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Chapter 1
Chapter 2
EPILOGUEThe Stanford University Medical Centre was not the towering thirty-storey-plus structure Shani had expected. It was, rather, only a couple of storeys tall, although the place covered almost an entire city block, and was surrounded by beautiful manicured lawns and a maze of cement walkways overrun with white-clad medical personnel and slow-moving patients. She was glad to see it. They had made the drive from Santa Barbara in one fell swoop. Park had borrowed Robin's Porsche, and the high numbers at the end of the speedometer had seemed to fascinate him. A speeding ticket one hundred miles ago hadn't dented his fascination. What had really started her worrying was the organ donor card he had had her fill out when she had got in the car. "It's big," Shani said. The day sparkled and the sun was dazzling. A cool, salty breeze from the not-too-distant San Francisco Bay poured through the car's open windows. "A very astute observation," Park said. "How will we find Robin in all of this?" "She sent me a map." "Where is it?" "On the back of a letter she wrote me." "And that's at home, right?" "It was a personal letter. But never fear, I memorized the directions." Without signalling, he made a sharp right. They rolled down a shadowed alley towards the parking lot. They had to take a ticket, and would have to pay, but who could complain when they were cruising in a car worth forty grand? While searching for a vacant spot, Park asked, "Do you feel any different?" "I feela lot different." "So do I." She let a minute go by before asking. "What do we feel different about?" "Graduating, of course. For three weeks now we have ceased to be immature, irresponsible adolescents." "Doing ninety on the way up here wasn't irresponsible?" "It showed I am a man of consequence." Shani took away his rearview mirror and began to brush her hair for the twentieth time, worrying that she had on too much make-up. Maybe Michael preferred the natural look. She hadn't worn lipstick down in Mexico and he had liked her there. And this yellow dress she and her mother had bought yesterday was way too formal for a hospital visit. "All I remember from graduation night was being sick," she said. "You drank too much Insecticide Lite." "I didn't drink a thing. And you should talk. When was the last time the valedictorian had to excuse himself three times in the middle of his speech?" "I was being given important updates," he said. For some unfathomable reason, he passed an empty parking spot. "Are you feeling better?" "Finally. How about you?" "I still get occasional updates." "That's one good thing that came out of that weekend. Never again can you bother me about having messed my pants in kindergarten." "I will never mention it to the end of my days." Park swung in between a Cadillac and a Ferrari. He had been waiting for equal status in his adjoining parking spots. Shani got out and stretched. Butterflies were climbing out of their cocoons in her stomach. She had not seen Michael since their wild weekend at the Carlton Castle. Maybe he had found a cute nurse. Maybe he had forgotten her name. Why hadn't he written? She popped a Rolaids. "I told you that Sol's here?" Park said, locking the doors. They started towards the hospital. "Yes. Did he drive up in his new van?" "Lena sent him a plane ticket. They must really have relaxed the quarantine regulations to let him in to see Robin." "I'm glad she can have visitors now. I talked to about ten people who wanted to come up next weekend. The doctors say she's doing great." Park nodded enthusiastically. "They say she'll be as good as new." Shani hesitated before speaking next. She still had a warm feeling for the old man. "I wonder if the shaman came to visit." "I can't see that." "Maybe he visited in spirit." "I can't see that either." Shani resented his conceit. "I still feel that everything that happened that weekend happened because of him." They hopped onto a sidewalk, passing an elderly couple who were yelling into each other's earphones. "He was just an ordinary man, Shani. Don't be that simple. There was nothing special about him." She was suddenly mad. "What about his story?" "Broad-based metaphors, easy to interpret a dozen different ways. He knew that Robin had been poisoned and that she could sing. Other than that—" "You'rebeing simplistic," she interrupted. "His characters obviously mirrored