Two Weeks With Chelsea

Chapter 2

December 18, 2005

Well Stone Academy sits on a large rural property on the southern shore of Lake Auburn, outside the cities of Lewiston and Auburn Maine. In the middle of a teardrop shaped drive is the façade of a water-well; merely a replica of one found on the property sixty years earlier when the land was home to a family farm. Overlooking the drive are the three original sandy grey stone buildings. The Academic Building, the first as one drives onto the campus, houses the library and most of the school's classrooms.

The school isn't among the country's top or elite private boarding schools despite its above average academic standing. It is affordable for up and coming entrepreneurs or those on their way down the economic ladder. It is also a potential landing pad for students that have found themselves unwelcome elsewhere. As such, very few students complete their entire schooling at Well Stone. The same can be said for some of the school's faculty, either at the start of their career or the end, and sometimes the last chance in private education before applying for a position in a public school. Others, like Brent and Meredith Bales were fixtures within the Well Stone community, dedicated to the success of the school and each of its students.

Chelsea Bales was five years old when she sat in a chair at the large window of the library on the second floor,holding a book in her hands that was far too advanced for her to read on herown. She could pick out a few words in the title and jacket liner but notenough to tell what the book was about. She simply liked the cover. The goldenletters and forest scenery were embossed and colourful and seemed to promise agood story waited for her on the pages inside.

"Okay Chelsea, Mrs. Peterson is going to be back in a few minutes, until then, Olivia is going to sit with you," Meredith said to her child. "And look, here comes daddy with Snuggles!"

"Here you go!" Brent said as he passed a plush pink dog to Chelsea. "I think he wanted to go to the Christmas party with us."

"Mr. Bales," Olivia, said softly. "I emailed my assignment to you. Thanks again for the extension."

"Okay great, I'll have a look at it this weekend before the grade needs to be submitted. Next time, don't be afraid to ask for help if you feel like you're struggling."

Chelsea hugged and kissed her parents and watched them walk away.

"Do you want me to read that book to you?" Olivia asked.

"No, mommy is going to read it to me," Chelsea replied. "I want to wave goodbye."

Chelsea turned towards the window pressed her forehead against the cool glass then waited, gazing out through her reflection. She waved as her mother and father rushed out the front door of the building to the family car parked in the tear drop shaped drive. Before the car doors closed, her parents looked up then waved and blew kisses her way. Her father emerged from the driver side, briefly, to wave and blow a kiss her way before returning to the controls and maneuvering the car away from the curb. She watched with her hand still waving as the car rounded the drive, past the Main Hall and Dormitory buildings towards the public roadway.

The little girl settled into the chair beside the window holding the book her mother promised to read at bedtime the next night. 

"Are you sure you don't want me to read some of that book for you?" Olivia asked.

Chelsea shook her head.

"Your mom and dad teach me math and science. And next semester your mom is teaching computers. They're great. Everyone loves their classes. You're in kindergarten, right?" the girl asked. "I guess you have a few years before they become your teachers. That would be crazy, don't you think. Your mom and dad as your teachers."

"Yeah. We live in the house across the road," Chelsea added.

"I live in the dorms. You know that Mrs. Peterson, is the school's librarian AND the dorm mother. She's great too. Sort of like my mom away from my mom. I guess you're staying in dorms tonight while your parents are at that Christmas party in Lewiston. Have you ever stayed in dorms before?"