When they pulled up in front of Tracy’s house, Jeremy came around and helped her down. “Call me in the morning, okay?”
“I will. Thanks for the ride.”
“Thank you for everything you just did. That was incredible.”
The front door opened, and Tracy stepped out onto the porch. “I’ve got hot chocolate on the stove,” she called out. “Would you like some, Jeremy?”
“Thanks, but another time,” he replied. “I’ve got to turn in the rig and then hit the hay.”
“I bet you’re exhausted. I’ll give you a raincheck, all right? You’re welcome here anytime.”
“Thanks, Tracy.” He gave her a wave, then turned back to Rebekah. “Take care of yourself, you hear?”
“Yeah. You too.”
Rebekah dragged herself up the porch steps and into her sister’s house, where she was surprised to see all her sisters waiting for her. “And Heather wants you to call her as soon as you get here,” Candice said.
Rebekah flopped onto the couch. “What’s the matter? Why are you all here?”
“We’re here for you, silly,” Marti said.
“Aren’t you at college?” Rebekah waggled a finger at her youngest sister.
“No, because I’m here. Thanks for getting me out of class, by the way—that was awesome. Most boring lecture of my life, can I say?”
“I’m confused.”
“Poor girl. Explain it to her,” Jessica said.
“Well, I was sitting in this lecture, which was really boring, as I just said, and I saw the explosion. I recognized the building, and I ran out of there as fast as I could and tried to find a payphone to warn them, but it was too late—I had the precog just a couple of minutes before it actually happened. But then I felt like I needed to come home and be here for you.”
“That’s really sweet, Marti,” Rebekah said. “I’m not sure why you had that feeling, but I’m glad you’re here.”
“Sometimes we don’t need concrete reasons,” Gaylynn said. “Sometimes we just want to be surrounded by our people.”
“Here.” Candice put a mug of hot chocolate in Rebekah’s hands. “And there’s lasagna in the oven—you need something hot and cheesy to eat.”
“At two o’clock in the morning?” Rebekah protested.
“Doesn’t matter what time it is,” Candice replied. “You’re worn out—you’ve got to recharge.”
Jessica handed her the phone. “And here’s Heather.”
Rebekah shook her head. She thought they were all taking this way too seriously, but it was touching in a weird smothering sort of way. “Hey, Heather. You got roped into this too, huh?”
“Is that an Idaho rancher joke? Roping?” Heather chuckled. “How are you doing, little sister?”
“Exhausted. I’ve never been so tired in all my life, but these weirdos keep talking to me and putting cocoa in my hands and threatening to feed me. It’s getting on my nerves.”
Heather laughed. “Sounds like family to me. I sure miss you.”
“We miss you too. Why’d you have to move away?”
“Because the love of my life lives here. Just wait until you . . .” She paused, then gasped. “You’ve met someone, haven’t you?”
“How did you know that? I thought you had to see people in person before you could read their hues.”
“This is the first time it’s ever happened over the phone. Oh, Rebekah, you’re going to be so happy. You’re yellow, and he’s orange, but when you come together, you’re peach, like you’re softer together. It’s beautiful.”
“If I’d known you could do that over the phone, I would have called you before now.”
“Well, like I said, this is the first time. It might not happen ever again—you just might be special.”
“I’m always special. Dad says I’m his favorite.”
“He says that to all of us.”
“I know. But he’s lying to the rest of you.”
“If it makes you feel better to think that . . .” Rebekah could hear the smile in Heather’s voice. “Night, sis. Get some rest, all right? And let me know how you feel tomorrow. None of us have tested our powers like you have tonight, and it’s kind of freaking us out because we don’t know what effect it’s going to have on you.”
“Oh, so that’s the real reason they’re all sitting here staring at me like they’re expecting me to turn into some kind of creature.”
“I’m sure there are multiple reasons. Love you.”
“Love you too. Night.”
Rebekah handed the phone back to Jessica, who almost got the cord tangled in Gaylynn’s hair as she carried it over to the receiver. “Watch it,” Gaylynn said good-naturedly.