the people in our group. Robin was Dove, Lena was Raven, and Michael was Eagle." "Who was Snake - Kerry?" "Snake was a more symbolic character. He or she represented the selfish motives in all of us." "Oh, brother. So what does any of this prove?" "The story explained how Eagle was Dove's brother, and how he reappeared at a critical moment to give her a life and death decision. And that's what happened in real life." "Because Michael had heard the story! Don't you remember, that's where he got the idea from?" "That's where he got the idea to be Robin's brother?" "No! Look, your parallel breaks down in a dozen different places. In the story, Dove had to decide whether Raven was her friend or enemy. Robin never had to decide that about Lena." "Who said Lena was Raven?" "You just did." "Oh. What I meant was that all of us were debating in our minds whether Lena was to be trusted or not. She fulfilled Raven's character, but in a broad way. Don't laugh at me!" "You're too much, Shani. If he could see the future, why didn't he have Eagle donate a kidney to Dove at the end of the story?" "How could an eagle give a dove a compatible kidney?" She knew the question wasn't going to help her argument. But Park didn't jump all over her. They were approaching the entrance, and apparently he had decided that their argument had better conclude before they got inside. "Okay, maybe he was an oracle and could turn himself into a bird and all kinds of weird stuff like that. But I would be a lot more convinced of his powers if he had predicted therest of that night. Remember, the real fun didn't start until after we found out who Michael was." Shani had to agree there. After Michael's bad-taste joke about the water, while Lena started Robin's dialysis with the replaced filter, the men had gone after the snakes with Mr. Carlton's rifle collection. Though they weren't poisonous, the rattlers hadn't forgotten how to bite. Sol almost blew his toes off, and ended up with four neat holes in his calf. Yet that damage was insignificant compared to what Bert did with his gun. He murdered a perfectly harmless TV, refrigerator, toaster and bathtub. But true to form, he compensated fully with a Big Bert Masterpiece later in the night when they were all sitting peacefully in the living room thinking that all the snakes were dead. As luck or fate would have it, there was still one alive, hiding in the chair where Kerry was sitting. At first, it must have been asleep, for it didn't stir until she kicked the chair back into the reclining position. Then the old serpent came alive with a vengeance and bit into Kerry's shoulder. And everyone had thought that Kerry couldn't dance. While she spun in a hysterical fit, the rest of them screaming for her to stand still, the entire room a blur of motion, Bert calmly picked up his rifle and, without blinking an eye, shot the snake into two equal halves. Kerry had fainted. About an hour after that, a helicopter carrying Mr. Carlton and Nurse Porter landed on the beach. Their weary group had gone to bed, but the rotor blades woke them promptly. The instant Mr. Carlton saw Michael he turned an angry red, but Robin came up quickly and shouted the good news. Mr. Carlton was pleased, to say the least. It made explaining the missing garage so much easier. Being the hero of the hour, Michael's theory of an underground cavity of natural gas impressed Mr. Carlton. The shrewd tycoon even went so far as to say he would sink a well on the property. With his gold thumb, chances were he would strike oil. He promised Sol a new van, which Sol received inside a week. On the other hand, even Park's smooth words could not explain the shot TV, refrigerator, toaster and bathtub. Mr. Carlton told them that he wanted no more parties at his house. Shani winced at the odour as they entered the Medical Centre. Hospitals always smelled like sickness to her — as she supposed they should — like a blend of blood, medicine and high bills. Maybe she would become a psychologist instead of a psychiatrist. Getting through medical school without spending time in a hospital would be too difficult. "So you're definitely not going to Harvard this fall?" she asked. A whiff of paint from the warm orange walls gave the relatively deserted reception area a brand new tone. Park led them confidently past an information desk. She had to assume he knew where he was going. "I've already written them a letter declining my