Hidden In Plain Sight: Chapter 7

Artemis danced around the kitchen in her pajamas, pretending to be conducting The Four Seasons by Vivaldi that she had playing through the stereo as she cooked breakfast. The sweet and savory smell of sizzling maple bacon filled the flat as if it were riding the chords coming from the orchestra luring the groggy Biscuits out of the bedroom. “Merry Christmas Biscuits!” Artemis slid across the linoleum floor in her socks and sitting down on the floor threw her arms around the befuddled mutt. Biscuits allowed the hug and then went and sat on his cooking pillow next to the stove with the same sleepy look of anticipation Artemis swore every student in her 8am Ecology class wore while they waited for their coffee to cool to a drinkable temperature. Biscuits’ love for napping was only eclipsed by his love for food. Knowing this to be true, Artemis cooked up the aromatic delicacy with her veggie omelet to treat her best friend on Christmas morning. Artemis wasn’t vegetarian technically, she enjoyed a good steak or cheeseburger from time to time, but she tended to eat lighter more vegetable filled meals most of the time. She would leave the greasy bacon to Biscuits. Artemis sat down at the table with a plate full of scrambled eggs and vegetables, and her favorite “Don’t Talk To Me” mug full of piping hot coffee. The music was still playing softly from the speakers in the living room. She shoveled a few bites of eggs into her mouth and grabbed her phone to send the picture of McClarrenville from the night before to her mom.

Artemis’s mom was the only person in the world Artemis could say she was comfortable speaking to. Her best friend, her mentor, her confidant, advisor, shoulder to cry on, and biggest fan. Angela was the strongest and most inspirational person in her life. When Artemis was fifteen years old her mother had divorced her father and they had moved out of the state to get away from him. It was the best thing she could have done for their relationship. They grew closer and developed an “us against everybody” kind of bond as they worked together to build a life without her dad. Artemis would find a job to help pay for wherever they were living at the time, while Angela worked as a traveling EMT moving from hospital to hospital as needed. It wasn’t the easiest life, but it was worth it and she was proud of how her and her mom had moved on and taken care of themselves. Many nights after a shift her mother would come home exhausted from a day of helping people who were having the worst day of their lives and would make dinner so Artemis could study after she got home smelling like grease and french fries from whichever fast food restaurant she was working at. They were a team and they took care of themselves. She guessed that was one of the reasons she felt the need to be so independent now. She didn’t need anything from anybody else and that was exactly the way she liked it. Exactly the way her and her mother had done it when she was a teenager.

Her mom responded almost immediately to the picture:

Mom: Beautiful! Where did you take that from?

Artemis: From the top of the art museum’s dome.

Mom: Wow! And what were you doing up there? Something for class?

Artemis: Exploring, debating becoming an international art thief.

Mom: Whatever pays the bills. Grab something shiny for me.

Mom: You and Biscuits should come over for Christmas. I can pick you up.

Artemis: That sounds great <3 I have a present for you. See you in a few hours?

Mom: I’ll head your way now. Still on College St? or did they catch you?

Artemis: Still on College St. They will never catch me. (Smiley Devil)

Artemis: Ok great, see you soon. Love you.

Artemis scratched Biscuits’ ear and tossed him another bacon. “Good news! Mom’s coming to get us for Christmas.” she said to the slobbering dog. Bad news, I’ll have to wait until tonight to crack you open, she thought forelongly as she looked at the chain bound book sitting where she had left it the night before. That mystery will have to wait until tonight. She ate the last few bites of her omelette and downed the rest of her now lukewarm coffee before tossing the last crispy piece of bacon to Biscuits. “Time to get moving Biscuits!” She couldn’t help but smile. “Mom’s on her way.”

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“I don’t know why you can’t just go to school like a normal student.” Said Angela for the hundredth time since Artemis had moved out. “Attend a cheaper college that we can actually afford and get a real degree.”

“I don’t want to attend a cheaper college. I want to attend the best college and that’s McClaren. I’m doing fine mom, stop worrying. I have Biscuits to keep me out of trouble.” The brown lump of fur gave a snore in the backseat as Angela drove around another bend on the way back to her house in Springdale.

