I later found out the only reason Crystal allowed Andy to set foot in her home was because he had made me smile. I pointed out to her she was the one who made me smile the most. Thanks to her, my facial muscles didn't hurt anymore. This drew one of her unfathomable looks. Her true thoughts and emotions hidden behind those walls in her eyes. I expect she had just as much trouble reading me, although at that time I didn't understand this.
Thanks to Andy's reasonable compromise, the three of us spent 3 nights camping out. Nothing spectacular or particularly memorable happened that I can recall. Though it became a regular activity for us and we had some schoolboy adventures in later years. Andy and I bonded. In a distinctly weird way. Our personalities were entirely different. He extroverted, me introverted. Him a social animal, me an asocial one. I wasn't antisocial in the least. I could mix with others and hold my own in group conversations. The extraordinary thing was we applied the brakes on each other. When either of us was in danger of overstepping the mark, the other would gently pull them back.
An example of this occurred on one of those camping trips. As usual Andy brought along his drone. We'd been up in the mountains for almost a week. Taking supplies, but living off the land as much as possible. Crystal took us to one of her special places. There was a sixty foot waterfall fed by a large pool. One in which she bathed every morning. Andy had the idea of using the drone to spy on her skinny dipping. He and I had recently discovered how fascinating girls were. Firstly I made him aware of how appalled I was at his dirty little mind. Would he do that to his own mother or his sister when she was older? Then I reminded him of what happened to Garrett. Crystal wasn't stupid. She was well aware of the drone and of what went on in teenage boys grubby little minds. It didn't matter how quiet this model was, she'd detect it. Finally I told him to imagine what she would do to him, then what was left of him would never be allowed to come on a camping trip with us ever again.
Andy quickly saw the error of his ways. A lesson which Crystal reinforced on her return from her morning ablutions. As she entered her tent she advised us that if we ever used the drone for the purposes of spying on women in their private moments, there would be a reckoning. The results of which didn't bear description. The drone would be destroyed, never to be replaced and we'd have great difficulty extracting it from where it would be shoved. His face was a picture. How had she known? She couldn't have heard us talking above the noise of the waterfall. From that point on Andy insisted she had superpowers. Ones he feared and respected in equal measure. He learned to love her in time.
Then there were the times I went a bit too far. Such as when he and I were at a Krav Maga session. It was a competition. He'd been drawn against his most feared opponent. One he'd never won against. When he lamented the certainty of being knocked out in the first round, I advanced a strategy guaranteeing him the win. It would also badly injure his foe. I'd noticed a flaw in his stance when he did kicks and that whenever anyone raised their guard in a certain way it would trigger a kick from him to open them up. When he showed reluctance in using my strategy, I told him that since because of the draw it was likely I'd be up against the winner of his match I'd do it. The odds were he'd never have to face him again. Right then and there Andy made me promise I wouldn't do anything like that.
Andy was pretty good at Krav Maga. I was better in a way. He was a technician, I simply played to win. By any means necessary. Within the rules of course. It had been a steep learning curve, one I'd enjoyed. I didn't really like the knockout competitions. They were okay but not what I looked forward to. To me each combat was a problem to be analysed and solved. Once I solved the problem, by defeating an opponent, as far as I was concerned I didn't have to face them again. Unless they developed a new skill or style. To begin with it had taken me multiple fights to work out the strengths and weaknesses of those I fought. Eventually I could do it in a single bout. Taking early hits intentionally, before defeating my opponent. There were better fighters than me who I had beaten, much to their surprise. Those were the only ones I liked to fight against again. They'd study me just as I'd studied them. The combat becoming a game of chess.
Returning from our camping trip Andy and I thanked Crystal for the great time we'd had and then he invited me over to meet his folks. She offered to drive us. Andy declined. He wanted to show me the shortcut he used to get down to the wrong side of town. Their house was visible from ours. The roof at least. At the top of that steep embankment between the haves and the have nots. An exaggeration, but a minor one. There were plenty of respectable families where we lived. There were many rogues and villains living in gated communities up on the hill. You don't need to be evil and heartless to become fabulously rich. It does help though. There are more psychopaths in boardrooms than there are on the mean streets.
The two of us had divided up the load and we made good time getting to his house. A five bedroom dwelling with a double garage and a small swimming pool. Built in the Southern style. Two stories with a wraparound porch. It was pretty impressive. It's design explained by the fact Mrs Vadash was from South Carolina. A Southern Belle. His dad was from Vermont. I liked both accents, but Mrs Vadash won hands down. Combined with her poise and beauty it was a wonderful mix. I would later learn she was what they call hot. And a few other less savory terms. His dad was good looking to.
