The Long And Winding Road
Notes: Thanks to cutiepye06655 & almost-never (Welcome Back!) for the recent reviews. And special thanks to The Vampire Illiana, DaRkDrEaMeR23 & Fearless Dreamer for reviewing my work for the first time.
Chapter 22 -- The Mongoose & The Ear Biter
Monday at DCS, the bell rang at five minutes before noon. Some students would head to their next classes while others would have the next hour off for lunch. In Archie Simpson's classroom, most of the students began to leave. JT, who sat next to Emma, started packing up his things while Emma continued working.
"You're not going deaf are you, Emma?" JT asked.
"Huh?" Emma responded, distracted.
"Maybe you are," JT said laughing.
"What is it, JT?"
"That was the bell. Meaning time to go. Time to eat."
Emma looked up from her computer and toward her boyfriend.
"Oh. You'll have to go on without me today."
"But it's lunch, Emma. Don't you know that lunch is the most important meal of the day between breakfast and dinner? You know, not counting mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks."
"I want to do a little research this hour," she explained.
Simpson walked over toward the two of them.
"Sorry to interrupt, but did you say you're going to be in here for the next hour?"
"That's right," Emma replied.
"Then I'm going to go grab some lunch and be back in awhile. If anyone using the computers this hour has any difficulties and needs my help, you haven't seen me. You don't even know my name."
JT and Emma laughed.
"You know I like helping out my students, but it's nice to have an uninterrupted lunch every once in awhile. See you guys later."
Simpson walked out of the room just as Sean Cameron entered. Sean stopped at the door and looked on as JT and Emma continued talking. Meanwhile Liberty, who was about to leave, noticed Sean and frowned.
"Emma, you just gave a big presentation. Take a break."
"I know, but I haven't been keeping up with current events as well as I should. For example, take a look at this news story."
JT moved his chair closer to Emma's and looked at her computer screen.
"'Concord Man Arrested at Local Petting Zoo'" JT read.
"No, not that story."
"Hmm," JT continued while still looking at the screen. "It says he was caught trying to sexually molest a mongoose."
"I'm talking about the story to the right," Emma said.
"What kind of sick person goes around molesting mongeese?" JT asked, still not paying attention to the story Emma was talking about.
"Mongooses," Emma corrected.
"What?"
"The plural of mongoose. It's mongooses."
"Wait, so all those people who talk about flocks of geese are wrong? It's really gooses?"
"No, JT. It's geese for goose and mongooses for mongoose."
"And you wonder why I ask your help with English papers?" he joked. "Who comes up with this stuff?"
Sean smiled as he listened in on the conversation. Liberty started to leave and met Sean at the door.
"They're good together, don't you think?" Sean commented to Liberty.
"Yes. They are. What are YOU doing here?"
"Uh, I'm planning to get some of my homework out of the way during lunch. Like I usually do."
"I'm keeping my eye on you, Cameron," she warned. "So don't do anything stupid."
"Always nice talking to you too, Liberty," Sean responded as she was walking out the door.
"Can I show you the story now?" Emma asked JT.
"Sure, but you've already given your presentation so it's really too late to worry about what music is most soothing to a nearly molested mongoose."
"Not THAT story! This one." Emma pointed to the story she was referring to. "It says that VCC Chemical is buying a large chunk of land on the outskirts of town. Just what we need, another chemical plant to pollute the area."
"See, you don't need to study the computer. You could have just asked me."
"JT, don't tell me YOU'VE been keeping up with this story. No offense."
"VCC is the company my dad's coming back to town for next week."
"You mean, this is the property deal he's helping finalize?"
"You got it."
"Your father and I really ARE going to have lots to talk about next week," Emma said with a sarcastic tone.
"Never mind about him, Emma. He's unimportant."
Emma took JT's hand.
"Now THAT'S how I like to hear my favorite guy talk."
"You sure you won't come to lunch?"
"I'd love to, JT, but I really want to do some more browsing."
"Want me to bring you back anything so you don't starve?" he then offered.
"No thanks. I've got an apple and a banana in my bag."
"Okay," JT replied, "but that only takes care of two of the major food groups."
"What?"
"Your fruit group and your, uh, your red and your yellow colors food group. But don't worry, I'll bring you back some potato chips and a cookie so you'll have your vegetable group and your chocolate group covered."
