Unexpected Happenings, Chapter 11
 
 
 

Sam Bennett finally came back to his 'right' mind. He put his hand to his head, and looked at the situation. He and Ivy had somehow found their way to her bedroom, and nothing but a silk sheet placed strategically, covered both of them. Ivy was smiling at him. She gave him a kiss on the chest, and then on the cheek.

" See Sam, you love me. You know you do."

" Ivy, this has nothing to do with love."

" Ok, so, you lust for me. You want to try and diminish it, you go right on ahead. I know the truth: you love me, Sam. Why are you denying it?"

" I have a family. With Grace."

" I know you love your children, Sam. But, you love me too. You're denying it, because it's not 'proper'. You care what others think of you. And, loving me, while married to the Saint of Harmony, just won't do. So, you choose to call it something other than what it is."

" This is over, Ivy. It has to be.", Sam said, getting his clothes on in a hurry. Problem was, they were strewn everywhere, so, it was like a scavenger hunt. Ivy wrapped the sheet around her and walked right behind Sam.

" You can't run forever Sam. Sooner or later, you will have to face what we have together. I'll be here."

" Don't you have any self-respect? I'm a married man."

" Don't YOU have any self-respect. Using marriage vows as a crutch. A REAL MAN faces his feelings, even if it's hard."

Sam said nothing to Ivy as he walked out of her apartment - shirtless.

Ivy went to the kitchen because she was famished.
 

Simone met Reese at their usual tutoring spot.

" Reese, I'm sorry. I forgot that I already had an appointment. Actually, it's community service that I do. My cellphone's dead, so I couldn't call you, but, I didn't want you to think that you had been stood up. I'm already late, so I have to go."

Simone was walking towards her car, when Reese called out, " Simone, wait!"

Simone turned around and asked, " Yes."

" You need any help?"

"  You really offering?"

" Yes."

" Ok. Follow me."

Reese got in his car, and followed Simone. They wound up at the Castleton Youth Center. She walked into a small room off the main gym, where there were about 10 kids sitting there.

" Sorry I'm late, guys."

" Hey Simone.", they nearly say in unison.

" Give me a few minutes to  set up."

Reese looked at Simone, and she was trying to hook up a microphone and light system. He went over to her.

" Let me help."

" Good! I need to prepare the rest of it."

Reese set up the Microphone on the platform, and the lights. He watched as Simone brought out mugs of something, and then had a few kids bring out trays of vegetables w/dip, and some cookies.

Once she was finished, she went to the stage, and asked Reese, " You finished?"

" Yep. "

" Take a seat over there.", she said, pointing to a table close to the stage.  Reese did as he was told, and then Simone got in front of the mike.

" Well hello, everyone."

" Hello.", they responded.

" Welcome to the Castleton Café. My name is Simone Russell, and because we have a guest, Mr. Reese Durke, I'm going to explain to him what we do.

Before me, as some of the future writers, poets, screenwriters, political commentators of the next generation. These very bright and talented young people will be sharing their thoughts with the rest of us here, as they will continue until the semester is over. At the end of the semester. Everything that has been written will be put into a book.

Not that I have to remind you, but, respect is the name of the game here. What everyone has to say has value, and since you want someone to listen to you, you will be quiet during other's recitations.

So, I guess it's my turn to choose who goes first."

" Simone", a girl raises her hand.

" Yes, Laurie."

" It was YOUR turn to go first."

" Yeah", the rest of them say, snapping their fingers in agreement.

Simone looked surprised, and Reese could tell that she had forgotten.

The snapping got louder, until Simone said, " Ok, I remember. I guess it's time to tell you that I forgot, but, I'll to an impromptu. What's that?"

A boy raised his hand. " You're going to wing it!"

Simone laughed. " Yes, I guess you could say that. "

Simone turned to Reese, and told him to turn on the synthesizer. A soft mello drum beat begins going. Simone feels the beat.

" Well, my name's Simone.

And, I'm here.
Here cause I like all of you.
Here because I want you to see who you can be.
Here to show you that you don't have to be the shadow.
Cause I've been the shadow.
The shadow of the perfect sister.
Shadow to one who does no wrong.
Can do no wrong.
The world is perfect for her.
And, I am 'the other one'.
'The other one'.
So much in those three words
Lot of hurt
Lot of pain
Ignorance.
How small am I?
Does anyone hear me?
Does anyone see me?
How can they see the shadow?
Don't they know that the shadow is black and beautiful?
Like me. "

Simone looked at the audience. The kids and Reese were all silent. She felt like an open wound, exposed, vulnerable. Reese began to snap his fingers, and then the kids did too.

