ZEDD
As frustrated as I am with Dar, I can't help the sigh of relief at Pina's call. Okay, he's back safe and they are going to get some much needed sleep. Maybe something will go right today after all. Then it hits me. If I'm going to me Thomas' main caregiver, I need a plan.
What I'll do with him. When I'll do it. Not to mention how. Crap, Pina just had to pick NOW of all times to thrust the boy into my lap. She couldn't at least have started his lessons and walks and whatever else he'll need.
Thinking the matter over and trying to figure out where to even start I at the very least know what I can't do. The main thing being taking him out. I highly doubt that, even if I was willing, Pina would allow me to take Thomas into the woods unescorted again. So that's out.
I suppose I could work on his other skills though and maybe - with his physical recovery - soon we can work on his defense and fighting skills. At least that way, when he goes back, I don't have to worry about him being able to take care of himself. In the meantime, we can work on his other problems - like buttons and reading. I'm sure this'll be fun.
My thoughts are interrupted when Thomas speaks. "Well, since Dar's back, can we send the message to Hayley? Then we can figure out what to do for the rest of the day."
It is a logical thing to do, but for some reason, I'm loathe to do it. Never mind the fact that I greatly dislike the female, but I'm also puzzled by the feeling of foreboding that goes with the idea. Shrugging it off, I nod at him and head for the castle, stopping by the kitchen first and responding to Thomas' curious look. "Since neither of us got breakfast this morning I think it only best that we eat something. Especially considering you are still recovering."
"Oh okay…You can make sandwiches right?" When I give him a look at his near serious question he shrugs and responds in kind. "What? I'm just saying last time you said you were going to make food for us you basically just threw stuff in a pan until Dar came and took over." True, but that was done intentionally.
Not bothering to tell him that though just in case he informs Scorpina who in turn informs Goldar, I simply head to the fridge and begin pulling out the bread, cheese, and cold meat we have stocked inside. "I assure you I am perfectly capable of making us a few sandwiches."
"If you say so." Not seeming convinced he moves to sit at the counter and watch me as I throw together a few turkey and cheese sandwiches for us before leading him back to my room as while normally I'd send such a message from my office, Thomas however hasn't been in that room yet and I don't need him to be uncomfortable or nosing around in there while I'm distracted. "We'll eat first and then we'll figure out what message to send to your friend, okay?"
"Okay. Are you okay? You seem a little, I dunno, edgy."
Wondering how much of that is perception, as the little brat still has me pretty well blocked out, I answer, "I dislike a good many of your species, Thomas, females and children particularly. Granted, I didn't really have time to get to know them when I was there, however, nor did I have any desire to."
He shakes his head as he sits at the small table by my window. "That's too bad. I think that you'd like Hayley if you got to know her."
"Don't get me wrong - in the brief moments I had contact with her, she did manage to impress me a little. So did the girl - what's her name, Kira? They both stood up to me in a way that few do. The boys, however, not so much."
"Oh, really?" He seems interested and amused at the same time. "What do you mean?"
Sighing and really not wanting to get into it with him as I'm uncertain if putting his kids down will make him upset, I however can't seem to hold my tongue as truly they really did work my nerves. "The one boy - what the hell is his name? - Conner, seems like a total idiot and the other two seem little better. Of the other two, one seems to have common sense and the other is probably what you would call book smart."
He frowns. "Trent and Ethan. If I remember what Hayley told me right, Trent's parents died a while back and has had kind of a hard time recently. Ethan is a computer geek and very good at what he does. He kinda reminds me of someone, but I can never think of who."
"I assume you mean someone other than Hayley." At his nod I continue calmly. "You're probably thinking of Billy, one of your little high school friends." And should I have really said that? Is it truly a good idea to be mentioning his little Ranger friends?
"Billy…yeah maybe. He wore a lot of blue like Ethan, right?" Frowning as he tries to recall, I can see that this conversation is headed into dangerous territory, but how do I change the subject without making him suspicious?
"Perhaps."
"So what are you going to say to Hayley? You're not going to be mean are you?" I'm grateful that he changed the subject, but does he really have to ruin all of my fun? I sigh in mock disappointment.
"Well, I was planning to - after all, it is what I do. But I'll be civil." Almost, anyway. What he doesn't know won't hurt him, right? No sooner does that thought strike though than I mentally kick myself. Look what happened when he found out we'd lied to him before, Zedd. Sigh, fine, so no lying for my own selfish fun.
"Promise?"
"Yes, yes, I promise." I take a bite of my sandwich and move to the computer to begin to compose the letter.
I eat as I work, reading bits to him as I go and adding things he suggests might be important – most of which really aren't.
We have long since finished eating before the message is finally ready to be sent. As I read it over one last time, I remember I still have to attach the file that Pina had wanted me to send or she and Hayley will no doubt be bugging me again in no time. I search the files in the medical database, hoping I can find it without bothering the sleeping pair. I am so intent on my search that I nearly miss Thomas' question.
"Zedd, do you think that the medicine that Pina's giving me will bring back my memories?"
"What now?" Looking away from the computer as I think I might have misheard his soft spoken inquiry, I however can see by his troubled expression that I most likely have not.
"Do you think that the medicine that Pina's giving me will bring back my memories so I can remember all of the things that I forgot when I got hurt?" he asks again.
