Tobias' POV
I gather Tris in my arms and pick her up. She looks exhausted and it's no wonder she fainted. I can't imagine what she is going through. The things her own brother said to her are unbelievable. I would have never thought that someone would be capable of something so evil.
I'm sitting in the backseat of this Matt's car holding Tris still close to me. Her steady breathing indicates that she is sleeping. I'm holding her with my right arm and caress her cheek with my left index finger. Her cheeks are flushed and wet from all the crying. It breaks my heart seeing her like this. Everything I know of this girl is borderline amazing. She is kind, selfless, generous, nice and loving. She would never hurt a fly, let alone someone she loves. And her brother? The exact opposite. How can anyone be so cruel with such a gentle creature like she is? I look down at her and even in her current state she looks adorable, like an angel from the sky.
"I can't believe it," the minister, Tris' uncle says to his son. I have to admit I'm relieved Tris and he are related. This means he is not her boyfriend. But a sweet and beautiful girl like her probably has a long line of admirers at her door.
"I know, dad. I tried to keep it from her, but she found out."
"Why would you keep it from her?"
"Look at her? She is a bleeding heart. She would sacrifice her own life to save someone she doesn't know. Imagine what she would do for someone she does know and even loves. We both know her. And that bastard hurt her in a way no one ever did. I will never forgive him. He better prays we never cross paths again 'cause I'm going to break every single bone in his body," Matt vows. I can only agree with him, but I keep my mouth shut.
We are driving toward his apartment, since everyone wanted to know the full story. Matt offered to bring us up to speed at his place, so that he could keep an eye on her. We soon pull up in front of an old building and Matt parks the car. He gets out and I have to reluctantly let go of Tris in order to get out of the car and not hurting her in the process. The others came with Zeke's truck and pull up in the parking spot next to us. We all get out and I offer to hold Tris again. Matt hands her over to me and I'm glad he does so. I love to feel her close to me. I never felt like this before but this girl has something I can't describe. Ever since I've met her I can't stop thinking about her. She is like a drug, but I wouldn't mind getting addicted.
We walk up the stairs to his apartment and he opens it. He shows me to his bedroom where I lay Tris down and cover her with a blanket. I leave the door ajar and go into the living room where the others sit and wait for Matt to tell us what we don't know yet. A part of me is anxious to find out more about this amazing girl, but another one is afraid to hear more of the cruel things that sick bastard did to her, even without her knowledge.
"Tris was always very smart, but not until she turned five did we know how smart," her uncle says. "Her parents got a call from her teacher in preschool, telling them that Tris was bored during classes. She suggested they should take her to a psychologist to see if something is bothering her. After only one session the psychologist told my brother and his wife that their baby girl is a genius. Of course, none of us really knew what that meant so we all started reading about it. In simple terms her mind works different than ours. She thinks quicker, sees things from different angles, understands things we couldn't even imagine and she has an amazing ability to learn fast. Then my wife was diagnosed with stage three cancer. Tris wanted to know what that meant so she went to the local library and asked someone to give her a medicine book. Whoever gave it to her thought she was just a silly little girl who wanted to play with it and didn't think twice. She got the book, sat down on the floor and started reading everything that book offered on cancer. She read over 300 pages in one day, because the next day she insisted to be in the room with her favorite aunt. My wife, God rest her soul, loved her very much and insisted the girl should be allowed to stay inside the room. No one thought she would understand it anyway. But then, while the doctor explained what could be done and which procedure would be better Tris spoke up and asked the doctor a series of questions that to be honest I couldn't understand. The doctor looked at her a little shocked. At first, he tried to dismiss her but then he started talking to her like to a colleague. He told us later that he never spoke to anyone, not even doctors, the way he spoke to Tris. Tris didn't just understand the situation from a medical point of view, but she offered him alternatives that would be less invasive. The doctor actually considered one of her suggestions and for a while my wife's cancer stopped spreading. For the next two years Tris barely left the hospital. She remained there reading one medical book after the other. By the time my wife started a new set of experimental drugs, a year after her diagnose, Tris talked to the doctors who treated her like she was one of their own. Whenever a doctor met her he or she dismissed her, but not for long. Soon she became very well known in the medical community for her insight and I might say expertise. Doctors from all around the country were made aware