Independence

by Shelly Crane

  Dad stopped that as soon as it started, but they still got in a few jokes about it before that. I just laughed it off.

  But then we got down to business about Marcus and the search.

  I gripped Maggie's fingers and squeezed them gently. Then I told her what we'd concluded. "We're going to look for him. Go a couple of us at a time and search for him everywhere we can think of. Dad has already searched the compound and the houses and he's not there. Neither are the rest of them. We have no idea where they are, but I won't stop until we find him."

  "I believe you." She gulped and downcast her eyes. "I just hope it's not too late."

  "It won't be," I assured her. "I believe in you completely."

  "But I've had no luck coming up with a solution to the vision. And I know they needed to go ahead with the bonding or they would have gone mad, I know that, but what if we're just playing right into fate's hands about this. What if we can't stop it?"

  I looked right before swerving through two lanes of traffic and pulling over in the emergency lane. I ignored the honking horns as I threw it in park and took her face in my hands. "If you believe in me, then believe in yourself, too. Because I'm going to work just as hard as you to make sure that that vision doesn't come true."

  She nodded. "I want to just have faith that it'll all be OK. I want to so badly. I'm going to try."

  "We're going to find Marcus and anyone else from the Watson clan who wants to come play, and then we're gonna kick their aces." I grinned, silently pleading with her to let me calm her. "See what I did there?"

  She shook her head. "You are so cheesy."

  "You like my cheese."

  "I like you any way I can get you," she said sweetly, but her pleading eyes begged me to make it all OK.

  I pulled her chin up slowly, pressing my lips to her lips once. Then moving to her chin, just once. "Don't spend another minute worrying about whether you're good enough or not," I whispered against her skin. She sighed and inhaled deeply. "You were born for this; for this task, for this life, for me."

  She pulled back just enough to see me. Her eyes were more focused, like she truly wanted to believe it one hundred percent. "I was born for this," she repeated and nodded. "For you."

  "Absolutely," I said, but it sounded sort of growly. The corner of her mouth rose letting me know it was indeed growly and she loved it.

  "Take me home, Mr. Jacobson."

  I felt a rumble go through my chest.

  I pulled back onto the highway and made lickety-split time back to the apartment. Kyle and Lynne were still there. We said our goodnights and went straight to bed. Even though neither one of us fell asleep right away, I enjoyed her fingers as they danced across my skin distractedly. She was thinking about what she needed to do, about how she could find the bastard who kept ruining her days. But no matter where her thoughts drifted, she always came back to one thing.

  Me. Her. Bare feet. Red dress.

  "I made coffee!" Lynne chimed as I came into the hall. I squinted at her.

  "You are seriously chipper, Lynne."

  "Yeah," she said and cocked her head to the side. "It's my thing."

  "I guess it is," I agreed and chuckled as I took the cup she offered. "Where's Kyle?"

  "Shower. Where's our Visionary?" she joked in a syrupy voice and smirked.

  "Shower. Kyle better not be stealing all the hot water." I swigged the coffee she made and almost choked on it.

  "What?" she barked. "I make great coffee!"

  "It's just hot," I lied.

  "Hey!" we heard Kyle down the hall. "Turn off the water! You're freezing my-"

  "Maggie's in the shower," I cut him off. "You don't live here and she does. Be grateful that I let you use the shower at all."

  "Wow," he complained. "What a little diva-boy you're turning out to be." He slammed the door and Lynne gave me the stink-eye for messing with her significant as she grabbed the cream cheese from the fridge.

  "Bagel?" she asked and placed one on a plate before sliding it across the counter to me.

  "Thanks. Did y'all go grocery shopping?"

  She licked her finger clean of cream cheese. "Just got a couple of things."

  "We're getting married this weekend," I said pointedly. "You can stay 'til then, but after that-"

  "What about the house you bought for Maggie. Won't you be going there?"

  "It's complicated."

  She stopped and stared. "But Kyle told me it's a big deal. It's like," she waved her fingers dramatically, "the only way you can marry her. You did buy a house for her, right?"