“Biscuits is pretty on top of things. But, you know you can always come back to Springdale and live with me if you ever so desire. The house is big enough and there is no shame in moving back in with your lonely old mother.”

Artemis scoffed. “You’re not that old.”

“I am old! Old enough to be a grandmother now.” Artemis rolled her eyes and Angela laughed at the oh so familiar gesture, a light pleasant sound like windchimes in a warm breeze. “But that’s a fight we can have another day. What have you and Biscuits been up to? Fill me in.”

“Well, Biscuits pretty much sleeps on the couch and eats three meals a day. Occasionally he rumbles and howls at one of the squirrels that live in our yard.”

“Full schedule.” interrupted Angela.

“Ya, I’m honestly not sure how he does it everyday,” continued Artemis with exasperated sarcasm. “Apparently being a freeloading mutt is exhausting.” Angela laughed again and Artemis smiled faintly behind her veil of dark hair.

“I’m still sneaking into classes and selling the papers I enjoy writing to rich kids by day, and cleaning the campus for just over minimum wage by night.”

“As long as you’re happy, I’m happy. I trust you Artemis. You’ve always done things your own way. Remember Girl Scouts?”

Artemis looked at her mother puzzled, “I was never in girl scouts?”

“You went to one meeting when you were six. Long story short, it ended with you telling the scout leader that she was a dirty hypocrite for giving Jane West the Honor and Fair badge when she had clearly cheated during the team building relay race, and you yelled that her hat was stupid as I carried you out.”

Artemis smirked “That sounds about right.”

“We weren’t invited back to a second meeting.”

“Seriously?! I got kicked out of something social?” She rolled her eyes again. “How surprising.”

“When we got home you created the Lady Scouts, and added me as your first member. I spent the next week earning trophies for strength when I took out the trash and bravery for killing the spider in the bathroom. My favorite one though was the trophy for physical fitness when you found me doing Jane Fonda in the living room.”

Artemis snorted with laughter. “That is definitely something to earn a trophy for.”

Angela Laughed and wiped a tear from her eye. “You’ve always done things a little differently than the rest of the world, but it's because you see things a little differently. Some of the things you used to notice, or remember when you were little were astounding. I’d read you a children’s book one time and a week later I’d find you reading it to yourself verbatim. You were three years old and still learning your letters, but you could pretend to read because you could remember exactly what words went on what page.”

“There are some studies showing photographic memory emerging at younger and younger ages. You know I still do that right? I can read an article assigned for a class once through and quote it in a paper verbatim a month later without looking at the paper again. I guess some people would be able to remember the name of the article they read that piece of information from and go back and find it. My brain just seems to go one step further. Instead of remembering the name of the paper, I can remember the whole damn thing. It fades after a while, but if I were to read the abstract of a paper from three years ago, I’m pretty sure I would be able to recite the whole paper for you. Title, authors, methods, results….. everything.”

“Well do you think you can use your superhuman memory to whip up one of those apple pies for dessert? If I remember correctly it’s Biscuits’ favorite.”

Artemis raised an eyebrow “If I remember correctly, and I usually do, it's your favorite.”

“You got me. I think I have everything you need in the house.” Angela pulled in the driveway and shut off the engine. “Presents before or after dinner?”

“Definitely before dinner.” Said Artemis as she unbuckled and hopped out of the passenger seat so she could release the very eager Biscuit’s from the back seat, his tail thudding against the seat cushion in an excited staccato. “Come on ya big oaf. you have to go potty before we head inside.” Artemis opened the door and Biscuits shot out like his butt was on fire. Artemis and Angela both laughed as he went zooming by with a look of unbridled enthusiasm to take another lap around the frozen yard, tail tucked between his back legs for maximum speed. After three full laps around the house his tank was apparently empty. Biscuits walked to the front door, ready to go inside and lay on the couch.

“Grab the bags out of the back please, I’ll head in and give the furball some water.” Said Angela as she popped the trunk for Artemis. “Then we can open presents while you get started on that pie you promised.”

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“Missy looks good.” Thought Angela as she watched her daughter bustle around the little kitchen humming some whimsical orchestral piece while expertly preparing a pie crust. Artemis caught Angela staring and smiled that mischievous smile, “What?” She said with a shrug while she brushed a lock of long dark hair back behind her ear with one of the black diamond earrings Angela had given her that first Christmas on their own.

