Talent

by Annie B Matthews

  Libby frowned. “I don’t understand. I thought you were close as sisters?”

  “We were, as children.” Francis rubbed her hands over her face. “We grew apart as we got older. When she turned twenty, she moved out and we hardly ever saw her. She talked about making talents known to regular people, called it the big Come Out.”

  From her conversations with Ian and Anna, Libby knew this was nothing new. Every now and then, a group of talents would try to rally support for such a move, but never got very far. In the end, without numbers to support them, they would never be believed. The majority of talents had no desire to be outed; human societies hadn’t exactly proved themselves tolerant of differences over the last few centuries. Being revealed to the general public would only generate fear, distrust and prejudice.

  “After that, we didn’t see much of her and then, before you were born, she vanished.” Francis shrugged as she busied herself making tea. “I guess I didn’t want to dwell on that, on how I could have changed things. It was easier to remember her before it turned sour.”

  Understandable.

  “Well, you have a nephew.” Eric began after a moment. “That’s something positive to come out of the situation. He seems like a good boy.”

  “He is.” Libby was eager to jump to Danny’s defense.

  Francis smiled a little. “I hope he gives us the opportunity to get to know him.”

  “He will,” Libby assured her, even as she hoped it was true. Danny and Kelly hadn’t returned before they had left Ian and Anna’s house. “He was upset after telling us about his mother. I guess he had to walk it off. Kelly was quite worried about him.”

  “She is good for him,” Eric commented. “You can see how well they balance one another. It’s almost as if they can read each other’s minds.”

  Libby met her mum’s gaze and they both rolled their eyes at his terrible joke. Francis chuckled in spite of herself. “Yes, it must be strange linking with another mind reader. Sharing that talent is very intrusive, in a way.”

  “How do you mean?” Libby took the mug of tea her mother offered, cupping both hands to absorb the warmth.

  “Take your father and I,” Francis began as she settled into a chair between them. “He can sense my feelings, I can, to a very slight degree, influence his moods. And vice versa.”

  Libby jolted in shock, her gaze flying to her dad. They knew about his talent?

  Eric laughed at her expression. “Yes, apparently I’m one of the crowd too. Your mother explained this on the night she returned. I’m a poor talent though, not like you girls.”

  “But you’ve been reading her emotions all these years?” Libby was astonished. “Didn’t you realize?”

  “I thought I just understood her well,” her father replied sheepishly. “How was I to know?”

  Shaking her head in amazement, Libby sipped her tea. “This is insane.”

  “Sometimes it seems that way,” Francis conceded. “However, for your father and me the talent sharing is not particularly intrusive. Kelly and Danny can have no real respite from one another and that must be exhausting. Mind you, they have Ian and Anna to look to for guidance in that respect.”

  “They can block each other out,” Libby told her. “But I don’t think they do it often.”

  “And with Jackson?”

  Libby faltered. “What?”

  Francis opened her mouth, then shut it again with a glance at her husband. “I thought…nothing.”

  “You thought what?”

  Pulling a face, Francis seemed apologetic. “I just assumed you were fully linked. It’s not a big deal though. It will happen when you are both ready.”

  Embarrassment crept up her face in a flush of heat. “How does it happen?”

  “It’s different for each couple, although the key of course is to be open with one another. Acceptance – commitment, if you like.” Francis hesitated. “He carries a terrible burden and, at some point, you will have to share it.”

  Libby sensed her mother’s distress and swallowed her own anxiety. Neither of them had mentioned it since Jackson’s weekend in London. He had made it clear that it was not something he was prepared to discuss, even though they both knew that he wouldn’t be able to avoid it forever. And to be honest, with everything that had been going on, Libby hadn’t given it a great deal of thought in the last week or so.

  To realize that this was most likely the reason they didn’t share their talents despite being linked came as an unwelcome surprise.

  “He doesn’t want to talk about it.”

  “That’s his prerogative,” Eric replied. “You’re young yet, there’s no rush.”