“So, you knew I’d be coming here?” Rebekah asked Marti, and she nodded.
“And we all thought it sounded like a great excuse for a slumber party.” Jessica sat down next to Rebekah and rubbed her shoulder. “We haven’t spent enough time together lately.”
“Yeah, that’s because you fell in love, you stinker.” Rebekah nudged Jessica in return.
Candice carried in a plate of lasagna and commanded Rebekah to eat it while Tracy got her spare bed made up. “We’ll all be here in the morning,” Gaylynn said as Rebekah ate her last bite. “And if you need anything, just let us know.”
“You’re all crazy, but thank you,” Rebekah replied.
She went into the spare room, stripped off her clothes, and climbed into the pajamas Tracy had laid out for her. Then she climbed into the bed, lay down, and stared at the ceiling. She’d thought she’d go right to sleep, but no such luck—she kept seeing the long line of people being brought to her for evaluation, the grim expressions on the faces of the rescuers, the overwhelmed looks on the faces of the volunteers. She’d saved dozens of people—she knew that for a fact. But she couldn’t help but ache for those she couldn’t save, for those who were already dead when she got there.
About an hour had passed when she heard a soft knock, and Jessica and Gaylynn came in the room.
“Hey,” Jessica said. “Why aren’t you asleep?”
“I’m thinking too much.”
She smiled. “You’ve always thought too much—kind of like me. I just dreamed about you, Becks, and you’ve got to get some perspective on this thing.”
“That’s why you brought the mental health counselor with you?” Rebekah asked, nodding at Gaylynn.
“I’m very useful to have around,” Gaylynn replied. “Now, what’s going on here? Why are you making Jessica have bad dreams about you?”
Rebekah sat up so she could see her sisters better, scooting back and leaning against the headboard. “So, we have these gifts,” she began. “And we’ve been using them for good things, and we all feel that’s why we were given them. I’ve saved probably a hundred and fifty lives since I started using my gift at the hospital, but there are so many others I haven’t been able to save. So many things that have been out of my control.”
“And you don’t like being out of control,” Gaylynn said. “You’ve never liked it—not since you were a little girl.”
“I just like it when people do things my way,” Rebekah defended. “It’s a good way. It’s a logical way. I can save people lots of unnecessary work if they just do it like I tell them.”
Jessica and Gaylynn exchanged glances. “I like being in control too, but I have to tell you, that’s sometimes even more crazy-making than being out of control,” Jessica said.
“Rebekah, here’s the thing,” Gaylynn said. “You can’t save the world. You aren’t that powerful. Yes, you have a gift, but it doesn’t extend to everyone and everything, and that’s exactly how it should be. If you really could control life and death . . . that would be overwhelming. The pressure would crush you. You can’t make those kinds of decisions—no one can. That’s why we aren’t in charge of it. You need to concentrate on the few people you have been given the ability to help, and accept that you can’t save everyone.”
“Have you saved everyone you’ve ever helped?” Jessica asked.
Rebekah shook her head. “About six months ago, a man came into the ER with a brain bleed, and he stroked out on the table.”
“Your gift gave him his best possible chance, but you’re still not responsible for who lives and who dies,” Gaylynn said. “Only God can do that.”
Rebekah nodded, finally feeling the weight that had been crushing her chest begin to lift. “Thank you. I knew that, but it just wasn’t sinking in through all the layers.”
“You’ll feel a ton better in the morning,” Gaylynn said. “You’ve got to get some sleep—lying awake and festering about things is only going to make them worse.”
After her sisters left the room, Rebekah thought about everything they’d said. She was so, so grateful that life and death weren’t up to her—she’d be terrible at it. No one would ever die, which would completely throw off the balance of the ecosystem, and she’d end up getting fired from the task anyway. “I’m a helper,” she whispered to herself. “I’m not in charge.” With that, she was finally able to go to sleep.
