I felt terrible. My heart was fluttering uncomfortably with aching for Caleb but I tried to breath through it so he wouldn’t think I was in trouble. I decided to see him and make sure he was ok. I focused on him and saw he was sitting on the front porch steps, phone in hand. His hands were shaking slightly. He reached one up to rub his heart and he sighed harshly, wincing. I knew he was hurting like me, worse than me. It made me feel horrible but I stayed put.
He jumped when the phone rang.
“Maggie!” he said in panic. “Oh, Dad, yeah, she’s still gone.” Peter said something and Caleb grimaced. “No. She’s blocking me. I can’t get through to her and she won’t answer her phone.” A pause and he scrubbed his face with his hand. “I know that, Dad, ok? I know I messed up but I can’t fix it until she talks to me now can I?...Yes, I’m sure she’s the Visionary, she has the mark and she told us she had a vision...I know...She’s my number one priority, I could care less about this Visionary crap right now, all I care about is getting her back here safe...No. It’s like I was under a spell or something. I was in complete awe. It was strange, like I couldn’t control myself...I know that, Dad, but she’s my significant, first, before anything else. I don’t care if we’re married or not. She’s mine to protect and that’s more important that any of this other stuff. Everyone else can go to hell for all I care if they think I’m gonna step back and let them come in and take her from me. Who better to take care of her than me?” he said in a vehement and upset tone. Then, “Yes, I know, I screwed up already but I won’t again. When she comes back I’ll...I’ll...I don’t know. I’ll do something. I’ll fix it.” Then he hung up and beat his fist on the porch steps rail.
I wanted to squeeze him to me, hug him until it all went away but I couldn’t move, not yet. There seemed to be something I needed to do first.
Caleb sat up straight and sucked in a quick breath.
“Maggie?”
I watched in awe. Could he feel me there watching?
“Maggie, come back. I’m sorry. Please, baby,” he pleaded. “I’m dying here not knowing where you are.”
I yanked away before he could read me and figure out where I was. I looked around me to the big stones and saw a figure coming my way. The ice cream guy.
“Hey, what are you doing out here?”
“Just sitting.”
“Well, it’s not really safe for a girl to be alone at night out here, you know.”
I could just make him out in the moonlight.
“I’ll be ok,” I said and smiled at him to reassure.
“Are you a black belt or something?”
I chuckled remembering Uncle Max giving me karate ‘lessons’ in my mind.
“Yes. I am actually.”
“Oh. Well...” That seemed to take the steam out of his argument. “I still don’t think you should be out here.”
“I won’t be long.”
“What’s the matter? I knew something was wrong earlier when I asked you.”
“I’m just going through some stuff.”
“Aren’t we all?” he said with a chuckle and sat down beside me on the bench.
“I guess, but my stuff is really, really, scary complicated.”
He nodded like he understood. Then he pulled a receipt paper from his pocket and wrote something down. Then he ripped off a piece and gave it to me.
“I’m not trying to be a creepy guy or anything but I’ve been chewed up and spit out by this city on more than one occasion.” I took the paper and saw it was a phone number. “I live across the road, in the crappiest apartment you’ve ever seen.” He pointed. If you ever need a place to crash or someone to...vent to, call me.”
I smiled at him.
“That’s really sweet but, I’m not from here. I have no idea how long I’ll stay.”
“Georgia?” he asked.
“Tennessee.”
“I could tell from the accent. I’m from Nebraska. Yeah, we can spot the out-of-staters,” he laughed. “We all have that open wound look going.” He laughed again and I joined him. “I’m serious. You look like a nice girl. I wouldn’t let whoever it is you’re worried about get you down.”
“It’s a thing actually. Something...happened to me. And no, I’m not pregnant,” I said, when he got the look. “I’m just not ready to be what everyone else wants me to be.”
“Aha. Well, at least you have people who care about you it sounds like. Some of us haven’t seen our family in a very long time and the friends I have would stab me in the back in a minute for a few extra bucks.”
“I’m sorry. That must suck.”
“I get by. Life is long and then you’re gone,” he said sadly and twirled his cell in his fingers. “Alright, well I’ll let you get back to...whatever it is you’re doing out here. You weren’t planning on sleeping out here were you? My offer stands about crashing-”
“No. I’ll head home before that.”
“You’re sure you’re ok?”
“Positive.”
He shrugged like there was nothing else he could do.
“Ok then.” He held out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Tennessee.”
I smiled.
“You too, Nebraska.”
And as soon as I touched his hand I was blinded by another vision.
~ Six ~
I saw the boy who’s hand I was holding and he was leaving, suitcase in hand. His father was angry, his mother crying and his brother laughing a jealous and vindictive laugh as he watched him go.
What the boy didn’t know was that his mother went after him. She watched his beat up car leave the driveway and tried to stop him but it was too late. He was gone. She yelled at her family for making him go. She slapped his father and packed her bags to go look for him.
He didn’t have a cell phone when he left and she had found no way to reach him. That was four months ago. She was still looking and searching.
I pulled back with a gasp and heard him do the same.
“How did you do that?” he gasped out.
“You saw that?” I said and looked at him in surprise.
