Author's note: Wow, this story now has 114 followers, 40 favorites and 125 reviews! Just wow! Thank you everyone for your continued interest in this story. Every review, every follow, every favorite is like a present for me, and I love getting presents!
So, this is a super long (for me) chapter, but I made you guys a promise that there will be only one more chapter with our girls before they grow up, and I wanted to keep that promise. Next chapter will introduce them as adults. However, I'm leaving on vacation in a few days and the next chapter will not be written until after I come back, so there will be a nearly 4 week break in posting. But fear not, I have every intention of continuing with this story, so stay tuned!
Lauren was startled by a sudden touch on her shoulder. She looked up from the microscope and saw her aunt standing by her side with a phone in hand.
"Bo" aunt Ashley said in the way of explanation for the interruption and handed the phone to the teen. Lauren mouthed a 'thank you', but the door was already softly closing on her aunt.
Lauren turned away from her mini lab to prevent the pull of science from sidetracking her from the conversation, and put the cordless to her ear.
"Bo?" she questioned into the phone.
"Hey Lauren." Bo's voice on the other end of the line was unusually subdued. "Are you busy? I…" she chocked up. "Feel like having company?"
"Yes, I'm here, I'm free. Do you want me to come over?" The agitation she felt from Bo's end was nearly palpable, so Lauren stood up from her chair and started pacing her bedroom, her back cracking from being locked in the same position for too long.
"Actually, I was hoping for any excuse to get out of the house. Trick and my mother are discussing parental responsibilities."
"Ah, I see." Lauren searched for something soothing to say, but nothing was coming to mind. But then she remembered the reason for Bo's call. She glanced at the wall clock, which read 10:49 PM and knew her aunt wouldn't let her leave the house at this hour, but she was a lot less strict about Lauren's bed time. "Would you like to come over to my place? We can make root beer floats." She said, trying to sweeten the deal.
"Yeah, that sounds nice," Bo agreed readily.
"How soon can you be here?" Lauren looked around her room. It was mostly tidy despite the unmade bad and the lab equipment covering her work table. She could straighten it all out in less than 10 minutes, she was sure. That would leave time to take the ice-cream out and see what else can be found in the fridge that would help put a smile on her friend's face.
There was a slight pause on Bo's end, and Lauren had a second to wonder if her friend was calculating distances and traffic patterns or was getting caught up in an argument between her mother and grandfather. But it turned out the hesitation was caused by something else entirely.
"Actually, I'm already at your door." The words were punctuated by a ringing door bell. Moments later Lauren heard the front door opening. She walked up the top of the stairs just as Bo was entering. She was being greeted by aunt Ashley, and if she thought it was strange that Bo still had a phone pressed to her ear as she entered, she didn't let on. Bo finally hung up the phone when she saw Lauren at the top of the stairs and quickly climbed to the second floor.
"Do you want an ice-cream float? Or just ice-cream? Or just root beer?" Lauren listed some options, still a little taken aback by Bo's swift appearance.
"Maybe later. Let's go into your room." Bo ushered them both inside and closed the door behind them. "This is nice." She commented, giving a room a once-over. It was large for a bedroom, but there wasn't much empty space. A twin bed, a dresser and a book case were pushed up against one wall, and Bo smiled at the cartoon characters on the comforter. She caught 'Pinky and The Brain' on Cartoon Channel a few times, and though it wasn't her favorite cartoon, she thought it suited Lauren. But majority of the space in the room was taken up by a massive desk that held various lab equipment.
"Where do you do your homework?" Bo asked, looking at a large microscope, computer and stacks of slides and vials.
"Out in the loft. I tend to sprawl when I'm running experiments and my text books constantly fall of the edge of the table." Lauren plopped on her bed, motioning for Bo to take her desk chair. But Bo was too agitated to sit just yet. She walked over to a book case and scanned through books and knick-knacks. Tucked away in one corner, in a simple putter case was a picture of a smiling couple in uniform. She picked it up, recognizing Lauren's distinctive chin on the man in the picture.
"Are these your parents?" she asked pointing at the picture. When Lauren nodded, she looked back at the photograph, trying to match any of Lauren's features to the woman. "How come you never talk about them?" She asked, not taking her eyes off the happy couple in the picture.
"Probably for the same reason you don't talk about yours." Lauren was watching her friend's stiff posture and clenched jaw, wondering what she was thinking while looking at the only picture of her parents Lauren had in her room.
"Huh." Bo exhaled loudly. She put the photograph back and picked up a model of DNA from another shelf, running her fingers over the rounded edges.
She said nothing else, but Lauren thought she detected an unspoken 'I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours' and decided she didn't mind sharing with her friend, tough it would be the first time she talked about her parents with anyone other than aunt Ashley.
"They are both career navy – serving as trauma surgeons on navy ships and bases. They met in med school and signed up together. They have been in the navy long enough to get any posting they want, so they have been practically everywhere." Lauren traced the outline of a cartoon mouse on her comforter as she spoke. "They come to visit when they are on leave, but it's pretty rare for them to come together. I've seen my mom in May, but dad haven't been to visit since last Christmas." There was much more that she could tell Bo about her parents, but what she already shared was leaving Lauren a bit choked up and not eager to continue.
"So your aunt's been raising you?" Bo still held on to the DNA model, but she was looking at Lauren again. The story about Lauren's parents had its desired effect to end the little pity-party Bo's been indulging in since her mother's unexpected arrival a day earlier.