  I stayed silent. When I finally swung my gaze over to her, she was slack jawed. "Oh, stop, Lynne. I have it all under control."

  She forgot my problems just like that and sighed. "I can't wait to see where we're going to live. Kyle's been keeping it secret of course, but he said it had a pink breakfast nook just for me."

  "A pink breakfast nook," I said dryly. "Really?"

  She scoffed. "Pink is the color of rebellion."

  I laughed. "OK, Lynne. OK."

  "You told him about the breakfast nook?" Kyle said as he pulled his shirt over his head and kissed her cheek. "You can't tell him these things." He leaned on the counter beside her and bit into her bagel before speaking with his mouth full. "He's married to the leader of our race and we're not supposed to tell you anything about the house before the wedding."

  "Oh, please. He's not going to tell anyone. Besides," she said and I saw the evil twinkle in her eye, "he's got his own secrets. Don't you, Caleb."

  "Shh," I said as I heard Maggie's thoughts saying she was almost dressed. "I told you, I've got it under control."

  Maggie came out and I smiled at her. She was wearing a baby blue tank top with that necklace her dad gave her. The one with the jumble of charms on the end. And those jeans again, the ones that made it impossible to not stare at.

  Yeah. Those.

  She walked to me easily and kissed me on my dimple before wiggling herself in between me and the counter. "What's up?" she asked us.

  Seven times two plus fourteen minus three times five is one twenty five.

  The square root of one eighty four thirteen point five six.

  She looked at me over her shoulder. "Why are you doing math?"

  "No reason." Eighty nine divided by six is fourteen point eight three.

  "What are y'all talking about out here?" she asked, but secretly she knew.

  "Nothing," Lynne said and quickly grabbed a cup. She poured the liquid first and then asked, "Coffee?" she shoved it into Maggie's hand.

  "Um, sure." She sipped it and I cringed at tasting it through Maggie. I had to taste that horrible mess twice. "Ugh," she complained before she could stop it. "I mean…mmmm."

  Lynne sulked while we laughed. "Aw," Kyle said and pulled her to him. "I hate coffee anyway so you never have to worry about that with me."

  My phone buzzed with a text. I pulled it out while Kyle and Lynne's sickening banter went back and forth. It was from Dad.

  Your mom said to bring Maggie to Gran for a dress fitting. You can come help me at the office while she's doing that.

  I sighed. It was time to tell him that I had no intentions of being an architect. I wanted to wait until after the wedding, but I wasn't sure I could anymore. I relayed the message to Maggie and she turned to Lynne and told her that she wanted her and Kyle to share our day, so she needed to go to Gran's with her. Kyle's eyes bulged at the idea, but oblivious Lynne squealed and hugged her emphatically.

  Kyle asked me if I was sure I was OK with sharing the day with them. "Of course," I said. "No better way to make a statement that things really are going to change."

  "I guess."

  "Unless you don't want to," I told him.

  "Are you kidding?" He threw his arm around my shoulder. "Dude…" he smiled and shook his head, "we've only been talking about this since we were twelve."

  "Yeah," I smiled. "When you had a crush on that chick from the Constantine c
lan."

  He pushed me and retreated while he laughed. "You did not just bring that up!"

  "Oh, yes I did." I made a girly face and fluttered my eyelashes. "Kyle, oh, please show me your muscles again!"

  "You are so dead if you don't shut it, dude," he laughed his words.

  I ran to the other side of the counter where Maggie was to get away from him. "Oh, Kyle!" He charged, but I dodged as Maggie giggled in between us. "I love your hair. It's so cute. Take me the roof, Kyle!"

  He reached around her to me and I felt how his strength had increased since his ascension. But so had mine. I yanked him around and pushed his back to the wall. He punched my gut just enough to make me "oomph" and then wrapped his arms around my stomach to tackle me.

  The girls giggled at us as we wrestled in my kitchen. It had been too long. He actually felt like my cousin again.

