“What’s your name?” I whisper.
“Clark.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 16
By and by, I come-
To cease thy strife, and leave me to my grief.
To-morrow will I send. ~ William Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet
“Jessie, baby I want you to wake up. Everything worked out, we banished him,” the male voice said. He’s been here before, always calling me baby. People are always talking, and I’m never able to open my eyes.
A door creaks; I try to turn my head to see if someone has come into the room. My head won’t move, my arms are too weak to lift me.
“Any change?” The girl asks.
“Amber, something’s wrong. I can’t hear her, I can’t sense her. Amber…I think I’ve lost her,” his voice catches.
I hear rustling of clothes and the squeak of a chair moving across the floor. “B, you need to get your ass up and help us figure this shit out. Caleb is about to have a heart attack if you don’t wake up. Earth to Jessie, come…on, wake your scrawny ass up. I’m going to hit you and knock you into reality if you don’t wake up soon.” A voice says, I think it is the one he calls Amber.
Another squeal of the door and it sounds like more than one person walking across the room. “Doctor, it’s been three days and she still hasn’t opened her eyes,” a woman’s voice says. Is that…mom? It is! I know her!
Mom! I’m here, don’t let them tell you I’m not. Something is wrong. I feel like something is missing.
“Cases like this are a waiting game. Her vitals are good, her color is good, and her blood-work is good,” a deep man’s voice says.
“I get that, I do. I’m a nurse, but it is hard being on the receiving end of grim.”
My eyelid is pulled open and a light is shined into my eye. Could he be a little gentler? Just because I’m unable to move, it doesn’t mean I don’t feel anything…sheesh. The sound of the door breaks into my thoughts again. Grand Central Station around here.
“Hey, did I miss anything?” The boy that told me his name is Clark asks. I feel his hand take mine into his, sending a wave of electricity through me.
“No, you didn’t miss anything. I don’t understand why you’re so freakin’ annoying. If anything changes, we’ll text you. Be gone with you,” Amber says.
I like her style, rough and tough and won’t take any shit.
“I’m not going anywhere, so suck it up,” Clark says.
“All of you…out. I’m not sure what the hell is going on, but this isn’t good for her. Caleb, you need to go take a break. I’m sorry doctor, but this is part of the mystery… One minute she is madly in love with Caleb,” her voice shifts like she turned her head. “The next minute, Clark over here is hovering around her like a sick puppy. They swear she didn’t get into a fight with Caleb, but it’s all sketchy. All of you, now…go. I’m sorry doctor.”
“Leave that light on for her, she doesn’t like to wake up in the dark,” the boy named Caleb (I think) says. “Please.”
Caleb is my boyfriend? Who is Clark? The door and footsteps, too many to count but it sounds like I’m alone. Dot, dot, dot…darkness. I’ve no idea how long I’ve been out but someone is in here with me. My hand is picked up by someone with really cold hands. I like it when you rub my hand, it feels good. The hand is soft and feminine and it flexes my hand back and forth.
“Jessie, honey it’s time to wake up. You’ve been out for too long.”
Grandma! I’d never ever forget my grandma. I’m right here, I’m awake…sorta. How long is too long. They aren’t going to kill me are they? I feel the wave of darkness and then nothingness.
Suddenly I feel kisses on my forehead and whispers in my ear.
“Baby, please wake up, it’s me Caleb. I’ve snuck in here every night to sit with you. It’s been a week since I’ve seen those beautiful eyes. Remember that first sno-cone and your tongue turned green? You looked so adorable that day. Think about that time we went out to the beach and watched the sun go down. I didn’t tell you then, but your hair was big and puffy and you didn’t care. I love that about you.” I hear him laugh quietly. “Oh yeah, remember when Amber tried to go jogging with us and she faked a twisted ankle? She’s been very subdued this week. You’ve been so good for her. I know she misses her brother and I think you’ve been like a sister to her. Oh, oh, oh…I almost forgot to tell you. Your friend Jersey, she sent me a message on Facebook and wanted me to tell you to get well soon. Consider yourself told.” His voice is a whisper, but it still is on my nerves.
No, I don’t remember all of that crap. All of your blathering is keeping me awake.
The door opens; there is a commotion in the hallway.
“You can leave Caleb, this is getting old…you sneaking in the room every night. I told you, I’ll protect her. She’s mine, get that through your stinkin’ head. I’m tired of it. I told you before; I didn’t plan to break your bond. It happened, now deal. Go touch Jasmine or something. She’s a firecracker, and she’ll go all the way with you.” Clark says.
Something screeches across the floor and anger fills the air. “If you touch her, I’ll kill you myself. She is not yours Clark. I’ll figure this out and get the bond back with her. You’ll use your bond for self gratification, you’re sick.”
“Dude, you’re wrong. This hot thing is not just for self gratification, she’ll be gratified too.”
More rumbling and it sounds like someone has stumbled across the room.