"Since I was about 3." Lauren offered another tidbit of her story. "I know aunt Ashley always wanted kids, so when my mom approached her about caring for me full time so she could return to the aircraft carrier where she and dad were stationed before I was born, she agreed."
"Just like that, huh?" Bo felt angry for her friend and did little to hide it.
"I think my parents wanted kids, too," Lauren looked up to meet her friend's stormy eyes, warmed by the edge of protectiveness she could feel from them. "They just didn't realize until after I was born that they wonted other things more."
"I knew if I hang around you long enough, I'll find something we have in common. It seems both of us are foundlings." Bo was on the move again, walking over to the mini lab. Her fingers itched to touch some of the glass probes, but she had developed a healthy respect for Lauren's scientific acumen over couple of months they've known each other, and she decided she was not going to lose a finger by sticking it where it didn't belong.
Lauren wasn't sure how to respond again, a situation she found herself frequently in. She saw the pain and the anger underneath Bo's words. "When was the last time you saw your mother?" She asked, her tone gentle.
"I don't know. Trick wouldn't tell me, and I have no memories of her." Bo tapped her nail against one of the glass containers, unable to resist. It gave of a loud clinking sound and Bo thought it would feel magnificent to watch it shatter into a million pieces.
"Then how did you know it was her, yesterday?" Lauren asked.
"I saw enough photographs of her over the years. She would send three of four letters each year, not for anyone's birthday, just on random days. And she would always include a picture of herself somewhere fancy – like a restaurant atop the Eiffel tower, or in a jeep in front of a pyramid in Egypt, or on horseback on a beach in Hawaii." Bo scratched her eyebrow, trying to distract herself. She could see Lauren from the periphery of her vision, the younger teen listening quietly from her spot on the bed.
"Did you ever write her back?" Lauren enquired, clenching her arms together, hating how helpless she felt to comfort her friend.
Bo laughed humorlessly. "There was never a return address on those letters. And I probably shouldn't have called them 'letters' – they were brief notes, like 'I'm doing well, visiting with some friends in Morocco' or some shit like that." Bo raised both arms for emphasis.
"And your father…?" Lauren asked, tough she already knew the answer.
"Never met him." Bo shrugged.
Silence fell around the two teens while they contemplated their own and the other's family situations.
Lauren was the first to break the silence. "Your mom is here now, so that's something, right? Will she stay? Does she want to get to know you?" She said hopefully. She must have hit on something extra sensitive with one of the questions because Bo flinched as if stunned.
"She says she's going to stick around for some time." Bo didn't know if she believed it yet. "She's got a place she's renting. Moving in tomorrow." Bo finally settled down, dropping down on Lauren's bed next to the younger teen. "She wants me to move in with her for a while. Get to know each other."
"Wow. That's quite a…" Lauren mimed an explosion with her arms. "Are you going to do it?"
"Would you?" Bo turned the question around.
Lauren's response was an immediate "Yes." Yes, her parent's absence has hurt her, but getting to know her parents, her origin, wouldn't be something she could pass up.
"OK, then it's settled. Let's go have root beer floats!" Bo sprung up from the bed, but paused at the door. Lauren hasn't moved, surprised into immobility by her friend's abrupt about-face and a change of attitude.
"Just like that?" She repeated Bo's words from earlier.
"Yep, unless you lied about having ice-cream. I'm all done with adult, serious conversation. Now I just want something sweet. You got it or not?" Bo raised her eyebrows at Lauren, her tone playful.
Lauren decided to follow her friend's example and drop the intense mood in favor of sweets. She bounced and launched herself off the bed, grabbing Bo's hand and leading them down to the kitchen and the refrigerator, where there was, hopefully, plenty of ice-cream.
The next day – Monday – was one of the busiest for Lauren, and she didn't have much chance to catch up with Bo at school other than to confirm that the older brunette will be tacking a few of her things over to her mom's new place right after school. Bo seemed resigned to the idea of spending time with her mother, so when later that evening Lauren's aunt brought in the phone again into her room and told her it was Bo, Lauren did not expect the exuberant tone from the other end of the line.
"Oh my god, Lauren, you should see this place, it's freaking awesome!" Bo gushed in lieu of hello.
A little lost for words, Lauren could only come up with "Huh?"
"This place, it's a mansion!" Bo continued, undeterred. "But not like a stuffy old mansion, more like a house of a rock star! It's great for parties, and mom says we can have one tonight. The caterers are on the way. Do you want to come?"
Lauren glanced at the clock then back at the open text book in front of her. "I think it's kind of late, Bo, and I have a lot of homework to finish. Maybe another time?" She didn't want to disappoint her friend, but the practical side of her had won over.
Bo didn't seem too upset by the rejection, to Lauren's relief. "No worries, with a place like this, I image we'll have a few more parties in the near future. I'll call some others; see you tomorrow at school, Lauren." She hung up, her voice just as chipper at the end as it was at the beginning of the conversation.
The following day Lauren saw Bo at the cafeteria, sitting with her usual crowd.
Lauren was just walking through the large room, on her way to buy some tea, when she saw a few other kids come up to Bo and chat with her briefly before walking away. Her tea in hand, Lauren walked over to where Bo was sitting.
"Hey Lauren, busy tonight? I'm having another party." She waved at a few kids that had walked by, giving her thumbs up. "A few people showed up last night and we had a blast, so we are doing it again today."