  She sent her dad a long look. “Is this segueing into the talk?”

  He reddened instantly. “No, of course not. Although-”

  “Forget it dad, we’re not there by a long shot.” She grinned at how his relief warred with embarrassment, relieved herself to change the topic of conversation. “For now.”

  “Libby,” Francis said reprovingly as Eric choked on his tea. “Don’t tease your father. Eric, we’ve covered the sex talk.”

  Bright red now, her father focused on his mug. “It’s late. I think I might head up to bed.”

  “Night, dad.”

  Libby giggled as he disappeared upstairs, enjoying the shared amusement with her mother.

  “Now, now, you know how he gets flustered about these things.”

  “I can’t help it,” Libby was still smiling. “It’s so easy to wind him up. Can you really influence his emotions?”

  “Barely,” her mother leaned forward. “His talent is low level, so my use of it is fainter even then that. How did you know about him?”

  “Jackson guessed.” Libby tapped her fingers on the table nervously. “Is it weird that Jack and I aren’t sharing a talent?”

  “No, not really. I didn’t mean to worry you. The two of you seem so close already that I just assumed you did.” Francis shrugged. “It will come.”

  “How does it work?” The scientist in her was fascinated. “I mean, what are the benefits of it? Why does it happen?”

  “It deepens the link. Between strong talents, it can be extremely effective in binding a couple together and it even makes their own talents stronger. As for the why, I’m afraid I don’t know.”

  Libby remembered her mother explaining how she had never explored her talent, never spoken much about it with other talents. Maybe Ian would be able to help with that. He seemed to know most about the theories surrounding the talents, after all.

  Later, as she lay waiting for sleep, she couldn’t help but wonder if Jackson would ever tell her what had happened to him. She couldn’t decide whether or not she wanted him to.

  Chapter Twenty Three

  It was a bizarre choice, but somehow fitting. The ice cream parlour was busy, filled with families mostly, although a few couples shared the smaller booths. Libby watched a woman negotiating with her toddler and shuddered.

  “Parenting must really suck,” she muttered. Danny’s grin flashed as he folded and refolded the paper napkin, the only sign of his nerves.

  “Can’t be that bad, if so many people do it,” he commented lightly. “By choice.”

  “Maybe.” She laughed as the toddler turned puppy dog eyes on his mother. “I guess they’re kinda cute at times.”

  She glanced over at the counter where her mum was paying for ice cream cones.

  “Thanks for doing this,” she said quietly. “It means a lot to her.”

  He looked at her in surprise and she realized how genuinely anxious he was to make a good impression.

  “Family is important. I hope…” He swallowed, winced. “I hope I don’t bring back bad memories for her.”

  “She doesn’t have any,” Libby reminded him gently. “She doesn’t know the same Maria that you do.”

  “Rum and raisin,” Francis announced as she arrived at the table, passing Danny his cone with mock dismay. “I suppose it takes all
kinds.”

  Smiling, Danny shrugged. “Dad loves it, so it was a staple food in our house.” He gestured towards their choices. “As I’m guessing mint choc chip was in yours?”

  “Was? It still is.” Libby teased. “You’ll have to learn to love it.”

  He gave a shudder and Francis smiled warmly. Libby knew that her mother already counted Danny as family. It was that easy for her. Although she knew that Danny had lowered his shield, so that simplified things. The thing she liked most about talents was their ability to show what was in their hearts. No secrets.

  Except for Jackson’s.

  Her mood dimmed slightly at the thought. She knew she needed to talk to him, but the truth was that it scared her. Whatever his secret was, it sickened him. His mother was still afraid for him. And yet…if he didn’t tell her, their relationship would not move forward.

  She wanted that, the sharing of talent that the others had. It just didn’t seem fair that they would need to suffer for it.

  “There are a few good places to study graphic design, so there are plenty of options.”

  She tuned back into the conversation, Danny’s words surprising her.

  “You want to go into design?”

