Pascal

I am tired.

It has been a hard day, with a sudden childbirth, and an old man's death, plus the common patients and paperwork, paperwork, and more paperwork. I only want some tea, and lie on the couch, watching the noisebox in peace.

Although arriving home, the sight is everything, but relaxing. My kids nowadays made a new friend, and slight an old one. I miss Vanessa, but she hasn't come to our home since her arm was broken. My kids don't miss her, they spend their entire time with the new friend, Taylor Moore. I can't stand her. Maybe I am just jealous, but my professional antenna get some sign from her, as she is not in the normal category, and in the meaning of bad. On the surface, there isn't any telling sign. She seems to be an average 18 years old teenager, who also lost her parents at young age. But nobody gets off with untouched nerves from a shock like this, like she put on a show.

I don't plan to tell my kids, they both are get along with her, since sharing the same past. Unfortunately, they get together in the past few days. She spent the whole weekend with us, so I am not really glad, when I notice her shoes in the hall. And one more pair of shoes, which belong to an unknown person. So there won't be any tea, or couch for a while.

Entering the living room, the sight is the used one, few days ago. The only exception, that the number of people increased. The addition is not Vanessa, but a thin woman. She looks like a bit Taylor Moore. When they notice my arrival, the lively, happy chatting is letting up immediately, and all of them stare at me silently.

"It looks like I confuse you talking, so, if you don't mind, I am leaving, and you could continue." I say with a smile, but in me I feel very angry.

"Sorry, we didn't want to embarrass you." The thin woman stands up, and stretches her hand to a handshake. "I am Savannah Moore, Taylor's sister." I shake her hand and greet her.

"She is the new coach of the martial arts' club!" Yvonne says with a real, happy smile. I rarely see this kind of smile on her.

"Your children are very talented. I have seldom seen people in their age to have such a great abilities."

Yvonne and Ivo are flushing, and start to apologize, that they are not great at all, but it seems they are very happy having a compliment. After some polite conversation Savannah Moore turns to me.

"I think Ivo and Yvonne both have potential to more development."

Development? Damn it! This will hurt my bank account more than I want. This speech has just one meaning: she wants me to pay a vast amount of money, for this development.

"The good news, that it doesn't cost anything."

Okay, where's the trap?

"Our uncle has a campside, where he and his friends leads training of martial arts' during the summer holiday. They are short of help, so if Ivo and Yvonne are willing to work for the training, the accommodation and the meal, it would be free."

"Don't you want to participate, in the National Martial Arts' Training Camp?"

My kids are embarrassed. The mentioned camp was their biggest dream destination a week ago.

" This opportunity is much more better for them. They could train with people out of the range of high school fields, so their development will be faster, than training with children with the own age-group."

Better, but it is more dangerous for them. They could do it, I am aware the fact. Ivo and Yvonne both looking at me with sad kitty eyes, so I understand, that they want to go with the Moore girls.

"I would like to speak with your uncle, before I decide. Please call him."

"Sorry, but the camp is among the hills, and they are out of mobile range."

"What happens, when somebody is injured?"

"The injuries are rare, a few fractured bone, or dislocated joints happen sometimes, but the camp has an intern, so treating them is not a problem. The hospital is nearby, so there is no life-threatening thing."

My kids whole posture become sad kitties, so I fight hard, not to laugh. Why not giving them, what they want? This will be also a good opportunity for them to learn to work, and settle their arguments with Vanessa.

" It is okay." The bunch is erupted in cheers, and thanks, and they are very glad. "So call Vanessa, and you could all go."

Their movements freeze, their faces become serious in a moment.

"Vanessa? You mean: Vanessa Carpenter?" It is Savannah Moore, who asks. I nod.

"She is much more talented, than Ivo and Yvonne, and she is also needs development."

"Her arm is broken. Watching the others to train will hurt her feelings."

"Leaving out of this opportunity also hurts her. So call her."

"She is injured, so she can't work with her plastered arm."

