Authors: Shelly Crane
“Tell me what?” I said confused at why he would be smiling at a time like this.
He chuckled.
“So modest, our Caleb. Our clan, the Jacobson clan, is famous. We are the most powerful clan in Virtuoso history. When we ascend, our abilities are way more useful and powerful than most clans. They fear us.”
“Marcus didn’t seem to fear you, or me,” I muttered.
“That’s because we haven’t ascended yet. Think about it. They’ve had an echoling this whole time. Now granted, that’s pretty powerful but it’s usually unheard of in other clans. The last one I’ve ever known about was my great, great grandfather. So they’ve had this powerful weapon this whole time and were too scared to use it. They knew they didn’t have the other resources for an attack so why bother? Once you ascend, they won’t mess with you either. They are using it to their advantage right now. They have lame abilities like changing things from one color to another and talking to animals.”
I felt some better at his words but still didn’t understand everything.
“Caleb told me his parent’s abilities, and I know about your parents and Gran but what about everyone else?”
“Well, I have an uncle who can see into the future, only fifty seconds, but still.” I gaped at him but he went on. “His wife can see someone’s past. My other aunt can recognize any herb, spice, plant, tree or weed and know exactly what to do with it. She can tell you what plant will cure a fever then turn around and make the most wicked quiche you’ve ever had. She’s awesome. And then her husband can make anything grow. Like right then, he can make a tree bud grow to a full size tree right before your eyes. It’s amazing. When we were kids, he would make vines chase us across the yard.” He laughed. “And then I have this cousin...”
He smiled and laughed and I couldn’t help but notice the affection and pride he had for his family as he continued to explain everyone’s abilities. I could see what they meant by the abilities complimenting each other when you were significants. All the married members of his family’s abilities went hand in hand with each other. I found myself being anxious and a little giddy at thinking about what Caleb and my abilities would be. Then I started thinking about Caleb again and the ache in my legs and arms got worse.
We made it to the park and sat on the swings. I laughed as he kept going higher than me in a silent challenge. We walked over the bridge and he told me that he was looking forward to getting to college and wondered if Caleb had talked me into going yet. I glanced at him curiously and he just smiled and shrugged saying he knew his cousin.
He was supposed to room with Caleb at his apartment but that was apparently not gonna work now. I felt bad for him and assured him that if the decision was made for me to go, and I hadn’t decided yet, that he would be more than welcome to stay at the apartment with us. He smiled sadly and said “We’ll see”.
Eventually it started to sprinkle and we made our way out of the park. Then it started to rain, it was a torrential downpour. He took his jacket off and held it over us as we tried to swiftly walk to my house. By the time we got there I was drenched and dripping, freezing and my fingers were numb.
“Mags, I’m so sorry,” he said fervently on my porch. “I had no idea it was supposed to rain. It was nice out earlier.”
“It’s ok,” I said through chattering teeth.
My dad opened the door behind me and took in the scene.
“Good Lord, Maggie! Get in here. Kyle, you too.”
“No sir, thank you. I’m gonna head home.”
“Let me drive you.”
“No, no thank you. I’m already soaked.”
“Kyle,” he said firmly. “I will not let you walk home in this. You get your butt in here while I get my shoes on and then I’m driving you,” he said leaving no room to argue.
“Yes, sir.”
Kyle had been in my house many times over the years. Our group used to come here and watch movies sometimes together and we always handed out candy to kids on Halloween from my house. It was a tradition, but no more. This past year was the first year we hadn’t done that since I was in third grade.
He came in behind me as my father pushed me towards the stairs.
“You go take a hot shower, right now. I’ll check on you when I get back,” dad said.
“Ok. Bye, Kyle,” I said as my dad went in search of his shoes. “And thanks.”
“For drowning you?” he asked smiling.
“For thinking about me and taking the time to explain things. I really appreciate it.”
He shrugged.
“Well, you’re one of us now. It’s only right you know what you’re getting into,” he chimed and smirked.
I just laughed softly as my father came back in.
“Let’s go, Jacobson.” He looked at me. “You. Shower. Now.”
“Ok, ok.”
As I trudged upstairs, heavy with rainwater, I hoped dad checked on me sooner rather than later so I didn’t have to worry about him coming in to find Caleb in his daughter’s bed.
After my shower, I put on my pajamas and went downstairs to get something to eat but my throat was already starting to hurt so I decided on a glass of juice instead and went back upstairs to sit in my chair and wait. It’d been almost an hour since I got home and I was already feeling sick.
I sighed in aggravation. One little rain and I was gonna have the flu and miss work. I heard a knock on my door and dad peeked in.
“How are you feeling?”
“Fine,” I lied so he wouldn’t spend all night checking on me. “Thanks.”
“How was work?” he asked as he came to stand over me.
“Good. They gave me this.”
I showed him the bracelet still on my wrist. He examined it and smiled.
“Very pretty, what was it for?”
I was reluctant to say and now wished I hadn’t said anything at all.
“Graduation present,” I muttered softly.
Dad hadn’t gotten me anything, barely said anything to me except a muttered congrats and I spent all graduation day doing laundry and dishes while he watched television.
“Oh,” he said and looked about as shamed as I’d ever seen him. But then fit on a weak smile. “Well, that was very nice of them.”
“Yeah, it was.”
“I’ll have to thank Big John, for looking out for you.” He squatted in front of my chair. “Maggie, I know I said it already but I feel like I need to say it again. I’m sorry.”
“It’s ok, dad. I forgave you, that means it’s done. Don’t worry about it, you’re more than making up for it now.”
