by Julie Hall
She shrugged. “So what? People still want to celebrate you. I thought it might help push you out of your funk.”
I crossed my arms. “I’m not in a funk.”
The look she gave me said she wasn’t picking up what I was putting down. “Audrey, I know you miss our family . . . your family back on Earth. I thought, after remembering everything, you would start to heal, but instead it seems like your sadness is growing.”
I raised my eyebrows at her. I thought I’d been doing a good job of acting like a person on the mend. Apparently I was wrong.
“So a birthday party is supposed to fix everything?”
Her face fell. “No, of course it isn’t supposed to fix everything, but I wanted to prove you are still around people who love you. You have a family here as well.”
People who love me? What about Logan?
The thought cut through my mind like the blade of a knife, traveling south and sticking in my heart. My wince was small but noticeable to Romona. She laid her hand on my uncovered arm, flinching when she experienced my emotions. Her sympathy was swallowed by my pain.
“Won’t you talk to me about it?”
No.
Even if she knew what it was, I couldn’t talk until I’d forced him out of my head and heart. I was convinced sheer force of will would work, yet so far, I’d gained little ground.
“I’m fine.” It was only a half-lie. I took a deep breath, steeling myself. “This was a really sweet idea, even if it did almost kill me . . . again.” I cocked a partial smile. “I guess I should go in and mingle with everyone. Especially since I’m the guest of honor and all that stuff.”
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to. I can send everyone away.”
“That would almost be weirder than me turning into a crazy huntress about to slay my party guests when they yelled ‘surprise.’ Man, I’m glad that didn’t actually happen, right?”
She snickered. “If you had actually killed them, you wouldn’t have to go back in there.”
“Truth. Now, let’s do this thing.”
When we entered the room, one would almost guess the party had nothing to do with me, for all the attention we garnered.
But I was glad for it.
A loud crash startled me. Directly to my left, where a wall usually stood, ran two long, polished lanes with pins set up at the ends. People were lined up to take turns hurling a ball.
My jaw dropped.
A bowling alley? I was a horrible bowler. I’d broken my finger bowling. It wasn’t a cherished memory. I slowly turned my neck until I scowled at Romona. “That,” I jerked my thumb over my shoulder, “is not funny.”
She stared back, wide-eyed. “I didn’t do it.”
“Nope, that would be my doing. Romona let your broken finger story slip, and I wanted to see if you’d improved with age.” The smile on Alrik’s face said he hoped I hadn’t.
Why did he keep popping up? Was he everywhere?
“You,” I jabbed a finger into Alrik’s expansive chest, “are in big trouble, mister.”
Alrik merely rumbled with laughter. “Oh little Aud, I’m game for a rumble with you whenever that new trainer of yours lets you rejoin the world.”
I patted the scabbard still strapped to my leg. “You are so very lucky my sword only catches fire when I’m on Earth.”
His answer was a wicked smile and a gleam. He enjoyed baiting me, but I also enjoyed rising to the challenge.
Kaitlin’s voice stopped our verbal battle. “It’s kind of like watching a Chihuahua go after a pit bull, don’t you think?”
I laughed. “Hey, whose birthday is it, anyway? You guys are brutal! A Chihuahua? Really? I’d like to believe at the very least I’m a fierce-looking Maltese, on a good day a miniature pinscher. Maybe one of those mixed breeds, both ferocious and fashionable.”
Kaitlin’s smile grew. “You’re right, how could I have been so . . .”
“Insensitive, rude, tactless.”
“Inaccurate.”
“There’s that as well.”
Kaitlin threaded her arm through mine, the empathy link proving she was amused by our exchange, and pulled me through the crowd. “So now that you are finally here and I am finally here, we can get this party started!”
Kaitlin waved her hand toward the corner of the room, flicking an imaginary magic wand, and a DJ booth appeared complete with turntables and speakers.
Music began to play, despite the absence of a DJ. Enthusiastic partygoers sent up a few cheers and cleared a space in the middle of the room for dancing. A vinyl checkered dance floor materialized.
