The one
positive: I was still flying high with the discovery of my new found ability.
My Essence was a constant now – always present and easily discernible. Despite
feelings of elation regarding my Essence, I still needed to funnel away my
other frustrations. I tried reading Thackeray’s novel
Vanity Fair
again.
But anytime I read more than two sentences on a page I’d slip into a daydream
and replay the whole, terrifying bank scene in my mind again. I’d imagine the
gun going off and ripping my stomach apart, or I’d see a bullet smacking Jason
right between the eyes. Trying to obliterate those images was proving
difficult. I was also frustrated I hadn’t heard a word from him. I contemplated
contacting him but was too pissed off and stubborn to follow through.
Friday morning,
Jessica finally called me back, but reception wasn’t great on the island. The
current plan was that her family would return early Sunday morning and we’d all
head up to Nooksack Falls where we could take a hike and discuss everything.
Hiking at Nooksack Falls wasn’t high on my list, but since I wouldn’t be alone,
I doubted there was much chance we’d encounter mountain lions.
She’d already
heard about the bank saga from Madison, who’d of course, heard it all from
Jason. “I can’t believe the whole thing!” she exclaimed. “Are you okay?”
“Don’t worry. I’m
fine,” I said, putting my cell phone on speaker mode as I leaned over the
kitchen counter and stared out at the bay.
“Well, I’m
jumping into one of our speedboats and coming directly to your house. You
shouldn’t be alone after that harrowing experience.”
“Jessica, don’t
be absurd. I’ll see you in a day and a half. No worries. I have Ally and Ben
looking out for me,” I lied. “Anyways, Jason’s the one who took the bullet; you
should be worrying about him.”
The phone
crackled. “He’s doing great, thanks to you. I’m so excited and proud of you! I
knew eventually you’d discover your Essence, but that was fast. Talk about
perfect timing, too. I can’t believe you were able to draw upon your Essence
and direct it towards Jason immediately after finding it for the first time.
That’s so sensational. How does it feel?”
“Incredible.” I
smiled at her enthusiasm and fiddled with the kitchen faucet.
“I still think I
should come and see you right now.”
“Absolutely not.
You stay with your family and enjoy your relatives. Just come prepared to
tell
all
on Sunday,” I said firmly.
“Oh, I don’t
think you should…”
“Jessica,
please. I’m fine.”
“Well…okay, but
I can’t wait to see you. Max, Madison, Laci and I will be back at the marina
early Sunday morning. We’ll meet up with you and Jason at the Sehome store.”
“Sounds good.”
“And Lexi?”
Static erupted,
and I held the phone further away. “Yeah?”
“I promise we’ll
tell you the whole story about us and explain all about your Amethyst
capabilities. You won’t be disappointed; I’m sure. I’ll be so relieved when you
know everything. I know you’ll want to help us; we need you more than ever.
Promise me you won’t worry?”
After all she’d
just said – I wasn’t supposed to worry? Yeah, right. But I said, “Okay.”
Sunday morning
arrived none too soon, and I waited impatiently inside the Sehome food court.
We were all supposed to meet up at seven o’clock. Since I was a ball of nerves,
I’d arrived 15 minutes early and bought myself a huge bag of trail mix. Jessica
texted that they were having boat engine problems and were going to be late.
She said I should ride up to Nooksack Falls with Jason and they’d catch up in a
few hours. That threw me for a loop, because now I’d be alone with Jason. Not
only was I tired of small talk, I was ticked he hadn’t bothered to check on me
since the bank incident.
Frustrated, I
stepped outside into the sunny August morning. The weather had been beautiful
over that last couple weeks, and today was no exception. I looked down at my
new, waterproof Teva hiking sandals. They were full-grain leather – made for
comfort, support, and durability. My khaki hiking shorts weren’t too shabby
either. Rather than spend all day Saturday sulking at home alone, I’d spent the
day doing something I heavily despised – shopping. But hey, if I was going to
get paid not to work, I’d decided I’d spend the money on something useful. For
once, I looked fashionably coordinated, thanks to the REI salesclerk. My
favorite purchase was the GoLite backpack.
A horn honked,
and I looked up. A dirty teal Chevy Silverado, with some serious all-terrain
tires, pulled up next to the sidewalk. The front passenger window rolled down.
