IF EVERYTHING HAD BEEN DIFFERENT – Chapter 7
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Also in Portuguese: "Se Tudo Fosse Diferente"
"You may house their bodies but not their souls;"
Khalil Gibran – 'The Prophet'
Marguerite walked through the common room towards the kitchen. She had tried to sleep a little, but Roxton's words were buzzing her thoughts. She was caught by surprise finding Veronica with her hair still damp and wearing her father's gown, sat by the kitchen, having some tea. The heiress helped herself and got a sit in front of Veronica.
"Couldn't you sleep?" – Veronica asked.
"No... What about you?"
"I bathed and decided to stay here for a little longer. By the way, I should have talked to you before, but had no chance: the clothes for Tommy simply look gorgeous. Thank you very much."
"Lord Roxton forced me." – the blond girl smiled recalling how neatly done were the clothes.
"Thank you anyway." – Marguerite smiled.
"Is the boy alright? Not that I'm interested in him, just to keep talking..."
"He is ok."
"And you?"
"I'm ok." – Veronica felt the brunette was paving the way for something else.
Marguerite hesitated and finally decided to ask her a question.
"What about you and Challenger?" – the blond raised her head in surprise.
"I don't wanna talk about that, Marguerite."
"That's ok. I do the talking." - Marguerite thought about what Roxton would say if he could see her now, being so straight to the point and so little diplomatic – "You two are in this situation for too long: 'Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, good night'. You look like children. So proud and stubborn that cannot even sit together to sort things out as the adults I ever thought you were."
"Challenger does not accept Tommy" –Veronica tried to make her point. - "And if he cannot accept him, he does not accept me all the same. There is nothing else to be discussed."
"And have you by any chance taken the time to listen whatever he may have to say on this subject?" - The blond kept looking to her cup. – "And I will tell you more... This subject has long become something not related to the boy. None of you two want to give up. This situation is prejudicing all of us. You and Challenger are in opposite sides, and left me, Roxton, Malone, Summerlee and, what is worst, Tommy, in the middle of this dispute. Besides that you insist in doing everything alone. Ned is particularly always ready to offer help, but you are not able to accept anyone's help. Dammit, he is trying to support you so at least respect his choice." – Marguerite stood up – "Well, I think that was all. Good night, Veronica." – and saying that she left.
"Good night, Marguerite" – Veronica whispered back.
"Are you up so early, Summerlee?"
"Good morning, Malone... well, I wake up early every morning..."
"... Yeah, I know that, but always after Veronica, who is still sleeping..."
Summerlee sat to enjoy a recent made tea together with Malone.
"Nightmares professor?" Malone smiled.
"Yes, indeed, my boy... I had a terrible dream..."
"If you want to talk about it, feel free..."
"Thanks, Malone, but as I've said it was just a bad dream..." – Both sipped their tea, enjoying the delicious anise flavor.
"Tea is delicious, Malone, congratulations..."
"Thanks... Veronica showed me this recipe and one of her parents' cooking books, there are plenty of recipes there..."
"Yeah, lots of them..." - Summerlee sipped his tea once more before talking again. - "May I ask you one question?"
"Yes professor."
"How long has been Tommy with us?"
Malone left his eyes travel around while he tried to recall. - "I believe that exactly two months ago... But why are you asking that?"
Summerlee smiled tenderly and continued. - "I want to take a note about it, since I plan to prepare something special for his birthday..."
Malone listened to those words and smiled back returning the same tenderness that he had listened in them. - "That's a wonderful idea... Do you already have something in mind?"
"Not yet, but I believe we have plenty of time ahead. Anyway it's another thing to distract us."
"He is growing up fast, isn't him, professor? He is now a very strong and dandy little boy... And he is so intelligent..."
"... And tender too, isn't him?"
"Yes! Tommy is very special..."
Summerlee was paying special attention to the way the journalist referred to the child. There was a noticeable bright on his eyes and the tenderness on his voice while talking about the boy made him agree that Malone was changing, day after day. And that was wonderful. That was the idea he had tried to place into the young man's mind during their conversations while fishing, and he was glad to know that his words had been absorbed by Malone. This was the first step for him and Veronica get together into an agreement, and for Tommy to have another ally in the Treehouse.
"Good morning, guys!" - Veronica arrived smiling with Tommy hanging by her waist, in a gray hood, biting a little ball. - "Already awaken, professor?"
"Good morning, my dear. Yes, I didn't have a good night of sleep..."
"Oh, sorry to hear that... But today will be better, I'm sure about that!" – She got closer and kissed his cheek. Summerlee smiled to the boy who just hid his face against Veronica's lap.
