Summertime Haze
Part 1.3 - The Counselor
A few days after his birthday, Henry received the first bill for his rent. It was… higher than he’d thought it would have been. It was so high that Henry more or less spent the rest of the money he’d saved for college.
He’d spent a significant amount of his cash hiring a local business owned by a Mr. Sergio Esparza, which worked to modify his house into a layout that was more to his liking. Along with that, Henry has gone out and but some cheap and used furniture to make the house less like an ‘old lady’s’. Henry wasn’t going to admit to himself that what Bennett had said had affected him, but, subconsciously, he knew that was the reason he was spending all this money.
Sitting on his new furniture in his newly redone house, Henry regretting everything and panicked. He spent the rest of the morning frantically searching for something he could do for a job. As he searched on his computer, he sipped a coffee, which didn’t do anything to help his anxiety.
A few hours in, Henry found a small graphic design business looking for some employees. The pay wasn’t high, but the employer didn’t request much experience and allowed him to work from home. He was all about not leaving home. Henry wasn’t really keen on running into Bennett again, and the best way to avoid him was staying inside with his curtains drawn.
The company wanted him to start immediately, and sent him a request for a poster advertising a Felix Beauchamp’s run for president. Henry sighed, but thanked the Mother that he’d taken up an interest in design back at home and had purchased an expensive design program.
Henry had been working for a few hours when there was a quiet knock on his door. It wasn’t loud and powerful like Bennett’s had been, so Henry got up and walked towards the door.
He opened it and was shocked to discover his school counselor from back in Newcrest, Mrs. Bowers.
“Mrs. Bowers?” Henry asked. “How are you here?”
“Could I come in Henry?” Mrs. Bowers asked.
Henry nodded slowly, and stepped out of the doorway.
Mrs. Bowers entered the house and looked around. “Lovely place.”
“Thanks,” Henry smiled awkwardly, very confused.
Mrs. Bowers ran her finger slowly down the edge of the couch as she crossed the room to sit in front of Henry’s tv.
“How did you get here, Mrs. Bowers? Or… I guess I mean, how’d you find me all the way in Willow Creek?”
“Please, call me Ellen,” Mrs. Bowers said, her expression cold and stoic. “And, come on Henry. It really isn’t that hard to track down a purchase of a house by an 18 year old.”
“19 now,” Henry smiled. “And really?”
Ellen laughed. “Heavens, no! As the school counselor, I have access to your various files, and I saw the change of address form filled for this house.”
Henry frowned.
“Anyway, would you be willing to prepare lunch for me? It was a very long, harrowing journey coming down here from Newcrest, and I’m practically fatigued,” Ellen sighed dramatically.
“…sure. I’ll make us sandwiches,” Henry said slowly.
“Lovely,” Ellen nodded.
Henry crossed the room to the kitchen and pulled out the ingredients for a sandwich. As he toasted the bread, he watched Ellen sit stoically on his couch. It was weird his school counselor has been bothered enough to follow him to Willow Creek. But, at the same time, school had ended a few weeks back. Maybe she’d simply had nothing better to do?
But, at the same time, Henry was technically done with school. He was too old to go back to high school now, he’d have to find a remedial school somewhere if he wanted to continue his education. It was no longer Ellen’s responsibility to deal with anything relating to Henry anymore.
Henry set the sandwiches down on the dining room table and called Ellen over.
“So,” Henry said as Ellen bit into the sandwich. “Why are you here, exactly?”
Ellen took a minute to finish chewing before speaking. “I’m worried about you Henry. You were so close to finishing your school career, and you gave it up like that!” Ellen snapped, a sound that reverberated loudly in the silent room.
“I’m too old to go back to school, I just don't understand…”
“I can see that you get your diploma,” Ellen said quietly. “You only had a week left of school, I can bring in the finals you needed to take.”
“Isn’t that, like… illegal?”
“No one wants to hire a high school dropout, Henry,” Ellen said seriously, completely avoiding Henry’s question. “If you want to get anywhere in life, you're going to need my help.”