"I don't know." Lauren furred her eyebrows and pinched her lips, something about the invitation raising flags in her mind.
"Well, here's the address, if you change your mind." Bo handed her a business card that was blank on one side and had an address printed on the other. Lauren tucked it away, and before she could say anything else someone was elbowing her to move along. She stepped to the side and her space was immediately taken up by another kid, who was obviously interested in the address. She gave Bo an apologetic shrug and mouthed "see yah," before moving off.
School, then her college courses had quickly swallowed up her attention, and she didn't give the card or the party another thought until the next week, when she once again found herself in the cafeteria. She followed a couple of students through the doors, eavesdropping on their conversation. They caught her attention when they started discussing a house with a room that was just like a dance floor in a typical club while standing by the lockers next to hers, so she trailed after them. When they entered the cafeteria, it was buzzing with activity. Lauren once again saw that most of the student traffic passed by Bo's table, with students stopping to say a few words before moving on. Like a moth to the flame, she was drawn in, and soon found herself behind a tall boy who was standing next to Bo, telling her that he had a great time and was looking forward to coming back for another party.
When Lauren finally stood next to Bo, she noted that her friend's eyes looked tired and bloodshot, and there was a very large coffee cup in front of her.
Bo smiled in greeting. "Half this damn school showed up last night. Some didn't leave until the morning. You're missing out, Lauren." She looked happy, but couldn't suppress a large yawn at the end.
"You look tired." Lauren noted the obvious. "How are things with your mother?" She changed the topic, knowing that Bo had moved into the house to repair that relationship.
"Mom's great! She's totally laid back and doesn't fret about anything."
Lauren had noticed that it was the first time Bo referred to the woman who gave her birth as a 'mom' instead of a 'mother'. She hoped it meant that they were getting along. Maybe she should find the time to visit and meet this woman, she thought to herself.
"I'm glad to hear that." She told her friend. "I'll try to stop by and see you tonight." She moved on, very cognizant of a long line of students behind her, waiting to talk to Bo. The situation with Bo's mother was far more intriguing than a mere party, and Lauren resolved to make an appearance as soon as possible.
The house Bo's mother had rented was in one of the more upscale neighborhoods, and was hard to reach by bus. Luckily, Lauren had a sizable allowance these days, thanks to wining the science fair. The first prize came with a large check, and aunt Ashley deposited a portion of it into Lauren's account. So when Lauren hailed a cab and told the cabby where she was going, she was happy to have that as an option.
When she was dropped off at her destination, Lauren had to admit the house and the grounds looked very impressive. She noted that others were arriving and recognized some as the kids she'd seen in the school cafeteria or in her classes. The other arrivals were dropping off their cars with a valet service and heading in trough the main entrance. Lauren followed them in, finding the inside just as posh as the outside.
She walked by a darkened room with a dozen or so kids dancing to a techno beat. Continuing farther in, she saw more rooms and more kids. In one room, a group of teenagers was sitting around on large sofas, smoking and chatting. In another, several boys were playing pool. She recognized one of them as Dyson and walked in, looking around for Bo.
Her friend wasn't there, but when she turned around to leave, Lauren run into someone who came up right behind her. The young, attractive woman in black and white server outfit expertly rebalanced the tray she was holding before any food tumbled over. The woman apologized (although Lauren was sure the near miss was entirely her fault) and offered her some food. Lauren looked over a selection, and grabbed something that looked like a stuffed leaf, before moving on in search of her friend. She munched on the food on her way and found it very tasty.
A man walked by her in a hallway, dressed casually in a t-shirt and jeans. He was by far the oldest person Lauren met thus far. She felt him giving her a once-over, and tough it felt more clinical than creepy, she still started to fidget, adjusting her school uniform. She didn't think to change before dropping off her back pack and leaving the house, and when she thought about it now, she realized she looked very different than the girls she had seen partying thus far.
"How old are you?" The man asked, sans pleasantries.
Lauren furred her eyebrows, wondering why she was being asked that particular question. "Fourteen."
Before she could say anything else, the man raised his arms in agitation, shouted "Seriously?!" and walked away.
Lauren watched him go for a minute, wondering about the exchange, then shrugged and moved down the hall to the next room. That's where she saw Bo, sitting on a couch opposite from a man and a woman. Lauren recognized the woman as Bo's mother, but she couldn't place the young man sitting next to her. She walked in, knocking at the door to get Bo's attention, though she didn't think she was interrupting anything – all three room occupants were sitting in complete silence.
When Bo looked up and saw Lauren, she waved her over, her movements sloppy.
"Lauren, you came!" Bo greeted in a strange tone of voice, elongating some vowels seemingly at random. "Put up a couch!"
"Huh?" Lauren moved closer, sure she misheard.
"I mean, pull up a couch!" Bo tried again, but Lauren was still confused.
"I'm sorry, what?"
Bo, tired of having to explain, just grabbed Lauren by the arm and pulled until the blonde girl was seated on the couch next to her friend. Bo smiled down at her, her smile as sloppy as her wave was. The room smelled a little weird, and Lauren wondered if maybe Bo had been smoking pot before she came in. Leaving her friend to lounge boundlessly next to her, she turned instead to the older woman and her companion. The man looked way too young to be Bo's father, Lauren decided after a moment of observation. "Hi, I'm Lauren," she introduced herself.
