Part 6 Caitlyn's Past and Diana's Plans

After dinner, Jane retired to her study to finish a business proposal for a consulting contract. Diana had gone to keep an increasingly bored Marie company while Caitlyn and Darla took care of the cleanup duties.

Happily engrossed in the competitive world of business, Jane lost track of time, so she was somewhat surprised to see her desk clock read 10:45 P.M. when a knock on her door jolted her back to reality. "Come in," she called, expecting to see Diana, only to surprised to find a very wary-looking Caitlyn peeking around the barely opened door. "Yes, Caitlyn? What is it?"

"I'm sorry to bother you, Ms. Thompson, but could I please talk to you for a few minutes?"

*Well, this is new,* Jane thought. *First time the girl has ever approached me like this. Wonder what is that important to her?* "Of course, Caitlyn. I am finished with this anyway. Please, come in and have a seat."

She watched as the girl-boy entered and moved to take a seat in *the* chair. After several silent moments, Jane prompted, "What can I do for you, Caitlyn?"

The girl cleared her throat once, and then again before looking up to face Jane directly. "Ms. Thompson? Darla says you work with a lot of big companies - consulting with them and stuff like that. Is that true?"

Intrigued by this line of questioning, Jane decided to answer. "Yes, I do, Caitlyn. At one time or another, I'd say I have worked with or for many of the Fortune 500 in some limited capacity or another."

Caitlyn brightened. "Do you know any of them with foundations? You know, the kind that do good works and things like that?"

"I am not sure where this is going, but I do know several people who head up such organizations. Why do you want to know, Caitlyn?"

Excitement evident in her very posture, Caitlyn shifted subtly closer to Jane as she began to speak. "It's about Tasha - Tasha Pederov - she's the lead dancer at dance school?" Still confused, Jane could only nod and hope that the girl would get to the point. "Well, she is really talented, and very, very smart. She's been invited to try out for this big science camp for high school seniors this summer, and she's just so smart, I just know she'd get accepted. . .only. . . "

"Only what, Caitlyn?"

"Her folks are not very well off, Ms. Thompson. What extra money they have goes to help some of their family who are still in Eastern Europe. She wouldn't even be able to take classes with us except that Dance Mistress gave her a scholarship."

*Ahh. . .wonder what Caitlyn would say if she knew that I was actually the source of Dance Mistress Allison's discretionary funding?*

"So, what do you want me to do, Caitlyn?"

"Could you check with the people you know and see if there is a way to get her a scholarship or a grant or something, so that she can at least try out? Even if she couldn't go, being accepted might help her get a scholarship to college next year and she is a very, very special person."

"She must be for you to beard me in my den this way." A touch of amusement colored Jane's tones.

Caitlyn lowered her head and broke eye contact. "She is the one who stood up for me when everyone else at class was afraid I was going to mess up the ballet. She got the others to accept me after it was agreed that I wouldn't be performing. She made me her friend when I was feeling very alone and very down on myself."

"Oh?"

Jane saw dark spots start to bloom on Caitlyn's blouse as the tears began to flow in earnest. "I know I am not doing well enough here, Ms. Thompson. I have tried, impossible as that may be for you to believe, but it's like those heels. I am just not getting it. I figure I am on borrowed time as it is. Tasha, and the other girls,...well, they've helped me forget all that for a few hours every week. They like me and that amazes the heck out of me, but they don't let me feel alone, and they won't let me get down on myself."

"I will see what I can do for her, Caitlyn. I can't make any promises," *at least until I confirm all of this with Allison,* "but I will look into the matter and do my best."

"Thank you, Ms. Thompson." The girl started to stand, but Jane stopped her with a gesture.

Standing, Jane came around her desk and took a seat next to her student. "Caitlyn, you are right about your time here. I don't want to send you back, but I have obligations to the court. Please, can't you help me to help you?"

"How?" Caitlyn sobbed, the tears flowing faster now.

