The man threw the knife to the ground.
“Thank you. Enjoy the rest of your meal,” Connor said as he and Ben and their friends all relaxed, assuming the altercation was over. Just as Ben was sitting back down, the man pulled a pistol from under his pant leg out of an ankle holster. Pushing Connor out of the way, he aimed the gun at Ben and shot him in the stomach. Then he moved onto Connor, who was cowering on the ground begging for his life and shot him through the left eye. The whole assault couldn’t have lasted more than twenty seconds before Ben and Connor’s friends and several other diners and passersby tackled the man and brought him down.
Ben lay bleeding on the dirty concrete in the middle of the chaos, flickering in and out of consciousness, too weakened and in pain to rewind. Helplessly, he watched as Connor took his last breath and died. Then the vision went black.
I let go of Ben’s hand and opened my eyes, brushing the tears from them with the sleeve of my coat. “Do you know where the vision takes place?”
“It’s not anywhere I’ve ever been, no.”
Damn. He could not catch a break with his visions. “Do you think you die too?”
He nodded his head.
“Does Connor know? Did you ever tell him about your abilities?”
“I didn’t.” He wiped his eyes. “I talked to my mom about it and she told me the right thing to do was to end the relationship as soon as possible.”
“That sounds familiar,” I grumbled.
Ben patted my knee. “I think it’s in the handbook they give out at The Society orientation. Y’know, Helpful Words and Phrases for Managing Your Young Retroact.”
“So, what, you just broke things off with him? I mean, you guys were married.”
He shook his head. “No, I acted like a dumbass like you are about Avery and stayed with him for over a year. Then I panicked that I’d waited too long.” He clenched his jaw. “I did the thing that I knew would make Connor hate me. He’s a very loyal, very monogamous person.” Ben inhaled through his nose and blew the air out slowly through his mouth. I could tell this was super hard for him and wished I hadn’t encouraged him to talk about it.
“So, I went on a massive screwing spree. I slept with like ten people in two weeks, guys and girls. Then I told Connor all about it, trying to get him to break up with me and hoping that he would never want to see me again, because I knew I couldn’t even look at him and not want to be with him.”
“And it worked?” There was no way I could do something like that to Avery, whether it was supposedly for his own good or not.
“It did.” Ben stood up and stretched his arms above his head. “Can we talk about something else?” he said to the sky.
I rose from the log and wiggled my butt, it was cold and numb. “How about a lesson instead?”
“A lesson?” Ben asked.
I turned to him. “Yeah. Teach me how to communicate with spirits.”
He cocked his head at me, curious. “Okay, but how about after lunch, your Mom’s--”
My eye snapped shut as a glimpse came on. Conveniently timed, as usual.
Mom stood at the large window at the back of the cabin, watching Ben and I running up the path toward her, waving our arms and yelling. “What the heck?” she said, turning to hurry outside to meet us. As she twisted, a stabbing pain radiated throughout her swollen abdomen. She hunched forward, clutching her belly tightly. She was alone in the cabin. Where were Aunt Hazel and Frank? I could hear the pounding of Ben and my feet as we clamored up the front stairs. The door flung open and Ben rushed to catch Mom as she crumpled to the floor, blood soaking through the thigh area of her thin sweat pants.
The instant my eyes flipped open I was off and running, Ben by my side. Had he shared my glimpse? He must have, I decided, the way he was sprinting for the cabin like he knew he needed to be there to catch her. I saw Mom turn away from the window. We rounded the corner of the cabin and simultaneously leapt up the stairs, our feet pounding on the second and fourth steps. I grabbed the door and held it open for Ben as he sprang through the doorway, reaching Mom the instant before she fell.
He swept her up into his arms, her body limp, and her head lolling to the side. “Avery’s dad says that Frank and Hazel went into town to get us some lunch.” He nodded at the hook on the wall by the door. “Grab your mom’s car keys. We’ve got to take her to the hospital.”