“Of course, what was that? Are you a psychic or something?”
“No.”
“Is it true? Did my mom come looking for me?”
I looked at his young eager face filled with hope.
“Yes. It’s true.” I had a feeling like I knew what to do but I didn’t want to. Ultimately I sighed and caved, focused on her face in my mind. She had burgundy hair in a messy bun and her face was worn from wear and worry. “She’s...working at a diner. Her shirt says Joe’s on it.”
“Joe’s. There’s a Joe’s across the railroad tracks.”
“She’s thinking about you, at a baseball game and you were pitching.”
“Oh my… I used to pitch in high school. What are you?” he said but it wasn’t facetious...it was in reverence.
And it made me wonder if everyone, even humans, would be able to tell something was different about me.
“She’s here. Go. She’s dying to see you,” I told him.
“I don’t know how you...I can’t ever repay you. Thank you.”
“You just did.”
He got up and started to take off but stopped.
“By the way, I’m Craig.”
“Maggie.”
“I don’t know what you’re running from, Maggie. But I get the feeling that you should be embracing it. You can’t run from destiny.”
And then he took off with a wave.
I felt tingly all over. Destiny? What a strange thing to say. It was destiny that everything had happened up until now. I knew that. Caleb and my imprint visions proved that. One of them had already come true and there was no stopping it. After everything that happened to us we still ended up where the vision of our future said we would. No matter what we tried to do or how we tried to twist things, we would end up right where we were always meant to be. That means... I was definitely meant to be the Visionary. Crap! Why’d that kid have to be
so darn perceptive?
I took a deep breath, feeling the pain in my chest, and peeked back at Caleb. He was still on the porch but this time he was pacing. In his mind I could see I’d been gone for over three hours now. He was so worried. His fists were clenched, his jaw tight and he was running through scenarios of me falling asleep in the Jeep and Marcus doing worse than cutting my hair, or me getting mugged, or me getting a flat tire on the freeway.
Caleb.
Oh thank you, God. Maggie, are you alright? Where are you?
I’m coming home.
Maggie...
Not now, Caleb. I’ll be there in a little while.
I love you. I love you and I’m sorry. Just be careful.
Love you, too.
And then I somehow found my way home. I figured it must have been something supernatural like starting cars without keys or having visions of human mothers but didn’t fight it. In half an hour or so, I was pulling into the driveway. I saw him turn and take a deep breath when he saw me.
I got out and turned to face the Jeep door when I shut it. Now that I was there I wasn’t ready to face him yet. I closed my eyes, knew he was coming, but kept them closed.
I felt Caleb’s arms come around me and though I wasn’t sure if I was still mad at him or not, I knew I was sorry for how I acted. I couldn’t resist him anyway. I turned and wrapped my arms around his shoulders and pressed my face into his neck. I sighed unsteadily and he pulled back. He put a finger under my chin to make me look at him.
“I’m sorry. I mean it. I’m so sorry. I was so caught up in the novelty of it all that I forgot that you were still mine to look after. Forgive me.”
I looked at him closely. He was sincere and I could feel it rushing through him to me.
“I’m sorry, too. I overreacted...childishly.”
“No you didn’t. You had every right to drive off,” I gave him a look to make sure he wasn’t saying I had a right because I was the Visionary, “not because of anything other than the fact that I acted like a jackass. You’re my soul mate.” He moved his hand to cup my cheek. “My significant, above all else and you really needed me to explain it all and help you get through it but instead I was so caught up in thinking you were special that I forgot. You are special but you always have been. From the moment I met you, not the moment we imprinted. You were always different and I promise you I won’t forget it again.”
“I need you at my side, Caleb, not at my feet. I’m still the same person-” I started but he stopped me.
“From now on, you’ll be just my Maggie to me.”
I was filled with relief and just then realized that his touch hadn’t been soothing me, just like after our first fight. Now it was and it was a wash of calm and relief, the tightness in my chest was loosened. We both sighed happy breaths into each other’s faces. I wrapped my arms tighter and he pulled me as close as I could get to him, pressing me to him.
We stayed like that for who knew how long, just being with each other. I needed him now more than ever and he realized that and was ready to be by my side no matter what.
I pulled back to look at him. His hair was a mess and he looked like he was ready to fall into bed but he was still gorgeous, and still mine. He was waiting on me again, making sure I really forgave him and wasn’t just giving in. So I pulled him down to my lips, angled them to kiss him easily and sweetly under the moon and stars and streetlamps, his gratefulness sweeping me away. The beach wind blew my hair in all directions until I pulled away slightly and chuckled a little.
“You’re not gonna believe what I’ve been up to.”
He looked a little scared at that and pulled me tighter to him out of instinct.
“What do you mean?”
“Let’s go inside. I’ll show you.”
We walked through the door together, hand and hand. Kyle was there pacing, waiting for me. He smiled hugely, took my other hand and kissing it.
“I’m so glad you’re ok.”
“Kyle, we need to talk,” Caleb said pulling my fingers from Kyle’s grasp.
Kyle bristled, crossing his arms and twisting his lips.
“This isn’t about my feelings for Maggie. This is about my respect for the Visionary. You can’t get jealous over that. Get over yourself.”