Chapter Eight
When Rebekah woke up the next morning, it took a second for her to realize where she was. She could hear her sisters’ voices in the other room, and that made her smile as she threw back her blankets and walked out to join them.
“Did you get enough sleep?” Candice asked, turning from the stove with a spatula in her hand. “I’m making eggs and pancakes—hope that’s okay.”
“That’s more than okay.” Rebekah looked around at all the blankets draped on the couches and the floor. “Where did you all fit, anyway? This place isn’t exactly huge.”
“We made it work. I’m never sharing a bed with Marti again, though—I forgot how much she kicks.” Tracy made a show of rubbing her shins.
“I don’t kick. I assert my presence,” Marti retorted.
“How are you feeling?” Gaylynn asked, looking at Rebekah with concern. “Do you have any residual side effects from last night?”
“I’m still really tired, but it’s a normal tired now,” Rebekah replied. “Last night, I was tired down to my soul.”
“Eat some pancakes. Your soul will feel better.” Candice set a plate in front of Rebekah, who didn’t argue.
“Did . . . did you put mini marshmallows in my pancakes?” Rebekah asked, poking at them with her fork.
“Yes, I did. Everyone needs mini marshmallows in their lives from time to time.” Candice grinned, then turned back to her task.
A soft knock sounded at the door, and Tracy stood up to peer through the curtains. “It’s a man,” she whispered dramatically. “Is everyone decent?”
“No, but I’m dressed,” Gaylynn replied, and they all laughed. Rebekah was still in the pajamas she’d borrowed from Tracy, but they were flannel, and she didn’t think she was too scandalous.
Tracy opened the door. “Morning, Jeremy,” she said. “Come in—have some breakfast with us.”
Rebekah’s hand immediately went to her hair. When Tracy said it was a man, she was expecting the UPS driver or the mailman or something. She wasn’t expecting to see Jeremy—not when she hadn’t showered and her hair was sticking up everywhere.
“Morning, everyone,” Jeremy said as he came inside. “Looks like you had fun last night.”
“I don’t know if I’d call it fun,” Jessica replied. “There was snoring and blanket stealing and kicking.”
“Sounds like fun to me.” Jeremy crossed the floor and gave Rebekah a quick hug. “How are you?”
“I’m all right. I’m more worried about you than I am about me—you did all the heavy lifting last night.”
He shrugged. “Goes with the territory. Hey, are those mini marshmallows in your pancakes?”
He’d barely said the words before Candice slid a plate in front of him as well. “Now that’s what I call service.”
They ate side by side, a pretty normal morning thing to do, but Rebekah was still uptight. She should have hopped in the shower as soon as she woke up. He was all shaved and looking nice, and she looked like she’d just woken up in borrowed pajamas.
He seemed to read her thoughts because when they were done eating, he said, “Would you like me to drive you home so you can change? Or should we go to the hospital and pick up your car first? Or you might want one of your sisters to take you—I should have asked that. Sorry.”
“There’s no way I’m showing up at the hospital like this even if it’s just to get my car, so yes, going home is great,” Rebekah replied. “And I think all my sisters need to get to work—am I right?”
They each nodded. “I’ve already missed one class today,” Marti said. “I’m going to tell them it was a family emergency, though—they can’t get too mad at me about that.”
Rebekah smiled and shook her head. Marti never did let things like missing a class bother her too much. “So, to answer your question, yes, Jeremy. I’d appreciate a ride home, and then a ride to the hospital. Do you work today?”
He shook his head. “We’re on a skeleton crew today to rest up from everything that happened yesterday. I’m on call if anything big happens, but other than that, I’m yours.”
“What do you think, Marti?” Rebekah asked. “Is anything big going to happen today?”
“You know that’s not how it works,” Marti protested. “I don’t get to pick and choose like that.”
Jeremy watched the exchange with a smile on his face. “Remind me which one she is,” he said in a low voice.
“She’s the precog,” Rebekah replied. She’d rattled off all the sisters and their gifts when she told him about herself, but there was no way he could remember them all that easily. Seven sisters and seven powers—that was a lot to track.
