Chapter 3

Eileen visits her parents, then unwittingly falls into a less- than- ordinary doctor's visit.

    My parents are retired and reside comfortably in an impressive- looking house near the Garden District. I went to see them the next morning before work.
    Mama was making breakfast. "You always come just in time for food," she teased as I kissed her on her cheek. "How have you been?"
    "Could be better. How are you feeling?" I asked.
    "Fine. What could be better?"
    I should have known she'd ask. "Business is slow," I said, sitting.
    "Of course it is. You're marketing to the wrong people."
    "Mama-"
    "If you'd stick to your own kind, you wouldn't have to worry about losing normie customers who are afraid of you."
    "Jolanda, you're being harsh," my dad said as he walked in. "Good morning, angel."
    "Good morning, Daddy. How did you sleep?" I asked, hoping to change the subject.
    "This city is filled with gifteds," Mama went on. "It's the gifted mecca. The few normies who do live here just cause problems. Why bother with them?"
    "Because they also control eighty- three percent of this city's wealth," Daddy reminded her. "How's everything, 'Leen? Have you talked to Astaire lately?"
    "Him personally, or Aaron's messenger boy?"
    "Oh, 'Leen. Don't be that way. He's a nice young man."
    "Have you spoken to Aaron lately?" Mama inquired.
    "I'm to meet him later."
    "Good. That man is a godsend," Mama declared. "He'll be the one to straighten out all this government madness. I really do believe he'll bring about a change."
    Daddy smiled. I stopped a smirk.
    "Not if this Eugene Brick gets in his way," Daddy said.
    "Brick's just full of hot air," Mama said (and I chuckled a little at that sentence's scientific contradiction). "Aaron is the one in charge, behind the scenes, and pulling the strings. You should be honored that he chose you to work with him."
    "He wanted me because he knows what I am," I answered patiently. "I only accepted because you two said I should."
    "And we were right," Mama said. "Would you rather they leave you to fend for yourself- and end up a government lab rat?"
    "I doubt the government would be able to stop me."
    "Careful, angel," Daddy warned. "You're not perfectly indestructible."
    "We don't know that yet. We don't know anything," I sighed, exasperated. "I hate this."
    "And you wish you were normal," Mama finished. "You've been saying that since you were little. It's time for you to grow up, 'Leen, and accept yourself for what you are."
    "What, a freak?"
    Mama's glare sliced into me. "A Greer."
    "Jolanda," Daddy groaned.
    "Randy-"
    "You both should be proud of your family history," Mom said adamantly.
    "You can say that," I pointed out. "You're only a Greer by marriage."
    "Jolanda," Daddy said quietly, "we've had this discussion."
    "Then let's have it again for Eileen."
    "No."
    "Randolph!"
    Daddy took his plate and went into the living room.
    "Mama-"
    "You're special, Eileen. And I know it's been hard for you, but you aren't the first, and despite what the government wants, you won't be the last."
    I picked up my bag. "I have to go to work. Love you, Mama."
    Mama turned away.
    "Bye, Daddy," I called as I left.
    "Later, angel," he answered.

    Aaron Weissman was in New Orleans fairly frequently, and whenever he was, he called for me to see him. He could always be found at the Brotherhood's New Orleans headquarters, which took up a floor in the same skyscraper my office was in.
    The Association for Gifted and Normal Brotherhood was Aaron's brainchild. It was a representative body of both gifteds and normals that wanted to see the gifted race survive and flourish. Officially, I served as a general member.
    Aaron Weissman, Teleportation/ Sound Manipulation, a forty- year- old man with graying brown hair and a generous physique, stood up to hug me. "Eileen! How are things?"
    "I won't complain," I answered, smiling. "How are you?"
    "As well as I can be." Aaron shrugged it off. "How's business?"
    He sat down, so I did too. "How's the battle in Washington coming?" I asked.
    He sighed. "I'm trying to fight that contraceptive legislation, Eileen, I really am. Though it doesn't make much difference in your case. But every time I try to get in front of Congress, someone introduces some stupid new bill for me to contend with."
    "That's the government," I said.
    "You never told me how you are," he pointed out.
    "Fine," I lied.
    "Really?" Aaron watched my face intently.
    "Really."
    "You look thinner. Are you dieting?"
    "No-"   
    "Those clothes look pretty worn. Have you not had time to shop lately?"
    "No-"
    "Your hair's a little nappy. Haven't-"
    "Low blow!" I winced. "Okay, maybe I haven't been getting as many clients as I used to."
    "Is the problem with 'getting' clients or with keeping them?"
    I sighed.
    "I'm concerned about you, 'Leen. We need you."
    "I'm fine."
    "Are you?" Aaron frowned. "Have you seen your doctor lately?"
    "In context? No."
    "Let's go." He got to his feet.
    "He's probably busy."
    "'Leen."
    "Coming."

