Lucian's Children

CHAPTER 6

It was a month before Marcus and Mary’s second birthday that I finally took them to the Webber Institute as enrolled students. I remember the interview at that school like it was yesterday. Oh, and before I carry on, let my just correct myself, the Webber Institute despises being called a ‘school’, they absolutely insist on being called an ‘institute’ and during my interview I was corrected a few times.

I was told to bring Marcus and Mary along as the phycologist would do an evaluation while I handled the interview.

The interview was very basic. I was asked simple questions like what I did for a living and whether I could afford their fees. Being a research scientist and earning mega bucks I passed with flying colors. This time I did explain that I was a single mom, that their father was an engineer and away from home for long periods of time. Surprisingly this seemed to please the headmaster and he assured me that at the institute the parents’ marital status did not matter as they were concentrating on the children and the stimulation of their magnificent little brains.

When the phycologist returned with the kids the deal was clinched. She gave an almost excited report back to the headmaster, stating that at two my children recited English poetry, drew like six-year-olds, knew their colors and could count to ten and do basic sums. She tried hard not to appear too excited, but I had never felt as flattered and happy as I did at that very moment. When I was told that there was one teacher for every two children at the school, I was surprised but not that surprised considering the fee. Had I known… no wait, let me stick to the story and give you more background.

Dressed in similar denim overalls I took them for their first day at the Webber Institute. I expected the children to be nervous about going to a new school but there was no sign that they were indeed upset or nervous. As I said goodbye to them in the foyer Marcus took his teacher’s hand and with the other took his sister’s and walked off without a backward glance. I must say that this unsettled me a bit, but we were done testing the tuberculosis medication and was pitching it to the UN in a few days, thus my mind was quickly filled with statistics and scientific mumbo jumbo.

When I finally fetched the children that afternoon, I was greeted by two completely different kids. Yes, my children still looked the same, but something had changed.

Firstly, they were both exceptionally polite. Regardless of their intellect, my children were still toddlers in behavior sometimes, yet now they acted like two little soldiers.

Yet, as my two babies both fell asleep on my lap that evening, I made myself believe that it was purely my imagination, hugged them and tucked them in like I did every night since they were born.

However, the change in Marcus and Mary was more apparent during that first weekend. I needed desperately to tidy and clean the house and like before I gave the children a choice of things to keep themselves busy with while I took to doing the household chores.

Marcus and Mary both declined politely when I offered to take their Lego blocks from the cupboard, they were also not interested in drawing or painting or watching television. Finally, I asked what they wanted to do. Marcus asked that I upload a game they were playing at school to my laptop. My laptop was a sacred item in our household. It held all my notes, and study material and the children were taught not to touch it. Thankfully I remembered the iPad I had bought once before taking an overseas trip. I was sick of carrying my laptop through customs and thought it may be a good idea to have an iPad which was smaller and lighter. It was not and I had stashed it in my cupboard. I managed to upload the game and left my children giggling and playing in the lounge.

I am not a brilliant housekeeper and had always found housework to be a bit tedious, however, we were hardly ever at home and felt that the little bit of a mess did not warrant having a housekeeper. As usual I wiped, dusted, and tidied in record time. While the washing machine was completing its cycle I decided to look in on the children.

“Mommy, come look… come look at Daddy.”

Mary was very excited and clapping her little hands while Marcus was maneuvering a humanoid character across the screen.

I stared at the screen, the character, dressed in a suit or armor of some kind was wielding a lightning sword at his enemies. I must admit that the comic character did look a little like Lucien, but I was so aghast at my children playing such a violent game at age two that nothing else registered. The game was called Warlord and I just could not believe that a prestigious institute such as Webber would even allow older children to play such a game, let alone two-year-old's.

I was sure that it was not the game they had asked for initially and reprimanded Marcus for lying to me.

“But Mommy, we do play this at Webber.” Marcus did not even look upset and instead stood firm.

“Marcus, I do not believe you. On Monday I’ll discuss this with your tutor.”

