Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Kate slapped the alarm as many times as she could before it escaped her hand and fled behind her headboard to the floor below. Unable to sleep through the incessant buzzing, she dragged herself from the comfort of her blankets and wormed her way under the bed toward the annoying little machine. Flattening her body and pointing her toes, she stretched her fingers as far as they could go, but it just wasn't enough and she only succeeded in nudging the spawn of hell further away. Frustrated, she wiggled out from under the bed, jumped to her feet, and spun around until she spied the cord snaking its way behind her bed side table. Snatching it up, she jerked until the plug released its hold from the life giving juice and the obnoxious noise ceased. Her heartbeat slowed as she sank onto her desk chair.

Well now what? She thought.

She turned her back on the now frightful state of her room and looked at the content of her desktop. Her math book lay open and with a groan, she remembered why she had set her alarm so early. She picked up her pencil and began.

A while later, she finished her homework and self-inflicted chores and was looking for her school bag when she heard the chirping of her mom's cell phone. She waited for her mother to come rushing down the hall for her beloved instrument of communication. But when she didn't appear Kate grabbed it off the coffee table and answered it. A man was on the other end.

“Meg?” he said.

“No, I’m sorry. This is Kate, her daughter,” she answered.

“Kate, wow you sound so grown up. How was the move?”

Kate, caught off guard by the question, hesitated before answering. “It's been an experience, that's for sure.”

There was a long uncomfortable pause then he said, “Is Meg available? This is Mr. George, from the office.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. George. We had sort of a late night around here. I think my mom may be running late this morning,” she replied.

She heard footsteps coming down the hall. She turned to see her mom in her robe and stocking feet, hairbrush in hand, squinting at the lights Kate had turned on in the living room.

“Who is on the phone, honey?” Meg asked.

Honey? Warning bells sounded in her head. Kate hit the mute button.

“It’s a Mr. George, says he is from the office.”
            “Oh!” she said, wide awake now, smiling as she fixed her hair and put her hand out for the phone.

Kate laughed.

“Mom he’s on the phone. He can’t see you.” She mimicked her mom fixing her hair.

“Katherine.” She held out her hand for the phone and stabbed the mute release button, “This is Meg. Hi Chad. Yes, I am just about to leave. Oh don’t worry about that, I am sure my assistant can run those up to you in no time. Just let me make a call.”

She paused, “No, no problem at all. Just let me...”

Another pause.

“All right. I will personally hand those reports to you. Yes, I look forward to that. 7:30 it is. See you then,” she gushed and hung up.

“Gee Mom, are you delivering reports or making a date?” Kate teased.

Meg whipped around to her. “What did you say?”

“It just sounded like you were really kissing up to this guy. I mean he just wants some stupid reports. Doesn't he?” Kate said.

“Oh my God, are you really my daughter? Sweetie, in the real world when your boss asks you to do something, you do it. If he wants some stupid reports delivered in person, you do it. If he wants you to stand on your head, you do it. Work late, you do it.” Her voice became louder, “Mr. George is an incredibly bright man and it's through his generosity that we are getting the experience of living in this amazing city, and he deserves all of our respect. I thought they taught you respect at that karate school of yours.” She brushed her hair back into an immovable bun. “I know you think it has been hard on you moving here, you have made that extremely clear to everyone, but one day you will thank me.” With that, she turned on her heel and strode quickly from the room.

Kate stood for a moment dumbstruck. 'Work late, you do it.' What was all of that about?  She glanced at the clock. She still had plenty of time for a leisurely walk to school. She packed up her bag and headed out the door.

“Good morning.”

She had barely shut the outer door when she heard someone’s greeting. There sitting on the steps, below her flat window, were Kenzie and Monkey.

“Well, good morning you two,” she answered with a questioning look at Kenzie.

“Ms. Kenzie and I have been sitting here enjoying the morning together. She tells me that she has come t' walk with you t' school,” Monkey offered.

“You don't mind do you?” Kenzie asked.

“No, sure, why not? Exactly how long have you been sitting out here?” She asked.

Kenzie looked at Monkey.

“What d' you think? About fifteen minutes?” she asked Monkey.

