Soulmates
37
Life Goes On
Jaime, Miss Thompson, and the Cast
“JAIME, SARAH, AND LYNN will be sign language interpreters for our production of Blithe Spirit,” Miss Thompson said. The bright and energetic young director was only a year out of college and was directing her first student production. “Since I expect them to be an integral part of the production, I’ve asked them to audition with you. So, when you are called to read, one of the interpreters will be called upon to sign for you.”
“Wild,” Tony Lamonte said. “So, are they deaf?”
“No,” Miss Thompson said. “They have to be able to hear you in order to interpret. However, they won’t be saying anything. Right?” she asked the three interpreters. As one they raised their right hands and nodded a fist, then looked at each other and laughed silently.
Sarah and Lynn were in the advanced ASL class with Jaime, so they knew he never said anything and they agreed they’d simply adopt the same persona in the theatre.
“Let’s get started,” Miss Thompson said. “Grab a script and turn to page one. Liselle, read Edith. Maura, read Ruth, and Tony read Charles. Interpreters, there is a music stand for each of you with a script on it, but I hope that after a read-through, you’ll be able to focus more on the actors and interpret from them instead of the book. Ready? Doria,” she said turning to her student assistant, “Read the stage directions for them. And go.”
“The scene is the living room of the Condomines’ house in Kent,” Doris began. The actors started pacing out the scene on stage. The interpreters quickly agreed on which actor each was interpreting and the audition was underway.
It was a little confusing at first. One of the actors stumbled a lot and Sarah finished interpreting her lines significantly ahead of her actually getting them out. Miss Thompson had them run the scene again. It smoothed out significantly. The third time, the interpreters left their music stands and followed the actors around, signing over their shoulders. The actors didn’t notice since they were still focused on the book.
Miss Thompson called three more actors to read the lines. It soon became obvious that Jaime, Sarah, and Lynn would know and possibly memorize the entire play before the production night. But they might also have more fun than any of the other actors, no matter who was chosen for which part.
«I can’t believe how much fun being in this show will be,» Jaime said when he was home making dinner and could connect with Keira. «When I’ve seen sign language interpreters at theatrical performances, they have always been off to one side where all the deaf people were seated. They follow the script and just sign for that small section of the audience. Miss Thompson plans to have us actually on the stage and following the actors around. The girls will have a time of it. There’s only one guy in the show. Each girl will need to sign for three characters, and not always the same ones.»
«It sounds complicated,» Keira said. «Will I ever see you?»
«Yes. Rehearsals are scheduled Monday through Thursday right after school until the last week when we go every day, including the weekends for dress rehearsal and technical rehearsals. That’s the first time anyone will actually see the set,» Jaime said.
He finished chopping a pepper and tossed it in the skillet with the onion. He was making a basic stir fry and was timing it with David’s expected arrival at home.
«I talked to Trayce after school,» Keira said. «On the phone. We had a little mental hug at the end, but she’s still pretty confused. She’s going to see Aunt Rose Thursday. If that goes well, she said she’d be interested in a date this weekend. We still haven’t decided what, though.»
«There must be something we could do together. A gallery or museum? There’s a rock climbing gym. There’s even a place where we could do axe throwing,» Jaime said.
«Wow! Rock climbing and axe throwing are a lot more active than we have been on our dates.»
«I was thinking we should do something that required us to move instead of all sitting in one place holding hands and trying to communicate slowly or not at all.»
«True that. Bowling. Basketball game. Trail Blazers are playing basketball this weekend,» Keira said.
«Isn’t there a basketball game at school Friday?» Jaime asked.
«I doubt she’d want to go to one of our school’s games, but I’ll see who we’re playing.»
«Dad’s home. I need to start stirring.»
«Talk to you later, love.»
Trayce and Rose
“You had quite an ordeal, Trayce. How are you doing?” Rose asked when the teen visited her Thursday evening.
“Yeah. Well, I’m pulling things together a little. It’s slow going. I’m constantly looking over my shoulder, you know. Just in case Dr. Schwartz and his hoods come for me again.”