“And you’re sweet to forgive me but a father can’t just pretend like he didn’t abandon his daughter for months while he moped around. I promise you, I’m gonna do everything I can to make it up to you. I love you, baby girl.”
I accepted his hard hug and muffled a reply to him.
“I love you too, dad. I never stopped.”
“I know.” He pulled back to look at me. “That’s what makes this all so surreal.”
“Dad,” I protested.
“I mean it. I expected you to be angry and you were but... I never expected you to forgive me so easily. I don’t deserve you.”
“Come on, dad. Jeez,” I groaned.
“Alright, alright.” He kissed my forehead. “I’ll check on you later.”
“No need, dad. I’m really tired from work. I’m fine. Just gonna head to bed.”
“Ok. Goodnight.”
“Night, dad.”
I waited until I heard his footsteps on the stairs and then went to lock my door. I sprawled myself out on the bed and felt my throat with my hand. It was uncomfortably sore and I was very tired now. I knew I should get up. I glanced at the clock and saw it was still only 9:30. I needed to get up so I didn’t fall asleep when Caleb wasn’t here.
But that’s not what happened.
I woke later. I must have just dozed off for a second and I sighed in relief as I looked around and realized everything was fine and the same. I silently chastised myself for being so stupid. I sat up and checked the clock. Yep, dozed. The clock read 9:36.
I ran my fingers through my hair and checked my phone. I decided I’d read again and wait for Caleb. I twirled a strand of my hair nervously and got about two sentences read when I heard a noise out my window.
I jumped up excited because Caleb was early. On my way to the window a spike of black hair entered my window instead of shaggy brown. I immediately backed away but he was in the window and closing it before I could think to do anything else.
Marcus turned to me and smiled sweetly.
“Maggie,” he said softly.
“How did you get in here?” I said panicked.
“The window?” he said and cocked a brow.
“I’m not dreaming?” I muttered more to myself than him.
I tried to think, looked around at my room and the clock. Everything seemed normal when my other dreams had been strange and distorted.
“No. Not a dream. I wanted to come see you myself.” He took a deep breath and looked upset. “You see...your boyfriend and his family broke into my father’s house tonight. They thought we didn’t know. They thought we were planning something with you. It was just me. My uncle and I were messing with you. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything by it. I was jealous. It wasn’t fair that Caleb got to imprint and I didn’t.”
He shook his head and sat of the edge of the bed.
“My family was ready for them. I tried to tell them not to worry about it. That it wasn’t a big deal, it didn’t matter. But you don’t tell my old man anything. He was determined that this was the chance we needed to end the Jacobson clan.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked and heard the tears in my voice, understanding what he was getting at and not wanting to hear the words but needing to.
“Maggie, I’m sorry,” he choked.
“What? Tell me!” I yelled.
“He didn’t make it. My father, he- I told him to stop! I told him we didn’t need to go this far but, he felt threatened. He shot Caleb. Caleb is dead, along with his father and a couple others.”
I fell to the floor to my knees, my legs refusing to hold me up.
“No,” I breathed.
“I’m so sorry, Maggie. I never wanted this.”
“No!”
My heart crumbled and my lungs heaved violently for air. My ears were ringing and the stars in front of my eyes made me think I might lose consciousness.
He crouched down beside me when I started to sob. But I focused on him to hear every word, I needed to hear it.
“Shh,” he ordered softly. “You don’t want to wake your dad do you? Look, Kyle brought me here. He’s in his father’s car outside. I just came from their house. Someone had to tell them what happened. He drove me here to tell you. He thought it’d be better coming from me.”
“Kyle’s here?” I sniffed and somehow got up on wobbly legs, walked to the window and saw the silver Audi on my curb. I could imagine Kyle fuming in agony in the car, feeling guilty because he had wanted to be there. “How is he?” I croaked and grabbed the window ledge for stability.
“Upset. It’d be better for both of you if you were together. I’m done, Maggie. I’m not going back home to live with that monster.” He stood and turned full to face me again. “I’m sorry. I wish I could take it back.”
I didn’t know what to say. My heart was beating so fast I could barely see anymore. Everything was blurry and all I wanted to do was crawl under my covers and cry forever. I heard him say my name a few times and it sounded far away before I snapped back to reality.
“Maggie. Come on. I’ll take you downstairs to Kyle. Grab a jacket, its cold out there.”
I followed his instructions numbly and went to my closet to grab my black hoodie. I didn’t even change out of my cami and green sleep pants. Just slipped on my flip flops and let him open my door and lead me downstairs. I passed the clock in the hall and saw it was 9:51 now. My dad must have been asleep because the house was quiet and dark. I didn’t turn on any lights just followed him outside.
The car was on and idling with its lights off. My porch light was on and it made the misting rain seem to sparkle in the dark. I wrapped my jacket tighter around me. The rain felt good on my hot swollen face but I knew it didn’t matter. The crying wasn’t gonna stop anytime soon.
How do you go on without your soul mate? We’d barely even gotten to be together and now he was taken from me without warning and without cause and something inside me was missing. Not only was I upset and hurt and broken.
I was angry.
A new desperate sob caught in my throat and Marcus looked back at me in sympathy.
“Come on, Maggie. Let’s get you out of the rain.”
I nodded and stepped off the walkway and towards the car. I looked back at my dark house and knew nothing would ever be the same again. He opened the door for me and I hesitated.
I don’t know why but I did. I just felt like getting in that car made it official or...maybe that Marcus seemed to be hurrying me along. I wondered why. I once again examined the possibility of this being a dream but it couldn’t be.
Everything was too real. I peeked inside the car at the driver, Kyle, but he was turned away from me with his head buried in his hands.