"And how is my baby boy?!!!" - Ned asked distending his arms to take Tommy, who threw himself against him with a happy shriek. Veronica handed him the boy and she and Summerlee exchanged glances.
"Hum... Someone is in a very good mood this morning, or it's only me?" - Veronica teased Malone, who just returned a smile in response.
"Well... I'm going to organize some things in my bedroom..." - Arthur took his cup of tea and headed to his bedroom.
Both waited for Summerlee to leave – "Ned, could you please put Tommy on his chair for me, I have a full day ahead..."
"On his chair? Why can't he stay on my lap a little while?"
Veronica thought for a while. - "All right, I will not be long..."
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going nowhere, just going to prepare his feeding-bottle, and then we will go out for a walk!" – she teased the child.
"Veronica, if you want... I can take care of Tommy while you do your..."
"No, Ned. Thanks, but I can take care of him by myself..."
"Alright..." - Malone could not hide his deception, but he kept his attitude.
She started to prepare the milk. In the meanwhile, Malone showed a spoon to the boy, who was holding his tiny feet with his tiny hands, and the boy distended his body to try to reach the spoon.
"Smart boy... I bet you remember that day, don't you?"
Ned put the spoon closer to the boy, but when he was almost reaching it, Malone would withdraw it again. Both were laughing, and were being controlled by Veronica to prevent making too much noise.
"They are in good shape together... Tommy likes him, I've already noticed that. Maybe he is the one who is most interested..." – Veronica observed them both playing, while she squashed the fruits on a plate to take to the picnic.
In the sequence, she stored the food as usual. She went to Ned, distended her arms for Tommy who threw himself against her gladly.
"Thanks, Ned" – she said smiling to him. She was almost leaving when suddenly turned to the journalist – "Would you... like to join us?"
"Wouldn't I be bothering you? I mean, I don't want to disturb you two."
"Not at all. We are just going to walk around and have breakfast in open air."
"So I'm going with you." - Ned took the picnic basket from her hands. – "And I take this."
"George" –Roxton said while uncomfortably sat by the top of a tree besides his friend. – "Are you sure those raptors are going to pass through here?"
"I'm completely sure. There had been a long time that I've been observing them and I want to take some notes. Unless all this rain has made them change habits."
"Excuse me, but my backside is numb."
"You offered yourself to join me."
"I know, but at least you could have advised me so I could bring a pillow to use as a support here."
"Stop complaining, Roxton." – Challenger muttered observing any movement through a binocular. The hunter accommodated as well as he could and continued observing the scientist for some more minutes.
"When are you both going to talk, George?" – Challenger did not take the binocular out of his eyes. – "Don't pretend you are not listening to me. I asked you a question."
"Sorry, but it's not your problem, John."
"Come on, George. You know things are not like that. We all live under the same shelter and anything that happens affects us all."
"I've been thinking about that either."
Roxton was surprised - "What have you been thinking about?"
"I'm studying some alternatives."
"Look at me, George" – Challenger looked to his friend – "This should have been resolved some time ago, and is now becoming a snowball. As a scientist you know very well that when a snowball is too big, you cannot stop it." - Roxton stood up over one branch and started climbing down the tree – "I think even the raptors felt there is something wrong and left. Don't be late for lunch".
After lunch, together with Summerlee, Veronica went downstairs with Tommy to the laboratory. Tommy was just wearing a diaper and an undershirt that Marguerite had sewed for him. Challenger was waiting for them.
"Arthur, Veronica" – Challenger welcomed them – "Shall we start?"
She stopped by the entrance of the place hugging Tommy strongly. She had always been at easy in that place, but suddenly it appeared scary for her. Summerlee got closer.
"I changed my mind, professor." – she whispered.
"It's alright, Veronica, nobody will hurt him." – Summerlee comforted her while at the same time distended his arms to take the boy. But Tommy firmly held to Veronica's neck. She untied his arms firmly but tenderly, even if her heart was crumpled.
Summerlee put him over the workbench that had been previously covered with a sheet. He and Challenger stripped him, heightened him, weighted him, checked on skin color, stethoscope his heart and lungs, and Tommy was crying and struggling all the time, more and more. And when Challenger collected a blood sample, Arthur observed the tears running softly across Veronica's face who had got shelter on a corner of the room.
Roxton was arriving with Malone from the coffee grinding and Ned got immediately worried seeing Veronica holding Tommy firmly and walking with him to her bedroom. It was plainly obvious that she had been crying. He looked to Summerlee.
"It's alright." – Summerlee reassured him – "Challenger just examined Tommy."
Roxton took the coffee bag that the journalist was carrying on, and signalized to Malone as if giving him permission to go to the blonde's bedroom.
Summerlee followed the hunter to the pantry.
"How was the examination, professor?"
