Diamond in the Rough: Chapter 46

"Are you all right, Bea?"  Sister Rebecca Katherine asked.


She nodded.


"You know, this kind of weather is not my favorite.  My brother, who is coming to visit, he loves the cold.  He adores the chilliness of a winter day.  Me, I prefer the hot weather when I can get it."


Bea continued to draw, then sat back, pushing the pad away from her.  The drawing was complete.


Sister Rebecca Katherine looked at the drawing, and then picked it up and faced it toward herself.  A twinge of pain shot through her when she looked at the little boy; he resembled Jack, but not quite as sweet-faced.  She swallowed.  "This, is your Angel," she said, with finality.


Bea nodded, and then smiled.  The nun looked back at her, and smiled as well, but was taken aback when Bea's expression suddenly changed without notice.  Her eyes were drawn to something across the room; her eyebrows furrowed, and her eyes suddenly brimmed with tears that somehow caught the light from the window.  


"Bea, Dear?"  Sister Rebecca Katherine was even more confused when she saw the woman breathe in deeply and open her mouth, as if she was going to cry out.  A small noise was garbled in her throat, and the nun said, "What is it . . .?"  and turned.


Todd, standing perfectly still, with an expression the nun had never seen before, was staring in the direction of their table, and his eyes were magnetically connected to Bea's confused face.  Blair was on his arm, and looked at the woman, and then to her husband, who was not moving.  She said, "Todd?"


He did not answer.  Instead, she saw his throat working and his eyes filling with water.


Sister Rebecca Katherine was overcome.  She did not know which thing to do next, but Todd's presence was a shock to her; she was wordless.  Bea, as if in slow motion on film, stood up from the table, still staring.  Her mouth was still open, as if she were trying to speak.


Blair was also confused.  Perplexed, she said, "The woman from the park, the one who wanted to see Little Ray," as Todd slowly, kindly, removed her hand from his arm and walked forward.


Sister Rebecca Katherine, completely unprepared for what was about to follow, did the only thing she could think of.  "This is Bea."  She handed him the drawing, "And this, is her son, who was taken from her."


Todd moved his eyes to the paper, and fighting tears, composed himself.  He looked back to the woman, who was already moving toward him, with one hand reaching out.  Blair, coming behind him, looked at the artwork, and sucked in her breath, saying, "Oh my God," in a breathless whisper.


Todd waited until the woman was only three or four feet in front of him, and by then, Timothy, who had stopped at the bathroom, was hanging back from the scene, trying to read his sister's eyes.  He knew something was powerfully right and wrong at the same time, and took a place standing beside his sister and putting his hand on her shoulder.  No one spoke for a timeless moment.


Todd said, "Momma?" in the softest, most pure voice Blair had ever heard, and the woman brought her hand to her mouth as soon as it left his lips.


Bea walked closer, still keeping her distance and tilted her head.  She began to cry, and as tears streamed down her face, his eyes searched her, noticing the scar on her neck, the one she seemed to be unable to stop touching when he was a child.  He said again, "Momma," but as a finality this time.


The woman's eyes darted to Sister Rebecca Katherine.  The nun stood, and said, "This is your Angel, isn't it, Dear?"


Bea nodded, and raised her hand to touch his face, and when she saw his scar, and felt it, she began to tremble and break down.  She brought her other hand up, reaching toward him like a child, and suddenly, the slow motion was broken, and they fell into an embrace.  "What happened to you?"  he said, trying to be strong, but Blair could see his hands shaking and his voice was faltering as well.  "I thought you were dead."


The woman, crying silently, just held on, and did not respond.  


Sister Rebecca Katherine said, "She thought you were dead as well, Lad."


Bea broke free and went back to the table, rubbing her eyes on her sleeve.  She furiously grasped for paper and a pencil, and began to write.


Blair went to Todd without speaking and hugged him.  He held her, and closed his eyes a moment.  Brushing tears from his face, he said, "She can't talk."


"No," the nun said.  Bea wrote for a moment, and then handed the paper to Todd.


He read, "I was sent away to The Evil One.  They said you died.  They said you didn't survive."  He looked up, and could no longer contain his tears.  


He said, "They lied," and his voice cracked.


She smiled.  