“I can understand how you’d feel that way. Are you doing anything extra to protect yourself?” Rose asked.
“Yeah. I’m staying in groups when I’m out, like leaving school and all. I look around a lot. Classes at the community college start next week. The bus stops right in front of my class building, so I won’t have far to run to get inside. I’m thinking of taking a self-defense class.”
“Okay. Those are all good measures. It’s important, though, not to let the fear rule you. You need as normal a life as possible. Schwartz wants you afraid. As firmly as he was put down last week, I doubt he’ll make another play. And Angus is keeping an eye on him.”
“That’s good to know. I… um… think I’ll go out with Jaime and Keira tomorrow night. It’s just to a school basketball game and then burgers, but… I feel safe when I’m with them.”
“You had quite an experience.”
“I still don’t understand it. I can’t hear anyone else in my head. Like I can’t hear you and you’re right in front of me.”
“Don’t count that as a standard. I’ve learned over many years to block being read. Is that what you want?”
“Um… No. I don’t think so. I mean, linking up with Jaime and Keira is really… oh, wow! It’s so overwhelming, though, that I’m trying to go slow. And I’m still afraid Dr. Schwartz left post-hypnotic suggestions in my head that will hurt them. Can you, like, remove them?” Trayce asked.
“I can help you remove them, if there are any. The combination of drugs and hypnotism he used leaves you in a vulnerable state. But now that you are out from under the direct influence, you have the power to fight those impulses. It is when you take control and deny their power that you will truly be free. It’s not something I can do for you.”
“Yeah. I think when the three of us are together, I can do that—or Jaime can. He pulls me out of the trance real quick. I guess what I’m thinking about now is when we become intimate. I mean… just when we kissed, it felt like the whole world opened up to us. I could see and feel everything they could. It was so intense.”
“And that’s when you feel most vulnerable?”
“Yes. But also most powerful. With Jaime and Keira guiding me, I know I can fight off his suggestions unless we get so involved in each other that at least one of us isn’t being watchful. And it’s really easy to get that involved in each other. There’s just so much to look at and share.”
“You’re excited about it.”
“I guess I am,” Trayce laughed. “I’m just… Even though the three of us have been linking together for a couple of months, Friday was the first time I’d ever physically been in the same room with them. And, like, they’re lovers who have been together all this time and I feel like I need to catch up with them, but I’m not sure I want to go that fast. That’s why we’re going on a normal high school date this weekend. So, I can get to know them in real time before I just crawl into bed with them.”
“I’m glad you’re taking it slow,” Rose said. “And I know Jaime and Keira will respect that. I think they reached that point sooner than they wanted to. I don’t think any of you will feel pressured to go more quickly.”
“Yeah. I think… That’s one of the reasons I think I’m in love with them. They always respect me and don’t try to rush me. Which makes me want to hurry up and get there, you know?”
“A real conundrum,” Rose agreed. “How about if we meet again next week and you can tell me about how your date went and how your class at the college progresses?”
“Okay. Thank you.”
Jaime and Keira and Emerson
Jaime and Keira were at their usual table for lunch on Friday when Emerson caught up with them.
“Hey, guys. Can I join you?”
“Hey, Em. Of course you can. You’re always welcome,” Keira said. “How’s your week going? It seems like forever since we got to talk.”
“Oh, Jaime and I meet every day in class to work on our projects,” Emerson laughed. “But we don’t discuss anything… important.”
“Is there something you’d like to discuss now?” Jaime signed. Keira started to translate, but Emerson waved her off.
“I got it,” she said.
Jaime reached in his bag for the ear bud and his computer, but she waved that off as well.
She bowed her head, staring at the unidentified mass on her plate as though she could turn it into a steak and potatoes just by the fierceness of her gaze. Then she darted out and caught Jaime’s and Keira’s hands in hers. «Tell me it’s real—this talking in people’s heads,» she thought to them.
«It’s real,» Jaime answered. A second later, Keira spoke the out-loud words. Emerson drew her hands back and heaved a few heavy breaths.
