Genomorph

Chapter 66

CHAPTER 66

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2005

Karen was back in Venice as promised for Thanksgiving. Brandi went all out and prepared a lavish meal including two huge turkeys. She joked that they needed one just for her and Melissa.

It was a lovely day; Susan joined them, as did Ryan who had been released from the hospital a few days earlier. He seemed to enjoy the attention that was lavished on him by Brandi and Melissa, and especially by their new housemate, Gretchen. She was enrolling at UCLA and would be attending starting with the winter quarter.

Brandi was still uncertain about her future. She could easily enroll herself; she had transcripts that mirrored Brandon’s academic record from high school. To give her a college background would have been too risky. She was keeping her options open for the time being, suspecting that she would not be able to commit to life as a full time student for the foreseeable future.

College was perhaps not an option for the immediate future, but she knew it was on the horizon. One thing she had shared with no one, other than Melissa, was the complete details of the ‘final data matrix’ downloaded to her when their bonding was completed. She now had within her much of the Forerunners’ scientific and technical knowledge. She couldn’t make sense of any of it; not yet. She lacked the background education in subjects like genetics, physics and engineering to be able to even begin to understand it. Even with her computer-like mind and her vastly increased ability to learn, it would take years to gain the knowledge she needed; but she would do it.

A few days after Thanksgiving, they helped Karen pack up the last of her things for shipment to Washington. She had gotten a nice apartment there that was an easy commute to the State Department. She was looking forward to settling in at CTAG and getting to really learn her job, without the pressure of the nation’s future resting so ominously on her shoulders.

Cyndi, Renee and Amber joined them for the trip to the airport. Melissa had called them after the lab was taken to let them know it was safe to return home. At the airport they all said goodbye to Karen again and there were plenty of tears all around. After Karen’s flight left they returned to the house to catch up.

“I guess we ought to talk about the band,” Brandi said as they sat out on the deck.

“We should,” Cyndi agreed. “But first I want to say I’m sorry for the way I acted.”

“Cyndi, it’s all right,” Brandi said. “You had every right to feel that way.”

“No, I didn’t,” Cyndi said. “I was mad at all of you because you didn’t trust us, and I felt you placed us at risk, but I wasn’t being honest with you. I want to be now.

“Before I met Renee, I was dating a guy; I was still in denial back then. He was a jerk and he was abusive, but I just couldn’t break it off. I guess in a way I was scared of him, but more than that, I was scared about what I really felt inside.”

Cyndi stopped and seemed to be struggling to get the words out. Renee reached over and squeezed her hand, smiling warmly.

“Then I met Renee, and, well, it was love. There was no way I could deny it anymore. I broke it off with my boyfriend, and a short time later I moved in with Renee. I never told her about my ex though, or what a psycho he was.”

“Sweetie, you didn’t know what a psycho he was at the time,” Renee said.

“I should have,” Cyndi said. “The thing is, his abuse was always verbal. He only hit me one time, and I decked him for it. But after we broke up, he wouldn’t let go. He would follow me and harass me, and I finally threatened to get a restraining order, and he backed off, at least he seemed to.

“A few weeks later, I was studying late at the campus, and he broke into the house, and he … he ….”

“He raped me,” Renee said. Cyndi started crying, and Renee pulled her into her arms and continued the story.

“He worked me over pretty good too,” she said. “I’m not the fighter Cyndi is, and he was drunk, and, well, I didn’t really have a chance. Cyndi came home and found me tied to the bed and unconscious. I was in the hospital for a week.”

“When you told us your secret, it all came rushing back,” Cyndi said. “I was so afraid that someone I loved would get hurt. I was also ashamed; I’ve never been able to forgive myself for what he did to Renee.”

Brandi rose and walked over, kneeling before her friends and taking each of their hands.

“I am so sorry,” she said. “I was very selfish; I wanted a life and people around me, even though I knew I was placing everyone who got close to me in danger.”

Cyndi leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. “You had every right to want that, Brandi. What happened to you is something that none of us can even begin to understand. I should have tried harder.”

“Friends?” Brandi asked, squeezing her hand.

“Always,” Cyndi said. “Now, we did discuss the band while we were hiding out. I think Melissa would agree that we were pretty much coming to the end. None of us were looking to make it a career. It was great fun, and I wish we could have had more time with you as part of it, but maybe it’s time we called it quits.”

Brandi stood back up and returned to her seat next to Melissa.

“Melissa said the same thing,” she told them. “However, I was wondering if maybe you guys would be interested in getting back together for a few more shows, kind of a tour.”

“What do you mean, Brandi?” Amber asked.

“Well, you know I have some connections in the military,” Brandi said. “Admiral Hammerstein put me in touch with someone who put me in touch with someone else, and the end result is there’s this USO tour heading to Iraq for Christmas to entertain the troops ….”