"Aife, I'm Bo's mother." The older woman answered. The man didn't react to Lauren, or to anything else, until Aife put a hand on his check to get his attention. "Darling, why don't you fetch us some wine? You remember what I like?" She spoke softly, like to a child. The young man nodded and grinned, getting up a little clumsily and leaving the room.
"So, Lauren," Aife turned her attention back to the teenager. "Do you go to school with Bo?"
"Yes, ma'am, we have English Lit together."
"Ma'am?" Aife chuckled. "Just call me Aife."
Lauren nodded, but didn't know what else to say. Socially awkward at best of times, she felt ill prepared for small talk with Bo's mother. She looked over at Bo, but her friend was silent next to her, her head tipped back on the couch cushions. Turing back, she saw Aife was quietly observing her, giving no indication she had anything to add to the conversation. Silences, in general, made Lauren uncomfortable, and this time was no exception.
If she were brave, she would ask the woman why she was out of her daughter's life for so long, or how long she was planning on staying, but Lauren wasn't that brave.
There was a commotion in the hallway just outside of their room, and Lauren was temporally thankful for the distraction, until she saw her old nemesis, Clio, stumble into the room with another girl from Bo's soccer team. The two giggled and headed straight for Aife.
"We ran out." The girl whose name Lauren couldn't remember told Bo's mother, who reached into a purse and came up with a shiny cigarette case, handing it over with a smile. The girl gripped the case and started to move back out of the room, pulling Clio with her, but that's when the older girl noticed Lauren. She looked at Lauren's button-down shirt, vest and pressed pants.
"Oh, Dauren! I mean Lauren!" Clio greeted, cackling.
"You are so baked…" her friend murmured, trying to pull Clio out of the room, but the older girl refused to budge, still looking at Lauren.
"You are such a dike!" She stopped to think for a moment, eyebrows furrowed so severely it looked comical. "No. I mean a dork!" Another pause had followed, and her face split in a smile. "No, I meant both!" She finished triumphantly, as if she resolved a great puzzle.
Lauren was stunned by the vitriol directed at her, but she wasn't sure what would be an appropriate response, considering that, although mean, Clio wasn't exactly wrong. She felt movement from next to her and realized that Bo had not missed the little greeting.
Bo pushed herself off the couch, and stumbled over to Clio, punching her in the face when she was close enough. Clio felt backwards until her back hit the wall, where she slid down, holding both hands to her face. Lauren thought she saw a trickle of blood come out from underneath the clenched hands.
The other teammate had rushed over to Clio, pulling her hands off to examine the damage. There was some blood that Lauren could clearly see now trickling down from a nostril, but otherwise Clio looked all right. Lauren guessed that in her inebriated state, Bo's punch lacked its usual 'oomph' factor.
The two teammates had staggered out of the room, Clio leaning heavily on her friend. Bo returned back to her couch, choosing to say nothing, and resumed her repose.
Aife, however, had been looking at Lauren with a new interest. Between Aife's staring and Bo's comatose calmness, Lauren didn't know which way to turn. She felt like crying, the words of a stupid girl cutting her deeper than she thought possible. While she was never liked by most, this was the first time Lauren felt hated by another person, and it was disconcerting how much this knowledge hurt.
Deciding she's had enough for one evening, Lauren got up and left the room, not looking back or saying goodbye. She made her way outside as quickly as she could, flagging the nearest valet kid and asking if he could call a taxi for her. The young man clicked on his walky-talky and spoke into it for a minute, before turning back to Lauren. "It's pulling up now" he pointed to a yellow cab that was indeed coming to a stop at the entrance at exactly that moment. They must have had a couple of them on hand, ready to take partygoers home. Lauren didn't ask more questions, she climbed into the cab and told the cabbie her home address.
When she was safely dropped off at her place, Lauren shuffled into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of water.
"Lauren?" aunt Ashley followed her niece in, noting her dejected posture.
"Have you ever had someone hate you?" Lauren asked without turning back. "Really hate you?" She pressed both arms against the sink, feeling her whole body tremble with grief and pain.
"Lauren, baby, what happened?" aunt Ashley wrapped Lauren into a tight embrace, rocking her slightly from side to side. Lauren didn't answer. She turned around and buried her face in her aunt's chest and let the tears finally fall.
Back at the mansion, Bo was finally coming down from her high. She was alone in the room, and when she felt stable enough to walk about, she went in search of a familiar face. She saw her mother in a study, powering up her computer.
"Mom?" She walked in, perching on the desk. "Did Lauren leave?"
"Some time ago, I believe." Aife replied, looking up at her daughter. "This Lauren, she's a friend of yours?" Getting a nod from Bo, she went on. "She seemed… insipid, darling. Are you sure she's worth the effort?"
"Mom, you don't know anything about her." Bo defended her friend.
It was Aife's turn to nod. "Very well. And this other girl? The one you punched? What's her name?"
"Clio. We're on a same soccer team, and she has it in for Lauren since they met, though I thought I made it clear she should leave the kid alone." Bo mumbled angrily.
"So this is not the first time you confronted Clio?"
Bo shook her head. "But it will be last when I see her next time." She promised.
Aife smiled, petting her daughter on the arm. "No need, darling, I'll take care of it." Bo raised an eyebrow, curious, and waited for her mother to go on. "If at first you don't succeeded, do not try the same thing again." Aife explained, though Bo still had no idea what her mother had planned. But Aife was a very capable woman, she could tell from being around her for just a few days, and so she resolved to leave the matter in her mother's hands for the moment.
