Balancer's Soul (11 page)

Very compassionately David gently laid a hand
on Connor’s shoulder and visibly cooled as he breathed heavily
through his flared nose. All the older looking gentleman said
softly was “Relax, Son.” There was something painful in David’s
expression that made Sarah feel sorry for the old man at the
moment.

Connor slowly turned his head to his
grandfather who now smiled in understanding. Connor took a few slow
and deep breaths in the attempt to calm his emotions. “Ok, it’s
ok.” Sarah stole a quick look at Jenny who also had a very sad
expression on her face as id she remembered something extremely
traumatic.
“What happened in this boy’s
past to make everyone show such pained features?”

Connor’s voice brought Sarah back to
the moment, but now his expression seemed apologetic. “I’m sorry
for yelling at you Kara, but it is as you just said it’s
My Secret
. It is not your place to
tell another’s past without permission. Ok?”

Kara quietly and weakly said “Ok Brother. You
are right.”

“I need to change the
atmosphere in here quick.”
“Um… David…”

“Granddaddy.” He corrected Sarah like she
were a child.

“What?” She said in faked confusion.

“Call me Granddaddy like everyone else
does, Sarah.” David ordered politely, ending anything she might say
to contradict him.
“Ha Granddaddy…I could
be your 6
^th
or 7
^th
removed great grandmother you
Child
.”

Sarah couldn’t help but grin back.
“Granddaddy, what do you do for a living?”

“I own some livestock and sell some to the
local butchers, but my true passion is in being a blacksmith.” That
explained his dark skin and the strong build for his age. “I have
my own personal technique for working with my metal. I use homemade
colored inks to quench the hot metal.” Sarah saw Connor give a
steely glance as a warning to his grandfather to which he caught in
understanding. Somehow some secret is a very touchy subject.

“Ink? That is different.” She wanted to know
more about this method.

“Yes, I said ink. Most people quench
red hot metal in water or use some other cooling method and then
they need to paint the metal after. With my special homemade ink,
you never need to paint the metal ever again. Color gets absorbed
in the metal. It also looks very nice depending on what ink I
decide to color it with and how smooth I craft the metal. It’s
better than paint in my opinion because it will never need another
coat ever again. If it will help you to understand the method
better, it’s like getting a tattoo. The color is
in
the metal, rather than coated or
applied on it.” He elaborated with a grin.

“That’s news to me.” Sarah said honestly to
David.

“Foods ready.” Jenny announced to
everyone.

They ate all of the sandwiches on the
dining table Connor made. Sarah remained in shock at what a
craftsman he is. Connor ate six sandwiches himself while she ate
two.
“Well I see why Connor’s so
big.”
It was a very good meal.

Before everyone finished, Sarah recalled a
memory from yesterday. She turned to look into his hazel eyes.
“Yesterday I saw you pulling Kara in a wagon. Why do you do
that?”

He smiled, but David was first to speak.
“Because he’s a man and he needs to be strong to protect those
under his wings. It might be old fashioned, but it was how I was
raised and I expect no less from him.” With pride he stated “Connor
has always been extremely strong and big. He trains so that
whatever the situation is, he can react accordingly; whether to
run, fight or even traverse long distances without resting every
ten minutes like some weak city folk.” He puffed out his chest. “I
also believe that you need a strong mind with a strong body and
that’s why we always go camping, to train his body and mind at the
same time.”

“I can see that in him myself. He had the
strength and endurance to track me down in the pitch dark forest
last night. You have taught him very well, Dav… Granddaddy.” Sarah
reached under the table again to touch Connor’s leg, adding her own
pride to David’s.

David suddenly burst into laughter. “Connor
can track a shadow’s shadow while being blindfolded. I honestly
didn’t teach him how to track. He taught himself that skill. He
sees things I miss and has taught me a thing or two in that field.
My grandson is a natural outdoorsman. In the woods you could never
have a better companion.” Still beaming, David patted Connor’s
back.