“Nooo, I'm thinkin it be closer t' forty. Remember we had been sitting here talking quite a while before we heard the tele ring and I remember you were pretty upset when you heard that lady raise her voice t'  Katie here,” Monkey nodded toward Kate using a nickname only her Grandpa used.

Kenzie looked sheepish. Kate felt her face go red with embarrassment.

“Could you hear all that out here?” she asked, mortified.

“Not any actual words lass, just the loud voices,” Monkey soothed.

Kate felt a little better.

“But you could definitely tell someone was in trouble. Was it you Ms. Katie? Have you been a naughty child?” Monkey asked, mischief in his eyes.

“We really shouldn't have been listening,” Kenzie said.

“Speak for yer self girlie, I want t' know. I think our little lass here needs some looking after, especially from that banshee who lives here. I wouldn’t trust her, oh no she has that look, that look of someone who hides things, like money and feelings and truths,” Monkey said with a sort of desperate vehemence, quite out of character from the conversation to that point.

“That woman you are talking about happens to be my mother,” Kate said, starting to become angry with this strange, unusually talkative, little man.

“So sorry, lass. My apologies. Sometimes old Monkey here gets these feelings aboot things. Most of the time I am right, and that is why I live the way I do. Cannae chance getting too close t' someone for fear of what I might start t' feel aboot them. I had a wife once you know,” he said, his attention wandering and voice drifting off.

“No, I didn’t know,” Kenzie said, her curiosity and sympathy tweaked.

Monkey continued looking down the street, his attention not focused on either of them, “Well she could’nae hide her feelings very well. She married me, but she did it t' get away from her family. I thought I loved her...but...too many years...too many lies.”

Monkey's attention snapped back to the present, “Must let you two have yer privacy. Old Monkey donnae want t' become a third wheel.” He stared intently at Kate and she saw great sadness there. “Keep in mind Katie, things aren’t always what they seem. But sometimes they are.” With that he stood and shuffled away.

“What was all that about?” Kate asked, sitting down next to her friend as they watched Monkey make his way down the narrow close.

Kenzie replied, “I think we have seen a side of Monkey that not many people have.” She turned to Kate, “I hope we didn’t embarrass you. I wanted to walk with you to school, but I din’t know what time you left, so I got here a wee bit early.”

“Could you really hear our voices out here?” she asked.

She nodded, “But honestly, we could only hear the tone, no words.”

Kate looked at her shoes, she looked at the ground, and she looked everywhere, but at Kenzie. Seemed her mom only found time to correct and yell at her these days. She was truly upset, but didn't want Kenzie to see. She looked at her watch.

“Time to go,” she announced, standing up and shouldering her pack.

She held out her hand, pulled Kenzie to her feet, and started up the close. The click-click sound of a woman, moving quickly in high heels, echoed off the buildings after them. Both turned to see Kate’s mom walking briskly toward the car park. She gave a quick squirt of perfume on a scarf that she draped around her neck and fished her lipstick out of her purse as she walked, oblivious to the fact anyone was watching her.

“That be yer mom?” Kenzie asked

“Yup, that’s her,” Kate said.

“I’ve never seen her before.”

“Not very many people have,” she sighed.

“Wow, she’s in a hurry. Is she always like that?”

“Not sure, I hardly ever see her. She is always at work. Or going to work or coming home from work. Oh wait, coming-home-from-work? I think that’s a myth.” Kate said sarcastically.

“I take it that you and yer Mom are not real close,” she said.

“You could take it that way. At least that’s the way I take it. It’s mostly me and my dad. He is the one who really raised me. I call him my single parent,” she laughed at her inside joke, but she was the only one who did. They resumed their walk to school.

Kate was surprised at how fast the day flew by. Class periods now behind her, she only had self-defense and then she would be on her way home to ready the flat for her grandparents' arrival. Finally something she could look forward to.

She was the first one, besides Mr. Corkin, to enter the room designated for self-defense. She watched him from the doorway, a little tentative to be alone with him after the flash she had of him standing over the beaten and bloodied woman. He was looking through the folder she had given him earlier in class. He was going through some of the movements trying them out before the students arrived. Her dad's voice in her head reminded her that not all visions were true, and even Monkey had spoken about “not all is what it seems.” But then she remembered his warning; “but sometimes they are.” She entered the room and he looked up as she walked closer.