Jane handed the girl a box of tissues from her desk and waited for her to blow her nose. "Can't you at least explain to me what is going on? I mean, there you were - falling with every step in the high heels one moment, and then stepping out in them like a runway model the next? And then when I called you on it, you were like a puppet whose strings were suddenly cut. What is happening?"

"I wish I could explain it, Ms. Thompson. I mean, I truly don't want to go to that juvenile detention place. The day before yesterday, when you told me I was walking in those heels?" Jane nodded encouragingly. "Well, the only thing I can compare what I felt like was Wile E. Coyote."

A shocked burble of laughter escaped Jane. "Whhhhaaaat???"

Caitlyn hung her head. "Stupid comparison, I know, but it was like one second I was walking around just fine, and the next second there was nothing under my feet but air and a yawning chasm. Next thing I remember is waking up with an awful headache."

Even Jane chuckled at that. "I take the analogy, but don't you have any idea *why* it happened?"

There was a moment's hesitation, giving Jane some hope, but then Caitlyn shook her head. "If I knew the why of it, Ms. Thompson, I would fix it. I really don't want to go to that other place."

*And once again, I am inclined to believe you, regardless of the fact that what you said makes very little sense.*

Jane stood and pulled her student to her feet. "Run along to bed, Caitlyn. I will make inquiries about your friend tomorrow. If it is as you say it is, I will try to find the resources she needs to attend that camp." *Even if I have to pay it out of my own pocket.*

"Thank you again, Ms. Thompson." The femininely dressed boy seemed to hesitate again, but then turned toward the door. "Good night, then."

"Good night to you, too, Caitlyn. Rest well."

The door closed behind her, and Jane moved back to her desk. *Well, I wonder just what I am supposed to make of that? Maybe Diana will know. She's supposed to be the specialist in these matters.*

~-----------------~

The following day, two phone calls profoundly changed Jane Thompson's view of her little world - one that she initiated, and another that she received.

About mid morning, Jane called the dance studio mistress to follow up on her promise to Caitlyn of the night before. Allison confirmed everything that Jane had been told. "Honestly, Jane, it is so sad because the girl is so talented and so sweet. She's been very adult about the summer science camp thing, but its obvious she was very disappointed. Her family is trying to get more of their people away from that awful Serbian situation so there's just not any money to be had for something like that camp."

"Do you know when she has to appear for the tryout in order to be selected?"

"Hmmmm. . . seems to me she said something about having to go to the Boston Science Museum any Monday or Friday before the end of the month."

Jane checked her calendar and did a quick calculation. "That means that there are less than two weeks left, and besides, aren't you performing over that last weekend?"

"We are, but I don't think it is going to be a problem, Jane, not for the play anyway. Although, for her sake, I almost wish that it was going to be a problem. I am just glad you endow us generously enough that I can have her here at all. If this place had to make money to stay open, I would be hard pressed to take her on."

"Well. . . of course, Allison. I am glad to help," Jane said with a grimace. "I have to run, dear. I'll see you when I bring Caitlyn in for her next class."

"I look forward to it, Jane. She's a perfect sweetheart. I just wish she could dance."

*You don't know the half of it, Allison.* Jane thought as she hung up the phone.

"You're frowning, Jane," Diana said softly from her seat on the other side of the desk. "Cait's story doesn't checkout?"

"No, nothing like that," Jane said with a sigh. "In fact, Allison just confirmed everything Caitlyn told me."

"So, why the long face, darling?"

Jane turned tear-bright eyes towards her friend. "She thanked me for my patronage. . . telling me that it was my support that permitted her to take on students like this friend of Caitlyn's."

Diana was out of her seat and pulling Jane up into her arms. "C'mon. . . I would think that would make you feel good. What's with the tears?"

"Because that's not why I do it, dammit! She is giving me credit for it, and the only reason I do it is for my own little agenda," Jane said around the tears. "Something like that never entered my mind. I just wanted to make sure the place was there as a torment for my boys."

