by Shelly Crane
“Ahh,” Amber said and looked at Caleb with new eyes. “That’s so sweet.”
“Eat me,” Kyle said to Caleb, glanced at me, almost shamefully. “Fine, let’s go.”
“Ok, bye,” she said and let him drag her up the beach by her arm.
“Jerk. His daddy didn’t raise him to act that way,” Caleb muttered sarcastically.
“He just doesn’t understand. He doesn’t feel anything for her. That’s why he doesn’t care.”
“I know, and that’s the problem. How could he be like that to her and not feel like a jerk?”
“He’s just a normal human teenage boy. That’s how they act.”
“I never did,” he countered.
“Yes,” I put my arms around his neck, “but you were waiting for me. Remember?” I said sweetly, smiling brightly and playfully.
“Mmhmm.” He pressed his lips to mine, sucking on the top then bottom before taking them completely. “And now I’ve got you,” he whispered against my mouth and then deepened our kiss.
I felt myself being pulled to his mind, my body wanting to take over and feel everything in him. It felt like so long since I’d been in his mind, when it had been only a few days. I felt his protective barrier, burning even brighter. It almost hurt to feel the flame of it. He was almost angry it seemed regarding something he was worried about protecting me from; I wondered about it. His need to protect had doubled and it was a full force wild fire now. Something had happened.
But before I could dwell on that, I felt myself slip in further and saw a new loop of memories. Him watching me at his band practice, my face filled with awe and love and longing. I was shocked by it. It was all over me how much I loved Caleb and he absolutely loved that look on me. Then another one came of us surfing, me taking a glide and then fast forwarded to the pavilion. Me pressed against the wall. I blushed at the scene in which I was utterly enraptured in him and he was eating it up, loving it.
Then I was jerked away, seeing the energy ribbons I had completely forgotten about fizzle away in the air. Caleb put his forehead to mine breathing raggedly.
“You can dig in my mind anytime you want, babe, but not like this,” he said sternly but chuckled. “I want to, you know I do, especially since we were so close last time and were interrupted. I don’t think I could stand to start and not...finish again, ok? Let’s just wait until we know we won’t have any distractions.”
“Ok,” I sighed and took a deep breath to calm myself.
I wondered what he meant by ‘finish’. I wondered what happened at the end of the Mutuality. If it was that amazing during the act, I wondered what in the world could happen to top it off. My skin was hot and flushed from being so consumed by him and seeing the things I’d seen in his mind. He smirked at me and helped me up, standing himself.
“I better get you inside,” he said into my ear, his breath in my hair, “before you convince me that the public beach is an appropriate place for such a thing.” He nipped my earlobe.
“Caleb,” I breathed, “that’s not helping.”
“I know,” he snickered and dodged my swat. “Come on, gorgeous. I’m hungry, for food,” he said and gave me a sidelong grin, taking my hand.
I just shook my head and tried to walk straight. Bella trailed us and as we made our way inside she bolted to her bowl and scarfed the contents.
“There you are,” Rachel said and put a hand on her hip, spatula in hand. “I was beginning to wonder. You know it’s almost ten o’clock in the morning? Wasting perfectly good daylight,” she said and smirked.
Everyone was piled in the kitchen around the table or at the bar with plates high of pancakes.
“We were...practicing on the beach last night,” Caleb explained and smiled at me.
“Practicing what?” Bish muttered darkly.
I’m sure I don’t want to know.
“Um...” Caleb hadn’t thought about Bish being in there, “surfing.”
“You’re not wet,” Bish observed and glared at me over the rim of his coffee cup.
“We changed our minds, it was cold,” I lied and went to grab a plate from Rachel.
She gave me a small knowing smile and then made a plate for Caleb.
“It looks pretty warm out to me.”
“So, I was thinking,” Dad interjected and glanced at me. I gave him a grateful smile, knowing he was changing the subject for us. “We’re in California and I’ve never been here. How about we head out and do some sightseeing today?”