“Once I get the pie in the oven we can open presents while it bakes and cools. Is it safe to assume you spent all morning slaving over the leftover pizza we will be having with this pie?” Angela smiled, always the smart mouth on this one. “It wouldn’t be a tradition if I didn’t make it every year.” she replied with a shrug.

Artemis walked to the fridge and pulled out two pizza boxes. Angela noticed the curve of her leg as her daughter bent to look in the fridge, it had been awhile since she had seen Artemis looking so healthy. Had she been so broke she couldn’t afford to eat? Or, had losing so much weight been a conscious decision? Her Artemis had never done anything by accident.

“One Pepperoni and mushroom and one veggie delight. Some things never change” Artemis pulled what was left of the pizzas out of the box and tossed them onto the round pizza sheet before putting them in the preheating oven.

“You look good Sweetie.” Said Angela. “Have you started a new routine?”

Artemis turned away hiding behind that wall of hair that had always been her shield. “Thanks mom.” She said sheepishly. “I’ve started going to the gym two days a week and took a few free Yoga classes this semester. I only run twice a week now. On Saturday mornings with Biscuits for his weekly exercise and once a week on my own.” Artemis turned back to her mother and smiled. “I feel good.”

Angela recognized that smile. It was the same one she had shown the world, and her growing daughter, for so many years. The smile that lies. The smile that gives the illusion that everything is fine, with no hint of the darkness that lies behind it.

Angela smiled back “Good.” As she walked over and lightly embraced her daughter in a hug. A knowing hug. A hug that said, “I know you’re not ok, and that’s fine. I’m not ok either.”

“I’ve missed you.” whispered Angela.

Angela felt Artemis hug her back. “I’ve missed you too, Mom.”

The oven beeped. “Up to temp!” Artemis broke away and went back to bustling around the room, she pulled out the pizza and replaced it with the expertly constructed pie. “Let’s grab a slice and open presents in the living room. I can’t wait for you to open what I got you.”

Angela tossed a slice of her favorite pepperoni and mushroom on a paper plate and went to sit on the couch by the Christmas tree she had put up the night before because she knew Artemis would love it. For a young woman that could be so cold to the outside world. Artemis absolutely loved Christmas decorations.

Biscuits’ nose seemed to wake up before the rest of him as he began to sniff for pizza before he opened his eyes. “Yes Biscuits, I’ll share the pizza bones with you.” Biscuits yawned and stretched before laying his head in Angela’s lap. Mouth already starting to drool.

“Here mom, you go first.” Said Artemis as she held out a little box about the size of a deck of cards perfectly wrapped in blue paper with the green cartoon image of The Grinch.

Angela sighed and set her pizza on the end table next to her, Biscuits’ eyes grew wider as it passed over his head. “Aren’t the kids supposed to open presents first?”

Artemis just smiled excitedly and handed the gift to her mother. Angela took the box and unwrapped it. Under the paper was a white cardboard box, Angela peeked up at Artemis who was staring at her in anticipation. She lifted the lid from the box, wondering guiltily if this was something Artemis had lifted from a jewelry shop. Inside the box was a beautiful silver locket that looked like a nickel size mirror with an ornate braided frame hanging from a simple chain. Angela took it out of the box and held it up in front of her, the locket lit up with the twinkling white lights from the Christmas tree. “Missy, it's beautiful.” Said Angela slightly in awe.

Artemis blushed. “You should open it.”

Angela found the clasp on the side of the little locket and opened it revealing a picture of the two of them from a few years ago hugging and smiling in matching caps and gowns on the day Artemis had graduated from high school. Artemis was not one for pictures, but she had absolutely insisted on this one. Angela had finally finished the night classes she had been taking at Springdale Community College to earn her Bachelor's degree in nursing a few weeks earlier, and Artemis had surprised her with a cap and gown and insisted she attend the graduation. It had taken three years instead of two, but she had gotten her degree and her brilliant daughter had cheered her on the whole way. She could remember how proud they both were that day. Artemis had told her “Mom, we can do anything. The whole world will bow to us one day. We are unstoppable.” Angela had never been more proud of herself than she was at that moment.