“I know what this is about but Maggie doesn’t want that.” He looked back at me with a smile. Go ahead. Let him have it like you did me.
I got right to it.
“No more bowing,” I said sternly looking at Kyle. “No more kissing hands, no more gooey eyed stares like I’m a princess or something. I’m just Maggie, treat me like you always have. Ok?”
“What? What do you mean? You are the Visionary?”
“Yes I am and this Visionary says she doesn’t want to be seen as anyone but who she is. I’m Maggie, the one who gets to see things but I’m still your friend, the same old me, promise?”
“Yeah, sure,” Kyle said with a hand through his hair. Then he looked up at Caleb. “He doesn’t have to promise? You want him groveling at your feet, huh?” he spouted bitterly.
“Yes. I promised too,” Caleb said sincerely as he laid a hand on my cheek and smiled at me to prove it.
And then I saw a change come over Kyle before I heard his pained thoughts. He shook with the rage of it.
“Of course,” he sneered and looked at me then Caleb, his eyes blazing. “Not only do you imprint when no one else does, and steal the girl I want in the process, but now, you get to put your hands on the Visionary. You’re soul mates with the Visionary! What did you do to deserve that?” he asked with a hateful voice.
“Kyle,” I intervened for Caleb, feeling his shock run through me. I thought of what to say and what to do. “Don’t be like this, it’s not as glamorous as it seems.”
“Says the girl who knows everything.”
“I don’t know everything! I know a lot of stuff I didn’t before, but I don’t know everything. I still can’t tell you the population size of Lithuania,” I said trying to ease the mood.
He actually cracked a small smile and I thought I’d reached him but he kept shaking his head.
“I’m sorry, Maggie. I’m just so tired of playing second string.”
With that he walked away. Flashes of Kyle being benched in football, back-up to Chad, came. Then, following Caleb all through his years and never seeming to get what he wanted before Caleb did, and me, always out of his reach. Caleb tried to go after him but I stopped him.
“He just needs to cool off,” I assured. I felt sorry for Kyle but we had bigger fish to fry. I had a sudden need to speak to Peter. I turned to Caleb and said “Besides, you have to call your father.”
“I already did. Why?”
“I need to speak to the Champion.”
“He’s on his way already,” Caleb said as he closed his phone. “He jumped the first plane out of Tennessee as soon as he heard from me that you...ran off. Sorry.”
“It’s ok. The sooner he gets here the better.”
“What’s up?” he asked concerned.
“It’s-”
“Maggie!” Bish yelled over us as he descended the stairs. “What’s going on? Why did you not text me back and tell me you were ok?” He turned a hellish look on Caleb. “You knew I was worried sick. How could you not come tell me when she got back?”
“Sorry. We’ve been a little busy.”
“Ah,” Bish groaned. “Keep your little escapades out of my ears but you should have told me.” He came to stand in front of me. “So, you had a fight with your boyfriend and ran off. Really, that’s the kind of girl you are now?”
I flicked a glance at Caleb. What could I say? But I hated him thinking those things about me.
“I guess. We worked it out though,” I said in a small voice.
“Oh,” he said sarcastically and flicked his hands in the air. “I’m so glad because that’s what I was worried about.” He turned to go back upstairs. A quick glance at the wall clock told me it was almost
four in the morning. “I’m going back to bed. I guess I’ll see you in the morning if you’re still here. Who knows what Caleb might do next,” his voice dripping with sarcasm and disappointment.
I felt drained and sad and spent. I was ready for bed and Caleb, though in his mind he was anxious to see what I’d done while away and why I needed his father here, he was also tuned into me. He was worried that I wasn’t handling it all very well and that I was wearing down. I couldn’t argue with him as he lifted me in his arms and carried me to our couch bed.
We lay there, warm and comfortable and I decided to share with him what had happened at the ice cream place. I didn’t want him completely out of the loop once I had to show everyone everything. I opened my mind and pushed my images to him, my forehead to his. My skin tingled and even though I was almost drifting asleep, my body knew just what to do. It was so easy now.
He gasped as we connected and he saw me buy ice cream and go sit in the stones. Then the guy, I showed him a vision about his mom, and I saw her and told him where to go. Then I showed him on the porch as he spoke to his father and called to me when he felt my presence. Then I came home.
“I knew you were there, on the porch with me. I felt you.”
“I remember. Sorry.”
“No more apologies.” He kissed my neck. “But you can’t run out on me like that, Maggie. I was in agony worrying about you.”
“I know. I’m sorry about that too. My chest hurt so bad,” I said pressing my hand to my heart, feeling the memory of pressure.
“I know. I could feel you, and me. It was...just please don’t do that again,” he begged softly. “Ok? You can slam the bathroom door in my face if it helps but you can’t leave. It hurts too much.”
I turned to him. I knew he was hurting, like me, but I almost forgot he felt all my pain too. And I felt like a double idiot.
“I’m so sorry-”
He cut off my apology with a kiss. He moved to hover over me, not pressing me but letting me feel his weight. His fingers slid down my cheeks and neck, caressing me. He nuzzled my nose with his.