Simone felt so vulnerable, standing up there. She had no problem writing down her feelings; she had been doing that since she was a little girl. But, sharing those feelings, showing her soul, made her nervous.

Simone finally gained her composure, and spoke again into the microphone.

" So, now that I've gone, whose turn is it?"

A girl came up to the stage, and Simone took her seat next to Reese.

" That was fabulous.", he whispered to her, as they listened to the young girl talk about her cat. It was an imaginative poem, for she had gotten a list of what seemed to be every animal in the feline family and was talking about them. Once she was finished, Simone turned to Reese.

" You liked it?"

" I loved it."

Simone looked into Reese's eyes, and then turned away. Sleeping with Reese hadn't been as intimate as having him hear her today. Nobody, not her family, or even Kay, understood what she did over in Castleton. Reese was the first person that she 'knew' from Harmony, who had seen her.

They went through a couple of other kids. One kid did his usual political commentary, this time about the benefits of recess for kids.

They took a break, and had some snacks. As she ate, Simone spoke to Reese: " I guess I must seem pretty pathetic. Having to do this in front of kids."

"  I don't think this is silly at all. It's great. How did you get the idea?"

Since Reese seemed genuinely interested, Simone was glad. " I was reading about the cafes in Greenwich Village during the 50's and 60's, and I thought that it would be a good idea to have it for kids now. A lot of these kids have rough lives, but, they have no one else to talk about it. This provides a safe zone for them. For them to verbalize their lives, and not keep it in. I've kept a lot of things in, and I realize now that it wasn't smart. I think it culminated in the Chad fiasco. Chad was every bad thing that played on all of my insecurities. So, a lot of the residual resentment and hostility that I have towards Chad and Whitney is a lot of other issues. I do realize that, Reese. And, I'm trying to work things through."

" I'm glad. Because Chad certainly isn't worth you upsetting yourself about. He couldn't see what he could have. That makes him a fool."

Simone rolls her eyes. " You surely are good for a gal's ego, Mr. Durke."

" I try my best, Miss Russell."

They looked into one another's eyes for a moment too long, and Simone, becoming flushed, turned away. " I have to go start the second set.", she said, going back up on stage, asking for another speaker. She looked as a young girl, wrapped in a quilt, came up on the stage. When the girl got to the microphone, Simone asked her, " Are you sure?"

The girl nodded, and  Simone left the stage. When she got back to the table, she leaned over and whispered to Reese. " She lost her grandmother 3 months ago. She hasn't said anything since."

Simone and the others sat waiting for the girl to speak. When she began, she told them that this was a quilt, one she and her grandmother had made together. She spoke of how much her grandmother had meant to her. That she was the difference between being able to come home afterschool, instead of going to a cold program. How she was her grandmother's legs and arms, and all the things that her grandmother had taught her to do, even though her grandmother suffered from horrible arthritis. How she knew how to cook, can, quilt, and other things, because she would follow her grandmother's directions. That arthritis didn't stop her grandmother from sharing her favorite part of the day: the book that they would read together, on their porch, underneath the quilt, at sunset. By the end, everyone was in tears, and they didn't just snap, they clapped and gave her a standing ovation.

Simone rushed up onto the stage and gave her a hug. She hugged Simone back, and left the stage, but, it took awhile to get to her seat, because they other kids hugged her too.

They wound up the afternoon with a guitar solo by one of the students. Simone couldn't believe how much the child had improved from the beginning of all of this, when it was painful to listen to him. Now, he was making beautiful music.

When it was all over, those who had something written down, came over to Simone and gave it to her for the book that would be done for the class. Simone talked to each of the kids, telling them how good their stuff was, and reminding them that they can do even better for next time.

The last person to come over to Simone was the young girl with the quilt. She had folded it up, and brought it over to Simone.

" Simone, I want you to have it."

" Rory, I can't take this."

" I want you to have it. I've been so sad. But, not now. I miss my Grandma, but, it don't ache all the time. That's cause of this. Without this café, I….I'd still be in pain. It's a gift. Take it."

Simone took it, and asked, " Won't  you miss it?"

" No. My Grandma and I did a lot of quilts. Her hands were the last thing to fail her. My Grandma would want you to have it."

" Then, I accept it. Thank you, Sweetie."

Simone gives her a hug and she leaves. Simone has tears in her eyes. " You think I'm a sap.", she laughs through her tears.

" No. I think you're terrific."

" Really?", she says, surprised.

" Really."