"OK, I'm starving, I'll see you later." She said and left in search of one of many servers roaming the halls with trays of food.
The next day at school Lauren caught with Bo by her locker. "Hey, Bo." She greeted. She took in her friend's bedraggled state and tired eyes. "You alight?"
"Yeah, sure, just a bit tired." Bo confessed, trying, unsuccessfully, to smooth out the wrinkles in her shirt.
"Maybe you can get some rest tonight." Lauren offered timidly.
"Nah. We are getting the pool and Jacuzzi serviced today. So come on by the house after school and bring the bathing suit."
Another student, walking by them at that moment, stopped when she heard Bo mention the pool. "Is it on for tonight?" She asked Bo, a huge smile on her face.
"Yeah, spread the word." Bo told the girl. "Heated pool and Jacuzzi are open tonight!" The two of them high-fived each other and the girl run off to share the news with her friends.
Lauren was starting to get concerned for her friend. Was she getting enough sleep? Was she doing her homework? She was about to ask, but another group of students walked up to them and soon she found herself separated from Bo by several rows of people. She let out a sign and turned to leave, but was stopped by a familiar face.
"Hi Lauren!" Ciara waved to someone in the crowd that was forming around Bo that she will be right there, then looked back at her friend. "Have you seen Clio today?" When Lauren shook her head, Ciara clapped her hands in glee. "She's wearing an inch of concealer to cover up the bruise on her nose! Do you know anything about how she got it?"
"Unfortunately, yes." Lauren admitted, though it pained her to be talking about it still. She spent a long time crying last night, and though she refused to tell her aunt the whole story, she wasn't really in the mood to tell it to anyone else either.
"Why don't you tell me about it tonight? Are you coming to Bo's?" Ciara asked, not picking up on Lauren's dark mood.
"Possibly." Lauren answered, not ready to commit. Ciara looked like she was itching to go join a large group still surrounding Bo, but Lauren wasn't ready to let her go just yet. "Hey, I meant to ask you – you have a couple of classes with Bo - how's she doing?"
Ciara gave the question its due consideration. "Do you mean since the start of the year or since her mom came to town?" She attempted to clarify. When Lauren shrugged to indicate she was interested in any information her friend had, Ciara put a hand on her shoulder to guide her away from the group of students. When they had a bit of privacy, she gave Lauren a knowing look. "She hasn't turn in any homework since week before last, and earlier today she bombed the pop quiz in History. I'm sitting a row behind her, I saw she left most of the questions blank when we were turning it in." She whispered. "Do you think she's… in trouble?"
"I don't know." Lauren answered honestly. "But I worry about her." They were interrupted by the bell, but exchanged a glance before parting ways to let the other know they'll be keeping an eye on their wayward friend.
Despite her reservations, Lauren decided to return to the house Bo was staying at once more that evening. Almost as soon as she stepped over the threshold, she was approached by the man who asked for her age the night before.
"Are you Lauren?" he questioned, blocking her path.
Lauren nodded.
"I'm Hank. I'm a concierge doctor Aife hired."
"Is someone sick? Is Bo OK?" Lauren asked, concerned.
"Relatively speaking, everyone's OK." Hank could tell that Lauren didn't know what a concierge doctor was. He worked on retainer for a select group of individuals, typically the rich and the elite, providing medical services for things that those who hired him wanted to keep private, including dealing with drug use or underage drinking. For Aife, he was a glorified babysitter, there to make sure no one overdosed, or to render immediate aid if someone had.
"Bo is actually why I'm here. She asked that I keep an eye on you." He continued. As the only person who was reliably sober, he was the best for the job.
Lauren bristled at the notion that she needed a babysitter, but the man was there to do a job, so he didn't need to be on the receiving end of her displeasure. "OK. I'll see you around." She told him and went in search of her friends. Walking by the billiard room, she saw most of the gang - Dyson, Ciara, Nadia and Hale. They welcomed her into their ranks and she sat on a bar stool watching while they finished up their game.
Back at the entrance of the house, Clio was walking in with a few of her friends. They were greeted by young man dressed in the server's uniform. He addressed Clio directly.
"Miss, Aife would like a word with you in her study. Would you follow me?" He requested politely and offered her his elbow. Clio winked at her friends and put her hand on the man's arm, allowing him to lead her into the house.
Aife was already seated at the desk when Clio came in. She turned to the server who stood at the threshold, awaiting further instructions. "Find my daughter and ask her to join us." She requested, giving the young man a charming smile. The server visibly blushed and half-bowed before leaving the room.
"Men think they are wild animals, but with just a right look, they are willing to eat out of your hand." Aife noted. Clio looked like she was ready to eat out of her hand as well. Aife had that effect on people. They – both man and women, rich and poor, elite and lowlifes - were swept up by her charisma, her sex appeal, her defiance of social norms, and her ability to get around any obstacle. This was a woman who got what she wanted, did what she wanted, fucked who she wanted, and never felt bad about any of it.
It wasn't long before Bo came in, her step faltering briefly when she saw Clio standing in the middle of the study.
"Mom?" She looked over at the older woman. Aife sat relaxed yet perfectly poised in her chair.
"Ah, darling. Good of you to join us." Aife smiled at her daughter. "Now that we are all here, Clio, there is something I wanted to show you." She handed the folder to Clio, who took it, intrigued.
