Significance (18 page)

“Caleb?”

“You wish,” a deep voice answered me and I froze.

“Marcus,” I whispered. “How did you-”

“Poor little Maggie. You’re exhausted aren’t you? Caleb keeping you up too late?”

“How?”

“How am I here? Well, you went to sleep. And your knight in shining armor is banging away at his piano, oblivious.”

“What do you want?”

“I want you.”

“Caleb. Caleb!” I shouted. “Caleb!”
“He can’t hear you,” he sang.

“Oh, yes he can.”

I concentrated like I did before, so he could read my thoughts. I got it together and pushed it toward Caleb.

Caleb!

Marcus looked instantly peeved.

“I don’t know how you can do that but, fine. He won’t be right next to you all the time, little human.”

I felt warm hands on my cheeks and woke with a gasp to see a concerned face over mine. I panted as my heart calmed at his touch.

“Maggie. Are you ok?”

“It was him.”

“I know. You sent me your thoughts. I saw him. Are you sure you’re ok?”

“Yeah, I’m sorry I fell asleep. You were playing and I was so tried and...”

“It’s ok. He didn’t hurt you, did he?” he said and caressed his thumbs over my cheekbones.

“No, not yet.” I was calm for the most part except Caleb was still over top me. His legs straddled me and he rested on his elbows as his hands warmed my cheeks. Now I was getting breathless for another reason. “I’m fine,” I breathed.

He frowned and sighed.

“I can’t protect you, even when I’m in the same room with you,” he sighed again harshly and tried to get up but I grabbed his shirt to stop him.

“Don’t. It was my fault. I fell asleep.”

“No, it wasn’t.” He let him nose touch mine and I breathed deep. “You did nothing wrong. I’m sorry. I’m just not gonna leave you again until we figure this out.”

I nodded which made our noses bump. His eyes closed and I closed mine too. I thought, this is it. He’s finally going to kiss me...but he just stayed close, then his bedroom door opened.

“Caleb, your father said- Ah! Oh!” Rachel said startled and started to shut the door.

“Mom, wait,” Caleb said scrambling off the bed to help me sit up. “It’s not that. She had an echo attack.”

“An echoling?” She pushed the door open all the way and it banged against the wall. “Oh, no,” she breathed and covered her mouth with her hands.

“Dad’s working on it.”

“Well, he said you were here and you’d be here for dinner but you didn’t say anything about an echoling.” She shook her head and grimaced. “Are you alright, Maggie?”

“Yeah. I’m fine,” I insisted but was no longer sure.

“Ok. I’m gonna go start some supper.”

“I can help-”

“No, honey. Thank you, I appreciate it, but you need to just stay with Caleb, ok. Just stay together as long as you can.”

She went out and shut the door behind her again. I flopped back on the bed again and closed my eyes at the throbbing behind them. It was exhausting to worry so much. Caleb lay down beside me and I instinctively moved to my side to lay against him. At first I was a little shocked at myself but his arm came around to hold me to him just as instinctively.

It felt perfect, like it was right where I was meant to be.

“You’re always so warm,” I muttered sleepily and put one of my legs under his.

I heard him chuckle as he pulled a blanket over us from the end of his bed. Then he turned on his side facing me and wrapped his other arm around me.

“Just rest for a few, sleepy girl. I’m here this time. Nothing’s gonna happen to you.”

“Thanks.” I moved my hand to rest on his neck and felt my headache ease away. “Maybe just for a minute.”

“Yeah.”

He kissed my forehead and I felt his smile against my skin. I smiled too as I drifted off for a completely restful sleep.

I woke later, who knows how much later, to voices in the room. They were hushed but concerned and I peeked to see that Caleb was still asleep against me. Our arms were around each other and his face was right next to mine.

“I know all that, Peter, I’m just worried is all,” I heard Rachel say. “She’s so young, but it’s not like we can stop them. They need each other. I just don’t know how to control it.”

“You know Caleb has a good head on his shoulders. He’s responsible, he’s reliable, and he’s more careful, considerate and attentive of this girl that I’ve ever seen him with anyone.”

“Well, of course he is. But he never cared about that dating rule anyway-”

“He’s a nineteen year old college boy, Rachel. I guarantee you, he cared,” he said dryly. “He just understood. He saw the merit in it. If anyone in our clan deserved to be the one to receive this gift, it’s him. And I’m not just being biased because he’s our son.”

“I know. I know. I just remember being brand new with you.” She laughed softly and it startled me how girly and young she sounded. “You couldn’t keep your hands off me.”

“Yes, I remember,” Peter said and I could hear the smile in his voice. “But they’re different. They didn’t know each other at all beforehand like we did. I’ve watched them together. Even though they feel the pull, they aren’t giving into it. They both have incredible restraint. Don’t worry about them.”

“But when I came in earlier...and now.”

“Sweetheart,” I heard shuffling. I assumed he was embracing her. “He needs to comfort her. They have to touch, they have to be together and after this echoling dream situation, he’ll have to sleep with her and be with her even more. I still haven’t figured out a solution without her angering her father, we’ll think of something. But, honey, they are soul mates. They are eventually going to be consumed with each other and there’s nothing we can do.”

“I don’t want to stop it, I know how it is and how it needs to be. I just wish I could convince them not to go too far, too soon. They are so young.”

“He loves her already,” he said and I fought not to gasp. “I can see it. That’s why he uses his restraint, Rachel. If he didn’t, he would give in to his urges because they are uncomfortable for him and it wouldn’t take much persuasion for Maggie to give in, you know that. We didn’t have to use restraint. We were older and ready for it. They are doing remarkably well for being so young and unprepared for the over load of emotions.”