“I knew it was. I think I knew back when we kissed… um… at my house. That was pretty powerful.”
“We’ve been on the receiving end of that surprise,” Keira laughed.
“Yeah. But you already knew the head talk part of it. Maybe not how deep it could go yet, but you could talk to each other. Unless I’m touching you, I’m as head deaf as a brick. I’ve even tried touching some other people to see if I could connect with them, but there was nothing.” She pushed the food on her plate around and then pushed the plate aside.
“What’s got you bothered, Em?” Keira asked.
“How much does Trayce know about me?” Emerson blurted out.
“Oh, wow! That’s hard to say,” Keira said. “Um… She knows we’re attracted to you because she caught us fantasizing about you one night. She got really mad and said she wasn’t going to let her characters run away with the story. Obviously, that was when she thought we were just characters in her head. I think she suspects that you are also attracted to us.”
“Yeah. I’m still trying to deal with that. It’s obvious I don’t stand a chance with you when Trayce is around and I don’t think a foursome is a workable ménage. But does she think… know I was part of a ménage à ; trois? I don’t know why, but somehow it matters to me,” Emerson said.
Keira waited for Jaime to speak to her and then summarized for Emerson.
“We don’t think so. These things are a little hard to find out without asking a direct question, which would then give away the answer,” she said. “We… Trayce isn’t quite the same as Jaime and me. As far as we can tell, we’re the only ones she actually hears. When she’s connected to us, she can hear what we hear, but mostly that’s just surface things. She picks up details about characters that are defining characteristics, like that Angus is a detective and Kate and Thursday are strippers. Beyond that, she makes up her stories. We’ve already asked her not to write any stories about you.”
“I guess that’s a relief. But if she only hears you, then she’s more like me, right?” Emerson asked.
“It doesn’t require a touch to connect with Trayce. She is actually capable of listening, but she’s filtered out almost everything else. We refer to her as a satellite because she seems to be caught in our gravitational field, or something like that,” Keira explained.
“I see. Have you seen her since the rescue?”
“Last Saturday she came to walk in the park with us for a while, but her mom is kind of paranoid about her being out yet, so it wasn’t long. We’ve talked a few times—you know, on the phone,” Keira said. Jaime mimed texting. “But we’ll see her tonight. We’re taking her to the ballgame. Our school is playing hers tonight.”
“Oh! Well… um… maybe I’ll see you all there. I go to all the girls’ games and they play before the guys most of the time,” Emerson said. “Anyway, thanks for answering my unending questions. See you in class, Jaime.”
She dumped her mostly uneaten lunch in the garbage and left the cafeteria.
«We need to keep Trayce and Emerson on opposite sides of us if we see her tonight,» Jaime said. «It could get nasty.»
Jaime and Keira and Trayce and Emerson
The ballgames proved to be a good idea for a date. The environment was noisy, so no one could really tell they were talking in their heads to each other. And somewhere along the line, Trayce slipped her hand into Keira’s and felt the rush of voices from the gym that Jaime and Keira could hear when they held hands.
Washington was ahead of Adams nearing the end of the girls’ game, when Emerson spotted them and came up to sit beside Jaime.
«Did you tell her to do that?» Keira whispered without alerting Trayce.
«No. Just worked out that way. Thankfully,» Jaime said.
“Hi, guys! Hi, Trayce. How are you doing?” Emerson asked.
“Um… Pretty good, I guess. I’m just on a date with my boyfriend and girlfriend.” She sounded a little possessive, but Keira didn’t notice any real animosity.
“Is this like all the girls’ games?” Jaime signed. “It’s exciting.”
Emerson shook her head, then reached over to take Jaime’s hand. He slipped his other hand back into Keira’s. They could all feel the gestalt forming around them. Jaime exerted control and kept it low.
«Ask again?» Emerson thought.
«Is this like all the girls’ games? It’s exciting,» Jaime thought to her, letting the other two hear him as well.