acceptance." "Are your parents mad?" "Not at all. They haven't said a word to me about it." "Have you told them?" "No." "Don't you think you'll miss being the Ivy League hotshot?" "I look at it this way: if I stay here with Robin, then we'll probably end up getting married, and I'll have a hold of millions. Then I canbuy Harvard." "That's what I like about you, Park; you'll sacrifice anything for love. Hey!" she pointed. "There's Lena." Their red-haired tigress was sitting in a chair by the elevators browsing through aPlaygirl magazine. "I recognize the chest. Hey, lovely Lena!" Lena closed the magazine, tossing it a couple of seats over for some innocent young girl to find and be corrupted by. She wore a white sweater, and long black trousers that hid her scars. Next month, a plastic surgeon was going to fix those blemishes. "You made good time," she said. "How did the car run?" "Very, very fast," Shani said. "How's Robin?" "She has her appetite back. During the past seven days, she hasn't stopped eating. You're going to have to talk to her, Park. You don't want a pig for a girlfriend." "Where's Sol?" Park asked. "Here I am," Sol said, strolling up slowly. He had lost considerable weight in the last month. "Were you at the bathroom?" Park asked with undisguised pleasure. Sol scratched his head. "I thought I was over it, but those damn bugs came back as soon as I ran out of medicine. I tried to buy some of the pills here, but they told me I had to see a doctor. As if I had the dough to pay for one of these white coats walking around here." "Daddy gave you insurance," Lena said. "You don't have to pay anything." Mr. Carlton had hired Sol out of his Hollywood office as an all-purpose errand boy. He paid him peanuts and left him little time to see Lena. But one day at the Carlton residence, Shani had overheard the old capitalist remark that he saw in Sol the ruthlessness necessary to run his company. She could see it now: five years down the road Sol and Park would be in the family and would be fighting each other for control of the Carlton empire. "The insurance doesn't take effect until I've worked for six months," Sol said. "I'll be an amoeba by then." Lena pulled a jar of pink pills from her purse. "Take my medicine, I'm already cured. How's the rest of the gang?" "Bert didn't get sick at all," Shani said. "He lives a charmed life. Angie said she's practically one hundred per cent. Oh! I have to tell you! I didn't even tell Park this!" "What?" Park asked, excited. "Naah, it's nothing. Never mind." "What?" Park demanded. "Bert and Angie have got together," she said. Sol and Lena laughed. Park didn't. "Define 'have got together'," he said. Lena reached for herPlaygirl magazine. "There's a picture in here that defines it perfectly." "Come on," Park said, impatient, his ego bruised. "I'd check out Lena's picture if you really want to—" Shani began. "This is ridiculous!" Park interrupted."What would Angie be doing with Bert?" "The same things she did with you," Sol said. "Shut up." "I've found the picture," Lena said, spreading open a page. "See, Park, this is what Angie and Bert—" "Shut up!" "Who are you telling to shut up?" Lena asked. "Yeah!" Sol said. "Both of you!" Park pointed an angry finger at her. "You're making this up!" "Why are you so upset?" Shani asked. "You're the one who dumped Angie, remember?" "I didn't dump her in Bert's lap!" "She was bound to get another boyfriend," Lena said. "But it's only been four weeks! Whatever happened to a period of mourning?" "Youdumped her, you didn'tdie ," Shani explained patiently. "You've got a point there," Park admitted. "And I've got Robin. There's no reason for me to be jealous." He sighed. "But Bert - I'm not going to surf with that jerk any more." "How's Kerry?" Sol asked, glancing at Lena. "I'm not saying anything," Lena said, holding her magazine at various angles. "Kerry's sick," Shani said seriously. "She's lost a lot of weight. None of the drugs are working on her. She may have to be hospitalized. Her parents are really worried." "Mine know the feeling," Lena muttered. Shani snatched away her magazine. "I want you to do something for me, Lena." "What?" "Call Kerry. She's sick because she can't stop worrying. Call her and promise her you'll never reveal her evil deed. Please?" "They would just fight," Sol said. "Kerry would just hang up," Park said. "No," Lena said quietly. "We didn't fight, and she didn't hang up. I called her this