“That’s right. I’ll get it eventually.”
Rebekah hugged her sisters goodbye and thanked them for rallying to her cause, then tied Tracy’s robe a little tighter around her waist and walked out to Jeremy’s car with him, her dirty clothes in a plastic sack. “You’re the best for doing this for me,” she said as they drove away from Tracy’s.
“I debated about coming because I didn’t want to interrupt your time with your sisters, but I wanted to be sure you were all right,” he explained. “I would have left if you wanted me to—I know you’re tight with your family.”
That was so sweet. Her mind flashed back to the conversation she’d had with her dad about all the things a guy would do if he really cared about a girl, and Jeremy seemed to be hitting them all right down the line. Especially one . . .
“We’ve never kissed,” she said aloud.
He glanced at her. “Well, no, we haven’t,” he replied.
She felt ridiculous that she’d blurted that out. “I’m sorry—that was really lame of me,” she said. “It’s just . . . my dad says I’ll know if you really like me if you want to spend time with me even if we aren’t making out, and it just occurred to me that we haven’t made out at all. We haven’t even kissed.”
“And yet I still like spending time with you,” Jeremy said with a grin. “That must mean I really like you.”
“Yeah, I think it does,” she replied. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t ever kiss. It just means that we haven’t yet.”
“So, there’s hope for this to occur at some point in the future?”
“There’s hope, but not in the immediate future. I haven’t brushed my teeth since I left for work yesterday, and there’s no way I’m kissing anyone until that’s been resolved.”
“I appreciate your diligence and devotion to proper dental hygiene,” Jeremy replied. “You are a credit to nurses everywhere. And to those who kiss.”
“And to kissing nurses?”
“Absolutely.” He looked over at her and grinned again, and her heart gave that little thump. Suddenly, kissing him was about all she could think about.
She invited him to sit and choose a TV show, then she raced down the hall and into her bedroom. Sho
wer, brushing her teeth, putting on something cute . . . She’d never been so nervous about choosing an outfit before, or about how well she brushed her teeth. Now that they’d discussed dental hygiene, it seemed more important than it ever had before.
When she finally came back into the living room, she felt much more herself, and Jeremy gave a low whistle when he saw her. “You clean up great.”
“You aren’t so bad yourself.”
He used the remote to flip off the TV, then crossed the room and took both of her hands in his. “I’m assuming that you brushed your teeth,” he said, his voice low.
Never before had a question about toothbrushes made a tingle race down her spine.
“I brushed, and I flossed, and I used mouthwash,” she replied, not able to look away from his gaze. His eyes held her in place like she’d been rooted to the spot.
“Mouthwash too? You’re taking this very seriously.”
“I wouldn’t joke about something like mouthwash.”
He smiled, a long, slow smile. “I see. And I agree that it’s important to know when to joke and when not to joke.”
The chemistry between them was building by the second, and Rebekah could almost feel it crackling in the air. She took the tiniest step toward him, studying his eyes, and he let go of her hand.
He cupped her cheek, then tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Do you remember me telling you how incredible you are?”
“I seem to recall that conversation.” Her cheek was still tingling from his touch.
“Well, it was true. Every word of it. I’m falling in love with you, Rebekah, and I didn’t want to kiss you until you knew that—maybe it’s my turn to make sure you know what you’re getting into. I’m not the kiss-and-run type, and if I’m kissing you, that means I’m all in.”
She glanced down at his lips, then back up to his eyes. “I like the sound of that,” she said, her voice barely coming out above a whisper.
“I was sure hoping you’d say that.” He slid his arms around her waist and brought her in close, then kissed her just like she’d been dreaming about for the last hour. He slid one hand up her back and threaded his fingers through her hair, cradling her neck, and she had the fleeting thought that it was so thoughtful of him to support her cervical vertebrae while they kissed. He really was a very nice man.
Rebekah (Seven Sisters Book 4) Page 6
