Gaele!

Part 25:

November. The sky is grey, Gaele wrote in her journal. The air is chilly, and everything seems dull in comparison to the golden hues of home. Only this is now my home, isn't it?
Groton, Connecticut. At one time host to a large naval shipyard, now the base for a brand new research facility of which I had been given the privileged position, along with a dozen other honors graduates, of an internship in some cutting edge, genetic engineering project.
On the first day of my new job, I was dismayed to find that one of the other students that had been chosen for the internship was my old nemesis from Microbiology class, Paula, a.k.a. the Blonde. We had greeted each other politely enough during the introductions, but I caught that old smirk on her face, and knew then that nothing has changed much between us. She still hates me... and I still don't really know the reason behind it. I could guess it pretty easily though... I strongly suspect it's just plain, old fashioned prejudice.

She stopped and stared out the window, and noticed it had begun to rain. She leafed back through her journal, and saw the entry for June first.
Nobody had made it to my graduation. Nobody in my family got to see me get my hard earned diploma. It figures.
I mean, It's understandable that Daddy hadn't, since he wasn't done with his physical therapy yet... and Mom didn't want to leave him alone...  and Riahna couldn't possibly have come East by herself. She can't really do anything by herself, for that matter. Not much anyway...
Raph? Yeah, right. He couldn't be bothered. Enough said.
Devon is helping Daddy out with his recording business, running around doing errands and stuff for him that he can't do, just yet. I guess Devon really likes his job too much to get away for a weekend.
I don't know Leo well enough to expect him to show up.  He and Seth were still away, back doing the ascetic wanna-be whatever thing over in Nepal somewhere. Or maybe missionary work? Who knows? Who even cares I don't hear from them at all. Just as well, whenever they are around, incredibly bizarre things happen. Things I'd rather not remember. And being around Seth and Leo bring back wierd memories.
What about Don? Ack! After what I did to him? I could hardly blame him for not being there. In fact, I was surprised that he had sent me a congratulatory card. And even a gift!  Yeah, to pour the hot coals all over my head... he gave me a necklace of freshwater pearls that I just love.  I wore them to the graduation, and I wear them  now, just for the heck of it. I want to tell him how much I appreciate his thoughtfulness, but I couldn't get through. I left messages on his voice mail, e-mailed him, wrote him a letter, but he had not replied to any of them. That had hurt. Maybe he was too busy to reply, maybe not. Dunno for sure. Still hurts. Okay, so I'm feeling sorry for myself. So what. I can cry if I feel like it, nobody here to tell me not to.

Gaele turned the pages back to the most recent entry,  which was her comment on her new co-worker. Well, she concluded, I can sit here and think up the ugliest word in the English language to describe my life right now, and it just isn't strong enough.
She wrote a word anyway, in four large, angry letters, and then slammed her journal shut.

"Hey you," The voice on the phone sounded accusatory. "Why don't you ever call me any more?"
"Oh, gadz, Devon," Gaele sighed. "Sorry... been so busy, my brain has been going AWOL on me..."
"Uh, well," he went on as though he hadn't heard. "Thought I'd come and see ya. You know, like, celebrate your graduating and stuff. I feel bad about missing that."
"You do?"
"Sure I do! Why would I in my right mind want to miss out on the chance to party," he retorted amiably.
Gaele smirked. "Oh, I get it, so you can meet my friends, isn't that right?"
"You know me," he said, sniggering.

