A Summer's Tragedy

The warm, summer sunlight entered Callisto's bedroom, and it woke him up. For a while, the dark room blinded him, and everything gradually became apparent. He stood up, got out of his room and continued walking towards the dining room where his father, Sebastian, and mother, Dorothy, were sitting on the chairs by the long table filled with delicious foods.

"You're awake. So, how's your first day here, son?" Sebastian asked.

"Pretty good." Callisto sat down on the chair beside the table.

"So, do you want to stroll around and see Mount Octover?" Dorothy asked.

"Yup, I want to climb the mountain and play in the snow at the top."

"No-no!" Sebastian exclaimed.

"Why, dad? Don't you want me to get there?" Callisto asked.

"No, I mean you must not climb to the top of the mountain."

"Why, dad?" Callisto queried.

"You may fall and your legs may break." There's a worried frown on Sebastian's face and a seriousness in his words.

"But dad, I'm not that little anymore," Callisto complained.

"Just follow what your father says, son. It's for your safety too," Dorothy advised.

"For my safety?" Callisto screamed in his mind. "What's that even mean?"

Sebastian stood up and went towards the sink. He washed his hands and got out of the house. His eyes widened and he began to stare at the high mountain that loomed ahead. It's peak is flat and snowy. An obscure scene played in Sebastian's mind. He firmly held his head, and an expression of pain appeared on his face. The world turned dark as he lost consciousness.

As Callisto glimpsed through the window of his room, he saw his father, who was lying on the ground in their yard. His feet abruptly brought him outside. As an instinct, he shouted for help, and his mother went out too.

"Don't worry, darling, everything will be fine," Dorothy said.

The ambulancemen immediately brought Sebastian to the nearest hospital with his wife. Meanwhile, Callisto was struck by panic. He couldn't calm himself, so he used their car to follow his parents to the hospital, and he left his seven-year-old sister alone in their house.

After a few moments, Callisto arrived at the hospital. He asked a nurse if she knew where his father's room was. Eventually, he went towards the room where his mother and father were talking about something. Callisto halted by the door and eavesdropped on his parents' conversation.

"I warned you not to choose this location for your vacation because it will only make your head ache. The doctor told me that you must not think about anything bad, or else, you can't only get this," Dorothy advised.

"Until now, I'm curious about those things that will just suddenly interrupt my mind." Sebastian held Dorothy's hand. "Please tell me anything that happened in the past, so that I will be enlightened."

"Okay, so I'll tell you, but you must take a rest first. Have peace of mind."

Sebastian let go of Dorothy's hand and slightly shook his head. He is discombobulated about everything. He didn't even know his name or that he had a family if the woman beside him hadn't told him. But when it came to the past, he knew nothing. He didn't even know how much he loved Dorothy.

The door cried out, and a handsome boy glimpsed through it. Dorothy looked back and saw her son, who was showing an expression of being worried. Callisto went towards them and sat down on the chair beside his mother.

"Is he just okay?" Callisto asked his mother.

"Don't worry, son, he can't die just because of amnesia," Dorothy replied. "By the way, why did you leave your sister alone in our house, huh?"

"Sorry mother, I'm just worried about him. But because he's just fine, as what you've said, I will go back to our house now." Callisto stood up and attempted to walk out of the room when his mother stopped him.

"Wait son." Dorothy walked towards him.

"Yes, mom?" Callisto was surprised when he received a clasp from his mother.

"Thank you," Dorothy whispered in his ear and cried.

"Oh, come on, don't be overacting."

Dorothy eventually let go of Callisto, who also hurriedly went out of the hospital. He got inside the car and drove back home. As he drives on, there's an ugly girl whom Callisto thinks is insane because she won't get out of his way. So, Callisto got out of his car and started going towards her.

"Are you crazy?" Callisto asked in a mad manner.

The girl didn't say anything and didn't move either. Callisto heard the sounds of the horns of the cars behind them. But however he begged the ugly girl to get out of the way, she just cried and was determined to commit suicide. Callisto can do nothing but carry the girl and bring her with him.

After a few moments of being lulled, they could almost reach the house when the girl cried out again, like a hungry infant who's searching for her mother's breasts. Callisto stopped the car and brought her out.

"Sucks! Can you stop that piercing sound?" Callisto complained and turned to leave, but after five steps towards his car, he finally heard the girl's normal voice, but it still sounded abnormal after all.