How retro.
This party was taking a decidedly eclectic turn. Bowling, lace, and a checkered dance floor. Romona was probably irritated.
We reached my closet just as someone stepped right out of it.
“Whoa, what? Who’s in my closet?”
Kaitlin laughed. “It’s actually how we all got here without tipping you off. There’s a temporary portal between your closet and Romona’s. People are showing up at her place in order to get here.”
“Temporary portal? Since when is that a thing? And seriously, my closet?” I battled between annoyed and embarrassed. I hoped Romona had cleaned my closet before turning it into a transportation center. I’d left it pretty messy this morning. In fact, I’d left the whole room a small disaster.
“You have to get permission to create a portal. You fill out a few forms and voilà, here it is. But enough about that. I want to find something a little more stylish for you to wear. You look fierce in your armor, but maybe we can find something more appropriate for a party?”
I managed a weak smile. “Yeah.”
“You’re the guest of honor. You’ve got to step it up. You know, make the boys think they need to work a little harder.”
“What boys?”
She offered a wicked smile. “Just boys in general.”
I rolled my eyes while she riffled through my clothes, sidestepping every now and then when someone new arrived.
Kaitlin had asked to be reassigned to our part of the realm, and I’d come to realize she was a force to be reckoned with. She wasn’t anything like I’d first assumed. Back then I’d been clouded by insecurities and a good dose of jealousy, so through my green, envy-filled eyes I’d written her off as snooty, aloof, and untrustworthy.
I’d nailed the mischievous part of her correctly—she frequently had something hidden up her sleeve—but where I’d seen it as malicious, she was usually hiding something harmless, often a poorly-executed attempt at do-gooding.
Once I got over myself, I’d come to learn Kaitlin had a really good heart, was funny and fun to be around, and kind. If I were honest with myself—which I habitually wasn’t—I’d admit it was only my suspicions about her relationship with Logan that held me back from allowing our friendship to truly cement.
A sharp pain beneath my sternum reminded me of the certain someone I was most definitely not supposed to be thinking about.
“Ah-ha,” Kaitlin’s hand, clutched around a white bundle, shot into the air triumphantly, “this is perfect. Here.” She shoved the material into my chest. “Let’s go try this one on. I have the perfect idea for your hair as well. Seriously, I’ve spent hours staring in the mirror trying to get mine to change color at will. I’m so jealous of your skills.”
“It’s kind of overrated, actually.”
She tilted her head. “Yeah, well, I guess it going hypercolor on you would be a little annoying.” She shrugged. “Okay, let’s get you dressed. Oh, wait.”
Getting down on all fours, she dug around at the bottom of the closet, popping back up again moments later—but not before almost being stepped on by another late partygoer. “I almost forgot these.”
She dangled a pair of three-inch-heeled silver sandals in front of my face before nudging me in the direction of the bathroom.
The white dress Kaitlin had picked out was both cute and comfortable. It fit snugly around my
upper body and flared out at the hips, ending a few inches above my knees.
The white showcased my skin, naturally tanned due to the touches of Native American and Italian DNA running through my blood. The silver heels fancied up the outfit, while giving me some much-needed height.
While I dressed, Kaitlin found some chunky purple and silver jewelry to add to the ensemble. At her insistence, I streaked one small portion of my hair the same purple tone it had been at the realm wide celebration several months ago. That was the first time I’d changed any of my hair a different color.
The skill turned out to be more of a bother than a blessing, since it went haywire when I got emotional.
Kaitlin used an iron to add some volume and a gentle curl to my normally straight hair and then pushed me out of the bathroom. My room had expanded again, along with the growing number of people crowding the space.
The bowling alley, which I had no intention of going near, had added a few lanes. Kaitlin’s dance party was a hit in the center of the room, and bright lights flashed in a very disco-esque way.
“Kaitlin.” I leaned over to speak to her. “I only recognize about half of these people.”