“These are great! I can’nae wait to show the class. I know I have been boring some of the older students out of their minds for the past few years. It will be nice for them, and me, to do something new.” He motioned to one of the moves in the open folder, “I can't quite figure out how this one is supposed to work.”

She looked over his shoulder at the move in question.

“No problem. I can show you right now.” A few moves later he was on the mat.

“Isn’t this how I ended the last class?” he laughed. She offered him her hand to pull him up. “I still don’t know, are you a black belt or not?” he asked.

“I am a black belt,” she offered.

“Just a black belt?” he countered

“No.” She squinted at him, uncomfortable with being more qualified than her teacher at something. “I am a second degree black belt who was a couple of months away from my third degree when we left.” He looked impressed, so she quickly added, “I’m not the best. I wasn’t even close to the top of my class at home. Of course it's not how big you are. We had this girl, smaller than me, who could do things I can only dream about. But I can teach it. Like the old saying, ‘those who can’t do, teach’.” She regretted the words as soon as they came out of her mouth. “I didn’t mean that. That came out wrong. You are a wonderful teacher,” she backpedaled, looking for a graceful way out of the conversational corner she'd painted herself into.

“Kate, relax, I always wanted to be a teacher. But, I ‘can do’, to borrow some of your phrase.”

“Do you want to be the one to teach these new moves?” he offered.

“If it’s all the same, I would rather not,” she said. “I really don’t want to distance myself from anyone any more than I already have. It would be nice for once, to just blend in,” she answered.

“I don't see it that way, I don't think you would ever blend in. You are the ‘new kid’ and an American at that. So the 'blending', not an option,” he thought for a moment then said, “I could use an assistant?”

“I can do that,” she agreed.

“Brilliant, and with the amount of new moves here, I think we have enough material for this week and next, so I don't see any reason to stay after on Friday. I have your phone number in your application file and I may call if I have questions.” Kate nodded. “Now, about that last move...?”

The door opened and Boyd leaned in.

“Can I come in?”

“Sure Boyd, why don't you leave the door propped open,” Mr. Corkin said, dismissing Kate.

Boyd set his bag in the corner, claimed a spot on the mat and began to stretch out. Kate had never really talked to Boyd, or ever really heard Boyd talk. She walked over to him and sat on the mat next to him.

“Hi,” she said.

“Hello,” he answered.

She couldn’t think of anything else to say so she just started stretching out next to him.

“Are you coming t' tea with us after?” he asked.

“I wish I could, but my Grandparents are coming for a visit next week and we haven’t finished unpacking. I promised my dad that I would come home and help. I know pretty sad, huh?” she said. He nodded, retuning his attention to trying to connect his fingers with his toes. The silence expanded. Kate felt a bubble form around them, like the cones of silence. She felt a hysterical need to scream.

“I don’t have any grandparents.”

Kate's head snapped back to reality. “That’s sad. I am sorry to hear that. Have they been gone long?” she asked.

“I never knew them. My parents are older,” he said, making it sound like aulder.

She was intrigued. “Older, like what?” she asked

“Older, like their parents died way before I was born. I guess you could call me their miracle child. They never thought they would have children and, just as they were resigned to a life alone, surprise,” he laughed.

“So, you are an only child?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“So am I,” she said.

“We have something in common,” he smiled.

“I always hoped for a little brother or sister so I could have someone else to point to and say, ‘she did it.'” They both laughed.

“My parents are probably about as old as your grandparents so, I don’t think I have a hope of that ever happening,” he said.

“Well, my mom and dad are hardly in the same room together anymore so I don’t think it will happen for me either.”

“Oh,” he said quietly.

She looked at him and realized what he was thinking. “It’s not like that. My mom is a workaholic. She is never in the house. I mean flat,” she corrected herself.

The room was filling up. Gavin came in and sat down by Boyd. Mairi came next and sat down by to Gavin. Kate smiled at her, a smile Mairi did not return.

“It must be confusing for you. Don’t you call it an apartment?” Boyd asked.          