"You sucks! Why didn't you just let me die?" She exclaimed.

Those words made Callisto look back and grab the girl's shoulder. It was firm, and that could make her tears drip with some pain, but not the one caused by him. What he did next was, perhaps, the explanation why he didn't let her die on that riotous road. His lips took the wrong path, and where it went made the girl curious.

Without anything else, the girl pushed Callisto away, but not too far, just at the front of her, still lulled, looking at each other's eyes, which sparkled with curiosity. Seconds elapsed, and the ugly girl collapsed...

Callisto came back to earth and found himself standing by the girl who was lying on the ground. He lowered his knees and checked if she was still breathing, and found out that he was lucky. Callisto drove the car with the strange, out of consciousness, girl who looked pitiable to him.

The car eventually stopped at the front of a massive, lonely house that looked like a castle, standing on the contrasty earth surrounded by high mountains. It was Callisto's grandparents' house. His grandparents gave it to his father before they died, especially since Sebastian was the only child among them.

Meanwhile, the strange girl woke up, and she immediately chided Callisto. She's thinking that he wants to do something wrong with her, but that's absolutely not in his vocabulary.

"Fck! What are you going to bring me here?" The girl asked.

Callisto was lulled. He wonders if what was the reason why he brought a strange girl into his house. He couldn't think clearly, but his eyes stayed on her face, which was filled with sweat, dust, pollution, and tears. The girl scratched her head and turned to leave when Callisto said something.

"Hey, wait!" Callisto exclaimed.

"Why?" The girl turned back, but continued stepping backward.

"Have you eaten? And please don't get yourself struck by those cars!"

"And who are you to ask me that? Are you my boyfriend?"

"No, I'm just a concerned citizen. And don't you see that you can do many things with your life? Why do you want to end it here?"

"That's not your business anymore, so don't interfere." She continued walking.

"If that's what you want. By the way, I'm Callisto."

The girl didn't mind him, who was eager to get to know her; she just continued walking until she disappeared from Callisto's eyes.

"Who is she?" Ruth (Callisto's younger sister) asked.

"Nothing. Just a new friend of mine," Callisto replied.

"Will you invite her to play with us? Please?"

"She's busy, so we shall not bother her. Just play with me, baby girl." Callisto carried his sister and went towards their house.

On the other hand, the strange, ugly, abnormal, and a bit insane girl can't forget what happened. She couldn't believe that a handsome boy would stop her from committing suicide. Would that boy still show his face to her if she didn't want to die? Perhaps not, she thought, because she's ugly.

"Oh Stalin, where did you go?" Linley (her friend) asked. "Your mother is searching for you. You will be scolded by her again, for sure."

"I just strolled around, and do you know what happened?"

"No?" Linley sounded askance.

"I met a handsome boy. As in, he's so handsome. He has short bronze hair, bronze eyes, high eyelashes, pinkish lips, etcetera, etcetera."

"Wake up, my friend. Ask the mirror first before you talk about that."

"Linley? But he's not just handsome. He... kissed... me."

Linley chuckled at her friend. "That's just hunger. You must go now."

After a few moments, Linley took a different path from Stalin, who eventually reached her house, and what happened next could be one of the reasons why she wanted those cars to run over her. Stalin's mother is a grim woman who could slap her face a hundred times!

Stalin lowered her knees on the rugged floor. "Mother, mother, please forgive me! I will never do that again!" She implored.

"You don't even have a job to buy your own needs, then you'll also make me pay for your funeral, huh?" The woman scowled.

Stalin was lulled. She finally realized that nobody cared for her since her father was accused of stealing and then died. But she also knew that no matter how many tears flowed from her eyes, nothing would change.

"Now go to your room, because the dusk has gathered!" She commanded.

"Wait, mother, wait!" Stalin cried. "I don't want to be alone!" She screamed, but it was too late because a powerful force, like a million magnets, drew her inside her bedroom. The door boomed, and she couldn't go out lest the sun show.

"It was a curse that Stalin could only go out of their house during the daytime, and when dusk came, she could do nothing against the strong force that was pulling and imprisoning her inside her bedroom. And that's simply the exact reason why she wanted to die, because she couldn't do many things in her life if there was something limiting her."