“Yeah, isn’t it great? Word really got around.”
I scanned the room until I found Romona. Her face said she wasn’t too pleased her surprise had gotten out of hand.
I laughed to myself. She didn’t stand a chance with Kaitlin and Alrik around. I motioned to Kaitlin that I was going to mingle, and she gave me a wink before turning toward the dance floor.
“All right, folks,” her voice carried as she moved away, “let me show you how this thing is really done.” Then the crowd swallowed her.
Before I reached Romona, an arm slipped around my waist, halting me.
“You look beautiful,” Jonathon murmured. His soft breath on my ear caused an involuntary shiver.
“Oh, hi.” I turned slightly and found myself fully in an embrace. I cleared my throat and returned the hug nervously. “Um, thanks.”
Ever since my stint in the Healing Center where he worked, Jonathon had made good on his promise to stay in my life. His interest in me was clear. He’d even gone so far as to take me out on a few dates—which admittedly had been fun.
There hadn’t been a repeat kiss attempt since the celebration, thankfully. But his insistence on always finding an excuse to touch me was uncomfortable.
It wasn’t his fault exactly. I was still wary of the empathy link in general. He was usually good about not touching my skin, but the thought of an accidental brush put me on edge.
Especially since my feelings for him were so confused.
I wiggled out of his arms. He frowned slightly but didn’t comment.
“I was looking for Romona,” I said with more confidence. “Want to help me find her?”
“I’d like nothing more.” He offered me his shirt-covered elbow. The gesture was so formal, I paused before slipping my hand in the crook. He seemed pleased with my response.
We found Romona in the far corner of the room giving it to Alrik. “The bowling alley is not funny, Alrik! You know how she feels about bowling, and that’s—”
“Well hey, little Aud, looks like you draw quite a crowd,” Alrik cut in before Romona could finish her sentence.
“I think we both know I wasn’t the draw this evening.”
“Whatever could you mean?”
“I mean this,” I said with a wicked grin. Letting go of Jonathon, I grabbed the first person to brush past me. “Hey,” I said to the surprised partygoer, a guy with red hair who looked to be in his mid-twenties. “Do you know who I am?”
He answered with a puzzled expression and obvious discomfort, “Um, should I?”
“Nope, just checking. Mind telling me how you found out about the party?”
“Well . . .” He shifted his feet, obviously wanting to get away from the weird girl gripping his arm. “My friend Trisha said this was the place to be tonight, so we all showed up.”
“Okay, thanks.”
Once off the hook, the guy took his cue and disappeared into the throng.
“Hmm.” I tapped my finger on my lips, pretending to think really hard. “I wonder how word got around? Let’s see, who do I know who would try to turn my private birthday surprise into the party of the century?”
As expected, Alrik only continued to smile. “Well, whoever it was, I’m sure he had your best interests in mind. Perhaps it was someone who was looking for an excuse to loosen you up a little. For your own good, of course.”
“Well, of course.”
“So does that mean you’re up for a little bowling action?”
I swatted at him. “Not even if your life depended on it. Just make sure my room goes back to normal once this is all done. Shellacked wood planks are not part of my motif.”
Alrik barked a laugh. “No worries there. My handiwork disappears when I do.”
“Good to know.”
Alrik slapped Jonathon on the back. “Well, Jonathon, at least I know you’re good for a game.”
“I’m not sure.” He looked my way. “I don’t want to leave Audrey alone.”
“No, go ahead, have fun,” I said hastily. “I’m good. I’m sure there’s at least one or two other people I actually know here.”
“Come on, let her have some girl time.” Alrik practically forced Jonathon toward the alley. With a forlorn look Jonathon relented and allowed himself to be herded away.
I watched for a moment in concern. Why was I so quick to ditch him? He’d been nothing but nice and attentive to me. He was handsome and up front with his feelings for me, which I liked.
But something was missing. Some elusive connection I believed would appear . . . eventually.
