Chapter 3
April’s Red Room
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AFTER A brIEF NAP, Sonya woke up, hungry and a little unsure where she was. She remembered driving all day, the sun hot and blinding, her excitement rising as she approached her destination.
Sitting up, she looked around and smiled as she finally remembered it all. She’d traveled far after learning of a job in Clementine, California, and she’d just been hired to tutor a student.
She looked around at the room April had brought her to. The room was large and airy with ample room for the large bed she’d slept in, a large armoire and two dressers. There was also a lounger placed near the window in order to admire the view.
The wooden furniture was simple elegance, leaving the main focus of the room to the colorful drapes on the window as well as the floral bed cover. The splash of yellow, orange and red brightened the room almost as much as the sun.
Her feet were warm as she set them on the striped yellow and orange rug that was set beside the bed.
While her hunger urged her to go in search of food, she opted to go to the private bathroom adjacent to her room.
She stripped out of her clothes – something she should have done before falling dead on the bed – rinsed off with a washcloth and headed back to her bedroom to throw on a pair of off-white slacks with a cozy cream-colored sweater that was perfect for the cooler night.
Just as she was about to head out to look for April, she turned to go to the window to take a look outside. It was darker than she thought and there really wasn’t much to see. The sun had already gone down and only vague shadows remained around the few lights that lit the garden.
Despite the late hour, she hungered for a good meal and wondered if it would be too late. She wandered out into the hall and looked to the left and right of her. Remembering that she’d arrived at her room from the right, then turned to the left in search of April’s laboratory.
The corridor was wide, the walls painted in a pale green hue and adorned with a sconce between each door, the golden glow of a light bulb filling the space with warmth.
Smiling when she saw a ray of reddish light come from under one of the doors, she knew that she had found what she was looking for.
“April?” she said as she rapped lightly on the door.
“Come in,” came the cheery response.
The blood red of the walls was almost overwhelming as Sonya entered the room. “Wow. You weren’t kidding when you said your lab was all red.”
“I’m happy to see that you’re up,” April said, a vial of clear liquid pinched between her index finger and thumb. Wearing a white smock, she looked every bit the scientist. “You haven’t had dinner. You must be famished.”
“I am a little hungry,” Sonya admitted.
“Good. I abstained from eating hoping that you would join me when you got up.”
“I’m sorry to have you eat your dinner so late.”
“Don’t worry about that. I eat at all hours of the day. Let me just finish up here and we’ll head down for some great roast beef, and I believe there are some mashed potatoes left from last night that I could warm up.”
Sonya approached her and looked at the various vials, test tubes and other equipment. “Mind if I ask what you’re working on?”
“Not at all,” April said with a proud grin. “I’m sure my father must have mentioned my fascination with the human body. I’ve been studying a lot about our anatomy, the workings of our various organs and the quality of our blood.”
“The quality of our blood?” Sonya said, completely befuddled by the young woman. Was this girl truly only sixteen years old. She spoke like an experienced scientist.
“Yes. You see, I suffer from a rare type of anemia. It can be quite frustrating at times. There are days when I can barely get out of bed due to the intense fatigue that takes over me. I try to eat right; try to take in all the nutrients I need, but there are days when I simply find myself lacking.”
“Have you sought medical treatment?”
She shrugged. “I tried. I’ve lost count of the number of doctors I’ve seen over the years.
Dozens of doctors have poked and prodded me for some time now trying to find the best remedy for my condition, but nothing helps.
There was a time a year or so ago when we thought we had finally cured the condition, but it was short-lived.
The symptoms returned and I was back at square one.
So, this is what I’ve been working on.” She turned and gestured to the series of impressive machines joined by clear tubing.
“This is the dialysis machine that I built.”
Stunned, Sonya gaped at her. “You built this?” she said, trying to keep the incredulity out of her voice.
April giggled. “You’re not the first to react with such disbelief.
Truth is, I didn’t build it entirely from scratch.
” She set her hand on one portion of the machine.
“My father bought me this and I tweaked it somewhat. I added this...” She brought her hand to another portion of the machine.
“And then incorporated this function so that the blood is clean and ready for me.”
“This is all truly fascinating,” Sonya said.
“It’s unclear yet whether this has anything to do with my anemia, but the bright sunlight that is so pervasive in California blinds me.
It’s impossible for me to go outside without sunglasses on, and on some days, even the darkest glasses aren’t enough.
I can only stay outdoors for two to three hours.
If I stay longer, my eyes tear up, they burn, my vision gets blurry and.
.. well, I just avoid staying out too long altogether. ”
“I can’t imagine how the two could be connected,” Sonya said.
April shrugged. “I know. I’ve spoken to a few doctors and have mentioned it to my father, but no one seems to think one thing has anything to do with the other. So, I avoid the sun as much as I can.”
April raised her hands out on either side of her and let them fall back to slap her hips. “Well, that’s it. That’s what I’m working on. This is my pet project.”
“Again,” Sonya said as she looked around the intriguing room. “Truly fascinating.”
“Why don’t you take your time and look around,” April said as she pulled off her smock and set it on her worktable. “I’ll go check on the roast beef and put the potatoes on the stove to warm them up.”
“Okay,” Sonya said.
“I’ll be back in a minute.”
Alone in the red room, Sonya marveled at everything the young woman had accomplished. Her only conclusion was that the girl was obviously a genius. How else could someone so young do all this?
Seeing an open notebook on the stainless steel table, she went to it and glanced at April’s note. The complex formulas were far beyond what someone of April’s age would know.
“How am I to teach math to someone who can come up with this kind of formula?”
Intrigued by it all and eager to learn more about her new student, she turned to the door to go join April in the kitchen. She passed by the room where she’d napped and continued on to the main portion of the house.
“Need any help in here?” she said when she reached the large kitchen that was clearly meant to be staffed.
A large island was the central part of the room, with pots and pans of every conceivable shape and size hanging from a rack overhead. A counter lined the far wall, butting up against the large double door refrigerator. A gas stove took up much of the space to the right with a cast iron sink nearby.
“I have everything under control here,” April said as she stirred the warming mashed potatoes. “Oh... come to think of it, maybe you could set the table in the dining room. Not the large formal one. Just the small luncheonette just down that way.” She gestured with her head toward the left.
“It would be my pleasure.”
“You can grab plates from there.” Another swing of her head. “And the silverware is in there.”
But before Sonya could get her hands on anything at all, the doorbell rang.
“That’s strange,” April said. “It’s far too late for a social call.” She wiped her hands on a dishtowel. “I’ll go see who it is.”
“Why don’t you let me go and take care of this,” Sonya said, concerned that someone had made it past the gate and had managed to reach the front door.
“I can’t let you do that,” April said with a light laugh. “I didn’t even show you the layout of the house. You probably don’t know your way around yet.”
“I’m a quick study,” Sonya said with a chuckle. “I’m sure I can find my way.”
“But...”
“I insist,” Sonya said as she put a firm hand to April’s shoulder. “Now that I am here, not only as your tutor, but dare I say, as your caretaker – at least until your father returns – I will take care of such things.”
April smiled but it wasn’t quite enough to hide her concern for the late-night caller. “Wow. You really aren’t like my other tutors, are you? They would have been more than happy to let me deal with this on my own. Thank you.”
“It’s my pleasure. I’ll be right back.”
“I should have dinner ready when you return.”
The doorbell rang again, and Sonya hurried to the front foyer and opened the door.