“No more compliments. I’m not some prized
stallion.”

Sarah squeezed his thigh again and he smiled
at her knowing what the squeeze meant. He casually placed his large
hand over hers and returned the same amount of pressure, careful to
not harm her injuries.

When everyone got up from the table, Connor
told his grandfather “Sorry, but I’ll need a rain check on this
weekend’s camping trip.” David nodded in understanding.

David soon walked outside and shut the blue
front door. Sarah heard the truck’s engine fire up and then David
left.

Turning those raptor eyes at her, Sarah lost
herself in his hazel eyes that took her breath away again. He said
“I’ll walk you home, Sarah.” Her stomach lurched because she don’t
like being away from him, even only knowing each other for so
little of time. He had become dear to her so quickly.

“Ok.” Sarah said in a disappointed tone.

Feeling her distress he put his arms around
her, his warm body and his smell relaxed Sarah once again. She felt
better immediately. Good thing Kara and Jenny weren’t around to
see.

Sarah clutched him closer to her breast and
all she could put into words were “Thank you so much.”

His husky voice said “My pleasure,
Princess.” And he kissed the top of her head.
“If this is how he kisses my head, I can’t wait until he
kisses my lips…”

As they left Connor’s house she looked across
the street and noticed that her father was awake because her car no
longer sat in the driveway. Walking side by side she felt whole
just being near him. When they got to the entryway to her house
Sarah opened it and asked, “Connor, would you like to come
inside?”

“I’m sorry Sarah, but I need some rest and
tomorrow I need to study up for Monday’s tests.” She forgot Connor
stayed up all night, keeping watch for her to sleep contently and
the skirmish with the cougar didn’t help.

“Ok, get some rest Connor and I’ll look
forward to Monday.” Sarah said cheerfully and expectantly.

“For the very first time in my life, I
am looking forward to school. Just hang out with you again,
Sarah.”
“I feel exactly the same
way.”
“Oh Sarah, just one thing?” He stopped and
looked her eye to eye.

“Yes?” She asked hopefully.

“Whatever gift or power that you possess,
please don’t use it, I don’t like the migraines you get from using
them. I don’t like seeing you in pain.” Then he was gone and went
to his house.

In a daze, Sarah remembered that her mother
wanted for her to call back. Sarah dialed the number and sat down
because Jillian is going to want every detail. It rang only once
and her mother began talking instantly, “Sarah, tell me everything!
His looks, personality how he thinks…” Sarah had to ask her
something first. “Mother, is it possible to not be able to read
someone’s mind?”

“Every mind can be heard with enough
power, but some people have very strong minds and wills. You will
need your full powers to do it for those rare few.”
“So that’s it. He just has a strong mind.”
“
Now Sarah… Tell. Me. Everything!”

Sarah told Jillian everything she knew about
him thus far, walking around the cougar attack, falling on top of
him, almost kissing his lips and telling him about how old she is.
Jillian will not need to know about those details. It could stir
serious trouble. Sarah explained everything from his height to his
build, how attractive he is and his piercing hazel eyes and how
they were structured blue on the outside and brown inside before
meeting the center’s black pupil. Most eye colors blended together,
his didn’t. Even telling how he was able to track her down only
made her mother giggle that much more.

It hit Sarah then that she needed to keep her
mother away from Connor’s sister Kara or else both of their lives
will be in constant turmoil.

Sarah continued telling Jillian how he made
her heart race like a hummingbirds and explained just how her body
tingled and the goose bumps he gave. Jillian admitted “I’m so happy
you might have finally found your mate. And I cannot wait to meet
this Connor for myself. I want to see just how observant he really
is.”

Sarah collapsed in her bed not too long after
she hung up the phone, wishing that Monday will get here quicker.
It’s been the most exciting day she has had in centuries and gave
much to be reflected upon and considered.

