06-27-2014, 02:44 PM
The family's lawyer, Charles Woodson, was a shriveled old man in a gray pinstripe suit. There was more gray than orange in his hair. His hands were knotted and tight, used to paperwork. His eyes narrowed and focused, used to long hours at the computer.
Dane rarely thought about his family other than to recall what they should have been. Thousands of miles away and he was still shaming their good name. Such was why their personal J.D. met him straight from his flight for a good deal of time that morning.
"You haven't been charged as of yet, Mister Gregory,"
Charles did not look up from his work. Dane stared at a mark on the wall just above the man's shoulder. "The statute of time by which they can hold you on suspicions only will lapse in the next few hours. I anticipate you'll be released at that time."
There was a long pause, and Dane realized the man had stopped talking on purpose. Charles was fixed upon Dane, jaw tight, eyes shrewd. He reminded Dane of his father. "Mister Gregory, your father and my employer, has instructed me to deliver a message to you:"
Dane held up a hand. "Allow me to venture a guess, Mister Woodson?"
Charles blinked at Dane's eerie smile.
"'Leave the hair alone.'? Is that the message?"
Charles' gaze narrowed, and when he nodded, Dane drifted once more. This time, he stared through the pages of memory rather than a spot on the wall.
He ignored Charles' response.
"Yes, that's the message."
-------
He was taken to meet the good doctor again. Apparently she wished to chat more with him, and in this desire, Dane was eager to meet.
His hands were cuffed, but he laid them in his lap. He sat to a bolted chair, but he crossed his legs.
The questions were typical of a psychiatrist:
"What kind of childhood did you have?"
But his answer did not please Dr. Pirozzi. "I was shorter then."
She was more specific. "You were boarded for school through primary and secondary, how did you feel about that?"
"For holiday, I sometimes returned home, and I sometimes traveled with the school. I didn't care which."
"What subjects did you prefer?"
"The subjects I excelled at."
He smiled, that was to say, he preferred them all. "But I am fond of singing. I was in the boys choir until fourteen. I play piano too."
Her question into his love life gave him pause. "I take it from your question you are inquiring into my history of romantic relationships."
He enjoyed correcting a psychiatrist. "Alas, I had few as a boy. I was quite shy."
He thought of Thalia then. She was a normal woman that Dane might pursue: sweet, delicate-featured, and artistic.
"Are you currently engaged in any sexual relationships?"
Dane held onto the doctor's gaze as though asking her how literal her intent. He shifted in the silence, uncrossing and recrossing his legs. "No, but then again, I am not at my most charming."
He tried to put the doctor at ease by pointing out his current situation was not the most flattering. If she had met him elsewhere on the street or in a bar, he might have approached her.
"I mean, Mister Gregory, are you sexually active?"
Although the question spanned a spectrum of interpretations, his mind immediately darted to Aria and their mutual friend. "Yes. I suppose I am."
He was being honest.
Of course she was interested in hearing more. "And what is the nature of that relationship?"
Dane looked down, not ashamed nor hiding, but because he enjoyed fondling those memories. Aria and he would very much like to show her, someday. Someday.
"Very normal, doctor."
After a long pause, Dr. Pirozzi cleared her throat. "Are you alright, Mister Gregory?"
She asked.
Dane slowly turned his back to face her.
"Yes, I'm fine, Doctor."
"How are you?"
Edited by Dane Gregory, Jun 27 2014, 02:46 PM.
Dane rarely thought about his family other than to recall what they should have been. Thousands of miles away and he was still shaming their good name. Such was why their personal J.D. met him straight from his flight for a good deal of time that morning.
"You haven't been charged as of yet, Mister Gregory,"
Charles did not look up from his work. Dane stared at a mark on the wall just above the man's shoulder. "The statute of time by which they can hold you on suspicions only will lapse in the next few hours. I anticipate you'll be released at that time."
There was a long pause, and Dane realized the man had stopped talking on purpose. Charles was fixed upon Dane, jaw tight, eyes shrewd. He reminded Dane of his father. "Mister Gregory, your father and my employer, has instructed me to deliver a message to you:"
Dane held up a hand. "Allow me to venture a guess, Mister Woodson?"
Charles blinked at Dane's eerie smile.
"'Leave the hair alone.'? Is that the message?"
Charles' gaze narrowed, and when he nodded, Dane drifted once more. This time, he stared through the pages of memory rather than a spot on the wall.
He ignored Charles' response.
"Yes, that's the message."
-------
He was taken to meet the good doctor again. Apparently she wished to chat more with him, and in this desire, Dane was eager to meet.
His hands were cuffed, but he laid them in his lap. He sat to a bolted chair, but he crossed his legs.
The questions were typical of a psychiatrist:
"What kind of childhood did you have?"
But his answer did not please Dr. Pirozzi. "I was shorter then."
She was more specific. "You were boarded for school through primary and secondary, how did you feel about that?"
"For holiday, I sometimes returned home, and I sometimes traveled with the school. I didn't care which."
"What subjects did you prefer?"
"The subjects I excelled at."
He smiled, that was to say, he preferred them all. "But I am fond of singing. I was in the boys choir until fourteen. I play piano too."
Her question into his love life gave him pause. "I take it from your question you are inquiring into my history of romantic relationships."
He enjoyed correcting a psychiatrist. "Alas, I had few as a boy. I was quite shy."
He thought of Thalia then. She was a normal woman that Dane might pursue: sweet, delicate-featured, and artistic.
"Are you currently engaged in any sexual relationships?"
Dane held onto the doctor's gaze as though asking her how literal her intent. He shifted in the silence, uncrossing and recrossing his legs. "No, but then again, I am not at my most charming."
He tried to put the doctor at ease by pointing out his current situation was not the most flattering. If she had met him elsewhere on the street or in a bar, he might have approached her.
"I mean, Mister Gregory, are you sexually active?"
Although the question spanned a spectrum of interpretations, his mind immediately darted to Aria and their mutual friend. "Yes. I suppose I am."
He was being honest.
Of course she was interested in hearing more. "And what is the nature of that relationship?"
Dane looked down, not ashamed nor hiding, but because he enjoyed fondling those memories. Aria and he would very much like to show her, someday. Someday.
"Very normal, doctor."
After a long pause, Dr. Pirozzi cleared her throat. "Are you alright, Mister Gregory?"
She asked.
Dane slowly turned his back to face her.
"Yes, I'm fine, Doctor."
"How are you?"
Edited by Dane Gregory, Jun 27 2014, 02:46 PM.