“Yes and yes. I still have a hard time calling potato chips ‘crisps’. But mostly we speak the same language. I also have a hard time taking a ‘holiday’ instead of a vacation. Holiday to us is an actual holiday like Christmas or Thanksgiving, the 4th of July,” she said.

“Kate, we don't have a Thanksgiving holiday over here. But we do have a 4th of July,” Gavin teased her.

“Har, har very funny.” She rolled her eyes. “But you don’t celebrate on the fourth like we do. And really why should you?” she teased back.

“Ok, I’m lost. What is on the fourth of July?” Boyd asked.

“Independence Day!” Kate answered. “In 1776, the colonies declared independence from England. We have parties and shoot off fireworks. Most of the cities and some of the schools have huge fireworks displays, we have picnics and cookouts, with games...” she continued quietly, “I didn’t even think about it. I am so going to miss that. This really sucks.”

“Ah no, hold on a minute you need to give us a chance. You haven’t been here for ‘The Fringe Festival' or Bonfire Night or Hogmanay, and the Fire Parade. You just wait Kate Thorn, it’s going to be a wonderful year. You're going to see some amazing things that might quite possibly make you forget your Fourth of July,” Gavin said.

While he was talking, she spied Kenzie entering the now full room. She raised her hand and waved at her, Kenzie waved back. Picking her way between groups of students, Kenzie found a spot between Kate and Boyd. Boyd immediately became interested in something on the floor.

“What are you looking at?”  Kenzie asked.

Boyd’s head snapped up and Kate realized that Boyd was not looking at anything, he was simply trying not to look at Kenzie.

“I was just thinking, that’s all,” Boyd said picking at the laces of his tennis shoes.

“Thinking about what?” Kenzie asked.

Boyd looked at Kenzie and froze. She was the most beautiful girl in the school to him, her deep brown eyes and cute little nose. His eyes traveled to her mouth and back to her eyes. He could sit there all day taking her in.

Kate began to feel like a peeping Tom, uncomfortable watching this examination of Kenzie. She wanted to say something to break the increasingly awkward silence, but couldn’t think of anything. She caught Gavin's eye, who was also watching the exchange.

“Remember that mime from the Fringe last year?” Gavin blurted out.

Boyd's attention was pulled from Kenzie's face. He was smiling.

“I could have killed that mime. Everything I did, he did. I tried walking away and he followed me,” Boyd said, seemingly unaware of the release his friend had given the group.

“Yeah, he followed you for what, an hour?” Gavin said.

“Closer to an hour and a half.”  Boyd rolled his head back and put his hand over his eyes. “I really could have killed him,” he finished.

They all laughed.

Self-Defense class was turning out to be one of Kate’s favorite times of the week and today was no different. Helping Mr. Corkin show the new techniques made Kate feel more comfortable with the rest of the kids in the class. She was able to pair up Boyd and Kenzie for most of the class. Boyd seemed incredibly uncomfortable at first, but soon he and Kenzie were laughing and making up moves of their own.

She had tried to get Vika and Gavin together but Mairi insinuated herself into that pairing. Kate just smiled and moved on pairing Vika to Duncan. To her surprise, Vika's face lit up and she shot Kate a huge smile. Kate shook her head at the odd match.

About twenty minutes later, Mr. Corkin asked Mairi to be Frazier's partner, freeing up Gavin to be Kate's. After a few rounds of who is going to be whose victim, Kate gave up and let Gavin be her fall guy.

“I couldn't have done it better myself,” Gavin whispered in her ear as he stood behind her, waiting for her to throw him over her hip.

“Do what?” she whispered back over her shoulder.

“I have been racking my brain trying to figure out how to get Kenzie and Boyd together. It’s a good thing your mom moved you here or they would have never even talked to each other, let alone touch. Look at ‘em,” he snorted.

Kate looked over to Kenzie and Boyd. Boyd’s smile said it all. He was holding Kenzie close, closer than was necessary, and Kenzie from the look on her face, was enjoying it. She was smiling with her eyes closed, pretending to concentrate. Then, with a quick move with her knees and hip, she had him on the mat. They burst into laughter.

“Perhaps I should give them homework?” Kate said.

“Why?  They seem to be getting it.”

She looked over her shoulder at him and sadly shook her head. “You are right. If I had never come here, those two would never have had a chance.” Kate sighed and flipped him onto the mat.