I did as I was told and took the keys from the hook, opening the door for Ben again. He moved gingerly down the front steps, trying not to jostle mom’s body too much. I ran ahead to the car and helped him lay her down in the back seat. I thrust the keys out to him.
He stepped back, holding up his hands. “Oh, no, you’re driving. I don’t know how.”
“What?” I asked I’m sure looking more shocked than I’d intended.
“I’m from the city,” he said by way of explanation. “Let’s get going. Avery’s dad is flipping the fuck out.”
“Uh, okay.” I took a deep breath and hopped in the driver’s seat, surprised when Ben slid in the back seat, carefully laying mom’s head in his lap. He was turning out to be a way better guy than I’d thought he was. I started up the car, glad it was one I’d had several driving lessons in. Looking in the rearview mirror, I caught Ben’s eye. “Thank you.”
“No problem, Little House. Just drive.”
Dad met us at the emergency room entrance, his face pale with fear. I got the opposite feeling I suppose I should have. I was happy Dad was worried for Mom. After Ben had managed to get his phone out of his pocket and get a hold of Frank to tell him what had happened, Mr. Adams had told him to call Dad. And to Dad’s credit, he’d dropped everything and hurried over to the hospital.
Two nurses, a man and a woman in teal scrubs, pushing a stretcher followed behind him. Ben opened the back door and quickly got out of the way so the nurses could lift Mom up onto the stretcher. Then the barrage of questions began. “How many weeks is she?” The female nurse asked.
“Thirty weeks,” Dad said without hesitation. “This has actually happened to her before, when she was pregnant with our daughter Melody.” He glanced at me and winked. I instantly felt less worried. With that, Dad took charge, answering the nurse’s questions about Mom’s medical history as they wheeled her inside.
Ben and I stared at each other over the car.
“You were great back there. Very super hero-y,” I said because I couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“Yeah. Thanks. I’m still trying to figure out what just happened.” He shook his head like he was attempting to get his thoughts straight. “We should probably park the car in the lot.”
I smiled at him. “You mean I should park the car.”
He rolled his eyes at me and got in the front seat. I climbed back behind the wheel, proud of myself for not freaking out one bit during my first tense driving experience. “What do you mean you’re still trying to figure out what happened? We shared a glimpse.”
His eyes got wide. “That’s what happens when you glimpse?”
I started up the car and pulled away from the emergency room entrance, crossing the street to the parking lot. “I don’t have normal glimpses, no--”
“You’re damn right you don’t! Do they always come right before the event happens?”
“Yeah, most of the time.” What was he getting at?
“Are they always one-hundred percent correct?”
“Uh, yeah, I guess they are.” I eased the car into a parking spot flanked on either side by SUV’s, just for the added practice. “Look, I know I don’t glimpse the normal way. Mine are kinda like regular visions, but obviously more immediate. I don’t control them. I’ve tried to glimpse on purpose and my most successful one consisted of my seeing what I’m getting on my driver’s test. When it comes to glimpsing people or important outcomes...I can’t do it on demand. My body gives me the glimpses whenever it wants, which is right before the event happens. At least my regular visions come to me like they should,�
�� I gave him a smug look, letting the insult sink in, “I get that I suck at being a Retroact in general as far as you’re concerned, but--”
“Dude.” He put his hand over my mouth to stop me talking. “I don’t think you suck, I think you’re freaking awesome.”
I licked his palm to get him to take his hand away. He was definitely mocking me, I just couldn’t figure out why.
He took his hand from my mouth, grinning, and wiped it on his jeans leg. “Freaking awesome and a little bit kinky.”
“What? ‘Cause I licked your hand?” I snorted. “It’s a classic sibling move.”
“Nice. Double kinky.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me.
I looked away from him as a familiar warmth radiated throughout my body. A warmth usually reserved for Avery. “I gotta get to Mom. I don’t have time to play flirty-flirt with you.” I got out of the car and walked back toward the hospital.
He caught up to me in two strides. “What I was saying before, about your glimpses Zellie, is that...” he grabbed my arm and turned me to him. “You’re the only Retro I’ve ever heard of that has completely accurate glimpses.”
