by Vicky Savage
“Omelets are my specialty … and I have a bit of contraband here you might be interested in.”
“Oh yeah, what’s that?”
He extracts a white paper package from his freezer and unwraps it for me. “Bacon,” he says with a sinful grin. “The food engineers haven’t come up with a decent substitute, so I smuggle in a little whenever I can.”
My eyes widen. “Would you really be in trouble if someone found out?”
“Nah. Arumel has laws against raising animals for food, that kind of thing. But no one cares about a bit of bacon from another world.”
“Okay, what can I do?”
“Just enjoy your coffee.”
I climb up on a counter stool and watch Asher work. He seems to know his way around a kitchen. The smell of frying bacon is familiar, comforting, mouthwatering. Item number two for my list of things to be grateful for: bacon.
“Thanks for last night, Ash. I had a nightmare and woke up scared.”
He glances up from his frying pan, eyes soft and sympathetic. “You’re not a bad bunkmate except for the thunderous snoring.”
“Oh god, did I really snore?”
He smiles and shakes his head. “Nah. Just keeping things light.”
I sigh. “Don’t know what I’d do without you.”
He concentrates on the sizzling bacon for a moment.
“Hey, Narowyn wants to meet with us later to talk about your trip to Connecticut,” he says. “And, if you’re up to it after that, I thought I’d take you over to the Urban Bazaar to pick up a few things for your place.”
“What’s the Urban Bazaar?”
“It’s in a park in the artsy section of town. Every Sunday, some of the locals get together and sell their wares at discount prices. A couple of the prints in my living room came from there.”
My heart and soul are so terribly crippled right now, it’s hard to imagine doing even normal tasks, but my head knows that getting out will probably be good for me. “Okay. Maybe for a little while.”
The omelet is divine. My hollowed-out stomach appreciates the warm food. We sit in silence for a few minutes enjoying the meal.
“What do you think happens when people die?” I say quietly.
Asher looks up from his plate with guarded eyes. Maybe the subject is too heavy for breakfast conversation. But I’m struggling for answers.
“This is just so different from when my mom, well both my moms, died,” I explain. “It’s the same gut-wrenching sense of loss, but with Ryder what kills me is not knowing where he is or what’s happening to him right now. I worry about him. Is he safe? Can he see everything now? And if so, does he understand why I did what I did? Or does he hate me for lying to him? It’s maddening.”
Asher takes a sip of coffee and swipes his napkin across his mouth. “I wish I could help you, Jade. Most people in Arumel believe that we’re eternal, and when we die we just move into a non-material kind of dimension until we’re born again. Reincarnation is pretty much universally accepted here, and the Transcenders’ studies of other earths prove that certain people are found together in lifetime after lifetime. Well, you already know about perpetual contracts.”
He takes a bite of omelet and chews it slowly. “So, do I believe you’ll see him again? Yes. But exactly what happens when we die—the actual mechanics of it—I don’t have a clue. Maybe all the different Ryders that currently exist are just small sparks of the same larger energy. Each is similar yet distinctive. Maybe his spark was just absorbed back into that larger Ryder energy. But then maybe I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about.”
“I wish it wasn’t so damn mysterious,” I say. “I want to understand more, but I realize no one can really know for sure. Thanks for talking to me about it, though.” I take the last bite of my breakfast and pick up my plate. “I’ll help you with the dishes. Then I’d better head back to my place for a shower.”
“I got this,” he says. “You go ahead. Can you find your apartment from here?”
“I think so, since it’s about ten steps down the hall. But if I get lost, I’ll be back.” I kiss his stubbly cheek. “Thanks again.”
* * *
Wiping a swath of steam away from the bathroom mirror, I stare at my reflection. Amazing. I still look the same, but everything else in my life is changed completely and irrevocably. The hot shower was nice, but now depression hovers over my shoulder waiting for the green light to plunge me into the pit of despair. I halfway consider giving in to it as I rummage through the contents of the bathroom drawers and can’t even find a damn toothbrush. But then I stumble onto a treasure—a hairdryer. Yes! I do a little happy dance.
It’s been a month since I had the use of a hairdryer, and after twenty minutes or so, I have one more item for my gratitude list: glossy straight hair.
The closet’s a different story, though. The dresses Narowyn picked out for me are long, loose, and as drab as the rest of my apartment. Not quite like the queen’s closet I’d grown used to, or even the modest array of jeans, cute tops, and dresses I have back home in Connecticut. Narowyn’s always so put together, I wonder why she chose these Amish-looking clothes for me.
Oh well. I take the least objectionable dress from its hanger and slip it on over my head, careful not to disturb my perfect hair.
TWENTY
A brisk knock at my door reminds me that Asher said he’d pick me up for our meeting with Narowyn. I quickly shove my feet into the beige flats she purchased for me and sprint to the door, but it’s not Asher who waits on the other side.