I thought I had called his bluff, but instead Mary got up and stood beside her brother.

“Mommy Ms. Black says playing this game is good for our hand eye co...co...”

“Coordination?”

“Yes Mommy, that...” she answered demurely.

I forgot all about the washing still in the machine and took my children to the park for an ice cream.

As clever as I am, at that moment I was too dumb to realize that this incident was the beginning of my troubles.

Maybe I am too hard on myself, as for the next year things went rather smoothly.

My children were well mannered, well spoken, clever little angels. The only other rather disturbing events were the few nights during that year that either Marcus or Mary, or both, had called me in the middle of the night with stories of having seen their father, telling me that he had visited them. I thought they were dreaming and usually sat with them until they fell asleep again. Now I am no longer so sure of that...

I wondered about Lucian myself. I would lay in bed wondering where he was and why he did not even bother to call or write a letter. There were also no further gifts from him. If it had not been for his clothes, which I still kept in the closet, it would have been easy to imagine that he never existed. Well, that and the fact that Marcus looked just like his father.

The children had just turned three when we got home one evening, tired and cold, I told the children to get their pj’s while I run them a bath. Marcus refused, he insisted we go to the park a block away from home first.

It was almost winter and at five thirty dusk had already settled and it was rather chilly out. I tried explaining to Marcus that it was not possible and that we could go to the park Saturday morning, but he would have none of it.

I am not the kind of mother who gave in to my children’s every whim and fancy, but that night there was an urgency to Marcus’ request that I could not ignore.

“I have to go Mommy, please.”

“But why Marcus? You had never asked to go there on a weekday before, why now? It is cold and miserable, and we are all tired…”

“Please Mommy, it will not take long.”

“What will not take long Marcus?” I asked, looking intently at my son.

“You’ll see Mommy. Please Mommy can we go?”

Mary was staring at her brother with a serious face, not saying anything.

“What do you know about this Mary?”

“We have to go Mommy, that is all I know.”

“Who said you had to go to the park tonight Mary?”

“We cannot tell you Mommy, but please can we go?” Marcus had a glint in his eyes that looked like tears and I could feel my stomach summersaulting, something was wrong here, and I was suddenly afraid. I tried one more time.

“It is not safe to go out this time of the day, it is nearly dark…”

“It will be safe Mommy, I promise.” Marcus interrupted.

Although a sudden fear had gripped my heart, I was also curious and bundled my twins into thick coats and woolly caps and holding them by their hands took to the streets once again. We had hardly reached the park or Marcus let go of my hand and ran towards the swings and the sandpit. Mary hesitantly let go of my hand and followed her brother. They both kneeled next to the sandpit and Marcus stuck his little hands into the sand and pulled out a box. He dusted the sand of the lid and carrying it carefully, the children walked back towards me slowly.

“How on earth did you know it was there Marcus?” I asked with heart now beating in my throat.

“Daddy’s friend told us Mommy.” Marcus answered seriously. Then he handed the box to me. “He said we were only to open it once we get back home and that I should let you carry it.”

The box looked like one of that one buy confectionaries in, but just sturdier. I took the box from Marcus and felt that it was rather heavy for such a small box. I wanted to question Marcus and Mary but somehow, I had a feeling that doing so in public while walking back would not be wise.

I placed the box carefully on the countertop in the kitchen. I listened carefully and smelled the box. There was no ticking and no smells, yet just to be sure I asked the kids to stand back while I opened the box.

It contained an envelope and a few trinkets.

I opened the envelope and had to sit down when I recognized Lucian’s handwriting.

My dear Margot,

I miss you and the children so much. I truly wish I could be with you or then at least closer to you, but alas it is impossible. It is hard to say, but my mission may last another year or two and until then I am afraid, I will not be able to see you or the children.

There is so much I need to explain to you and the time will come that I shall have to do just that. My superiors are all aware of that and are trying their best to assist in my mission. I need to inform you however that should I not make it back within the next year or two my superiors will send an attaché to see you and talk to you.

