Discovery

by Lisa White

  “What?” Grace rushed over and pushed her face against Annie’s in order to share the window’s narrow view. The second she peered through the window, Grace knew who had caught Annie’s eye. Entering the dining room was the most gorgeous family she had ever seen. Dressed in their tennis whites, they glowed like angels sitting down for a heavenly meeting. The man’s commanding presence and Arian features matched those of his wife’s with her long, thick, blonde hair swishing around her shoulders as she gracefully took her seat. Two fair-haired young men sauntered behind and assumed their obviously pre-appointed places in between their parents at the center dining table. Every eye in the dining room was soon focused on the luminous family whose brightness resembled a crystal chandelier floating in the middle of a church sanctuary.

  “Dibs,” Annie quickly called.

  “But you’re on kitchen duty today,” whispered Grace, unable to take her eyes off the family.

  “Okay, then you go.” Annie playfully pushed her friend through the swinging door and into the crowded dining room. Grace’s abrupt eruption through the kitchen door as she stumbled into the dining room caused a few nearby diners to look her way in surprise. Not wanting to attract any more attention than she already had, Grace nonchalantly returned their awkward smiles as she tightened her ponytail again and tucked a few stray hairs behind her ears. She then headed straight for the center table, ignoring any other table that got in her way, including Lady Covington’s. As she moved closer to the family, one of the young men, in particular, rendered her breathless. He had blonde hair that shimmered like a light beaming down across his tan body and taut muscles that screamed beneath a white Izod tennis shirt. He looked like the Abercrombie & Fitch models Grace lusted after from the In Style magazines that cluttered her bedroom floor and she thought for a minute that she might actually be waiting on a real live celebrity.

  “Hello,” she said, still unable to catch her breath and almost panting as if she had just run a marathon. “Welcome to Southern Pines. I’m Grace and will be waiting on you today. Are you all new members?” She focused on the father because looking at the young man caused her knees to tremble.

  “Well, hello Grace. Yes, we are new members. I’m Jamison Reich,” the perfectly poised man said. He then gestured to the others seated at his table. “This is my wife, Ava, and these are my sons, Gregory and Andrew. We just moved here and this is our first day taking advantage of your club’s amenities. Do you have anything you would recommend for lunch?”

  Mr. Reich’s formal diction matched the refined exterior he projected and Grace was almost embarrassed to speak with her heavy South Carolinian accent. Trying to enunciate more than usual, she replied, “Almost anything we offer should meet your approval.” She smiled directly at Mr. Reich, pleased with herself for succeeding at sounding slightly less than southern in her response.

  “Fine, fine,” Mr. Reich said. “I would like a vodka tonic and the grilled salmon salad, please. Darling, what would you like?” He directed his gaze to his luminous wife.

  “The same,” said Mrs. Reich without looking up from her menu, her voice almost a purr, but with a slight edge. Elegance dripped off her like Chanel No. 5 and she wore large, black Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses as if her family’s glow hurt her eyes.

  “Gregory, do you know what you want?” Mr. Reich directed his question to the son who had previously impacted Grace’s ability to stand.

  Gregory looked up from his menu and smiled directly at Grace. His dark green eyes and long, thick eyelashes forced the young waitress to grab the back of Mrs. Reich’s chair in order to keep from falling down. Grace’s legs were beyond wobbly and the intensity of his eyes sucked her breath away again.

  “Yes.” Gregory’s voice was smooth. “I know what I want.” His eyes bored into Grace along with his smile. “I’ll have iced tea and the shrimp and grits, please.”

  Grace continued to grip the back of Mrs. Reich’s chair while the other son, Andrew, ordered, but her eyes never left Gregory’s chiseled features.

  “I … I’ll be right back,” she said as she turned toward the kitchen.

  She wound through the dining room, trying to remember the entire family’s order but shrimp and grits was the only item of which she was absolutely certain.

  “So who are they?” Annie pounced on Grace the minute she hit the kitchen’s swinging doors.