Inside where several photos of a young woman and several pages that were typed up on legal stationary.
"What's that?" Clio asked, confused. Bo was looking at the contents over her shoulder, and both looked up at Aife wondering what they were looking at.
Aife smiled, and this time it looked predatory. "Clio, darling, I did some research. Your father is Alfred Powning, a bestselling author of several novels." Clio nodded, her father's fame being a common knowledge among the friends.
"You see, "Aife continued, "I know you have a great deal of money, and you may think that having this money gives you power." Aife spoke serenely. "You are mistaken." She paused to let her words sink in. "Money is transient - here today, gone tomorrow. Real power comes from information. Let me prove it to you." Her calmness was hypnotizing, and Clio stood speechless.
Aife pointed at the pictures clutched in Clio's hand. "This here is Savanah. She's a 23-year-old former model who sued your father several years ago for having sex with her when she was underage. She didn't go to the police, since what she really was after was money, and she had enough evidence that your father's lawyer convinced him to pay to settle out of court. He paid her 3 million dollars to go away and never bother him again. The settlement came with a gag order, but I think Savanah could be persuaded to talk now. It's amazing how quickly 3 million dollars and then some can be spent, and Savanah wasn't very smart about who she turned to for loans when your father's money ran out.
"When this story goes public," Aife continued, uninterrupted, "how many other girls do you think will come out with a similar story? Thee? Eight? A dozen?" She asked, though her question was clearly rhetorical. "In no time at all, your father will find himself on the wrong end of at least half a dozen civil lawsuits, as well as state prosecution, for sleeping with underage girls. Being a convicted sex offender is not good for business. The publishing company will drop him. The suits and legal fees will drain all your money. Even if he can avoid jail, you'll be left with nothing."
Clio's expression went from angry to frightened. She wanted to flee the room, but Bo had inadvertently boxed her in between herself and her mother, and even if she could break free, she wasn't sure her legs would carry her at the moment. So she stood, rooted in front of Aife who was unrelenting in her delivery.
"That's how quickly things could turn. So you see, my dear Clio, information is the only real power in this world." Aife gracefully rose from her chair and approached the two girls. Standing directly in front of Clio, she made sure the teenager heard every word. "I know how to get information. And if I have to go up against your father, or any other rich, entitled, self-absorbed bastard, I will always win." She emphasized the last part. "Do you understand me?"
Clio felt her whole body vibrate as if it was being tuned. "What do you want?" She barely squeezed past chattering teeth.
"Don't ever give my daughter any more trouble." Aife said in the same calm voice she used all evening. It had the desired effect, she could see by looking at the teenager.
Clio didn't realize her hands were shaking until she dropped the folder she'd been holding. The photograph spilled out onto the floor and Clio jumped when one rebounded off of a desk leg and came sliding towards her feet.
"Yes! I'm sorry! I understand! I'm sorry!" She ran out of the room, not looking back.
Aife turned to Bo who was watching her former friend depart with amusement. "And that's how we take care of a problem once and for all." She put a hand on Bo's shoulder, and the girl turned to face her mother.
"Thanks mom." She said, sincerely grateful for the help and the lesson.
Out in the hallway, Clio, eager to leave the house and never come back, collided with Lauren, who was once again roaming the house in search of her friend. Clio was white as a sheet, and Lauren felt a pang of sympathy for the older girl. But before she could ask if she was OK, Clio's face stretched into a smile that looked more like a grimace.
"Lauren! How good to see you." She said, unusually cordial.
Lauren was at a loss at how to react. "Ah, hi. How are you?" She said taking a step back and wondering if she should go get Hank. Something was clearly wrong with the older girl.
"Great! Just great! You look lovely today." Clio continued, giving an admirable attempt to make nice with the little geek.
"Thanks" Lauren drawled, still eyeing Clio suspiciously.
Just then the door to the study had opened and Bo came out. Clio saw her and hurried to make her exit, running past Lauren at full sprint. Lauren watched her make it almost to the door before she was halted by Hank who shoved her roughly against the wall. He immediately produced a small light and pointed it into each of Clio's eyes while holding her wriggling body to the wall with one hand. It dawned on Lauren that Hank was checking to see if Clio was high on something, and she was glad for his presence in the house.
She turned away from the scene when she felt Bo's presence just behind her. The brunette girl was smiling wide and Lauren couldn't help an answering smile.
"My mom is the evil genius!" Bo informed her friend, raising both arms in invitation for high-five.
Lauren looked from Bo's face to the raised arms and back, uncertain what was expected of her. After a moment, Bo lowered her arms, smirking at her friend's lack of knowledge on social cues.
"Is that a good thing?" Lauren inquired, wondering if 'evil genius' was a better moniker than 'mad scientist' that Bo called her at times.
"It is in this case." Her friend supplied. "Come on, let me show you the house." She grabbed Lauren's arm and led her inward.
They walked past one of the sitting rooms and Lauren paused, indicating she wanted to go in. Lauren thought this was a good place to talk to her friend about her concerns, so she turned to Bo as soon as they were settled. "Bo, I'm happy you are getting along with your mom and getting to know her, but you look so tired at school every day. Maybe you can spend a few days at home, catch up on rest and homework." She said gently.
Bo was not pleased with Lauren's meddling, her mood souring instantly. "I'm fine, I don't need anything from home."
