Kaleidoscope

Chapter One

September 2014 – Two Years Later

The train sped along, rocking and swaying to an inaudible beat, lulling Danny into a half sleep. He was only partly aware of the changing scenery as he continued north, each mile of rail bringing him closer to his destination. Pangs of guilt dampened his enthusiasm for his new life as he questioned his decision to go away for college when he could have stayed closer to home. His sister was paralyzed, her best friend dead, and he was leaving behind the tragedy that now totally defined his family. He was moving away from the pain, the confusion and anger toward an unknown future.

He only had one bag on board with him — the rest of his belongings were in a trunk somewhere between Virginia and Massachusetts. Stuffed inside was his life. With any luck, it would be waiting for him when he arrived. He was glad the gentleman sitting next to him had gone off to the dining car; he was craving some solitude and the man, although well-meaning, had talked non-stop since he boarded at Union Station in D.C. Dusk was descending, bringing with it a bank of fog shrouding his thoughts in the haze. Maybe now he could catch a little sleep before he got to the campus.

His eyelids became heavy, and through the half sleep, the dreams started again. It was always the dreams. He tried to ignore them but every time he closed his eyes, they still haunted him. Dreams of Theresa, the accident, his parents, all colliding in his head at once. He thought the distance would help him escape but now, even two years later, he still couldn't shake the past.

Scene: High school. The world, as usual, revolves around Theresa. There isn't much she doesn't excel in: President of the National Honor Society, captain of the cheerleading squad, editor of the school newspaper, and soon to be Valedictorian; she's the darling of the family. Older sister Jen is off to grad school passing along the spotlight to Theresa, the next in line. It will never shine down to me. My claim to fame is my skill on the soccer field, conveniently gone unnoticed. It's Theresa's big year, applying for early admission to Virginia Tech – it's all that seems to matter in the house. I'm the introvert to her extrovert. My computer is my best friend and her friends are too numerous to count. She nags at me to get more involved in school and I ignore her. I'll do things my way – not hers. What does it matter anyway? Next year she won't be a problem. Promise or premonition?

Blinking himself out of his dream, he bolted up as the train came to a halt. He looked out the window to see the sign on the station — Amherst. He was here. He said good-bye to the gentleman sitting next to him, took his suitcase off the overhead rack and made his way to the front of the car. It was already late at night and he still needed to hail a cab to take him to the campus. He inhaled the crisp September air, so different from the air back home. There was a freshness to it as it filled his lungs, giving him hope for a new start.

A taxi pulled up next to him and he climbed into the back seat.

"Where to, young man?" the driver asked.

"The UMass campus," he answered. He sat back as he took in what he could see of the city through the haunting glow of the streetlights. It had been a long train ride and he was anxious to get to his dorm. He wondered what it would be like to share a room with someone. He was so used to the solitude of his room at home — a room that had become a haven for him over the past two years. He pictured all his soccer trophies lined up on his shelves and was saddened that his parents had so seldom seen him play. But his prowess had paid off, earning him a coveted soccer scholarship to play at the University. It was the only way he could afford to come up here with Theresa's medical bills mounting. Despite insurance, his parents were still faced with a growing debt.

The glare of lights pouring out of the dorms cut the darkness like light sabers as he approached the campus. He paid the driver and looked around at the place he would call home for the next four years. Even at this hour the campus was alive with students and parents. He didn't see anyone arriving alone. He took the elevator to the 5th floor and was almost bowled over by a gaggle of girls trying to rush in as he was exiting. He suddenly remembered he was in a co-ed dorm. Parents were everywhere, their faces masking the tears poised to spill over as they watched their children taking the first steps toward total independence.

How have things gotten to this point? he thought. How is it that I'm the only freshman moving in by myself? How is it I'm waiting for my trunk to arrive when everyone else's things are emerging from the trunks of cars?

The scenario playing out before him paled in comparison to his sister's send-off to college two years before. His mom had insisted they all go as a family, over his staunch objections. He didn't know why he had to be part of the farewell. He could just as well have bidden her good-bye at home. But that wasn't acceptable — they were family after all. Of course, his oldest sister, Jen, was excused from the excursion because she was too busy with grad school. But he, being the kid brother had to go — to help they said. So, there they were, Tom, Rose, Theresa and Danny setting out to bring the queen bee to her new home.

The ride down the I-81 corridor was a nightmare, their car continually dwarfed by trucks barreling above the speed limit.

"Slow down, Tom," Rose nagged at her husband when she saw the congestion.

"I can handle this," he answered with a death grip on the steering wheel, while he watched cars crammed full making the back windows useless. He dreaded the thought of making this drive several times a year to get Theresa back and forth to school. His complaining planted a seed in Theresa's head which she filed into a folder to be pulled out when she needed it.

When they arrived, upperclassmen were swarming around helping the new freshmen with their luggage. Two of them spotted Theresa right away, her auburn hair glinting in the sunlight, and offered their assistance. It figures, thought Danny. She always gets all the attention. He simply stepped aside and let them take over, watching his sister feign surprise at their helpfulness. He watched the charade. Wow, she sure knows how to work it. His dad finally got on him to help his sister. How much of her was real, he wondered. Could these guys not see through this? He had no patience for the phoniness.

Rose helped her daughter set up her room while they waited for her roommate Kelly to arrive. Theresa and Kelly had been best friends since grammar school and were looking forward to rooming together. Danny wandered off on his own looking at the campus, watching the excitement of the new freshmen. He could see this for himself — but, NOT here — NOT with his sister here.

Kelly finally arrived and by the time Danny came back the girls were deep in "girl talk." He couldn't wait to get back home and have the house to himself. His dad had an important business meeting the next day so the Fosters made a marathon day of it and left as soon as the girls were settled. Kelly's parents would make sure they had everything they needed before they left the next day. Their farewell was a little maudlin as far as Danny was concerned, but then, what did he expect? It was Theresa after all.

Enough, he thought. That was then. Now it was his turn to be away at school, but he was here alone. Theresa still couldn't be left by herself.

He walked past open doors bustling with parents and kids with moms absorbed in "decorating" to make the rooms as homey as possible. There was only so much one could do with a loft bed and desk area, but, then again, Danny didn't have anyone there to work the magic. He located his room number and walked in to another domestic situation.

"Hey, you must be Danny," said his roommate as he watched him drag in his suitcase. "I'm Chuck and these are my parents."

"Nice to meet all of you," said Danny as he caught his breath. He felt a bit awkward standing there alone.

"Are your parents on their way up?" Chuck asked when he saw Danny's only suitcase.

"No, they couldn't make it," Danny answered. Realizing Chuck was staring at his bag, Danny explained that his trunk was sent on ahead. He excused himself and went down to the front desk to see if it had arrived, fighting his way back to the elevator, dodging parents and luggage and starry-eyed freshmen eager to strike out on their own. His own eyes were vacant.

His worse fear was realized when the RA told him nothing had arrived for him. He was good for a few days, at least, but frustrated none the less. Unpacking would have given him something to do.