A Way (The Voyagers Book 1)

by Tara Lutz

  She had her hand on the door, ready to push it open, when she heard someone call her name. William, Will and Becky were sitting at the farthest booth from the door. They were as surprised to see Jessie, as she was to see them. She raised her finger to signal she would be back in a minute.

  The traffic was just picking up on the main street. During a break in the stream of cars, Jessie darted across the street and hopped onto the curb. She hoped the small grocery section at the pharmacy carried what she needed. Before she entered the store, something made her stop and look down the street.

  There were cars parked all along the road. A few were slowing down to try and grab the closest spot to their destination; disappointed to find there wasn’t any, and moving on. Then she saw him, she was sure it was him, in a car that was passing by the diner. The blond customer from the diner: ‘thank you, Gerry.’

  She squinted against the emerging sun beaming into her eyes, brought her hand up to shade them and tried see if it actually was him. He had his head turned in the direction of her work place, so did the driver. As they came closer, she willed him to turn and face her so she could confirm his identity; the driver caught her inquiring eyes.

  If it had still been raining she would have sworn she was struck by lightning. An electrical current ran rapidly from the top her head and bounced up from her toes. Her legs felt like they might collapse. Her arms felt like weights were attached to them. All that surrounded her vanished into a tunnel that led directly to his eyes. She felt cold, hot, light and heavy, all at the same time. Everything froze; there was no sound, only the deafening silence that hummed loudly in her ears. She slammed her eyes shut, trying to regain her bearings, and the feelings left her, like a wave pulling sand away from the shore. When she opened her eyes again, the car and its occupants were gone. She felt something brush against her arm.

  “Jessie, are you all right?” It was Mr. Anderson, the store’s owner. “You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.”

  Becky’s facial expression from earlier must have be contagious. Jessie cleared her throat and smiled reassuringly, the sensation dissipating like the morning mist.

  “Hi, Mr. Anderson. I’m fine. I think I need to eat or something.” She knew that it wasn’t something a slice of strawberry rhubarb pie could fix. “I’m just going to pick up a few things for the diner.”

  He held the door open for her and she breathed a sigh of relief that the store appeared empty, except for Mrs. Anderson, who was straightening the shelves of candy along the front counter. Jessie waved hello to her, then quickly circled the outside of the aisles to find the coffee cream, grabbing the napkins as she passed them. She heard the Anderson’s speaking to an unseen customer, and was about to approach the cash when she was hit with the now, familiar –to-her, feeling.

  Jessie felt like she was moving in slow motion when she swung around to face him. He was standing halfway down the aisle to her left, nonchalantly, looking at the products on the shelf. She inched towards him, a tractor beam drawing her closer.

  “Do I know you?” Jessie asked, her voice scantily reaching her ears; the distance between them too great for it to reach his.

  She arrived at his side and brought her hand up to touch his arm, expecting him to vanish beneath her fingertips, a murkiness cloaked her mind. The recognition, she was sure she felt, was fading. She pulled her arm back sharply and placed it back at her side.

  He turned to look at her, how long have I been standing beside him? His eyes didn’t hypnotize her like they did a few minutes before when she stood frozen on the sidewalk, but they still held her gaze. She searched them for something she didn’t know she was looking for. He moved his hand up and let it hover just above where her now beloved necklace was hanging, whispered it across her cheek, and tucked a loose curl behind her ear.

  “Do I know you?” she asked, again. His hand dropped and he shifted away from her; the spell broken. Jessie suddenly, inexplicably, felt annoyed.

  “No, you don’t.” His voice reminded her of velvet.

  He left as fast as he had appeared, his long legs carrying him swiftly from the store. Jessie ran to the window to watch him hastily climb into the car, the passenger side that was previously occupied, now empty.

  A voice from behind, so close that she could feel its breath tickle her neck, whispered, “you need to stop drinking the tea, if you want to know who we are.”

  She whipped around so quickly that she almost took the window display with her. There was no one there. Looking back to the car, it was gone, and with it the image of the person she met in aisle two.