“You’re right. You are. He’s a good kid. And so is she. I don’t think I could’ve picked a better person for him. She’s adorable and sweet. She’s gonna be so good for this clan. Just what the clan needs to perk up a bit.”

“I can’t wait to see what their abilities will be,” Peter mused. “I have a feeling they’ll be spectacular.”

I felt the bed depress behind me and a hand on my leg.

“Sweetie.” She shook my arm a little. “Maggie, if you don’t get up and eat you’ll be late getting home.”

I roused slowly as she shook Caleb’s leg as well. He pulled me closer and nuzzled my head when she tried to wake him. I heard them both chuckle. She shook him harder.

“Caleb. You have to take Maggie home.”

His eyes instantly opened and he saw me, our faces almost touching. He smiled.

“Hey. Did you sleep?” he asked.

“Yeah. Thanks.”

“Come on you two,” Rachel beckoned. “Supper’s been ready.”

Her and Peter left and I slowly sat up and stretched. I felt so much better it was like night and day. He sat up beside me and ran a hand through his hair so I did the same.

“No dreams?” he asked as he stood.

“Nope. None.”

“Well, I didn’t want to take all your dreams, just the bad ones,” he said softly and he lifted me by my hands to stand in front of him.

“I usually don’t remember them anyway.”

I couldn’t believe how refreshed I felt. How my body seemed to sing with contentment. I came to see it was Caleb. We’d have physical contact for who knows how long now while we slept. Both of us calming and soothing the other. It was actually good for me to sleep with him.

Peter was right. It was pretty ironic that the thing I needed most was going to be the biggest fight with my dad. I had no idea how to make it work, but I hoped we’d figure it out.

“I’m starving,” I mused and smiled at him. “Come on.” I grabbed his hand. “Point me towards the kitchen.”

He laughed.

“The dining room actually. Follow me.”

I held his arm as we walked. I even put my head on his shoulder and could feel Caleb’s happiness about it beaming through to me. He didn’t want to push me but wanted us to move forward in our relationship. He wanted us to be happy and at ease with each other but he wanted things to go on my pace. He was happy that I was getting more comfortable with him.

I felt so strange yet utterly put together at the same time. It was the sleep, I knew but I felt more bold and confident and comfortable with Caleb than I ever had.

“This is so good, Rachel. Thank you,” I said and then took another big bite of mashed potatoes.

The dining room was grand. The walls were a soft yellow with green floor tiles and a big oak table that could have easily sat ten. We all sat at one end together.

“Good, I’m glad you like it. It’s one of Caleb’s favorites.”

“I can’t believe how hungry I am,” I mused.

“It’s the echoling,” Peter advised as he wiped his mouth with the white linen napkin and leaned back in his chair. “It drains you like I told you, but not only are you tired but you’re hungry. It also wouldn’t hurt to drink some orange juice or take a vitamin when you get home.”

“All that because a guy invaded my dream?”

“I’m afraid so. I’m sorry, Maggie, but unfortunately sometimes, we have to deal with these un-pleasantries with our kind.”

I nodded and sat back, stuffed. All I wanted to do right now was crawl back into bed with Caleb but, it was getting later and would be dark soon. I needed to get home if we were going to appease me father.

I looked at him and saw him watching me. When he saw he was caught, that dimple of his became more defined as his smile spread. He chuckled silently and I cracked a smile. But I didn’t blush. Progress!

He leaned his elbows on the table.

“Ready to go?”

“Yeah.”

I thanked his parents again for dinner and everything else. Peter said he’d still be thinking about how to deal with the echoling and for me not to worry. He hugged me tight and then handed me off to Rachel who did the same.

“Be safe, dear.”

I nodded and we walked to the bike slowly. As I was about to put my helmet on Caleb stopped me.

“We can take my truck if you’d rather this time.”

“Um...if you want to.”

“You want to take the bike don’t you?” he said smiling.

“Yeah,” I admitted.

He laughed and helped me with my helmet.

“You just keep getting better and better.”

I shook my head at him as I slipped on his jacket and then climbed on behind him.

“You want to drive?” he asked suddenly.

“Uh...maybe but, not tonight. I don’t want to add a time line of pressure to my nerves if I’m gonna be driving.”

“Ok,” he said amused. “Next time.”

We pulled out the garage, then the gate and headed down the driveway to my house.

“So, if your uncle didn’t teach you, how did you learn to play all those instruments?”

“Well, he wanted to teach me but I wanted to learn by myself. So I took piano lessons first, when I was six. Then my grandpa taught me to play guitar and the rest I just figured out on my own.”

“Your grandpa. The one who looks so much like you?”

“Yeah. Grandpa Ray. He died four years ago.”

“How?”

“Well...we aren’t sure, old age. Significants heal each other so we usually live a really long time. We never have to go to doctors or anything like that, except for babies. We just heal whatever’s wrong without knowing it. But Grandpa Ray didn’t wake up one morning. I mean, he was eighty five years old, but we usually live longer than that. We can see it coming, but him...it was just out of nowhere.”

“I’m sorry,” I said and saw in his mind that significants usually die together or nearly. For Gran to live this many years after him was unprecedented. I could feel his anguish, remembering Gran crying and inconsolable for months. I would have put my hand on his to draw those feelings away from him but couldn’t reach it on the handlebars so I improvised, needing to do something. I lifted the hem of his shirt and splayed my hand on his side. “I’m sorry,” I repeated.

“Thanks.” He pulled my hand in front of him, laced our fingers, his palm on the top of my hand. “It’s ok. We still don’t know what happened, but we just accepted it was his time. But now, with this echoling thing...I’m starting to wonder if maybe that had something to do with it. He was our Champion before my dad.”