by Stacy Juba
"That’s because no one else understands how hard it is to be psychic." His mouth opened, but she pushed on, "Yeah, Ken, I’m admitting it. I’m psychic. Now my mother’s forbidding me to hang around with my friends. My only friends."
"Whose fault is that? Anytime I tried talking to you about this stuff, you blew me off or lied about it." Ken shuffled closer, till they were inches apart. "I’m no psychic, but I listened to my gut and it told me you were in trouble. Two kids from the same school, the same crowd, die in freak accidents. I didn’t want anything happening to you."
Dawn’s breathing quickened. Ken was implying that Serina had something to do with the deaths of Scott and Tim? That was insane.
"You should have minded your own business. Everything was fine until you butted in." Dawn elbowed past him and thumped upstairs to her room.
She turned off the lights, curled on the bed and eyed the shadowy framed headshot of her father in his favorite Red Sox cap. If Serina was right and psychics could pass on their skills in death, then her dad had given her his abilities. Had he bestowed them during his accident as the other car plummeted toward him? Had he accomplished it during some sort of afterlife?
However it worked, Daddy must have believed he was doing the right thing. Dawn tugged the ends of her hair, an empty shoveled-out feeling in her stomach. Why, Daddy? How could you do this to me after the powers killed you?
Dawn drifted off to sleep and was awakened by glaring light. She jerked up to find her mother and Jeff standing over her. She squinted at the peanut butter sandwich, chips and lemonade on the tray her mother carried.
Her mother cleared a place on the nightstand for the tray and squeezed Jeff’s hand. "I told Jeff everything. He’ll explain about your abilities to Ken. No more secrets."
"I think it was foolish of your mother to hide this from us," Jeff said, shooting her mother a glance that conveyed exasperation and love at the same time. "We’re a family. Besides, I’m not as shocked as you might think. Remember that time I lost my keys this summer? I searched everywhere and you told me to look on the seat of my car. There they were. There have been other instances like that. Something tells me they weren’t coincidences."
Dawn shrugged, gazing down at her bedspread. They’d only lived together a couple months. Wait till he saw what it was like rooming with a psychic for the long haul.
"I’m not afraid, Dawn," Jeff said. "You have a gift, but I agree with your mother, I don’t like this fortuneteller situation. She was dealing with young girls and should have required parental permission. If she’d called us, then we would’ve heard her out, but she didn’t. That doesn’t make me think highly of her."
"Jeff wants to go with you tomorrow to Serina’s house and tell her why you won’t be seeing her any longer," her mother said.
"That’s not fair!" Agitated, Dawn rolled off the bed and paced. "You can’t take away my teacher. You can’t stop me from seeing Jamie and Candace, either. Jamie isn’t even psychic, she just wants to be."
Her mother and Jeff exchanged a long heavy glance. Dawn stopped pacing and looked hard at her mother. "What?"
"The only way we’ll consider letting you go anywhere with Jamie and Candace is if we tell their parents what’s going on," her mom said.
"What? No! They’ll hate me. You can’t."
"Then you’re not allowed to see them outside of school." Her mother coughed. "As far as having Serina for a teacher, there’s someone else I would rather you learned from – if you think it’s absolutely necessary. There’s something I haven’t told you."
"Surprise, surprise." Dawn rubbed her throbbing forehead. What now? What more could there be?
"I’ll leave you two alone." Jeff kissed her mother’s cheek and murmured into her ear. She swallowed and nodded. He turned to Dawn. "Don’t be upset at your mother, Dawn. She’s tried to do what’s best for you."
He clapped a hand on her shoulder and walked out of the room. Dawn sat down on her bed, jittery. With Jeff’s absence, a bridge had collapsed between her and her mother. Dawn couldn’t handle the unleashing of another secret. She felt like Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars trilogy.
Dawn’s mother laced her hands together and cleared her throat again. "Your grandfather, on your father’s side, is psychic also. It’s hereditary."
Shock flooded over Dawn like a tsunami. Did this mean her father hadn’t passed on his gifts from beyond the grave after all? That she’d inherited them the genetic way?
"What?" Dawn blurted. "Are you kidding me?"