Savannah Moore looks at me with such a determination, that boils my blood. It is okay, that they want to be friends with Ivo and Yvonne, but it is not okay at all, to cut their ties with previous friends. As a martial arts' coach, she should have known a few things about human values.

"In this case, we are really appreciated by your offer, but we refuse. Ivo and Yvonne stay at home for this summer."

"But dad!" My kids cry in unison.

"You could find a job nearby, if you really want to work."

They all cry with me to have second thought. Their methods are from a weak plea to quoting their rights, at sixes and sevens.

"Either you can go to the camp with Vanessa, or find here a job for the whole summer. There is no other choice, so choose one."

Silence.

"I suppose, your new friends are waited with dinner somewhere else, so I suggest them to hurry. I am dead tired. Be quiet, I sleep an hour before dinner."

I turns away from my kids, I don't want to see their raging faces. As I go to my room, I ponder over where was I wrong with their upbringing. I change my clothes, and go back to the living room to convince them to call Vanessa, but there isn't a single person in the room. My kids went with the Moores.

The last week of the school before summer holiday isn't a pleasant one. None of us speaks. They give me a silent treatment. I don't feel the urge to speak either, and the tensed silence is everything, but comfortable. On Friday evening the tense vanish from the silence. My kids are not anywhere. Probably they went with the Moores, but this time farther, than a restaurant.

6 weeks later

Vanessa is sitting on the couch in the living room, and thoroughly scratching her arm with a knitting needle under the plaster.

"Why doesn't it made with a rubbing surface?" She says a bit angrily.

"It is for knitting, so the needle's surface has to be smooth to let the yarn slide."

"But for scratching, it is not the best."

"Don't scratch then." I smile at her, and tossle her hair.

"Itching."

"Do you want me to take that off?"

I could easily free her from the plaster. Okay, not too easily, but I have the equipment to get it off. Vanessa thinks a bit, and shakes her head.

"The doctors in the hospital will be angry, so I bear with it for a few more days. May I get this needle? I have to go home for the night. The family arrives tonight."

"So you move home tonight." I sigh, Vanessa sadly nods. "I really enjoyed you company in the last three weeks."

Although she is the one who needs my care. Unfortunately in medical meaning.

"I hope they all enjoyed their vacation, and let me alone again. My arm is healed, so life also starts! What..."

" I like your smile. Three weeks ago I thought I will never see it again."

"Okay, I was a little bit depressed…"

"Little bit?"

"I is over."

She is serious, but not so confident, as I want her to be. When she came to my house three weeks ago, with a collapsed soul, and walking like a zombie, I couldn't give a coin for her to stand up again. I originally didn't want to give her any medication, but she couldn't survive without them. She stood up, and now is on her feet. She is a strong girl.

"I made you tea."

"Thank you. It is a good idea. Did you put some yellow flowers?"

"Of course. I have never known that you like herbal tea, you always drink black tea."

I pour some tea into her cup, and mine, and we stay silent, until we drink.

"This flower is a natural antidepressant."

"Why… don't tell me. There are things best left unknown."

"I should have given you something after the pills. I think the flowers were okay, so leaving it won't have any symptoms of distraction. If you want, you could bring some to your house."

Vanessa shakes her head.

" Bad idea. If my parents notice the tea, they will immediately give me some drugs. Or close me to a facility and give drugs. This is more likely."

"Okay. Saving the best for last, I have good news." Her eyes shine like in the old times. "Ivo and Yvonne come home in Sunday, so in Monday, you could go to school together."

Vanessa hugs me and laughs from happiness. She become herself again.

On Sunday evening my two kids arrive. Peter Savage, the headmaster of their school brings them home from the train stop. I expect some weirdness to meet Ivo and Yvonne. They know that they are guilty, why would they left a message at my assistant, instead calling me?

I am wrong. There is no guilt in their behavior. They are happy and suntanned. The Moore girls also get off the car, all of them getting emotional. After big hugs, shoulder-pats, and sad smiles they are ready to depart.

Suddenly Ivo kisses Taylor Moore. On her mouth, to be precise, and the girl doesn't protest.