The Blue Divide

Chapter 11

"His name is Eko," Lainey said. "He told me so."

Her grandfather sat back in his leather recliner and put his hands behind his head. "But I thought the doctors said he hasn't spoken to anyone,"

"Well, he's spoken to me, and that's not the first time. When he first woke up he said 'help me.'" She laughed, and flopped on the couch.

"I don't see why that's funny. The poor kid was probably confused, and scared out of his wits."

She shook her head. "It's just that when he said it, I could have sworn I heard it in my head."

He shrugged. "You probably did then. Your imagination is rather impressive."

"No. It's like he could mind-speak."

Her grandfather chuckled. "Maybe he's an alien."

She couldn't help laughing again. "I was hoping for superhero, but I guess that's too much to ask for."

"I don't think he's in any shape to save anyone at the moment."

He was right about that. They had brought Eko home three days ago and he had barely left the spare room. He refused to talk to her again, and wouldn't eat anything until she brought home a box of banana popsicles, which she remembered the nurse mentioning were his favorite. He finished off the whole box in a day, but wouldn't touch the carefully prepared meals she offered. She wasn't such a bad cook either. At least, her grandfather had never complained about her cooking. What was this guy's problem?

Her grandfather put on one of his old fashioned Cole Porter records and then closed his eyes. "You should go to bed," he said. "You have tennis tomorrow."

Lainey smiled. The tennis story was working for her. She often embellished it, making up lies about winning a match or perfecting a swing. So far he didn't seem to suspect anything.

"No, I'm not tired yet. I think I'll stay up and read for a while." One wall of the small living room was lined with shelves of books; most she had read multiple times. She picked out one of her favorites and curled up on the couch to dive in.

She had barely read two sentences when the door to the spare room creaked open. Eko emerged dressed in an unbuttoned white shirt that had belonged to her grandfather, and a well fitting pair of jeans. His eyes were wide and his lips parted as he came into the living room. He looked like someone waking from a dream, or perhaps walking into one. His shirt fluttered open as he moved, revealing his shell necklace swinging against his smooth chest. Lainey felt her face grow hot as it always did at the sight of him.

She watched as he went over to the record player and touched the spinning disk. The record stuttered from the pressure of his finger and he drew away in surprise, like he'd been shocked. He crouched down and examined the player at eye level, touching the smooth sides and staring at it, entranced.

Lainey's grandfather laughed. "Do you like Cole Porter?"

Eko looked back at him and then pointed at the record. "Cole Porter?" he said.

When her grandfather nodded, Eko smiled for the first time.

Lainey almost jumped off the couch. After all this time, a scratchy old record made him talk? She wanted to get him to say more things, but her grandfather put a finger to his lips. He was right. It wouldn't be good to startle Eko by asking him too much.

Slowly, her grandfather reached beside his chair and grabbed his violin case and took out the instrument. Putting the bow to the strings, he played along with the record just as All Through the Night began.