him.
“Sorry,” said Monson shaking his head. “Just ignore me.”
Molly narrowed her eyes at him. He hated it when she did that. She had this annoying habit of closely observing him in an attempt to ascertain his mood or feelings. If he did not voluntarily explain his behavior, she would cross-examine him in a way that would make Perry Mason jealous. Monson waited for her verdict.
“What happened to your knuckles?”
Molly’s voice sounded both angry and gentle at the same time. A voice that was a confusing torrent of emotions. He did not know how to explain it.
“I wouldn’t bother.” Casey shot Monson a sour look “Grey has this incredible ability to avoid questions. He’ll probably say he cut himself shaving or something.”
Monson matched Casey’s expression. “I didn’t avoid your question; you didn’t even ask about my hand.”
“I sure noticed that you tried to hide it.”
“You can’t prove that.”
“Isn’t that statement proof enough?”
“Monson honey…I’m getting some very surprising vibes. How…how much do they know?”
There it was. She had asked it.
Monson’s gaze turned downward. He was not sure how much more he could take; the nightmares, the memories, the revelations; it was all mounting painfully. Now? Now he had to try to explain to Molly why he had not…why he could not….
He mentally blanked. All he could do was shake his head.
“They don’t know anything?” asked Molly seriously.
He again responded in a thoroughly non-verbal way.
“Monson!” Her hands started to tremble, a clear sign she was upset. “You haven’t told them anything about - ”
“He’s told us some stuff,” said Artorius, his voice growing so loud it drowned out Molly’s. “And we’ve been able to figure out some of the other things, and now we even know about Baroty Bri - ”
“Baroty Bridge!?!” Molly’s voice cracked. She glanced at Monson. “What do they know about Baroty Bridge? We don’t even know about Baroty Bridge, unless - ”
Monson recognized the glint in her eye. “It’s not like that, Molly. Gossip Guy just had a special on Baroty Bridge; some security camera footage recently surfaced and now - ”
“Monson dear, stop right there.”
Everything, literally everything, stopped there. Molly’s bearing changed dramatically, as if something was boiling just beneath the surface. Something destructive. She proceeded. “What do you mean, Gossip Guy came out with a special report - what camera footage?”
The boys did not have a chance to answer before Molly plunged her hand into her pocket, pulling out a glinting silver data phone.
“You aren’t going to be able to find the story,” said Casey. “It’s on the platinum section of Gossip Guy’s member section. You have to be a Coren University student to gain access to it.”
Molly swore loudly and pushed herself out of her chair. “OK Cassius, I want you to show me.”
He was already moving towards the study, but turned to Artorius and Monson. “You coming?”
“Yeah, I want to finish watching the video.” Artorius rose as Molly and Casey disappeared into the study. He lingered by his chair.
“Grey, you coming?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
Artorius was perplexed. “But your grandfather is on that video, Grey.”
“I know, Arthur. I know.”
“I… see.” Artorius walked away reluctantly.
Monson knew he was simply not ready to find out any more about Baroty Bridge. He was already scared. It was all too much, too fast. He was not able; he was not ready. He found the silence of the now-vacant room unbearable. Sure, the muted sounds of Derek’s sermon permeated the dead space, but there seemed to be a disconnect between the study and the sitting room, like they were worlds apart. He could not stand it any longer. He stood and went to his room, closing the doors behind him.
***
“Monson honey, can I come in?” Molly did not wait for his reply. She opened the doors
“Sorry,” said Monson shaking his head. “Just ignore me.”
Molly narrowed her eyes at him. He hated it when she did that. She had this annoying habit of closely observing him in an attempt to ascertain his mood or feelings. If he did not voluntarily explain his behavior, she would cross-examine him in a way that would make Perry Mason jealous. Monson waited for her verdict.
“What happened to your knuckles?”
Molly’s voice sounded both angry and gentle at the same time. A voice that was a confusing torrent of emotions. He did not know how to explain it.
“I wouldn’t bother.” Casey shot Monson a sour look “Grey has this incredible ability to avoid questions. He’ll probably say he cut himself shaving or something.”
Monson matched Casey’s expression. “I didn’t avoid your question; you didn’t even ask about my hand.”
“I sure noticed that you tried to hide it.”
“You can’t prove that.”
“Isn’t that statement proof enough?”
“Monson honey…I’m getting some very surprising vibes. How…how much do they know?”
There it was. She had asked it.
Monson’s gaze turned downward. He was not sure how much more he could take; the nightmares, the memories, the revelations; it was all mounting painfully. Now? Now he had to try to explain to Molly why he had not…why he could not….
He mentally blanked. All he could do was shake his head.
“They don’t know anything?” asked Molly seriously.
He again responded in a thoroughly non-verbal way.
“Monson!” Her hands started to tremble, a clear sign she was upset. “You haven’t told them anything about - ”
“He’s told us some stuff,” said Artorius, his voice growing so loud it drowned out Molly’s. “And we’ve been able to figure out some of the other things, and now we even know about Baroty Bri - ”
“Baroty Bridge!?!” Molly’s voice cracked. She glanced at Monson. “What do they know about Baroty Bridge? We don’t even know about Baroty Bridge, unless - ”
Monson recognized the glint in her eye. “It’s not like that, Molly. Gossip Guy just had a special on Baroty Bridge; some security camera footage recently surfaced and now - ”
“Monson dear, stop right there.”
Everything, literally everything, stopped there. Molly’s bearing changed dramatically, as if something was boiling just beneath the surface. Something destructive. She proceeded. “What do you mean, Gossip Guy came out with a special report - what camera footage?”
The boys did not have a chance to answer before Molly plunged her hand into her pocket, pulling out a glinting silver data phone.
“You aren’t going to be able to find the story,” said Casey. “It’s on the platinum section of Gossip Guy’s member section. You have to be a Coren University student to gain access to it.”
Molly swore loudly and pushed herself out of her chair. “OK Cassius, I want you to show me.”
He was already moving towards the study, but turned to Artorius and Monson. “You coming?”
“Yeah, I want to finish watching the video.” Artorius rose as Molly and Casey disappeared into the study. He lingered by his chair.
“Grey, you coming?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
Artorius was perplexed. “But your grandfather is on that video, Grey.”
“I know, Arthur. I know.”
“I… see.” Artorius walked away reluctantly.
Monson knew he was simply not ready to find out any more about Baroty Bridge. He was already scared. It was all too much, too fast. He was not able; he was not ready. He found the silence of the now-vacant room unbearable. Sure, the muted sounds of Derek’s sermon permeated the dead space, but there seemed to be a disconnect between the study and the sitting room, like they were worlds apart. He could not stand it any longer. He stood and went to his room, closing the doors behind him.
***
“Monson honey, can I come in?” Molly did not wait for his reply. She opened the doors
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