He wiped his face on his sleeve, and took Blair's hand.  She could feel him squeeze it, as if he was getting strength from it, and couldn't let go.  He looked at Sister Rebecca Katherine and asked, "Who is The Evil One?  Is it Peter?  How did this happen to her?"


"I know ya have a lot of questions, but ya must remember where ya are, Lad, and why she's here."  Timothy said.


Todd swallowed, thinking about what Timothy's words actually meant.  He walked to the table and sat down opposite his mother, and this brought Blair to the table with him, where she stood.  He said, "Do you remember me?"


She nodded, wistfully.


He said, "I missed you," and his voice caught again.


She nodded and used her finger to point to herself and then him.


He, still holding Blair's hand, said, "This is my wife, Blair."


Blair smiled warmly at the woman, and said, "Hello, Bitsy."


Bea grinned at her and took the paper back.  She wrote, and then handed the paper to Todd.  He read, "B for Bitsy.  Yes, Bitsy.  That baby, in the park.  That is not my baby, is it?"  

He handed the paper back to her, and said, "No, it's our baby, mine and Blair's.  Your grandson.  His name is Ray."  


She took the paper back, seemed to doodle on it, and then frantically dug through her drawings.  She handed him the sketch of Jack.  He looked at it, and Blair, looking at it over his shoulder, said, "That's Jack.  He's our son.  He's your grandson, too." 


She went through her drawings again, this time pulling out the one of the hands, and putting it onto the table in front of her, she stared at it, beginning to rock.  The nun said, "Bea, Dear, it's all right."


"Momma, it's okay," Todd said, shakily, but she was lost in something else.  She stared at the drawing of the hands, and rocked, escalating in speed and diligence.  


The nun said, "Todd, I'm sorry, it's too much, Dearest."  She went to Bea, and taking her by the shoulders, lifted her and took her out of the solarium and to her room.  Bea never fought, looked back at Todd, or did anything more.  


Blair, still standing, pulled Todd's head to her stomach, and lost her fingers in his hair.  He broke down, and she held him against her.  


On the table, Bitsy's drawings and the paper with her words were strewn all around.  Her writing sheet had a scribble at the bottom.  Blair, holding Todd to her, could see it from where she stood and it said, "Todd."  


***


After a while, Sister Rebecca Katherine returned to the solarium.  It was still dark, but growing darker. Todd was sitting, sullen, one hand in front of him on the table, the other still holding Blair's.  Timothy and Blair had sat down with him, and were flanking him on either side.  Timothy said, "I'm sorry, Lad, I had no idea."


Sister Rebecca Katherine approached the table.  She said, "They had to sedate her.  Todd, I never expected this to happen.  I called Timothy here to help me, because I had a suspicion that there was some connection to you."


"It's no one's fault here at this table, it just happened; it was a fluke.  Another coincidence," he rolled his eyes, and half smiled.  Timothy left the table for a moment and Sister Rebecca Katherine took his seat beside Todd.


Blair kept her grip on his hand, and comforted him the best she could by sheer will.  She leaned her chin on his shoulder, and said softly, "But you have your Mother, Todd."


He said, "Yeah."  Seeming to get his strength back, he said, "Sister, what happened to her?"


"Oh, Dear Boy, it is very long story and very disturbing at times.  I am not sure today's the day.  You've had quite a shock."
         
Timothy returned, and said, "Drink this water, Lad."


Todd looked at him, "Thanks, Old Man."  He listened, and downed the water.  Then he said, "Sister, what happened to her?"


"Todd, believe me, you will know everything you wish to know. . ."


"Sister.  Please."


"All right.  I'm not sure of much, since she is so confused, and not able to remember."  She took a breath.  "Seems someone she calls 'The One Who Hurt Us' sent her away to a place, possibly a commune of some kind.  She describes the leader as 'The Evil One,' because she cannot remember names.  She was sent there, and told you died."


"What happened to her?  Why can't she talk?"


"We're not sure.  The records that came with her are not very clear.  It's likely some kind of brain damage."


"So Peter sent her away to stay in some commune?"


"Yes," the sister said.  She shot Timothy a glance, and he joined in.


"Todd, Lad, there will be time for all this.  Right now, you've got to process what happened today."


"Process.  Hmf."


Blair was quiet.  She knew how profound the events of the day were, and could only guess at what he was feeling.