Unfortunately the rest of Sarah’s weekend
turned out to be dull and as bland as ever. Even her own father
didn’t care that she had come home, but he had a reason to be
drunk. It was the only balm the helped when Jillian stood so far
away from him.

“Finally it’s Monday.” Connor excitedly said
while jumping out of bed and heading into the shower. Never before
had he looked so forward to something with such eagerness. After
shaving and dressing in his usual attire of black long sleeves and
jeans, he heard Kara knock on the bathroom door, immediately her
voice followed. “Brother, we’re having scrambled eggs and grits for
breakfast!”

“Ok Kara, be right there.” Connor said in
acknowledgement because she will not stop talking until she gets an
honest verbal answer. One doesn’t take their sanity lightly with
her.

After finishing up in the restroom he headed
into the kitchen to get a bite of breakfast. Connor nearly inhaled
his meal and afterwards noticed Jenny and Kara staring openly at
him. They were both standing by the sink and were almost talking to
each other with only their eyes before he asked “What’s going on?
Is there something on my face?”

His mom wore an apple red top and khaki
pants while wearing her white work shoes. She answered, “You
look
happy
this morning.” She
smiled proudly. “I’m just very surprised, that’s all, Connor.” Kara
said nothing, which sent off all of Connor’s alarms on high alert.
It had never ever happened before. Kara being silent. What became
even more frightening was the feral grin that she shot at
Jenny.

“DANGER! DANGER! Mom and
Kara are planning something and apparently I am their target. Run
for it you dope!”
“Umm… What’s going on in here?”
Asking cautiously was his only safe bet.

“Oh it’s
nothing
at all, Connor.” His mom replied airily
with another smile, but the way she said it he knew something
wasn’t right.

Kara threw him his backpack while walking to
the garage, still remaining ominously silent. He felt relieved to
hear her break the silence when she got into the wagon. “Let’s get
going, now!”

Going along with the strange situation he
didn’t quite understand, Connor walked promptly into the garage and
handed over her his book swollen bag and she handed over his
harness. Pulling out of the garage he noticed Sarah’s car still
parked in the garage and the living room lights were on. “She must
be getting ready for school as well.” Connor turned to look at his
little sister who just spoke and she continued studying his
reactions closely.

“Ready to run?” He asked and her answer was
to offer another feral grin.

After running nonstop for just over
four miles Kara finally asked over the sounds of the wagon “Do you
like Sarah?” He stopped dead in his tracks and the wagon slammed
heavily into the back of his legs, it hurt but didn’t make him
stumble or fall. Without turning around he thought.
“There is no use denying it. All weekend they must
have caught me staring across the lawn.”
“How did you
tell? Was I sitting too close to her or something?”

Connor turned to look down at his seated
little sister, who was wearing a pink shirt and white shorts. She
playfully said “Please… I saw you how you two looked at each other
Saturday, when you brought her back. I have never in my entire life
seen you smile like you do when she was near. You’ve never seem
truly happy until now and that is a good thing. The only time you
were apart was when you took a bath. While you were away Sarah
seemed all too jittery and glancing everywhere like she was scared
and when you walked in, she became quite calm. I know how lovers
look at each other and that’s how I know that you two are going to
be perfect for each other.”

He could only blink at Kara because Connor
has never known that the Jack Rustle paid so much attention. “And
Mom? What was with that look you two had this morning?”

“Well Mom noticed it too, about the two
of you I mean. She is also ok with it too because even Mom wants
you to be happy, Brother. Even though Sarah is just a little older
than you
and
your teacher, it
doesn’t matter all that much to me. You’re both legally adults. But
be careful. If you screw up it could cause a scandal that will
force us to move. Small towns never forget anything juicy. If she
makes you happy, that’s all that really matters. Good luck Brother,
we’re rooting for the both of you.” A moment later she stated “By
the way I saw how you held and kissed her on the head before you
took her home. I never thought someone could turn so red. Don’t
worry though, I did not tell Mom. That will be our little
secret.”