Sean laughed slightly while watching this exchange.
"You think of everything, don't you?" Emma said, rolling her eyes.
"That's my job," JT answered.
"See you in about an hour?"
"You got it, Emma."
They kissed. Afterward, JT moved his chair back in front of his computer, stood up and turned around to leave.
"I guess Liberty went on to lunch," JT commented.
"Yeah, she left just a moment ago," Sean responded, walking on into the room. "Hey JT."
"Sean."
"How's it going?"
"I guess that would depend on what the 'it' is that you're asking about."
"Uh, life, I guess. You know. It's just an expression."
"Oh. Okay. I just wouldn't want to answer the wrong question, Sean. Isn't that why you bit that kid's ear off that time?"
"What?"
"What does one taste like anyway? An ear. Would it taste like chicken? Maybe like one of those mongeeses. Did you know, Sean, that there's some guy in Concord who's been arrested for trying to molest one? A mongoose geese. Not an ear."
"JT, I never bit off that kid's ear. I just deafened him in one ear."
JT raised an eyebrow.
"Okay, I don't mean I 'just' deafened him as though it was no big deal," Sean clarified. "It was a very big deal."
"I was sure you bit it off. Guess I heard wrong or just didn't remember right. Oh well, either way, some guy's wandering around going 'Huh' half of the time. But I kid."
"No problem."
Emma continued to sit looking at her monitor trying not to start laughing as she was listening to this conversation.
"So, how's the movie business these days?" Sean asked JT, hoping to change the subject. "Show any interesting films lately?"
"A few. How's life at the auto repair shop these days? Steal any interesting spare parts lately?"
"Afraid not," Sean laughed. "But then you know that."
"Oh, that's right. You're on the straight and narrow now. I keep forgetting. Which is silly of me because you're no longer wearing that ski cap and the hooded jacket. Maybe it's the clothing that determines our choices in life."
"You never know."
"So this straight and narrow racket you got going on…hope that's working out for you."
"It is."
"That's good, Sean. But at least you have a solid background in larceny to fall back on if the whole honesty thing gets too boring for you."
"Good to know you're looking out for me, JT."
"Hey, I'm always here to help. Well, I'm starting to get bored now, so if you'll excuse me I should get to lunch before Emma finds news of an otter with swine flu that she wants to tell us about. Oh, and Emma?"
Emma cleared her throat and, trying to keep a straight face, looked up at JT.
"Yes, JT?"
"Perfect presentation," he said simply and sincerely. "Told you it would be."
Emma smiled.
"Thanks. And thanks for all the encouragement, especially late last night. I'm sorry if I kept waking you up with all my phone calls."
"Wake me up?" JT asked, giving an obviously fake yawn that made Emma laugh. "Don't be silly."
"Now go," Emma urged, "before you tempt me to join you."
"Looks like she's onto me. I'd better go. I'll see you in a little while, Emma. Oh and Sean, always a pleasure talking to you."
"Likewise, JT."
JT rolled his eyes and walked out of the room. Sean then sat in front of the computer next to Emma's where JT had been sitting during class.
"Hi Emma."
"Hey Sean."
"Haven't seen you in here during lunch in awhile. It's almost like old times."
While JT put his book bag in his locker, Liberty approached him.
"Hey JT."
"Oh, there you are. Finished lunch already?"
"No, I figured I would wait and find out what happened."
"What happened with what, Liberty?"
"You saw Sean show up in there didn't you?"
"Yeah. What about it?"
"And Emma's still in there with him?"
"Yeah."
"JT, do you think that's a good idea? Shouldn't you be there in case Sean tries to hit on her?"
"I trust Emma."
"Of course. It's Sean that can't be trusted. Who knows what that guy is likely to do."
"Just a thought, but I'm guessing he'll do his homework. Or maybe steal a few pencils off Mr. Simpson's desk when nobody's looking. It's a toss-up."
"You're not worried that he's going to start trouble?"
"Sean doesn't have to start trouble," JT answered, shutting his locker. "He IS trouble. Look, Sean may be a lifelong screw-up, but Emma's forgiven him for hurting her in the past, so other than offering up the occasional clever insult, I stay out of it. He shares a couple of classes with me and Emma, so it's not like we don't run in to each other. The two of them in a room together is not something I'm going to get worked up about. And neither should you."
