The Star-Fire Prophecy (7 page)

Chapter Nine

The state hospital was outside the town, toward the mountains. Evan drove through the grounds, where he pointed out the different wards.

“That one’s coed, for the adolescents and older.”

Danica gazed at a low, pink stucco building. “Coed?” she asked.

“Well, if the university dorms can, why not the state hospitals?”

“How does it work out?”

“Surprisingly well. Fewer problems with sex than when they were strictly segregated. Of course, sex is a problem no one likes to face with the custodial disabled. Some states allow them to marry and live together in a protected environment with birth-control measures seen to by personnel. California hasn’t gotten that far.”

“Did you like working here?”

“It’s not Star-Fire by any means. But I suppose this place is about as good as you could expect any government institution to be. I found too many restrictions on what I wanted to do.

“That’s the acute unit.” Evan pointed. “The basket cases stay there permanently.”

“You mean ones with severe physical retardation?” Danica heard the stiffness in her voice, but couldn’t help it. She hated to hear the children called by demeaning names—gorks, vegetables. “After all, they’re people, too,” she added.

He ducked away from her in mock fright. “Okay, teacher, I’ll go sit in the corner.”

Danica smiled reluctantly. Maybe she was foolish to be annoyed by words. Evan was making disabled children his life work. He must care about them.

“Seen enough?”

She nodded. They passed a group of older boys accompanied by a male psychiatric technician. All the boys waved and shouted. Danica waved back.

“Those psych techs,” Evan said. “I wouldn’t want their job. It’s one thing to develop new ways to approach each child’s problems and another to have to be with them eight hours a day, cleaning up after the gorks…”

“Evan! Is that how you feel about the children in your house at Star-Fire?”

“Oh, I don’t mean our kids, they’re the cream of the lot. No, I was talking about the severely mentally disabled, the ones without functioning minds.”

“They’re still people.”

He raised his eyebrows. “To you maybe,” he said.

“But where could you draw a line?”

He shrugged. “I think if a kid doesn’t even know he’s alive, why keep him alive?”

“Then you’d destroy all disabled people with an IQ under what? Twenty? Forty?” Her voice quivered with emotion.

“Let’s not get started on the euthanasia bit. How about a truce?”

She wanted to go on arguing, to point out all the flaws in his opinions, but she shut her lips against the words that fought to get out. This was supposed to be a pleasant afternoon. Evan had been nice enough to invite her for a ride.

They drove back to town in silence. Evan pulled into a parking lot next to a gaudily painted Chinese bar and restaurant. “Ever have Asian hors d’oeuvres with your drink?” he asked.

“Never. But why so many Chinese restaurants in a small town?”

Evan shrugged. “It’s like this all through the valley.”

The bar was so dark she could hardly grope her way to a table. But after a few minutes, her eyes adjusted. She saw glittering dragons on the walls, Chinese lanterns hanging from the ceiling, and an Asian bartender behind the bar.

“I’ve never even been in a place like this for a drink,” she said.

“Best in town.”

The woman who came to the table for their drink order spoiled the illusion. Though she was dressed in Chinese fashion, she wasn’t Asian. Danica ordered a screwdriver, Evan scotch and water.

She couldn’t identify the hors d’oeuvres the waitress brought, but found them delicious. They both ordered a second drink. Danica felt the glow of the vodka spread through her and smiled at Evan. He was entitled to his views, even if she did disagree violently.

“Melantha doesn’t like me,” she said suddenly. “I don’t care what you say. Is it because I’m a Sagittarius? I’ve been told I’m the only one on the staff who is.”

“It’s not personal,” Evan said.

“Oh no?” she said. “Then what is it? A dislike of redheads?”

“She mistrusts certain zodiac signs.”

“That’s dumb.” For a fleeting moment Danica realized she sounded like Amy, but she kept on. “All Sagittarians can’t be alike.”

“More alike than a Sagittarius and a Gemini, let’s say.”

Wasn’t Evan a Gemini? “You and I certainly aren’t much alike,” she said.

“Opposites attract,” he said. “At least I hope so.”

