This year, it was worse for everyone. Usually Marcus communicated some form of well wishes to his family in the event they were successful. Every year when the Return attempt failed, he would let them know he was back for another round. There was nothing from him. No one could be sure if anything had happened to him or even what could have possibly occurred that would keep him silent.
The possibilities were as endless as their imaginations, and their imaginations were rich and colorful. Distraction was the best route to take in Lilah’s mind. She felt bad for those who joined her uncle in trying to find news on Marcus’ whereabouts. She understood, of course, why they had to try, but she would drive herself crazy with worry if she thought about it for too long.
It wasn’t easy trying to come up with a good excuse to not hang out with Jackson tonight. She could only use family matters so many times before she would have to start answering questions about her family that she wasn’t ready to face. She told him she wasn’t feeling well and should stay home and rest.
This made Jackson want to change his plans to care for her. She knew that he often worried he was coming on too strong. Their connection was definite only he didn’t know the reason behind why he had such strong feelings for her from the start. She wanted to come out with the truth to him like she had with Everleigh, but whenever she saw it happening in her mind, the reaction wasn’t clear enough to risk. He was her match, so they would work out in the end. She just didn’t need to bring on any more trouble or stress right now than she already had until after the Return and after news from Marcus.
Eventually Jackson became more preoccupied as little children dressed as ghouls and princesses started steadily knocking on his door. Lilah used this as her chance to take a break from texting him by saying she was going to lay down on the couch and hang out with her family. She told him to text him before he went out to see if she was feeling better.
Lilah headed downstairs to join her family in the wait. They faced this year after year. The Return could be over at any time. The Divine Spirit always knew who would and would not show. Once everyone that would arrive was there, they would be told immediately that the opportunity had passed again for this year. Air and Earth were the only two Elements who made the Return attempt every single year. Fire came about as often as he didn’t show, but Water had never made the attempt once.
Her mom tried to make the wait a little less tense by asking how Jackson was doing and if he had any plans for Halloween.
Lilah didn’t answer her.
Her mom waved her hand in front of Lilah and said, “Hello? Are you there?”
“Yes, mom. I just don’t think anyone else here cares about what Jackson is up to right now. Besides, you can find out for yourself if you really wanted to know.”
“No, I can’t,” Abby told her then sucked in a breath like she regretted the words as soon as she said them.
“What do you mean you can’t?” Honestly Lilah probably wouldn’t have paid any attention to what her mom said if it hadn’t been for her reaction afterward.
“You must have blocked him at some point without realizing you were doing it,” Todd came to Abby’s rescue.
“I can do that?” Lilah hadn’t known it was possible. He was her match, so in a way, it made sense. Her mom had been able to block her before under certain situations. “How?”
“You were right, dear. Maybe not isn’t the time,” Abby answered not wanting to delve into it right now.
The minutes ticked by and no one said another word. Lilah felt her phone vibrate and checked the notification. It was from Everleigh telling her that she was missing a great party. She replied asking if Everleigh had heard anything about the attempt yet, but the answer was no.
She looked up and her family was staring at her. They couldn’t read Everleigh, but they could clearly read Lilah’s thoughts. It made her feel uncomfortable the way they were staring. It’s not like she had to tell them what had been said. They already knew.
“It’s alright, little one,” her dad told her. “They’re staring because they’re hoping for news soon. I think we all are willing your phone to receive another update from Everleigh.”
The wait was agonizing for her as well. She went out on the porch for some air. It was freezing outside, and it was enough that she wished she’d brought a jacket. She rubbed her hands together and concentrated on the air around her like a bubble. She had never tried to change the temperature near her before because she hadn’t had the ability to do it until a few days ago. It took her several attempts, but finally she felt the warmth starting to grow. Pleased with herself, she sat on the swing and looked out on the snow that was starting to melt.
She was lost in her thoughts for a while when it dawned on her that there were no new tracks in the white blanket that covered the ground. She hadn’t seen her squirrel friend for at least a day. She tried to remember when exactly it was that he last was around. It was possible that the cold front that came through made him hibernate a little early, but it was supposed to warm up for the next few days.
An idea hit her. She went inside to the kitchen on a mission and searched through every cabinet until she found what she was looking for, a bag of unsalted peanuts in their shells. Her mother had almost quite literally bought at least two of everything when they shopped to stock the house. She knew there had to be peanuts or some kind of nut somewhere. Heading back to the front door, she felt all eyes on her as she passed. She ignored them. They could find out what she was up to if they wanted.
Lilah walked back outside and opened the bag. She through a handful off to the side of the porch in the area she saw the white squirrel the most then left a few scattered about the porch as well. Hoping it was enough to attract him, she turned to head back to the swing surprised to see her Uncle Brian sitting on it. She had been so caught up in her white squirrel mission that she hadn’t noticed anyone else coming outside.
He nodded toward the open part of the swing next to him, and Lilah walked over and sat down. She didn’t know her Uncle Brian as well as some of the other family and was a bit surprised that he was interested in spending time with her at all. A thought she didn’t bother trying to block from him either.