  CHAPTER 37

  Dex slammed his hand against the steering wheel and when he realized the speed they were travelling, reduced the pressure of his foot on the gas pedal.

  “I really thought for a few seconds that she knew me,” he insisted. “Then it was gone, like some force reached into her and grasped the memory of me out of her mind, just before it resurfaced.”

  “It has to have something to do with the tea,” Gerald said, for the umpteenth time.

  They were going around and around in circles. Gerald was glad he passed through the gateway the night before to plant the idea in Jessie’s head and hoped that it worked. Not wanting to get his friend’s hopes up, he hadn’t mentioned what he did. Dex warned him about manipulating the future, but the actions they had taken so far had gotten them nowhere. They needed all the help they could get. “Maybe I could talk to Sammy, explain some things to her. It might be worth a shot.”

  “She’s just a little girl. How can we explain things to her that we aren’t even sure that we understand?” Dex was discouraged. The hope he felt after seeing Sammy was gone. “Besides, how are we supposed to get her alone without looking like a couple of creeps?”

  “Didn’t she mention something about them going to the lake this afternoon?” Gerald asked.

  “She did,” Dex nodded. “Did you see Rebecca at the diner? She was probably there to divert that plan somehow; she knows what’s on the island.” They fell into silence, thinking about their next step.

  “Turn the car around,” Gerald said, suddenly, his eyes flashing with enthusiasm. “This sneaking around and talking in code obviously isn’t working, so let’s try the direct approach.” He pivoted in his seat to see Dex’s expression. “What does Jessie do when someone tries to force her into something?”

  “You mean Jessie now, or Jessie then?” Dex wasn’t matching his eagerness.

  “She’s still Jessie, Dex. Even if she doesn’t remember us. You know that, right?”

  “Fine. She would do the opposite.” Dex wasn’t convinced; Gerald hadn’t seen her eyes.

  “Right. So, let’s make her do that.”

  Dex half-grinned and maneuvered the car into a U-turn, to bring the town back in front of them. He could see where Gerald was going with this.

  He parked the car and took the key out of the ignition, while they finished fortifying a new plan. They threw each other a look of disgust when they saw Rebecca, on the other side of the diner window, chatting animatedly to the boys at her table. Her erratic movements solidified when she noticed Dex and Gerald climb out of the car and walk towards the diner. Her frigid, shark eyes tracked them. They entered the eatery, side by side, and spotted Jessie, leaning over the far end of the counter, carefully pouring coffee into a customer’s empty mug.

  She hadn’t seen them yet when they slid into the red vinyl booth. Dex was directly behind Rebecca, Gerald shot knives from his eyes into the back of her head. Her voice sounded shrill and shaky, it made Dex break out into a cold sweat. He didn’t like being this close to her, with only a few feet separating them. He glanced sideways to see if Jessie had noticed them. When she did, he grimaced at the expression that crossed her face.

  She looked afraid and confused, without understanding why. Dex wanted to hug her and tell her everything would be ok, but he wasn’t sure it would be. She approached their table, as if she was walking the plank. Gerald
found his voice first and cut through the tension, his eyes sweeping back and forth between Dex and Jessie.

  “Hi again, Jessie. That sandwich was so good last night, I had to bring my friend in to try one.” Gerald smiled warmly and Dex exhaled when Jessie returned it, her face partially relaxing.

  “Hi, welcome again.” She still hadn’t looked at Dex; concentrating instead on her voice to stop it from quivering. Gerald tried to move their conversation forward, to include Dex.

  “We,” he looked from her to across the formica table, “were wondering if there are any good places to swim around here, besides the beach.”

  Jessie’s bottom lip started to tremble, she held it steady with her teeth. With the water from the pitcher, she held in her jittering hands, she filled the glasses sitting on their table. She spilled a few drops and pulled a cloth out of her apron to wipe them away. Simultaneously, Dex used his hands to brush them off the table. Their hands lightly grazed against each other’s. Jessie retracted hers, like she had been stung.

  “Sorry,” she mumbled.

  She couldn’t even look at him. What had they done to her?

  “There’s a lake, about 10 minutes from here, off Victoria Road. Do you know it?”

