"Giant" Chapter 2

TWO

            Missy showed me to my room. It was painted a light shade of blue with a three toned blue carpet to match. The bed was pushed against the wall in the far corner next to the window. There was a desk in the opposite corner with a computer and chair. An empty closet stood open next to a mirror adjacent with the door. It was a nice room, nicer than I had ever had before. I set my bag down next to the bed. I didn’t have much, just a few clothes items and a picture of my friend Sarain.

            “We’ll take you shopping tomorrow for some clothes and any accessories you would like to add to the room. I’m sorry it’s so bare but we didn’t know what your tastes would be. We figured you could fill it yourself,” she explained. She was really quite a bubbly woman.

            “You both seamed pretty sure that I would accept,” I said.

            She smiled and her eyes twinkled. “Paul is a very determined man. He almost always gets what he wants.”

            “Why should either of you care?” I asked.

            She pulled out the chair from the desk and sat down. She motioned for me to sit on the bed. “Milly was Paul’s best friend. They grew up together and the three of them did a great deal together. They sort of took him in as their own brother. Most people referred to him as their brother. They were very close. In fact Milly and Mandy paid for Paul to become a lawyer. He didn’t know it at the time. They arranged for him to seemingly win a scholarship. He didn’t find out till years later that they had done it for him. He wanted to pay them back but they refused. They said that they did it because they loved him and that was final.”

            Missy smiled at the memory. “Paul and I were married right after he graduated from law school. Milly and Mandy threw us the biggest party you could ever imagine. They threw some great parties at the Giant. We had some great times and some hard times. Your grandparents were killed in a car accident. It was so hard for Milly. She had just lost her husband a year before. He was a smoker and died of emphysema. She took in Olivia. Well, you know the story from there. It was tragic. Milly was never quite the same after she came back from the states. She tried to go on with her life but she was always so tired.”

            I could see the tears in Missy’s eyes. “We found out that she had cancer a few years later. It was too advanced at that point to do anything about it. Her last request was for Mandy to find you someday and take care of you. Mandy tried but she had no legal right to you. We informed Olivia of Milly’s death. Paul told her himself. He said that she had a blank look on her face the entire time. He couldn’t tell if she even cared. He gave her a letter that Milly had written before she died. He said that Olivia ripped it up in front of him without reading it.”

            She sighed heavily. “You probably think this is the first time that you met Paul but it’s not. He actually saw you then. Olivia wouldn’t let him near you at first. Then, well,” she laughed.

            “What?”

            “Well, you had a little accident. You were only two or three and not potty trained. Olivia wasn’t going to change you but Paul insisted that she did. She told him to do it so he did.”

            “Oh, so Paul has changed my clothes before.” I was a little embarrassed but I wasn’t sure why. I was only two-ish. Course now the hospital incident was kind of ironic.

            “He actually bathed you and changed you.”

            “Perfect.” I just hoped that my face wasn’t as red as it felt.

            I could tell that Missy was amused. “We actually thought about kidnapping you but knew that Olivia would use it to try and ruin Mandy. So we watched and waited. When you ran away, we thought that we had our chance. We could find you and bring you here and Olivia would never know. Only we couldn’t find you. Mandy got sick and it just didn’t seem like there was much that we could do. When she passed away, she passed the promise onto Paul. He wasn’t about to let you leave this island without a fight. He even embellished a little to do it.”

            “What?” I asked curious.

            She looked up at the door to make sure no one was there. “I heard him infer to you that the estate would go to your mother. He was just trying to throw you.”

            My mouth dropped open, cartooning it is what I usually call that look, the jaw dropping to the floor like a cartoon. “He lied to me?!”

            “Well, embellished sounds better.”

            I wanted to be mad but I couldn’t. I actually laughed about it instead. “I don’t believe it.”

            “We’ve waited for this a long time, Connor. When the investigator told us he had found you, it was kind of funny. Paul acted almost like he had just become a new father. If he had cigars, he would have passed them out. He had this entire room redone and bought the computer just for you. Our girls are grown and moved away. None of them even stayed on the island. It gets sort of lonely sometimes. You could say that we needed you just as much as you needed us.”

            I wanted to say that I didn’t need them. That I didn’t need anyone, but I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t hurt her feelings like that. I just gave a fairly fake reassuring smile and nodded my head. “The room is great. Thank you.”

            “You’re welcome. I’ll go and let you settle in.” She left, closing the door behind her.

            Paul came in a short time later and said goodnight. He didn’t have much to say and left shortly thereafter. I lay on my bed looking up at the ceiling. I felt safe. I had never felt safe in my life. I tried to push down the emotions but I couldn’t. The tears rolled down my cheeks like rain. I turned my head into my pillow and let it all out. I hadn’t cried for a very long time. I had a lot of built up tears to release.

            Time passed like a relaxing vacation. It went by so fast and my past felt very far removed. In this place I could almost forget the pain that I carried with me like a battering ram. For a situation that was not the greatest breeding ground for trust, trust did grow. It started as hope. It grew into reality. It then became a foundation. I had stepped into their home with a maze of walls surrounding me. I knew that if I could just keep them confused and unsure then I was sure not to get hurt. I tried my best to hide in that maze but just as I hit my own dead end, I turned around and it had found me. I couldn't believe it but it was staring me in the face. Paul and Missy treated me like their own child. I had run as fast as I could but love had found me out. I still resisted at first but eventually the three of us became very close and despite my fears I came to love them both dearly. I had no choice, they held me captive.

            I was home in one sense but at the same time I knew I still had somewhere to go. Even though Paul and Missy had made their house a home for me, I didn't really feel it was my final destination nor should it be. It wasn't that I wasn't comfortable there; it just felt more like 'the parents' house. From the moment I had stepped into the Giant, I had felt that she was my home. I would find myself going to the Giant and wandering through her halls or taking walks along the river and hiking the mountains. I would stroll along the beach, Paul and Missy would sometimes join me, but most of the time I went alone. I would return from a nice walk and stand between the ocean and the Giant and slowly turn full circle. Then I would close my eyes and listen to the waves crashing onto the beach. When I opened my eyes and saw the Giant before me, I saw home. It was that feeling you get after being on a long trip and stepping out of the car and seeing home for the first time in what seemed an eternity. That peace and calm that covers you and makes you feel safe. I was anticipating the day I would move in and finally be home.  I just had a lot to learn before I could handle the estate on my own. In truth, I had a lot of living to do before taking the responsibility over. I had some relationships to work on, as well.

            I enrolled in college as part of that living thing. I stayed with Paul and Missy and would drive into the city everyday for classes. Not really knowing what I wanted to be, I settled for taking the basics to further my education, just not in any particular field. At the suggestion of Paul, I also got a part-time job. It was at a video store not far from the college. I actually liked it quite well. I had a great boss and got to watch movies for free. It was a great part-time job. (huh wonder where that idea came from. Definitely added later. I did enjoy working at Great American Video so it was a good tribute.)