My heart skipped a beat, and my face flushed as Jason examined me with his
bright eyes.
“Hi, Alex. I’m
glad to see you all in one piece. I was worried about you.”
“Yeah, right,” I
mumbled to myself as I walked over to the truck.
As I opened the
door, he let out a low whistle. “You look way too good to go hiking.”
“Shut up,” I
said with dismay and climbed in. “I’m just wearing the usual gear.”
He gave me a
sideways glance, “Maybe, but you wear it well.”
I decided to
throw it back at him. “Well, you look like a certified hiking guide in that
get-up.” In closed-toe hiking sandals, black cargo shorts, and God forbid, a snug
turquoise, quarter-zip shirt that matched his eyes and accentuated his
well-built upper body, he looked good enough to eat. “All you need now are
contacts,” I grumbled.
His eyebrows
shot up, and he turned the rearview mirror towards himself. “Why?”
Avoiding direct
eye contact, I muttered, “How do you expect a girl to concentrate when you’re
flashing those aqua-marine eyes?”
“Ah ha! I do
believe you’ve paid me my first compliment.” He inspected his eyes, and then
twisted the mirror back into place. “I suppose they are one of my better
features.”
“Oh geez, give
it up already,” I said, mildly annoyed. Conversation waned, and we drove in
silence for a few minutes. Emotions bubbled inside me – fear swirling like
clouds of dust and debris encircling a tornado. Frustration threatening to
explode. “I haven’t heard a word from you in two days,” I finally said. “Can we
get serious for one minute and stop pretending like the whole bank incident
never happened.” Quickly, I turned my head towards the side window. Choking on
my words, I added, “An event in which either one of us could have been killed.
And after everything we went through, I don’t hear anything from you.” I turned
and looked at him. “Maybe I needed to know how you were…if you were okay. Did
you even wonder how I was doing?”
He drummed his
hands on the steering wheel. “Oh man. Alex, how can you think I didn’t care
about you or wonder how you were doing? You’re all I’ve thought about. I wanted
to call you. Really, I did.” He pulled over to the side of the road and parked
the car. Shifting his body sideways, he put his right knee on the seat and
frowned. “I should’ve called. I should’ve followed my instincts. I’m sorry.” He
banged the dashboard with his left fist. “This is still so new to you. I’m
guessing you were still pretty shaken up from all the gun fire.”
“Do ya think?” I
harped.
His jaw
clenched, and he shook his head disgustedly at himself. “I was afraid if I
called you, we’d get off topic. I knew you’d want an explanation about me and
about you…well, before it was time.” His eyes darted over my face. “I have the
deepest respect for the Nelson’s and my parents, and I didn’t want to
jeopardize my relationship with any of them. They really believe you’re going
to need the support of all of us, Jessica especially, when we show you who we
are.”
Sincerity and
frustration flooded his face, and I realized he was as emotionally screwed up
as I was. My heart softened as my spirits lifted. And what did he mean about
“showing” who they were? Just who the heck were they?
“Would it be
helpful to talk about what happened?” he asked. Relieved and impressed that
he’d taken the initiative, I nodded. For the next fifteen minutes I did most of
the talking, while he listened. Turned out to be a successful therapy session.
Resolutely, I
gazed into his eyes. I wanted nothing more than to spend the next couple hours
enjoying his company and forgetting about all the unsaid crap that hung between
us. Gathering willpower, I said, “Let’s see if we can have fun for a few hours,
before…I guess, before my life changes forever. Okay?”
After examining
my face thoroughly, he must have found what he was looking for, because he
smiled and said, “Okay.” He started the engine and added quietly, “I think
you’re amazing.”
“Thanks.”
“Music?” he
asked as he pulled the truck back onto the highway.
“Loud,” I
suggested.
He turned the
volume insanely loud and yelled, “I love this song.” I sat back and listened to
the song,
Time Stands Still
by Rush. We both sang along during different
parts, and I took a few minutes to study the inside of his truck. The only
things out of place were the two empty water bottles rolling around on the
floor. Sitting in the middle of the console were a couple books about hiking
the Pacific Northwest and an iPod. An Atlas rested in the side pocket of my
door, and a CD case sat at my feet. Curiously, I thumbed through it and found
an interesting mix of music: the Beatles, Rascal Flatts, Rolling Stones, Black
Eyed Peas, Kings of Leon, Def Leppard, and Santana.