"This Evil One.  Did she say his name?"


"She cannot remember names, Dear."  The nun picked up Bea's writing page, and showed him, "See?  She is just learning your name.  Over again."


He fought tears.  "My mother.  She's the only mother I ever knew, aside from you, Sister.  She raised me, until . . . well I guess you already know."


"Yes, Dear.  I know."


"She's alive."  He said, and his face took on an expression of blended hope and despair.


Blair, caressing his hair, kissed his cheek.  "My love, let's go home.  We'll come back as soon as you want to and see her."


"I want to know what happened to her, Blair."


"I know, you will.  Just, let's take this bit with us for now.  It's a lot, Todd.  It's all going to be here, and it's not going away.  We'll come back whenever you want."


He looked at her, "You know what this means to me.  You, of all people."


"Yes, I do," she broke, and rested her head on his shoulder.  Then she said, "But I've been here, finding out about what happened to my mother.  I know it's more than I could handle sometimes.  Let's go home and deal with the first part, and then we'll work on it, together."


"The weather's not cooperating."  Timothy said, "I might have to spend the night, the roads are not so good."


"I'll call Perzno, he'll get us home.  The snow stopped, the copter can make it."  Todd took out his phone and texted his request.


"Can I take a raincheck on the helicopter ride in winter?"  Timothy asked.


"Sure.  I. . .just want to hold my sons,"  he said.  Reaching across the table, he picked up her lake drawing.  "I didn't know she could draw."


"She says she couldn't, until, well, recently."  Sister Rebecca Katherine was intentionally treading carefully.


He looked through the rest of the sketches, until he came to her first.  It was the church, with the face in the clouds.  He said, "What's this?"


"It was her first drawing."  The nun said.  "She only started writing to me a few days ago.  It took weeks to earn her trust.


"Hmf, I wonder why," he said, sarcastically.  For Todd, it was not taking long to piece together Bea's story.  "Is this The Evil One?"  he pointed to the cloud face.


"I don't know.  She wouldn't talk about this picture."  The nun said.


Todd looked at Blair.  "A church.  A menacing face in the clouds.  Peter, sending her away to a 'commune.'"  Then he whispered, "The Evil One."  His jaw worked rapidly.  She felt him squeeze her hand harder.  "Let's go, Blair.  I can hear Perzno coming."


They both stood, Todd's eyes fixed on the artwork with the church.  Blair saw where his eyes rested and said, "Sister, Timothy, we'll speak to you later."


Todd looked at the nun and said, "Thank you, for. . . what you tried to do for her."


"It's my job.  Todd, it will be all right.  The Lord has seen fit to bring you together today."


He nodded, slightly.  "Old Man," he said.


"I love ya, Todd."


He turned and walked, with Blair behind him.  


When they got to the lobby, Blair said, "Todd, wait a minute."  He turned to her, and his expression was so pained, she felt her own pain surge.  "I . . . want to help."


"You are.  Just . . . be here, that's all.  I want to go home, Blair.  I want to hold Ray, and Sam, and talk to Jack."  His need for his children was overpowering to him; even he was not prepared for it.


"Okay.  We're going.  I hear Perzno now."


He said, "Peter. . ."


She covered his lips with her hand.  "Wait.  Let's just take it slow.  Let's just be with each other, for right now, all right?  Let this sink in.  It's been a long day."


***


Timothy turned to his sister.  "Is it going to be difficult to get me a place to sleep, Creena?"


"No, Dear Brother.  It will not be difficult."  


"Are you going to tell me the truth?"


"It's very bad, Brother."


He took her hand.  "Go very slowly."


"Todd's adopted father was a rapist and a child abuser.  A cruel man.  He raped Bea for years.  He hurt them both.  And . . . there's more," she said, breaking down.  "He was just a little boy.  He was torn from his mother.  She was sent away, and then beaten to the point of never being the same."


"Creena," he took her in his arms, "I am sorry, Dear Heart, for the pain this is causing ya."


"Oh Dear, Brother, I am so worried.  When he finds out the whole truth.  I am afraid for him."  Sister Rebecca Katherine wrung her hands in despair.


"Ah, but you are wrong, I think.  He is strong.  He will come out of it unscathed in the end."


"Yes, but the getting there is what concerns me."

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