downstairs. We'll see you at dinner in two hours."
Lucas nodded his thanks and Mike left, shutting the door.
Lucas sat at the desk. 'Well, I'm here. I made it. Only two long flights, one cab ride, and I'm at my new…home.' He sighed wearily and then began to unpack.
To be continued…