  Later I dropped Maggie and Lynne off at Kyle's to see Gran, and he and I went in to Dad and Uncle Max's office to 'work' for the day. Kyle was ecstatic, I was not. I sighed as we climbed the stairs and waved to Rick, the building guard. And then waved to my aunt Sue who worked as one of the office secretaries, then the rest of our family who worked there. Dad and Uncle Max were working on something when I knocked. He looked up and smiled in elation. Man, I hated to ruin that.

  I sighed. Here we go.

  Chapter 11

  Maggie

  I had to give it to her. Even with Gran's older hands and shaky disposition, she only managed to stick me with her pins three times. It was hilarious how Caleb checked on me the first time, and by the third he was grumbling about Gran taking it easy.

  Then he called and asked if Bish could come and take Lynne and I to the apartment since his dad had swamped him and Kyle both with paperwork. So that's what we did. I also got Bish to take me by Dad's to pick up some of my stuff. Dad and Fiona were gone and I was happy about that. Dad would be all depressed at seeing my stuff leave the house.

  I decided since I had a little time without Caleb I'd see about making dinner. So I called Rachel and got a recipe and instructions for something easy, and made Bish stop by the store for me to get everything I needed. Lynne told me she wanted her and Kyle to go out and do something. I just wanted to have a night in with Caleb.

  Bish dropped us off and he and Jen went to Peter's. I left my huge bag of clothes on the chair in Caleb's room, because I had no idea what to do with them, and went to take a shower. Though wearing Caleb's clothes made me feel like I was being hugged by fabric, I wanted my cute clothes back.

  So as soon as we heard the key in the knob, Lynne was gone to meet Kyle and I waited at the stove while I stirred.

  Caleb came up behind me. "You cooked supper?" he asked and sniffed the air over my shoulder from behind. "Smells good."

  "It's your mom's Shepherd's Pie," I explained and turned to him. "She gave me the recipe and a few pointers."

  "I'm sure it's awesome," he murmured and kissed my neck before making his way to my lips. "Did you get anything else done today?" He grinned. "Wedding wise?"

  "Gran finished fitting me for my dress," I said and sighed. "It's so unbelievably beautiful."

  "I can't wait to see it on you," he replied in a husky tone. "For now, I'll settle with fruit shorts." He squeezed my hips in his hands. "Bananas tonight, huh?"

  "Yeah," I breathed as he inched closer. "I heard they were your favorite."

  "To be absolutely honest, Maggie," he stopped when there was no more space between us, just cotton and denim separated all of him from all of me, "they are my favorite."

  And then supper was forgotten.

  His tongue found mine and commanded it as he lifted me and carried me right to his bed. When he pressed my hands to the comforter above my head without even taking off his shoes yet, I sighed at getting what I wanted. I wondered if mutalizing felt the same for everyone. For me, it was like I was drowning and had suddenly breached the surface. My body sang all over and goose bumps crawled over my skin as I let him into my mind to consume me from the inside out. He kept his lips on mine as we let ourselves be taken over. The energy ribbons, ever present and ever ready, moved around us. It seemed strange to have them in this new place, the glow from them illuminating his stuff in ways I'd never seen.

  When they died away, along with the intensity, he rolled and pulled me to lay on his chest. My whole body rose up and down as he tried to catch his breath. He combed my hair with his fingers. "Well, your plan worked." He chuckled. "Being all domestic and then wearing those shorts. Daggum banana shorts…" He chuckled again.

  "You caught me." We grinned at each other. "So, how was your day with your dad?" I gave him a pointed look. "Everything work out?"

  "I didn't tell him. I want to tell him and Mom together, and she was running errands all day. We'll go over there tomorrow. I need to help Dad interview the new security guy anyway." He gulped and I felt for him. Poor Ralph. "Don't worry. It'll be OK." I nodded. "So, it really did go well with Gran? She didn't push you into something you don't like, did she? I know how she is."

  "She was great." I lifted my head to look down at him. "That woman can work a needle and thread."

  He smiled. "She used to make me gloves when I was a kid. I was always too embarrassed to wear them though."

  I scoffed. "She made them with her bare hands and you wouldn't wear them?"

  "They had Frosty the Snowman on them, babe. Frosty the freaking Snowman."

  I tried not to laugh. "Didn't you like Frosty the Snowman when you were little?"