"Unfortunately, no."
"You mean, all this time, I could have been learning from my grandfather?" Dawn’s pulse beat in her wrist and a warm flush spread over her from head to toe. Who was this woman with all her secrets? She was a stranger who’d cheated Dawn out of a teacher, out of knowing a blood relative that could have helped her to grow up confident instead of ashamed.
"Mom, you went too far. You had no right to keep this from me. You—"
Her mother’s imploring look stopped her short. "Just listen. Aren’t you curious why we were estranged from your grandparents?"
Dawn struggled to remember what little she knew about her father’s family. She’d been told that they lived far away. Since she wasn’t close to her mother’s parents either, their absence had never seemed odd. "Okay. Why?"
"Your grandfather said something terrible would happen if your father married me and he wouldn’t attend our wedding. Your grandmother went along with him. Your dad was furious, but your grandparents wouldn’t respect his feelings. They claimed I would be his downfall." Even now, bitterness tinged her mother’s voice.
"They just cut themselves off from us because you didn’t do what they wanted? That’s pretty unfair, isn’t it?" Dawn’s annoyance retreated and thoughtfulness took over.
Her mother hesitated and then sat beside her on the bed. "Truthfully, your dad was the stubborn one. When you were a baby, his parents wanted to see you, but he refused. They came to his funeral, but I wouldn’t let them speak to you. They’d caused your father a lot of pain and I was angry. Besides, I hoped you’d outgrow your psychic abilities and I didn’t want your grandfather encouraging it."
Dawn reached back with her mind, struggling to remember the people at her father’s funeral, but it was too hazy. They’d all been strangers. "Mom, something terrible did come out of your marriage. Look how young Daddy died."
"Don’t you think I realize that?" her mother asked, tears emerging from her blue eyes. "But we were happy, Dawn, and we had you, so I can’t wish we did things differently. When I first heard about this premonition, I thought it was an excuse. I figured I didn’t live up to your grandparents’ expectations and that they were making it all up. When your dad admitted he was psychic, too, but that he didn’t have any premonitions of doom about our relationship, then I thought your grandparents must have been New Age types who’d filled his head with supernatural nonsense."
"You didn’t believe in Daddy’s abilities right away?" Dawn’s spine straightened. Had her mother treated Daddy the same way, blowing off all his predictions and pretending he was normal?
"He had a lot of lucky guesses, like exactly what day and time you’d be born, but I passed it off as coincidence. As time went on, deep down I knew he had special abilities, but he didn’t like talking about it which was fine with me. It spooked me." Her mother chuckled, but it sounded more like a sob. "Once you started showing signs of it as a toddler, though, we had to talk about it."
"I don’t remember having premonitions until after Daddy died. Till I was about seven." Dawn blinked, disoriented. Not only had her mother lied, but Dawn’s own memories were warped.
"No, they just got more dramatic, about bigger things. Scarier things. When you were little, you knew what all your Christmas presents were under the wrapping paper, you’d give us accurate weather reports, that type of thing. You assumed everyone knew stuff like that. Daddy said that once you got older, as your skills matured and you w
ere around more people, then you’d realize you were different." Her mother brushed her fingers through the back of Dawn’s hair. "I took it for granted that he’d be there to answer your questions."
At the gentle touch, Dawn felt sadness stirring within her mother and sensed that no matter how happy she was in her new life with Jeff, part of her would always miss Dawn’s dad. Maybe I wasn’t such a burden after all.
She’d only been her father’s daughter.
"If you still need guidance, then I’m willing to ask your grandfather," her mother said. "Your grandparents live in Florida, in St. Augustine. You don’t have to decide now."
"Mom, he doesn’t sound like a nice man. Why can’t I just continue with Serina? She’s right here in town." Dawn couldn’t stop shaking her head. She didn’t even know her grandfather. Her dad hadn’t wanted her to know him. That had to count for something.
"I’m sorry, Dawn, but it’s your grandfather, or nobody." Her mother feather-stroked Dawn’s cheek. "I’ve given you a lot to think about. We’ll talk again later."
"You mean, you’ll talk," Dawn muttered. "Nothing I say matters."