“Oh. Riiiight. Homework. I get it, homework, and a reason to see each other. I am daft,” he said looking up at her from flat on his back. She offered him her hand and he took it, pulling himself up.

“All right everyone, I see you have made progress with mixed partners. Let's see what happens if we have two guys together, which does occur more often that we'd like,” Mr. Corkin said.

“Oh, oh me, me. Pick me,” Frazier's hand shot into the air along with Tavey's, who had been paired up with Lanie and Mairi.

“What goofs,” Kate said.

Kenzie and Boyd had walked over to stand by her and Gavin.

“Fine. Let’s have you two demonstrate for us,” Mr. Corkin said.

Tavey and Frazier put their heads together, seeming to have a silent debate.

“Sometime today, gentlemen.”

Frazier walked into the middle of the room trying to swing his hips as much as he could.

“Oh, what a wonderful night oot. I sure hope it is safe for such a sweet innocent lass like me,” Frazier said in his best falsetto voice. The crowd laughed.

Tavey strutted up from behind and grabbed him.

“Hey little girly, why don’t you come along nice and quiet like,” he threatened, using his best cowboy movie accent.

Frazier started screaming, “Help me! Help me!”

“I said, nice and quiet like.”

Frazier bent his knees and with a quick pop, Tavey was over his hip and on the mat with a loud whump. Tavey looked up to Frazier and laughed.

Kate loved the way the two of them were so comfortable with themselves and everyone around them. Who wouldn’t like these guys?  She could also see how Mairi could have fallen for Tavey's good looks and easy going nature. She looked across at her standing next to Vika, a dejected look on her face. Kate's heart went out to her.

“Very good. I like the dramatics, I was thinking more along the lines of “mano e mano,” but that was very entertaining,” Mr. Corkin said. “That does it for today. Have a nice weekend and remember that we are off on Monday. School will resume on Tuesday. Which reminds me, shall we meet on Wednesday and Friday or Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday?”

The group mumbled for a bit talking to each other about it.

Gavin shook his head. Coming forward he addressed the group, “All those in favor of two times next week, raise your hands.”

Not one hand.

“Those in favor of three times next week?”

Every hand shot up.

“I believe we want to meet on Tuesday too,” he concluded, nodding to Mr. Corkin.

Mr. Corkin nodded his head, grinning, and marked it on his calendar.

“Tuesday it is.”

As the class began to file out, he caught Kate’s eye and pointed to his class folder. Kate nodded, understanding his silent request for more defensive material.

Out in the hall, she met up with Gavin, Kenzie and Boyd; Mairi was hanging towards the back of the group walking alone. She caught her eye and motioned for her to catch up with them. Mairi smiled and swiftly caught up with them walking beside Kate as they walked out of the school. Laughter echoed through the halls as they all recounted their experiences with the new move and Frazier and Tavey's rendition of it. Kenzie and Boyd exchanged glances and smiles openly. She stayed with them as far as the restaurant. Feeling good about her matchmaking efforts and self-defense instruction, she said her goodbyes and headed for home, knowing there were kennels to clean and a mountain of boxes waiting.

The singing had long since died away and the marchers drifted in groups of ever changing number and walking speed. She looked up as buildings faded and were replaced by countryside. Wildflowers appeared and disappeared, trees loomed around her and once she thought she saw a sheep. The countryside was wild and unpredictable. Her feral side wished she could live here forever, but the more practical side realized this was a dream and told her she would sooner or later wake up and forget all of it.

As they drew closer to the first town, rumors drifted through the group that the town council would not allow the marchers to enter. Kate was afraid of what lay ahead. What would happen when they tried to enter? Would the townsfolk barricade the road and stand ready to defend it with pitchforks? The reality of what awaited them took Kate’s breath away. The entire town turned out to greet them. Kate heard a rumor that the town Council Members and Aldermen were nowhere to be found.

Kate, Andrew and Billy, with the rest, were given a place to sleep while Frank and Robert left to attend a meeting in the town square. The trio smiled at each other, but were too tired to talk. They lay on their cots and listened to the sounds of the night and the cheers of the meeting, before drifting off to sleep.