            I was working one Sunday for one of my coworkers. It was pretty slow that day. Most people were at church, including Paul and Missy. I wasn’t interested and Paul didn’t push me. I could tell that they both wanted me to go. Paul would ask me every Sunday if I would like to go but he would only ask once and then move on to something else. I knew that he was just keeping the invitation on the table in case I ever changed my mind. I try to keep away from the subject of God and religion in general. I really haven’t decided what I believe on the subject. I had only ever came up with one conclusion, that I’m quite sure that whatever idiot came up with the notion that everyone is right and all roads lead to the same place, is off of his or her rocker. I don’t like the subject of religion because all sense of logic flies right out the window. Of course they can’t all be right. Opposing or opposite ideas cannot both be true. Yes, people can hold separate opinions, but to which opinion is correct, not all can be. It is more likely and logical that everyone is wrong than for everyone to be right. Since I didn’t know what is true, I just stay clear of it altogether.

            At around 12:30 my third customer and soon my first friend walked through the door. I could tell that she had just come from church. She scanned the room and her eyes came to rest on me. She studied me for a short moment and then smiled and began walking toward me. I had seen her around college but had never talked to her. I thought that I had caught her studying me a time or two but that wasn’t unusual. A lot of the people on this island were curious about me. I was leery of people so I kept pretty much to myself. Basically I only spoke when spoken to.

            She came up and leaned against the counter. “Hi, I’m Staci Lane.”

            The name threw me. “Lane? That was my mother’s last name.” I said carefully.

            “Oh, there are a couple of different Lane families on the Island.”

            I relaxed a little. “I’m Connor.”

            “Yeah, I’ve seen you around campus. How do you like it? Do we rate good or bad with your American schools?”

            I hadn’t been on a lot of campus’ in the States, but I didn’t really want to admit that to her. “I’d rate you pretty well.” I looked out the window. “Everything about this Island is beautiful.”

            She grinned. “I wouldn’t argue with that.” She looked up at the TV. “What are you watching?”

            “The Shaggy D.A.”

            That got another grin out of her. “Old Disney’s. Are you a fan?”

            I wasn’t sure how to take her attempt at small talk but I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. “Yeah. I used to watch them at my friends house growing up. His dad would buy or rent us these old movies all of the time.”

            “I grew up on them too. I don’t think there’s anything like them, but I’ve noticed that this fact only helps to age me.”

            I laughed. “How so?”

            “Generation gap. If I talk about them with kids much younger than I they either don’t like them or don’t know what I’m talking about, even at the college. Course, most of them are a bit younger than I am.”

            “How old are you, if you don’t mind my asking?”

            “Twenty three,” she answered.

            She was about five years older than me. “That’s not too bad.”

            “Well, it’s not a quarter of a century quite yet.” She laughed.

            There was something different about her. She had an air of confidence that I didn’t usually see in younger people. She also had a kindness to her eyes. I couldn’t help but like her. I would have liked to get to know her, but I wasn’t about to pursue it. I was a chicken when it came down to things like this. I don’t like putting myself out there to be utterly destroyed. “No, not quite yet. At least you’re past that awkward teen adult stage. I’m still in my teens and not sure if I want to give it up or can’t wait to give it up.”

            She had a grin on her face that suggested that I may have just inadvertently insulted her or something of the sort and it amused her. I guess 23 isn’t that far removed from the teen stage.

            “Why is that?” She asked continuing with the grin.

            “Teen status. It’s a buffer zone. Anything I do wrong can be easily chalked up to still being a teen. Once you hit twenty, you’re no longer given that leeway.”

            She nodded in understanding. “Twenty three isn’t that old, once you get there.”

            I laughed. I knew I had made it sound that way. “I’m sure it’s not. Course either is 32, when you get there that is. It’s all about perspective.”

            A few more customers walked through the door. I greeted them and turned my attention back to Staci. She was watching the people walking down the street from church. “Paul and Missy are almost always the last ones out,” she commented.

            I nodded. “They do like to gab.”

            “I’ve never seen you there.” She said it as though it was just an offhand innocent comment but I could tell she was fishing.

            “Nope.” I wasn’t an easy catch.

            She turned back. “Do you like to roller blade?”

            I was surprised at the change in subject. “I don’t know. I’ve never tried it.”

            “Well, it’s about time that you do. I go blading on campus every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday night. Some of the others join me when they can. You should join us.”

            I don’t know if I was suddenly shy or just outright scared but I dug both heals in. “I don’t have any roller blades.”

            She wasn’t daunted. “Can you afford them?”

            She and I both knew that I could, so saying no wasn’t an option. “I don’t know the first thing about them.”

            She had that knowing look in her eyes. She knew what I was up to. “Your last class is English at two tomorrow, isn’t it?”

            “Yeah,” I said reluctantly.

            “Great, I’ll meet you outside on the quad and we’ll go shopping.”

            I just stared at her for a good 30 seconds. “Okay,” I answered slowly.

            I told Paul about our plans later that evening. He seemed thoughtful about it but encouraged. “That Staci is quite the girl. It should be fun.”

            That was all he said about it. They pretty much let me make my own decisions. They had certain rules to follow, but if I stayed within their limits, I could do pretty much what I wanted. I had a sneaking suspicion that one of the reasons he was so at ease was because he had spies all over watching me. I didn’t mind though. I’d probably do the same thing if the tables were turned.

            Staci helped me find a pair of blades that fit. I felt as steady as a new born foal standing up in them for the first time. I wasn’t so sure that my legs were going to fulfill their duty in holding me up. Staci was quite amused at my plight but helped to steady me. After watching me try them on, she steered me over to the accessory section for pads. She even suggested that I might want to get a helmet and then added some sort of protective body suit. I just gave her a dirty look and settled for knee, elbow, and wrist pads. Normally I would just get knee pads but I had a feeling I might need the other two for a while.

            To my credit, I caught on quite quickly. I had never roller skated, bladed, or ice skated before so it was quite the experience and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Staci’s friends weren’t so bad either. I enjoyed their company and Staci made sure to keep me included so that I never felt left out or out of place. Roller blading became my favorite activity. From that point my social life began to come to life. Staci became one of the best friends that I had ever had. Despite her declaration that 23 was not that old, I knew that many 23 year olds think that 18 year olds act like little idiots. There’s often a maturity difference between the ages but Staci never made me feel that way. She treated me like an equal.

            It was pretty close to midnight and the moon was full and bright. There were lights along the sidewalks but that night we didn’t need them. The moon shone down bright and glorious on our paths. Staci was stopped near a bench looking up at it. The others had continued on without her. I slowed up and quietly approached her. I stopped a few feet from her. Her eyes were closed and the moon filled her face with light.

            She took a deep breath and sighed peacefully. “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? My help comes form the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever.” She opened her eyes and looked around at the outline of the mountains to our right, to the horizon over the sea, and then up again at the moon. “For in six days the Lord created the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day.”

            She glanced over at me. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

            “Yes,” I agreed.

            She gave me a warm smile and bladed toward me. She patted my cheek and moved on. “Come on,” she beckoned.

            I looked at the moon. It was beautiful. It also looked very large tonight. It made me feel small and I suddenly felt very venerable. Staci’s words had left me feeling strange and unsure. She had such confidence in a being she couldn’t see or touch, yet she could look at the moon and see her God in it. The moon is such a common sight in our lives that I think most people don’t pay much attention to its magnificence. Yet she looked at it and saw not only beauty but managed to find a picture of a God who created it and who controls it. She finds comfort in something as simple as a night sky. I looked after her. She finds peace in a single breath.