  She relaxed further. Dex realized that Gerald was good at this. Maybe, with the effort they put into ensuring she forgot Dex, they weren’t able to do the same with her memories of her brother. There was still hope.

  “No, I don’t,” Gerald feigned disappointment, “we don’t really know our way around here very well. Maybe you could draw us a map. If you aren’t too busy.”

  He looked around the diner. Besides their table, and Rebecca’s, there were only a few stragglers at the counter. Jessie followed his gaze and smiled; the first authentic one she could managed since she approached them

  “Sure.” She remembered the menus in her other hand and set them on the table. “I can do that while you are deciding what you’d like.” She turned away, leaving them to make their choices, when Dex risked speaking, his fingers crossed beneath the table.

  “This lake, is it big, or one of those smaller ones we passed on the way here?” He held his breath. He thought he saw her eyes flicker, he definitely saw the gold flecks.

  “It’s big enough to have an island, right in the middle. I’ve never swam out there. I hear it’s…”

  “Full of snakes?” Dex finished for her. Jessie’s dimples finally appeared; his own smiled back at them.

  “Yea,” she shuddered, “I hate snakes.” She stared at him and Dex saw the idea forming before she suggested it.

  “You know, my friends over here,” she pointed to Rebecca’s table, which had gone quiet. “We were thinking of going out there when my shift is over.” She checked the clock on the wall. “I shouldn’t be more than an hour, if you want to follow us out?”

  Rebecca’s voice squawked from behind him. “You know what Jessie? We were actually just saying we should catch that new Alfred Hitchcock flick that just opened. You know, the one that you wanted to see?”

  Dex smiled; perfect Rebecca.

  Jessie’s attention was partially grabbed by her desperate friend, but her eyes stayed on Dex. “It’s too nice out to go to the movies; besides, I told Sammy we would go”

  Subject closed. Two could play that game, Jessie thought, shooting Becky a sickly sweet smile, to rival one of her own.

  “Yea, Becky,” the lanky blond beside her agreed. “It’s way too nice out, and we haven’t been to the lake yet this year.”

  Dex mentally thanked the stranger that he assumed was Rebecca’s boyfriend. Gerald’s plan was working, but Rebecca wasn’t giving up.

  “Fine,” she huffed, “so, do we have to wait for these two to eat? I thought you said you could go when WE were finished eating, and we’re done, so let’s go.”

  Rebecca rushed out of her booth and grabbed Jessie’s arm. Jessie pulled it away, her eyes narrow; the look made Rebecca take two steps back.

  “You know what, Rebecca?” Jessie said, tightly. Her friend gasped at the formal use of her name. “I have to finish up here. Why don’t the three of you go ahead? We can meet up at the lake, when I’m done.”

  “You’re going to get in a car with a couple of strangers? I’m not sure your father would be too pleased about that.” Rebecca was grasping at straws, she could tell she had already lost.

  Dex recognized the stubborn crinkle, that he loved, between Jessie’s eyes and he lowered his head to laugh under his breath. Gerald kicked him under the table.

  “Well, I guess I’ll find out when we stop by the house to pick up Sammy,” she replied, not budging. Then, to Dex and Gerald, “you don’t mind do you? Picking up my little sister?”

  “Not at all,” Gerald said.

  “Anyway, we aren’t strangers.” Jessie continued, “this is Gerry. I believe you saw him yesterday, Becky.”

  Rebecca stood stone faced. Dex was sure if he looked closer he would see steam flowing out of her ears.

  “And this is…”

  “Alex,” Dex said.

  “Alex….” Jessie voice petered out. She looked puzzled.

  “Is something wrong?” Gerald asked. Dex returned his kick under the table, he didn’t want him pushing her.

  “No, it’s just....were you at the….?” She shook her head, “nothing.”

  “Fine, see you at the lake.” Rebecca stomped off, her companions trailing her.

  The taller one apologized to the table, and Jessie, for his friend’s behavior. Dex recognized him as a potential ally, someone he could use to his advantage, if they had a chance to meet in another realm. He was definitely a voyager. He wondered if this was the same person Gerald thought he knew.

