Dreamstone

The Professor

Seeing Rebecca calmed me down, a little. We were up in her large bedroom, sitting on her railed bed in the corner, whilst the twins played with Rebecca's dog, a beautiful collie called Bonnie, taking our first chance for a private word. She agreed that it could not be a coincidence about the name, but suggested that if Professor Rand was related to Sir Edgar it just meant that he was even more of an expert about the Dreamstone. She chided me a little for going into such a blind panic, pointing out that worrying Caroline was not going to make things any easier. In her opinion, we had to take things slowly and be sure that our next move was the right one. But I was still worried about the name, about Professor Rand, because something was gnawing away at the back of my mind.

"You did rather rush into the whole second touching plan," Roberta mumbled, whispering into my ear. "And it didn't work very well...so, we have to find out more about what we are dealing with here...which makes Professor Rand extremely important...he seems to know a lot about the stone..."

"I know...but the name just freaked me out..."

"Obviously...but the more you freak out, the less inclined Auntie Caroline will be to let you out of her sight...she is really worried about you, Catherine." My best friend insisted, picking at the skirts of her purple dress. I was in red with white trimmings, like the adorable twins, as always. "It will be hard enough getting any time together when we all go back to school, next week...you have got to try and calm down..."

"Has he replied yet?" I demanded, watching Grace and Chloe with Bonnie. It was fine telling me to calm down, but I could not stop my brain going over and over everything.

"Yes...a huge long email...he answered some of our questions, but he says he can't help us unless he knows the full story...I mean, everything. He wanted to know about the contact you originally made with the Dreamstone, what you were thinking...and then all about the second touching...but I think that means he thinks he can help...or he thinks he can?"

"He wasn't surprised about what we told him?"

"Not at all...he says that lots of people are changed by the Dreamstone...but he was surprised that you were upset about it...he said that the Dreamstone never makes mistakes. So, he thinks the...and I quote...unintentional nature of your first encounter may have caused a malfunction of some sort...which is sort of what we thought, because you and Cate were knocked into each other, remember? But he wants to know more..."

"Of course, I remember! So, can we reply to him today?"

"Hopefully...I saw some of my dance class yesterday, so Mummy will probably let me say thank you and stuff...if I ask nicely..."

Mrs Scott, or Auntie Debra as she was to me, and the twins, kept a much closer eye on us, if anything, than Mummy would have done. She called us down from Rebecca's bedroom to let us play games in her large, open kitchen. She gave us milk and cookies, which was nice, but did not let us alone. Especially me. She checked my diaper twice, and the second time, decided that it was time for a change. So, she took my hand and led me back upstairs, and laid me on a towel on her bed, as she did not have a changing table.

"No nonsense today, Catherine." She warned, as she lifted my dress back.

"I will be good, Auntie Debra, I promise." I replied, as expected. I did not really like being changed by anyone except Caroline, but as I had begged to be allowed to stay with Rebecca, I knew that I would have to let Mrs Scott change me.

"Your Mummy says you are being very good for her lately...and you are clearly very fond of my Rebecca, all of a sudden, little one?"

"She is my best friend, Auntie Debra."