by Vega Lizzie
Again, Terra repeated herself, “Chloe, can we talk, please? I’ll only keep you a few minutes.”
“Yeah, sorry. I heard you…sorry.” She pushed back from her desk and stood with another glance at the wall clock.
Terra addressed the other woman, “Is there a room close by…with a little privacy?” Before she could answer, Chloe turned and began to walk away. Terra realized she was standing by herself, “I, um…okay. Where, again?”
“Second door on the left, down the hallway,” the clerk said then sighed, “she’s having another really bad day.”
Terra hesitated, “Is it okay if she goes home a little early?”
“She hasn’t said two words today unless it was about book stuff,” the young woman said, “Are you from her doctor’s office?” Her face fell, “You can’t really tell me, can you?”
Terra took the question with relief. “I’m here to help. Might come and go over the next few days. Is that okay?”
“Yes,” she answered, seemingly grateful. “Chloe is so smart, so insightful about the weirdest stuff, but…she seems to know how people feel before do for themselves. It’s almost creepy sometimes but please do whatever you can.”
Terra smiled, “Second door on the left, thanks.”
The door to the small conference room left ajar, Terra opened it to see Chloe looking up at her, tears streaming down her face, her hands clenched in her lap. Terra’s heart opened instantly, “Oh honey,” she said as she rolled a chair from the table and sat next to her, “Don’t cry. Don’t be afraid of me. I’m Terra.”
“I...I didn’t mean to follow you,” she said suddenly, “I just wondered when you went to the restaurant that day. I’d just left.”
“Huh?” Terra blurted out, “you’ve been at the restaurant?” Terra felt her heart skip a beat at the thought of telling Shannon of confirmed suspicions. She sighed heavily, “How did that come about?”
“Am I in trouble?” she asked, as another round of tears rolled down her cheeks. Terra could see her hands tightening on the armrests of the chair. All Terra could think about was her own past. Perhaps the search for someone to replace a lost father had gone a little too far.
“I just brought him another book he’d ordered,” she whimpered, “He’s truly kind to me. Then I saw the teenager go into the restaurant with you and that other woman standing outside. You all looked so…happy.” She looked down to the floor, “I mighta hung around and watched for a little bit. I’m sorry.”
Terra took a deep breath knowing the first text to Shannon would be a sense of relief for all concerned. “That was Shannon and her daughter Olivia. Her father certainly does have quite the eclectic library, doesn’t he?” she asked.
“He always tips me a little extra when he orders. It all helps a little. I envy you.” She looked up, “He orders some strange ones. Did you send those emails?”
“We did,” Terra nodded, “I’m worried about you.”
Slowly shaking her head, gaze returned to the floor, “Don’t be. I won’t be a bother.”
“You’re not a bother,” Terra said, “to anyone.” She winced as she caught the inflection, “I didn’t mean it that way. I’m sorry.”
“I know. You wouldn’t go to all this trouble just to come here to be mean to me. You don’t have the vibe for it.” She glanced up to look at Terra’s backpack, then shook her head, “Even now, I can’t get out of my own way.”
Terra eyed the bag as well. The talisman in the front pocket had been designed to give a warning if dark magic was detected. She suddenly became more comfortable, “Can I tell you a story? I think you’ll find it interesting, maybe helpful. We noticed you at the airport, the day we left. I’d recognized you from the stables.”
“God, so you think I’m a stalker. How embarrassing.”
Terra was quick to dissuade her fears, “Not a stalker,” she began, “although Shannon was worried it had something um, else to do with her father.”
Chloe was quiet, then her brow furrowed, her eyes getting wide as she blushed to the top of her head, “Oh my God,” she shuddered, “that’s so…worse.” She shook her head, “Never…I don’t have anybody. I’ve sorta given up on that ever happening.” Her eyes darted to the ceiling, “that, and Maggie would probably beat the crap out of me.”
Terra tried not to laugh but the more she attempted to stifle, the worse it became. Chloe easily saw her relieved grin, “Sorry,” Terra chortled, “I wasn’t expecting that. Maggie seems very protective of him. You’re probably right.”
“I won’t…go there anymore,” Chloe said, then turned away again, “sorry.”
Terra saw an opening, “Better we all go together. It’ll be fine, I’m sure.”
“I’m not following you,” Chloe said, her hands returning to grab hold of the arm rests. Terra felt a wall going back up. “I think I should get back to work, now. I...appreciate your…”
“Five minutes, please,” Terra gushed, “then yes, you can certainly go. You’re not here against your will, for sure.” Again, the deep breath, “A few years ago, I was just like you.”
Chloe snorted sarcastically, “Doubt that. A lot. I’m nothing.” She sighed again, “I was nothing back then too.”
“My parents also both died when I was young.”
Chloe only sighed in return.
