Learning Me

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

A couple days later, Courtney was no closer to figuring out the questions plaguing her since she spoke with Matthew. She figured there was little chance of her getting a straight answer by asking her parents, even if she told them she knew there had to be something more behind their attitude.

So how do I start looking?

Courtney pondered the question for a while as she lounged on the back patio of her house with a music player by her side. The headphones blared her favorite pop tunes. The music helped to keep her from focusing on the problem too intently. She always found she came up with solutions better when she didn't think too hard and let her unconscious mind take over.

As she closed her eyes, a memory came to her with a clarity that surprised her. Thinking about it, she was surprised she'd even forgotten. It'd been a pretty big deal at the time, but she figured time had faded the experience. She'd been about four years old and her parents had taken her to a fair in town to see a show featuring characters from one of Courtney's favorite childhood shows.

A smile spread across her face as she remembered how she'd bounced across the fairgrounds, with her parents trying with little success to slow her down. She'd run so far ahead, they'd eventually screamed her name and caused her to freeze. A threat of going home without seeing the show kept her from doing the same thing twice. When they got to their seats, Courtney noticed a bunch of people with cameras near the front of the stage.

"Mommy, Daddy! Look!" she'd said, bouncing in her seat as she pointed to the stage. "The TV people are here!"

"That's nice, Sweetie," her father had said.

Courtney had watched the crew intently, her eyes widening as they turned away from the stage and began shooting footage of the crowd. She'd barely been able to breathe as she watched them come closer and closer. Before long, the cameras were only a few feet away and Courtney had been beside herself with joy at the idea of being on TV.

"Hi!" Courtney had exclaimed, waving her arms at the cameraman closest to her.

"Hi," the man had replied with a smile. He looked to her parents. "Can I ask you a couple of questions for the evening broadcast?"

Courtney had gripped her mother's arm tight and shook her. "Please, Mommy?"

"I'm sorry, but that won't be possible," her father had answered. "We wouldn't feel comfortable allowing her to be on television."

The man had nodded and gave her parents an apologetic look. "No problem. Sorry to bother you."

Once he'd left, Courtney pouted and crossed her arms. "Why not?"

"Courtney, you heard what we said. If you pester us about that again, we'll leave without seeing the show. Understood?" Her father's voice had taken on a hard edge as he gave her a look that dared her to defy his order.

Courtney had gulped and nodded. "Okay."

The memory of that moment made Courtney shiver. The more she thought about it, she realized that was probably the most tense and angry she'd ever seen either of them. They'd looked at the camera as if it were the most dangerous thing they'd ever seen.

Now that she'd allowed her subconscious mind to explore the possibilities, the more she understood that hadn't been an isolated incident. She'd had to cry and beg for weeks until they finally relented and let her join an acting class near their home. A model search in town nearly got her grounded when she wouldn't stop asking to take part. Each time, her request had been met with a tense look exchanged between them and a firm denial. It wasn't until she got to High School that they even bothered to give her the excuse of not liking the Hollywood scene.