Contemplative Sensitivity

Hidden Truths

Hanji was sitting behind the door, her arms folded tightly against her chest. She was annoyed and didn't hesitate to let Erwin have it when Shadis had finally finished giving him the tour.

"He's a big brute and I hope he never gets anything accomplished," she hissed. She gripped Erwin's hand. "Who cares if I'm not your real cousin? It's a good thing none of us are related. If we were, I'd never have a chance with Mi--,"

"Little Hanzi," Erwin interrupted. "If I had known he'd rough handle you, I wouldn't have brought you. Truth be told, you  weren't supposed to be in there. That stuff was too mature for you to understand."

"Mature? You're just a teenager!" Hanji had lowered her voice. "Whatever. I think that Shadis guy is doing something dangerous. It has to be."

"Today was shitty for you, little Hanzi. Let me make it up to you? How about I ask my mom if we could stop for some ice cream?"

"That sounds great," Hanji beamed. 

After Martha had picked them up and they had feasted on some chocolate mint ice cream, they dropped Hanji back at the orphanage. Erwin and his mom sat in the car in silence. Erwin felt utterly exhausted. Shadis was clearly an enthusiastic and dedicated man, but his sporadic behavior might prove troublesome. 

"When John and I attended the seminar and Shadis was the speaker," Martha started. "His talk was short. All he said was that he and his colleagues were engineering a drug that would cure the human disease. Now, that was three years before we adopted the two of you. Is he still working on the drug?"

"It's some kind of serum," Erwin said warily. "I've signed a non-disclosure, mom. I can't tell you any more than that, but I can tell you that I'm about to be busy for the rest of the year. At least I'm getting paid."  

Martha looked at her son and smiled. "Well I guess its time to get you a car. Its only fitting. Your first car for your first job."

Erwin couldn't believe what he was hearing. He figured that convincing Martha to buy him a car was impossible. Martha believed that teenagers weren't responsible enough to drive about on their own.

"I never thought you'd say that," Erwin's voice trembled. "Do you mean it?"

"Yes," Martha nods. 

"Mom, thank you!"

"I'm glad your grateful," Martha said slowly. "You can start driving your new car tonight--this is it."

"What do you mean this is it?" Erwin asked warily. "This is the only car we own."

"Not anymore," Martha said. "While you were gone, I had Harold drive my new SUV to our house. I had purchased it five days ago and so I leave this one to you."

"Um, thanks," Erwin raised an eyebrow. "That was kind of sly. Levi has been rubbing off on you, mom."

Martha sighed and turned on the radio. "Levi is a kindred spirit. You know, I'm not sure if I should say, but he still talks to Mavis every once and a while. She can't get enough of that boy and I think she appreciates him," Martha paused for a second, as if she had to choose her words carefully, "Mavis is an amazing woman. If things had been different, maybe I'd talk to her now and then, but I'd rather not think about it. I never really got to know her due to her frequent traveling...so it was easy for me to distance myself."

Erwin was baffled. "I...I haven't even thought about her since the divorce. You would think she's rather not hear from any of us, Mom. We aren't her biological grandchildren." 

"But does that mean she should be forgotten? Does that mean she should be alone?" Martha asked quietly. "When we were together, John hardly spoke to Mavis or discussed her. I'm imagining that he's the same now. That poor woman...Levi is the kindest of us all."