“Fat lot of good it does me if they happen three seconds before the real event!” I wanted to pull from his grasp, wanted him to stop flattering me and being so nice and comforting; things were easier when he acted like a douche. But, then I noticed the guy had my mom’s blood all over the front of his shirt and that made me want to wrap my arms around him and sob.
Ben released my arm, giving me an inquisitive smile. “We can work on that, the glimpses and the communicating with spirits. Maybe you’ll teach me how to drive?”
That made me grin. “Probably should get my license first.”
After twenty minutes of trying to convince the person at the desk that I was related to my own mother whom I look almost identical to, I left Ben in the ER waiting room with Frank and was led by a perky blonde nurse through a labyrinth of hallways to get to Mom’s small curtained cubicle. I thought it was a good sign that she was still down here and they hadn’t moved her up to a permanent room. The nurse popped her head into the slit in the curtain and asked Mom if she wanted to see me. My body relaxed with relief when I heard her say, “Of course!” cheerfully. Perky nurse whipped the curtain back to reveal Mom sitting up in bed and Dad and Aunt Hazel, who’d probably never had a problem convincing anyone to let her go anywhere, lounging in chairs beside her.
“So what’s the deal? Are you okay?” I went to her and hugged her tenderly. “You scared the crap out of me. Ben too.”
She brushed my hair back from my face. “I’m going to be fine, honey. I have a blood clotting problem. I thought it wasn’t going to show up this pregnancy because it happened way earlier when I was pregnant with Melody. But, show up it did. I’m just glad you and Ben were there to help me.”
“Me too, Mom.”
“The doctor was in here a little while ago and I’m free to go home. The only complication is that I’ll be on bed rest until this baby is born.”
“Okay, what does that mean?”
Dad spoke up. “Basically what it means for you, Zel, is that you have to get your driver’s license. Your Aunt Hazel has to report back to the L.A., er, office, next Monday and someone is going to have to help your mother out.
“No problem. I can stay with Mom--”
Dad cleared his throat. “Every day except Thursdays.”
“Thursdays?” I asked, confused. What happened on Thursdays? Oh. Avery visited on Thursdays. The happiness that I’d been feeling at the prospect of getting my license faded away. “Fine.”
Aunt Hazel stood up. “I’ll go take Frank and Ben back to the lodge and have them get in contact with you later Zellie.” She patted Mom’s knee. “I’m glad you’re okay, Gracie.”
“Thanks,” Mom said. We all waved bye to Aunt Hazel.
Back to being his butthead self, Dad stood too. “I’ll drive you home so you can pick up a few things, then we’ll swing back and get your mom and you can drive her car up to the cabin. I’ll take you for your license tomorrow. You think you’re ready?”
I rolled my eyes at him. That had to be the understatement of like, my entire life.
“Yes, Dad. I’m ready.”
Chapter Nine
Getting my license was a non-event. I passed the computer test with my accurately glimpsed 98/100 and only missed a point on the driving portion due to my complete suckitude at parallel parking. Dad offered to take me out for lunch to celebrate, but I turned him down, making sure to emphasize that the next time we would be sharing a meal would be Thursday evening. He got the point and let me drive back to the cabin, blasting whatever music I wanted to on the stereo.
I quickly said goodbye to Dad and ran up the front steps to the cabin as Aunt Hazel, Frank, and Ben were on their way out.
Ben put his hand up for me to high-five. “You rocked it, didn’t you? Lemme see how much your picture sucks.”
I slapped his hand in a severely awkward and girly manner, my face heating at the attention he was paying me. “My picture doesn’t suck that bad. I only have one of my eyes closed,” I joked, pulling my wallet from my purse and holding out my freshly minted driver’s license for them to see.
“You look lovely, Zellie,” Aunt Hazel said. Frank and Ben nodded in agreement.
