Sarah and I appear in the Arcadia entrance hall where I failed mum's memory.
"You can't be in here!"
I turn around to see an older woman with silvering hair marching towards us from the front door. Holding my hands up placatingly I say, "I'm sorry, this is the only part of Arcadia I remember. I'm meeting Victoria and Amy Dallon outside."
The woman points at a security camera at the back of the entrance hall, "I will accept that for now, but if you ever do this again I will report you to the PRT, whether you're a student or not. This is a school, not a battle ground for capes."
Sarah and I start walking out of the school, "Yes miss. I shouldn't need to do this again as I'll be leaving from the street."
═══════ ೋღ ღೋ ═══════
Once we get outside, a couple of kids notice us and suddenly a crowd of students that rush over from the waiting school buses. As I flinch and hunch down I realize that most of the girls are crowding around Sarah, it could just be that they've never seen a woman that's probably as strong as just about any man you could find outside the docks.
When I see Victoria looking over the crowd, and start to edge my way through the workers I smile as all the eyes remain on Sarah. That is until I get close enough that Victoria should have spotted me, and she's still looking into the crowd. I wave a plate of pie in front of her face, and frown as she takes it absently.
"Victoria, Victoria?"
I frown as she doesn't answer and keeps scanning the crowd. Looking around I spot Amy sitting on a bench, reading, a short way down the street. As I make my way over, I start to relax as I get away from the crowd, and the memories of being surrounded by Emma's posse while they batter me with insults. Sitting down I hand over the second plate of pie.
"Hey Amy, is your sister usually so inobservant?"
Amy glances up at Victoria still hovering slightly over the crowd while she's eating pie, before looking down at her own plate of pie, "Not really. Well, not unless she's just had a breakup with Dean and is too busy texting to pay attention."
I open my mouth to say something, and stop when Amy turns back to her book and balances the plate on her knee in a very practiced motion. After a few seconds I pull out my woodworking book and start to copy out some of the joints into my notebook.
While we're reading, one of the buses starts its engine, and the crowd of students all turn and hurry off to their respective buses. As I look over to see what's going on, Amy grabs my hand.
As I turn back, she says conversationally, "I hate you, you know that. You've got perfect genetics, absolutely no DNA damage, and your body fat is perfect, and absolutely everything is working textbook perfectly."
"Um, sorry?"
"It's also your fault I'm reading this damn book."
"Er, why?"
Amy looks up from her book, "Because you pointed out to Carol that I didn't know stuff. So I can't escape to the hospital and… forget it."
From the school, Victoria shouts, "Taylor, there you are."
I glance back and see Sarah walking over at the same time Victoria flies to catch up. Quickly I look back at Amy, "Amy, if you…"
Amy sarcastically says, "Need to talk, just say your name. I know."
Slightly taken aback, I say, "Um, I was going to say need an excuse to get out the house. My neighbor has a toddler, and she could probably use a baby sitter occasionally."
"Connor?"
I nod and turn back to Victoria, "Hi Victoria. Did you enjoy the pie."
Victoria looks down at the plate she's holding with a little confusion, "I did, but when did you give it too me. I was keeping an eye out."
From behind her Sarah chuckles, "Taylor was doing her hide from everything thing that she does while hunting."
I flush with embarrassment, "Sorry, I didn't realize I was."
I'm not sure, but Amy's tone sounds slightly apologetic as she says, "At least I got to eat my pie in peace. What meat was it?"
I shrug, "Red? It came from something I hunted at lunch time. Anyway, this is Sarah, my visible bodyguard while I'm wandering around the Docks. Sarah, these are Victoria and Amy, sort of friends."
Victoria puts her hands on her hips, "Hey! Less of the sort of!"
I shrug apologetically, "Sorry, I guess I don't really know…"
Victoria throws her arm over my shoulder, "Look, it's fine, we both know that you had trouble at school. So, what's this about a bodyguard?"
I wince, "I told you about Skidmark last week? This is the normal reaction, only last time it happened I thought that dad was working too much, which is why I was at uncle Alan's for a few weeks."
Sarah smiles, "Don't worry, I am well aware of the fact that I'm just decoration for Taylor. But we're talking about Merchants here, they're not exactly known for being rational."
Victoria turns around to look at Sarah, "So, Sarah. Well, that's not going to get confusing real quick."
Sarah shrugs, "Call me Big Sarah if you want, everyone else does."
Victoria nods, "You're certainly that, I didn't think women could get big like that."
"Most women don't work the docks with the men. You need the right muscles, and if you do it enough you develop them."
═══════ ೋღ ღೋ ═══════
After the third time Victoria asked me if I'd heard anything from her Aunt, I pull her to the rest room of the coffee shop we ended up in.
"Victoria, what's going on?"
"Can't you just call me Vicky like everyone else?"
I nod, "I can if you want, I didn't want to assume. But you're dodging the question."
Victoria raises her hands and looks around in frustration before slamming one fist into her other palm, "It's the same as yesterday. They're out there on patrol, and I have no way to know how they're doing. Mom's not going out tonight, but there were a few shootouts, and the ambulances won't go in without an escort, and the police only go in in force. And our stupid phones won't get here till Thursday."
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault, I just, Aarrgh! I need to be doing something and I can't."
I look at Victoria for a moment before I levitate my spear and staff out of my pouch. Handing the staff to her, I say, "Come on, I'll start teaching you how to use a spear. No flying for the moment, otherwise I'll start teleporting."
