by Shelly Crane
I could feel his heart pounding like it had that day. His want to get to know me and his wish that things could be different just like he’d showed me that day at Mugly’s.
I pushed further. I saw his desire to please his family but also to do his own thing. He did not want to be an architect, which I already knew but, I didn’t know that he had absolutely no intentions of even trying to do anything different. Family was so important and after me, they came next. He was selfless and would be happy if we were. That thought didn’t sit well with me. I filed that away to work on another day. I wanted him to be happy too, really happy, and I’d find a way to make that happen.
The further into his mind I got, the warmer and more out of body I felt. He was all around me, all in me. I could smell him and feel him everywhere and finally understood what Caleb had meant by consuming each other. It was like he was made to be everywhere and everything to me and in me. I got the sensation of euphoria, being drugged, that feeling you feel right at the end of a roller coaster.
It took my breath away how good it felt to be consumed with him. But...there was a little part that held back, that I wasn’t allowed to experience. I immediately knew that that part wouldn’t be unlocked unless we were together, consuming each other.
When I got to the inner most parts everything was all jumbled, floating around like pieces of a hazy puzzle. His favorite pizza topping was sausage. He loved seeing brand new bands at concerts. His all time favorite movie was The Matrix. He hates to be in the mosh pit. He was upset about not getting his ability but was genuinely happy for me and loved that his family loved me so well. He loved school cafeteria pudding. Was scared of what he’d do if he ever met the guy who hurt his sister. He couldn’t stand it when people smacked while they ate. Thinks it’s so hot when I look over my shoulder at him with a smile. He loved the beach. His favorite thing to do is take walks at night, wherever he is, because the city and country and beach or whatever looks so different at night.
It was all jumbled and a mess and came at me in no rhyme or fashion. I couldn’t pick or choose and couldn’t even stop it from coming at me in droves. It felt too hot and unorganized and started to be uncomfortable so I pulled out all the way and felt the chill of the plane air on my face. It felt odd to be me again. I looked at his face and he was still sound asleep. I smiled, strange knowing so many things about him I would have never thought to ask in so little time.
I wanted to know everything. I could see why Caleb seemed to enjoy it, I did too and couldn’t wait for him to show me how to do it for real and look for specific things.
Being in his mind gave me a taste for it. I wanted all of him. It was like a need, not just a want anymore, to do anything and everything for him and to him. His happiness was paramount and I wanted his happiness to be mine.
My smile grew wider as I had a thought. I pushed it aside, tucking it in the back so he wouldn’t see it. Sex was still way out there but, whenever the time was right, soon, I’d try the other. Mutuality.
I still felt tense and apprehensive, I had no idea what it was really or what it entailed or what it would feel like but this was Caleb. I had to stop thinking of him as just a boy. He was mine, for life, my soul mate, my significant. There was nothing to fear with him. He was always careful and loving with me and he would be with this too.
I pressed my hand a little harder into his chest and felt my heart beat speed up under my fingers as I thought about what mutuality would be like. I giggled silently and too a deep breath to calm my fast heart rate so I didn’t alert Caleb and wake him.
Suddenly, I couldn’t wait to get to this beach house.
Thirty Two
“Wake up. Maggie, wake up. We’re in Cali, baby,” Caleb teased and did a surfer dude hand signal making me giggle as I stretched and rose from my seat back. “No dreams right?”
“Nope. All good.”
“I was a little worried last night after we lay down. I figured as long as we were touching it didn’t matter but...”
“I slept great,” I announced and it was true.
I’d finally fallen back asleep after poking around in his head and could now see the lights from the airport through the window. I peeked out and everything looked the same as it had in Tennessee. I couldn’t help but be disappointed. This was California for crying out loud. My mom left us and came here. Movie stars and famous people live here. Arnold Schwarzenegger! I expected something more than sleepy flight attendants and a dank airport runway with no glitz or glam.