Tears run down Stalin's face while punching the door, but however she did it, she only got pain and her eyes were out of tears. It was the heartless goddess, she remembered, her mother told her that she was the one who cursed her.

The sun comes up, but Callisto is already inside their kitchen, preparing their breakfast, because he knows that his parents are exhausted from what happened yesterday, and his younger sister isn't of age to do household chores. It occurred to him how insane it was. He was aware that he should not trust strangers he met anywhere, but what else could he do? He doesn't have any friends in the town of Isabela. He can play with no one but his little sister.

Anyway, he thought, he's not that little anymore to play with children. He has to be mature, because nobody stays young, and death. He knew death was inevitable, and although sometimes he wanted to be a cat, which is believed to have nine lives, still, what he remembered was his father. He observes how his black hair has turned gray, but he still wants to enjoy his teenage life before acting like a column in their home.

"Why am I thinking this?" He thought and sat down on the chair beside the table. "Perhaps thinking like this tells me that I'm not that little anymore."

After a few moments, Callisto heard some footsteps going towards the kitchen, and he knew who it was. No one other than the person he was thinking about, and he's thankful that amnesia can't kill a human.

"You woke up early?" Sebastian asked.

"I thought you couldn't go with us going to Mount Octover today," Callisto replied.

"It's our second day here, and the first one wasn't as good as we expected, but we can make the second unforgettable." Sebastian reminded, then got the electric heater, tested if it had boiled water, and continued walking towards the wardrobe.

"This town has a lot of crazy girls," Callisto said.

"And why won't you just play them instead of going to Mount Octover?"

"With those jerks? It would be better to play with my sister."

"Well, that's your choice. But don't forget to, you know, hang out sometimes, with friends and even strangers." Sebastian advised, then blended his coffee and sat down on the chair beside his son. "There are many beautiful girls out there, so have some fun."

"I wish to know that too, but I actually don't want to die young."

"And why are you thinking about that? Those girls won't kill you, right?"

"I can't trust those who could even kill them themselves. How much more others?"

"Who's she? Tell me and I'll call the police." Sebastian suddenly stood up.

"Don't be mad, dad. I'm just joking."

"I know you're joking, and I'm not as mad as you think!" Sebastian half-shouted. He left his empty cup on the table and went back into their bedroom.

Meanwhile, Callisto also feels like it's not summer yet, but winter as the cold air chills him. He didn't expect that it would be the climate of the town. But he knew that it was just caused by altitude, and if they came back to downtown, for sure, they would be like dust in the torrid desert.

Not bad at all, he thought. Now he knows the reason why his father chose to have a vacation in this place, and that's because of the tempting climate. Unfortunately, Callisto didn't bring any girls to help him make his bed warm. So, he just stood up and went to his parents' room.

Callisto acted in a manner that did not give any privacy to those who wanted to make love, and then, his parents were not surprised at all that their son was glimpsing through the door of their bedroom. They both know that they made Callisto through it, but they were still frozen and eventually stopped.

"Oh, what are you doing in our room, huh?" Dorothy asked.

"I... Can I borrow your coat, dad?" Callisto replied, and shivered.

"It's on the washing machine, but you can check the closet upstairs."

"Okay, thanks. You can continue what you're doing now." Callisto slammed the door of his parents' bedroom and went upstairs.

Callisto opened the door of what was once his grandparent's bedroom, but currently, nobody's using this room, except the dust that could almost cover itself. There was an old closet behind the door, and Callisto didn't hesitate to open it.

His father wasn't wrong, he thought. There were two pairs of coats and pants, all bloody red in color, and that attracted Callisto's eyes. He didn't know how these branded clothes hung in this old closet, but that's not important anymore. He locked the door and tried them all, and found out that they all fitted.

The door upstairs cried out, and a handsome boy in bloody red clothes eventually went out. And he's not content with what he wears. He also brought the other pairs, and as he felt in that, he walked out of their house and bragged about it to his younger sister, as there were no other people to talk with.

"Handsome," Ruth complimented. "Are you going to date a girl?"

"Oh! How could you know that, huh?" Callisto teased his sister, who had also run out of their house. Callisto chased Ruth, and they hadn't realized that they had already brought themselves to the foot of Mount Octover. The sun had just come out, and it stroked the glistening snow up the high mountain.

"I caught you," Callisto panted while going towards his sister.