He showed up at her workplace unexpectedly the next evening.
"That was fast," Gaele said from her work bench when she saw him strut into the lab. "And by the way, how did you get in here? This place is supposed to be secure."
"I'm sure it is. But uhm, I have my ways, you know," he said, grinning wickedly.
"Oh, great, another one?"
"Hi, Paula," Gaele said without looking up. "Meet my brother, Devon."
"Charmed," was the Blonde's acid reply, as she set down a box of file folders.
"Likewise," Devon said in a tone that equalled hers. His face then softened into a grin of appreciation as he watched her sort through the files.
"Do tell, Gaele, dear, do you usually let the others do the dirty work while you just sit around on your-" Paula then glanced up and noticed Devon gazing at her. "Just WHAT is your problem?"
"No problem, " Devon returned mildly. "Just admiring your lovely golden tresses."
"It isn't real," Gaele muttered, as she manipulated another slide into the microscope.
"So what," Devon said back before Paula could reply. "I like it. You know, you look just like that model who does the hair commercial, you know, the one where they use that heat activated conditioner stuff?"
Gaele added her baleful stare to that of Paula's.
"Hey, I was wondering, maybe after you two get off of your shift, we could go out for a beer or something?"
"In your dreams, lizard boy." Paula's her upper lip curled in a sneer she usually reserved for Gaele.
Devon seemed unruffled by her reaction. "Nothing wrong with dreaming, sweet lady."
"You'd better WATCH yourself," Paula snapped, slamming the folders on the desk beside the file box. "I'll have you run in for harassment. BOTH of you."
"What did I do?" Gaele held her hands out in puzzlement. "I'm not responsible for how he acts! Believe you ME, this was totally unexpected. And I do mean totally."
"I know what your little game is, you little- you-" She let the rest of the sentence out in a growl of frustration, and stomped out of the lab.
"Whoa," Devon said, as the door slammed shut behind her. Then he grinned at his sister. "I think she likes me."
"I think you'd better get lost before she gets me into big trouble," Gaele said, waving him out.
"Aw. I just wanted to see what you were working on. Or rather, who you are working with, and I'm so very glad I did. What a corkin' looker."
"Believe me, she isn't worth it."
"I'll be the judge of that."
"Devon-"
He held up a broad hand. "Okay, okay. I won't sneak into your workplace any more, okay?"
"Thanks."
"See you later, then."
"Yeah. You do that."
He left as quickly as he arrived.
Paula came back to the lab a few minutes later. She looked around as she came in, and then fastened her gaze on Gaele. "Did IT leave yet?"
"Yes, HE left. Don't worry, HE won't be coming back here. I made HIM promise not to."
"Oh. Well! Am I supposed to thank you?"
"No, you're off the hook."
"You are very fortunate I didn't call the-"
Gaele had gotten up from her stool to face the blonde. "Look... I don't know WHAT your problem is, but I sincerely wish that you would give it a REST. I've never had anything against you before, and all you have ever done to me is be incredibly RUDE and NASTY, and I'm SICK of it. Now I'm sorry that you have such a major HANGUP about people who look different, but there's really no need for you to harass me over something that is nothing other than the fact that I have some physical differences, and NOTHING more. You have NOTHING else to go on."
"No, I suppose I don't," Paula said quietly, though she was obviously rattled by Gaele's outburst.

Devon looked a lot more smug than usual when Gaele answered the door. "I got a date," he said as he sauntered into her apartment.
"Good for you."
"You'll never guess who with," Devon went on, undeterred by her lack of enthusiasm.
"Paula."
Devon's eyebrows shot up. "Very GOOD! You are still as just as sharp as a brand, spanking new razor blade, and even after a ten hour shift. Ain't it something? See, I hung around in the parking lot until she came out, and I got her talking to me, and next thing I know... she agrees to have dinner with me."
"Omigawd, Devon. I can't believe you would stoop that low!"
"Hey, she's not so bad, really. It was either something you said, or my unearthly charm, that made her change her mind. Methinks it's the latter."
"Maybe she's just looking for a good laugh."
"Ha! I'll give her a laugh. We're going to meet at the Little Kyoto. Decent sushi there. At least for the East coast.  And I heard the owner knows Don or somebody, so it's cool. Hey, you wanna join us?"
"I'm going to bed."
Devon shrugged. "Suit yourself. Don't wait up for me." He gave her another of his patent wicked grins, and left.

So, here I am, once again, all by myself, in my bathrobe, watching TV sitcom re-runs, on a Friday night. Been living here for months and haven't even gone out once. Devon is here less than 24 hours and he has a date already. And he's more bizarre looking than I am! Maybe it's his bold, fearless manner? Heck, maybe it's the tattoos. And I'm not even going to try to figure Paula out. In fact, I'm too depressed to even think about it. I hate my life.
She doodled around the borders of her journal, and then closed it, too uninspired to write any more. She lay her head in her arms, and tried to think of nothing.