As the song ended,
he turned the volume down and glanced over at me suspiciously. “So…how is it a
girl like you knows the lyrics to a song from an old band like Rush?”
“What’s that
supposed to mean?” I said with attitude. “A girl like what?”
He lifted his
hands off the steering wheel. “I just meant because you’re young. You weren’t
around when that band was popular.”
“You’re not
exactly ancient.” I laughed. “Now put your hands back on the wheel, please.” I
looked out the window; we were on the Mount Baker Highway, zipping past
farmhouses and open fields. “You shouldn’t be so surprised. I have a much older
step-brother who listens to classic rock. I grew up loving the oldies as well
as the songs from my generation.”
“Really? How
much older is your step-brother?”
“Brandon is
fifteen years older than me. I have another brother, Greg, who’s only three
years older than me. Greg’s my biological brother.”
A look of
confusion crossed his face. “Oh?”
“My dad, Dr.
Adams, is really my step-dad,” I explained. “He married my mom when I was three
years old, and he legally adopted Greg and me about a year later. Dr. Adams was
also divorced, and his son Brandon was living with him.” I glanced at his face.
He seemed to be following me and appeared interested so I continued, “Luckily
for us, we all got along really well and have been tight ever sense. Both my
brothers live in San Diego and are game designers. They can be obnoxious, but I
love ‘em.”
“And Dr. Adams?”
“Dr. Adams is my
dad,” I said thoughtfully, fiddling with the zipper on my backpack. “I don’t
think of him as a step-dad. He raised me. He’s been good to me – always setting
the bar high but offering encouragement along the way. I get my passion for
reading from him.”
“Sounds like a
good man,” Jason said. “No sisters then?”
“Nope, but Ally
and I have been best friends since 2
nd
grade; she’s like my sister.”
He looked over
at me with a puzzled frown and said, “You haven’t mentioned your biological
father. Is he in the picture?”
Biting my lip, I
shook my head. “Nope. Long story. I’ll tell ya about it another time.”
He nodded and
changed the subject. “All right, let’s test your musical knowledge.” He ejected
the Rush CD and handed it to me. “Put this back and choose your favorite song
from any of the CD’s.” I smiled and complied. Familiar with most of his
selection, I chose one that suited my current mood. Def Leppard. He laughed.
“I’m not surprised. The English rock band from Sheffield which became one of
the top-selling bands of the 80’s. They were especially popular with female
listeners. Which song?”
“How ‘bout
number six, and turn it up.”
“Animal,” he
said with surprise and blasted the sound system even louder than before. Even
though it was still early morning and not yet warm outside, he rolled down the
windows and cranked the heater. The wind and heat combination, along with the
loud rhythmic pounding of the bass, were exhilarating. I felt wild and free. We
took turns choosing songs and then I switched it out with a Rascal Flatts CD.
Eventually, the song
Love Who You Love
filled the cab
,
but
halfway
through the song, he gave me a tight smile and ejected the CD.
I looked at him
inquisitively, and he said, “This one is…well, it reminds me of…oh, I’ll tell
you some other time.” He kind of choked on his words. His face looked strained,
and I didn’t want to remind him of some past girlfriend he still harbored
feelings for, so even though I was curious, I kept quiet. My throat tightened
at the thought of him with someone else.
I grabbed the
Rolling Stones disc but turned the volume way down. “So, what’s the deal with
this private island Jessica’s family owns in the San Juan’s?”
He laughed. “I
know, right? Seems crazy. There’s around 170 or so named islands out there, and
a handful are privately owned. The Nelson family inherited one from Jessica’s
grandmother, on her dad’s side. It’s been passed down from generation to
generation. Towhead Island is several acres and offers amazing views of the
islands and of Mt. Baker.”
“Wow. I’m
jealous.”
“Me too. The
island is secluded and beautifully treed. They have a huge mansion directly in
the center that has like ten bedrooms and seven bathrooms with the most amazing
kitchen ever. They like to spend family time out there, and it has other
purposes as well,” he gave me a sideways glance, “a safe haven of sorts, but
you’ll learn more about that later.”