"Brother look! Chunks of snow are falling down!" Ruth exclaimed.

"Goddammit, what trouble we brought here. Come on, run!"

Callisto held his sister's arm and ran, but while running, he completely carried Ruth in his back back to their house, as he knew that his younger sister would be buried by that snow if he didn't do that. After a few moments, the siblings stopped at the front of their house. It was still early, but sweat covered their whole bodies. Ruth attempted to open the door, but Callisto stopped her.

"Wait." Callisto warned, "Promise me first that you won't tell mom and dad."

"Why? Don't you want them to play with us?" Ruth replied, and she completely opened the door, which made her brother scratch his head. Callisto took a deep breath and followed her.

Their parents were completely awake, and it seemed that they were mad. But Callisto can do nothing against what they felt, and what should they feel about what happened? He knew that they were just worried, especially about his sister. He sat on the couch inside the living room and turned on the television, but then his mother came and turned it off.

"God. What did you do to Ruth?" Dorothy asked in a mad manner. "Don't you want to say sorry, huh?"

"Sorry," Callisto whispered, and he laid down on the couch.

"You're not that little anymore. Have fun with older people, not with your sister," Dorothy advised. "Okay?"

Callisto is just lying on the upholstered couch in an inverted position. He's not really listening to his mother's counsel. He realized he wasn't that little anymore, so he stood up and walked out of their house, walking as if he really wanted to run away from their house.

After a few moments of walking, Callisto reached the bench where he made his first kiss with the girl whom he didn't even know. He sat down there for a while and waited for something terrible to happen, but an hour elapsed, there was nothing, and he completely fell asleep from tiredness.

Across the street, there were four sexy girls wearing black and pink flimsy clothes. One of them was Linley, and they noticed the boy who was lying on the bench and sleeping soundly like a beggar.

"Look at that boy," Delilah said. "Do you think what I think?"

"Let's go, girls!" Adelaide said, and they went towards Callisto.

"He's so handsome," Caroline complimented.

Handsome, Linley thought. She remembered the emigrant boy who talked about Stalin to her. And this boy lying on this bench has short bronze hair, bronze eyes, high eyelashes, pinkish lips, etcetera etcetera, and he wears bloody red clothes.

"Wait, what are you going to do with him?" Linley asked.

"What do you think? I can flirt with him and be his girlfriend," Delilah replied.

"Are you out of your mind? He's handsome and young, but for sure there are also many girls chasing him. He'll just fool you," Linley said.

"Linley had a point. So let's go, girls!" Adelaide interrupted

The four girls left the spot where Callisto was, but Linley didn't. She was just looking at his face. Her mind was telling her to go, but her eyes wouldn't leave his face, and then she eventually sat down on the bench beside him. After a few moments, Callisto awoke, and he saw the beautiful girl.

"Hi," Callisto said as he sat straight on the bench.

"Hi... Um... Just... I just passed by when I saw you here," Linley stammered.

Callisto unexpectedly said, "Thanks."

"For what?" Linley asked in a curious manner.

"For driving those crazy girls away."

Linley was ashamed. "So, you were just listening to us?" She asked.

Callisto nodded and stood up. "By the way, I'm Callisto. And you?"

"Linley."

"Honestly, I have a friend named Stalin, and she already told me something about you. You know, with bronze hair and bronze eyes. She's a bit crazy, but it seemed that she had infected me too."

"Oh, I thought she was crazy, but it seems that she has many friends. Do you know that she attempted to commit suicide by letting those cars run over her?" Callisto asked.

"I don't know that, but perhaps because she was just exhausted and wanted to sleep on that road so she couldn't wake up anymore. Stalin is just a bit crazy. Do you know that she even told me that a boy like you kissed her? Is that true?"

"That girl is undoubtedly crazy. She doesn't know how to lie."

"So do you mean you did it?"

"I didn't... I don't know. I was busy, and... I have forgotten what I really did."

"That's just okay. I'm not the one for you to talk about that. Well, if you want to talk with me, just come here. You know, let's hang out sometimes." Linley shook her shoulder left and right as she stood up and was surprised when someone held her shoulder.

"You're just here. I have been searching for you," Lazaro (Linley's friend) said. "Who's he?"

"Callisto, dude." Callisto introduced himself and offered a handshake, but Lazaro didn't accept it.

