Chapter 32 Doubt
Tuesday
Taylor is sitting in front of Peter. Her face reveals the disbelief she has over what Peter had just told her about Grant.
"I want to see the body." Taylor's tone is full of doubt.
"It's over Taylor."
"I don't believe you." Taylor looks at Peter with a cautious look on her face.
Silence
"Okay, if you think that it'll comfort you more, I'll talk to the District Attorney and see what we can do." Peter picks up the phone and dials the number. "Why don't you go ahead and go to class and I'll talk to you at lunch."
Taylor stares at Peter blankly and then does as he asks. Outside Taylor is walking towards the Cliffhangers who are now in English class being taught by Sophie. Taylor just sits down behind the group, not making eye contact with anyone. Shelby glances over and sees Taylor just sitting with her legs pulled up to her chest.
"For homework I want a two page response to Shakespeare's Macbeth."
There are a few groans as the Cliffhangers stand and start to disappear for what little free time they have before having to go on meal duties. The boys go over start a mini football game with a few other students from other various groups.
"Gee, what do we do know with this little free time we have?" Daisy sarcastically asks.
"We could go over and watch the boys." Juliette suggests.
"What would Auggie think if he found you watching other boys?" Shelby questions playfully.
Juliette ignores Shelby and goes over to watch the boys play. Daisy starts to follow Juliette.
"Daisy." Shelby says.
"What? There's really nothing else to do." Daisy continues to follow Juliette.
"Ya coming?" Shelby looks over and asks Taylor. Taylor shakes her head no. "All righty then." Shelby joins the rest of the girls on the sidelines.
Sophie who was standing back a little ways approaches Taylor. "Do you want to talk about it?" Taylor shakes her head no. "Are you thinking of running?" Taylor again shakes her head no. "Okay." Sophie leaves Taylor sitting on the ground and joins Peter on the sidelines of the now growing football game.
"How's she doing?" Peter asks with his hands in his pockets swinging back and forth.
"Don't know." Sophie puts her arms around her husband. "She won't talk." There is uproar of cheering as Trey catches a pass by Adam, a Grizzle Bear student, and enters for a touch down. Scott was defending him.
"Is that all you got preppy?" Trey gets up in Scott's face. His cocky attitude starts get on Scott's nerves.
"You better back off." Scott says trying to walk away from Trey.
"Or what preppy?" Trey starts to laugh.
"Looks like the honeymoon period is over with Trey." Peter says running up to the two before anything major starts. "All right you two, it's just a game." Peter looks at his watch. "Shouldn't the Cliffhangers be getting to the dining room?"
The Cliffhangers leave the game. Peter holds Scott and Trey back.
"What's going on between you two?"
"Nothing, sir." Trey says.
"Nothing Peter."
"Look I know that you two were competitive on the outside world. But here we work as a team. . .together, not against each other. Now go and help out your teammates in the dining room."
Scott and Trey leave and walk to the dining room.
"What is it with boys and testosterone?" Sophie asks.
"They'll work things out." Peter says kind of doubtingly.
"I hope you're right."
"Me too."
Sophie looks over to where Taylor is sitting. Taylor has yet to move from her spot.
"What are we going to do about her?"
"She wants to see the body." Peter informs Sophie.
"Why?" Sophie questions.
"Proof I guess. She's been lied to so often that she needs proof that this Grant person really is dead."
"Is that healthy? Are you really going to let her?"
"If it's what she needs to be able to move on, then yes."
"So when is she going to do this?"
"Friday, before the funeral." Peter looks at Sophie.
"I'm taking her aren't I?" Sophie knows that look Peter has.
"I would do it, but I have a financial meeting with our investors."
"Where is the funeral being held?"
"D.C."
"D.C.?" Sophie looks at her husband. "Exactly how are we getting to D.C.?"
"Flying. Tickets were already bought this afternoon."
"and if she decides to run in D.C.?"