“It gets better,” Caleb assured me and we listened to the captain welcome us to the Eureka state.
We sat through all their instructions, then Caleb grabbed both our carryon bags from the overhead and we were off. I followed behind him all the way through to the car rental pick-up desk. He had rented a black Jeep Wrangler for us to use while we were here.
He threw our stuff in the back and headed out. Once we were on the highway he asked me if I was hungry. I wasn’t so he told me to shut my eyes and rest until we got to the house. He didn’t want me to know where we were exactly so as not to disclose info in a dream by accident to the Watson’s, just in case. He said we’d go shopping in the morning for the things he knew I forgot or wouldn’t fit. A bathing suit was number one on the list.
I argued but it didn’t help. I’d have to get used to him buying stuff for me. The measly amount I had saved in my bank account from waiting tables wouldn’t have even paid for one of those plane tickets, I was sure. He smirked at my pout and gripped my hand in my lap, rubbing the back of my fingers with his thumb. It didn’t take long for me to soften when his touch sent warmth and tingles through me. When I laced our fingers he sighed in satisfaction and pulled my hand up to kiss it.
I closed my eyes and it didn’t seem like an hour had passed but as he told me to look, we were pulling into the driveway of a very pretty white house that looked anything but a vacation place in the Jeep’s headlights. It was as big as my regular house. It had blue shutters and a wrap around porch. There were vines and flowers blooming everywhere and a sign made of driftwood that said ‘Jacobson’ by the front door.
“Wow.”
“Yeah,” he agreed and put the Jeep in park. “The fam comes up here at least twice a year. I love it here. Come on. It’s even better on the inside.”
We grabbed our stuff and headed in. It was all white and crisp and clean. It even smelled clean and airy. It wasn’t done in some tacky beach-shells-and-nets-with-starfish theme. It was nice and classy. I loved it right off.
Caleb threw our bags down at the bottom of the cherry wooden stairs and pulled me with him by my hand.
“Come back here with me. The best part is right...” he pushed open the French doors and came behind me to push me to the banister with his hands on my hips, “here.”
I blew a surprised breath and brought my hands to my face. It was gorgeous. They had a huge garden in full bloom in the back with strung white lights everywhere around the pool. All the trees and shrubs had white Christmas lights on them too. Little bricked paths were laid out between the flowers and there was a huge table with umbrellas behind that. If you looked beyond that, the ocean was loud, the waves beating on the beach just past the backyard.
I laughed in joy. This was my temporary home and I was in love.
“I knew you’d like this.”
“I love it,” I told him. I turned to look at him. “Oh, my gosh, Caleb. This is so great.”
“Good. I’m glad you like it. Now maybe I can get you to relax.” He smiled and pulled me close with his hands on my hips. “Take it easy for a while and not be so wound tight.”
“I’ve had good reason to be so wound,” I countered.
“I know. Now you have good reason not to be,” he said smirking. “This,” he waved his arm around us, “is a no-stress zone. No worrying, no over-thinking, no pressure. No stress.” He tapped my nose with his finger.
“Easier said than done,” I muttered.
�
��Look at this,” he turned me back to face the yard and ocean, his tan arms went around me and he placed his head on mine. “This is our bubble.”
Then he leaned down and kissed the side of my neck. I gasped inwardly as I realized this was my vision. The very first vision I’d had while we were imprinting of us on the porch, this porch. We had been seeing the future and it was now.
“Yes,” he agreed and spoke the words into the sensitive skin under my ear. “When you imprint you see what will happen to us in the future. Pretty neat, huh? I can’t wait for my visions to come true.”
“What did you see?” I whispered.
“Lot’s of things that are way down the road, gorgeous. I’ll show you one day.”
I let him end it with that. I assumed it had something to do with weddings or babies and it was too soon for that.
But one thing made me wonder.
“So, all this was planned or...destined from the beginning. Everything that happened. Marcus’s kidnapping me, Sikes, us coming here, all of it. This was supposed to happen.”