  “The Reichs. Jamison Reich and his family,” Grace said as she looked up the family on the kitchen’s computer. After a few keystrokes she found what she needed.

  “Here they are. They just joined last month. They live here in The Pines and the sons are close to our age.”

  “Does it give their weight and eye color too?” Ben smirked as he unloaded another tray from the dining room.

  “Green,” Grace responded without looking up from the computer screen. “Gregory’s eyes are green.”

  “Gregory?” Ben’s voice took on a slightly more serious tone. “So you are already on a first name basis with them?”

  “Good gosh, Ben. Jealous much?” Annie pushed past him to see what Grace was reading. The two girls studied the computer screen, seemingly oblivious to anything else around them.

  “They look like college guys. Where do you think they go to school?” asked Grace, her eyes still glued to the screen.

  “Who cares as long as they are at least here for the summer? We should invite them to your party,” offered Annie.

  “Oh, no, that’s okay.” Grace blushed. “You’re doing way too much already.” There was no way that gorgeous guy was coming to her birthday party and see her make a fool of herself.

  “I am not,” said Annie. “Besides, they’re good-looking. They should come. We want everyone who is anyone coming to your party and, as hot as they look, they obviously meet that criteria.”

  Grace just half-smiled back at her. Why wouldn’t Annie ever listen to her? She was dreading this party like the plague and Annie knew it. Grace’s primary goal in life was to avoid being the center of anyone’s attention and she was well practiced in the art of blending in. So the thought of a party in honor of her twenty-second birthday actually made her physically ill. It’s not like this year was some major milestone like a sixteenth birthday or anything. Even then Grace hadn’t had a party and she had been fine with that. But Annie wanted a party and, since Annie usually got what she wanted, Grace had resigned herself to the next few weeks of constant nausea until it was all over.

  “You … you’re going to invite total strangers to Grace’s party?” Ben asked Annie.

  “No. Gracie and I are going to get to know them first and then invite them. They won’t be strangers for long if I have anything to do with it.” Annie stuck out her tongue at Ben and returned to the back of the kitchen to help the cook.

  Ben turned to Grace who had left the computer and was again staring at the Reich family through the narrow window in the kitchen’s swinging door. “You’re not really going to invite those guys are you?” Ben asked as if Grace had any control over Annie’s party plans. “You don’t even know them.”

  “What am I supposed to do? You know Annie’s more into this party than I am. Besides, they probably won’t even come. I doubt coming to a birthday party for some random club waitress is high on their list.” Grace continued to stare out the window. “But that one on the left, Gregory, is awfully cute,” she said almost to herself.

  “Give me a break.” Ben rolled his eyes and stepped closer to Grace. “I just think your party will be more … special if we keep it to close friends, that’s all.”

  Grace allowed her gaze to leave Gregory’s glowing face and turned from the window to face Ben. “Annie’s right. You do sound jealous today. What’s with you? Afraid I might actually have a date for once? Maybe you should try it too sometime.”

  “Don’t you worry about me. I get my share. You don’t know everything about me, you know.”

  “Promises. Promises.” Grace playfully nudged him with her elbow. “Besides
, it might be kind of fun watching Annie try to flirt with your brother and keep up with her date all in the same night? That may be too much even for a professional like Annie.”

  “Yeah. Too much.” Ben snickered without any humor in his eyes. “Uh … speaking of Tom, I need to give him a quick call. Can you cover for me with Julian for a sec?”

  “Sure,” Grace said absently. She was already staring at Gregory Reich again through the kitchen door’s narrow window.

  • • •

  Ben needed to get away from Grace. He needed to get away from Grace and those intensely blue eyes of hers. Her eyes that held so many secrets and so much power.

  Her eyes that were now interested in someone new.

  Ben headed out the back door of the kitchen and walked right into a wall of cigarette smoke. The outside area near the large, metal dumpsters was the chosen spot for the kitchen staff to catch a smoke and the stress of today’s busyness had forced more than the normal number of employees outside to calm their nerves with nicotine.

