A Part Of Me - Chapter 3
Created | Updated Aug 12, 2003
I tell my father everything's okay and hang up the phone. I take a seat at my kitchen table almost as if minutes before the man sitting opposite me hadn't just disappeared and then re-appeared before my eyes just to prove who he is. I've stopped shaking and feel
unbelievably calm in his presence. And he just sits there looking at me with his palms flat on the table, as if he's the only person in the world.
"So..." I don't know where to start. "Where were we?"
"You'd just asked me to stop reading your mind before your father phoned due to the psychic fall-out from what is happening here."
"Oh," Coming from his lips it doesn't sound as stupid as it should. "And what is happening here?"
"I've made a calculated but risky decision to show myself to you. My work with your son is not yet complete and the damage my presence here is doing to you would negate the damage I'm undoing with Adam."
"You sound like a goddamn robot, mister."
"I believe your father would not approve of such language, Rose."
"You believe or you know?"
"I know."
"Just how much do you know about my family then, angel?"
"A lot. And I'm not an angel. I suggest you decide on a name if you wish to refer to me."
"Okay, let's see..." He kind of looks like that actor, the one who was in that movie last year...Jude Law, that's him. But Jude sounds so, well, a bit girlish. I think of a few names, Scott, Matthew, Michael...but it's no good, I-
"Call me Charles."
"Charles? Okay, why Charles?"
"Why not? You don't know a Charles."
"Sure then. So Charles, can you do something with your hands? That zen-thing is really bugging me." I try to ask it lightly but he looks at me as if I've just asked him to perform a monkey impression. Now he's crossed his arms.
"Thanks, I guess. How long are you gonna be around?"
He pauses, I see the slightest crease on his immaculate features.
"A while."
"And those important questions I asked you about God earlier - you're not gonna answer them are you?"
"No."
"Right. You're like a bad date, you know that?"
"No."
"Boy, you've a lot to learn, Charles."
And for the first time I notice a change in him. He leans slightly forward and in a voice that is as unemotional as possible, whispers.
"I have nothing to learn, Rose Hess."
Oh no, he sounds like he can turn me to dust, he can-
'I apologise. But this turn of events is as surprising to me as it is to you.'
His voice is in my head again, but this time it soothes me and takes away my fear.
"You're helping my boy, you're behind the change in him, aren't you?"
"I'm helping, yes."
"I get the feeling you know everything about me, right?"
"Correct. Invasion of privacy it may seem, but it was imperative for me to succeed."
I know who he sounds like. Not a robot, that guy in Star Trek, the one with the pointy ears. What was he called? If only Nigel were here - he knew these things.
"I've got about a million questions to ask you and I can't think of even one. Have you got anymore tricks? Can you walk through things?"
"I do not perform tricks, Rose, and I ask you to refrain from using that flippant tone of voice
furthermore. My task here is of utmost importance and our conversation here may have far-reaching repercussions for me upon my return. My position now is in jeopardy and I ask that you keep that in mind."
He doesn't look too angry, but I give him my best 'Sorry Nigel' face as best I can.
"I assume you would like more evidence to support my claims?"
"Erm, well..."
"Very well. When you switch on your computer you will find an e-mail from Dave. He's had a drink with friends and now he's e-mailing you to say sorry. He apologises for embarrassing you but says he was genuine."
"Really? Gee."
"He is genuine, but the offer was merely a proclaimation of sexual desire. He 'goes' for dark
haired women, apparently."
"Oh, right."
"Don't worry, he still respects you as a work colleague and that is important. But he's young and wants to sleep with as many women as possible before his heart is broken like his elder brother's."
"Wow." I'll try not to be so hard on him when I see him. But wait a minute- "That means you were there today in my office when he asked me out! Just what-"
He stops me from talking by raising his hand, he looks to the side with intense concentration.
"I'm sorry Rose, I have to go."
And without looking at me, he just vanishes in a blink. No smoke, no sound, nothing. Too many movies, girl. I finally breathe out, my mind still grasping for what's taken place today. It's getting on and sitting here, trying to understand everything, well, I can't right now. I decide to sleep on it and hope my mind works tomorrow. After checking on Adam I enter my study and turn on my PC.
"Okay wise-guy. Let's see what you've got."
I click on my inbox and check the one new message there. For some reason I never really doubted it, but I'm still shocked. It's all there. Sorry Dave. I delete it, then click on another message that immediately pops up. 'Rose. Do not speak of this to
anyone, especially not Jerry or Adam. I will be with
you soon. Believe me. Charles. PS - His name is Mr Spock.'
Well I'll be damned!
Coco-Pops are the best. You can hear them pop and you get chocolate milk at the finish. It is my favourite breakfast, with juice. I used to like Nanna's sausages. Mummy is grinning, she is doing everything fastly.
"Why are you smiling, Mummy?"
"Because I'm a happy girl, Adam."
I'm glad she is happy. No crying today. I am happy too.
"I am happy too." I do my big smile.
"I know, you little tinker."
She is getting more Sunny D from the fridge. My drawings are all on the fridge.
"Are you having any breakfast?"
"Yes, I'm making brown bread with brown sauce."
"Eeargh!" Sunny D for me. "Tomato is better than brown."
"Oh yeah? Perhaps I should colour your tummy in red when you're asleep and turn you into a tomato then!"
"Ha! No, no." I couldn't go to school if I was a tomato. Mum is singing the MTV song.
"And I feel heavy metal, Whoo-Hoo!"