Uncle Brian picked up on it quickly, “I know Maria and I tend to be more loners than part of the group. I just thought I’d join you as the tension in the house is becoming unbearable.”
Lilah tilted her head to the side and smiled. She never thought of him as a loner. Whenever he was around, he had always been very friendly. They were mostly private which isn’t saying a lot coming from this family, but it’s also the life they’d always known. Keep to yourself at all costs.
The peanut bag was still in her hands and she opened and refolded it shut nervously.
‘You know, the squirrels and other animals can find food on their own,’ he thought openly, ‘but I get it. It’s busy work. You need to keep your mind occupied.’
She hadn’t thought of it like that before, but maybe that’s exactly why she did it. She had thought she was trying to draw the white squirrel out of hiding because she missed seeing him. ‘Was that all there was to it?’ she wondered. Maybe she subconsciously trying to find ways to keep her mind off the wait and stay distracted. She wouldn’t have to speculate much longer.
Her phone vibrated in her pocket, and Lilah took it out slowly. Uncle Brian had immediately stopped swinging and sat forward waiting to see if it was Everleigh who had texted her.
The screen showed one text from Jackson. Lilah looked at her uncle and shook her head. His disappointment was obvious. She clicked on it. He was telling her it was starting to slow down, and the hours for the kids to be out were almost over. He wanted to know if she felt well enough to go out.
Before she could answer, another notification covered the top of her phone screen. It was from Everleigh. The attempt had failed. Immediately, Lilah was hit with a dizzying array of thoughts and worry from her family. They had been following her every mov
e waiting on news. Now they had more questions than answers.
Lilah started to reply and deleted the text several times. She struggled to word a message that wouldn’t give away the position they were in with their own Element missing. She settled on simply asking if Everleigh knew yet who didn’t make the attempt. She didn’t, but said she would try to find out. She asked Lilah to let her know if she found out first, and she agreed.
Uncle Brian stood up and went inside with Lilah following him. She knew her family didn’t need her to tell them what was said or update them if Everleigh messaged again, but she felt like she should be with them now. They all had the same fear. Everyone worried that Marcus hadn’t been there.
She was so focused on waiting for Everleigh to reply that she almost forgot about the text from Jackson. She could feel her mom telling her with absolute certainty that she was not going anywhere. She looked at her mom and was about to tell her she knew better when she received the answer everyone was waiting on. Fire was the only one who didn’t attempt the Return.
The room instantaneously burst into commotion. Some of it was spoken, but some people’s thoughts were louder than others’ voices. This meant Marcus made the attempt. Regardless of the reasons behind his lack of communication, he must be okay if he made the attempt. More than that, Water actually showed up for it?
Not once had Water attempted a Return. Water was the entire reason why the Elements had been trapped in this plane of existence for so long. There was so much on everyone’s minds now. Is this why Marcus had been so secretive? Had he planned this somehow? Maybe he and Leena had reasoned with Water to finally attempt the Return only to have Fire fail to show this time.
Everyone was talking or thinking over everybody else. Only two things they knew for certain. One, Marcus was well. Two, they would have another year wait before they would possibly learn what would befall them if the Return was completed.
Another message came through Lilah’s phone. She was surprised with all the relieved excitement running through the room that anyone was paying attention to her anymore. It was again from Everleigh telling her that she should come with Jackson to her party tonight. Lilah didn’t know that was what Jackson had planned when he said he was going out after giving candy to trick or treaters. She had barely finished her thought when her dad told her to go.
She looked up at him, but he only sat there nodding at her.
Her Uncle Brian added, “Perhaps you can learn more while you are there.”
Lilah smiled and ran upstairs to get ready before anyone could change their minds. She finally replied to Jackson telling him to come get her. She changed and touched up her makeup as quickly as possible. She bounded back down the stairs and into the front room just as Jackson pulled in the driveway.
Her family didn’t have to tell her to be safe. They didn’t have to tell her what they hoped she would find out while she was gone. Their thoughts yelled at her as she headed out the door. She smiled when Jackson saw her. He was almost to the porch.
“You look like you’re feeling a lot better,” he told her.
“Sometimes all it takes is a little down time with family,” she said as a joke to herself.
He leaned in and just before he kissed her, she blocked her family from her mind. She knew they would be mad, but they didn’t need to know everything. The kiss was slow and gentle. Lilah felt her body’s response begin in her chest and spread warmly out till every part of her body was alive with excitement. She pulled her head back and knew without a doubt that while so much was still up in the air in her family and in her life, right now in this moment was the happiest she’d ever been.
Chapter Twelve
They climbed into his pickup and headed down the drive. Jackson made the turn toward town. Lilah was trying to keep a promise she’d made to herself days ago that she wouldn’t dive into his mind when they were together, but she could tell something was wrong. It was taking all of her self-control to keep that promise now.
Jackson sighed and looked almost embarrassed when he said, “Before I say anything, I promised Everleigh I’d ask if your family could hear us first.”