Okay, how do I answer that? I honestly have no idea how much he'll get back, how much was totally destroyed or even how much he had to begin with. "I honestly don't know, Thomas. Quite frankly, I don't understand a lot of that medical junk. I do know that you probably won't get it all back. However, if you're lucky, what is forever lost will be nothing important. You humans don't use all of your brain capacity, anyway. And what you do use, your species seems unable to access all parts of it."
He frowns again. "What do you mean?"
"Understanding that your memory is damaged, what's the earliest memory you can recall from your life span?"
He thinks hard for a moment. "Um, I think I was five or six years old and I pushed Kelly Abbot off a swing on the playground."
"Why?"
He shrugs. "I don't remember."
"That's my point. It's probably in your head somewhere, but you cannot access it. We Eltarians, however, can access these things. Of course, with our longer life spans there is much more to remember and we start learning at a very young age how to retrieve not only the memories, but all the senses attached to them." It really is a cumbersome task once you get past ten thousand, though, let me tell you.
"Huh?"
Oh good, I've confused him again. I search my own memory for a potential parallel in our experiences. Finally, I say, "Have you ever been to a, um, circus?"
He nods firmly.
"Good. Now, do you remember sitting in your seat, watching it?" When he nods again, I continue. "Can you remember the feel of the seat, the brightness of the colors, the scents and smells around you?"
His brow furrows. "I remember that the seat was hard, but not exactly how it felt. I was too busy watching the circus to pay attention to the colors and I can't remember the smells at all."
"Exactly. We had something similar to your circus when I was growing up. I can remember that the edge of my seat had a nick in it that kept poking me in the back of the leg, that there was a shade of yellow that was offensively bright, and I can recall the smells of the day - even the taste of the food that we had. I can remember these things hundreds of years from now as clearly as I experienced them that day, if I choose to. Human brains don't function like that. So getting back to your original question, I don't know how much you'll get back because we'll never really be sure how much you truly lost or even had to begin with."
He considers this for a long time before he speaks again. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see."
"More or less."
"Are my new clothes coming today?"
Startled by the lightning fast subject change - something he hasn't done in a while, mind you - I hesitate in my answer. "If they are indeed coming today, they should be here soon." Turning back to the computer and quickly attaching the desired file before sending the message I continue to talk as casually as I can. "What would you like to do in the meantime?"
He sighs. "I don't know. I feel a little tired, but I shouldn't be."
This getting my attention quickly, I frown. Did Pina mention any of the side effects of the drug she's using and I missed it? Did she say anything? I seem to recall her telling Thomas that he should let her know if he didn't feel right - that it might be normal, but to let her know anyway. Does this count? Still debating what to do, I suggest, "Perhaps you should lay down for a while, Thomas. I'll put the dishes in the kitchen and then I'll be back. Okay?" Yes, put the dishes in the kitchen and a small side trip to the infirmary.
He shrugs. "I'm not that tired, Zedd. It's probably because of my nightmare last night. Well, that and everything else that happened."
Hmm, he does have a point. Perhaps I won't have to kill anyone after all. Not sure whether to be disappointed or not, I merely nod. "All right, well if you aren't weary enough to sleep right now I suppose you can-" Cut off as a faint noise catches my attention. I cross to the window and look out, a grin spreading across my face. "Come, Thomas. I do believe your new clothes are here."
"Really?" He looks up with an answering grin. "Aw, man, that's awesome! Let's go see!"
The boy follows me out of the room, down the hall, and to the door, all but bouncing circles around me as he does. Honestly if I knew buying him some clothes would make him this happy I'd have done so a lot sooner.
"I think I'll let you put you new clothes away after we get them inside. You may put them wherever you want. Once we get them to your room, I'll take care of the dishes while you do that."
"So it doesn't matter where I put things?"
"Well, no. As long as you know where they are, that's all that matters. Why?"
"Just asking." It almost seems like there's something he's not asking, but really, how hard should I push? As we reach the door, I decide to leave it for the time being, after all so long as he doesn't put them in Goldar's room or office he should be fine. Pushing the door open and heading out onto the lawn I see several packages sitting neatly stacked not twenty feet from the door. Without saying a word, the two of us grab a stack of boxes and several bags each and head in and up to his room.
As I pass by my room, I hear a tone that alerts me to a waiting message, although not the same one for the email I just sent. I should think as even with the speed it would send, I doubt the female would respond so fast. That in mind I realize it must be business related. And THAT in mind I realize that Dar being asleep means that I will have to cover said business related matters today. Great, one more thing to do that can go wrong.
Reaching his room I drop the packages on his bed and give him my full attention. "Thomas, I'm going to deal with the dishes and do a few other things for work that I've neglected up until now. I'll check on you in a while. Once you've unpacked your new things and put them where you want them, you can either lie down or you can come and find me. Odds are I'll either be in the infirmary checking something out or I'll be in my office. It's up one level."
When he nods, I continue. "I'll leave the door open so that you can find it easily. If I don't see you in two or three hours, I'll probably come and check on you, all right?"
"I can do this, Zedd. It's just putting clothes in drawers and in the closet. I'm not quite that stupid."
Again, I'm stunned by his sense of humor. Sometimes, I just don't get the whole damn species. Instead of answering, I merely shake my head and head out of the room, sure the message can wait another few minutes while I deal with the dishes.