Diana pulled back from Jane, giving her a piercing look. "And of course, your entire purpose is just that, isn't it? You'd never waste your money on something so insignificant as a neighborhood dance school if it did not fit in with your devious, malevolent little schemes," she said with heavy irony. "Torment those little bastards. Make 'em suffer. Terrorize them and break them. Turn them into perfect little wimps any way you can, right?"

"Of course not!" Jane nearly shouted. "Everything I do is to the ultimate purpose of helping the boys, of moving them . . . for . . . ward. . . " her voice started to lose its power and her eyes went wide before narrowing. She stood there in the circle of Diana's embrace, her body unmoving. Then, she relaxed and rested her head on her old lover's shoulder. "Bitch."

"That's better," Diana said as she led Jane over to an antique love seat and settled them both on it. "I think it is wonderful that in having found a way to help these boys, what you do lets other folks benefit, too."

Jane rested her head on Diana's shoulder and closed her eyes. "Thanks, dear," she said softly. "I guess I am feeling just a little fragile right now."

"Caitlyn matters to you, Jane. You love her, and you are worried that you won't be able to help her. We both know that you aren't the iron hearted witch you want them to think that you are. And I agree with you about Caitlyn. She's an enigma and you are afraid to give up on her before you've solved that enigma. Well, at least she did not lie to you about that girl."

"You know something, Diana?" Jane asked softly. "Over the years, I have gotten very good at spotting my boys' lies and evasions. I'm almost as good as a lie detector, but I can't remember a time when I felt that Caitlyn was intentionally lying to me. Oh, there have been a few times when I thought she hasn't really known the whole truth, like yesterday when she told me she couldn't explain about the high heel incidents, but I don't believe she has ever really tried to deceive me."

"That says a lot, I think. Either that was an honest kid when he got here or you have turned him around."

"But the only evidence of that is my instinct, dear. Not something I can take to the probation officer."

"Why not? Aren't you a professional consultant? You must be or the court couldn't turn the kids over to you. Do you doubt your own judgment?"

"Yes. . .No. . .I mean, . . .Oh, I don't know. This is a helluva lot easier when they follow the plan."

"Life's like that, dear. Trust me when I say that I understand perfectly, but its when the therapy doesn't follow the plan that I really earn my pay. Trust your instincts, dear. I think you are right on with this child."

The two femininely turned out friends, only one of whom was really a woman, sat in silence, simply enjoying the close contact of holding the other.

"Diana?" Jane finally said, her head still resting on his shoulder.

"Mmmmmm?"

"How did we end up cuddling on the settee?"

A very male chuckle answered Jane, followed by a hard hug. "I only regret it has taken this long to get here. I've been trying to figure out a way to get my hands on your elegant self since the moment I knew I was coming here."

"You WHAT??" Jane tried to jump away, but found herself held firmly in place. "I thought you came here to help Caitlyn!"

"Oh, I did, I did," Diana answered with a self deprecating chuckle. "But I can do more than one thing at a time, dear, and helping Caitlyn is not the only item on my personal agenda."

"You came here planning to . . .to . . .what, . . .seduce me?" Jane asked, with a very unwelcome quaver in her usually strong voice.

A gentle finger pressed against Jane's lips silencing her. Diana moved very suddenly and pressed her mouth possessively against Jane's before standing up and offering the stunned woman a hand up. "That's only part of it, Jane, and the seduction will be verrrrry nice, too. *When* I eventually get to that. However, what I really came here to do, my lovely Jane, is to court you."

With that, Diana turned on her heel and sailed from the room, leaving a disbelieving Jane Thompson bobbing in her wake, staring after her retreating friend.

"Court me?? Court ME?? I don't *believe* this. I don't have *time* for this kind of distraction right now," Jane all but moaned. "I *really* don't have time for this."

~--------------~

For the better part of the next hour, a thoroughly confused Jane Thompson sat in the sunlit silence of her study. So many things, she railed inwardly, so many things on top of yet so many more, and she still had very little idea what to do about *any* of them. First there was Caitlyn, not to mention her probation officer, then Marie's injury and now, she had to deal with Diana declaring her semi-honorable intentions? Lord help her, but she couldn't think of what to do next.