Lilah was mortified. She couldn’t believe Everleigh had told him to ask that. She wasn’t ready to tell Jackson anything about her family, and here Everleigh was about to leak it all out. She wasn’t sure what to do or how to answer him.
“I know,” he said, shaking his head and slowed down as they approached the town’s limits. “I know it sounds crazy. I feel crazy saying it. But she made me vow on my life that I would ask you that first. It must be a witch thing.”
She relaxed the tiniest bit and smiled playfully at him. She crossed the area over her heart with her finger and said, “I promise my family did not put a wire on me.”
It was enough. He laughed. “Well, alright then, we’re not going to Everleigh’s.”
“We’re not?” Lilah asked curiously. Everleigh herself was the one who sent the text about coming over.
“Oh no! Are you kidding? Her family takes today very seriously. She just thought your family wouldn’t give you a hard time about skipping out on them if you were going over there.”
Lilah mulled it over. ‘Why would Everleigh think that? How much did she know about what their family was going through right now with an unaccounted for Element?’
“I don’t know,” he continued when Lilah didn’t say anything. “Something about her aunt being a friend of the family.”
That’s when it hit her. Of course! Today is the Return. She has to know it’s important to us as well as all the Elementals. Even if we aren’t celebrating our New Year, she would probably think we have our own traditions.
“Yeah, her Aunt Meredith,” Lilah stopped herself before mentioning her uncle. Jackson had already met him, and if he remembered Todd’s name, he might question how young he looked.
“Meredith is a riot,” he lowered his voice as though he thought someone might be able to hear him. “You know she’s a lot older than she looks. She uses an aging spell or something.”
“You don’t say,” Lilah knew the truth, but only flashed him a smile and let him believe as she used to that it was magic.
He lifted his right hand off the steering wheel and held up his three middle fingers. “I’m telling you. Their family really is steeped in magic. They’re witches. Scout’s honor.”
Lilah laughed. She knew he was telling the truth, but how could she possibly let him know that she truly believed it. “Where are we going then?” Lilah changed the subject.
Jackson flashed her a grin that sent the butterflies in her abdomen into over drive. “My house. My dad’s still on his hunting trip. I have a ton of chocolate left over from tonight, and two of the best horror movies ever made are waiting for us.”
They arrived at Jackson’s house, and Lilah’s butterflies were getting a workout. This was the longest they would be alone together since they met. Even the night of the bonfire they were only completely alone when they were in his truck.
She checked her phone when she was hanging up her coat expecting an angry text from her mom. Her only message was from Everleigh which said, “You’re welcome!!!!”
Lilah got a kick out of that and replied, “Yes, thank you!”
Later she would see that Everleigh messaged again asking her to text when she was home because they needed to talk. Lilah left her phone in her coat pocket, so there would be no distractions tonight. She knew it was a risk as her family might need her, but they did know where he lived. They could always come get her once they found out from Everleigh where she was. It gnawed at her that what she was doing was selfish, but she wanted this time with him tonight.
Jackson got them some soda while Lilah got situated on the couch. She sat in the middle planning to curl up into him whichever side he chose to sit on. He set everything on the coffee table in front of them and started the movie. He quickly turned off the lights before finally sitting down. Lilah felt like he took forever to get sea
ted, but once she snuggled up next to him, and he put his arm around her, everything melted away. She felt like she was exactly where she was supposed to be and nothing else mattered. Not her family. Not the Return. Not even Marcus.
It was a movie that Lilah had seen many times before - a classic werewolf movie. It was different watching it now after learning the truth. This movie actually didn’t get the details too wrong compared to other forms of pop culture. In the past, when something was accurate about witches, she had always wondered if the author was someone who was in the know. Maybe not an Earth themselves, but someone who knew one personally. She started to wonder that about the person who wrote this script. It wouldn’t be a stretch to think that the writer knew his work was fiction based on fact.
Jackson leaned forward to get a drink from his glass. Lilah moved to make it easy on him. When she leaned back into him, he turned his head to her, and their eyes met. Lilah held her breath. She knew he was going to kiss her, but if she was wrong, she’d make the move for him.
He leaned in, and their lips touched. It was gentle and slow. He pulled back, and Lilah smiled. Her eyes were closed, and she was remembering the feel of his mouth on hers when he kissed her again unexpectedly. This time the kiss was harder with more passion.
Lilah’s eyes flew open for a moment at the shock of it. She quickly closed them again and ceded to him. Her passion quickly rising to meet his. The next few minutes raced by in a blur. Jackson pulled her closer to him, and a moan escaped her lips. That was all the encouragement he needed. His hands roamed across her body over her shirt, and she reached underneath his as she tried to pull him even closer to her.
In one swift move, he put an arm around her waist and used his other hand to move her leg as he came down on top of her laying her on the couch beneath him. Lilah arched her back up and pressed her hips into him urging him on. She wanted nothing more in that moment than to give herself to him completely.
Air: The Elementals: Book One Page 15