  “Ideally. We’ll see.” He shrugged. “Once Kelly decides what she wants to do, we'll find a place that suits us both. There’s no hurry.”

  Francis nodded. “I have a friend who works in the industry back in London. If you wanted work experience, I’m sure she’d help out.”

  Danny’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

  “I’ll call her this week.” Francis told him, evidently pleased to be of use. “Kelly will be looking at a career in arts, I assume?”

  “Music,” he nodded in confirmation. “I actually think she wants to teach, but she’s in denial about that part.”

  Libby grinned. “I got that impression. Jack mentioned once that he’d like to study engineering, but I guess he hasn’t made his mind up.”

  Francis and Danny shared a look.

  “What?” She asked, resigned to the fact that she’d made another misstep. “What else don’t I get yet?”

  Danny tried and failed to hide his smile. “He made up his mind two years ago, but until you know what you're doing, it’s on hold.”

  Of course. He’d talked about it a couple of times. It depends, he’d said. How typical of him to avoid telling her that his plans depended on hers. He’d been so careful not to overload her with the talent stuff all at once.

  “Well, he has a year on me. What’s he supposed to do, put his life on hold?” Too late she realized that was what Danny was about to do. She winced as she realized she might have offended him. Then another realization dawned an instant later and she groaned. Of course he had to put his life on hold. They were together now. For good. “Right. Silly me.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Danny told her off-handedly as he polished off his cone. “He doesn't mind. It’s just the way it is.”

  “Of course.” Libby raised her eyes heavenward. “That’s good, then. Anything else I don’t know about this talent-linking thing?”

  “Weeell,” Danny looked at her, considering. “Has Jackson mentioned the tattoo ritual yet?”

  Her jaw dropped as she stared at him in horror. “He…tattoo? I don’t want a tattoo! What ritual is this?”

  There was no way she was getting a tattoo. She didn’t care if in some cultures it was a rite of passage. There was no way some stranger with a needle was getting anywhere near her.

  Her mother’s smile gave him away at that moment and Libby slumped in her seat with relief, even as she threw a balled up serviette at his head. “Funny.”

  Danny and Francis were still laughing as they headed out to the car. She shut the door more firmly than she needed to.

  “Maybe I will get a tattoo,” she told them tartly. “With an F and an Off.”

  “Libby,” the warning in her mother’s voice made her smile. “Language.”

  Glancing out of the window, she didn’t register the passing man at first. Then she felt it, that unnatural recognition, and her gaze snapped back.

  “Stop!”

  Her mother had barely started reversing out of the space, but hit the brakes instantly.

  “What is it?”

  “It’s him. The guy from the pub.” She scrambled for the door handle. Danny lunged across from the back seat, his hand like a vise on her wrist.

  “Don’t.” He released her as she turned to him. “You can’t just go out there and confront him.”

  He had a point. Releasing the door handle, she nonetheless pressed her face to the window. “There, you see? By the cash point.”

  Francis unbuckled her belt. “I’ll walk by, see if I can get anything.”

  “That’s not a good idea, Francis.”

  She raised her eyebrow. “I'm more than capable of using a cash point. Besides, what can he do, with all these people about? Wait here.”

  Her tone brooked no argument, so Libby and Danny watched her cross the car park in silence. It seemed to her that they both held their breath as Francis walked casually past the man towards the cash point. He moved away, and Francis made as though she was withdrawing cash.

  “Oh my God.”

  Danny hissed out a breath. “Your dad will kill me.”

  “He’ll kill us all.” Libby leaned forward, poised to run to her mother’s aid. The man continued walking and soon disappeared around the corner. She felt her whole body sag in relief. “Oh thank goodness.”

  Then an uncomfortable ache centred in her chest. He'd gone.