Just then, Manny walked up to them, and Liberty looked annoyed to see her.
"Hey guys," Manny greeted. "Going to lunch?"
"Hopefully, before the hour is over with," JT replied.
"Maybe YOU can talk some sense into him," Liberty said to Manny.
"What's going on?" Manny asked.
"JT left Emma alone in the M.I. lab with Sean," Liberty explained.
"JT, do you think that's a good idea?" Manny responded. "Shouldn't you be there in case Sean tries to hit on her?"
"You know," JT said, "for two people who dislike each other as much as you two do, you seem to be sharing one brain today. Emma is perfectly safe. I don't think Sean is gonna strip down and say 'Yo Emma, I'm here to get me some. So let's get it on.' Even with a history of biting ears off, I think that was only with guys. And that was a long time ago. These days, I think he'd just steal their earrings."
"I thought he deafened some guy," Manny commented. "Not bit an ear off."
"I'm sure we'll never know what really happened," JT told her. "Doesn't matter. Can we go to lunch now?"
"Sure," Liberty said.
The three start walking down the hall.
"Hey, I've got an idea," Manny offered. "One of us, or even all of us, could go back and keep an eye on things. From outside in the hall. They won't have to see us or know we're there, but we'll be able to see if anything's going on that shouldn't be going on."
"Spy on them?" JT asked.
"JT, you know I don't like the idea of agreeing with Manny about anything."
Manny rolled her eyes at Liberty's remark.
"But in this case," Liberty continued, "it might not be such a bad idea."
"Congratulations, ladies. You're both insane. Nobody is spying on anybody. Come on, we're going to lunch. I hear they're serving beef stew. Maybe today they're actually putting beef in it."
Back in Simpson's classroom, Emma and Sean continued to talk rather than work.
"You're right, Sean. It HAS been awhile since we were both in here during our free time. And like in those days, neither of us is exactly getting much accomplished so far. Sean, I hope you didn't get too mad about…well, you know."
"JT? No, I'm not mad at all. Everything's cool. Funny, really. Hey, he's talking to me at least, which is more than some people at this school do."
"Well, people have long memories," Emma reasoned. "If you weren't busy stealing, you were treating someone like a jerk with that tough guy routine of yours. You do that sort of thing for a couple of years and not everyone's going to forgive and forget. You found a way to pay back everyone you helped steal from, right?"
"Yeah. Took awhile, but I did it. And as for the people I was a jerk to, just about everyone that I was friends with before I started hanging out with Jay's crew has been willing to put it in the past."
"Then you've made amends. I'm proud of you."
"Thanks, Emma. And thanks again for eventually accepting my apology awhile back."
"Don't give me too much credit. I tried to hate you for a long time. But some things you just have to let go."
"Think you might mention that to JT? He's the only friend from before who I still haven't convinced that Gangster Sean is gone for good."
Emma laughed.
"What?" Sean asked.
"Sorry, Sean. It just sounded funny, all things considered."
"What's that?"
"Sean, I don't know what happened with your memory, but you and JT were never friends."
"Of course we were," Sean disagreed, surprised by her comment. "Remember? Me, him and Toby used to hang out together sometimes. I tried to look out for them."
"Okay, I suppose maybe you and Toby were friends. Sort of. And maybe JT happened to be there, too. But I wouldn't say that qualified the two of you as buddies. I know JT never thought the two of you were friends."
"I didn't know that."
"At least a couple of times I had to ask him not to despise you, which he agreed to as a favor to me."
"Because of how things fell apart for you and me?"
"Yeah," she confirmed. "Then once you add the stealing and treating everyone like garbage to make yourself look cool to your new pals, you can see why he might not be so quick to overlook your past."
"Yeah. I was an ass to him, same as I was to a lot of people. The ones who weren't friends before still look at me suspicious, if they notice me at all. Not that I've ever really cared what anyone thought of me."