"Just routine, John. Challenger is still running some analysis."
"And George and Veronica?" – Summerlee sighed.
"They've barely exchanged two words."
"I've talked to him, and Marguerite talked to Veronica."
"Do you think it have any positive effect?"
"Apparently not."
"I would like to talk to them, but I'm afraid of making things even worse."
"And in the meanwhile should we cover our eyes and pretend nothing is happening?"
"Let's do as follows: tonight, after dinner, me, you, Malone, Marguerite and the two stubborn together. Maybe it can bring a result."
"I hope so, Summerllee."
With Malone besides her, Veronica bathed the boy, fed him and after a longer time than usual finally made him sleep. Tommy had been very agitated after the examination, so their walking tour after dinner would be delayed for the next day. Despite everything, she either needed to know more about him and she was pretty sure that the only person that could provide this information would be George Challenger.
"Can I talk to you, Challenger? I will be quick." –Veronica said entering the laboratory.
The scientist stopped what he was doing and turned to her sketching a very formal smile.
"Of course. How may I help you?"
"It's about Tommy. You examined him." – she hesitated before asking – "Is he... human?"
"He got very interesting characteristics. He grows faster than any child I've seem, and his motricity is either very well developed for his age. Is he already trying to stand up alone?"
"Yeah, he is." – she smiled recalling the only time it had happened. She was working on the garden when she saw him leaning his tiny hands on the floor, distend his knees, and finally distend his arms smiling, happy with the challenge. After that, he fell down sat on the floor.
"He is healthy. And he is strong too. His body constitution is remarkable. I believe he will walk very soon. In terms of his learning curve, from what I've observed up to know, there is no problem either."
"Is he human, Challenger?"
"Does that make any difference for you?"
"You know very well the answer for that: no, it wouldn't make any difference for me. But even though I would like to know: is he human?" - Veronica was starting to show her impatience.
"I don't know." – the scientist answered irritated with his own ignorance. – "I still could no determine it. Maybe he may have some issues for motor activities that require precision, but anyway he could be trained for that."
Veronica closed her eyes feeling all the impact that the last sentence George had just said.
"Thanks, Challenger" – he just nodded his head in response and she turned back ready to leave, but decided to remain - "What do you think I should have done? Leave him to die?"
Veronica had not noticed a light increase in the tone of her voice, neither the scientist in his.
"I've never said that" – he faced her deeply annoyed.
"So tell me one thing. What would you do?"
"Certainly I would never have taken him to my house to have a comrade."
"What?"
"So proud, so owner of the situation, don't need anybody. You thought: the poor explores are too independent too and soon they will not need me any longer. And they will certainly find a way out of the plateau and I will be alone once more. Then you find a lost child and think that during several years you will have a comrade and at the same time you will be seen as a good person."
"Why can't you ever pronounce his name?"
Neither he nor she had noticed Summerlee, Roxton, Marguerite and Malone stopped by the laboratory entrance, all of them attracted by the ever raising tone of their voices.
"Because until I got full proof, he is not a child, he is just a nestling, your pet. Have you ever thought the danger you've exposed us all to? Have you ever thought that he is going to grow up and then he can turn up against us? Marguerite has got an allergy which source I could not identify up to now."
"That's not true, George." – the heiress talked immediately. But the scientist ignored her and continued raising his voice even more.
"Have you ever thought he could carry on some disease? At least you should have considered putting him in quarantine."
Challenger for long now had stopped thinking before talking, and Veronica would be the next to make the same mistake.
"You would have brought him here, to study him as a rare specimen. I bet you would even have a ready jail for him. Tell me something. You were the one to decide for not having children, weren't you? I can imagine your reasons. Were you afraid that your precious science got second place in your life? Were you afraid of sharing your time? You are selfish. And what have you done, George Challenger? You came to this godforsaken plateau, to this lost world where you amuse yourself with your marvelous science, where you are the great genius. George Challenger, god and master, the one who rule everything and everybody. In your house, in your lab, in your expedition" – She got really closer to him with a challenging attitude.
"Veronica, no" –Summerlee whispered as if anticipating what was coming next. But she continued.
"I'm not part of your family, of your lab and of your expedition, so whenever you talk to me please don't use this superior look in your face, and never look to me from top to b..."
When Challenger slapped her in the face, she just looked back furiously and said nothing else. She just left the lab, passing through the other inhabitants as if she could not see them. Nobody moved, still trying to make sense of what had just happened. Challenger was stopped by the middle of the lab, as if paralized.
A child crying seemed to awake them all. Malone ran upstairs to Veronica's bedroom, but all that he could see was the blonde already taking the elevator down with Tommy in her arms.
TO BE CONTINUED...
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