The Book Glasses Page 5

  By the time she arrived in the foyer, it was mayhem. Although the ticketing staff had already placed “slippery when wet” signs at key locations, they were being ignored and there were not enough staff to keep unobservant visitors, especially children, away from the spills.

  Children were crying and parents and teachers were taking out their frustration and anger on poor James, yelling and screaming at him because some of the children had slipped after spilling their drinks while waiting to go into the museum. Sam cleaned up all the spills and left giggling after hearing James repeating like a broken record, “But madam, that’s why the museum does not allow food and drink in the building.”

  Sam put away the mop and bucket, picked up a handful of cloths and a duster and headed to the dinosaur display after noticing it on the timetable workshop. She decided to walk past Mr Harman’s office first and see if anyone was in there.

  As she got closer, she noticed the door was open. A quick peek revealed it was empty, so she walked in.

  It was as if nothing had ever happened. Not a single thing was out of place. Sam walked over to the desk and sat down in the leather chair, daring herself to open the drawer and look for the false bottom, but was startled by a loud female voice coming from the doorway. “Can I help you?”

  “Oh, you scared me. Sorry, I was just dusting.” Sam stood up immediately and moved away from the desk.

  “What’s your name? I haven’t met you yet,” the woman asked as she walked in and took the seat that Sam had vacated.

  “I’m Samantha Page. Today is my first day back at work after taking some time off,” she replied, now calm and in control.

  “So, you’re Samantha. Nice to meet you. I’m Dr Julie Dunn. Please call me Julie. Can I call you Sam?” she asked while signalling her to sit down. Sam accepted with a nod.

  “I’m acting director and CEO until a permanent replacement for Mr Harman is appointed. It was a terrible tragedy. We, everyone on the board, are all very sorry that you found him like that. It must have been awful. I hear you’ve undergone some counselling during your time off work. Have you found that helpful?”

  “Yes, thanks. I am better now. I’ll come back later to dust your office, Dr Dunn,” Sam said, getting up from her chair.

  “Please call me Julie, and my door is always open so pop in anytime. It was nice to meet you.”

  Sam could tell by the way she looked at her that Dr Dunn knew something was wrong. Hopefully, she would put it down to what she had experienced and wouldn’t ask awkward questions. “Okay, nice to meet you too,” she said politely as she walked out of the office.

  Dr Dunn must be a board member and has been appointed as interim CEO. Sam was baffled about where that thought came from, especially after realising the book glasses were snuggled away in her pocket.

  “Excuse me, young lady, I’m Professor Tenth and I’m late for my summer break lecture. My students and some colleagues are waiting for me in Lecture Room 1A, but my sense of direction is dreadful. Can you please help me? I would be most grateful,” mumbled a gentle grey-haired older man in a grey suit.

  “Follow me, professor, I would be happy to show you.” Sam grinned and escorted him all the way.

  “I needed a cup of coffee and they left me behind. Aren’t they all dreadful? I’m not so good with directions,” the professor explained, trying not to spill his coffee while keeping up with her. “Thank you, you’re very kind.”

  As they approached the huge double doors of the lecture theatre, the professor spilled his coffee all over his shoes and gasped at what he had done. Without any hesitation, Sam got on all fours and commenced cleaning the professor’s shoes just as both doors swung open. The lecturer room erupted into laughter that echoed out and into the rest of the museum for all to hear.

  Sam continued shining his shoes and finished cleaning the spill before standing up next to the professor. Her calmness and control surprised her. If something like this had happened before the book glasses had come into her possession, she would have felt humiliated in front of everyone and would have run off. However, she stood there facing him and accepted the professor’s heartfelt thank you with a nod of her head while the crowd continued to roar in laughter.

  As she turned to walk away, the man grabbed her arm and whispered in her ear. “I like your tenacity. You come with me, young lady.”

  Silence descended on the theatre as the students watched the professor lead her up to the lectern. Sam went with the flow.

  “Good morning postgrads, I’d like to introduce you to… excuse me.” He asked Sam her name. Then he continued with his arm still interlocked with hers.

  “Human behaviour, ladies and gentlemen. What makes us different from our primeval ancestors? Physical action and observable emotion associated with individuals. We are in this magnificent building for a purpose. The University of Sydney has had a strong affiliation with the museum and that is why we have our summer seminar lectures here.

  “You now have a chance to complete your thesis on human behaviour while the campus is closed during the Christmas break. Now, you are probably wondering why I asked Samantha to join me up here?”

  A few of the students nodded their heads as he continued, “In my observations of human behaviour, most people when faced with a situation such as Samantha was faced with just now would have taken off like a scared animal. But even though she had a rather vocal audience, she ignored all of you and continued to clean the coffee off my shoes.

  “My questions are—why did she react the way she did? And why wasn’t she embarrassed? Welcome, all, to my lecture. And everyone, please give Samantha Page a huge round of applause to thank her for helping me with my introduction.” The professor turned towards Sam and smiled.

  The one hundred and fifty postgraduate students and the professor’s colleagues all applauded. Impressed by his introduction, Sam gave him a nod of gratitude.

