Melissa leaned down and picked up the incredibly furry animal and pet it soothingly as it kept barking at the two new people in the house. “Hush now, Pesi. These are our new guests, and you’re going to be nice to them,” she spoke to the black Pomeranian as though the dog would understand what she was saying.
Shemalla took a moment to lean over to Willian and say, “This is their pet dog. The breed is called Pomeranian.”
Willian nodded only slightly as he kept his eyes on the little animal who had ceased barking and was leaning toward him and trying to lick his arm. He did think it was pretty cute and wondered what it would feel like to pet. He stretched out his hand cautiously and waited for it to sniff his fingers before she began to lick him. He smiled up at Melissa and said, “I think she likes me!”
“Of course she does, she’ll lick you to death if you let her. Let’s sit down and get to know one another shall we?” Marcus offered even as he reached out to pet the furry little dog.
Willian looked over to Melissa and watched as she sat down in the chair next to Shemalla. He noticed her silver tree-of-life pendant necklace and remembered hearing about the ‘friends of Tuala’ each having one to wear. Having this physical proof somehow made him feel better.
“We can take you over to the school today and get you registered, unless you want to wait until tomorrow,” Melissa suggested. She set Pesi down on the floor now that she had calmed down and watched as she went over to Shemalla and began sniffing and licking her shoes and pant legs.
“No, today would be great. I really want to get started as soon as possible.”
Marcus smiled down at Melissa and commented, “Isn’t it strange to have a young person so eager to get to school?” He reached down and touched Pesi’s head and said, “Leave Shemalla alone, Pesi. Do you want to go outside?”
Melissa looked up at him with a matching grin. She patted his hand as it rested on her shoulder. This was what they had always wanted for themselves. They would enjoy the time they had with Willian and make his stay as fun as possible.
“Let me show you your room on my way to putting Pesi outside,” Marcus said as the silence dragged on in the room. “Bring your bag so you can start unpacking.”
Willian jumped up and took the four steps to the foyer where he had left his bag. He grabbed the handle and rolled the bag in the direction Marcus had taken down the short hallway. His room was the first door on the left. There was not much to see as he noticed a twin-sized bed, a dresser, and a small desk filling the small room.
Marcus went to the far wall and folded back the door to the closet he could use for his clothes. “This whole room is yours, feel free to spread out. If you want privacy, simply shut your bedroom door, and we’ll respect your need to be alone. The bathroom is right next door to here.”
Willian rolled his bag over near the closet and left it to deal with later. He wanted to explore the house and see what else was different from what he knew in Tuala. The tour was really quick since there was only the kitchen, dining room, and the master suite to see. The biggest change Willian would realize would be that he’d have to make food by hand instead of using his powers.
Marcus continued to carry Pesi as he went out the back door. Willian could hear him talking to the dog as if she were a little child. He imagined they probably treated the dog as if she were their child since they had none of their own.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sofia still could not believe her suspicions had been validated when Jon had called her to talk about the story of his mother. She knew there had been something strange about the ‘experimental aircraft’ in the Stel garage. It made even more sense for it to be the vehicle the Stel family used to get to and from Tuala.
Just the name ‘Tuala’ gave her a small thrill of excitement. To know the actual name of another world and her friends were from there. Actually, if Jon’s story panned out, it would mean all five of her best friends were aliens visiting from another world.
She started thinking about the injuries she was sure she had received after being hit by the car at school. Juila and Jena had been the first people to be on the scene, and they had been touching her. Now she was certain they had used healing powers to fix her broken and bloodied body. Ever since that fateful afternoon, she had seemed to feel differently inside.
When she was around Juila, it almost seemed as though she could read thoughts or images from her friend’s mind. She had no way of proving it without talking to Juila, but so far it was what she had determined on her own.
It had been a week since her accident. So much had happened during the last seven days, almost as if the accident had set everything in motion. She wished she had more energy to keep up with it all. Heck, she thought to herself, I’m just glad to be alive to think at all. I have Juila and Jena to thank for that.
She got into her car to go to school. This was the first day her mother had agreed she was well enough to drive herself. It had been so embarrassing to have her mother take her to school and pick her up in the afternoons. Life seemed to be getting back to normal.
After driving around the parking lot several times, she finally located a parking space pretty far back in the lot. She got out, grabbed her book bag, and trudged up to the entrance of the school. She got to the front door just as a woman and young man were reaching for it.
“Hi,” she said to the boy who seemed to be her own age. “Are you new here?”
“Yes, I’m getting registered right now,” he replied. He liked the way the young girl looked at him.
“Cool, I can show you around later if you want,” she offered.
“That would be great, although I don’t think I’ll be starting here until tomorrow.”
“I’ll look forward to it then. See you around,” she said. “The office is right there, good luck.” She pointed them in the right direction and then she kept walking to get to her locker. They were already in the office when Sofia realized she should have introduced herself. Oh well, she shrugged, I can find out tomorrow.