morning." "Did Robin make you?" Sol asked suspiciously. "Robin doesn'tmake me do anything. It was my idea. We had a long talk, don't ask me about what. I think she'll start feeling better soon." Shani was impressed. "I'm proud of you." "Bert's kissing Angie and Lena's calling Kerry," Park told the ceiling. "What's this world coming to?" "Just don't let it get around," Lena said. "I don't want to ruin my image." She stood, plucking back her magazine, folding it under her arm. "I've been waiting here to lead you to Robin. They've moved her to another room. Her mother's with her. She's an all-right lady. But I don't think Daddy and she are ever going to get along." They followed Lena into the elevator. Park asked the question that was on all their minds. "Does this make you want to find your real mother?" "Nope." Lena pushed button two. The door closed. They jerked upwards. "But you must sometimes wonder about her?" Shani asked delicately. "Nope." "And it's none of our business," Shani added quickly. But Lena's gaze was suddenly turned far away as she leaned against the back of the elevator and allowed them a rare glimpse into her feelings. "I think about my real father," she said softly. "I often dream about him." She chuckled, embarrassed. "It's just as well I'll never meet him. He's probably an ass, like his daughter." They exited on to a blue-carpeted corridor that stretched forever in both directions. Leading her flock, Lena turned to the left. Shani had to work to keep up with her. Now would be as good a time as any. "Where's Michael's room?" she asked. "The other direction." Lena didn't break stride or elaborate. "You haven't been trying to impress him with your feminine charms, have you?" Shani asked. You could get away with a lot more with Lena these days. "Hey," Sol said. "Not yet." "Hey," Sol said again. "I heard he's being discharged today," Lena said, playing with her. A mild infection had kept Michael in longer than anticipated. "I know." Robin had given her the news two days ago. He hadn't gone out of his way to let her know. True, he had called a couple of weeks ago, and he'd said that he was looking forward to seeing her. But he had been short on the phone, and hadn't explained whether he was returning immediately to England or what. This was her big worry. "What's his room number?" she asked. "I thought you came to see Robin." "Lena!" "Two-forty-six." Shani halted. "Tell Robin I'll be there in a few minutes." She reversed her direction, treading through a herd of nurses and orderlies, feeling like she was climbing the wrong way up an escalator. "Knock, knock." She rapped on his open door and peered inside. He stood with his back to her folding a shirt in his suitcase. As he turned she noticed an awkwardness in his once mercurial fluidity. Probably his incision was still healing. Had he any regrets? she wondered. His warm smile said that he didn't. He spread his arms. It was the best hug of her life, though rather feeble. Michael had lost weight. "You look great," he said, holding her at arm's length, admiring her dress. "Is that a new outfit?" She knew she was blushing. "Just something I dug out of the closet," she lied. It came back to her right away — instant karma. She had forgotten to remove the price tag from beneath her right armpit. Michael was holding it in his hand. "Sixty-nine, ninety-five." He nodded. "I would say it's worth every penny." This would have to happen to her! She couldn't decide whether to laugh or weep, and ended up doing some of both. "I bought it yesterday, dammit!" she said, fighting with the tag. He took a step back, amused at her language. "Well, now that you have my approval, you can throw out the receipt." He threw up his arms, warding off her blows. "Hey, I was only joking! Please, no kidney shots!" She was easily pacified. She gestured at his suitcase. "I see that you're all ready to go." "Just about." He returned to his packing. Shani wandered over to the window, from where she could see their parked Porsche, with plenty of room in the back for an extra passenger. There were questions she was afraid to ask. "How are you feeling, Michael?" "Great." "Is your infection gone?" "Completely." "That's good." She noticed that her hands were trembling. She went to stuff them in her pockets, then realized the dress didn't have any. He was staring at her. "What's the matter, Shani?" "Nothing." She smiled quickly. "How does it feel to have only one