Jane rose from her seat, intent on finding Marie and asking for her thoughts. She had just reached the door when her private line rang. For the first couple of rings, Jane seriously considered not answering and letting her service take a message, but then she remembered that Caitlyn's mother had said she'd be calling.

Sighing, she returned to her desk and picked up the phone. "Thompson Residence, Jane Thompson speaking."

"Jane!" an excited male voice called. "This is Reggie. I think I have found something important."

"Good news, I hope, Reggie," Jane said quietly.

"I don't know about that, Jane, but I did finally got a lead on what your student's been doing since he stopped going to class with his mother. According to the fine arts and drama teacher at his school, he found a dance club at the local "Y". I went down there and talked to the woman who runs the club. Evidently, he's been attending lessons there for over a year."

"His mother did not say anything about that, did she?"

"She didn't know. According to her, he's been taking martial arts classes which happen to meet at the same time at the same place. My suspicion is that he actually did take the martial arts classes for a few months until he discovered the dance club."

"What did he do at the dance club."

"Not much outside of attend the class, according to the dancing teacher. He still didn't have much upper body strength, but he worked on the male parts anyway. One odd thing, Jane? The female dancers thought very highly of him, but not as a partner. They liked him because he was so good at helping them perfect their own dancing."

"Odd, but that seems to be the rule with this child. Oh well, thanks, Reggie."

"Oh, but Jane, that is not the only reason I called. I got some information on the incident that put him in court. According to his fine arts teacher, it may not have been quite what came out in the court."

"Oh? The police thought it was fairly cut and dried."

"Well, he went after that guy with a baseball bat, all right. However, the teacher said there were some circumstances that did not come out during the court case. Evidently, this guy he took out and his buddies have been really on your student's case all school year. They decided he was . . . well . . That he was not very masculine and just rode him hard about it - according to that teacher, they really did their level at making him into a real laughing stock at school. She also said that she saw them corner him on at least three occasions. Since all of them were physically much larger than Carlton, they really intimidated him."

"And the ringleader of this little gang is the one that Carlton supposedly went looking for with a baseball bat?"

"Interesting thing about that, too, Jane. There is some question as to whether he was looking for them with the ball bat, or whether it was handy when he felt he needed it. Oh, and take three guesses who the only eyewitnesses are - but only the first one will count."

"The other members of the gang?"

"Bingo. After talking to that teacher, I talked to the police detective who did the investigation and he is a loser. Got his supposed witnesses, submitted the case and moved on to clear the next case off his quota. Never questioned anything. The DA decided that Carlton's conviction would make for an easy win in his campaign-promised war against school violence and pushed the issue with the case."

"Any idea what their problem is? The gang of jocks, that is."

"Not really. The teacher I spoke with thinks it is just that he is different. She says he always moved very fluidly and had some fairly exaggerated gestures," *Like a dancer*, Jane thought grimly, "that those macho assholes decided was effeminate. Easy meat."

"Find out what else you can about the case and any extenuating circumstances and I will take it to Judge Ruth. It may not be enough to get him off, but it may be enough to get that probation officer to back off for a while longer."

"Another thing, Jane? As nearly as this teacher recalls, almost all the trouble your boy has been in over the past year has been either instigated by or in retaliation against this group. Now, that's an opinion and not really backed up by the records or by the school administrators. All the official record shows is that he's been disciplined a lot in the past eighteen months or so, but she sounds convinced that if those clowns had left him alone, Carlton would have been fine."

"I see. Well, let me know else you find out, Reggie. At least now I have a possible explanation as to why he hasn't shown all that bad an attitude here. Thanks, dear."

"See you, Jane."

Jane set the phone down and rose from her chair. She needed to clear her head. *A walk,* she mused, *that is what I need right now - a little fresh air and exercise.*