Angela looked at Artemis with tears in her eyes. “This is wonderful Artemis. You always give the most thoughtful gifts.” She laughed through her tears. “And to think I almost settled on warm socks for you.”

“Hey I love warm socks.” Said Artemis turning her head to secretly brush a tear from her own eye. “Biscuits chewed a hole through my favorite pair. Apparently he likes the taste of smelly feet.”

Angela reached over and pulled a small slightly misshapen present wrapped in red paper with Christmas trees on it out of the tree. It was clearly a wrapped envelope and Artemis was intrigued.

Angela could feel her heart beating in her throat as she handed the envelope to Artemis. She hadn’t slept at all last night worrying about how her incredibly mistrusting daughter would handle this information. “Will she be excited about the news? Or furious that I’ve shared her secrets?” A hair’s breadth from bursting into tears, Angela handed the envelope to her little girl knowing that her wildest dream lay sealed inside.

Artemis pulled the wrapping paper away to reveal the envelope and looked up at Angela puzzled. “This is from McClaren and addressed to me, at this address?”

“Open it”. Replied Angela, choking back the emotions fighting to explode out of her.

Artemis pulled off the golden seal from the envelope and removed the sturdy document from inside. She looked at her mother again uncomprehendingly, and then began to read.

Dear Ms. Artemis Verlone,

On behalf of the McClaren College community I would like to congratulate you on your acceptance to McClaren College. Based on your already impressive academic achievements and letters of reference we know…

Artemis looked up more confused than Angela had ever seen her. What is this?” Said Artemis.

“It is what it says it is. You’re a smart cookie, you tell me.” Replied her mother.

“It says I’ve been accepted to McClaren, but I haven’t applied since graduation?”

Angela took a breath and readied herself. This is the part she had been planning for a week. “I may have applied for you, without telling you, with the papers you sent me to read last month.” She smiled sheepishly and shrugged “And you got in.” If you want to, you can start taking classes in three weeks when Spring semester starts.”

Artemis just stared at her, dumbstruck. “I got accepted to be a real student at McClaren.”

“Yes, you did. With a full academic scholarship.” Angela tentatively reached out and pointed at the bottom of the letter in Artemis’s hand. “If you read further it mentions the full academic scholarship.” Artemis’s eyes shifted back to the page.

I am pleased to inform you that you qualify for the Presidential scholarship waiving all tuition costs to attend McClaren College. Should you accept this scholarship it will be renewed on a yearly basis until the time in which you are no longer enrolled at McClaren College.

Angela could see Artemis’s eyes darting back and forth across the page as she read the letter over and over again looking for the catch. She wouldn’t find it in the letter, because Angela was the one that had to deliver it. “The scholarship comes with one condition.”

Artemis looked up terrified. “You have to meet with Archibald Smith and answer his questions.” Continued Angela.

“Archibald Smith? Like the President of the college Archibald Smith?”

“Here it comes.” thought Angela. “Yes, President of the college Archibald Smith…… and my new boyfriend, Archibald Smith.”

Artemis stared at her mother slack jawed. Angela hadn’t dated since they had left her father in Indiana. She blinked and continued to stare for 5 full seconds in what was apparently a befuddled paralysis. Angela’s heart that had been pounding in her throat just moments ago seemed to have stopped entirely.

“You have a new boyfriend…. And he’s the president of McClaren College?”

Angela couldn’t seem to get any words out, so she just nodded slightly, looking ashamed.

Artemis burst out in laughter. “What!? This is NOT how I thought Christmas was going to go.” Angela let go of the breath she didn’t realize she was holding and gave a slight smile.

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you started seeing someone! I thought we were bestfriends.” said Artemis with just a touch of hurt in her voice.

“I know,” said Angela, full of regret. “I just didn’t know how to tell you.” We’ve only been dating a few months and -

“A few months!?” Artemis laughed again. “And I thought I was the one that kept secrets.” Artemis paused and stared blankly at her mother. “This is the greatest present ever. I honestly don’t know how to respond, or act, or….. anything.”

Angela smiled “I do. We celebrate! Wine and pie?”

Artemis jumped out of her seat and looked at Angela in horror. “The pie!” She dashed off to the kitchen.

Angela chuckled softly, “Well, that went better than expected.”