“Jade!” Eve hugs me affectionately. “I’m so sorry for everything that’s happened to you. It’s so freaking unfair. You must be a total wreck. Your hair looks really nice though.”
I have to smile at the sight of my only other friend in Arumel. “Thanks, Eve. Come in,” I say, taking a step back from the door.
“I just got home from doing my community service and heard you were here.” She steps inside dressed in an adorable spring frock that elicits a tiny pang of envy in me. Her spiky white-blond hair forms a shimmering halo around her sweet face. “I came right over to convey my condolences and let you know that I’m here for you.”
“That’s so nice. I’m glad you came by. I’m going to need friends like you to get me through this. You want something to drink?”
“No, I can only stay a minute.” She scans my apartment. “So, this is the new place, huh?”
“Yep.”
“It’s really … white.”
I glance dolefully at the rooms behind me. “Yeah, it’s kind of bare right now.”
“Well, it has a lot of potential. We should go shopping!” Her large blue eyes light up.
“I’m taking her shopping. You’re grounded,” Asher says, coming through my open doorway. “How was the gig, Shorty?” He yanks at a spiky piece of Eve’s hair.
“Not my favorite way to spend the morning,” she says. “An Elder Care Center. Some sweet old codgers, but mostly it was kind of boring—they like to play video games all day.” She turns to me. “It’s part of my punishment for helping you with the Skorplings and healing Patrick’s arm. How is he by the way?”
I drop my eyes and take in a quaky breath. “He was killed in the battle yesterday.”
“Oh god, Jade. That’s awful.” Her eyes fill with sorrow. “What happened?”
Asher jumps in and saves me from having to explain. “Jade and I are late for a meeting with Narowyn. You two will have plenty of time to catch up later.”
“Oh, sorry. Well, I’m on the second floor, Jade. Let’s talk. Just stop by anytime.” She waggles her fingers and then startles me by evaporating before my eyes.
“Geeze, isn’t there some kind of rule against disapparating in the Chateau?” I say.
Asher smirks. “Out of courtesy, most people don’t do it. But Eve’s, you know … young.” He gives me a little after you gesture to the hallway.
“Hey Ash, I know Narowyn’s waiting, but I couldn’t
find a toothbrush, you don’t happen to have an extra, do you?”
“Actually, toothbrushes haven’t been used here in years. Come with me, I’ll show you.” I follow him to my bathroom. He pulls open the top drawer and takes out a stainless steel object about the size of a marker. “This is for your teeth.”
He holds it up and flips off the cap. A flat square head on a slim rod protrudes from the top. “Just push the button.” He demonstrates by using his thumb to push a black button on the side, and the square head illuminates with neon blue light. “Run this along your teeth, gums, and tongue. Then rinse and you’re done.”
“Are you sure it’ll work? I haven’t brushed since sometime yesterday, and my teeth feel distinctly mossy.”
He snorts a little laugh and gives the wand to me. “Try it.”
I press the head to my front teeth. It has a texture like smooth bumps, and it tickles my gums a little. Once I’m finished, I rinse out my mouth with some water from the bathroom glass. Running my tongue along my teeth, I’m amazed at how clean they feel.
“Hmm, cool,” I say. “I like it, but I miss the minty taste.”
“You’ll get used to it. But look, it does much more than clean your teeth. He shows me a small readout on the side. “While you’re using it, sensors inside analyze your breath and saliva and take your body temp. It warns you if you’re low on any vitamins or minerals, and it gives you a heads up when it detects the presence of viruses or disease-causing bacteria. You never have to get another cold.” He smiles, replacing the cap.
“That’s amazing. This little thing does all that?”
“You’ll discover lots of amazing things in Arumel, Jade. But let’s go. We’re late.”
Narowyn comes to hug me as we enter her office. “How are you today, dear?”
“Numb. Grief-stricken, but holding up, I guess.”
My TPD bracelet sits atop her desk, and she hands it to me. “I’m sorry to have taken this from you, but I felt it was best under the circumstances.”
It’s comforting in a small way to clip the familiar bracelet back on my wrist. “Don’t worry about it. It was probably the right thing to do at the time.”
“Well, I hope this isn’t too taxing for you, but I’d like to discuss the plans for your visit home. I have everything right here.” She slides a manila file from the stack on her desk. “Let’s sit down, shall we?”
We take seats in the office sitting area, and Narowyn opens her file. “As you probably know, most Transcenders have what we call cover stories for our loved ones back on our home earths That way our long absences are easily explained, but we can still visit them occasionally. Some have shared the truth with their families, but I wouldn’t recommend it in your case. Your family would likely find your gift disturbing, if not completely unbelievable.”
“That’s putting it mildly,” I say. “A cover story would be good.”