She navigated the crowded hall until she got to her locker and dumped off her bag of books. The first bell rang, and she picked up her writing books and set off to be in the same class as Juila and Jena. She would be watching them more closely now that she knew their secret. This was going to be very fascinating.
Chapter Three
AMANDA PARKED THE telepod in her garage once again. This time she had a full complement of people with her. She hit the button on the console to open the side door as she unbuckled her seat belt. She had timed her return to directly after she had originally left that morning. Her best alibi for her whereabouts would be to create a scenario where she would indisputably be in her home town all morning long.
“Are you okay, Barla?” Amanda asked as her aunt remained motionless in the co-pilot’s seat.
“I think so,” she said haltingly. “I was just trying to figure out if I’ve forgotten anything about my life.” She looked over at Amanda with a sheepish smile.
“And?” Amanda prompted.
“It’s all still there,” she grinned foolishly and began unbuckling her seatbelt. “Let’s get Neal situated, shall we?”
Amanda led the way to the rear of the telepod. She stopped in front of Neal and waited to see what he would have to say about his new location. His response did not surprise her.
“Where are we? What’s going on, Amanda?” Neal’s head turned as he took in the view all around him.
To keep from confusing him with unnecessary details, Amanda simply replied, “We’re at my house in Florida, Neal. Let’s get you inside, and we can call your parents. Your mom has been very worried about you.” She bent forward and released his seatbelt. She offered her hand to help him out of his seat, but he refused it.
He put his hands on the armrests and levered himself to a standing position.
Barla came around to his other side, and they flanked him down the ramp to the garage floor with Vinia, carrying Danika on her hip, foll
owing close behind them. To avoid any further questions Amanda tapped the cloaking button on her remote, and the telepod disappeared as though it had never been there.
Neal had missed the whole thing. When he turned his head to look around, he only saw an empty garage which made him frown in confusion. “What happened to the car?” he asked even as he was being pulled toward the house.
“Don’t worry about it right now, Neal. Come inside so we can sit down,” Amanda urged.
They trooped through the house until they reached the living room. Amanda made sure everyone was seated before she kept walking to get to her office. She closed the door behind her and dug her cell phone out of her pants pocket.
She scrolled through the numbers until she got to the Taivas house. She dialed the number and waited for the phone to be picked up. When Jessica’s voice answered, Amanda said, “Jessica, this is Amanda. I have Neal. Can you please come over here to get him?”
“What? How is that even possible? Never mind, you can tell me when I get there. I’ll be right over.”
Amanda was unsurprised when the phone disconnected. She could understand how distraught Neal’s mother would have been thinking her son was still in danger at the psychiatric center in Queens, New York. To know he was only a short drive away, she definitely did not want to waste time talking on the phone when she could satisfy her curiosity in person.
The next call Amanda made was to Dr. Medin. She knew she could trust her with their lives, so she had no reservations as she dialed her number from the speed dial. Even though it was early, Dr. Medin answered on the third ring. “Hi Dr. Medin, this is Amanda.”
“Oh, Amanda. I’m so sorry I haven’t figured out a way to help you get Neal released from Dr. Gascon’s facility. I swear I’ve been trying.”
“I didn’t call for that. I already got Neal out of there this morning.”
“Seriously? How?”
“I don’t have time to discuss it right now, I’ll tell you later. Can you do me a favor?”
“Sure. What do you need?”
“I’m wondering if you will agree to treat Neal with hypnosis.”
“Are you sure it’d be wise? Do you want him to remember?”
“I do. There’s someone else involved, and I think it’s only fair for Neal to have his memories intact so he can decide where he wants to live. The hard part will be convincing Neal’s parents of the truth.”
“Yes, I can see what you’re saying. His story would seem rather nutty to the uneducated.”
“I think the uneducated would accept it quicker than Neal’s parents. They’re pretty old-school about everything.”
“When would you like me to see Neal?”
“Today, if you have the time.”
“I can make time. I’ll leave you a message when I’m available. Talk to you later.”
“Thanks, Dr. Medin. See you later.”
There was still one more phone call to make. Amanda dialed her own parents’ home phone. Diane answered.
“Hi, Mom. I know it’s early, but can you come over right now?”
“Is everything okay?”
“Mostly. I have a surprise for you. Can you come?”
“I’m already on my way,” she replied cheerfully.
Amanda shut her cell phone and breathed a sigh of relief. She went over to the computer and pulled up the security program for the front gate. She set the gate sensor to open for the next two cars to arrive. With all of the details handled, Amanda turned off the computer and returned to the living room to wait for her guests to arrive.
Everyone turned their heads to watch Amanda walk into the room and seat herself. They had been watching Danika play on the floor. Nobody seemed to have anything to say.
She made sure she had a view of the door so she would be forewarned when Jessica pulled her car up front. “I’ve made a few phone calls. Jessica should be here in a couple of minutes.”
“Who’s Jessica?” Vinia asked.
“Neal’s mother.”