"You think she will?"
"I don't know." Sophie looks over at Taylor, who still hasn't moved. "This girl is impulsive and very unpredictable."
"I'm not sure I can spare another staff." Peter stops and gets a smile on his face.
"What?"
"How about a Senior Student going with you."
"Who?" Sophie smiles a weak smile.
"I don't know?" Peter gets a playful smile on his face.
"Peter.." Sophie says in that knowing tone. "Who are you thinking about?"
"Shelby?" Peter lets out.
"Oh no, what I had to go through with her and Daisy. . .I'm not sure I'll be able to survive the two of them. Not to mention what those two did on the not so buddy, buddy hike."
"I don't know, they seem different with each other now. Maybe a found respect." Peter looks at his wife innocently. "I just figured because Shelby's been where Taylor is, she might be of some help, but you're probably right. Shelby may turn out to be more worrisome then help. Who would you want to go with you?"
"Roger"
"You really think she's going to run?" Sophie slowly shakes her head yes as she continues to watch Taylor, who still hasn't really moved from the previous spot. "Okay then, I'll see to it that Roger is available to go with you and I would still like for another female staff or student to go as well. Who does Taylor get along with?" Sophie and Peter stand together trying to think of someone. "In a way, Shelby."
"Okay, if I can get Roger, then I'll take Shelby as well."
"Deal." Peter hugs Sophie. "Speaking of Roger."
Roger approaches the couple, carrying a package.
"Speaking of Roger what?" Roger glances over at Taylor, who has yet to move from that spot. "You want me to keep an eye on her?"
"In a way yes. You, Sophie, Shelby and Taylor are going to take a little trip to D.C." Peter explains. "So you'll be keeping an eye on Taylor in D.C." Roger gives Peter a questioning look. "I'll explain everything in my office."
"So when do we leave?" Roger looks at Sophie with a sly smile on his face.
"Tomorrow Night."
"I'll be ready." Roger looks over at Taylor, who still hasn't moved.
*********
Tuesday
Taylor is sitting in front of Peter. Her face reveals the disbelief she has over what Peter had just told her about Grant.
"I want to see the body." Taylor's tone is full of doubt.
"It's over Taylor."
"I don't believe you." Taylor looks at Peter with a cautious look on her face.
Silence
"Okay, if you think that it'll comfort you more, I'll talk to the District Attorney and see what we can do." Peter picks up the phone and dials the number. "Why don't you go ahead and go to class and I'll talk to you at lunch."
Taylor stares at Peter blankly and then does as he asks. Outside Taylor is walking towards the Cliffhangers who are now in English class being taught by Sophie. Taylor just sits down behind the group, not making eye contact with anyone. Shelby glances over and sees Taylor just sitting with her legs pulled up to her chest.
"For homework I want a two page response to Shakespeare's Macbeth."
There are a few groans as the Cliffhangers stand and start to disappear for what little free time they have before having to go on meal duties. The boys go over start a mini football game with a few other students from other various groups.
"Gee, what do we do know with this little free time we have?" Daisy sarcastically asks.
"We could go over and watch the boys." Juliette suggests.
"What would Auggie think if he found you watching other boys?" Shelby questions playfully.
Juliette ignores Shelby and goes over to watch the boys play. Daisy starts to follow Juliette.
"Daisy." Shelby says.
"What? There's really nothing else to do." Daisy continues to follow Juliette.
"Ya coming?" Shelby looks over and asks Taylor. Taylor shakes her head no. "All righty then." Shelby joins the rest of the girls on the sidelines.
Sophie who was standing back a little ways approaches Taylor. "Do you want to talk about it?" Taylor shakes her head no. "Are you thinking of running?" Taylor again shakes her head no. "Okay." Sophie leaves Taylor sitting on the ground and joins Peter on the sidelines of the now growing football game.
"How's she doing?" Peter asks with his hands in his pockets swinging back and forth.
