Page 20 of Black
CHAPTER 4
The Regression Center
Gabriel
You would think a three-hour-long drive should give you plenty of time to talk, but Black wasn’t very talkative, and at some point I grew tired of asking her questions that she avoided answering.
From Tacoma all the way to Olympia she didn’t say a single word but just looked passively out the window. That’s why it startled me when she finally spoke up.
“So what’s your family like?”
I had been waiting for that question and had an answer ready. “You meanourfamily.”
She didn’t comment on that so I continued talking. “They are crazy on bad days and amazing on good days, like most other families, I think.”
“Tell me about the good days,” she said in a low voice and fidgeted with her pants.
“Do you remember I told you how my dad died when I was five?”
“Yeah.”
“When I was seven my mom married Steve, your grandfather, and we moved into his large house in Medina with him and his three children.”
“Brent, Brittany, and Melody,” she said to my surprise.
“Yes, how do you know their names?” I asked.
“My mom told me.”
“Oh, okay. Anyway, Brent was already seventeen, Brittany was fourteen, and Melody was ten, so a lot older than me, but I was like a fun younger brother to them, and they were good to me.”
“And your stepdad?”
“Let’s just say that Steve is not my favorite person.”
“So there’s nothing amazing about him then?”
I tilted my head from side to side as if to weigh evidence. “He’s a brilliant businessman and he’s been a good provider for my mom and all us kids.”
“But you don’t like his personality.”
“God no, the man is a tyrant.”
“And your mom?”
“My mom is sweet and considerate, but too much of a people pleaser. She always tries to make everyone happy. From what I heard, your biological grandmother lives somewhere on the east coast. She left Steve and the kids when Brent was around ten, I think. But don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll like my mom a lot.”
That last comment made Black turn her head away from me. Once more silence fell upon us and lasted until we drove into the camp area inside the Rain Forest, ninety minutes later.
I got out of my car and stretched my limbs, taking in the beauty and the lushness of this amazing place. Going to the rain forest had actually been on my list of things to do while in Seattle for the summer, and I was looking forward to some long hikes while I was here.
Black on the other hand looked completely out of place with her Goth looks against all the green around us. Somehow the contrast made her dark appearance seem even more dramatic.
“Hello.” I recognized Bruce when he came toward us from the biggest of the cabins. There was one large main house and ten small cabins placed in a large circle. In the middle there were stones placed in circles for campfires, and to the side a playground with a set of swings, a sandbox, a slide, and some monkey bars. It all looked very family friendly but I saw no people around.
“Welcome,” Bruce said and reached out to shake our hands. “Good to see you made it here so fast.”
“The traffic was good,” I told him and got my bag from the trunk.