She stared at his eyes in the dim light. The red lantern on the table gave them an unnatural glow. “You didn’t hope so when you met me here in Porterville the other night.” She was aware the two drinks were making her talk too much, but she couldn’t seem to stem the flow of words. “You didn’t want me to come to Star-Fire.”

He reached across the table and took her hand. “You know how much I was attracted to you in L.A.,” he said. “I still am. You’re the loveliest girl I’ve ever met.”

“But you didn’t want…”

“I want you now,” he said, cutting off her protest. “I want you very much.” His eyes seemed aflame.

She tried to draw her hand away. “Shouldn’t we be getting back?” she asked.

Once again in the Porsche, she leaned her head against the seat.
I shouldn’t have had that second drink
, she thought. The car whirled around the turns. Evan was driving too fast but she didn’t care, nothing mattered except keeping her eyes shut against the waves of dizziness.

Sooner than she expected, the car stopped. She made an effort to sit straight, to get out, but Evan caught her in his arms. His mouth covered hers. There was warmth in his embrace and pleasure, and she gave herself up to these feelings.

He spoke against her lips. “Tonight?” he asked.

Danica pulled away. It was as though she was at the top of a spiral that could spin her all the way to the bottom without any escape possible. She didn’t want to start the spiral. “No,” she said to Evan.

His eyes narrowed in what she thought was anger, but after a moment he smiled wryly. “I thought you liked me.”

“I do. Only…” She didn’t know what to tell him. She did enjoy being in his arms, having him kiss her. But how could she tell him she hadn’t any more experience of men than that? How could she say she wasn’t sure she wanted any more with him?

“You’ll never get a Porsche that way,” he said, and his smile became more genuine.

She smiled back. “Then I guess I’ll never have one,” she said.

He leaned over and kissed her again, lightly, then started the car. He had parked on a pullout area directly beside the highway, and as he pulled back onto the main road there was a station wagon directly ahead of them.

“That looks like Galt,” Evan said, “ahead of us there in the Star-Fire station wagon.”

Danica’s face flamed and she turned her head away so Evan wouldn’t notice.
I hope Galt didn’t look at Evan’s car parked there
, she thought.
I hope he didn’t see Evan kiss me
. She felt obscurely guilty, as though she’d been caught in an indiscretion. That was foolish, what was wrong with a kiss? Certainly there was nothing between her and Galt. But once again she felt the touch of Galt’s fingers on her face.
It didn’t mean anything to him
, she argued. Still, he’d said he wanted her here…

“…birthday?”

“What?”

“You don’t pay attention. I asked what day your birthday was. If you’re a Sagittarius it must be soon.”

She hadn’t even thought about it. “The twenty-sixth,” she said.
And I’ll be twenty-four. Twice twelve
. An important year, since Jupiter was her planet.
What will happen
? she asked herself, then shook her head.

“You’ll be celebrating your birthday at Star-Fire,” Evan said.

Last year Angie had baked a birthday cake and invited some of the people they knew in for a surprise party. Remembering, she missed Angie.
I must write and tell her where I am
, she thought.
I can tell her I met this handsome blond again and ask her what I’m supposed to do next
.

“Amy is a Sagittarius, too,” she said to Evan.

“Oh?”

She thought of Amy coming into her room and finding the amulet, the meteorite arrow. If only she could talk to someone about Amy. She glanced at Evan. “Do you know what day her birthday is?” she asked.

“I’d forgotten she was a Sagittarius,” he said.

“Galt mentioned it.” Perhaps she should tell Galt Amy wasn’t disabled. Would living here harm Amy psychologically? The child was already disturbed.

The blue Porsche followed the Star-Fire station wagon up the hills, and when they pulled into the parking lot, Galt was just getting out of his car. He waited until they had gotten out and walked up to him.

“Did you have a pleasant afternoon?” he asked. Danica felt he was looking directly at her.

“Not bad,” Evan said, “for Porterville.”

She murmured something and would have gone past, but Galt put his hand on her arm. “I’d like to talk to you, Danica,” he said.

“See you later,” Evan said, and left them.

She could hardly look at Galt.

“It’s about Amy,” he said. “I’d like to set up a tentative schedule for you to work with her, so I can present it at the staff meeting.”