“Yes!” Rachel said excitedly and took off her apron. “We can show you all the- oh wait, you meant you, Maggie and Bish, of course.”
“No, I meant all of us unless you’d be bored. I’m sure you’ve seen it all.”
“Not at all. We’re usually just content to lounge around and be lazy and…relax,” Peter chimed. He glanced at Rachel with a smile that made me hide a blush under my hand. I heard Caleb groan in my mind. “We’d love to come if you wouldn’t feel imposed on.”
“No, of course not,” he said.
“I better go get all dolled up then,” Bish said and thanked Rachel for breakfast before heading out.
“Peter,” I said softly and he glanced at me, “I need you to do something for me.”
“You want me to call the Reunification meeting early? Done.” He glanced at Rachel, “Can you hand me a knife, honey?”
“Sure,” she said and opened the drawer. A butter knife floated out and went through the air, straight to his hand.
“Thanks,” he said as he dug in, my father gawking openly.
“You already called it?” I asked, “How did you...”
He smiled and winked at me as he took a big bite of pancakes.
“These are divine, Ray,” he said to Rachel.
“Thanks, honey,” she replied.
“I’m not even gonna ask what a reuni… reunited…whatever meeting is,” Dad questioned, “I’m sure it’s something with a lengthy explanation and I’m ready to sight see. I’ll go get ready too.” Then he looked at me. “What were you two doing on the beach?”
“Practicing,” Caleb repeated. “We...discovered something about Maggie last night, something new.”
“What...like a new ability?” Peter asked excitedly and leaned forward on the table towards us.
I nodded and Dad went off...mentally.
Great, juuuust great, more reasons to keep her away from me. More reasons to upset Bish, to lie and more reasons for her to be even more of a freak.
I gasped and felt Caleb wrap his fingers around mine to calm me, but I felt the shock pouring off him too.
“Dad,” I breathed in disappointment.
He looked up and his face blanched white that matched the china plate his breakfast was on.
Crap, I forgot.
“Baby, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.” He looked between Caleb and me and then over at Peter and Rachel, who had no idea what he’d said, and Jen, who’d been surprisingly silent. I felt my lip tremble and Caleb pulled me to him closer, a hand rubbing small comforting circles on my back. “Maggie. I completely forgot about your ability. That’s not an excuse but...I’m sorry. This all takes some getting used to.” He leaned his elbows on the table towards me. “I’m sorry, really, that wasn’t only an insult to you but everyone else in this room and I apologize.”
I nodded but didn’t feel much better.
“Dad, I know this is hard. Especially being on the outside of it and just looking in all the time. I’m sorry...I mean, I’m not sorry this happened, I’m just sorry that you had to get all wrapped up in it.”
He gave me a surprised look.
“You’re not sorry this happened? How can you even say that? They hurt you, those men who took you. You’ve had quite a few close calls. You’re saying if you could go back, you wouldn’t change anything?”
He did not understand at all. Not like I thought he did. He still saw this as something I was being forced to endure and just making the best of it.
&
nbsp; “Dad, you’re so clueless. I’m not being disrespectful.” I held up my hands. “You have no idea, for some reason I thought you understood. I’m not being forced, Dad. I’m not unhappy. I’m not just enduring Caleb. I’m not just accepting my fate and going with the flow. I like my abilities...most of the time.” I shook my head side to side in debate. “I like being a part of Caleb’s family, I love Caleb. If I could go back and change the day I met him, I wouldn’t.”
“You said he touched you and then you saw visions and then he was feeling your heartbeat and he’s like a drug to you. That’s the gist of all this isn’t it?”
Crap, we were going to have to hash this out in front of Caleb’s family. I pulled him to the edge of the kitchen to have a little bit more privacy.
“The day Caleb touched my hand and I saw all those things, I was excited. Yes, a little freaked but excited more. I felt like...everything I ever needed was right there. I still feel like that. It’s not something you can just turn off and I wouldn’t want to. I want him more than I need him.”