“Thanks.” I stuck it back in the see-through plastic compartment of my wallet that had, up until now, held my student ID. I’d chucked it in the garbage the night before. Wouldn’t need that ever again. “Where are you guys going?”
Frank smiled. “We’re headed over to Bend to get my car. It’s been parked in the motel parking lot for two days, so I’m hoping it hasn’t been towed.”
“They’re also going to pick up your GED study materials,” Mom called from the couch, a laptop splayed out on what was left of her lap.
“Cool. Well, don’t let me hold you up any longer.” I slid through the doorway into the cabin, my chest grazing Ben’s.
“I’m going to take it too,” Ben said to the back of my head. “We can study together.”
I turned back to him. “Cool,” I said again, “I’ll see you when you all get back.”
He flashed his beautiful white smile at me and then shut the door behind him.
Mom actually giggled. “I think someone’s got a crush on you, Zellie.”
The fact that she’d noticed even an infinitesimal bit of chemistry between Ben and I scared me. And then it pissed me off. “That would be convenient for everyone wouldn’t it? Oh, wait,” I said, cocking my head to the side, “except for me and Avery.”
Mom’s expression fell. “Zellie, honey, I was just--”
“Are you good?” I asked, looking her over, “I’m going to go lie down if you are.”
“I’m fine. Aunt Hazel was nice enough to lend me her spare laptop so I can lounge on the couch and I’m getting Wi-Fi somehow.” She returned to what she was doing. “Probably stealing it from the lodge.”
“Yell for me if you need me.” I skulked off to my room, shut the door and fell onto the bed face first. I wished I could call Claire or even Melody, but they were still in school. Rolling onto my back, I flung my arm over my eyes, conjuring up Avery’s dream from the other night. Only three more days until I would get to see him in the flesh, I was going to have to rely on his dreams and my fantasies to cut through the boredom until then. Settling into the dream, this time I imagined myself dressed in a hot pink string bikini just for the hell of it.
I awoke several hours later to the sound of cars driving up the gravel road to the cabin. Wiping the drool from the corner of my mouth, I got out of bed and swiftly checked myself out in the bathroom mirror. Ugh. Crazy tangle hair and a pillow print on my cheek. Pretty. I stuck my tongue out at myself in the mirror. Who was I trying to impress anyway?
As I stepped through the doorway from the bathroom into the family room, I caught a peek of Ben going into my bedroom. I followed after him, only to see him walk through the d
oor from my bedroom into the bathroom. What the hell? Good thing the door from the bathroom to mom’s room was closed or we’d be in even more trouble. These bathrooms may have worked on The Brady Bunch, but in the real world having three entrances into one bathroom was stupid.
“Ben! Stop walking. I’m behind you.” I shut my bedroom door.
He came into my room, shutting the door to the bathroom, looking confused. “Whose dumbass idea was it to put three doors on one bathroom?” he said, handing me a stack of books topped by a five pack of spiral notebooks.
I took the materials and set them on top of my chest of drawers. “Let’s hope it’s not the same person who wrote the GED test or we’re screwed.”
“Tests,” he said.
“Huh?”
“The GED is five tests, not just one.”
I sighed and sat down on the bed. “Five tests? That sucks.”
He laughed. “It has to be somewhat of a pain in the ass or no one would attend actual high school, y’know.”
“I guess,” I said, rolling my eyes.
Ben grabbed the pack of notebooks and ripped the plastic wrapping off. “We’re sharing these, okay? I want the green and yellow ones.”
“Sure.”
He tossed the remaining three notebooks, in the colors of red, blue, and purple, next to me on the bed. I opened the red one up and smelled the paper. I love a fresh notebook.
“Zellie, you’re supposed to write in it, not make out with it.” He took the notebook from my hand.
“I like the smell. It’s...clean and full of possibility.”
“Wow, Little H., you’re more in need of a good lay than I’d previously thought.” He fanned the notebook pages at me. “It’s not possibility, its dead bleached trees.” He smelled the paper. “And it smells like chemicals.”
Zellie Wells Trilogy Page 23