“I thought you were a good person Clark, please leave her alone,” his pathetic pleading continues until I force myself asleep. Blah, blah, blah is all I hear.
Hours, or maybe minutes pass but I know it’s the same day. Damn, I wish someone would give me a freakin’ heating pad for my back.
“Jessie look, I’m sorry for talking to Caleb like that, but he’s living in a fantasy land. He is not taking it well that you and I are bound now. I’ll be eighteen soon, and you know what that means. You got it sexy, which means we are bound forever. Forever! School starts next week and we will blow their socks off. We’re going to look bitchin’ walking into school together. If you’d hurry up and get the hell up, we can go surfing this weekend. I’ll teach you how to be a beach babe. Your hair could use some sun; you’re a little pale for my taste too. No worries, I’ll get you tan and blonder. This bound shit is in the way of my surf time…it’s okay; you’ll find a way to make it up to me.”
And like that…my eyes open.
“Jessie?”
“Mmmm,” I reply.
I hear a buzzer and someone asking if they can help. Clark tells them that I’m awake, that’s when I realize I need to heave and purge.
~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 17
To sleep, perchance to dream
Ay, there’s the rub ~ William Shakespeare
Hamlet
“Jessie, its Caleb on the phone.” I hear my mom say as her footsteps get closer. “You need to talk to him Jess, he’s hurting.”
“Fine, give me the phone.” She hands the phone to me and turns around angrily as she walks off. “Stop calling me. I’ve told you at least seven hundred million times that I’m bound to Clark. Leave. Me. Alone.”
“Just know…I love you.” He says softly.
“Okay, bye.” I say and hang up.
My bedroom door swings open. “Why are you being so mean to him,” Amber says.
“He won’t get over it, for cripes sake. I’ve been home from the hospital two days, he has called at least five thousand times. If you’re talking to him, tell him to get a life.”
Amber hops up on my bed and wiggles her shoes off, before placing them on my bed. As usual she has miniature art painted on her big toes. “Can you blame him? A week ago you were playing tonsil hockey with him every five minutes. Now, you have shunned him. I’m just saying, you should be nicer to him.” She grabs the remote control to the planetarium star show on my ceiling.
; I climb onto the bed and we both lie back and stare at the burst of ‘falling stars’ on my ceiling. “Look, Clark is my boyfriend now. It isn’t complicated, it just is. I can’t change what has happened, but something has changed my mind about Caleb. He keeps saying I told him I loved him. Whatever, I’d never say something like that.”
“B, you did and you are in love with him. I don’t know what Otto did to you, but he made Clark catch you and break the bond. I was there, I saw it happen.”
“If you’re here to gripe at me, you can leave too. Isn’t it clear that I’m tired of the conversation?” I snap.
She reaches over and pinches my arm. “I’m the bitchy one, you’re the sweet one…go back to sweet. You were so much better as a nice person. By the way, Ms. Ward came in when I did. She is sharing some tea with your grandma, your mom is leaving for work. Come on, we’ll go find out what Fate has to say about this shit.”
I run my fingers through my hair and check my teeth in the mirror.
I hear loud voices as I come around the corner into the kitchen.
“I think you intentionally set her up. Her mate was Caleb, not this arrogant boy Clark. You have the ability to change things around, fix it,” Grandma Gayle says.
“That’s all fine and dandy, but her future is fading from my radar. I haven’t had a case like this one in a long time. I can tell she is still light, but her time is indeed limited. She has to weave this part of her story, I can’t.” Mrs. Ward says.
I lean over and pretend to tie my shoe, in case I get caught eavesdropping.
“Can’t or won’t? Fix her, give me back my sweet granddaughter,” Grandma’s voice gets higher as she talks.
“I’d suggest that you all remind her of who she was. Gayle, you’ll have to accept the fact that she is more than likely in this for good with Clark. He is a good kid…lost at times but good. The sooner Caleb accepts it, the sooner his heart will heal.”
I hear shuffling of what sounds like cookie sheets and hear Grandma lose her cool. “You honestly believe his heart will heal? You’re crazier than I thought. He will never heal from this. Jessie is the girl for him and now…time is limited to bring her back.”
Suddenly I feel a hand on my shoulder. I try to stifle my scream to no avail as I fall sideways into the wall.
“You’re lurking in the hall and missing out on all of the Jessie loves or did love Caleb talks,” Amber says.
“We better get in there before grandma pisses Fate off.” I take Amber’s hand and drag her with me into the kitchen. I grab a couple of glasses out of the cabinet and fill them with milk as Mrs. Ward and grandma continue their talk.
Mrs. Ward clears her voice and nods her head at us. “Hello ladies, Jessie I am hoping you’re feeling better.”
“I do feel better physically, but as far as mentally goes, I don’t. I don’t feel anything at all. I keep hearing about how into Caleb I was, but now I don’t feel for him at all,” I blurt out at once.