  "Not when I was fourteen." I did laugh then. He smiled waiting for me. "She makes stuff for everyone. That's her thing."

  "I wonder what my thing will be," I mused and chewed my lip playing with the button of his shirt. "I haven't even thought about what my major's going to be yet."

  "They don't offer classes in Gorgeous Leader of Her Race. Sorry. You're stuck with something crappy, like Biology or Business Economics."

  I giggled and climbed up his chest to kiss his dimple. "You want to eat the perfectly good dinner I cooked now? Maybe watch a movie with me?"

  "You read my mind." He sat up with me and took my face in his warm hands. "Thank you." Then he kissed my lips. "If I can come home to this every day, I'll be the happiest man alive."

  I smiled and led him to the kitchen. We sat and ate and watched bad reality TV. We made fun of the people and laughed and laughed. The last thing I remembered was being carried to bed, Caleb's scruffy chin rubbing my cheek, before being surrounded with his usual warmth and falling back asleep peacefully.

  "Dad! We're here!" Caleb yelled as he opened the door. "Bella!" She came bounding around the corner before plowing into him. He knelt down and crooned to her. "Oh, my goodness. Look at my girl. You're so big."

  I just watched with amused fascination. "Does your apartment complex not let you have dogs?"

  "They will, but I just usually leave her here because I'm always at school." He straightened. "And then someone had to take up all of my time this summer, so…" He grinned and pulled me to him. "But…maybe soon she'll be able to come with us."

  He was giving me house hints. I stared up into his blue eyes, but he left it at that. I nodded letting him know that I definitely wanted Bella to be with us. I scratched under her chin before following Caleb.

  "All right," he said and stopped me. "Let me show you the trick with the hallways." He pointed to the floor in the corner. "See the tiles?" I nodded. They were all mixed up and different colors of greens and browns that seemed to have no pattern. "Ok, see the corner, the tile is cream over there? And in that corner, the corner tile is green? The cream tiles take you to the west side of the house, for my room and the living room. The browns take you to the back end of the house, like the kitchen and dining room. The green tiles take you in circles."

  I was skeptical. It didn't look that complicated. It didn't look like it was a trick except for the fact that the halls were winding and seemed to be everywhere. It looked confusing, but tha
t seemed pretty elaborate. So he took me on a tour of the green corner-tiled hallways and to my surprise we wound up right where we started. "But I didn't even realize we were coming back around. That's so weird."

  "Yep. Dad's a genius."

  "Why yes, yes I am," Peter joked. We turned to find him laughing at us. "Thanks for noticing."

  "Hey, Dad."

  "Hey, son." He beamed at me. "Are you going to just stand there or give your father-in-law a hug?"

  I laughed. "I like the sound of that."

  "I like it, too, sweetheart." He pulled back, but kept his arm around my shoulder as he made his way down the cream corner-tiled halls. Caleb trailed behind us with Bella at his side. "So, what is it you've come to tell us?"

  "Um…" I peeked at Caleb as we landed in the den. He looked curiously at his dad.

  "I could tell something was wrong yesterday, Caleb. I assumed it was something Maggie wanted to discuss with us. About her human friends, perhaps." It was his turn to look confused. "I guess not by the looks on your faces."

  "Where's Mom, Dad?" Caleb asked gently and took my hand to sit on the couch with me.

  I heard Peter call to her in his mind and she told him she'd be there in just a minute. "She's coming. Is everything all right?"

  "Everything's fine. We just want to talk to you about something."

  Peter nodded and looked pensive. There was a crystal bowl on the end table. Peter swung his fingers back a forth a little, causing the bowl to slide back and forth, following his finger's movements across the table as he tried to figure out what we were about to tell them. Rachel entered and after hugs and glasses of tea, Caleb got down to the matter. He explained it all, about what he wanted to do, about how he wanted to expand the tutoring centers and he wasn't interested in joining the architecture firm. Peter listened while Rachel looked warily between the two of them. Peter's silence was weird. It was almost as if he wasn't thinking at all and his thoughts were just on pause, unable to process.