            I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth. I didn’t need any god to watch over me. I certainly didn’t need protection from the moon. I opened my eyes again. The moon looked even larger and brighter than before. I told myself that it couldn’t hurt me, but I felt a weight threatening to crush my chest. “I don’t need you,” I whispered. A cloud that I hadn’t noticed cut into the image of the moon and soon covered it. It was suddenly very dark where I stood. The lamp light was broken. I took a deep breath. “I don’t.”

            “You don’t what?” Staci asked behind me.

            I turned suddenly, surprised at the voice behind me. My feet came out from under me. I expected the hard thud as my backside hit the ground, but instead I felt two hands grip me firmly under the arms. The jolt almost pitched her forward, but she caught her balance and held it. She lowered me slowly to the ground. “You okay?”

            “Yes, thank you.”

            “Anytime. We all need someone to catch us now and then.” She held out her hand to help me up.

            I took it. “Thanks.”

            The moon came out from the cloud. She searched my eyes. “You’re welcome,” she said. (Pretty sure none of that was in the original. I added it for a couple of reasons; a tribute to Charlotte and my roller blading days, more background to the friendship with Staci and in the original there just wasn't much about the days she lived with Missy and Paul. It was pretty much a huge jump to moving in and suddenly she's a new person ready to live on her own. Just needed a little more background.)

            Another year passed by so quickly. I was almost sad to see the summer approaching. Finals didn’t bother me too much. School had never been very hard for me. My last few years of high school were the worst but then when I had needed help Sarain had always been there. I was very grateful to have Staci for a friend but I still missed Sarain.

            Sarain is my dearest friend. She is most likely the reason that I’m alive today. She took care of me when I was all alone. She is also the reason that I spent most of my time in one of the most questionable establishments in town. Her occupation was neither desirable nor legal in any other state than Nevada, which isn’t where we lived. Anything she got she saved and she was not far from fulfilling her own dreams by paying her whole way through school. She wasn’t proud of being a prostitute and though she wouldn’t admit it, the life she lived was slowly eating away at her. I was afraid that if she didn't get enough money soon, there would be nothing left of her.

            I had left for the island before getting the chance to say goodbye, I felt bad about it but I knew she understood. I wrote her all the time and occasionally I would get a letter back telling me how she was and how things were going. She would be going to college in another month or two and I was very happy for her. I couldn’t help feel guilty living in paradise while she wasted away in the concrete jungle. If it hadn’t been for the conditions in the will, I would have her in school now.

            I had to force myself not to think about it. Time had come for me to go through some changes; arrangements were in the progress of being made for my move into the Giant. No date was being set yet but I didn't care. I was still excited. It was all on hold until I could get to know the lawyer that would be working with me. Paul felt that I needed a full time lawyer to help me get the estate in order, then for any representation I might need in the future. I had wanted Paul but he had refused. Paul thought that he was getting too old for a job of this magnitude. If anything happened to him, he wanted to be sure that I had someone that I could rely on.

            It didn't matter to me. I just wanted to get everything settled. I had moved many times in my life and this would be my last. It would be so different this time. This time, I was leaving a home I loved; not a house that I couldn't wait to get away from. This time I was going home. For this reason, I was willing to do whatever needed to be done. So, that's when I met Mark.

            Mark was one of Paul's former assistants. Paul had mentioned that Mark was not his first choice but he had failed to mention who was his first. All he said was that unfortunately the wonder boy was otherwise engaged. To whom, I wondered.

            Mark was in his late twenties. He had blonde hair and green eyes. He was actually quite pleasant to look at. Okay, so I already had a crush on him. He was six foot, with a medium frame. He basically had long legs. He wore glasses but only when reading. His suits were either a charcoal grey or black and he always seemed to be wearing one.

            The first time I met Mark was at a meeting at Paul's house. They were discussing the arrangements for the estate to turn over to me. As they discussed my life, I was busy checking out Mark.

            "Miss Lane…" Mark said.

            "I don't go by that name, Mark. You can call me Connor or Miss Steele." I said as I tenderly cut him off, "Connor preferably."

            "That reminds me, Connor," Paul said, "your name never was legally changed to Steele." He took out some papers and handed them to me. "Without your mothers signature you couldn't legally change your name until you turned eighteen."

            "I know but I was told that as soon as I turned eighteen it would be changed automatically." The clerk had told me that it was on file in the computer and upon my eighteenth birthday it would automatically and legally change it. Of course, I had been going into that office since I was nine, they probably just told me that to get me to leave them alone.

            I looked over at Mark in time to see him roll his eyes and I wondered why he had done it. Not caring at the moment I focused back onto Paul. "So what do I have to do?"

            "Well, I've got the necessary papers and all you have to do is fill them out and sign them," Paul answered.

            I took the papers, grabbed a pen and started filling them out. When it came to the part where I had to fill in the changed name, I almost put in Paul's last name. I thought about it for a few seconds then decided against it. For one thing, Connor Mcowl just didn't quite sound right. Even if it had, I couldn't do that to her. I had to keep her name. It was a part of us, of me.

            After I was done I handed the forms over to Paul completed and ready to go. He looked them over and almost looked a little disappointed. I wondered if he thought that I might take his name.

            "Now, back to business," Mark said. "Paul informed me that he has opened an account for you in the states. Here's the card for that, it's a debit card and will take out of a checking account. It can only be used in the states."

            "I thought that I couldn't use any of my money in the states till I was twenty five or so." I said as I put the card in my wallet.

            Paul smiled. "Well, when you came to live with us, I put a large amount of money in an investment with a relatively high return rate. A few days ago, I extracted the money and put the original back into the estate account. Then I deposited the interest in the U.S. account." He shifted in his chair.

            "You can visit the states whenever you wish, though you need to discus it with Paul or me before going," Mark informed me. "The jet is at your disposal,” he paused, “considering it is your jet."

            He almost sounded as if he resented that. I was beginning to wonder about him. Course then the fact that I owned a jet sunk in. "Wow," I whispered. I looked to see if either had heard me but if they had they ignored it. "So um, is there anything else we need to discuss?"

            Mark asked Paul if he could think of anything else that he would like to discuss. Paul said no. They had covered all they needed to for now. He said Mark was officially in charge and that he graciously left it in Mark's capable hands.

            Mark and I spent a lot of time together after that, mostly he was teaching me how to handle Mandy's estate. I learned quite a bit from him. I had taken a business course in college but he put everything in perspective. Since it was about time that I moved into the Giant, I decided to give notice at work. On my last day Staci came to see me. “How goes it?” I asked.

            “Alright. How is your last day?”

            “Not too bad. I’m going to miss it a little. Only a little, though.”

            She smiled. “What are your plans for tonight?”

            “I’m meeting my lawyer.”

            “Problems?”

            I smiled shyly. “No.”

            She studied me for a moment. “I see.” She didn’t look very pleased. “Something happening there?”

            I wasn’t sure how to read her. “Maybe.”

            She nodded. “I see.”

            “What?”

            “Nothing. Connor, it’s your life. You are officially an adult, no teen status for you anymore. I’m sure you can take care of yourself.”

            Something was wrong. “Look, Staci. I’ve always valued your friendship and your honesty. What is it that’s bothering you?”

            “My honesty.” She sighed. “Yeah.” She closed her eyes and shook her head. I wasn’t sure what I had said to upset her, but she was upset. “I’m sorry, Connor. I’ve just been really busy and I’m kind of tired. I really don’t know Mark that well.”