“You know you’re horribly bad at this.” Romona’s words pulled my focus to her.
“What?”
Her eyes were sad. She waved a limp hand in the direction of the boys. “That. Figuring things out with Jonathon. Guys in general.”
I could have been offended, but I didn’t disagree. “I know.”
She forced a smile. “Hey, come on, let’s get your mind off it for a night. This isn’t exactly what I planned, but it’s not all bad. Let’s go play some games.”
She pointed to where a row of arcade games had appeared behind me. I smiled. We were miles away from the lace theme by now. Looked like someone else had decided to take the liberty of redecorating my room. At least it wouldn’t be permanent. “Sure, let’s give it a go.”
Hours later, I cast Kaitlin a bleary-eyed glance from my position on the couch as she handed me a present from the pile. Bear lay on the other end in a dead sleep, covering my legs along with the rest of the couch. I was unsure where he’d disappeared to during the party, but by the size of his enlarged belly, I could take an educated guess.
“Kaitlin, you are crazy if you think I have enough energy to get through that mound tonight. No way. I’m officially calling the party.”
There wasn’t much left to call—Romona was wandering around, cleaning up, and Kevin and Jonathon were talking. “Does anyone have the time?” I yelled. “I’m calling it!”
“Oh, come on.” Kaitlin pouted prettily and I spotted Kevin eyeing her.
Was something going on there? My mood soured. If Kaitlin was with Logan, it would only lead to heartache for Kevin. I had firsthand experience with that.
I folded my arms across my chest in an I’m-not-changing-my-mind stance.
“Well, at least open one. Just one before the night is out, and I won’t bug you about the rest.”
“Fine, I can do one. Just hand it over. I think my feet are broken.”
Kaitlin rolled her eyes at me and put a square box about the size of a cantaloupe in my hands. It was wrapped simply in white with a sky-blue ribbon tied around the center. I tore the paper off and opened the box.
Sitting inside was a perfect pearlescent conch shell. I gently lifted it out of the box, and a small piece of paper flutte
red to the ground. Something about the gift made my heart skip a beat and then pick up.
Suddenly I didn’t feel so tired anymore.
Romona stepped next to me as I picked up the note. It wasn’t addressed to anyone, nor was there any salutation, but I knew the handwriting.
So you can experience a part of the ocean whenever you want.
I pinned Romona with my eyes and kept my voice low so it didn’t carry. “You invited Logan?”
Her answer was revealed in her widened eyes.
“Yeah, that was actually me.” Kaitlin’s lowered voiced reached me. “I just thought there might be a small part of you that wanted him here. And I know he still cares, it’s just—”
“So what’d you get?” Jonathon’s voice stopped Kaitlin’s next words. Words I secretly and desperately wanted to hear.
I faced him with a plastered smile, lifting the beautiful shell in their direction. “Someone must know how much I like the ocean. They didn’t leave a name with the gift.” I got a reprimanding look from Romona for purposefully misleading Jonathon, but I wasn’t about to open Pandora’s box.
Romona clapped her hands once. “Well, I think we should call it a night. Let’s get out of here and let Audrey get some rest.”
With effort, I stood to show them out. “Hey, guys,” Faces turned my way, “Thanks for making this night special. I, um . . .” I floundered as I tried to put my feelings into words.
“You’re welcome,” Romona answered with a smile. “We’ll see you later.”
When the door clicked shut, I sagged to the floor with Logan’s gift still clutched in my hands. I ran my fingers over the cool ridges before bringing it up to my ear to listen to its sweet melody.
Uninvited images of our day at the beach flooded my mind. His smile as he looked over the Creator’s work, the churning and sparkling kaleidoscope of water laid out in front of us. The laughter in his eyes as I surfaced from a particularly spectacular wipeout. The shocked expression on his face when I stripped off my wet suit on the beach. His intensity as we fled the unseen evil that stalked us. And finally the memory I’d tried the hardest to bury.
The kiss.