"You don't have to know who I am, and please, Linley, stop talking with strangers, and you boy must return to where you came from," Lazaro advised.

"What are you?" Linley asked, referring to "Who are you to tell us what to do?"

"Just follow me if you don't want to be beaten," Lazaro warned.

"You can beat a girl without any reason?" Callisto queried, then grasped his palm. Lazaro saw it as well. "Why won't you beat someone who's stronger than you?" He challenged.

"Do you think that you're stronger than me, huh? Then let's-" Lazaro hadn't finished saying his words when Linley interrupted.

"Can you just stop fighting? We're not here to fight!" Linley exclaimed.

Callisto thought that the second day of their vacation in the town of Isabela would be better than the first one, but what happened is definitely worse than what it was. He ran away from home, and now he wondered if his parents were searching for him. And it seems that he brought himself to a fight.

Fortunately, a friend of Linley isn't as bad as what Callisto thought. It was just a little explanation, although they didn't really need to explain anything to make Lazaro believe that not all strangers were untrustworthy.

"Okay, you win. You don't really need to ask my permission if you want this man to stay in your house. Your parents left you to me, and if he lost my trust, you must not blame me that I failed to warn you," Lazaro reminded.

Afterward, the three began walking on the road, but not long as Lazaro told them that he would be going somewhere. A few moments later, Linley told Callisto that they were already at the front of their house.

"Sorry, this is just our house," Linley apologized.

"No, you don't need to say that. Because I had bothered you, I must be the one to apologize. But I really need somewhere to stay," Callisto replied.

"Okay, but I still want to say sorry for my friend. I thought you didn't mind him. You know, Lazaro was just protecting me, but the truth is that he just didn't want my parents to scold him."

"So, let's get inside?" Linley opened the door and stepped inside their house. "Actually, you're lucky that my parents are not here these weeks. You know, they are always busy at work, especially when summer arrives."

"Are you sure that you'll let me let the night pass by here?"

"Why? Don't you want to?" Linley asked.

"Of course I want. What I mean is that if you really trust me."

"I don't trust strangers, but I trust you."

"Well, thanks for trusting me, and I'll not throw that away."

"Come on, don't be shy. Do you want anything? Coffee? Water?"

"Water would be great. I haven't drunk since I left home."

As Callisto sat down on the couch, Linley disappeared into their kitchen and came back with two bottles of distilled water. She threw one to Callisto, who also caught it, and sat down beside him.

"So, do you have a plan to go back?" Linley asked.

"Perhaps when it becomes cooler, but summer seems too long."

"Summer is long, but still, winter won't refuse to come," Linley advised.

"By the way, you told me that Stalin was a friend of yours. Why won't we go to their house?" Callisto asked. "That girl was interesting," he mumbled.

"No problem. I can lead you to their house. But there is one thing you need to know: that Stalin's mother isn't so good as you thought."

"Stalin's mother?"

"Yup, her father died... He was killed after being accused of stealing."

"That's tragic, and perhaps your friend needs commiseration."

"You've told me that you want to visit Stalin. So what are you waiting for?" Linley walked towards the door, and so did Callisto. "Let's go!"

While walking on the road towards Stalin's house. Callisto met three people he hadn't expected to meet. It was his family who were looking for him, and now they found him, but it seemed that Callisto didn't want to go home.

"Son, we've been searching for you. Where have you been? Don't you want to go home? Have you eaten your breakfast? How about lunch?" Dorothy asked in a continuous and worried manner.

There were many questions that swirled around Dorothy's head, and they all told us that she was worried about her son, but she couldn't express them all through words, but through her embrace.

"Don't be an overacting mom. I'm just fine, and look, I have a new friend," Callisto replied, which made her mother let go of him and stepped backward.

"Oh! Who's this beautiful girl, huh?" Dorothy asked.

"She's Linley. Linley, they are family." Callisto went towards Ruth. "And this is my younger sister Ruth, who's so cute." He cheerfully introduced them to each other.

"Nice to meet you, auntie, uncle, and Ruth." Linley smiled.

"Are you my brother's girlfriend?" Ruth asked.

Sebastian and Dorothy snickered.

"She's just your brother's friend, baby girl," Dorothy said.

"But brother Callisto already has a friend," Ruth complained.

"Okay, okay, if you want her to be your brother's girlfriend, then fine."