            “But you don’t trust him, do you?”

            She shrugged. “Just take it slow, Love.” Her mother was English and sometimes her influence came out in Staci. I actually liked it. Staci had a tinge of an accent and I thought that it added to her character.

            “Well, nothing’s happened as yet. I think that he might be interested though.”

            “No doubt,” she said.

            I wasn’t sure whether to take that as a compliment or not. “Staci?”

            “Nothing. I actually came by to say goodbye. I’m going on a trip to the states and didn’t want to leave without saying bye.”

            “How long are you going for?”

            “About a month to start with anyway. I’ve got an internship at a business over there. My aunt set it up for me. Her stepson’s mother works there. I guess it’s a good thing that their divorce was on friendly terms.”

            I shook my head amazed. That was quite the connection. “You’ll have a great time. Just don’t get in any trouble while you’re there.”

            “I don’t plan to.” She laughed. “It’s a little scary. I’ve never been away from the island before.”

            “Yeah, it can be scary.”

            She locked eyes with me. I felt a little uncomfortable. I could tell that she wanted to say something, but was holding back. I thought maybe it was about Mark but I wasn’t sure. She smiled slowly and let out her breath. “I’m really going to miss you, Connor Steele.”

            “Hey, I’ll be here when you get back.”

            She nodded. “You better be.” She gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Take care, Love.”

            “You too, Staci. Be careful of the guys. They’re much more forward there than they are here.”

            “So I’ve been told. Many times actually, in a lecture by both of my parents.”

            I laughed. “A little over protective.”

            “Don’t laugh. You just wait until you go. You think I got a lecture, wait till Paul gets a hold of you.”

            “Yeah, I may never return just for that reason.”

            We both laughed and then went quiet. Goodbyes suck, even if they’re not forever. She patted my cheek. “You be careful.”

            I knew the warning was about Mark. “I will.” I had no plans to move fast with him.

            It’s funny sometimes how plans change. More and more Mark and I started to have meetings that were more like dates. We would stay up and talk for hours and not about business. I finally realized that there was no way that these could be categorized as meetings any longer, we were definitely dating. Okay, so I catch on slowly to some things. (A romance novelist I am not. Do you get the feeling I'm just trying to get through this set up as fast as I can...hmm)

            He was unlike any man I had ever known. Most guys I had known showed their feelings through sex. Life is so full of those, oh so convincing lines, "If you love me you'll do it" or "Let me show you how much I love you." Of course I didn’t grow up in that classy of a neighborhood either. It was a line tried on me and on the few friends that I had, but we had a strong pact that we wouldn’t fall for something as trivial as that. I had seen to many relationships where the guy "shows" his love then later beats the crap out of the girl he supposedly loves. (Well yeah. When you live with a bunch of prostitutes your not going to have a good insight to love)

            It was so different with Mark. He treated me like royalty. He respected me and though we weren’t completely behaved, he was the one to make sure that it never went too far. I had forgotten that it was a law there but I was sure that had nothing to do with it. He just cared about me. He was attentive and curious to know about me. He seemed actually interested in what I had to say, not just what I was wearing or how I looked. It was a new experience for me. Growing up my best friend always treated me with respect, but we never even tried to become more than friends. He was my guardian of sorts but he was the only male who ever had cared about anything I had to say, until now. I was intrigued.

            We were going out to dinner that night. Afterwards we were to go for a walk along the north beach. It was there that Mark brought up his suggestion for a change. "You know Connor," Mark said, "one of my dreams has always been to make it big. I mean really big. Now I've got your account which is an excellent start and I've got a nice sum of money saved up. Even more, I have the most beautiful girl on the island as my girlfriend."

            I could feel the blood rush to my face, I never used to blush this easily. "Hey, flattery will get you everywhere." He did just call me his girlfriend, didn’t he?

            He laughed. "Good because I have a suggestion.”

            "Oh yeah and what is that?" I felt a caution block rising but pushed it back. I trusted Mark completely and I wasn't going to let my insecurities get in the way.

            "I think you should go ahead with your plans to move into the Giant." Mark said. "Paul and Missy are great but we don't have much privacy there. Beside that, it would look better if you moved out on your own." He took my hands in his and faced me. "I could have all the arrangements finalized and you could move in as soon as tomorrow afternoon."

            Standing in front of the Giant I remembered the first time I had seen her. I had felt attached to her then and I still did. It had been in my family for generations. Milly and Mandy had lived there, though they were just two of the many people who had. It was a little scary at first but as I led Mark through hallways and bedrooms it became more like a game. I liked many of the rooms but I wanted one that felt special. I doubted I was going to find it. They were just rooms after all.

            I settled for one on the third floor, it was right above Mandy's room and had a great view. It was Marks pick. He said that it was a practical location.

            I walked around the Giant looking up at all the rooms before settling in the one Mark chose. I looked up at all the windows. On the side facing the river, I noticed something. The middle rooms of the fourth, fifth, and sixth floor were seemed distorted somehow. I tried to get a closer look, but as I moved in a reflection off the building blinded me. Where did that come from? I looked around to figure out why I was getting such a reflection and saw my explanation- the river. I'd never noticed it before. Up stream, the river widened quite a bit and stayed that way until a ways after passing the Giant. Somehow, the sun reflected off the river and showed on something above me so that when I tried to get a better look I'd get the reflection in my eyes. I'd checked all throughout the day but could never figure out what I was or wasn't seeing that bugged me. I'd asked Mark about it. He shrugged it off though he did recall a local belief that the river had been widened purposely, though they didn't know why. Most others just believed it to be a coincidence. I thought that it was odd in the least.

            A few days after moving in, Mark took me clothes shopping. He steered me where to go and pointed out the best fashions. Most weren't the clothes I would normally wear. Yes, I liked the look of them but they weren't quite me. Mark knew what he was doing and maybe it was time for a change. We also picked out a few dresses. One, my favorite, was a black dress. Mark said that it looked a whole lot better on me than it had looked on the rack. The complement there had come from the fact that this dress had looked beautiful on the rack. Most of the dresses that we had bought didn't leave a whole lot to the imagination. They left enough, but in my opinion not enough for me. Mark fancied them and that was all the encouragement I needed. (Okay, so I can see what I was trying to do here, but its not really working. I wanted to show his controlling nature without actually saying Hey reader, he's a control freak. Also again comes the not romantic writer part so it could use some work. Not today though. Maybe on the next rewrite.)

            I was content with Mark. He made me feel good about myself. I was reassured that he had real feelings for me and I had never felt that way before. I knew that not everyone agreed with me. Paul was hesitant but he never said anything about it. My main opponent was Staci. When she returned from the states, she wasn’t exactly thrilled with the supposed changes she found in me.

            She even had a problem with the way I dressed and the car I drove. “They’re nice, Connor, but they’re not you,” she insisted.

            “Maybe I should look in the dumpster out back for a more appropriate wardrobe.”

            “That’s not fair. You know that’s not what I mean.”

            “What do you mean?” I asked.

            “It’s not your style. It’s not that you can’t pull it off, it’s why do you want to pull it off?”

            “I like it.” I argued.

            “Really, when did you decide this? I’ve only been gone for a few months.”