  He retrieved a copy of a textbook and handed it over to her with his business card. “I authored this book. Consider it a gift. I hope you enjoy it. And if you ever consider tertiary education, be sure and contact me.”

  She accepted them with thanks and walked out of the theatre to another round of applause, feeling ten feet tall.

  Things were changing for Sam and she knew it.

  A Sister’s Heartbreak

  Closing the theatre doors behind her, Sam was energised with a new sense of excitement that the professor’s gift had given her. The idea of studying at this level had never occurred to her before, but with the book glasses in her possession, this path was open to her.

  Later, she joined Tom for lunch at the museum’s café. He remained silent as she told him of her desire to study at university. After they had both finished their lunch, he told her to go home. His sympathetic look made Sam feel that he was confusing her sudden desire for university with the ongoing reaction to the trauma she’d experienced over Mr Harman’s murder.

  Sam didn’t argue and, upon arriving in her apartment, immediately started to read the textbook the professor had given her. Although the book was not her cup of tea, she quickly finished it and still loved the idea of university. After changing out of her work clothes, she’d decided to go and visit Sue at the refuge when she heard a knock at her front door.

  “Are you alright, sweetheart? It’s Sister Sue!”

  “Hi, Sister, yes I’m fine, thank you. Please come in.”

  “Where have you been? We’ve all missed you. The girls are asking me daily about you. We’ve all been worried sick.” Sister Sue took the single seat at the kitchen table.

  “I have so much to tell you. I was just getting ready to come and see you,” Sam said as she retrieved some orange juice from the refrigerator.

  “You wouldn’t lie to a sister, and an old one at that, would you?” she said.

  “It’s true, no joke,” Sam said as she filled two glasses with orange juice and then set out an assortment of pastries on a plate.

  “Hang on a min
ute, what is going on, young lady? Orange juice and pastries? Let me look at this fridge.” She walked over to open it. “You have food in here, Sam. How on earth did you fit all of that in this tiny little thing?”

  “That’s why I was coming to see you. I wanted to tell you that I have my own money and I don’t need to take any more food or anything else from the refuge.” Sam then opened the pantry door to show Sue that it was also well-stocked.

  “So, you finally listened to me. That’s terrific, Sam.” Sue sat back down, her eyes shining.

  The two women spent the afternoon eating, drinking, and enjoying each other’s company with Sister Sue sitting on the only chair while Sam sat on an old footstool. Sam loved her company as Sue was like a mother to her.

  Then she saw Sue’s eyes fall on the professor’s textbook and switch to the other books she’d borrowed from the library. A frown appeared on her face and Sam remembered that the sister knew that she couldn’t read.

  “What are all these books doing here?” she said.

  “They are my books,” Sam mumbled through a mouthful of food.

  “Really? But you told me you can’t read because of your dyslexia.”

  “I know, but now I can. I was going to tell you. It’s great, isn’t it? Aren’t you happy for me?” She hoped the sister wouldn’t ask too many difficult questions.

  Fortunately, she directed the conversation back to her work at the museum. Then she told Sam she needed to get back to the refuge and get ready for dinner. They both stood and Sam opened the door.

  “So, I guess we won’t see you much at the refuge. The girls are going to miss you,” Sue said on her way out the door.

  “Not much, but I will drop in from time to time. I won’t forget you, Sister Sue.” Sam winked before filling her mouth with another pastry.

  Sue closed the door behind her before bursting into tears. Over the last five years, she had known this was going to happen one day. In the early years, she’d dared it to happen, even wished for it with all her heart. Now she cursed the day she had longed for it.

  Her faith in God had given her the strength to continue life’s journey and she believed her prayers had been answered five years before, when Sam had come into her life. It had been a joyous day. Sam had been helpless, vulnerable and in need of care.

  The first time she’d seen Sam walk into her office at the refuge to enquire about volunteering, Sue had immediately felt a connection with her. As a rule, eighteen-year-old girls who looked the way she did, did not spend much time volunteering.

  Once she’d realised who Sam was, she hadn’t been able to believe it. Sam, of all people, had come to her! Sam had given her a new direction, washing away her despair. She had replaced the emptiness with purpose.

  Sue pondered what Sam had said about being able to read. It didn’t make sense that one minute she couldn’t read and the next she could. But then, she had kept her secret from the girl, one that could have altered the course of her life, so it wasn’t like she could judge. What was she going to do without Sam’s regular visits to the refuge? It was devastating to imagine life without her.

  All the way back to the refuge Sue dragged her feet, trying to think of other ways she could continue to see Sam because she couldn’t accept a life without her.

  “Mummy, Mummy, wake up!”

  It was Sam’s voice, but Sue couldn’t open her eyes. What had happened?

  That’s right. She’d found Joyce on the floor next to her bed, the half-empty bottle of sleeping pills beside her. It had been an impulsive decision, borne out of grief, to snatch up the bottle and swallow the rest. Consumed with grief at the loss of her husband, like Joyce was, she hadn’t thought of her daughter.

  She heard her in-laws’ voices, then someone she didn’t know. Then there was nothing until she woke up.

  Mary, her mother-in-law, was sitting beside her. “I’m so glad to see your eyes open.”

