Chapter 30: The Good with the Bad
******The Next Day*****
Parker woke up with Duncan's arms wrapped around. "Is this a dream?" she wondered aloud.
Duncan stirred, dropping a kiss on her bare shoulder. "If it's a dream, it's one we're both having," he said. After they'd reconnected the afternoon before, she'd stayed at his house while the cook-out continued, never leaving his side. Their friends were happy to see them together, but no one was as happy as Lily. Parker and Duncan played in the pool with her for an hour before people started to leave. When their guests had left, Parker stayed. Logan and Veronica offered to take Lily for the night, knowing the newly reconciled couple needed some alone time. Naturally, they made good use of their time.
Parker turned in his arms, smiling happily at him. "I don't think I've ever felt this way," Parker said.
"What way is that?" Duncan asked as he trailed his hand down her bare shoulder.
"Like I'm right where I need to be. That everything is perfect," Parker said, kissing him. "I'm so happy."
"Me, too," Duncan said. "I'm sorry I made you wait through Kayla. You know she didn't mean anything."
"I'm sorry I made you suffer through Piz again," Parker said sorrowfully. "He was the first man I ever really loved, and it was hard for me to let him go."
Although Duncan didn't like to think about her time with Piz, he knew he couldn't be upset about it. "We've both had relationships that hopefully taught us why we belong together," he said.
"I don't want to be in another relationship," Parker said. "I want this to be the last one."
Duncan smiled happily. "So do I," he said, kissing her. He vowed to make this work. He had known she was the one for a while now. Finally, she knew it, too. For the first time in a very long time, he was truly happy.
*****Two Days Later*****
Lauren was feeling listless and bored. Ryan was camping somewhere with his parents and Kristen. Lauren still couldn't believe Kristen had agreed to a camping trip. She must like Ryan a lot. None of her friends in choir had visited her. It was really sad. Mac was out of the country, and Madison was with her boyfriend, meeting his family.
Her mom knocked on her bedroom door. "Come in," she said.
"Sweetie, one of your friends is here. Feel like some company?" her mom said, smiling.
Lauren perked up. "Sure!" she said, smiling eager for a distraction from the tedium.
Her mom disappeared, and Brad was in the doorway. "Hey," he said, giving her a sheepish smile.
"What are you doing here?" Lauren asked crossly. She wasn't quite sure that he was the distraction she was seeking. She hadn't heard a peep from him since the kiss.
"What do you mean what am I doing here? I came to see you!" he said, making himself comfortable in her bean bag chair next to her bed.
"Oh, now you decide to take interest in my well-being? Not the days I was in the hospital?" she said sourly.
Brad looked contrite. "I'm sorry. I was busy. I called Ryan every day to check on you, though," he said.
"Gee, I'm touched," she said sarcastically.
"Don't be like that," he said, frowning. "I'm sorry."
"Why have you ignored me?" she inquired. Her brush with death and various sicknesses had made her unusually bold. For some reason, she was unable to pretend with Brad.
"I wasn't trying to ignore you," he insisted.
"Then what? Kissing me totally disgusted you, and you didn't want to hurt my feelings?" she wondered.
"What? Why would you say that?" Brad asked in surprise. "There's nothing disgusting about you!"
"Well, you kissed me and then disappeared. What was I supposed to think?" Lauren asked crossly.
Brad sighed. "I'm sorry, Lauren. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," he said. "It wasn't you. It was me. I just realized that wasn't a good idea and didn't know what to say to you."
Lauren stared at him a minute without saying anything. Then she gave him a small smile. "It's okay, Brad. You're off the hook," she said. "I know you don't want to be with me like that. I'm not mad."
"You're not?" he asked hopefully.
"No," she said. "I am bored out of my mind, though. My sisters are gone, and my parents won't let me leave the house."
Brad smiled. "Well, it's a good thing I arrived then, huh?"
"Want to play a video game?" she asked him.
"Of course!" he told her, relieved that things between them were back to normal.
******Chicago******
Jazmin and Jason went home for spring break. The first two days were nice. Her parents and grandparents were very happy to have them home. She missed Eli, but she talked to him every day. She was hoping he'd be able to come with her, but the new murders on campus were keeping them too busy. He promised to spend a week at her home in the summer.