"I know you’re upset. I love you, Dawn. I hope you know that."
As her mom left the room, Dawn clenched her teeth. Sure, her mother loved her, but that didn’t mean she knew what was best.
Dawn eyed the telephone on her nightstand. She had to warn Serina about tomorrow. After all Serina’s generosity, Dawn couldn’t just let Jeff blindside her. Besides, Dawn could use advice.
Serina answered on the third ring. "Hello, Dawn," she said calmly.
Chills scudded through Dawn. She hadn’t identified herself.
Dawn stumbled over her words with sudden shyness. She’d never talked to Serina on the telephone before. "Serina, something happened. My mother found out I was taking lessons from you and won’t let me come anymore. My stepfather insists on going with me tomorrow to tell you. I just wanted you to know."
Silence crackled for a moment. Serina cut into the quiet and an electrical charge punctuated the air. "This is ludicrous. Dawn, I’m disappointed in you. You’re not standing for this, are you?"
Dawn gulped. "Could you just listen? There’s more." She spilled out the revelations about her father’s accident and how her mother would only permit her to study with her psychic grandfather.
"That man will ruin you," Serina said. "If he’d been a good teacher, your father would still be alive. He wouldn’t have reacted to a premonition so irresponsibly. I’ll bet your father knew his training was lacking and didn’t want your mind poisoned. That’s why he kept your grandfather out of your life."
Serina echoed Dawn’s own thoughts, her own doubts. Still, Dawn tried to convince herself they were both wrong, to play devil’s advocate even though she had no idea who the devil was in this instance. She moistened her dry lips. "But, my grandfather predicted my dad’s downfall. He must have had some skill."
"Dawn, Dawn, Dawn. Your father was killed, what, eight, nine years after that so-called prediction? Sounds like coincidence to me. A lot can happen in that time. Maybe he just hated your mother and wanted to scare her off. Even if he is psychic, that doesn’t make him a good teacher."
"What should I do?" Dawn cocooned herself in her blankets, as frigid as if she’d emerged from the ocean. "I don’t think I can sneak around. My whole family will be keeping an eye on me."
"Your family?" Serina laughed. "Those men in your house are not your family. You know the solution, Dawn. Control your mother’s mind and make her see your way. Once she relents, your stepfather will have to do the same. He’s got no authority over you. Over time, you may have to give your mother some reinforcing messages to make it last, but that’s easy enough."
The receiver went cold in Dawn’s hand. She’d never considered mind control. She couldn’t hijack her own mother’s brain, not for something so serious. Besides, Jeff and Ken would get suspicious.
Unless she was capable of controlling three minds at once. Dawn reached for Buddy and cradled him in her lap. What would her father want her to do? He wouldn’t want her to brain-jack her mother and her new family, that was for sure.
Besides, if having a little fun in gym class, getting even with Renee and scoring a few hall passes had blocked her third eye, what would happen if she took over her mother, stepfather and stepbrother for her own personal deceit? Any more of that burning pain, and she’d be a human electric chair. "I can’t, Serina. What if you recorded your lessons for me, and Candace or Jamie gave me the tapes at school?"
There was a long pause.
"How about we figure it out later," Serina said. "It sounds like you’ve had a tough day and I shouldn’t have stressed you out even more. There’s no need to make any big decisions now. Get a good night’s sleep, and I’ll see you tomorrow with your stepfather."
"Are you sure you’re okay with all this?"
"Of course, Dawn. There’s nothing I can’t handle."
Serina hung up.
Chapter Fifteen
Dawn trudged downstairs in her pajamas, coughing in bursts. She headed into the kitchen and rooted around in the freezer until she found an orange Popsicle. Her sinuses throbbed and her head felt like industrial grade sandpaper.
Her mother lowered a coffee cup to the table. "Honey, why aren’t you dressed? You’ll be late. I know you probably want to be alone, but school might get your mind off things."
"It’s not that, Mom. I’m getting a bad cold. I feel awful." Dawn grabbed a napkin off the counter and blew her nose as another coughing fit seized her. She took a few desperate licks of the Popsicle.
