Bought to be a Tutor?

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

They went inside and Michael showed her the way to his room and his private study next to it. They went over what he knew already and what he felt he could use help with. Michael was surprisingly open with Lia about his strengths and weaknesses. Afterward, he walked her back to her room and she spent the rest of the night there. At some point, someone brought her food. She was relieved to be allowed to eat in her room and take a break from the strange people around her. 

While she ate the rather delicious grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans, Lia thought about all of the things she had been through in the last twenty-four hours. 

J was a mystery. He seemed to want to study her, but also to keep to himself. He certainly liked to annoy her, though she didn’t know if that was entirely intentional or simply a side effect of his attitude towards her. He presented a carefree persona. Like he just went with the wind for everything. She already knew better though. From the moment he first spoke to her she knew he was very calculating. 

Lia ate in peace, contemplating her future and the new people that surrounded her. Once she finished eating she pulled out her iPod and listened to the last audiobook Chelsea had downloaded before she left called Fifty Lectures by Takaaki Yoshimoto. They picked it for one, very simple reason. The book was 113 hours long. She needed that.. She needed the book to last her. One thing Lia had always loved to do was learn. Ever since she lost her sight, the only way she’s been able to gain new knowledge has been with experience and audiobooks. There is a sad lack of books available in brail, but the audiobook library has been growing rapidly. You still couldn’t get most textbooks, but books on specific times in history, philosophy, and culture were readily available. With Chelsea’s help, she had been able to learn so much more than she’d ever thought possible. 

Lia had only made it twenty minutes into the first lecture when she heard a knock on her door. She removed her headphones and carefully tucked the device under her pillow, feeling around it to make sure nothing was sticking out. When she was certain, she stood up and went to the door. Lia took a deep breath before turning the handle. She allowed the open door to serve as her greeting. 

J began to speak. “I’m sorry to disturb your rest. I wanted to let you know that dinner will be at 7. After that, you will be spending time with Michael again. I expect you to start your lessons tomorrow as well. There’s no school right now so most of the day should be spent learning. You are to remain on this floor, never venture upstairs. You will have full access to the garden and the library but I expect you to have returned to your room by 10 pm. All doors are locked at ten so if you are still in the garden at that time you will have to sleep there. I don’t like to hear any noise after I turn in so keep quiet at night. This is Natalie. She keeps the house organized. She’s very busy so you won’t see her often but you can let her know if you have any questions or if you need anything.”

“Yes sir.”

“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” She heard him begin to walk away and closed the door. 

…… What was that? Was that really the same man she met this morning?

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The next morning Lia got up and had breakfast with J. At 7 as he’d requested. He asked her if she’d slept well and how she liked her room, but the rest of the meal was silent. It wasn’t awkward per se but it wasn’t exactly comfortable either. 

After breakfast, Michael came to get Lia and they returned to the garden. He wasn’t as talkative as the day before which was a relief to Lia. He wasn't forcing himself as much now. Unfortunately, that also meant that Lia was at a loss for where to begin the day.

“Do you not usually eat breakfast?” When in doubt… make small talk.

“I don’t have much of an appetite in the mornings. I take too long to wake up.”

That made sense. Many people she had met didn't have much of an appetite until they were actually awake and alert. As they walked around the gardens Michael seems to wake up more and more. He began to comment on little things like the chirping of birds and the color of flowers. He mentioned a rose and she instantly knew where to begin to evaluate his education thus far. 

“Do you know the scientific name for roses?” 

He thought for a moment. “It’s Rosa, isn’t it?”

She smiled. “Yes, it is. And what family does it belong to?”

He thought again. “Rosa- risac… I don’t remember.”

She could hear the disappointment in his voice and yet she smiled. “Rosaceae. You were on the right track. It’s easy to tell that you’ve studied botany to some extent, but you must practice the information that you wish to retain. You must read it and speak about it and share it with others.”

“Can we practice some more?” He was energetic now. He sounded excited to have an opportunity to study the plants and learn more about them. 

“Of course. Do you want to be a botanist one day?” 

His voice went soft again. “No. My mother was a botanist though.” Lia smiled. 

“I see. It was my father’s hobby. He’s gone as well. It’ll be nice to remember him as we practice our knowledge together.” 

“Mmhmm.”