═══════ ೋღ ღೋ ═══════
After a pleasant few hours going through the basics of Selene's spear fighting training I return home with Sarah. I was obviously taking care not to go so fast that Victoria ran the risk of running out of resources. Not 30 seconds after Sarah closed the front door, the doorbell rings, so I stop my perusal of mum's books to check the door.
As I open the door Catlin waves, and so does Connor, so I smile, "Come on in."
Catlin nods and walks through the door, "Thank you. I need to be quick, because I've got food on."
I nod, "Are you sure?"
"I am, I was hoping that you could babysit Connor tomorrow, as I have a meeting at the Broadsheet as Emissary at 4:30."
I'm about to say yes, when it occurs to me that I never did give Amy Catlin's number. Pointing my finger towards the ceiling, I start putting the batteries into my phone. "Before I say yes. Would you be adverse to maybe seeing if Amy Dallon, you might know her better as Panacea, would be up for it instead."
Catlin narrows her eyes, "Why?"
I look away, "I think she doesn't have the happiest home life. She said something earlier, and…"
Catlin looks at me for a few seconds, "Not alone, at least not the first time. Once I've met her, we'll see what Selene says." When she sees me dialing, she adds, "I can pay $20 tomorrow, and you can split that with her."
I nod as Victoria picks up, "Hi Victoria, or would you prefer Vicky?"
Victoria sighs, "Stick with Victoria if you want. What's up?"
"Is your sister there, as I don't have her number."
"What? You don't want to talk to me? I'm hurt. Ame's Taylor's on the phone for you."
I almost say something, but the sound of the phone been handed over stops me. A couple of seconds later, Amy says, "Amy."
"Hi, um, you remember I mentioned babysitting earlier. Well, my neighbor wants me to babysit tomorrow afternoon. I suggested you, but she doesn't know you yet, so do you want to split the money and get to meet her?"
Amy sounds almost downcast as she says, "What time?"
I shake my head, "You don't have to, it was just a thought."
"No, it's fine. What time."
"4:30" I point at the phone with a questioning expression. When Catlin nods, I say, "Would you like to speak to Catlin, she can give you her address, and you can call me if you need a lift."
There's silence for several seconds, and just before I say, 'Hello?' Amy says, "Sure."
I hand the phone over and levitate a giggling Connor out of Catlin's hand as I head into the kitchen and start looking through mum's recipe book. When I reach the lasagna recipe, I pause for a moment, before crouching down to find the old manual mincer.
While I'm doing that, Catlin walks into the kitchen and says, "Taylor, are you listening?"
I glance up, "Sorry Catlin, something about the doors into the lounge means that we can't hear anything from the kitchen. It's not true the other way round though."
Catlin plucks Connor out of the air, "I said, I asked Amy to come around at 4 rather than 4:30. That way I have time to get to know her for a bit."
I nod, "Thanks for that."
Catlin shakes her head, "Don't, I've heard Amy's tone of voice too many times. If it wasn't you asking, I'd have said no, as some people aren't worth saving."
"What do you mean?"
"Taylor, I need to check on food. But ask yourself this, what happens when someone gives one last attempt to quit drugs, and fails?"
As she leaves, I switch on our computer and start looking up drug addiction information. By the time dad gets home, I've moved onto PHO and started reading stories in the local advice boards.
Dad takes one look at my face and asks, "Taylor, what's wrong?"
I look up at him, "Dad, are there really people out there that can't be helped?"
Dad starts to pull a chair out, then lets go and levitates it out before sitting down, "That's a difficult question. It's a bit like asking if we can get the port working again. The answer for the government is, not in a reasonable or affordable timeframe. For the dockworkers, the answer is yes. For other people in the city, the answer will vary. I want to get the ferry working, not because it will make jobs, as in the short term it won't. I want to do it because it represents hope and investment. Compared to clearing the channel and the graveyard, it's a tiny thing. But it's the first brick. The same thing is true of people. When they're really far gone, it takes a lot of time and effort to start putting them back together. It's not time or effort that most people can afford to give. So, who are we talking about?"
"Amy, and Catlin just heard her talking and wrote her off."
Dad sighs, "Taylor, remember that she has Connor. Children change your priorities, and sometimes not in a good way. That's not counting the fact that Amy's a cape, and it's fairly common knowledge that they've all got screws loose somewhere up there."
"Oi! I don't have any screws loose."
Dad laughs, "You can thank Selene for that. She's certainly determined to put my head back on straight. So, what were you doing with the cupboards open?"
"I was looking for the manual mincer, and maybe making lasagna for dinner."
"With Selene?"
I click on the thread for Vista's cat to hide my guilty expression. Dad stands up and pats my shoulder a couple of times, "I'll dig it out of the basement if you can make a list of the ingredients we need from the local supermarket. Maybe we can go together, and I'll stick around afterward while you come back and do whatever."
I give dad a hesitant smile, "I think I'd like that."
As dad disappears downstairs, I grab my notebook and open it to make a list in the back. Only it falls open on my last entry, and I spot Selene's message. Suddenly, I can't stop crying and smiling at the same time.
═══════ ೋღ ღೋ ═══════
Day 24
Lasagna went well, and it was almost like having dad back, as long as we avoided talking about what I might or might not be doing on Earth Bet. I hugged Selene and thanked her for her message. Dad had to leave when I did that. I wonder what was so important at his cabin.
I must remember to bring some more books when I come back for training.