    We went down the hall and around a corner. The receptionist looked up. "Dr. Kenton is- oh, Mr. Weissman! Go on in- he's expecting you."
    We proceeded inside. He was in his office, reading from a file. Aaron grinned at the sight. "Interesting reading, yeah?"
    "Very." The doctor, another brunet, but ten years younger, a few dozen pounds lighter, and a few inches taller than Aaron gave us a brief smile. He was Astaire Kenton, Precognition/ Flight/ Power Negation/ Molecular Manipulation, MD. "These medical charts never get old."
    "I hate to tear you away from such intriguing literature," Aaron said pleasantly, "but your favorite patient is here to see you."
    "Of course." Dr. Kenton put the file down. "Please escort her to Room Four."
    Room Four was hidden behind Room Three. It was designed specifically for me, to test not only my health but also my abilities.
    The doctor joined us seconds after we reached the examination room. "How have you been feeling, Eileen?"
    "Fine," I answered.
    "So she says," Aaron added.
    Dr. Kenton nodded knowingly. "Will you excuse us, Aaron?"
    "Certainly." Aaron left, closing the door behind him.
    The good doctor administered his tests, and I watched him curiously, as I always did. He never ceased to mystify me. He was very laid- back and easygoing, but not in the traditional sense. He smiled often, but never for long- unlike his namesake, he never really seemed happy. Not that he was depressed. He was somewhere in between, somewhere distant, alone in an adjacent world.
    "Any new abilities?" he asked me after a while.
    "I think I can predict the weather," I said.
    "How so?" he asked easily. There it was again- he was plainly interested, but there was something beneath it, lurking in his demeanor. I wondered if Dr. Kenton had a Mr. Hyde.
    "I don't know- it's hard to explain. I just can."
    "Can you control it? The weather, I mean."
    "I don't think so. Not yet."
    He nodded. "You need to tell me these things when they happen, Eileen."
    "I'll try. I've been busy."
    "With what? Work?"
    I scowled at him. "I've been busy."
    "Okay." A look passed across his face- it was either joking or mocking, I couldn't tell which- before he turned away, studying a monitor. "Maybe you are- you're stressed."
    "I've been working hard."
    He turned around, and I was rewarded for something with a genuine smile. (The man was even more gorgeous when he smiled.) "Maybe you ought to consider taking fewer clients."
    "Good one," I said dryly, hiding a smile of my own.
    "Other than that stress, you seem fine," he said, the passivity returning to his demeanor. "Let's go report to Weissman."
    I wondered why there was an edge of sarcasm to that statement. "Lead the way."
    Aaron was hanging up the phone when we entered. "Have you heard the newest one, Astaire?" he asked, laughing. "Congress is considering a bill that would require Flight gifteds to ride in an airplane at least once a month."
    "Wonderful," Dr. Kenton said, dropping a file on to Aaron's desk. "There's Eileen."
    "Really? I preferred her in her human form."
    I grinned. Dr. Kenton forced a chuckle.
    "I should get to work," I said. "Is there anything else?"
    "Not at all," Aaron said. "Go tend to your customers."
     I glanced at Dr. Kenton. "Too easy," he said.
    "I appreciate your mercy," I said. "Good afternoon."