kidney?" "I feel lighter." He folded a pair of jeans. "I should have all my spare parts removed." "I bet you're anxious to get out of here." "I sure am." "I bet the food's been lousy." "So-so." "Did you get to see Robin much?" "Every day." "I hear she's doing great." "She looks like a new person." "That must make you feel good." "It sure does. I just wish I hadn't waited so long to decide." "Michael?" "Yeah?" "What are you going to do now?" "Go home." He was collecting his books, preoccupied. "Right away?" Her heart was breaking. "Today." "Is your mother going with you?" "No, she will be staying with Robin. Could you hand me that notebook, Shani?" She did so and went back to her window, not wanting him to see her cry. But his hands were on her shoulders, turning her slowly around in spite of her resistance. "What's the matter?" he asked. "Nothing." "There must be something wrong." "No, I'm just… I'm just happy." She plucked a tissue from a box next to the sink and blew her nose. "It's just such a relief that Robin's okay, that's all." He believed her, the fool. He was not interested. He did not care. He stepped back to his suitcase, snapping it shut. "Shall we be on our way? I want to say goodbye to Robin." "I haven't even said hello." They were in the corridor, and she was counting the steps, trying to slow down time. During these last four weeks, she had constructed a castle in the sky, only to find out now that all that was holding it up was misdirected hope. Why was he bothering to take her hand! "Can we give you a ride to the airport?" she asked, miserable. "Can't I get a ride back with you?" She stopped. "Huh?" "Oh, is the Porsche too small? Maybe I can catch a cab, then." "But… ah . . but…" She took a breath, swallowed it. "Aren't you going back to England?" "Eventually, but I want to attend college out here. The weather's so wretched back in Plymouth. I think I've been spoiled. I consider this my home now." He studied her face. "What's wrong?" "Nothing." Nothing at all! "Where are you going to go to school?" "The same one as you - if I can get in this late - U.C., Santa Barbara. I want to stay near Robin and the rest of you guys. Why do you ask? I explained this all in my letter." "What letter?" "I sent it three days ago." "I didn't get it." "It probably arrived after you left this morning. Was that the problem? You thought I was going to run off on you!" "No! I mean, you're going to do what you're going to do." She added lamely, "What have I got to do with any of it?" Michael put down his suitcase. Though there were many in the hallway to see them, he leaned over and kissed her. She was such a mass of nerves that she could scarcely react. When he pulled away, he was frowning. "I've got to get you a snake, Shani." She caught his drift. The first time they had kissed, when she had let herself go, had been immediately after her escape from the rattler in the ravine. So he thought she was cold-blooded! Tired of playing the role of the wimp, she curled her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her height. "Michael," she murmured, "I never told anyone this before, but Isleep with a snake." For an instant — a gleeful moment — he tried to back away. But she had a firm hold of him, one that hopefully would last a while. Robin's room was a florists' shop, her visitors lost amid rainbows of petals and fragrances. Propped in a white mountain of pillows, the celebrated patient had the best view and the healthiest complexion in the entire Medical Centre. Shani could hardly comprehend the transformation. Mother Time had swept Robin back to early November. She even had a tan. "Shani!" "Robin!" And Lena had been right about her sister's appetite. Hugging Robin, Shani could feel none of the protruding ribs she'd felt during their embrace four weeks ago at the start of their weekend of fun and relaxation at the Carlton Castle. "I'm glad you're here," Robin beamed, keeping hold of her hand. Michael remained in the background. "I have to tell you," Shani said, "this is the last time I'm going to visit you in a hospital." "This is the last time I'm going to be in one!" "Is this the friend you told me about?" A handsome woman with Robin's features and Michael's hair asked the question in the sweetest English accent imaginable. She stood on the opposite side of the bed, her eyes sparkling when they looked at her daughter. "Yes, this is Shani. Shani, meet my mum. Don't we look alike?" Shani