I didn’t phrase it as a question because it wasn’t one. I knew with certainty now. It was clear to me. I still had two more visions to see, so I’d at least make it that far, long enough to see them come true.
“Yeah. Everything is driven forward to destiny. We have a long way to go to the end, Maggie. Nothing is going to happen to you.”
“Or you?”
“Or me. My visions were...far down the road.” He kissed the side of my neck again. “We were happy and together and all in one piece.”
“Why won’t you tell me what you saw?”
“You visions are yours, and mine are mine. Yours are probably not very long off. Mine are very involved. There’s a reason for that. I wouldn’t want to scare you with it and our imprint understood what we both could handle. It gave us those particular visions for a reason.”
I thought about that and it made since.
“So, one day I’ll know what they are? I’ll see them?”
“Yes. One day, when they come true, you’ll see them and understand it for what it is.”
That was good enough for me. I nodded.
“Thank you for bringing me here. It’s perfect.”
“You’re welcome. Ready for bed? Or, uh...couch?”
I laughed and nodded.
“Yeah. I’m ready for couch.”
We walked inside and he locked all the doors as I pulled the cushions and pillows off the couch. I changed quickly in the bathroom and when I came out, he was already in in sleep clothes, a white t-shirt and Vols fleece pants. He pulled the couch bed out and we curled up under a blanket I retrieved out of the hall closet. He pulled his arm up for me to lie on and tugged me to lie against him. I fell asleep almost immediately.
The next morning we got up and went to grab some breakfast. There wasn’t any food in the house so Caleb took me to a little coffee shop he knew of and got me a frappe and a homemade honey bun. Then he took me to the mini mall and practically dragged me into the Old Navy by my arm.
“Caleb, no. Please. All they have are little string bikinis things in there.”
He grinned.
“I know.”
“Caleb-” I protested.
“What did you wear to the beach before? A smock?”
“No,” I groaned. “Alright, fine, but if I can’t find something to cover at least three percent of my skin, we’re out of here.”
He laughed behind me as he directed me to the back with his hands on my hips.
“Deal. You go this way,” he pushed me left, “and I’ll go this way.” He went right and called over his shoulder. “We’ll meet at the cash register in fifteen minutes.” He turned back to point at me. “With a suit.”
“Ok!” I yelled playfully and shook my head at him.
As I turned I felt his mind skid to a stop. He realized he’d just left me alone.
Are you gonna be ok? I can come with you?
Nope. I’m good. I’ll be quick.
I’ll be right over here. I can feel you, don’t worry about anything.
Not worried. Remember? This is a stress-free bubble.
I felt his laughter in my mind and giggled into my hand so no one thought I was nutso.
That’s right. How stupid of me to forget.
I grabbed five suits to try on and went into the dressing room. I tried on the first one and knew I didn’t need to go any further. It was a baby blue top- I knew Caleb loved me in blue- and it had brown dots and a brown little somewhat skimpy wrap for a bottom, but not as skimpy as others were. It had straps at least. I smiled at my reflection and tried not to cover myself. I was alone in the dressing room after all. I chewed the inside of my cheek. I looked different than the last time I’d been in a suit. Not terribly so but enough.
I wondered what Caleb would think of it.
I took the suit off and put my clothes on quickly. I found Caleb at the register line with a pair of swim trunks and black flip flops.
“Found something, did we?” he chanted and twirled his dark blue swim trunks around his finger.
“Yes.”
I quickly threw my wadded up suit on the counter. The checkout guy held up the suit and Caleb’s eyes went wide.
Ah hell, Maggie.
He sighed my name ruggedly in my mind and I saw in his that he almost regretted coming here. He didn’t know how he’d keep his sanity around me with that on and kicked himself, wondering what he’d been thinking. Everyone would see me with that on and he wanted to growl at the thought. I just bit my lip.
