Here it is (finally!)...

Okay, first off I'd like to say I'm sorry that it took me so long to get this part posted. Thanks for being patient, guys. Let me know what you think of the it!

~ Izzy

Coloring Tails Chapter I part II

“Why is he not getting better? You said it would take four months, Doctor Ryan. It’s been over six and Jake is still withdrawing in school, and now he is withdrawing from Dad and I! His teachers are reporting that in class, he is always either looking out the window or reading books he’s not supposed to be. What did he say this morning?” Mom had been circling the table and she now stopped to the left of Doctor Ryan, leaning on the table as if for support. Doctor Ryan had been watching her carefully and now hesitated before wetting her lips and speaking softly.

“He didn’t speak; he looked out the window behind me.” Mom slammed her right hand on the table before Dad spoke up in a patient voice.

“Doctor Ryan is trying her hardest, Mom.”

“No, no, she’s not! If she were trying her hardest, Jake would be speaking to her, he would be behaving in school, and he would not be withdrawing from us! Doctor Ryan is not serving her community; she is letting one of us slip by. I think Jake needs a better therapist, a stronger system to fix him, and less ability to access books.” Doctor Ryan's eyes widened.

“You don’t mean putting him in a center?”

“Exactly,” Mom said firmly, “Admit it, Doctor Ryan, you have failed. Jake is too much for you. We need to deal with this now!”

“Jake is seventeen! All the other in the center are older than twenty-five.”

“Doctor Ryan, we all must grow up. You must grow up enough to let him go.” Mom’s last comment had a smirk to it. Doctor Ryan knew Jake better than anyone, even though he didn’t talk with her all the time, and she knew the center would not help Jake. She also knew Mom didn’t like her and wanted to get rid of her. Mom didn’t like the fact that Doctor Ryan was the only female working with the board, Dad, and her. Dad and Doctor Ryan were supposed to marry, but Dad fell in love with Mom and Doctor Ryan had decided to become a therapist. Dad and Doctor Ryan had kept a friendship, both for work sake and because they had been friends almost all their life, though, it was strained with Mom’s jealousy. She also didn’t like that Jake was closer to Doctor Ryan than he was to her; Jake sometimes referred to Doctor Ryan as his “second Mom.” He would never call her Mom, but chose Oma, which stood for Mommy in the second language that everyone spoke.

“He’s not crazy.” Mom laughed, an evil look coming onto her face.

“Anyone who reads books on colors IS crazy.” Mom’s look dared Doctor Ryan to speak and Doctor Ryan tried to brave the look when one of the board spoke up.

“Doctor Ryan has helped with some of the hardest cases. She has the experience of ten years and has never done anything, or said anything, that leaves reason to doubt her work. Her opinion should be weighed.” The rest of the board nodded before looking at Dad, who had the final say. They were used to the arguments between Mom and Doctor Ryan. When Dad had first announced that he would marry Mom and Doctor Ryan, just W Ryan then, would become a therapist, the board had been distraught. Doctor Ryan and Dad had been childhood friends- she was the only girl who wasn’t scared of his parents, who were now gone- and the board and his parents had always supported that idea. Mom had come to the community at twenty-seven from a neighboring community and Dad had met her soon after. Dad’s parents had taken three years to decide absolutely not. The board, since Dad’s parents were the ones who owned the machine for colors, had agreed with Dad’s parents. Dad had then taken things into his own hands and gotten Mom pregnant so that Dad’s parents were forced to agree. After running his hands through his hair, Dad looked at Doctor Ryan and Mom.

There were times when Dad wished he had just married Doctor Ryan or she had not decided to become a therapist, though he knew that had always been a dream of hers. He hated having to act as peacemaker between them because Mom always assumed he was doing it because he still was in love with Doctor Ryan. A part of him did love Doctor Ryan, it probably always would, but he knew that they wouldn’t have been happy together. As friends they were fine, but anything more and they would probably fall apart. Doctor Ryan was shy and insecure while Mom was outgoing and secure. Dad knew that if Doctor Ryan found out about the colors, she would want people to have them. In a way, Dad wished he could give the colors to people, but the board and his parents had drilled into his head since he was very young that colors would lead to rebellion and violence. Yet, Doctor Ryan loved children while Mom was indifferent towards them and got after Dad when he showed affection towards Jake.

“I think you both are right. Doctor Ryan will work with Jake another two weeks. If no progress is made, if he does not say anything, we will admit him. If there is progress, things will stay as they stand. Doctor Ryan, remember you say nothing unless he speaks to you. I suggest we now close the meeting and leave the guards to their job.” The meeting closed and Dad drove with Mom home. Jake was in bed asleep when Dad peered in on him on his way to bed after Mom.



Teal. I have seen Teal, but what does it mean? I sit in Doctor Ryan’s room wondering over last night as I watch the sunrise. I realize, as I’m sitting there, Doctor Ryan looks troubled and I wonder why. I wonder what Dad, Mom, and the board say to her these days. Do they blame her? Is that why she didn’t say good morning to me and ask how I am this morning? I know Mom blames her; every time she talks about Doctor Ryan or Doctor Ryan’s name is brought up, her eyes narrow slightly and her voice becomes the tiniest tone lower. Dad seems annoyed these days, but I am unable to figure out if it is because of Doctor Ryan or because of the colors. It is hard to control them and it takes someone watching over the machine, or whatever they have controlling them, every second of every day. I know now that cloudy days are really just days that the board is having a hard time controlling the colors, and beyond the clouds are colors- bright colors, dull colors, beautiful colors, ugly colors, and so many more.


Doctor Ryan was discouraged at the end of the session, but she tried to cover it with a smile, which ended up looking totally, utterly fake. Jake paused in the doorway, frowning as he looked at her, before reaching out and giving her a gentle, kind squeeze on the shoulder. Doctor Ryan took it as maybe a sign of improvement and the fakeness left her smile becoming a warm smile. Jake smiled back at her and left, shutting the door firmly behind him. That’s how it is, she thought, there’s always a door between us.