  Not being a smoker, Ben held his breath through the crowd until he reached the other side of the dumpsters and found a secluded spot. He looked around to make sure he was alone before he discretely, but effortlessly, pushed the last heavy dumpster aside and slid into the newly made narrow opening. Crouching down, Ben barely had enough room to reach into his pocket and retrieve his cell phone, so he used his elbow and superhuman strength to easily nudge the full dumpster a few more inches. He had his older brother on speed dial so one press of a button and the phone made its connection. It only rang once before Tom picked up, as if he knew Ben would be calling.

  “Hey,” Ben whispered into the phone. “I think we’ve got a situation brewing with Grace.”

  Chapter Two: Flash of Light

  Years ago, way before the age of telephones and video conferences, face-to-face meetings were a requirement of Council members. In fact, most Council members enjoyed the camaraderie of their fellow legislators while they established the laws by which those born with superhuman abilities would live, governing over the Powers’ secret world as protectors of the human race.

  But that was before the rebellious Anti-Powers came into existence and knowledge of a Council member’s identity and secret powers became so risky. Risky for the Council members, the Powers they governed, and the humans they all protected.

  Now, the Council rarely met in person and today was no exception. Everyone had agreed such a minor detail could be resolved with a quick conference call.

  “Well, I don’t think this is anything to worry about right now. The family seems to be harmless,” one of the more conservative Council members said. “Let’s find out more about them before we take action.”

  “But it’s so close to her birthday and she is almost ripe,” stated his polar opposite on the Council. “We really don’t have time for mistaken assumptions now. If the Anti-Powers take her when she is fully ripe, her life — ”

  “They won’t take her,” the Council leader sternly interrupted, enunciating each word as if it was more a directive than a statement. She looked to her lieutenant seated beside her. “And Grace still doesn’t know anything?”

  “No, Madam,” her lieutenant confirmed. “Nothing at all. We are definite about that.”

  “Then let’s trust the brothers for now and let them handle it. If we need to step in, we will.” And with those final words from their leader, the Council meeting adjourned with no record of it ever having taken place.

  • • •

  “Man, I love Mondays.” Annie closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair with the midday sun on her face and her long blonde curls falling like silk waves behind her.

  “Yeah. Good thing the club’s closed on Mondays. It’s the only day I can get someone to serve me instead of the other way around,” said Ben, munching on an onion ring. The Three Amigos sat outside their favorite downtown restaurant, enjoying the first really warm spring day they had off work in a while.

  “Okay. Who else do you want to invite?” Annie asked Grace. Despite Grace’s innate self-consciousness, the guest list in front of Annie was growing with no end in sight.

  “Annie, I told you, this is your thing. I really don’t want a party. Turning twenty-two is not that big of a deal. Besides, you two are the only friends I want to hang out with on my birthday,” replied Grace before she took a bite of her Caesar salad. With her party nerves revving up her stomach again, she now wished she had ordered the chicken noodle soup instead.

  “No. This may be your birthday party but I’m the party planner and I say let’s make this thing big. You’re going to love it.” Annie glanced up from her party notes and nodded toward the street. “Hey, how about Old Man Hillary? Do you want to add him?”

  Grace looked up from her salad to see Carleton Hillary crossing the street toward them. Mr. Hillary was one of the older golfers from the club and a favorite member for all of the staff. The wisdom of his age allowed him to treat everyone as his equal since the years had granted him more tolerance than most people. He was distinguished looking, still boasting a full head of hair, and carried himself with the stature of a man half his age. If Lady Covington was the club’s matriarch, Mr. Hillary was the staff’s grandfather.

  “Well now, who do we have here on this fine spring day?” Mr. Hillary asked as he nimbly stepped up the curb onto the sidewalk near the trio’s table. He spent an inordinate amount of time playing golf at the club so he almost seemed out of place in his khaki pants and white button-down oxford cloth shirt today. He looked more like the retired businessman he actually was rather than the professional golfer he pretended to be.