“Oh, yes,” she said breathlessly. Why had she thought Galt intended to admonish her for being with Evan, for letting him kiss her…?

“Why don’t we go up to my house?” He reached into the station wagon and pulled out two paper bags. “I stopped at an Italian restaurant and bought some of their excellent spaghetti for supper. Would you have some with me?”

“I’d like to.”

Galt also had Italian bread, and while she put dishes on the table and opened the food cartons, he mixed a green salad. They had
vin rosé
with the meal and Danica decided that she could have two glasses of wine as long as she had food with it. She hadn’t finished the second glass at the end of the meal, and Galt urged her to take the wine into the living room.

“But don’t you want to wash the dishes? I’ll be glad to help.”

He waved away the dishes. “Later.”

So they sat on the couch in the living room, sipping wine. She was in a pleasant glow and very much aware of Galt. She watched herself twirl the stem of her glass between her fingers, so she wouldn’t look at him too much.

“How do you like Star-Fire so far?” he asked.

“I’m somewhat overwhelmed. The children all seem to respond so well. It’s hard to believe.”

“Evan tells me you can use the energy very efficiently.”

“I think I can. But Amy…” she paused, then went on. “Amy doesn’t seem to like the laying on of hands, she doesn’t want to be touched.”

“I know.” He sighed. “She has quite an overlay of emotional disturbance.”

“Do you really think she’s disabled?” The words were out before she could stop them.

He looked startled. “She’s been repeatedly tested.”

Danica took a deep breath and clamped her mouth shut.
Wait
, she cautioned herself.

“I’d like to work with her as much as you’ll let me,” she said at last. “Did you—do you happen to know her parents?”

“She’s an orphan.”

“Oh?”

“She lost her parents under very tragic circumstances. You’re the first person she’s related to in any way at all since she’s been here. Her guardian told me she screamed if anyone touched her. She’s been better here. Melantha has done a wonderful job of calming Amy.”

“But Melantha picks her up when Amy doesn’t want to be touched.”

“What would you have her do? There are times Amy must mind. She has to go to bed and she has to eat. Without a routine established…”

“I think Amy could be taught to follow a routine in other ways,” Danica broke in to say.

“You and Melantha should get together on this.”

Danica wondered why these men couldn’t see Melantha would never be willing to “get together” with her on anything. Evan insisted she shouldn’t take Melantha’s dislike personally. How else could she? Dislike
was
personal. Now here was Galt’s assurance that she and Melantha could work with each other. Danica sighed. “I’ll try.”

“You sound dubious.”

She glanced over at him and their eyes met. His were soft, so dark she wondered if they could reflect emotion.

“I’m not sure Melantha will accept any idea of mine. But I do want to help Amy,” she said.

“Melantha will come around in time,” Galt assured her. “You’re a very warm person. Hard to resist.”

They were still facing one another, and Danica saw a flicker deep in his eyes. Something inside her leaped in response. She leaned toward him and his hand moved toward her face, faltered, then stopped.

“How long have you known Evan?” he asked.

She jerked back. “Several months,” she said, her words clipped. She felt rejected, thrust away.

“That’s why you came to Star-Fire?”

“That’s how I heard of Star-Fire,” she corrected.

“Melantha mentioned his interest in you.”

Melantha. What business was it of hers? Or Galt’s either, for that matter. Danica sat very straight. “Is there anything else you’d like to tell me about Amy?” she asked. “Do you know why she’s so afraid?”

“She came here afraid.”

“She still is. How long ago did she lose her parents?”

“Three years ago. Apparently it was a murder-suicide. And Amy was left in the house with the dead bodies.”

“Where was she for the two and one-half years before she came here?”

“Her guardian tried to place her in a foster home, then several other private homes for disturbed children. She ran away from every one of them and was so disruptive they couldn’t handle her.”

“Hasn’t she any relatives?”

“Only the uncle who is her guardian. He’s a bachelor, and quite frankly doesn’t want any part of Amy. He pays for her care from her parents’ estate, which he tells me is nearly depleted. I don’t know if…” He broke off.

“Was Amy diagnosed as mentally disabled while her parents were alive?”

“Apparently not. But since she hadn’t been in school yet, she’d never been tested.”