"You do sound congested," her mother said, forehead drawn into a crease. "On second thought, maybe a day of rest would do you good. Why don’t you go upstairs and I’ll bring you medicine and cough drops."
Dawn stumbled upstairs. She heard Ken in his room, turning off his music. He’d be leaving for school any minute. Thank God she wasn’t going with him. Even without a cold, Dawn couldn’t face Jamie and Candace. What if they didn’t want to be friends with her now that her psychic lessons were in limbo? She’d be back to eating lunch alone. Walking to class alone.
Doing everything alone.
Dawn dozed most of the afternoon, but around 3:30 she forced herself to get dressed. Jeff was supposed to pick her up soon for the visit to Serina’s. She trudged downstairs shortly after his car pulled into the driveway.
Her mother and Jeff were murmuring near the front door. They both frowned as Dawn parked herself on the living room couch.
"What are you doing?" her mother asked.
"I’m going with Jeff to see Serina."
"Your mom was just telling me that you weren’t feeling well," Jeff said. "I’ll handle it, honey. You stay home."
"No, I’m going with you," Dawn said hoarsely. "I need to hear what Serina says, how everything is left."
"Dawn, you’re sick. You don’t need this stress." Her mother pressed her back against the door, blocking it.
Dawn didn’t want to go. She didn’t want to stay. She didn’t know what she wanted, but facing Serina in person seemed the courageous thing to do. Besides, this was her decision. No one else’s. "Mom, come on. It’s my life."
"Your mother’s right. You look exhausted and you’re losing your voice. Stay home and get well." Jeff sat beside Dawn and patted her knee. "I’ll take care of Serina."
"No!" She glared past him at her mother. "I need to be there, too."
"I won’t have that woman influencing you anymore," her mother said. "I was uneasy about you going anyway. Now that you’re sick, I think it’s a sign you should stay home."
"Since when do you believe in signs?" Dawn shot back.
Jeff gave Dawn’s mother a meaningful look. Her lips compressed into a narrow line. Sighing, she moved away from the door and muttered, "Fine. If you want to go, go."
"Fine." Dawn got up to snatch her jacket and walked outside without another word.
She dragged herself to Je
ff’s station wagon and rested her heavy head against the window. No one would mistake her for Homecoming Queen with the Vaseline smeared under her red nose and the luster of banana balm on her lips. A menthol odor, courtesy of Vicks VapoRub, pervaded the air like the world’s grossest perfume.
"Sorry about the smell," she said as Jeff started the engine. "Mom insists it helps."
"No problem. I hope you feel better soon."
They drove in silence for a little while. A rope coiled in Dawn’s chest. Serina had said she could handle things. What did that mean? Don’t let them get into a big argument, please, she prayed.
"Don’t worry, Dawn, I’m angry, but I’ll keep my cool," Jeff said as if he were psychic, too. "That’s why I’m going. Your mom knew she’d be too upset and we didn’t want things to get confrontational."
Nodding, Dawn pressed a crumpled tissue to her nose. She missed Serina, Jamie and Candace already. After all the uproar calmed down, she would sneak over to the cottage for a visit. That is, if her mother wasn’t spying on her 24/7.
She decided to level with Jeff. If anyone could influence her mother, it was him. "I understand why Mom’s afraid after what happened to my father, but Serina’s done a lot for me. I don’t want to offend her. Once I’m eighteen, I can do whatever I want and Mom can’t stop me."
"What do you want?" Jeff asked.
"I don’t know," she admitted.
"After everything you’ve found out, I’d say that reaction is normal. I’d be confused, too. Heck, I am confused. But you’re not alone in this. In the meantime, stopping these lessons is the right decision." Jeff parked in the driveway and tugged his keys out of the ignition. "Okay, kid, here goes."
Dawn gulped. Serina waited on the porch, white dress fluttering in the salty ocean breeze. Dawn trailed her stepfather up the stone walkway to the foot of the steps and hung slightly behind him.
"Hello, Jeff." Serina sidled down toward them, strappy sandals encasing her bare feet.
Dawn blinked. She would have expected Serina to act more formal under such fragile circumstances.