  “Hey, Mr. Hillary. Taking a break from golf today?” Ben asked.

  “Monday’s the only day I don’t tee off,” said Mr. Hillary with a mischievous grin. “But if I was able to play the club today, you all would not get the day off now, would you?”

  “No sir,” said Annie. “And we certainly thank you for that!”

  Mr. Hillary tossed his head back with a deep–throated laugh. “Enjoy your day off!” The old golfer then scooted along the sidewalk and into his favorite men’s clothing store two doors down.

  “Okay. He is definitely invited. That man is a hoot!” Ben said.

  “If we invite him, we better invite Lady Covington. You know how that old bag loves our Gracie,” said Annie. “Okay, who else?”

  “Guys, enough already!” said Grace. This party was officially getting out of hand.

  “Nope, not enough. The Cavern Café is huge and they told us to invite as many people as we want. That guy who owns the place really loves you, Grace, so we are going to take full advantage of his hospitality,” Annie said.

  “Oh, he just likes me because I give him the kitchen’s leftovers for his dogs.”

  “Well, who cares why he likes you? I’m just glad he does.” Ben laughed and looked over at Annie’s list. “Hey, what about Will Crenshaw?”

  “Nah, I doubt he’ll come,” said Grace. “Broke his leg and fractured his elbow when he crashed his motorcycle last weekend. You can invite him but I don’t think he’ll be going anywhere anytime soon.”

  “Man, broken bones are the worst,” Annie said as she took a bite of her rare cheeseburger.

  “Yeah.” Ben nodded in agreement.

  “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never broken anything,” said Grace without meaning to sound impertinent.

  “We know, we know,” said Annie. “And you never get sick either. How do you manage that?”

  “Just lucky I guess. My foster parents told me I barely scraped a knee when I was little.” Grace folded her legs up into her chair, pulled them close to her chest, and began examining the smooth, flawless skin covering her knees.

  “You weren’t even hurt in that car crash when your parents and brothers died, were you?” asked Annie as she continued to study the guest list in front of her.

  “Nope. They told me not a scratch. But I was only four. You know I don’t re
member much about that,” said Grace matter-of-factly as she took another bite of her salad. As she lifted the fork to her mouth, her hands began tingling and shaking again, starting at her wrists and pulsating right down to her fingertips. Having never been sick or hurt, Grace had avoided doctors her entire life, but this latest thing with her hands was making her rethink her position on the medical profession. When the tingling and shaking first started a few weeks ago, she had assumed it was a side effect of the fatigue brought on by her extra shifts at the club. But the episodes were becoming more frequent now so she might have to give in and find a cheap doctor who would treat a waitress with no health insurance. Grace put her fork down and discreetly wriggled her fingers under the table until the sensation began to disappear.

  “Okay. Enough talk of injuries and death. We’re supposed to be planning a party here, remember?” said Ben. After a long pause, he asked, “Are you … uh … are you all still inviting those Reich guys?”

  “Working on it.” Annie seemed to ignore Ben’s tone as she looked over at Grace. “I was able to get their court schedule for this week from the tennis pro and am trying to rearrange some shifts so you and I can work the lunch crowd when they play.”

  “Annie! You are shameless!” Grace could not believe her friend’s boldness. “What if they find out?”

  “They won’t. I promised the tennis pro an invitation to your party if he keeps his mouth shut.”

  “Oh.” Grace clutched her stomach under the table. Her nausea was definitely returning now and no doctor could cure that. If only Annie would get off this party kick, Grace could stop drowning in Pepto–Bismol.

  “I still think it is a bad idea to invite a bunch of strangers to the party. They could be a couple of crazies or something. What if they ruin it?” Ben looked hard at Grace.

  “Oh, give it a rest, Ben. They’re cute and they’re coming, so get over it. Besides, you had your shot at Grace a long time ago and didn’t take it,” said Annie. “She needs a date to her birthday party and she likes Gregory Reich, so I am going to make this happen. End of discussion.”