Lauren didn't see how upset her friend was getting, so she tried to reason with her. "Your schoolwork is getting affected, and we are just a week before midterms." She pointed out.
Bo was truly mad now. Her euphoria from just a few minutes ago was completely gone, wasted on the silliest thing ever – school work.
"Lauren, there are more important things than school." She seethed. "I'm finally learning something about my mother, and she's amazing! Trick never told me anything about her. I just assumed she left because she didn't want to be my mother, but now I think she left because she didn't want to be Trick's daughter!"
Lauren was taken aback. She met Trick several times and thought him to be a kind, gentle, stable, level-headed person and a great parental figure for Bo. Aife, in contrast, seemed volatile and aloof, with questionable parental tactics.
She had only briefly met the woman, so it would be wrong to make a judgment, but she felt compelled to defend Trick. "Trick raised you, Bo."
"So he did. Whatever." Bo dismissed. "Did you know that he never left town in all my memory? We never left this town! And Aife has been everywhere, done so many things." She felt the anger bubbling just under the surface the longer this conversation went on. Why didn't Lauren understand that her mom was a million times cooler than Trick; smarter, funnier, more successful. She was someone Bo wanted to emulate, and she never felt this way about her grandfather. "When she leaves town, I'm going to go with her, Lauren."
"Bo, no!" Lauren cried out. "What about school? And Trick? And Dyson and your friends?" She implored the older teen.
"You are thinking so small, Lauren. Maybe mom was right, and we don't really have much in common." Bo rose up off the couch and stomped out of the room, leaving the bewildered Lauren behind.
Heartbroken, Lauren decided to head home. Her own homework was waiting, mostly untouched. Maybe she would wake up tomorrow and things would be back to normal, she thought glumly.
The next day at school Lauren waited for Bo by her locker, but the older girl never showed. At lunch time, she went to the cafeteria, hoping she'd find her there, but she wasn't at her usual table or in line for food. Her last hope was that she would at least see her friend in a class they had together later that day. She saw Lachlan and Nadia at one of the tables and headed towards them. A moment after she sat down, Dyson appeared at their table and sat across from Lauren. Since Dyson wasn't friends with Lachlan or Nadia, and only socialized with Lauren when Bo was around, the young blonde was surprised to see him.
"Hi Dyson, are you looking for Bo?" She asked him.
"No, she didn't come to school today." He said gruffly.
Lauren wondered if he blamed her for Bo's absence. "Do you know why?"
"I was hoping you could tell me."
So he was blaming her. "Dyson, I don't know what's going on with her."
Something was clearly changing in Bo. Late nights, skipping school, drinking and smoking pot, ignoring her boyfriend, ignoring her friends – Bo was spiraling, and the people who cared about her where being pulled into the vortex right along with her.
Dyson was shouting at her. "You're the only one she seems to care about lately, so why don't you do something about it, Lauren?" He smashed his palms on the dining table, rattling everyone's dishes. Lauren, unused to such outbursts, did a fine imitation of a turtle trying to retreat into its shell, except there were nowhere to go for her. Luckily, both Lachlan and Nadia took hold of the distraught Dyson and got him to sit back down.
"I can't lose her, Lauren." He wept. His words burned a hole through Lauren's insides.
"I'll talk to her, Dyson." She promised.
That's how she found herself in Bo's house for the third evening in the row. Hank waved at her when she came in, but stayed where he was, dealing with a blond boy who was arguing about tacking a cab home, though he could barely stand upright. It was late, and Lauren decided she should ask about Bo's whereabouts instead of looking for her all over the enormous house. The second person she asked told her she had seen Bo upstairs in the east wing. She went up the grand spiral staircase to the second floor and turned right to the east wing. She passed a few closed doors before coming up to one that was open. Looking in, she saw a couple making out just inside, standing in a way that neither of their faces was visible to Lauren. As she watched, the boy lifted his companion onto the dresser, her head thumping against a mirror. When it did, she turned her head and opened her eyes, and for a second her gaze met with Lauren's. With a jolt, she recognized the girl as Bo.
Lauren sputtered an apology and bolted as soon as the recognition finished processing in her mind. While she was not adverse to observe the anonymous couple for a few minutes to assuage her curiosity, the thought of watching Bo – Bo! – in the same position was nauseating. She was happy her friend was reconnecting with Dyson, she just didn't want to be anywhere near them at the moment.
She ran down the stairs, her eyes and mind cloudy. The exit was in sight, and she was eager to be out of the house, when a voice that strangely didn't belong there stopped her.
"Lauren!" Dyson shouted from somewhere to her right. She froze. He walked towards her while scanning the crowd around them repeatedly, not yet noticing the confusion plainly visible on her face. "Have you seen Bo?" He asked, still not really looking at Lauren.
He finally did focus on her, when he received no answer from the blonde teen. "Lauren?" As she remained silent, he began to react to the look of panic on her face. "Lauren, what is it?" He asked, looking directly into Lauren's eyes.
"Ahh, nothing." Lauren stammered.
Lauren was never comfortable with lying. She had been training to be a scientist since she was very young, and science held a very uncompromising view on lying – science was about seeking the truths, and lying was akin to heresy.
Involuntarily, Lauren cut her eyes towards the room upstairs she just fled. Then back at Dyson. Her thoughts turned to Bo and how she looked making out. With someone other than Dyson.
