Chapter 13:
Ororo jumped up when she heard the sound of tires on the driveway.
Emma followed her as she hurried out to where Andi was getting out of the car. "Did you get it?" she asked anxiously.
Andi paused as she tried to come up with an answer. "Yes…and no," she finally said.
Emma frowned. "What do you mean, yes and no?" she said.
Andi sighed and leaned her head on Ororo's shoulder. They were going to give it to me, but it wouldn't have been fair," she said. "So I refused."
"Why was it not fair? You went and tried out just like everyone else…" Emma said angrily.
Ororo laid a restraining hand on Emma's arm. "Come on in," she said, wrapping an arm around Andi's shoulders. "Tell us about it."
Andi cradled a cup of hot chocolate as she told them her story. "So Rose gets the scholarship," she said. "And they offered me a discount on tuition if I still want to go there. Dad will be happy, I think." She sighed and buried her face in Ororo's shoulder. "Mom, I know I did the right thing…but oh, I did want that scholarship!" She sighed.
Ororo held Andi out at arm's length. "Listen to me, Andi. I am prouder of you now than if you had won the scholarship. You did win it…but you gave it to someone who needs it more, and because it wasn't fair. You did something that was incredibly hard; you gave up something you wanted badly to someone who deserved it more. It took courage and conviction; and I am proud of you." She wrapped her arms around Andi in a hug that lasted for some time before something occurred to her. "As your tuition is now cut in half, I take it your father will not object to your use of your trust fund for your dancing education?"
"I have to go call him!" Andi put her cup down and shot off the couch, heading for the phone in her room. When she was gone Ororo looked at Emma.
'You are being unusually quiet," she said. "I take it you are not happy with what Andi has done."
Emma shook her head. "Ororo, in this world, and with the business world, it's every man….or woman…for him or herself. Andi's soft spot disturbs me; she's liable to get walked all over if she continues to lay herself out for it."
Ororo shook her head. "Emma, you do not understand, do you?"
"What?" Emma frowned.
"Andi's experiences have given her a look at terrible injustice. What she did…it was not a display of a soft spot, it was Andi trying to right something she saw as wrong. Trust me; if Andi felt she was getting walked over, she would do something about it. She is not going to allow herself to fall into that trap again. She has a generous spirit, and a keen sense of what is right and wrong, and she has been victimized enough by now that she will not let herself become a victim again." Ororo sat back against the couch.
"You're proud of her." It was more of a statement than a question.
Ororo nodded anyway. "Yes I am. She has changed so much since I first saw her. Emma, you did not see her when she first came to the school; she was a walking bundle of nerves. The first morning she was there I shut off her alarm clock to let her sleep; her parents had said that she was to be up at six, but she seemed very tired the night before. Andi almost had hysterics; she was wringing her hands in fear that we were setting her up and would then tell her parents she was not sticking to that ridiculous schedule. Now she is sticking up for herself, and for others, for what is right and what is wrong. She acknowledges that this other girl Rose is a better dancer; it shows a degree of humility and maturity that is most unusual in children nowadays. Even my nephew, Evan; as much as I love him, he has a way to go when it comes to maturity." She sipped her tea.
"Now we have a problem. Charles mentioned to me that Jean rather has her hands full; he was asking when I might be able to return to the school and resume my teaching duties. You, I know, have to attend to your company; and I thank you for taking as much time out from your business as you have, for Andi. I don't, however, think that staying at school will be suitable for Andi, as she will not be attending Xavier's…"
"Mom?" Ororo looked up as Andi came back in and sat on the couch beside her. "Uhm…I know you love me, and I'd love to stay here with you…but it's kind of a long way away from Julliard. Dad told me that with the reduction in tuition, he could afford an apartment in the city that would be closer to the school. And Rose lives even further away." She hesitated. "Would you mind terribly if Dad got me that apartment and Rose and I roomed together?"
Ororo raised an eyebrow. "Have you discussed this with Rose?"
Andi lowered her eyelashes. "I drove Rose home after the auditions because it was cold and I didn't want her to have to stand out there waiting for the bus," she finally admitted. "We talked on the way. Julliard has dormitories, but chances are we'd be sharing ours with that horrible girl Candace; neither Rose nor I wanted to do that. She said her parents could probably afford about six hundred a month in apartment rent, but she said she'd feel lonely. She's got four brothers; she's used to there being a lot of noise and people. Living in an apartment by herself would seem lonely, and I agreed. Would you mind if I moved in with her?"
Think she heard us talking, Emma said to Ororo telepathically. Ororo smiled.
"I think that would be all right," Ororo said. "Charles was just asking me yesterday when I would be able to resume teaching duties back at the school; and Emma has some urgent business to attend to. By all means, dear; if you can reach a suitable agreement with Rose and your father, I have no objections to you moving out and getting your own place. In fact, I think it would be a good thing; you should experience independence."
"Oh, Mom." Andi hugged her, tight, then reached up and kissed Ororo's cheek quickly. "You're the best! I love you so much." She bounced up off the couch. "I gotta go call Rose!"