I am truly sorry if I had hurt you in any way, but I want you to know that you and our children will always be in my heart and that I love you more than I can say in words.

Take care of yourself and the children.

Lucian

I cannot remember the last time I had cried, maybe a little after the birth of the children, but certainly not before nor after. However, Marcus and Mary were both looking at me with their innocent huge eyes and I felt I could not do it to my children to cry in front of them. I swallowed the lump and smiled at them instead.

“The letter is from Daddy. He says that he loves all of us and if he could be here, he would, as he misses us badly.” That was all I could do to explain and luckily the children seemed satisfied with my reply.

The box contained gifts for all of us and taking the items out one by one I became more and more astounded. There was a ‘thing’, I can only explain it by referring to the Rubik’s cube, for Marcus. Although it looked like a Rubik’s cube it was obviously some electronic devise as it lit up the moment Marcus touched it. As Marcus twisted and turned it little lights flashed, and musical notes came from it. Marcus seemed elated and it was obvious that he had seen something like it before as he twisted again and then I noticed that each twist created a melody. When he made a wrong move, the notes coming from the device was also incorrect and the melody flawed. For Mary there was a small doll, but even though it looked like any other tiny little toy, the moment Mary held it, it made soft sounds. Mary lifted the dress and flicked a switch, then she placed it on the floor, and it started walking with stiff little legs. Then Mary clapped her hands twice and called out ‘come over here’, the doll turned and walked towards Mary. As she held the little doll once more it made soft breathing sounds. A beautiful gold bracelet with rubies and what I thought were diamond chips lay nestled among soft paper in the bottom of the box. As I slipped it over my hand, I noticed that it was not as cold as one would expect from jewelry in winter, but that it felt rather warm and comforting. I vowed never to take it off again.

Although the children’s gifts were a bit strange, it was not amazing enough to be unbelievable. I mean, electronic toys and robotics were old school already, I just have not seen anything like the toys they had received before, that’s all.

For a few days I was euphoric, knowing that Lucian was still out there and still thinking about us, but then my analytical mind took over and I started analyzing the letter. Mission? What kind of mission could an engineer be on? Sure, had he said project, I would have understood, but a mission? Or did Lucian lie to me about his job? He had already been away for more than two years and writes that he may be away for another two. What kind of mission could take that long, even soldiers came home more often than that. It was all just too weird.

Having finally come down from my ‘romantic lamentations’ after receiving the parcel other things were starting to bother me.

I sat down with the children one evening and asked them about ‘daddy’s friend’. I watched my children while I spoke to them and something in their faces as they looked at one another warned me that I had to tread carefully if I wanted them to tell me the truth.

“Remember how I told you not to talk to strangers as it may be dangerous?”

“Yes Mommy.” They answered in unison.

“There are lots of dangerous people out there and I love you so much I could not bear losing you.”

“We know that Mommy.” This time it was Mary who had answered, and I knew I had found my answer. Mary was softer and more caring than Marcus and thus less inclined to lie.

“So, Mary, that friend of Daddy’s, how did it happen that you spoke to him?”

The children once again looked at one another and I knew I had them caught between a rock and a hard place.

“Come on kids, I told you before that bad people may tell you all kinds of stories, things like your mommy got hurt and they are there to collect you or that they may know your daddy. We have a rule about such things. That is why I bought this bracelet, if anything should happen to mommy, someone will get your school’s details off this bracelet and phone your teacher and she will take care of you until mommy can come get you. If it will take too long Grandpa and Gran will fetch you. No one else should ever tell you anything else, nor should you believe anything a stranger tells you.”

“But Mommy, Daddy’s friend is not a stranger!” Mary was visibly upset; I had managed to touch a nerve and now she had blurted out the truth.

“Mary, you promised…!” Marcus looked at his sister with a stern face.

“Promised what Marcus?” I asked, trying to look stern myself.

Marcus glumly stared at his feet and kept quiet.