"Don't know." Sophie puts her arms around her husband. "She won't talk." There is uproar of cheering as Trey catches a pass by Adam, a Grizzle Bear student, and enters for a touch down. Scott was defending him.
"Is that all you got preppy?" Trey gets up in Scott's face. His cocky attitude starts get on Scott's nerves.
"You better back off." Scott says trying to walk away from Trey.
"Or what preppy?" Trey starts to laugh.
"Looks like the honeymoon period is over with Trey." Peter says running up to the two before anything major starts. "All right you two, it's just a game." Peter looks at his watch. "Shouldn't the Cliffhangers be getting to the dining room?"
The Cliffhangers leave the game. Peter holds Scott and Trey back.
"What's going on between you two?"
"Nothing, sir." Trey says.
"Nothing Peter."
"Look I know that you two were competitive on the outside world. But here we work as a team. . .together, not against each other. Now go and help out your teammates in the dining room."
Scott and Trey leave and walk to the dining room.
"What is it with boys and testosterone?" Sophie asks.
"They'll work things out." Peter says kind of doubtingly.
"I hope you're right."
"Me too."
Sophie looks over to where Taylor is sitting. Taylor has yet to move from her spot.
"What are we going to do about her?"
"She wants to see the body." Peter informs Sophie.
"Why?" Sophie questions.
"Proof I guess. She's been lied to so often that she needs proof that this Grant person really is dead."
"Is that healthy? Are you really going to let her?"
"If it's what she needs to be able to move on, then yes."
"So when is she going to do this?"
"Friday, before the funeral." Peter looks at Sophie.
"I'm taking her aren't I?" Sophie knows that look Peter has.
"I would do it, but I have a financial meeting with our investors."
"Where is the funeral being held?"
"D.C."
"D.C.?" Sophie looks at her husband. "Exactly how are we getting to D.C.?"
"Flying. Tickets were already bought this afternoon."
"and if she decides to run in D.C.?"
"You think she will?"
"I don't know." Sophie looks over at Taylor, who still hasn't moved. "This girl is impulsive and very unpredictable."
"I'm not sure I can spare another staff." Peter stops and gets a smile on his face.
"What?"
"How about a Senior Student going with you."
"Who?" Sophie smiles a weak smile.
"I don't know?" Peter gets a playful smile on his face.
"Peter.." Sophie says in that knowing tone. "Who are you thinking about?"
"Shelby?" Peter lets out.
"Oh no, what I had to go through with her and Daisy. . .I'm not sure I'll be able to survive the two of them. Not to mention what those two did on the not so buddy, buddy hike."
"I don't know, they seem different with each other now. Maybe a found respect." Peter looks at his wife innocently. "I just figured because Shelby's been where Taylor is, she might be of some help, but you're probably right. Shelby may turn out to be more worrisome then help. Who would you want to go with you?"
"Roger"
"You really think she's going to run?" Sophie slowly shakes her head yes as she continues to watch Taylor, who still hasn't really moved from the previous spot. "Okay then, I'll see to it that Roger is available to go with you and I would still like for another female staff or student to go as well. Who does Taylor get along with?" Sophie and Peter stand together trying to think of someone. "In a way, Shelby."
"Okay, if I can get Roger, then I'll take Shelby as well."
"Deal." Peter hugs Sophie. "Speaking of Roger."
Roger approaches the couple, carrying a package.
"Speaking of Roger what?" Roger glances over at Taylor, who has yet to move from that spot. "You want me to keep an eye on her?"
"In a way yes. You, Sophie, Shelby and Taylor are going to take a little trip to D.C." Peter explains. "So you'll be keeping an eye on Taylor in D.C." Roger gives Peter a questioning look. "I'll explain everything in my office."
"So when do we leave?" Roger looks at Sophie with a sly smile on his face.
"Tomorrow Night."
"I'll be ready." Roger looks over at Taylor, who still hasn't moved.
*********