            “Mark introduced me.”

            “I see. Fits in better with his image, does it?”

            “Back off, Staci.”

            She didn’t listen. “It seems to me that he’s almost got you trained and in such a short time. With the amount of time it took most of us to break through, you’ll have to pardon me if I’m a little shocked.”

            “He likes me, Staci. What’s so wrong with that?”

            “Really? He likes you? Just the way you are?” she challenged.

            “Yes!”

            “Then why has he changed you so much?”

            I took several deep breaths to try and calm down. “He hasn’t forced me to do anything. I chose to change.”

            She nodded, obviously not convinced. “I see.”

            “Stop saying that!”

            “He’s going to hurt you.” She said softly.

            I could tell that she was worried. I even knew that it was out of friendship but I didn’t care. “It seems that you’re the one that can’t handle me the way that I am.”

            “No, I love the person that you are, Connor. I can’t handle the puppet that you’ve become.”

            That was the last straw. “Fine, you don’t have to.” I turned around and walked away. I didn’t stop or look back until I was out of sight. I walked around the back of the building. I could see her through the window in the back. She was hunched over a table her face buried in her hands. Part of me wanted to run back in and make up. I clinched my jaw. “No, I don’t need you.” I turned and walked away.         

            Mark was a part of my life now and I wasn’t going to throw that away over the jealousy of a friend. The break up left a noticeable hole in my life, so I did the only thing that made sense to me; I focused my attention on Mark. It wasn’t too hard. He had an all consuming presence about him. On our three month anniversary of officially going out, Mark gave me a beautiful diamond necklace. I wasn't much for jewelry but I loved it because Mark had given it to me. It almost scared me, how hard I seemed to be falling for him. I even slept with that necklace because I never wanted to take it off. I never stopped thinking about him and I hardly ever went and saw Paul and Missy. It was as if I had made him the center of my life.

            I realized that I hadn’t been very gracious to Paul and Missy lately so I decided that it was high time that I go see Paul and talk to him about all of this. I pulled into the driveway. I took a look at the car as I hit the lock button on the key chain. It was quite a fancy car. Mark had picked it out for me. I was classy now. That wasn’t a bad thing, was it?

             I walked into the house and called out Paul's name. I knew he was there. I had called before coming over. He was alone though, Missy had gone to the states to visit her sister. However, when I called Paul had seemed rather distanced. He must have been working on something, which meant that he was probably in his study.

            When I didn't hear an answer, I knew that I was right. When Paul was working or reading a book, a hurricane wouldn't bother him. That was unless the hurricane whipped whatever he was reading out of his hands. Then there might be war. I peeked my head around the corner into the study but didn't see him in there, at least not at first. I walked over to his desk. There were some documents laying there that caught my eye. I never got to look at them for on the other side of the desk lay Paul.

            I calmly picked up the phone and dialed 911. As soon as they were on their way, I started to panic. I couldn't lose Paul, not now. The ambulance finally arrived after what seemed like an eternity.  I drove behind them all the way to the hospital. I was hardly aware that I was even moving. After making sure that he was in good hands, I left.

            I had to find Mark. I needed him so badly. I was so scared and I knew he was the only one who could make me feel better. I remembered that he had mentioned something about a meeting today. Mark always had his phone with him but for the life of me I could not remember the number. I was really losing it. I could barely remember where I had parked the car. I had never been so frightened in my entire life.

            I remembered that Mark had accidentally left his brief case in the car earlier that morning. I noticed it on the way over so I found it and opened it. For some reason I was thinking that he'd have his own number written in there. I didn't find his number but something else instantly caught my eye.

            "These are the same documents that Paul was looking at," I said aloud. Now I was talking to myself. I went to set them down but something was nagging at me. I flipped through the document then studied it further.

            I found it hard to breathe when I had finished. I suddenly missed that large thick wall that I had always had surrounding me. I gripped the door for support. It was my fault. If Paul died, it would be my fault. I let Mark do this to us. I let him get close to us and now Paul might die.

            I lost it. What I read was more than I could handle. The man I had trusted was stealing from me. Not only that, he was risking my whole future. He had invested a great deal of my money into the American stock market. Money, that if I lost in bad investments would violate my contract. That wasn't even the worst of it. Mark was embezzling money from my estate. I had a receipt in my hands that showed that even the necklace he had bought for me was paid for with my own money.

            I got out of the car and went for a walk around the hospital. When I came back to the car I came back as a different person. A new wall was up that was twice the strength of the other and I was determined to make Mark pay for what he had done. I got the number of his stock broker and the names of all the stocks that he had invested in. I sold them all. I suppose I caused a bit of panic in the world of stocks, Mark had a great deal of money invested and luckily I didn't lose any of the original investment. Then I found his account numbers and had all the money he had stolen transferred to a savings account under a different name.

            I couldn't believe that I had fallen for a guy who would be stupid enough to leave all of this information in my car. Or had it been a rush to do so? Perhaps it gave him a thrill that this dumb girl was driving around with proof of his crimes and didn’t even have a clue. My teeth were gritted so tight my jaw was beginning to ache. I had one more call to make and when I was finished with it I took a short drive. I was back at the hospital just in time for Paul to get out of surgery. They had almost lost him a time or two; the doctor informed me when I got there. I sat with him for a while and then headed to his house. I gathered some things that he would need when he awoke and set them by the door. I needed to call Missy before I headed back to the hospital. I talked to her for a while. I had already sent the jet to pick her up so I gave her the time and landing place to pick her up.

            Paul was awake when I got there, and it felt so good to see his eyes. I don't know what I would have done if I had lost him. "Hey Paul, how's it going?" I asked with a big smile.

            He smiled back but it didn't reach his eyes and that really worried me. "I'm alive." He motioned for me to sit down in the chair next to his bed. "Connor, I need to tell you something." His voice was so weak. I wasn’t used to this, I didn’t like it. Yet he was right to business. Leave it to Paul to be lying half dead in a hospital bed and still be the strong one. "Mark…"

            "Hey, not now. We can talk about him later." I said with a slightly angry emphasis on him.

            "You know?" Paul asked. He could read me like a book.

            I nodded. Then a thought entered my head, what if he thought I was involved? "Paul, I had nothing to do with it. I didn't know until today, I swear." He had to believe me.

            "Connor, I never thought you did."  He lifted his hand and touched my cheek. "I have complete trust in you. Both Missy and I love you so much. You know that don't you?"

            I nodded and took his hand in mine. "Yes, I know." I smiled warmly at him, but my face and heart turned cold when I thought of Mark.

            Paul noticed it. He always knew what I was feeling. "I'm so sorry."

            "Don't be." I stood up and paced the room. "Right now Mark is probably being read his rights. I gave the police everything they would need to prosecute him. He blew it big time."

            "Connor," he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I am so sorry. There's no one to blame but myself. I should have seen it." He shook his head slowly, and then squeezed my hand. "I promise you, this will never happen again." He pulled himself painfully up in the bed.

            I stopped pacing and went and helped him adjust. "Don't blame yourself, Paul. You had no reason to suspect Mark."