  For a moment, she wanted to follow him and all but had her hand on the door handle to rush out. Curling her hand into a fist, she waited for the feeling to pass, her stomach churning. Whatever was linking her to this man was dangerous and she wouldn't forget it. She knew how concerned everyone was about this second connection, although no one had come out with their suspicions. Even if Jackson had doubts, Libby knew what was real, what was true. And it wasn't this. It was Jack.

  When Francis got back in the car, Danny protested.

  “That was a hell of a risk, what if -”

  “I’m fine.” She seemed calm, but Libby could sense the shock she was feeling. She had seen something. “Danny, you’d better call your father. Tell him to meet us at the house straight away. Libby, call Jackson.”

  Something in her tone stopped them from asking questions. Fumbling her mobile, Libby managed to dial Jackson. He answered on the first ring.

  “I was just thinking of you.”

  “Jack, you need to get everyone to my house.”

  Instantly his voice hardened. “What happened?”

  “We saw the guy from the pub. Mum saw something.”

  “We’ll be there in ten.”

  He disconnected and she turned to watch the town pass by outside the window. Her mother drove sedately, as though there was no hurry. Nervous, Libby wiped her damp palms on her jeans. Danny ended the call to his father.

  “He’s on his way.”

  “Should we be worried?”

  Francis glanced at her, her eyes dark with fear.

  Libby didn’t need an answer.

  Eric opened the door when they pulled up on the drive. Ian’s car pulled in behind them.

  “Paul’s here. What happened?”

  Francis shook her head. “We need to go inside.”

  Libby marveled at her mother’s calm, even though she was shaking on the inside. Her own stomach lurched unpleasantly and she was relieved when Jackson appeared beside her. They assembled in the kitchen and waited.

  Francis spoke quickly, her fingers lacing and unlacing.

  “I didn’t expect…I see things, snap shots, images, of a person’s past. Sometimes it’s like a short video clip, but that’s rare. I saw his link with you, Libby; it's faint, but it's there.” Libby felt Jackson looking at her, his fear and worry vibrating in the air between them, but she kept her gaze on her mother. Francis closed her ey
es, pressed her lips together as though in pain. “He knows you as well, Jack. He set it up. Your...on the train. It was a set up. And as we feared, he's working with Maria.”

  The silence was total.

  Jackson found her hand, gripped it hard in his own. Libby was grateful for it. She felt odd, as though she was fading out. Jackson’s grip was like an anchor and she clung to him. What the hell had happened to Jack?

  “Why?”

  Ian's voice sounded different, off somehow, but she was too focused on the answer to spare him a glance.

  Francis shook her head slowly, her eyes filled with sadness. “I don’t know all the whys. He is working with my sister.”

  “With or for?” Danny’s father spoke tersely.

  “For,” Francis tore her gaze from Jackson to look at him. “He's working for her. She’s angry, after revenge. It involves Jackson and Libby. Why?”

  Anna let out a cry of distress, sinking into the chair she had been leaning against moments before. Ian put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her as well as to steady himself.

  His voice was rusty with emotion. “We took Danny from her.”

  Danny shook his head slowly. “I don’t understand. She never wanted me, except when I was of use. Why would she hurt Jackson that way? It makes no sense.”

  Paul let out a curse. “She just can’t stand someone getting the better of her. If it weren't for Ian and Anna's help, I doubt I'd have been able to cut her off so completely.”

  “But what have we to do with this?” Eric asked in confusion. “She’s had nothing to do with us. Why would she involve Libby?”

  Francis squeezed her eyes closed in pain. “Libby means nothing to her, except as a way of hurting Jackson.”

  Anna raised her eyes to Jackson’s, her expression one of immense grief. “A son for a son.”

  Then everyone was talking. Exclamations, questions, demands. Libby blocked it all out, numbed by the shock.

  Danny’s mother wanted revenge and she planned to do it by taking Jackson from his parents. She supposed it made a terrible kind of sense. You take my son, I’ll take yours. Logical, at least. She wondered at how much planning this had involved so far, and why the man who worked for Maria had caught Libby's attention so deliberately. What purpose did that link between them serve?