Wingless And Beautiful
?EPISODE 12 ?
I’m happy. I barely have nightmares anymore.
Meredith continued reading on the screen.
“What’s that anyway?” I asked.
“I’m checking his file. I volunteer there so I get access to their database… at least the basic stuff,” she replied.
“Hunter Zale Vaughn. Age, sixteen. Parents: Patrick Vaughn and Diana Vaughn, deceased. Only child. He’s from
Jacksonville…”
She trailed off as she continued reading
Hunter’s profile. “Apparently the prince of Jacksonville.”
“What?”
“His father owned one of the biggest property
development firms in the country. His mother owned several real estate firms.
Hunter was tested with an IQ of…” She trailed off and stared at me with an amazed expression on her face. “One hundred sixty. Whew!” She shook her head.
“He was a member of Mensa. He achieved Chess Master
rating at the age of fifteen.
He played tennis and was on the school’s football team. A black belt in Karate. He played the guitar and drums. Geez! Is there anything this guy can’t
do?”
I felt a sense of pride run through me. I sighed. Yeah.
That’s Hunter.
My Hunter.
“Hot. Genius.” Meredith shook her head. “Wow! No
wonder you were going back to the center every day.”
I laughed and threw a small pillow at her. We fell silent
for a while. Then Meredith took a deep breath and I just
knew she was going to say something awkward.
“Alice… since I’m your designated… guardian. I get to
be the one to tell you that…”
She took a deep breath again.
Oh no! She’s going to give me ‘the talk!’ This is going to
be embarrassing!
“Just make sure…” she started and I thought she looked
constipated.
“We’re not having sx, Mer,” I cut her off. “And it’s very
unlikely that we will. Well, at least… not yet… not in a very
long time.”
She breathed in a sigh of relief. “Okay. I’m sure you’re a smart girl. And you’re dating a genius. But… well, just be
careful, okay?
I won’t stop you… but you two could have a good future going for you. Even with his condition. As long as you make the right choices and… wait for the right time.”
“I’ll remember that.”
Meredith began searching through the net again.
“Anyway, what’s up with you?” I asked her.
She heaved a frustrated sigh. “My company’s going to
shut down. I will have to start looking for another job.”
I instantly felt bad for her… actually more of guilty than
bad. She’s twenty-five and taking on the responsibility of a forty-five-year-old woman.
And it’s not like my mother left her with a fortune anyway.
She only left behind a few
trinkets, which Meredith didn’t want to sell. I didn’t either.
I smiled at her ruefully.
I think Meredith has taken care
of me long enough. It’s time for me to do my share around
the house. I finished my hot chocolate.
Then I went to her
and gave her a hug. “Thanks for taking care of me, Mer.” I
kssed her cheek and then I went to my room.
The next day, I went to the nearest newsstand and got a
copy of the local paper. I went through the classifieds and
decided to look for part-time jobs.
Anything that would
accept a sixteen-year-old girl.
I spent the day calling firms hoping to land a job.
Meredith needed help. I wanted to give it to her. I’m fine
now. As in, ‘really-okay’. Not ‘bottled-up-pretending-to-be-
fine-okay’.
It was already late when I went to CRC to see Hunter. He
was playing his guitar, sitting on the bench in our garden.
When I approached him, I saw his mouth curve into a smile.
“There you are,” he said. “I was afraid you weren’t
coming.”
He put the guitar aside and reached out for my
hand. He pulled me to him and made me sit on his lap.
Hunter was not all muscular, but he wasn’t skinny either.
He was lean, his muscles were surprisingly well-toned, and his shoulders were broad. I fit perfectly in his arms with my
small, petite frame.
I rested my head on his shoulder, as if it was the most
natural thing for me in the world. He kssed the top of my
head and inhaled through my hair.
I giggled. “You love doing that, don’t you?”
“Hmmm… you smell like strawberries.
You have this sweet scent that is engraved in my mind now. I would recognize you anywhere.”
“Did I keep you waiting for long?”
“I would wait for you until midnight if I have to.” Then in
a somewhat sad voice, he said, “I would freeze this moment
if I have a choice.”
I giggled and pulled away from him. “We do this every
day. I was afraid you would have gotten tired of me already.”
He shook his head. “I would never get tired of you,
angel.”
I squeezed his nose and he squirmed a bit. I laughed
and then I rested my head on his shoulder again.
“Meredith looked up your profile.”
“Investigating on who you’re dating already?” he asked,
amusement all over his voice.
“She was just curious.”
“And worried,” he added.
I giggled. “I’m sure she would never admit that. But
yeah. I think so, too.”
“So what did she find out?”
“Nothing bad.
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