            "Yes, I did." He took a deep breath. "Mark was close to the family, but it had always seemed like an act to me. I didn't know him well enough and I shouldn't have given him complete control yet.” He tipped his head and studied me. “I wanted to warn you to be careful and take it slow but was afraid there was just a wee too much rebellion left in you. I didn’t want to push you directly into his grasp. It seems I failed but I was never really sure what bothered me about him. I’m sorry I let you down. This won't happen again. I called Steve before you came. He's agreed to take over for Mark. Steve is the one and only man in the world that I would trust with you and your account after what Mark did." He shook his head as if to shake away his anger. "He'll be here shortly. He just has to finish up some work that he was doing in Rome. He'll be perfect." Paul looked so pleased, I wondered how.

            "Paul, you’re right. Nothing like this will ever happen again because I won’t let it. I don't know who this Steve guy is but you can tell him to stay put. I never want another lawyer again. I will learn how to handle my estate on my own. I will never rely on another man again."

            "Connor, I know you’re hurting but I promise that it will be different this time. Please, give it a chance." His eyes pleaded with me. “For me, let me make this up to you."

            I took a deep breath. This was the last thing in the world that I wanted to do. "Okay, Paul. I'd do anything for you, but I'll tell you right now don't expect this to work."

            "That's what you said about living here," he said as he smiled.

            "Don't remind me. Let's not talk about this anymore. You need to rest so you can get better." I grabbed my jacket and threw it over my arm. The breeze had been a little cool that morning. "I'm going to go home and try and get some sleep. I'll be back in the morning."

            Missy arrived the next morning. I picked her up and we headed to the hospital. She was very relieved to see Paul doing well. I could tell how scared she had been. Paul told her about Mark and she was very sympathetic. She stayed with Paul every waking moment for the next few days. I visited him every chance I got, which was often.

            "I talked to Steve this morning," Paul told us.

            "Oh, is he going to work on Connor's estate?" Missy asked. Paul nodded in response. "That will be good. He is the best and he's very trustworthy." She smiled with approval.

            I stood there without saying a word. I was not happy about this. Paul looked over at me. "You promised," he reminded me. "Steve said he was coming earlier than he'd expected. Could you go pick him up at the airport?"

            "When?" I asked.

            "In about twenty minutes," he answered. "If you leave now, you'll make it just in time. He's at gate thirteen."

            After distributing a dirty look, it was off to the airport I went. I was almost tempted to go home and make this guy catch a cab or better yet he could walk. I had no idea of how I was going to recognize him nor did I care. As it happened, I hadn't needed to care. I had never met this man in my life but when he walked through that door I knew exactly who he was. He was one of the most gorgeous men I had ever laid eyes on in my life. Mandy’s picture hadn't even shown the half of it. Our eyes met and I swear those blue eyes were the most enchanting I had ever seen. It was really too bad that I had to hate him.

            He walked straight up to me. I figured that Paul must have given him my description. "Miss Steele." It wasn't even stated in a question, it was if he knew exactly who I was.

            "Hi, um, Mr...?" I didn't even know his last name.

            "Just call me Steve. After all, we'll be spending a lot of time together. I tend to get to know my clients quite well. It comes from living under the same roof as them I suppose." He leaned back as if to get a good look at me and my response. He was just trying to push my buttons.

            "Come again?" What was he talking about?

            "Didn't Paul tell you?" he asked. I shrugged in response and he took that as a no. "I only take on one major client at a time and to do the best work I can do, I live with them so I'm there whenever I need to be. When an account is as large as yours, it usually takes a great deal of on hand care."

            "Huh?" I was doing well today. My brain just wasn't functioning properly.

            "I don't feel that I can do the job required of me when living across town. I hope this is not a problem," he said. This did not seam realistic. I wasn't like some daredevil playboy whose parents needed a lawyer on hand twenty four seven. Was I being punked?

            I was about to lay into him and tell him that there was a big problem, but I remembered what I had promised Paul. I was going to give this a chance, a very small chance. "Whatever, we can discuss it later. We'd better get to the hospital now." This was just some untactful joke.

            We had a short visit with Paul and then both Steve and I returned home to the Giant. So much for the joke part of it. I spent a few hours pacing her halls. I looked at some rooms. Mainly I just did a lot of thinking, Mark being the main subject. I wanted nothing to do with him, which was one reason I was looking at rooms. I wasn't about to sleep in a room that Mark had picked out or that we had spent time in together.

            I noticed something different this time around. I had thought that all the rooms had been copies of each other, much like those of a hotel. When taking the time to look closely, I noticed that each room had its own personality. They were each different, some in small ways, others in large ways.

            It was on the fifth floor that I noticed the biggest change. The whole fifth floor was rearranged. There were four less rooms, and at least two rooms were larger than the others. One room was significantly different than the rest. The door from the hall was set further back into the room, so that you could stand in the doorway and not be seen by someone down the hall.

            I walked slowly to the room. This time there was nothing fun about finding a new room. It just needed to be done. I was changing a lot of things, later that day I was going to trade in my high class car for anything that didn't reek of upper class money. The only reason I had even gotten the car was because of Mark. I had totally let him take over my life. What an idiot I had been. A warning from a friend popped in my head but I pushed it away. I didn’t want to hear an “I told you so”, even if it was in my own mind. (Well that's over finally. The only reason for that quick relationship- the once bitten twice shy mentality and a little setup for later.)

            I walked in the room and noticed a huge difference. All of the outside rooms had windows and all the windows in those rooms were centered. This one however was not. The window was centered from top to bottom like the rest, but it was to the left a few feet from the middle. It seemed to me to be rather odd. The explanation came to me when looking outside at the view. It was perfect. You could see everything from this angle. The mountains and river, the ocean, and I figured that at night you could even see the lights from the city further up the coast. "This is the room," I said softly to myself. It was the one from the outside that bothered me. Maybe the off centered window was what caught my attention.

            I looked around; there was something about this room. I couldn't say what but I didn't much care. I just began moving my things into it. As I moved my things into their new home, a few stories below me Steve was doing the same thing. I had fought his living here tooth and nail but Paul held me to my promise. I ended up walking out of the room, with my last words being, "I hate lawyers and you keep pushing it and it might include you." I didn't mean it of course. I could never hate Paul but I was determined to hate this new guy.

            So there I was, stuck with some strange rattle snake living under the same roof as me. He had picked the room right next to Mandy's. Our rooms were not the only ones being moved into. The servant’s quarters were being filled with a cook and a maid, both married to one another. I gave them mornings off. I figured that I could make my own breakfast and who cares whether snakes eat or not. I checked to make sure that they had everything they needed and then I headed up to my room. I had expected to toss and turn all night but the moment I laid down in that bed I fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.

            I must have forgotten that I was not the only person living in the Giant, for when I went down to breakfast that morning you could say that I wasn't quite properly dressed. Lucky for me what I was wearing wasn't what you would call overly revealing. I was just fixing my breakfast when a fully dressed snake walked into the kitchen. To cover my embarrassment, I acted as if everything was fine. I wasn't about to let him see me blush. This, however, was easier said than done, especially when we became trapped between the counter and a chair.

            Being pressed up against a reptile wasn't my idea of fun.  The worse part was that I wasn't exactly uncomfortable.  There was no denying it; I was attracted to a slithering slimy snake. How could anyone not be, he was gorgeous. At least I got some satisfaction in knowing that he wasn't totally unaffected either. I almost started laughing when he fell over the back of the chair to get away. I would have but the instant I looked at him lying on the floor, I saw Mark. I hated Mark even more in that instant. For a short time in my life I had been able to trust people and now that was gone.