Hearing those words, a pink tinge grew on Linley's face, but Callisto was really lulled because their topic was absolutely not in his vocabulary. He suddenly carried his sister, which made her laugh.

"So, will you go home with us?" Sebastian asked.

Callisto looked at Linley and remembered that they were going to Stalin's house. The choices brought him between the devil and the deep blue sea. He knows that someone always has a choice, but sometimes it's just difficult to choose.

He said, "Sorry dad, but I have somewhere to go right now."

"No, you don't need to say that, son. You can go back home later, but don't let the dusk fall before going home," Sebastian replied.

"Thanks dad!" Callisto exclaimed. "And bye." He went away with Linley.

"Our son isn't really that little anymore." Sebastian frowned.

"Children are growing and they're not forever young. The day that they need to build a life by themselves won't refuse to come, but don't worry about Callisto, my love, because we still have this little girl." Dorothy's hands were perched upon Ruth's shoulders who is smiling, although she was sad to hear those words from her parents.

"Don't worry mom and dad. Whatever happens, I won't leave you," Ruth said.

On the other hand, Callisto and Linley eventually arrived at Stalin's house, which is just like any other common house in the town of Isabela. Linley went near and knocked on the door several times, but nobody answered.

A few moments elapsed, the door cried out, and a girl with knotted hair, a round head like a watermelon, and black eyes that sparkled and were still visible within her graded eyeglasses glimpsed through the door.

"Hello," Callisto said.

"Oh! Linley, what are you doing here with this boy?" Stalin asked.

"Callisto wants to see you," Linley replied. "Is your mother here?"

"My mother is at the market. Come, let's get inside while she's not back."

Linley entered the door of her friend's house, but it seemed that Callisto didn't want to enter there; therefore, Linley went back towards him, grabbed his hand, and pulled him inside Stalin's house, which is made of polished wood throughout.

"Come, sit here." Stalin offered them seats inside. "Sorry guys, I haven't fixed anything here. Well, do I need to do that just for you? By the way, can you tell me the reason why you want to see me?"

For a while, silence spread throughout the living room. It seemed that they didn't want to tell the exact reason why they wanted to see Stalin, especially that they didn't want her to think that they also believed, in other people's words, that she's an insane girl who needs commiseration, but most of all, is attention.

"Do you have a plan to tell me or will you both be just lulled there looking at each other?" Stalin asked. "Is there something between you, huh?"

"I'm sorry Stalin, but honestly, we have realized that you need someone to talk with and now we are here to talk with you. I hope you don't mind if..." Callisto hadn't finished saying his words when Stalin interrupted.

"Who are you to say that? Are you my boyfriend? Of course not, so you don't need someone to talk with and if you don't really have an important reason why you're here now, sitting on the seats I offered, then you must go before I can push you out of here!" Stalin exclaimed.

"You seem to be not considering me as your friend anymore, Stalin." Linley slightly shook her head. "If you want us to go, then you don't need to shout. Just because of that." She stood up. "Let's go, Callisto. Leave that crazy girl behind."

"But." Callisto hesitated, although Linley's blood was boiling.

"If she can't talk with us in a gentle manner, then that's not our business anymore. Let's go if you don't want to be dragged by that insane person!" Linley grabbed Callisto's arm and pulled him out of Stalin's house.

Meanwhile, Stalin seems to have collapsed on the floor. She cried out without tears, but then she laughed as if she was tickled by many things, and she cried and laughed again, crying like an infant out of her mother's breasts.

"What's happening to that girl?" Callisto queried.

"Don't mind her," Linley replied. "People were right, she's a psycho."

"No, she's not a psycho. We just don't understand her."

"What? After what she did, you can still say that?"

"Yup, she shouted at us to get out of her house, but it doesn't mean that she doesn't really want to talk with us, and most of all, that house doesn't belong to us."

"But how could she do that if we just wanted to help her?"

"Stop. We have to stop this conversation, which is going to lead to a fight. Look, I don't want to contradict what you believed in about what's happening to Stalin, so please don't contradict what I believed in too." Callisto tried to explain, but Linley wouldn't let him as she went away without saying anything.

Callisto scratched his head. This day is even worse, he thought, but he could do nothing except go back to the people who truly understand him. He knew that however he would explain his point of view to Linley, she wouldn't understand it lest they switch their positions.