Chapter 38 - Out Of Her Depth

Darlene opened a letter from the school. The Principal wanted an explanation for Imogen's absence. Somehow it seemed a farce that she was even going to school. No scratch that. It seemed a farce that Imogen was her daughter. It wasn't that long ago that she was in an observation centre on her way to the nuthouse. Now she had landed Roger a secret construction job with an international company on the other side of the world. Somehow it all seemed unnerving.

Karen took a deep breath in her as she heard Darlene's concerns. "I can understand you feeling somewhat out of control here. I wish I could give you some kind of answer here. I'll be honest with you Darlene, Imogen's prognosis was not good the last time I saw her. However I've seen it before, every once in a while someone will go through a trauma and all of a sudden they just get it together and they flourish. We can't explain it. So Imogen is back home at the moment attending school who now have their paperwork in order. Have you discussed this with Roger?"

Darlene shifted somewhat uncomfortably in her chair. "He has his concerns. But his business has also expanded. Roger said that he couldn't put his finger on it but with the Forvik job he sensed that he was not dealing with good people. They were honest in their dealings but there was just something about them. But Roger says in a few short months Imogen will turn 18 and will be making her own decisions anyway. So he is content to tell Imogen that she could be walking on thin ice with these people and leave it at that."

"What was Imogens reaction to that?"

"She humoured him and well, he humoured her back. Not much achieved I'm afraid."

Karen paused to collect her thoughts. "I'm not trying to get you to see New World Explorations through rose tinted glasses, but they are an international company with less than its fair share of scandals. But sooner or later we all have to deal with less than ideal people in order to get through life. Maybe you're being over cautious. After all she is off to a great start in making her way in the world. Most parents would be absolutely thrilled with what's going on. There is something to be aware of however."

"What's that?", asked Darlene.

"Often success does not last forever. You may have to be the strong one to catch both Imogen and Roger when the bubble bursts."

Darlene had some time out with a coffee at Due South. A place where she could lose herself in the crowd. Sure Karen had done her job, ticked all the boxes, blah blah blah. It was like the picture was painted well enough but only part of it was painted. There was something deeper happening. Something that gave her a dark sense of foreboding that she couldn't put her finger on.

"Oh, hi there". Darlene was woken from her trance by Glenys. They hadn't seen each other in years. The two women hugged. "We moved to Katanning for a little while and then we moved to the big city - Sydney. It was then that Joanne really clicked into gear..." Darlene knew a boastful mother when she saw one and wanted to get a really good insight into how other parents react to high performing children. She decided to give Glenys a free pass. "Oh that's good to hear, enlighten me further!", Darlene exclaimed.

Glenys switched into top gear. "The first sign was the NAPLAN, we just thought that she had a lucky day somehow. Then her next school report had shifted from C'ish to B'ish and the next was A'ish and then straight A's ever since. We had a specially made cabinet for all her awards, including top student for New South Wales. Guess what she looks like she's going to be accepted into Harvard on a free scholarship. Here's the zinger, we didn't write to them they wrote to us. The other mothers pretend not to believe that little detail but we know its all just jealousy don't we dear, oh and they've also got her lined for a student exchange program with Shenzhen University. That's China's silicon valley by the way..." What would normally be a boring conversation was somehow refreshingly normal for Darlene. "Any clouds on the horizon?"

"There's just one, she's met this boyfriend online who wants to be a matador. I mean for goodness sake, can't she find someone a little more civilised. I'm hoping she can find someone else ..." Glenys prattled on, it was a full twenty minutes before they got on to the topic of their husbands. Darlene glad of the conversation, at least this time round, promised to keep in touch.

Darlene went back home. It was early afternoon and she drifted off on the sofa for a dream that was strange indeed. She dreamt she was at this bullfight being held at the WACA ground of all places with the crowd cheering on. Holding the red flag was Joanne who skillfully fooled the enraged animal again and again, gaining approval of the crowd until the mighty beast fell from exhaustion and injury. Joanne left the stadium with the crowd screaming admiration behind her.

Then another bull came into the arena, bigger than the last one and more powerful. Instead of Joanne walking into the arena it was Imogen. After an announcement the bull was released. With a skill equaling Joannes Imogen also made sport of this creature. Then, with graceful movement, Imogen dropped the red flag as the crowd gasped in horror. The bull charged. With lightning efficiency Imogen grabbed the behemoth by the horns and ripped his head clean off. Holding her prize up high she drank deeply as the blood flowed out of his brain. Then the commentator changed into Elon Musk: 'If Imogen has a goal and humanity just happens to be in the way, she will destroy humanity as a matter of course without even thinking about it. No hard feelings'. Then the crowd turned into zombies who caught on fire as they looked into the bulls lifeless eyes.

Darlene woke with a start. That kind of nailed it, the difference between the two girls. Imogen was going to bend the world to her will, tighten her grip and leave humanity just a twisted broken wreck on the scrapheap of life. No, no. This can't be real, she had to snap out of it. She had an imperfect daughter who had imperfect friends just like any other mother in the world. She needed to hold on to that. She reached for her pills.