            The new reptile in my life got up and brushed himself off. It was a totally worthless gesture, the floor was spotless and he hadn't gotten a thing on him. "So, Connor, what is on your agenda for today?"

            I gave him a look that told him that it was none of his business but answered him anyway. "I have an old felon to visit."

            "You mean an old friend?" he asked with a small laugh.

            "No, I meant felon, as in scum, trash, a sorry piece of worthless junk." My voice was even bitterer than my words.

            His smile faded as he realized the identity of the man I was going to visit. "Do you really think that's wise?"

            "What business is it of yours?" I asked. "I'll tell you right now, you step into my personal life again and you'll be out of my home and my life before you can count to five."

            My threat didn't seem to bother him but he apologized anyway, sort of. "I'm sorry I asked."

            We ate breakfast in silence and then he left. I headed up stairs to get dressed. It was already a bad day and I was not looking forward to visiting the viper.

            The sheriff met me at the front door. "Hello, Connor. How are you?" His name was Chuck and he had been Sheriff for twenty years. He was a few inches taller than me and had a short bushy mustache. I liked him. He had been really nice to me when I first came to town but then again so had Mark.

            I nodded in response. I didn't really know how I was. "Is the slime ball up yet?"

            "He's up but I don't think this is a good idea." He took my arm and led me to some chairs and sat me down. Pulling out one to face me, he too sat down. "You don't need any more of his crap and I have to warn you, he's been dishing out a lot of it."

            "I have to face him. If I don't, I'll never be rid of him." I stood up and motioned for Chuck to do the same. "Let's get this over with."

            I was waiting in the interrogation room when they sent Mark in. He hadn't shaved since he had been arrested and had short stubble all over his face. They had left his handcuffs on and a guard was standing outside the door watching for any signs of trouble.

            He sat there with a wicked smile on his face. Even without having shaved Mark was rather attractive, though nothing compared to Steve. "Hi honey, did you miss me? I knew you couldn't stay away for long. You need me too much." His laugh was deep and slow, followed by a sigh. He sounded like the devil himself. I had never heard this voice.

            "Think you’re something big, don't you?" I knew exactly where to strike, and boy was I going to strike there. "Yeah, you’re real big now. You'll have clients beating down your prison cell. They'll be asking you to be the next president of the United States before you know it." I returned his wicked laugh. "Yep, but don’t forget the best part, instead of asking you to donate to the poor," another wicked laugh, just for effect, "you'll be receiving the donations. Oh yeah, you've hit the big times now. You have something you can really be proud of. It takes a lot to be a loser."

            He sat up with anger in his eyes. "You ..."

            "Now now, let’s not use profanity. That's not good for the reputation." I laughed again. "You're lucky I caught you before you said anything. They might be taping this conversation."

            As if the thought suddenly occurred to him that I might be right, he calmed himself down and tried a new approach. "So you've turned on me, have you? I never thought you could be so heartless." He ran his hand up and down his jaw line. Something he did frequently when he thought he was being brilliant.

            "I knew you were cold but I loved you anyway. I didn't even mind that you just..."

            I stood up sharply, so sharply that I hit my legs on the table and stumbled backwards. Somehow I knew exactly what he was about to insinuate. The sheriffs warning flashed in my head. I had a good idea of what he had been dishing out. "You son of a ... aah. You...” I clenched my fists in rage and felt a drop of blood run down my palm from the fingernails biting into my flesh.

            "Practice what you preach, Connor. You may slip next time and then you would be a hypocrite. Course your much worse than a hypocrite, your a backstabbing witch." He stood up. Putting his hands on the edge of the table he leaned forward. The move almost intimidated me. I forced myself not to step back. "What kind of thing would lead a man on, get him to do her dirty work, and then throw him to the wolves?"

            His smile was so smug. I wanted to gouge his wicked little eyes out. "Don't look so worried, Connor. I still love you and I won't tell them your dirty little secret. Unlike you, I take care of the people I love." (remember high school, soap operas...)

            I started laughing. I covered my face and shook my head back and forth. Sliding my hands down to where they were just covering my mouth, I looked him over. I then imitated his stance and gave him a big smile. "You are a pathetic piece of garbage. How anyone could have ever mistaken you for a man, I don't know."

            I walked around the table and headed for the door. I was through with him. I reached for the handle, but was jerked away from it. "I'm not finished with you."

            I turned to face him. The evil in his eyes paralyzed me, and I was completely helpless when he tilted my head back and kissed me hard on the lips. I finally came out of it. At the same time that I bit his lip, I came up sharply with my knee.

            Chuck walked in just as Mark fell to the floor writhing in pain. Mark bit back his moans long enough to try and implicate me. "I won't cover for you any more, those stocks were your idea, and I won't take the wrap alone."

            "Oh shut up," Chuck said as he helped the snake to his feet. A deputy walked in and escorted Mark out. Chuck shook his head as he watched Mark leave and then turned to me. "Are you okay? Ooh, you've got some blood on your lip, did he hurt you?" He took out a handkerchief from his back pocket and held it out to me.

            I took it and wiped off the blood. "Don't worry, it's not mine."

            I headed straight to my room when I got back to the Giant. I had been carrying a lot of hatred and resentment with me ever since that snake had bit me. Now I just felt tired and empty. I had never felt so empty.

            I fell asleep instantly and dreamed. I was in a dark room. My eyes adjusted and I looked around. It had cobwebs in a single corner and nowhere else. There was an old-fashioned chair and an oil lamp that stood next to it. In my dream I watched through the eyes of someone walking. I saw them in my bedroom and they were walking toward the wall. Suddenly they were no longer in my bedroom but back in the darkened room I had seen at first. From there they walked down dark halls and passages. While looking through these eyes, I paid close attention to the turns my guide was taking me through.   One passage even went underground and across the river.

            I woke up suddenly. So suddenly that I sat up and became dizzy. I put my hand out against the wall for support. As I did something flew out and struck my head.

            This time I was in the halls looking through many different eyes, eyes that spied in all the different rooms. Eyes that so desperately wanted to catch a glance of something interesting, and I listened through ears that lived to eaves drop. It was as though I could feel the emotions of my guide.

            I woke up to a screaming head ache. I looked around for my assailant, having no idea what had hit me. I sat up on my knees and the dizziness came back. Once again I reached for the wall for support. A hidden drawer built into the wall shot out and slammed into my stomach. I fell backwards off the bed and lay there trying to catch my breath. When I finally did, I searched the wall for the drawer.

            Looking very closely, I saw a tiny outline of the drawer that ran along the natural pattern of the texture. I pushed on it, standing well out of the way, but nothing happened. Off to the left in the pattern was a picture of a dragon. It didn't jump out at you. You almost had to be looking for it to notice it.  I ran my hand over the dragons form. The drawer shot out skimming my arm and drawing blood. It was not my day.

            I stared at it, not quite believing that it was there. I was just about to reach my hand in when the thing snapped shut. I was very close to losing a finger. "What's with this thing? Is it hooked to a timer or something?"  I set my watch and opened the drawer. I timed it at 45 seconds but tested it again to make sure. The time was the same, so I set my watch to go off in 30 seconds and opened the drawer.