  “Wow!” Dex exclaimed. “She’s lovely, maybe I should ask her out.”

  Jessie laughed and he could see the smile meant just for him appear on the edge of her lips.

  “I can set you up if you want?” She winked, and returned to the counter, to fulfill another coffee request.

  CHAPTER 38

  “It’s just up here, on the right. The one with the blue shutters.”

  Jessie was directing them to her house and Dex and Gerald were pretending to not already know where it was. During the short trip from the diner, the conversation had been formal. Jessie sensed they were being careful not to give away too much information about themselves. She wondered what they could be hiding. Gerry had surrendered the shotgun position to Jessie and she sat comfortably, beside the dark haired stranger, Alex, pointing out areas of the town that she thought they might find interesting.

  As the car rolled to a stop in her driveway, Jessie opened the door and announced, “I’ll be back in a second,” then slammed it closed again.

  They watched her skip up the steps to collect her sister. Gerald and Dex were on edge wondering how Sammy would react, when she realized who was escorting them to the lake.

  Jessie found Sammy, exactly where she had left her that morning. She was in her swim suit, a matching short outfit pulled over top. There was a bag sitting on the floor, stuffed with two towels and her flip flops were on the floor, ready to slip on.

  “Oh good, you’re ready.” Jessie looked into the back of the house, and up the stairs. “Where are mom and dad?”

  Sammy picked up the overflowing beach bag and was beside her sister in a flash. Lacing Jessie’s fingers through her own, she started to drag her towards the door with surprising strength.

  “I think mom’s in the backyard hanging up some clothes and dad’s still in his study. I already left them a note. Let’s go.” Sammy urged.

  Jessie didn’t resist and allowed her sister to guide her outside to the car, idling in the driveway. Sammy reached the car door before she did and yanked it open, struggling with its weight.

  “Hi,’” Sammy said, first to Dex and then to Gerald, who was watching her apprehensively from the back seat.

  She greeted the two strangers as if she knew them her whole life. Sammy, like her
self, had never been shy, but Jessie was shocked by the display of enthusiasm. She held the seat up for her and Sammy crawled into the back seat beside Gerald.

  “Sammy,” Jessie turned around to address her sister, who was smiling widely at Gerald. “That’s Gerry and this,” she nodded her head in the direction of the driver, “is Alex. Guys, this is my sister, Sammy.”

  “Hi Allllll-ex and Ger-ryyyyy,” Sammy said, over pronouncing the new version of their names and bouncing in her seat. Jessie had never seen her so excited.

  Dex caught Sammy’s eye as he was reversing the car onto the street. She held up her pinky and winked. Gerald grabbed her hand and pulled it down before Jessie noticed.

  “Where’s Becky?” she asked.

  “She and the Wills are at the lake, or should be by now. I offered to give Alex and Gerry directions, but I thought it would be easier to just show them.”

  “Maybe she’ll drown before we get there,” Sammy suggested.

  “Sammy!” Jessie scolded. “She isn’t very fond of Becky,” she, unnecessarily, explained.

  Dex winked at Sammy, via the rear-view mirror. “That makes two of us, kiddo.”

  Sammy’s giggle floated around them from the back seat. Jessie grinned at Dex. “Don’t encourage her.”

  Jessie noticed Gerry quickly became her sister’s new favorite person and, despite their age difference, they chatted like old friends. He asked Sammy about school, tv shows she liked, books she had read. They reminded Jessie of long lost relatives, catching up on the time they had lost. Alex was quiet and she watched him out of the corner of her eye. She liked his smile and the way his shaggy dark hair hung over his piercing eyes.

  The sun was burning high in the sky, when they arrived at the lake, and any indication of the rainy beginning to the day had evaporated. A few cars were parked in the clearing. She reached to help Sammy with their bag, but Gerald was already climbing out the other side, with it slung over his shoulder. Jessie heard Becky before she saw her and hoped she would be less combative than she was during lunch. Sammy bolted out of the car and ran towards the water that was lapping at the shore line.