I like it when Mum is singing, she is more fun than Sean's mum. She just keeps telling him off. Will get Daddy to tell me a dragon story tonight, I will be Prince Adam. I can rescue Paige, I'll tell Daddy all about her. She blows me kisses then runs off. I think I love her.
unbelievably calm in his presence. And he just sits there looking at me with his palms flat on the table, as if he's the only person in the world.
"So..." I don't know where to start. "Where were we?"
"You'd just asked me to stop reading your mind before your father phoned due to the psychic fall-out from what is happening here."
"Oh," Coming from his lips it doesn't sound as stupid as it should. "And what is happening here?"
"I've made a calculated but risky decision to show myself to you. My work with your son is not yet complete and the damage my presence here is doing to you would negate the damage I'm undoing with Adam."
"You sound like a goddamn robot, mister."
"I believe your father would not approve of such language, Rose."
"You believe or you know?"
"I know."
"Just how much do you know about my family then, angel?"
"A lot. And I'm not an angel. I suggest you decide on a name if you wish to refer to me."
"Okay, let's see..." He kind of looks like that actor, the one who was in that movie last year...Jude Law, that's him. But Jude sounds so, well, a bit girlish. I think of a few names, Scott, Matthew, Michael...but it's no good, I-
"Call me Charles."
"Charles? Okay, why Charles?"
"Why not? You don't know a Charles."
"Sure then. So Charles, can you do something with your hands? That zen-thing is really bugging me." I try to ask it lightly but he looks at me as if I've just asked him to perform a monkey impression. Now he's crossed his arms.
"Thanks, I guess. How long are you gonna be around?"
He pauses, I see the slightest crease on his immaculate features.
"A while."
"And those important questions I asked you about God earlier - you're not gonna answer them are you?"
"No."
"Right. You're like a bad date, you know that?"
"No."
"Boy, you've a lot to learn, Charles."
And for the first time I notice a change in him. He leans slightly forward and in a voice that is as unemotional as possible, whispers.
"I have nothing to learn, Rose Hess."
Oh no, he sounds like he can turn me to dust, he can-
'I apologise. But this turn of events is as surprising to me as it is to you.'
His voice is in my head again, but this time it soothes me and takes away my fear.
"You're helping my boy, you're behind the change in him, aren't you?"
"I'm helping, yes."
"I get the feeling you know everything about me, right?"
"Correct. Invasion of privacy it may seem, but it was imperative for me to succeed."
I know who he sounds like. Not a robot, that guy in Star Trek, the one with the pointy ears. What was he called? If only Nigel were here - he knew these things.
"I've got about a million questions to ask you and I can't think of even one. Have you got anymore tricks? Can you walk through things?"
"I do not perform tricks, Rose, and I ask you to refrain from using that flippant tone of voice
furthermore. My task here is of utmost importance and our conversation here may have far-reaching repercussions for me upon my return. My position now is in jeopardy and I ask that you keep that in mind."
He doesn't look too angry, but I give him my best 'Sorry Nigel' face as best I can.
"I assume you would like more evidence to support my claims?"
"Erm, well..."
"Very well. When you switch on your computer you will find an e-mail from Dave. He's had a drink with friends and now he's e-mailing you to say sorry. He apologises for embarrassing you but says he was genuine."
"Really? Gee."
"He is genuine, but the offer was merely a proclaimation of sexual desire. He 'goes' for dark
haired women, apparently."
"Oh, right."
"Don't worry, he still respects you as a work colleague and that is important. But he's young and wants to sleep with as many women as possible before his heart is broken like his elder brother's."
"Wow." I'll try not to be so hard on him when I see him. But wait a minute- "That means you were there today in my office when he asked me out! Just what-"
He stops me from talking by raising his hand, he looks to the side with intense concentration.
"I'm sorry Rose, I have to go."
And without looking at me, he just vanishes in a blink. No smoke, no sound, nothing. Too many movies, girl. I finally breathe out, my mind still grasping for what's taken place today. It's getting on and sitting here, trying to understand everything, well, I can't right now. I decide to sleep on it and hope my mind works tomorrow. After checking on Adam I enter my study and turn on my PC.
"Okay wise-guy. Let's see what you've got."
I click on my inbox and check the one new message there. For some reason I never really doubted it, but I'm still shocked. It's all there. Sorry Dave. I delete it, then click on another message that immediately pops up. 'Rose. Do not speak of this to
anyone, especially not Jerry or Adam. I will be with
you soon. Believe me. Charles. PS - His name is Mr Spock.'
Well I'll be damned!
Coco-Pops are the best. You can hear them pop and you get chocolate milk at the finish. It is my favourite breakfast, with juice. I used to like Nanna's sausages. Mummy is grinning, she is doing everything fastly.
"Why are you smiling, Mummy?"
"Because I'm a happy girl, Adam."
I'm glad she is happy. No crying today. I am happy too.
"I am happy too." I do my big smile.
"I know, you little tinker."
She is getting more Sunny D from the fridge. My drawings are all on the fridge.
"Are you having any breakfast?"
"Yes, I'm making brown bread with brown sauce."
"Eeargh!" Sunny D for me. "Tomato is better than brown."
"Oh yeah? Perhaps I should colour your tummy in red when you're asleep and turn you into a tomato then!"
"Ha! No, no." I couldn't go to school if I was a tomato. Mum is singing the MTV song.
"And I feel heavy metal, Whoo-Hoo!"
I like it when Mum is singing, she is more fun than Sean's mum. She just keeps telling him off. Will get Daddy to tell me a dragon story tonight, I will be Prince Adam. I can rescue Paige, I'll tell Daddy all about her. She blows me kisses then runs off. I think I love her.