“Maggie, being addicted to someone isn’t the same thing as real true, pure love,” he said softly like this was an intervention.
I shook my head and felt my breath leave me in a rush. Even Peter was thinking of saying something now, still being able to hear us from across the room. They all could. Dad was infringing on all our relationships at this point. I thought I saw a few energy ribbons bounce in the air by the window but when I looked there was nothing.
“Dad, you have no idea what you’re saying,” I said. “I’m going to get ready to go.”
I expected Caleb to follow me but he didn’t. I figured he wanted to either talk to my father or his but I didn’t care. I needed a shower and he couldn’t come with me anyway.
As I reached for the doorknob to the bathroom, Bish was coming out. He snorted and crossed his arms over his bare chest. The towel wrapped around his waist.
“No Caleb? This must be a record.”
“Shut up!” I yelled, suddenly furious and spent from the morning. “I am so tired of you lately. Why are you always on my case?”
Oh? She wants to fight, huh?
“Someone has to try to look after you, though I question the point now. It’s obvious you are so completely different than before and Caleb is just...I don’t know but whatever this is that you won’t tell me, I can handle it.” He braced his hands in the door frame and stood over me with a menacing sneer on his lips. “What can it be? It can’t be that bad if we’ve ruled out marriage and babies. I don’t get it and it does nothing but insult and piss me off that you feel the need to be petty and lord over me some secret that I’m not allowed to be privy to.”
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.” I tried to go but he moved over a bit to block me.
Oh I think I do.
“Answer me, Maggie. Just answer me already and stop this stupidity. I have racked my brain for answers; drugs, joining some cult, moving to China?” I stayed silent looking at the doorjamb behind him and he exploded with anger and cursed loudly, his voice booming. “This is ridiculous! I’m just gonna leave and go home. There’s no point in my being here. You don’t want me here and I don’t want to be either. I can’t stand liars and manipulators. You’ve become a master of both.”
His words cut and I couldn’t say anything in response, not that he gave me time to. He stomped off and slammed his door behind him making me jump. I heard footsteps coming up the stairs and didn’t wait to see who had come to witness the show.
I went in the bathroom, still steamy and hot from Bish’s shower. I wasted no time. I pulled Caleb’s hoodie and clothes off me and stepped into the huge shower in one of the guest rooms. I let the water be hot, as hot as I could stand it, as I quickly washed my hair and shaved my legs. Then I sat against the wall, closed my eyes and just cried. So many things going on and I didn’t have a straight forward answer nor a response to any of them. It seemed that this Visionary thing just sort of winged it. I had no prior idea or knowledge until I got a feeling and then just went with it. It was annoying.
I took a deep calming breath to slow my heart so Caleb wouldn’t come but it didn’t help at all.
And Dad, what had all that crap been about? Now he was back to resenting Caleb and feeling sorry for me again? And Kyle with his stupid fling and making moves on me, thinking that was somehow going to help things. Bish was a jerk, nothing else to say about him.
I felt the pressure for all these things....an uncontrollable sob was so close to breaking loose...
Then the shower stall suddenly started to rattle. I looked around and the water got even hotter it felt like, but I didn’t touch the knob. It was scalding my skin but wasn’t actually hurting me and the fog swirled. I could see a faint haze of energy ribbons starting to shimmer and dance. I wondered what was wrong but felt all the breath leave my chest as the mirror above the sink shattered, blowing glass all around the floor, tinkling on the tile.
~ Eleven ~
I shook, my heart pounding through my chest, wondering what was happening. Then I heard loud quick banging and I realized that the cabinet doors were rattling. The shower stall door shook so hard it was a miracle it stayed on the hinges.
“Maggie?” Caleb asked through the door. He then banged his fist. “Maggie, open the door!”
I was so scared I could only stare at the door, afraid to move. There was nothing I could do. The more scared I got, the more noise everything seemed to make, the rattling and shaking louder and vibrating the air. The energy ribbons were blinding and writhing all around me until they hummed so loud, my ears hurt. I covered them with my hands and squeezed my eyes shut.