“Mommy, the man is not a stranger, we know him.” Mary was obviously trying to please me and was ignoring her brother.

“So, tell me who he is Mary.”

“I am not supposed to Mommy, he made us promise.”

“I do not care what he made you do Mary; I have to know who he is.”

“He works at our school Mommy; his name is Dan.”

“Gotcha!” I thought, now finally I could perhaps get closer to the truth about Lucian. Finally, I had someone I could ask about him.

I could not sleep that night; I went over the list of things I wanted to ask this Dan person. Maybe Lucian was in some kind of trouble, maybe I could help in some way. He did say in his letter that he loved us, surely if this was true, he would have made a plan to see us.

I conjured up several imaginary scenarios pertaining to the possible cause of Lucian’s absence. By morning I was very nervous and excited at the same time. I rushed the children through their breakfast and into their jackets. We were on our way to the Webber institute half an hour earlier than usual.

Safely deposited into the arms of their teacher I set of towards the headmaster’s office. His secretary was already at her desk. I asked whether I could see the headmaster and she asked whether it was very urgent as the man was particularly busy that day, she said that she could perhaps get me an appointment for later that week.

I told her that it was extremely important and that I could not wait that long. I had a story ready and knew I had to see the headmaster before I lost the courage to lie to him.

“Please sit down Ms. Marks, I’ll see what I can do.”

I sat down on one of the chairs lined up against the far wall and took a magazine and started paging through it.

The woman picked up the phone and spoke into the handset. I could not hear what she was saying and thought what a dumb move it was for me to take a seat so far away from her.

“Ms. Marks, the headmaster can only see you in approximately half an hour, that is, if you can possibly wait that long.”

At that point I would have waited a day, a week, a month, if I had to. I needed to solve the mystery, for my sake and for my children’s sake.

The half an hour stretched into an hour and finally I told the secretary that I needed to step out for a minute to phone my office. On my return there was still no sign of the headmaster, but a few minutes later the outer door of the office opened, and the man walked in. He went straight to the secretary’s desk without acknowledging me. They spoke softly and finally he came over to me with an outstretched hand, a plastered smile like that of a second-hand car dealer on his face. After the usual pleasantries he escorted me into his office and closed the door behind us.

I still do not know what it was, maybe instinct, maybe my imagination, but I knew I had to play my cards just right if I wanted the information I needed.

“What can I do for you Ms. Marks?”

I rearranged my face and even managed to squeeze a tear to the corner of my eye.

“Sir, I am afraid I did not tell you the whole truth when I came for the interview a year ago. My children’s father is not away for work sir but has actually been missing for two and a half years. As he is British, and I had never met any of his family I have no one I can turn to or ask about him.”

“Surely you could report it to the police. Have you done so Ms. Marks?”

“I am afraid not Sir. You see, I did receive a letter from him once in which he made it clear that I should not look for him as it may put his life in danger.” I managed to lie with a straight face and was very proud of myself.

“I cannot see how this could involve the institute and how I could help you in this matter.” The headmaster now had an air of impatience and I wondered why.

“Well Sir, as strange as it may sound, I learned recently that there is someone right here at the institute who may have some information on Lucian.”

I do not know whether it was purely my imagination, but I am sure I saw the man’s face tighten.

“How is that possible Ms. Marks and who here, may I ask, could possibly have information about your… uhm… the children’s father?”

“A man called Dan.”

“Ah you mean Dan Brown?”

“I am afraid I do not know his surname Sir. The children just know him as Dan.”

“The only person here at the institute with that name was Dan Brown.”

“Was?”

“Yes, I am afraid he asked for a transfer to the Webber Institute in France a while ago. As he is one of the best science teachers at the institute, the French did not waste any time in snapping him up and he left last week.”

“Oh no! Is there any way in which I can contact him?”

“Only through the institute in France. He left no forwarding address or personal number.”

I was not sure whether I believed the headmaster completely, but I had no other option but to give in, or pretend to give in, because I had no intention of letting the matter rest.