Vinia’s mouth made the shape of an ‘O,’ and she hastily shifted her gaze back down to her own daughter on the floor. Danika had become fascinated with the television remote. She repeatedly shoved it in her mouth and then slapped it on the rug-covered floor. It seemed only Danika seemed unaffected by the strange moods of the people in the room with her.
Amanda wished she could be as oblivious. Her mind was racing through all of the different scenarios of how Jessica could react to her son’s return. For the most part, she thought Jessica would be angry because Neal’s memory was even worse than it had been a couple of days before he had gone to be treated by Dr. Gascon.
Soon enough a flash of light shot through the room as the sun reflected off of Jessica’s car as she pulled up to the house. Amanda rose from the couch and went to the door before Jessica had even made it out of her car.
“Thanks for coming over so fast.”
“Where is he? Is he okay?”
“He’s inside on the couch. You’ll see for yourself how he is.” Amanda trailed behind Jessica as she rushed through the house to get to her son.
“Neal! Neal, are you okay honey?” Jessica cried as she knelt in front of her son and put her hands on both of his cheeks while she looked into his eyes.
“Do I know you?”
Jessica’s head pivoted to look at Amanda with an expression of horror. “What did that doctor do to him?”
“Give him some time. Dr. Gascon drugged him almost into a coma. I have called a friend of mine, and she has agreed to take over his mental care. I promise she can be trusted.”
Jessica looked up at her like she had spoken blasphemy and sneered, “You expect me to trust him to a doctor after this? I don’t think so. Neal is going to stay at home where I can keep him safe.”
Vinia sobbed at Jessica’s statement.
Jessica looked over at the other woman and did a double-take. She recalled Neal telling her about someone who he thought he remembered who looked like Amanda. This had to be the woman; only she could not recall her name at the moment. She turned her head back to Amanda and asked, “Who is this woman?”
“Her name’s Vinia. I told you about her yesterday. She and Neal are dating, or they were, up until he lost his memory.”
With another appraising look, Jessica stared at Vinia’s expression and at her relative closeness to her son on the couch. Her inspection was interrupted when Danika decided to crawl over and pat Jessica on her hip as she knelt on the floor. “What? Who’s this?”
Vinia spoke for the first time, “She’s my daughter, Danika. Danika, leave the woman alone right now.” She bent down and picked up the squirming child and settled her down in her lap. The remote was still firmly held in her hand, and Danika brought it to her mouth and happily began chewing on it again.
Jessica looked from Danika to her son to see if there were any similarities.
Vinia caught the look and instantly spoke up, “Danika is not Neal’s child, although, he’s been a wonderful father to her.”
“Oh,” Jessica said even as she had a hard time concealing her disappointment. It would have been wonderful to have a grandchild, to know her son’s legacy continued on.
Neal had been silent during the exchange although he had kept turning his gaze to each person as they spoke around him. He reached up and gently removed Jessica’s hands from his face. He continued to hold her hands as he moved them down to his knees. “I can see you know me, but I’m sorry to say I don’t remember you right now. I’d like to take Amanda up on her offer of seeing her doctor friend.”
Jessica’s expression changed to fear at her son’s admission of not knowing his own mother. She could not understand what could have gone so desperately wrong under Dr. Gascon’s care, but she was certainly not going to let him get away with it. She was going to sue him and make sure his medical license was taken away. Dr. Gascon had messed with the wrong family!
Amanda looked at her watch. Her mother should be arriving so
on. She really wanted the reinforcements of another person before she told Jessica what had actually happened to her son. This was going to be hard enough for Jessica to believe.
Jessica pulled her hands away and picked herself up from the floor. She sat down on the other side of her son and noticed Barla for the first time. Her focus had been so completely on her son that she had missed seeing everyone else in the room. Now she felt slightly foolish and wanted to find out what had happened. “Tell me how you got Neal here so fast. We just spoke yesterday afternoon, and you didn’t sound like you knew what you were going to do.”
Amanda was spared from having to answer as the flashing light of another car pulling into the driveway sparkled through the living room. “Hold that thought. I have to answer the door.” She rushed back to the front entrance and raced outside to speak to her mom privately for a moment before she came inside to the tense setting.
“Thank goodness you got here so fast, Mom. Just listen to me for a second really fast. I got some help from people in Tuala to rescue Neal from the hospital where Dr. Gascon was treating him. I’m afraid I might have been too late because Neal was heavily drugged when we got him out of there this morning. Anyway, we traveled through Tuala, and now Neal has lost his memory again. Jessica’s inside, and she’s wanting answers to how I accomplished the feat. I’m afraid I’ll have to tell her the truth, and I need you to back me up. Can you do that for me?”
Diane was floored by everything her daughter had just shared with her. It seemed as though a lot had happened since she had last spoken with her daughter. All she could do was nod her head as she hugged her daughter before they walked inside. Diane had gotten as far as the entrance to the living room when her gaze fell on the sister she had believed dead for over twenty years. She stopped dead in her tracks and stared dumbfounded as she said, “Barbara? Is that you Barb?”
Ascension Vision- The Levels of Ascension Box Set Page 2