A light tapping on her door woke her. She lifted her head, and stared around. "Whozat?"
"You still awake?" A familiar voice.
"Devon? What, you back already?" She got up and stumbled to the door. "I told you that it wasn't going to work- oh, uh... you aren't Devon," she said when she saw Raphael.
"Not quite, anyway... what happened to you?" He pointed at her face.
"Huh?" She raised her hand and felt a crease along her cheek. "Oh, I fell asleep at the desk, no biggie. You looking for Devon? C'mon in."
"Well, no, I wasn't. He's visiting you, huh?"
"Yeah, he went out with a co-worker of mine..." Gaele looked at the clock in the kitchen. "I thought he was coming back, but I guess it's still a bit early."
"Either that, or he got lucky."
"Gyack." Gaele made a face.
"Gyack?"
"Yeah, this woman is a royal pain- You want anything? I'm going to make some coffee."
Raphael grinned a little as he sat in a chair at the kitchen table. "As long as it ain't Starbucks, I'll go for it."
"It isn't. What do you have against Starbucks, anyway?"
"I'm just kidding, I have nothing against Starbucks. Kinda a joke between Dev and me. So, who's this lady he's out with? Inquiring minds want to know."
"Her name's Paula, and she doesn't like mutants. Well, at least I didn't think she did. Always treated me like dirt. But then Devon comes along and says he's taking her out for sushi. So I guess it's just that she doesn't like ME."
"Hm." He looked thoughtfully at her. "What did you do, diss her grandmother? If not, then it ain't your problem, now is it?"
"I dunno." She focused her attention on the coffeepot.
"Sorry I didn't make it to your graduation and stuff," he said after an awkward silence. "I'm not really into it, but I guess I should have sent you a something or other."
"I wouldn't have expected you, you weren't under any obligation."
He frowned. "'Course I was! You're family, aren'tcha? But uhm, I just kind of forgot about it. Hell, I'd forget my butt if I didn't have to sit on it all the time."
Gaele laughed in spite of her bad mood. "You have a way with words," she said, as she set a coffee cup in front of him.
"Thanks," he said, taking it. He then stared at her with a neutral expression.
"What?"
"Hm. You seem kinda... down."
"Who, me? Whatever give you that idea? I have these great people I work with, fabulously damp grey days, and this stimulating research I'm doing, I mean, the same comfortingly exact routine day after day after day, and a totally exciting social life, and a caring loving family who acknowledges my existence. I mean, geez, I have this totally perfect situation, here. Why should I be depressed? I have no reason to be depressed, now do I? Everything is just DUCKY." She turned to pour herself a cup of coffee to hide the tears that were forming, but the coffee pot came down harder than she intended to, and she folded her arms and stood facing the cupboards.
"I, uh, get your point," he said mildly. After a long silence, she heard him quietly set his cup down, and push his chair back. She turned to see him standing near, looking sheepishly at her. "Maybe you could use a hug, huh?"
"I guess."
When he put his arms around her, the levy holding her emotions broke. She missed her father, and the warmth of her family, and this physical contact brought her pain and loneliness to the surface. She leaned her forehead against his shoulder and sobbed in near hysteria.
Raphael stood his ground, patiently holding her until her outburst to run its course.
She finally moved back from him and hastily wiped at her eyes in embarrassment. "Sorry, I feel stupid, now, crying like a stupid little baby..."  She went into the bathroom to wash her face.
"Well, maybe," Raphael said, scratching at the back of his head and looking uncertain."But uhm, maybe you could use some fresh air, huh?"
"I dunno."
"Come on, we could go down to the marina or something. Get a little of that salt air. It's only a five minute walk from here. Surely you can handle that."
He had a mischievous look on his face that she couldn't figure out until she remembered a past conversation that went along those lines.
"Oho, I get it. All right, give me a few minutes to get dressed."
"Dress for weather," Raphael prompted her. "Looks like rain."
"Very funny. What ELSE is new?"