“Maggie!” Caleb yelled and banged again, jarring the door. “Open the door, baby.”
I could hear other voices and thoughts outside with him; Peter, Bish and Dad. They heard Caleb’s banging and now wondered what was going on.
“Maggie!” Caleb boomed. “I’m coming in.”
Their worry, my fear, Caleb’s frantic need to reach me, it just was too much for whatever was happening to me.
The glass shower door shattered around me. I screamed as the glass pelted me and that was all it took for Caleb. He busted the door down with his shoulder. I felt the stinging pain in my shoulder from his pain, his eyes wide at what he saw; me sitting naked, my knees drawn up, on the shower floor with glass and blood around me.
“Maggie,” he breathed and ran to duck in front of me. He pulled me to him and covered me with his arms as I sat on his lap. “Maggie.”
Talk to me, baby.
“Get out,” I heard Dad say as he reached over and turned the water off, but I couldn’t tear my eyes from the bloody glass shards on the floor. “Bish, get out, now! She’s ok.”
“She is not ok!” Bish yelled back. “What the hell is going on here, Dad? What happened? Did she do this? How could she break the door like that?”
“Go, Bish.”
“I’ll call 911.”
“No, don’t, just go, I’ll be there in a minute.”
I heard him grumbling and shuffling. I heard the hard bang of fist on wood as he made his way out.
I saw my dad over Caleb’s shoulder. He handed Caleb a towel and then knelt beside us as Caleb covered me with it.
“Maggie, what happened?” Dad asked insistently, his eyes wide and searching.
Maggie. Look at me, baby.
I tore my eyes slowly from the mess in front of me and looked up to Caleb’s blue worry sick eyes.
“Are you ok?” he asked softly and I noticed how Caleb hadn’t asked me what happened, he was concerned about me first.
I looked down at myself and opened my mouth to speak but no words came. I looked at him at a total loss and then felt him focus and the scrapes on my arms and legs started to burn and fade away to my normal smooth skin. I heard Dad’s swift intake of breath and mutter behind us.
“God, help us.”
“I don’t know what happened,” I cro
aked and wrapped Caleb’s t-shirt front in my fingers. “Caleb,” I rasped and took a deep shuddering breath.
“Shh,” he murmured in my hair and tightened his arms around me. “Shh now, I’ve got you.”
Caleb’s questions were floating around in his mind, but more than anything else, he was upset. Seeing me with blood all over me had done something to him and he was shaken.
I heard Peter come in behind us and he was baffled as well.
“Maggie, are you alright? I checked the house and no one was here.”
“It wasn’t someone else,” I answered softly. “It was...me. I don’t know what happened. I was just so upset…”
I pressed my forehead to Caleb’s and decided to show him everything that had happened instead of trying to form words with my trembling lips. I felt the energy humming around us. The vision started with us on the beach for some reason, me on his lap and then Kyle and Amber, then coming inside and the whole bit with Dad, the hall with Bish as he berated me in the doorway and finally the shower scene. I couldn’t even blush or be embarrassed as he saw me take my clothes off and get in and shave. Then the weirdness started and he burst through the door.
Caleb pulled back and sighed as he looked at me with sincere concern. He looked me over, pulling my arms up and then examining my legs for any more cuts. Then he looked back to my face.
“I think it was you. Just like the moving things and telepathy stuff, they were tied to your emotions too. It was just too much, all at once.”
“Telepathy?” Dad mumbled under his breath.
“I think so too,” I said. “I’m so sorry,” I cried and felt the tears burning my cold face. “I didn’t mean to.”
“No, no, no,” Caleb crooned and pushed my hair back from my face. “Don’t you dare.”
“What about the door and the mirror?”
“That’s just stuff, Maggie. Don’t you worry about any of that,” Peter assured. I felt so embarrassed that I was naked, had busted up the bathroom and everyone was just standing around.