"Yeah, right," Emma said sarcastically. "Which is why you tried to get along with my friends when we were going out. Why you did a lot of idiotic stuff to impress that thug Jay and his group of brain deficient weasels. Why you wanted to be sure people here knew you were trying to change your ways and be a nice, honest person again. And now why you're trying to make nice with JT. Face it, Sean, you've always wanted to have people in your life. You're a loner who hates being alone. The problem is you picked the wrong people, or didn't know what to do when you had access to the right people."
"Seems you're still the wisest person at Degrassi, Em. Which is still kind of infuriating."
Emma laughed.
"Anyway, I'm sure you'll convince JT sooner or later, Sean. After all, unlike Mr. Raditch, JT's not accusing you every time the least little thing goes wrong around the school."
"Yeah, Whenever Raditch hears that a paperclip has gone missing, I always end up in his office for questioning."
"I wouldn't worry about Mr. Raditch. You know nobody takes him serious."
"And JT?"
"He's using funny material on you, Sean, so he can't still think you're too miserable. And he didn't argue earlier in the year when I told him I'd decided to forgive you. He might end up being the last person you're able to make peace with, but don't give up. If Manny and I can find some common ground, anything's possible. He's not the kind of person to carry a grudge for very long, which in some ways is too bad considering what his father's like. Now that's a guy who deserves to have JT holding a permanent grudge."
"How did JT get the idea that I deafened that kid by biting his ear off?"
"I don't know. You know how the truth gets distorted through the gossip mill around here."
"True enough," Sean agreed. "So, you and JT... The crusader and the comedian. It looks like you two are doing okay together. Just so you know, I approve."
"That's good, because I've been lying awake every night hoping that you would give me your permission to date him."
"I just mean, I'm happy for you, Em. You deserve to be happy."
"Yeah, I DO, don't I", Emma smiled.
"I don't know if it's because you two were already friends or what, but I can tell he's had an effect on you. You're different."
"How so?"
"For one thing, you're so relaxed."
"You wouldn't say that if you had seen me stressing over my presentation the last few days."
"No, I mean in general. You don't seem so on edge. You've looked really happy these past few months."
"Weeks, Sean."
"Maybe technically. But really it's been months for the two of you."
"I suppose you're right about me being more relaxed. I'm certainly happier than ever. It really shows?"
"Yeah," Sean replied. "You definitely didn't look this happy or this relaxed when you were dating that dumbass Chris Sharpe."
Emma laughed.
"Or those two losers you dated last year."
"So you're happy for me?"
"Does that really matter to you, Emma?"
"Strangely, yes. After all, you were my first boyfriend. You're still a friend. And even though there were a lot of bad times – what with you taking me for granted and being so bitter sometimes – there was also a lot of good mixed in there."
"Then yes, I'm happy for you."
"And I'm glad you're putting your life back on track, Sean."
"What was that you were saying a moment ago about JT's dad?"
"Ugh. A true jerk. Their personalities are so different, you'd never know the two of them were related. And next week JT and I will have the displeasure of spending time with him over dinner."
"Maybe it won't be as bad as you think," Sean suggested.
Meanwhile, Nathaniel Yorke sat in his Winnipeg law office speaking on the phone to a detective he sometimes employed back when he was still working in Toronto.
"That's right," Yorke said. "I have another job for you. No, not for a new case. This is a personal matter. You know I'm coming back there a week from today for that deal. Right. Well I'm also going to be stuck spending that evening with my son and some little playmate of his.
"Now normally I wouldn't care who he's with or what he's doing, but he's made it clear to me that he's serious about this one. So I want to learn all I can about this girl. The name is Emma Nelson. Her background, what little I know of it, sounds abysmal. I don't want her hearing wedding bells in her future and thinking she can leech onto my son to get at my money, or even his money.
"I want you to do some digging around. Use some of those connections of yours. Check hospital records, police records, the usual. Even if she has an overdue library book, I want to know about it. Since my son is extremely trusting and not all that bright, I want to be able to show him tangible proof that this is not someone with whom he should associate. No, I don't want you to create any dirt if you can't find some. Even when it comes to personal business, I don't operate that way. This will all be above board. Is that understood?
"Oh, and find out some background information about that school they both attend, Degrassi Community School. I'll be paying a little unexpected visit there next Monday morning before my meetings to see what I can learn, and I want to be prepared. In fact, I'm sure I'll be the first person who's ever been in that school who learned something."