  But it hurt to open them. “Where am I?”

  “The hospital. Joyce is here too. They got to you in time to save both of you. But why did you do it?”

  She sighed. “I couldn’t stand it anymore. The house is too empty.” Waking up a little more, she looked around the room. “Samantha! Where is she?”

  Mary put out a hand to calm her. “Hush. She’s staying with us.”

  But that only brought more guilt. Why hadn’t she thought about what this would mean for her daughter? “How much longer am I going to be here?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe a couple of days.”

  “Can you bring Sam in to see me?”

  But Mary’s face was grave. “I’m sorry, but they don’t think that’s a good idea right now.”

  They didn’t think it was a good idea for her to see her daughter? “Who?”

  “The Department of Human Services. They think she should be in our care for now.”

  Sue sat straight up in bed, the room spinning. “For how long?”

  She didn’t trust her mother-in-law’s smile. “Why don’t you get better and then we’ll see?”

  Negotiations

  The next morning at work things started heating up between Tom and some of the contract staff who were disputing the hours they worked over the weekend. Sam walked in to find him arguing with two people representing the contract staff. They didn’t give him a chance to get a word in and just kept on shouting at him.

  “Back off, both of you, and take it up with management. You know very well that Tom can’t help you with that issue. Go and see Dr Julie Dunn. If you don’t leave now, I’ll call security,” Sam yelled.

  When the workers realised she was right, they apologised and marched out of the workshop.

  “Thanks, Sam. I tried to talk to them, but they wouldn’t listen. You were great. Well done.” Tom kept smiling as he got ready to start work.

  Later that morning, Sam was summoned to Dr Dunn’s office.

  “Come in, young lady. Please sit down,” Dr Dunn said with a serious look on her face.

  “Thank you, Dr Dunn,” said Sam with a smile.

  “Please call me Julie. You are getting quite a reputation around here, young lady.” She walked around her desk to sit next to Sam.

  “Really? I hope it’s good.”

  “Yes, it’s great. You made quite an impression on Professor Tenth, and then there was the way you negotiated with the workers for Tom this morning. I am impressed and let me tell you, I don’t impress easily. You are on my radar and I’m keeping a close watch on you now.”

  “Thank you.” Sam kept calm and felt good.

  “Tell me, is there anything I can do for you?” Julie asked.

  “No thanks, I’m fine.”

  “There must be something. Please tell me and it’s yours.”

  “Well, I’m interested in going to university, but I don’t know what the entrance requirements are to get in.” Sam couldn’t believe she’d said that.

  “Don’t you worry about that. Professor Tenth and I go way back. The first semester of the new year doesn’t start until March, so we have plenty of time. In the meantime, I will organise a meeting with him and I’m sure he will be happy to help you. After all, you did make him look good yesterday.” She wrote a note in her diary.

  “Wow, thanks, Julie. I appreciate it.” Sam couldn’t hold back her excitement.

  “So, what do you want to study at university?” Julie asked, placing her pen down.

  “Law,” said Sam as she stood up from her chair.

  “You’re a girl after my own heart; I did law many years ago. Good for you.”

  “I need to get back to work. Thank you so much for everything, Julie,” Sam said.

  “Yes, yes. As soon as I hear from the professor, I will contact you.”

  As she hurried back to the workshop, Sam pinched herself to see if she was dreaming. To be acknowledged by Julie was one thing, but for her to arrange a meeting with the professor was out of this world.

  Although the prospect was exciting, Sam h
ad knots in her stomach thinking about university and how she was going to study as she had never done it before. She reached into the concealed top pocket in her blouse to reassure herself that the book glasses were still there. They were and her confidence flooded back.

  Shopping For One

  For the rest of the day, Sam struggled to concentrate on her work as her thoughts drifted to the meeting with the professor that Julie had promised to arrange.

  She was glad to get home and head out to do her grocery shopping. Until recently, going to the supermarket had been an occasional treat and she purchased only bare necessities, but with a regular wage, she planned to shop regularly.

  Since moving to Sydney from Melbourne five years before, the refuge’s leftovers had sustained her. But she was no longer that scared girl. She was determined to do this on her own.

  Over the years, the constant failures of not securing a job and her lack of money to purchase even the basics to survive had reinforced her belief that she was a failure. But now she found herself in a delightful world of colours, aromas, and sounds. A euphoric feeling of exhilaration washed over her. She grabbed a shopping trolley, determined to take her time, and savour the experience. Taking joy in being one of a crowd of shoppers, nothing could get her down; she even loved the fact her trolley had a wobbly front wheel.

  By the time she got to the third aisle, her trolley was three-quarters full. The more she filled it, the wobblier it got, but she didn’t mind.

  “You must have a big family to feed,” said a tall shopper with braces on her teeth and a toddler in the trolley seat.

  “Yes, I’m hungry,” Sam explained seriously.

  The lady started laughing. As she walked off with her son, she yelled, “Another comedian. That’s just as funny as those glasses you’re wearing!”

  Sam paid for her shopping and organised to have it delivered to her apartment. Then she ventured off to purchase a mobile phone, a tablet, and a laptop computer at the nearby high-end shopping mall.