He probably read her look, because he sprinted up the stairs and to the right without asking any more questions. Lauren hesitated for a minute, but decided to follow. She was just reaching the top of the stairs when she heard the unmistakable sounds of fist hitting flesh. When she reached the room, she saw Bo and Dyson standing several feet apart, screaming at each other. The other boy was sitting against the wall, both hands pressed up against his nose that was bleeding profusely.
"You don't own me!" Bo was shouting. "I can make out with anyone I want!"
Dyson was shouting something back, but Lauren wasn't listening to him. She was watching Bo, who abruptly turned towards Lauren, training her gaze at the younger teen instead.
"Did you tell him?" She demanded.
"No!" Lauren exclaimed. She felt tears drop and was surprised to find herself crying. Everything was unraveling and she didn't know how to stop it. Bo and Dyson, Bo and her – all the strings were breaking now.
"No, she didn't tell me." Dyson spoke up, still glaring at Bo, more so now that she was no longer engaging in their spat. "You think I wouldn't have found out?"
Bo's had enough of it all. "Get out!" She barked out. "Both of you, get out!" She looked from Dyson to Lauren and back again.
There wasn't much more to say after that, so they both left. Both, but not together.
X
The following day was Friday, and Lauren dreaded going to school for a first time in a long time. But not going was not an option, so she pulled herself together, eating breakfast and making small talk with her aunt before boarding the school bus. She could think of little else than the events of the several previous evenings. She wondered if Bo would come to school today, and if she had, if she would talk to her when they saw each other. Lauren couldn't help but remember the last time Bo and her were on the outs, and how much it hurt to have the older girl ignore her day after day.
Her questions were partially answered when saw Bo in the cafeteria at her usual table during lunch. She noted that Dyson was sitting with Hale at a table that was farthest out from them. He sat with his back to Bo's table, and even from the distance Lauren could tell he looked haggard.
Bo, on the other hand, was laughing loudly, surrounded by a large group of kids who all laughed with her. Always a popular kid, it seemed Bo was more popular now than ever.
Lauren turned away and went to join Ciara and others at their usual table. Her friends, like most other kids at school that day, were discussing something or other that happened at Bo's party, and Lauren found she couldn't stand to listen another word of it. So she made her excuses and left the table in search of a quiet place where she could catch up on her homework.
Just before the end of the lunch hour, as she hurried to her lesson, she saw Bo coming out of the bathroom. She was by herself, which was quite rare since the start of last week. Taking a deep breath for courage, Lauren approached her friend.
"Bo, I…" She swallowed the lump of nervousness and tried again. "Can we talk? I hate how things ended between us last night."
"Are you going to lecture me again about what I'm doing with my time – my time –" she repeated for empathies, "Lauren?"
"No, no lectures." Lauren shook her head.
"What then?" Bo asked, impatient.
"I … " Lauren tried again, but stopped when she realized what she was about to say could be perceived as a tacit reprimand. So she opted for something she hoped would be neutral. "How are you doing?"
Bo let out a sigh and rolled her eyes. "God, Lauren, you're so boring!" She moved past Lauren and kept walking until she reached her classroom, not looking back.
Lauren choked on a sob.
She stood on the same spot for some time, not noticing the passage of time. It was probably half way through the period when she shook herself from the stasis her body was in. Going to the class was pointless now, so she took her things and went home. Home, where she could bury herself in her science and maybe, just maybe, talk to her aunt about what she could do to get through to her friend once again.
Time flew quickly, and Lauren found herself rubbing her tired eyes more than once that evening. But concentrating on something other than Bo was helping, so she once more bent over her microscope, inserting another slide in, when the door to her room opened and her aunt walked in, phone in hand.
Lauren's heart skipped a beat, the scene reminiscent of one from more than a week ago when Bo called, wanting to talk to her friend and share a root beer float with her. "Is it Bo?" she asked hopefully.
"No, it's Trick."
"Trick?" Worried now, Lauren took the offered phone quickly. "Hello?"
"Hi Lauren. I'm sorry to be calling so late. I just wanted to tell you – Bo has left." Trick's voice was quivering. The older man was on the verge of tears.
"What do you mean, she left?" Lauren shouted, jumping off the chair and nearly colliding with her aunt who remained standing by her desk. "Where did she go?"
"I don't know. She left with her mom, I guess."
"How do you know?" Lauren kept probing, refusing to believe Bo would do that.
"She left me a note." Trick murmured.
It was true, then, Lauren thought. Bo had left. "Did she leave me a note?" She asked, subdued. "Did she leave one for Dyson?" She felt tears once again streak down her face and didn't bother to hide them now.
"No." Trick's voice was barely above a whisper.
She was sobbing now, pressing the phone to her chest. Aunt Ashley either heard or guessed what was going on, so she didn't ask any questions, just rubbed gentle circles into Lauren's back. When Lauren had a grip on her emotions again, she brought the phone back to her ear.
"What does your note say, Trick."
She herd through the phone a piece of paper being unfolded and smoothed over.
"It says," he began, every bit as emotional as Lauren, "Grandpa, I love you. Thank you for everything. I'm leaving with mom. Love, Bo."
"Have you tried calling her?"
"She left her cell on the top of the note."
Lauren clicked off the phone with numb fingers, and sat it on the desk. Everything, everything was falling apart. There was a noise, like a rushing river, ringing in her ears, black spots were dancing before her eyes, and just before everything went black, there was one last thought. I think I love her. And then she fainted.
To Be Continued...