of this incredible preschooler that put experienced doctors to shame. They came to Chicago and offered their help, pro bono, only to hear the little girl's opinion. After my wife died several doctors in the country still came to visit her. Between the ages of seven and twelve Tris wrote medical articles about experiments she was conducting in one of the learning hospitals here in Chicago. She helped find cures for diseases and was a recognized name in the medical community throughout the country. She never did it for the fame though. She couldn't care less. Her only goal was to help people. This is why and how on June thirteen, after Tris turned twelve the dean of Harvard University knocked on her parents door to discuss with them the bright future of their daughter. By pure chance I was there that day and was part of that conversation. My brother and his wife told him that they didn't have the money to send their girl to Boston to study, not to mention they didn't want to leave their daughter alone there. But we all knew that that's where Tris would have felt among her own. I offered to give him the insurance money I got after my wife died. She made me promise I would give it to her to study to become a doctor and help other people. It wasn't hard for me to say yes to her request, when it was Tris who gave me and my children two years with my beloved Maggie, instead of the two months her doctors originally gave us. After I offered them the money the dean spoke up and told us that they wouldn't have to pay anything. That Tris would receive a full scholarship. Even someone who would be around her 24/7 to make sure she is well taken care of. Someone like a personal assistant. That same night her parents told Tris about the offer and she accepted. Everything that girl ever wanted was for her parents and brother to be proud of her. She pushed herself to her limit and beyond and whatever she started she excelled at in no time. I know it sounds unbelievable, but it's the truth. If I wouldn't have seen most of it with my own eyes I might doubt it too. Then, two years ago, Tris was in New York and she was given yet another award. Her parents rarely managed to go to these events. I often went on their behalf. But that time they wanted to be there. Unfortunately, their plane crashed and they died. Tris was devastated. For weeks she was a mess, blamed herself for it. Of course, it wasn't her fault. Severe turbulences brought the plane down, there was nothing anyone could have done."
"This is amazing," Shauna says. "We read articles about her and her work, but this is just amazing."
"I have a question," Marlene says. "If her parents were so proud of her why didn't they go and celebrate her?"
"Because Caleb always made them feel guilty for bragging about their smart girl. Whenever he had some stupid meaningless game they had to go watch him. While he played ball his sister saved lives or changed the face of medicine. She never got the attention from her parents that he did and still he is the one who complains here," Matt says. "Unlike Tris, he had everything she deserved. Two parents by his side coming to every game or science fair, a childhood, a nice life in middle school and high school. He was a star athlete both in high school and college, had dates and girlfriends and practically everything good fell into his lap. And yet, he wasn't satisfied. He needed more. And for that he needed to destroy her reputation, while she worshipped him. She would have cut her own arm off if he asked her to and he treats her worse than vermin. I don't understand him and frankly I don't want to. I couldn't care less if that fucking bastard dies tonight," Matt says and his father gives him a glare. "Sorry, dad, but that's how I feel. Tris was a ray of sunshine during mom's illness and even before and after that."
We spend another two hours listening to Joe, Tris' uncle and Matt, her cousin. The more I learn about her the more I want to actually get to know her personally. If I never believed in love at first sight before, now I do. She is amazingly kind and good, thoughtful and selfless, gentle, smart and brave.
"What happened in Tanzania?" Uriah asks after a while and Matt's eyes turn to look toward the hallway where his bedroom is and of course Tris.
"Why do you ask?" Matt asks and I can tell he doesn't want to speak about it, probably because of the bad things that happened there and maybe because he doesn't want to talk about it while she lies in the room down the hall.
"I read an article today and I was wondering," Uriah says.
"It's true. I've read all of them. Tris refused to talk about it so they were my only source. A few months ago I confronted her and she broke down. She volunteered to work with Doctors Without Borders in Tanzania. Many rebels attacked villages and killed many people there. Unfortunately, that wasn't the only thing they did. Usually, those who were too old were killed immediately and fed to the others," he says and stops.
"Fed? You mean they made the others eat them?" Marlene asks disgusted.
"Yes. The young men were beaten and mutilated and forced to join the rebel cause. The women and even eleven year old girls were raped over and over again, sometimes even dying during the act. When that happened they were either fed to the prisoners or some wild dogs."
"Oh my God, that's terrible," Christina says with tears in her eyes.