Mrs. Ward takes a sip of her coffee and motions for me to sit next to her at the breakfast table. “Jessie, have you spent any time with him alone? The issue with Erebus was beyond my control. One of the problems about mixing the past with the present is I as a Fate can’t really tell exactly what will happen. The past has to stay in the past and to make that happen, sacrifices were made.”
I break apart my chocolate chip cookie to make it fit in my glass of milk. “I don’t want anything bad to happen to Caleb, but he is a little annoying. Don’t get me wrong, he seems like a nice guy, will he bond with someone else?”
Amber pats me on the back. “Ah B, that’s sweet. You do care, I knew it.”
“No, not sweet…he’s getting on my nerves. The sooner he finds someone to bond with, the sooner he’s off of my back.”
Grandma gasps at my confession. “Mrs. Ward, this is exactly what I was talking about. My Jessie would never have said anything so rude.”
“Rude? Whatever, I wasn’t rude, I was honest.” I say and shove the rest of my cookie in my mouth. “You’re Fate and you don’t have the answers, how am I supposed feel about the situation?” My chair barks as I slide it on the floor to stand up.
“Jessie, know that I’ll always love you. I’ll find a way to fix this.” My heart skips a beat as I hear the words in my head. “This thing is becoming crazier by the minute. I’m hearing his voice prattling in my head now.” I take my glass and wash it out in the sink. “While I’m thinking about it, Clark said he’d totally dig going to Busch Gardens with us.”
Amber thrusts her glass at me. “If Clark goes, I’m not. Jess, something about him isn’t right.”
My body goes rigid all over. Now the anger permeates through my veins. Throwing the dishtowel in the sink I storm off to my room. My sucks list is getting longer by the moment. Is there anyone around here that isn’t ‘team Caleb’, I mean seriously.
I grab my wetsuit and pack my duffle bag with my gear so I’ll be ready when Clark gets here. It’s hard for me to believe everyone that Caleb is right for me. Sure, he’s great looking, but he is too damned nice. Clark is edgy and doesn’t give a rats ass about what other people think.
I look up and see grandma standing in the doorway with her arms crossed. She looks older somehow, there are dark circles under her eyes and her mouth is drawn down. “Jess, we need to talk before Clark gets here. Finish packing your gear and meet me in my room.”
“Yes ma’am.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 18
Romeo, away, be gone!
The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain.
Stand not amaz’d, the Prince will doom thee death
If thou art taken. Hence be gone, away! ~ William Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet
Like a child on the way to the principal’s office, I walk as slowly as humanly possible down the hall to grandma’s bedroom. A swirl of thoughts radiate through me. Everyone keeps telling me how wonderful Caleb and I were as a couple, yet I have no memories. It’s as if he never existed in my life. Grandma told me that he and I would go to the beach together every summer until he moved away. I remember his mother, she was petite and beautiful and I know his father, but I don’t know him.
I lightly knock on the double door to her room. “Come in Jessie,” Grandma says.
The powder blue room with white woodwork and crystal chandeliers give the room a glamorous beachy vibe. The white crushed velvet chairs and white area rugs scream sophistication. “Before you say anything, I want to say I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be disrespectful.” I walk over to where she sits and give her a hug.
“Jessie, I know this sounds like we hate Clark, but we don’t. What we want for you…is your true mate. Clark isn’t that guy, Caleb is. You may not remember it now, but sooner or later you will. I worry that you’ll compromise your virtue to a guy that isn’t your true love.”
I flop down on one of the chairs and tuck my legs under me. My bare feet love the feeling of velvet. “Virtue? I might not remember Caleb, but I remember my morals, so rest your troubled mind,” I say and smile at her.
“Good to know,” says the now familiar voice of Caleb.
I cross my arms and glare at the two of them. “Caleb, let me guess, you called crying to MY grandma that you miss me. You sure as hell won’t get me back with your underhanded manipulations.”
“It wasn’t either of theirs idea Jessica, it was mine,” says my dad.
“Daddy!” I run up and throw my arms around him. “I didn’t know you were around.”
He sits down on the velvet loveseat and motions for me to sit with him. “Jessie, listen…I’ve heard about Erebus and how your bond was broken with Caleb. Trust me when I say that you have to rekindle the bond. Eventually, you’ll remember him and if it’s too late, well there isn’t anything you can do.”
I mentally shake my head back and forth at the thought of another person trying to shove him down my throat. “Daddy, I don’t remember a bond with him at all. How can I make
something out of nothing?” I plead.
He puts his arm around my shoulder and I suddenly feel uncomfortable. “You aren’t trying to drain my light are you?”
“No, not just no…but hell no. Jessie, I’m here to protect you,” he said.
“I’m sorry, it’s just everything feels out of place. I know you know that feeling, hell… you always checked the locks over and over again.”
A noise from the other side of the room reminds me that Caleb is in the room. He walks over to the crowded sitting area; but his eyes stay locked with mine. The flutter in my stomach catches me off guard. I feel everyone staring at me as I watch Caleb.
The Light Tamer (The Light Tamer Trilogy) Page 15