On Tuesday, her father made her go to their family doctor and get checked out. He was glad that she was feeling so much better.
"I am pleased that your counseling sessions with Dr. Addison have been so constructive," Sebastian said at dinner. "You look like you're back to your old self."
"We are so glad," her mother said, smiling at her.
"Eli's helped me more than the counseling," she shared. "He's been so patient and loving."
"Eli is a good man. You have chosen well," Sebastian said, pleased.
"Has he proposed yet?" her mother asked.
"Mom, we're not ready for marriage," Jazmin said impatiently. "I'm too young."
"There is no rush," Sebastian said.
"When you graduate is good," her mom replied, smiling.
Jazmin rolled her eyes while Jason snickered, but she didn't bother correcting the assumption. "Maybe. I'm just taking things one day at a time. I'm glad to have a boyfriend that loves me so much," she said.
"Is Joseph behaving himself?" Sebastian asked. "Why did he not return with you? Wasn't that the plan?"
"It was, but he is picking up the slack while I'm gone. He will return when I get back," Jason replied.
"He is helping with cases?" their mom asked in surprise.
"Yes. He's actually been helpful lately," Jason said.
"And not so annoying since he moved into the hotel," Jazmin added.
"Eli doesn't want to kill him anymore," Jason said with a grin.
"A man protects what is his," Sebastian said, approving of Eli.
Jason got a text message from Eli. Frowning, he read it. "I need to call work. Excuse me," he said, getting up from the table.
He dialed Eli. "What's going on?" he asked.
"There's been another murder," Eli shared.
"Who?" Jason asked.
"Another female on campus. This time a cheerleader named Jessi Myers," Eli said.
"The body was found before she was reported missing?" Jason asked in surprise.
"Guess who found the body?"
"Who?" Jason asked.
"Joseph. He's the last one to see her alive, and now the prime suspect in her murder," Eli said.
"What?" Jason asked in surprise. "There's no way!"
"This one was particularly gruesome," Eli said. "She was beat to death with a bat in her room. The dorms are all but vacant, so no one heard a thing."
"Oh, God," Jason said with a grimace. "The poor girl."
"V's right. It's like the killer is trying different methods of killing or purposely using different methods to throw us of his trail," Eli said.
"Did they arrest Joseph?" Jason asked.
"They've taken him in for questioning," Eli said. "He was smart enough not to touch the body. He didn't even check for a pulse, which is the mistake most people make. He just called 911. Her dorm room door was unlocked. They were supposed to meet for dinner."
"Did Nick call our attorney, David Lee?" Jason asked.
"Yes," Eli said. "But he thinks you should get here. Joseph isn't responding well to the questioning."
"I'll come as soon as I can," Jason said, hanging up. He went back to the dining room table.
"Is everything okay?" Jazmin asked in concern.
"No. Another woman's been killed on campus. This time it's a girl Joseph's been dating," Jason revealed.
"Oh, no!" Jazmin exclaimed in horror.
Sebastian gave his son a penetrating look. "Is he being questioned?" he asked.
Jason nodded. "Yes. He was the one who found the body and called it in. He was the last to see her alive, so it's only right that they'd question him," Jason said.
"Sheriff Mars knows of his history with your sister?" Sebastian asked.
Jason nodded. "Probably. He seems to know everything. He's very smart—like his daughter," Jason said.
"A history of violence against women will not help his case," Sebastian said with a frown.
"We have our attorney with him, but I must go and help him," Jason said.
"Of course," Sebastian said. "I will let his parents know."
Jazmin shuddered. "They're going to be so upset with us," she said.
"It is not your fault," her mother said.
"I think it is time we reconsider your attendance at this school. It's caused you nothing but trouble and pain," Sebastian said.
"That's not true!" Jazmin protested. "I love Hearst. Bad things happen everywhere, Papa. More terrible things happen in Chicago every day."
"That's true," her mom said. "But we'd be here to help you."
"Jason and Nick are there. And Eli. I'm not leaving him!" Jazmin said, upset at the thought.
Neither parent wanted to upset their daughter, whom they still considered fragile, so they said nothing more. Sebastian looked at Jason. "Keep me posted," he said.