            I quickly reached in and pulled out a bag, dropping it on the bed I then checked up close to see if there was anything else in the drawer. The alarm went off and I withdrew my hand. I opened the bag and poured out the contents. Six gems, three diamonds, and a ring toppled onto the bed. I looked the gems and diamonds over.

            To my naked eye they were flawless. I picked up the ring and studied it. It wasn't worth a lot. The stone looked to be a garnet, dark red, with lines streaking through it. It was pretty, but nothing to be impressed over, at least not when you had expensive diamonds sitting next to it. Still, something drew me to it. I couldn't bear to set it back inside the bag. Instead, I slipped it into my pocket and put the rest of the items back into the bag.

            I opened the drawer again and checked the back. I felt a book and pulled it out. I looked it over and realized that it was a diary. I don't know how I made the realization. It had no markings to suggest it, I just knew. On the binding was written the number thirty five. I wondered what it meant but didn't really care at the moment.

            I turned it over to look at the back. It had writing on it. Written in what looked to be a quill, its handwriting was old-fashion. I shouldn't have been able to read it, it should have been to difficult for me to make out but it wasn't.

There before me, I saw three dragons.

All same in design, one red, one blue,

and the last black.  

The first stepped forward...

I am your time, the red one declared.

I can give you as much time as you need,

but I can remove my gift in an instant. 

I submit to your desire,

In time of heart or fire.

The blue one took his place.

I am the keeper of secrets.

I hide and protect whatever you wish to conceal.

A great wizard at hide and seek.

I submit to your desire

In secrecy of heart or fire.

The third stepped up.

I am your refuge.

Your hideaway from harm.

I can keep you warm.

I can keep you safe.

I console you in times of hardship or trouble.

I supply all that you need,

but must be taken care of and kept from all greed.

I submit to your desire

Will hide you in times of heart or fire.

Then out from a shadow, crawled a great spider.

The dragons shuddered in its sight.

I can protect you,

At a great loss.

In dire need you can find me

But beware and first count the cost.

I submit to your desire

But only in the fire.

            I read it through a couple of times but it didn't make a whole lot of sense and it wasn't really well written. I looked at the dragon on the wall and noticed it was a shade of blue. I paced the room as I read and when looking up, near the far corner, there was a black dragon on the wall.  I looked around the room and saw a red dragon painted near the dresser.

            I went to the red one and pushed it in. The drawer to the blue dragon popped open. I let up on the red dragon and it immediately shut. Not having a clue what was going on, I went and pushed the blue dragon. It popped open and then shut again.

            A thought came to me and I went over to the red one again and held it in for a minute. The drawer stayed open the whole time and then shut when I let up. I tested my theory by pushing the blue dragon. The drawer came open and stayed open for one minute.

            I had been right. The red dragon was in control of the time. The longer you held it in, the more time you had. Now that I had those two figured out, it was time for the black one. I took a few steps toward it but was interrupted by a light tap on the door.

            "Connor?" I heard the snake's voice calling.

            I checked the drawer and made sure it was closed. It was so I went and opened the door. "What?" I cringed at my tone. I was so polite these days.

            "Paul's here," he stepped aside to let me through.

            "Why didn't you use the phone? You didn't have to walk all the way up here." I pushed past him and made sure that he closed the door.

            "I needed the exercise," he said. "Besides, he's got some girl with him and she makes me just a little nervous."

            "Oh what, the big bad lawyer can't handle a girl." I mocked him.  "What is Paul doing here anyway; he just had a heart attach a short time ago."

            "He recovers fast and good luck to any one who tries to keep him down. He can't stand to stay in bed." Steve said with a chuckle. I just ignored him.

            Paul was in the kitchen. He was sitting on a bar stool and a girl about 14 or 15, was sitting at the table showing off her attitude. She did kind of make you nervous.

            "Connor." He stood up to give me a hug. I hugged him then told him to sit his butt down. He was still awfully weak. "Please, spare me the lecture. I already promised Missy that I would stay in bed for a week if she just let me do this."

            "And what, may I ask, is this?" I glanced to the girl then back at Paul. I wasn't going to like this.

            "Connor, this is Kael," he said, then looked to Kael. "Kael, this is Connor."

            "So I gathered," she said, totally unenthusiastic. Neither of us was thrilled much. "Oh, and I'd appreciate it if you would say my name right."

            Paul rolled his eyes which told me that he had said her name right, and she was just being difficult. "Hello, Kael." I said and correctly.

            "Yeah, whatever." She had a ball and rolled it between her hands on the table.

            I smiled then. I recognized that bad attitude of hers, it used to be mine. I looked over at Paul, my eyes pleading that he didn't ask me what I thought he was going to. It didn't work.

            "Connor, I want Kael to stay here." His eyebrows rose. "Yes, I mean live here." He stood up, when seeing I was about to argue. "Lets walk, my knees are stiff."

            We walked to the lobby and sat. In a slightly whiney voice I asked, "Paul, what's this all about." I still had a head ache and it was beginning to throb.

            "Look, Connor, if she doesn't turn her life around they'll ship her out. She has no future in the States. You know what it's like to be alone. You were just a little bit luckier than some, you survived." His eyes were pleading.

            Why me, I had enough problems. "So, what's her problem?"

            "She was physically abused by her parents. It's bad, Connor, really bad. Worse than you I'm afraid." He shook his head.

            I rubbed my face with my hands, which was becoming a habit when I was stressed. I knew by the look on his face and the tone of his voice that the abuse may have escalated to sexual abuse but didn’t ask at that point. "Paul, do you really think I'm in a position to help her. I can barely help myself."

            "She just needs a real chance. You can give that to her. I'm in no condition to or I would. Please, Connor, this is her last chance." He put his hand on my shoulder.

            I really hated this. "Will she run?" I asked. I wasn't about to watch her twenty four hours a day.

            "No, she knows what will happen. Plus, I think she really wants this chance, she's just not going to show it." He was starting to look really tired and I knew he needed rest. "I need to go now or Missy will have my head.”

            I nodded and walked him to the car. Missy was waiting there. He must have asked her to wait outside. I said goodbye then went to see my new house guest.

Well I guess that's it for chapter two. What was I thinking? Most of it feels like set up. Hopefully it will pay off later. I tried not to change too much of it. It feels so young and ridiculous to me but the character was young and it is in first person so I hoped that I could eventually age her naturally through my maturing. Problem is that just because I'm getting older doesn't mean my writing is any better. Still I kind of like it. I can't be too hard on past me. After all posting this is sort of a tribute the the me that was. You write what you know but I wanted to fantasize outside of my box. That only works if your willing to do the research or if you lived it or close to it. I was well taken care of. My parents balanced my life with making sure I got all I needed and enough of what I wanted without making me a spoiled lazy brat. So I don't know what its like to be a survivor, to be betrayed by a guy or feel utterly alone. That was all speculation to me. I had baggage but most involved friends who were sometimes better described as friends of convenience or issues with my brother. Nothing horrible with him but he could make me feel useless and worthless at the drop of a hat. With the exception of a few people I was only paid attention to when it suited them. So, that rejection or lack of care was all I really had to draw on and I didn't really understand it when I was writing this story. I think you'll see it later in my writing but during the first draft of this I was a fairly happy protected kid who just liked to day dream and put it in writing.