"The doctors, they were twenty of them when they got there, were killed one by one. Many of them refused to treat the injuries of the rebels, but I taught Tris to never stand out. Not that she wouldn't have helped. She treated anyone they put in front of her, young, old, male, female, villager or rebel, it didn't matter to her. She saved lives with the bare minimum, exposing herself to infections and diseases that can't be treated even with modern medicine. But she didn't care. They were held hostage for eighteen days. Tris refused to eat any of the meat, knowing where it came from. She drank infected water or even her own urine, after boiling it well. She had no choice," Matt adds quickly when he sees the disgusted look on the girls faces. "She is a survivor and a hero in my opinion. She saved lives against all odds and survived a terrible experience. She went to a psychiatrist after that to discuss what happened to her. She understood that she couldn't cope with this on her own. But I understand why she doesn't want to talk about it. What she saw in those eighteen days is horrifying and awful, but somehow she managed to get out of a very dark place and shine brighter than ever. She refused to leave the camp when the Marines came to rescue her and her colleague. She said she wouldn't leave if they wouldn't take the villagers with them. She argued that even though she was incapable of saving their loved ones, at least these few villagers deserve a new start. Thanks to her all twenty four of them are now here in the States. Thanks to her they can start a new life."
"Wow, that's heavy," Zeke says.
"Yeah," I agree with him. I look at my watch and realize it's past eleven p.m. We should go home and let these people rest, but I don't want to leave Tris. I know she is protected and taken care of, but I still want to be here to watch over her. Maybe one day I can.
"I think it's time we all leave," Zeke says.
"Thank you for telling us all this," Shauna says.
"You have the right to know the truth and she deserves that people know the truth about her," Matt says.
"She is really nice," Marlene says.
"You don't know half of it," Matt says smiling. "I've known her since she was born and every day she amazes me more. Only by truly getting to know her you will see how amazing she really is. The funny part about that is, she doesn't seem to understand how great she is. She sees herself as the ugly duckling, the person that is always picked last during games or whatever her pretty little head things. She doesn't understand how amazing and beautiful and unique she is. Unique in a good way. I am happy and proud that I'm related to her and I haven't stopped bragging about my awesome cousin Tris ever since she helped my mom, so for the past seventeen years actually. She actually helped me save a fellow Marine's life when I was in Iraq. I called her and she walked me through the procedure. It was like she was guiding my hands to do the right thing. I just allowed her to operate on my friend using my hands. He lives today because of her."
"And because of you," Christina says smiling at him.
"Yeah, but I was only a tool in her hand," he says bashful. "Listen, if you really want to be friends with Tris give her time and be nice to her. She deserves some real friends. But if you still believe the things Caleb said about her just leave her alone. I can't stand seeing her cry like that," he says looking toward his bedroom. "She hasn't even cried that hard when her parents died," he says.
"That's because their death was final," her uncle says. "She is a scientist and she understands that death is part of life. She accepted the fact that her parents were gone and she mourned them. But this is different, Matt. Her brother betrayed her in the most cruel way. If I would compare this to any story of the good book I would say it's a Cain and Able story and you all know how that went. We need to be here for her and support her and help her get over the fact that her brother doesn't deserve a single tear that drops from that angel's eyes."
We all say goodbye after that and head home. All the way back to my apartment I keep thinking of everything that happened these past two days. All the things Tris went through are extraordinary, both good and bad. I thought my life was bad having an abusive father, but Tris' life was even worse. Yeah, she was successful and she had a good job, but how much did she have to give up to get here? She grew up without her parents and brother, she never had a real childhood, she never went to high school or the prom or homecoming dance or any of those silly things girls like. While girls her age picked out dresses and make-up and talked about boys and other stuff like that she made a difference in the world, not just in medicine but also helping charities to sponsor people in need, whether in the country or abroad. She did one amazing thing after the other, being applauded by thousands, but the only people she really cared about were her parents and brother. Her parents surely loved her and were proud of her, but now that they were gone they couldn't tell her that ever again. And her brother... The sole thought of him makes me angry. That bastard can be happy I haven't continued beating down on him. If it wouldn't have been for Uriah and Zeke I'm sure I would have killed him. The vile things he said to her. He hurt her over and over again and still he blamed her for ruining everything. And Cara? How could she forgive him? How could she forgive a monster like him and blame Tris as well? That girl never did anything to hurt anyone and yet she gets hurt the most.
I finally reach my apartment and walk up the stairs and fish out my key from my pocket. I unlock my door and enter. I switch on the lights and take my jacket and shoes off. I walk into my small kitchen and drink a glass of water. I put it in the sink and then walk toward my bedroom. I switch off the light in the hallway and enter my room. I pull the shirt I'm wearing over my head and quickly get rid of my pants. I drop onto the bed and close my eyes. I have a hard time falling asleep, my mind races to the restaurant where Tris is crying bitterly and it breaks my heart. Eventually, I fall asleep and dream of a smiling Tris. A smiling Tris in my arms. A smiling Tris in my arms showered by dozens of my kisses.
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