* * *
Ororo pulled up behind the black Mercedes Andi's father owned and she and Andi both got out. Andi shaded her eyes as she looked down the sidewalk, and pointed. "Oh look, there's Rose and her parents!" She ran to meet them, returning with a petite, shy-looking green-eyed girl with brownish-blond hair. "Mom, this is Rose. Rose, meet my Mom."
Rose extended one small hand. "Hello, Miss Munroe." Ororo clasped it briefly, then shook her parents' hands. Mr. And Mrs. Dawson looked surprised, but had enough delicacy not to comment.
"Shall we go up?" said Andi's father. He led the five people up the stairs into the building. It didn't look like much from the outside, but inside it was clean, neat, and well-lit. "One of my patients owns the building," he said. "When I mentioned that I was looking for an apartment for Andi, he suggested that I rent an apartment here for her. Most of the apartments here run about seven hundred, but he was willing to give me a discount. The apartment will cost about five hundred a month. I'll pay two-fifty, Mr and Mrs. Dawson, so all Rose will need is another two fifty to cover her half of the rent. I will pay another two-fifty into Andi's account for utilities and expenses. Andi explained that you could afford six hundred a month for her rent; whatever you have left after you pay her share of the rent can be put into the account for her half of the utilities and expenses. Will that work for all of you?"
Mr. Dawson looked gratified. "This is more than I could have hoped for," he said. "We thank you very much for the arrangements you have made."
"Ah, but you haven't seen the apartment yet." Mr. Hill fumbled with the keys for a moment, trying to unlock the door, then opened it.
The door opened up into a living room with a hardwood floor. The dining area was just past that; then the kitchen split off from the dining room. There was a closet just off to their left; and beyond that was three doors. Andi opened one, and saw a bedroom; not as large as the one at home with Ororo and Emma; but it was a decent size for the apartment. The second door opened into another bedroom, about the same size. The third door opened up into a bathroom with a linen closet just beside the shower.
Rose peeked into the first bedroom. "Wow!" she said, impressed. "Can I have this room?"
Andi grinned. "Sure," she said. "I like this one better, anyway." The second room had a beige carpet down on the floor; the first bedroom was done in a pale peach. Andi much preferred the beige carpet.
The kitchen had mostly new appliances, and, to Andi's relief, gas cooking. She had gotten used to cooking on the gas burners at the house; they were much faster. There was plenty of cupboard space, too. "Andi," Ororo said, 'Since Charles will be leasing the house we've been living in, you may take whatever furniture you want for this apartment. That way you will not have to buy anything. Will that suit you?"
Andi hugged her tight, then turned to Mr. Hill. "I love it, Dad," she said, then turned to Rose. "What do you think?"
Rose was grinning too. "I like it," she said. "I really do. Mom, Dad, please can I stay? Please, Dad? Pleeeeaaassee?"
The Dawsons were grinning at the begging tone in Rose's voice. "Of course, Princess," Mr. Dawson said. "I can't complain about any of it. Although," he said, "How come there was no carpet in the living or the dining rooms?"
Andi's father led them out of the kitchen and back into the living room. "The previous tenants messed the carpet up pretty badly," he said. "I told the owner to leave the floor bare; I thought maybe the girls would like some practice space of their own here." He turned to Andi. "I found this place that builds portable barres. It's just three stands with brackets for a thick wooden bar to go in them; but it should do for you to practice on. I'll show you the brochure; if you don't like it we can always build one right into the wall for you. The owner said he wouldn't mind."
Andi looked at him searchingly. "What did you have to promise him to get all this for me, Dad?" she asked.
Mr. Hill waved a hand at her. "Don't worry about it, Lexi," he said. "He's getting a discount on his medical care, is all. He was more than happy to help me out." He looked at her. "Are you happy?"
"Blissfully!" Andi hugged him tightly.
* * *
That's the end of Book 2 of 'Secrets and Shadows.'
I've been of two minds about this book since the eighth chapter. I wasn't sure if I wanted to do another Secrets and Shadows book, or if I was going to leave it as a two-fer. I decided just last night that I was going to make this a trilogy, so yes, to everyone out there, there will be a third book. (I hear some people going yay!)
Look for Emma and Ororo to come back in the next book. Andi, of course, will be returning, and you're going to see a little more of Ryan. He's Andi's first boyfriend; she's going to be so absolutely heartbroken when he dies…and she's going to take Emma up on her offer of Frost Enterprises. Candace will also be poking her haughty little nose into the next book, early on: don't worry, it won't be for long.
I have major writer's block on 'Fire and Ice'; I think I'm going to shelve that project for a while. In the meantime, I'll work on 'Secrets and Shadows 3' and on my new novel, tentatively titled, 'Sarah.' (It still doesn't have a regular title; I'm trying to find one and not having much luck.) I've only just gotten the first chapter rewritten; I'm bouncing it off a couple of people now to see what the initial reaction is. I promise, I will tell everyone who cares to know when my friend gets her site working and the book gets posted!
So I'll see you all for the third book, and I hope you all enjoyed this one! Let me know if you liked it!
Sincerely,
Jae