The heavy mist that blew in from the ocean dimmed the street lights, increasing the gloom of the evening. Gaele shivered in her rain coat from the chilling breeze. "This was a great idea, now I'm freezing."
"It's good for ya. Gets your mind off your little pity pot trip."
"Gee, what a supportive thing to say."
Raphael snickered in reply.
The activity around the marina had gotten quiet, mostly due to the weather and the lengthening of the evening. They came to a closed gate that led into the marina, itself. Authorized Personnel Only, a sign said.
Raphael peered through the chan link fence, and Gaele could just make out the gleam of his teeth as he grinned at her. "You like boats?"
"Sure, I like boats, but isn't it-"
"It's okay, we can go in," he said, as he pulled a set of keys from his coat pocket.
"We can?"
"Yeah, we can," he said a bit impatiently as he held the gate open for her. "It's not mine, it's just where I'm staying. I thought you'd like to see it."
"Well... okay. As long as you don't try anything funny."
"What?" He sounded indignant.
"Hey, I was just kidding. Sorry, bad joke."
"Heh. All right, follow me, and watch where you're going, or you're gonna get a lot wetter than you are now."
"Which isn't by much," she muttered as she made her way behind him down the ramp to the floating docks.
A fresh gust of salt laden wind smacked her in the face, and the sailboats increased the tempo of their endless metallic rhythms of cables against steel masts. A forest of masts against the night glow of the city undulated with the ebb and flow of the water beneath them. At the end of the farthest berth lay the dark bulk of a large, two masted sailboat, which had lights shining through all of its curtained cabin windows.
"Looks like you left some lights on," Gaele commented to him. Then she heard music coming faintly from within the boat. "Or is there somebody down there already?"
"Huh. Maybe Devon tracked me down, or something. He's never hesitated to make himself at home before."
"Seems like there's an awful lot of movement in there..." She sensed presences nearby, and felt spooked."Maybe you should go... check it out."
Just then someone ran along the length of the boat from the pulpit to the rear. Gaele gasped and jumped back, narrowly missing her footing. Raphael grabbed her elbow, even though she'd already recovered. "Easy, it's okay!"
Heads were emerging from the back of the boat, now, and someone giggled. Someone else said, "Shh!"
"Omigawd," Gaele breathed as she recognized each of them. "Riahna! Seth? MOM?" She was running up the gangway to meet them. Her breath caught as they reached for her to lead her through the hatchway. More people inside... she saw Don. Then Leo, who stood toward the back. They both seemed to have matching small grins. Across the space that separated the living-dining area from the forward bedrooms hung letters that formed the phrase: CONGRATULATIONS GAELE!!!
Somebody got up from one of the chairs and lifted her off her feet in a bear hug.  "Hey, baby! Was beginning to think we were never gonna get you to come down here!"
"Daddy," Gaele said, and couldn't speak through the rest of the hug.
"So sorry we couldn't make it to your graduation, honey," Rahab was saying. "There was so much going on..."
"I know, I know..."
"Then we thought we'd surprise you..."
"You surprised me, all right. Omigawd, you have EVERYBODY here, I can't believe it."
"Hey," Mike said, looking indignant. "It's not like we've never had family gatherings before."
"Devon said he'd be along later," Raphael said. "After he takes his, uh, lady friend home. I dunno if she could handle meeting all of us at once."
The others laughed in response to his comment.
"Hey, baby, how about a speech?" Mike winked at Gaele.
"Ack. I'm nearly braindead, and you want a speech?"
"Well, just ad-lib it, then."
Gaele sighed and then looked around at the faces. "Well... as you probably know, this has been a real tough adjustment for me, and there were times I just felt like giving up and running away... and there's a lot that is left to be desired about my life right now..."
Don looked thoughtfully at her.
"But uhm... you know, there's really only one thing that that I hold dear, and that is my family. I dunno how I would have survived it all, without your love and support. I feel very fortunate to be born into this. And I feel really proud to be... to be just what I am." She looked around, and then shrugged. "That's all I have to say."
"Good speech," Seth said, as they all applauded her.
"Agreed," Mike added as he pulled out a bottle of champagne. "And now... let us party ever onward. A small toast," he proclaimed as he filled the glasses. "To us."
"To us," everyone echoed as they held their glasses aloft.

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