It was his little sister Emily who I really adored. Honey blonde hair, like her mother. Pale blue eyes that made you want to love her. I was charmed by her a few seconds after I sat down in the kitchen for a lemonade. The little girl climbed up into my lap and hugged me, without introduction. A fact which surprised her parents, more than me. Chloe had shown the same response and children have always found me good company. This is pure speculation on my part, but I think the explanation of why small children liked me is much like that of the gorilla. It's a mountain of muscle that could rip your arms off yet it wouldn't harm a kitten. Or a child for that matter. Most children, free of the filters older people have, can recognize someone who wouldn't ever harm them. Of course I could be wrong.
While we were in the kitchen Mr Vadash joined us. Shaking my hand firmly as his wife had done. Before he could even sit down Andy was on him. It seemed, without my knowledge, they'd been discussing me. Crystal keeping me off school, because of the animosity of certain other pupils. The beatings I'd received. Mr and Mrs Vadash questioned me about them. My equanimity about the violence amazed them. I told them I could cope with it, if it made Crystal's life easier. I wasn't bothered. I think the emotionless way I explained this gave them pause. They found it disturbing. To the extent they both disappeared to have a chat about me. Whatever they said it didn't take long. The two of them were back inside 5 minutes. Still bemused by Emily sitting happily on my lap.
They knew some of my history, Mr Vadash had made some inquiries himself. I can't be certain, but I believe it was Mrs Vadash who had most influence on the decision. She knew Crystal quite well, a surprise to me. They hardly moved in the same social circles. Ms Goodbody had done plenty of fund raising work and campaigned for quite a few local issues in her teens. It was Mr Vadash who broached the subject. The one I knew nothing about.
Andy had asked him to use his position as a school governor at St Michael's, to get me in. Mr Vadash had already done a fishing expedition on my behalf. I'm not sure how I felt about it. With perfect hindsight I think I myself had some distrust of the offer. Stupid as it is, I felt slighted. So I was being beaten up every school day. I could handle it. Their caring about it was insulting in a way. Crystal and Andy were the only reasons I even thought about switching schools. It could be done. I could start next Monday, as long as I wanted to. I agreed in principle. Stating I would have to consult with Ms Goodbody.
Then I walked home, using the shortcut Andy had shown me. Not knowing I was incommoding Crystal yet again. Placing her in a position which presented difficulties for her. There was no way she could refuse me. Her caring, loving heart wouldn't allow it. I'd need a uniform. It was quite expensive. It could be funded by Child Services, but only after receipts were presented. Me not having a uniform would mark me out. An experience she didn't want me to go through again. It was already bad enough I'd be making yet another fresh start in less than 3 months. There was also the fact Crystal was a giver, not a taker. By doing this for me, I'd unknowingly placed her in debt to the Vadash's.
Being the wonderful human being she was, there was no way she could say no to the proposition. As soon as I advised her of it she stood at the table drumming her fingers. Deep in thought. Only thinking of ways she could pay for this favor, the Vadash's had given me. I learned a valuable lesson the following day. While I was eating breakfast, Crystal loaded up one of her wonderful sculptures onto a trailer. Immediately after I finished my meal she took me along with her. When I asked what we were doing she wouldn't answer me. More pain my stupidity was inflicting on her. I was most surprised when we ended up at Andy's home. Where Crystal demanded they take the sculpture as payment for their services. Mr Vadash refused. It became quite heated, until Mrs Vadash emerged. Taking control from her husband, the high flying lawyer.
The two women were friends. They hugged and went off while Andy and I stayed with Mr Vadash. He was still marveling at the exquisite work of art. The way its form changed depending on which angle you were looking at it from. He made a call while Andy and I caught up on what had happened in the 12 hours since we'd last met. Nothing is too big a word for it. Kids could talk all day about nothing. Crystal and Mrs Vadash were gone for well over half an hour. We could see them walking around the gardens.
"Holy sh... crap." Mr Vadash declared as he ended his call. "I've just been talking to a friend of mine who owns a gallery. I sent him a video of this and he says there's no way it would fetch less than five thousand at auction. Twenty would be achievable with the right buyers."
"It's not for sale." Crystal barked.
Of course. She didn't sell pieces of herself. She'd give them away for my benefit though. No matter how much it hurt. I instantly loved her more than life itself. Another layer uncovered. Another lesson I'd learned.
"I wasn't.." He stumbled. "There's no way we could accept this Ms Goodbody..."
"Honey?" Mrs Vadash intervened. "I told you to leave this to me. You can go off and do your lawyer stuff now if you like. Crystal and I have come to a deal. She's going to make our little princess a nice new playhouse. We'll provide the materials, she'll provide the talent and work. We're throwing in Luke's new uniforms. It was tough bargaining there for a while, but I finally managed to get her to accept it. Do you know how lucky you are Luke?"
Some might think that a thoughtless question. I'd been orphaned and hospitalized twice in the last 8 or 9 months. I know Mr Vadash looked shocked by the question. I smiled though.
"Probably not, but I've got a good idea. I know I wouldn't want to be with anyone else in the world."