“All right, then, since you are graduating high school in a few weeks, it seemed a natural choice to assemble a cover for you involving attending college in a foreign country. Accordingly, we arranged for you to be enrolled, on the books at least, at Oxford University in Oxford, England. More specifically, you will be enrolled in the Humanities division and working closely with a professor in the Rothermere American Institute.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Oxford University? That’s kind of swanky isn’t it?”
“Not really. You’re currently an accepted student at Yale University. The schools are comparable,” she says. “In addition, you’ll be receiving full financial support including grants and scholarships, or bursaries as they are called in the UK. So your father should have no objection to your change of schools.”
“Oh, he’ll object all right. The longest and farthest I’ve ever been away from him was six weeks of summer camp in the Poconos.”
“Do you foresee a problem?”
“Uh yeah. I foresee all kinds of problems. What happens if my dad or my brother decides to pay me a visit? That’s not out of the realm of possibility, you know.”
She flips to a sheet in the middle of the file. “We’ve made provision for that. We’ve leased a small flat for you near the school. Nothing fancy, but adequate for short visits. You’ll probably wish to spend a little time there yourself to become familiar with the school and the town.”
“I’ll have a flat in England?” I ask in astonishment.
“Yes. It’s nothing more than we’ve done for the others.” Her lips curve up. “We’re a small but tight-knit family. We want to make certain all your needs are taken care of. What else troubles you about the arrangement?”
“Well, what if my dad wants to see my grades or something?”
“That’s easy enough. Your father will receive all the normal parental correspondence distributed by the school, and if you desire, we can arrange for transcripts to be sent home also.”
“Sounds like you’ve thought of everything.”
“I believe we have. We’ve done this before. But it is entirely up to you to make your father comfortable with your decision. Do you believe that is possible?”
“Yes. He won’t like it, but he won’t stand in the way of such an incredible opportunity.”
“Good.” She folds her hands on top of the file. “Now let’s discuss your actual visit home. Precautions will need to be taken for your safety. We considered placing a teacher in your school, but Asher tells me IUGA already has someone there.”
“Right, Mr. Nordgren, my physics teacher. I didn’t know he was IUGA until Ralston took me to his house right before Asher helped me shift back to Domerica. He probably knew I was walking into a death trap back there.”
“Even more reason you must be watched over around the clock. With that in mind, Asher has very generously offered to return with you to Earth 7Y12.”
That surprises me a little. “Okay, but how’s that going to work? I mean who’s he supposed to be?”
She fingers the pearl necklace at her throat. “In discussing it with Captain Watterson, we agree it would be optimal if you introduced him as your new boyfriend.”
“Boyfriend! No freakin way.” I glance at Asher. He’s bent over, elbows on knees, looking a bit sheepish. “No offense Ash, but I just lost my husband.” My voice cracks, and tears prickle my eyes. “I won’t do that.”
“I understand your feelings, dear,” Narowyn says, “and if that is your final decision, we will consider another option. But please hear me out first. Asher would be your boyfriend in name only. By describing him as such, it will not appear suspicious that you spend most of your waking hours together. And since no one there knows of your great loss in Domerica, nobody will think ill of you.”
The whole idea makes me squirm in my chair. “I’ll think ill of me. It’s disrespectful. I won’t tarnish Ryder’s memory that way.” I grab a tissue from the box on the table next to me and blot my eyes.
“But it’s only for your protection, Jaden,” Narowyn says. “I suspect your Ryder would want you to do whatever was necessary to stay safe. If you are that adamantly opposed, though, we will send Urick instead.”
The tears caused by this uncomfortable discussion are quickly staunched by the absurd visual of Urick in Madison, Connecticut. That makes me want to laugh out loud.
“Seriously? Urick? And he would be what? The head of the local Hell’s Angels chapter?”
“He’d be your new neighbor. There’s a vacant unit in your townhouse development. He would need to be close by.”
“Oh please. People are going to believe that Thor the Thunder God just relocated to Madison? I’m sorry, but he’s just not the townhouse type. Or the small-town Connecticut type. How about if Asher becomes my new neighbor, and we’re just friends? Maybe he’s gay or something.”
She bites her lower lip, clearly not enchanted with the idea. “But we were hoping Asher could join you for Senior Celebration and other graduation activities where you will likely be most vulnerable.”
“He can stil
l do that as my friend. It’s really nobody’s business what our relationship is. I’ll invite him to everything.”
“Will your father find that acceptable?” she asks.
“Sure. I’ve always had guy friends.”
She shifts her eyes to Asher. “Is that satisfactory to you?”
He shrugs noncommittally. “Whatever.”
“All right then, that’s the way we’ll handle it.” She closes the file. “You may stay through your graduation. After that, the story will be that you are attending summer orientation at Oxford and must leave at once to get settled into your new flat. Does that meet with your approval?”