The check out guy smirked at me. That turned into a wide smile when I blushed when he continued to stare and hold the suit up.
The guy was thinking about me wearing that suit and the picture in his head was hilariously disproportioned, the top way too big and the bottom way too narrow. I wanted to laugh at him but Caleb cocked his head when the sun bleached blonde guy just kept staring.
“Buddy,” Caleb said and made a motion with his hands to get going. “Let’s get on with it.”
“Oh, right.”
He rang up our stuff, throwing it all in the bag and told Caleb the total. When Caleb was digging into his wallet the guy winked at me. I looked at him with squinted eyes and wanted to ask what he thought he was doing. My boyfriend was right beside me.
Caleb ran his credit card and took the receipt. He glared at the guy as he waved to me as we walked out the big window doors to the sidewalk. I laughed at him.
“Not funny. Dude was way out of line,” he grumbled.
“He’s a jackass but he’s harmless.”
“Harmless? I saw what he was thinking in your mind. Jerk off,” he muttered and jingled his keys with excessive force.
I stifled my giggle and followed him to the Jeep.
“It’s your fault. You wanted me to buy a suit.”
“Yes I did,” he conceded. “What was I thinking? I think the tyrant needs to make a comeback.”
I shook my head at him.
“You’re hilarious,” I crooned sweetly as he opened my door for me. “So what now?”
“What? You want me to go teach surfer boy a lesson?”
“No,” I laughed. “I meant what now for us? Isn’t someone supposed to be meeting us at the house?”
“Yeah. I haven’t heard from my dad yet about it. Let’s just go back to the house and change into our suits. We can go out to the beach and then if he hasn’t called by this afternoon, I’ll call him.”
“K. Who is it you think?”
“Don’t know. Dad wants to keep the big guns there in case of an attack or something.”
I stiffened.
“Would the Watson’s do that?”
“Don’t know. They’ve never out right attacked us before like this. Dad’s scared of what they’ll do now. He should of just-” He sighed harshly as he cranked the Jeep and drove out of our spot.
In his mind he was thinking ‘killed Sikes’ but, he stopped himself because he
couldn’t have done it either.
“It’s ok,” I assured to soothe him. “It’ll all work out. I’m not worried.”
“Well that’s something new,” he mused with a smile. “And about time.”
“I know between Peter and you, I’ll be safe, and you’re here with me so you’ll be safe too. I’ve got nothing to worry about,” I sighed easily and leaned my head back.
He grabbed my hand as we drove back to the house and squeezed it. He was practically oozing with adoration and it warmed me all over.
“I love you, Maggie.”
“I love you too.” I smiled at him but then got a thought. “How come you don’t call me Mags, Magpie or Maggsie or whatever like everyone else does?”
“Do you want me to?”
“Not really. I’ve just never met someone who didn’t eventually make up some little nickname for me. Dad, Bish, everyone called me Mags in school, the teachers, even Chad.”
“Ding ding, we have winner,” he sang.
Light bulb.
“Aha. You don’t want to because that’s what he called me.”
“Yeah.”
“And Kyle too,” I realized.
“Bingo.”
“I see.”
“Besides, you don’t look like a Mags to me. I’ll stick with baby if you don’t mind.”
“You know I don’t mind,” I said grinning.
“Freeze, just like that.” We happened to be stopping at the red light and he leaned towards me. “Keep that smile pasted on that pretty face until I say stop, ok? I miss seeing that face.”
He took my chin between his thumb and finger and kissed my lips sweetly. It only took a second and I was nodding, breathing funny and blinking my eyes to shed the cross-eyedness. I know he could feel my heart speed up.
He smirked smugly at me as he pressed the gas to go and we made our way through one of the prominent shopping streets.
He was right. Everything looked very ‘californy’ today, in the sunlight. Just like TV. Palm trees and shopping signs everywhere, bikini clad girls on every street. Blonde, blonde and more blonde, even the store mannequins were blonde.