«Yeah. Pretty much. Amy Dotson, number 15, is a friend of mine from French club. I always come to cheer her on,» Emerson thought.
«Do you cheer on the boys, too?» Trayce asked. It seemed like a fairly neutral question.
«Sometimes. Usually, I just hang around until the girls get showered and dressed, then Amy and I go get a burger. I don’t really date,» Emerson said.
«Cool. I’ve never dated much either,» Trayce said. «We’re going out for a burger after the boys’ game.» You can go away.
There was a note of dismissal in Trayce’s thoughts. Jaime quashed the thought and note of command in Trayce’s inner voice. Emerson was no longer of interest and Trayce latched onto the thoughts of a player on the bench that Keira drew her attention to.
«Well, that answers that,» Emerson said, attempting to limit her thought to just Jaime. Jaime assisted by filtering Keira and Trayce.
«What were you searching for?» Jaime asked.
«Answers of course. I’ll write the questions down this weekend. I’m going to see that counselor, Dr. Rose, Tuesday evening. I just need to sort out the right questions and then go hunting the answers. I’ll see you Monday,» Emerson said.
Her friend scored and Emerson jumped up to clap and shout. She did not rejoin hands and when the game came to an end, she bid all three of the others goodbye and left the stands.
Jaime and Keira and Trayce
The Adams boys’ team got revenge on Washington for their girls’ loss. The evening was a split decision. The three teens headed out for Keira’s car, borrowed for the night from her mother. Trayce clutched a hand of both Jaime and Keira, asking them to scan the area for danger before they left the building.
They let her see what they could see and hear what they could hear. Then they left for a burger joint not far from the school. While they ate their food, they practiced communicating with sign language, Keira interpreting whenever necessary. Trayce was picking up the language very quickly, partly because Keira shared her knowledge with her girlfriend.
“Are you sleeping with Emerson?” Trayce asked bluntly.
“No!” both Jaime and Keira responded.
“I could see she wanted to,” Trayce continued, supplementing her signs with her voice. “And she’s very pretty.”
“Trayce, we don’t know what to do about Emerson yet. She’s a very good friend and she kind of latched onto us as possible partners, you know?” Keira said.
“Like I did,” Trayce declared.
“Different,” Jaime signed. “She has imagined everything we might do. You’ve participated. You are part of us. She’s… She wants to be part of us, but there’s a big divide. She’s head deaf.”
“Unless she’s holding your hand. She can hear you just fine then,” Trayce persisted.
“That’s a big difference. We don’t know what causes that and I’m not interested in investigating. I’d like her to stay my friend,” Jaime continued. Keira was interpreting as fast as Jaime was signing. Trayce was getting the message in her head at the same time.
“Well, I’m just saying, you might have to sleep with her. Just leave me out, okay?” Trayce said.
“Honey, Jaime and I are a couple. With you, we are a trio. One thing I can be sure of is that neither Jaime nor I is going to cheat on either of our partners. If we ever invited Emerson to be with us, it would with all of us. We don’t think you’re interested in that and we really don’t think Emerson is. So, it won’t happen,” Keira said.
“Okay. It’s just… I know I’m a little backward when it comes to being physically intimate and I can tell she’s experienced. I don’t want you to feel like I’m holding you back.”
“We are holding us back,” Jaime signed. “We are waiting for what we truly want in our lives.”
“I’d, um… be willing to make love with you in my head tonight,” Trayce ventured.
“And we’d be willing to have you, but it’s getting late, we all need to get to our own homes, and we have a better opportunity tomorrow,” Keira said.
“Tomorrow?” Trayce asked.
“We thought we could go do something fun tomorrow afternoon, like bowling,” Jaime signed and mimed.
“Bowling? I’ve never been bowling!” Trayce said.
“Neither have we,” Keira said. “Want to try?”
“Sure!”
“Afterward, we can talk over dinner at my house,” Jaime said. “Keira and I learned some great games we could play that kept us learning more about each other but didn’t let us go too far.”
“Holy cow!”
Please feel free to send comments to the author at devon@devonlayne.com.