offered her hand. "Very pleased to meet you, Mrs. Richardson." She hoped that was her name. "The pleasure's mine. I've heard a lot about you." "Don't believe everything Robin tells you. We have a mutual secret pact to boost each other's public image." Mrs. Richardson glanced at Michael. "I was referring to what my son has told me about you." Shani reddened. If his mother liked her, she was already in good shape. "What did he say?" Michael cleared his throat. "Mum, I just found out that she sleeps with a snake." "Michael!" Mrs. Richardson said, shocked. "It's a small snake, very clean," Park said, always quick to catch on, the bastard. "I was… it was just a joke," Shani stuttered. "Don't be embarrassed, Shani," Michael said. "My mother understands." "We all have our little quirks," Park said. "I've known Shani since kindergarten." He slapped his knee with delight. "Then she used to sleep with frogs. We used to kid her that she'd grow up with warts but, of course, we were wrong. I don't think her snake has hurt her skin any, either. Do you, Sol?" "Her skin looks okay to me." "But—" Shani began. "I slept with a twelve-foot python once," Lena said. Before Shani could recover her voice, Mrs. Richardson — regarding Lena and her with more than a hint of reservation — excused herself. "I was just on my way out to get Robin a drink," she said. "We can ring the nurse," Robin said. "Let's not bother her, dear. All of these kind folk here are already doing so much for us. I'll be back in a moment." Mrs. Richardson left the room in a hurry. Shani had to fight her keep the steam out of her voice. "That wasn't very funny. She must think I'm a real nut." "You weren't serious about the snake, were you?" Michael asked innocently. "She told you that she sleeps with a snake?" Park asked. "A few minutes ago." "You say weird things like that, and you get all worked up over a little teasing?" Park said. Feeling like she was the butt of one too many jokes, Shani sat down, grumbling, "I need a stiff drink." Sol heard her, nodded. "I could use a beer." Park pulled himself away from his reptile fantasies long enough to remark, "I could use a six-pack." "Funny you should say that," Robin chuckled, glancing briefly out of the open window next to her bed. The inflowing breeze was chilly. She pointed to a small refrigerator in the far corner. "The person who had this room before me had it stocked with his own brand of medicine. Take a look, Park. You'll find a few bottles of Heineken." There were only three bottles, not enough for each of them, but Park also found a packet of clear plastic cups in the miniature refrigerator, and with these he very carefully transformed the bottles into six equal shares, apparently including Robin as a drinking buddy. Shani did not think this was a wise move but she held her tongue when she saw how Robin's eyes brightened as she accepted the six-ounce glass of beer. The drink probably had symbolic significance, to her, and would make her feel she had indeed come the full circle, and really was healed. "Let's have a toast!" Robin said, raising her cup. The rest of them did likewise, everyone smiling with pleasure. "What are we toasting?" Michael asked. "Profit," Park said. "Pleasure," Lena said. "Pleasure and profit," Sol said. "But this is a special occasion," Robin murmured, blushing. "I want to toast to our long and healthy lives." Who could argue with her? Park raised his glass high. "Hear! Hear! To our long and profitable lives!" But before any of them could so much as take a sip, a bird,a huge black raven , swooped through the window, brushing Lena's and Sol's heads, scaring the wits out of both of them. It circled the room twice and came to rest on Robin's shoulder. "This is Rita," Robin said casually, in response to their transfixed expressions. "Rita," Park whispered. Michael frowned. "Haven't I seen this bird before?" "I have," Sol muttered. "We all have," Lena said. "Of course you have," Robin smiled. She put down her beer, and patted her feathered friend. "Rita goes where I go. She's like a guardian angel." Rita hopped off Robin's shoulder on to the table where Robin had her glass. The bird stuck its beak into the cup and took a drink. A moment later, she spat the beer back into the cup. Everyone looked down at their glasses. They decided to pass on the toast, and tossed the beer down the sink. They were takingno chances.
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