Jazmin knew better than to insist on going with Jason. "Be careful," she said.
"I always am," Jason said. He got up from the table to go make arrangements.
*****India*****
Dick looked aghast at the devastation in the slums of Calcutta. They had arrived on Sunday night in New Delhi. They stayed the night there at the capital. They spent a fun day touring the capital on Monday. Then that evening, Thea's dad Nick met up with them, leading them to his doctor outpost in Calcutta. It was too late to see much. He and Mac were led to a tent that would be theirs for the next five days. Exhausted from their day of travel, they fell asleep even though neither were used to sleeping on cots.
Tuesday morning, Dick woke up after Mac had already left the tent. The bright Indian sun was blinding as he got out of the tent. There were people bustling around. After breakfast, Nick took them on a tour of the slums. Dick was horrified. Little kids wandered around looking lost and dirty. People lived in tiny houses made of cardboard or plywood. Most weren't even as big as his closet back home. The tiny houses were stacked on top of one another almost like blocks. Trash seemed to be everywhere. He watched a mother bathe a kid Lily's age outside from a waterspout. He didn't understand why the little guy smiled so widely at his mom. What did he have to smile about?
"Oh, my God," Mac said, her eyes filling with tears at the poverty. She had seen pictures, but nothing could compare to the sight and smell firsthand.
"How can people live like this?" Dick asked in stunned horror.
"They do the best they can, and it's all they know," Nick said sadly. "We help as much as we can. You know Mother Teresa spent most of her life living in squalor trying to help the poor of this city. Poverty isn't their only need, however. She once said, 'The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.' The people need more than food. They need medical attention. They need love. Too many of the parents in their desperation sell their children into sexual bondage. There is so much pain in Calcutta. At times, it seems like an uphill battle."
"What?" Dick asked aghast. "Little kids?"
Nick nodded. "Unfortunately, it's way too common. Violence against women in this country is tolerated in too many circles," he shared.
"I read somewhere that you can buy a child out of sexual slavery for $200. Is that true?" Mac asked.
"Probably," Nick said. "The medical needs are so vast that if I focus on anything else, it would push me into despair. I do know that just as Doctors Without Borders works taking care of medical needs, there are groups whose sole aim is to free more children."
"I can understand that," Mac said. She squeezed Dick's hand, giving him a look of understanding. She was just as horrified and shaken as he was. Mac turned back to Nick. "How can we help?"
"The first day, we usually like the volunteers to help with lunch. Even though we spend the majority of our time on medical issues, we still have a budget for nutritional needs. Volunteers help feed and spend time speaking with the people who come to us for aid," Nick said.
"We can do that," Mac said.
Dick nodded, still trying to take in the scene.
A few hours later, he and Mac were distributing food to a line of people. Rice and beans seemed to be a staple, along with some bread. Dick burned with the injustice of it all. How could a country that had all the opulence of New Delhi have such devastation and need? Of course, he knew Skid Row in Los Angeles was no laughing matter, and he'd spent years ignoring it. People there lived in boxes and on the streets. However, the immensity of the poverty in Calcutta just blew his mind away.
After people were done eating, they seemed happy and shared stories. One little boy came up to Dick.
"Do you have a ball I can play with?" the earnest boy asked him, giving him a hopeful smile. Dick had been pleasantly surprised at first to hear so much English, but he soon learned that English was very common in India.
Dick felt stricken. It was such a simple thing this boy wanted, and he couldn't give it to him. Dick crouched down. He swallowed hard and plastered a smile on his face. "No, I don't, little dude, but maybe I can get one for you before I leave," he said.
The boy looked excited as he ran off to tell his brother. Dick stood up, gazing at the group of people who seemed so grateful for so little. He had never hated himself more.
*****Chapter End*****
I was going to go further, but I decided to end it with Dick. The things written about India, especially Calcutta are true. I just read another article the other day about an Indian woman living in the U.S. who, after having a daughter, decided she would never go back home because rape was so common and tolerated. And that's in the nice parts. In no way is this story meant as a criticism of the country of India or its people. I have known and loved many Indians in my life. However, evil exists everywhere, and the perversions of men seem to grow stronger all the time, especially in America where sexual slavery is growing at a horrifying rate.