“I was raised by my aunt until college,” Terra added as her personal checklist began, “Then I buried myself in books and loneliness. I’m a lawyer now.”
“So, you have a life and you’re smart. I have a worthless degree and this dead-end job.”
“People tell me you’re smart. I agree. Maybe smarter than you know.” Terra looked at her squarely, “You can read people.”
“Like that’s gotten me anywhere,” she said quietly, but her eyes went to Terra’s, then jumped away.
“And it scares you, doesn’t it?” Terra continued, “You think things are there and they’re not. You want them to be there, to justify the intuition you have, the feelings that you don’t dare share with anyone.”
“Hold on, it said.” Chloe looked up with fresh tears in her eyes, “If only for one more day…who says that kind of crap? Who are you? Why are you here other than to torture me with my own shortcomings?” For the first time, her voice was strong, “How dare you think that you know me.”
“I was once a scared little rabbit, afraid of the entire world. Someone reached out to me,” Terra smiled, “she had no idea what she was setting in motion, but together we built a family.” Her eyes began to brim, “We…I won’t let you slip away until you know what our world has to offer.”
“Slip away,” Chloe whispered, “What are you talking about? There’s no way you could know about...”
“You watched us outside the restaurant, right?” Terra said softly, fighting the urge to reach for her hand, “I was there, Chloe. I listened to you that night in the cemetery. Don’t be afraid. I’m here to tell you that what you think you see, what you feel? I’m here to make it real for you.”
“This…this is insane. They warned me that I might slip and not be able to snap out of it. The people at the library avoid me because they know I’m nuts.” She closed her eyes and leaned back in the chair, “I’m all done.”
Now Terra leaned forward and took her hand, “I’m right here,” she said as she latched tighter onto the young woman’s hand. “I know what it’s like to have thoughts, wild thoughts like this and be terrified that you can’t tell anyone.” She reached for her backpack, “now, you can tell me.”
“I’m just projecting, right?” Chloe said as she continued to stare up at the ceiling, “I was so freaked out the other night at the cemetery, I’ve started manifesting digital fantasies that include mystery email addresses and beautiful women with dark blue eyes.” She looked down at Terra’s hand, “I’m really getting good at this.”
Giving her hand an extra squeeze, Terra reached into the bag and pulled out a spiral notebook, “Here’s my email and number if
you need to reach out to me. The email looks weird because it’s encrypted. I might sound like I’m talking from outer space to you cuz the phone routes through some secure settings. I encourage you to use it…anytime, day or night.”
Chloe didn’t appear to be listening. She looked up at Terra, “You were at the cemetery?” she said quietly, “but there wasn’t anyone around. I know I was by myself.”
“I might have done a little stalking on my own,” Terra said hopefully, “so that makes us even if you want. I was just behind you, to your left as you talked with your Mom and Dad. I talk to my Mom occasionally too.”
Now her eyes met Terra’s, “I would have noticed.”
“You were scared and crying. There was no way that I would ever hurt you, but right now, right here, Chloe, I’m choosing to make what you think is a fantasy world, real for you.”
“Just like that,” she said sharply, “just because I brought a book to someone.”
“No. It’s because you seem very much like me. I don’t want you to be afraid anymore.” Terra reached into her bag, “I mighta got you the rest of the day off if you want to talk some more, but if not, I understand. Shannon gave me something to give to you.”
Reaching into the backpack, Terra pulled out a small box, “When I first met her, she gave me one of these. At the time, I just thought it was a nice gesture for work I had done for her, but the result was a little more than startling.”
Opening the little box, Terra set the hand-blown glass globe on the conference table, “The crystals in the glass will sparkle in the sunlight so a window perch is perfect. She’s flying out here on Friday, so you’ll get a chance to meet her.”
“I’m not going to try to understand what’s happening here, okay?”
“That’s the smart that I’ve heard about you. If I tried to tell you everything, you would be more than overwhelmed so we’ll go very slowly to see if you like what you learn.” Terra smiled, then Chloe looked away for a moment. When her gaze returned, Terra’s blue eyes locked on, “I’m curious about something. What made you follow us, to the stables and the airport, I mean?”
“I was sitting in my car and I saw the three of you walk up to the restaurant. There was a weird feeling about it, like uncomfortable but…” She shook her head, “No, more like excited. It was a strange feeling.”
Terra grinned, “Yes, indeed it was. You picked up on quite a moment for our family. That’s interesting. So, you followed us around.” Terra nodded but Chloe’s head sunk down.
“I’m not strong right now,” she said quietly, “Getting out of bed in the morning is a struggle. The three of you were all excited and underneath it all, you were happy.”
Terra pointed to the glass talisman, “Set that where the sun will hit it in the morning. Consider what you see as a greeting from Shannon and myself.”
Terra directed Chloe to pick up the tiny glass orb and hold it in her palm. As with Terra’s first sculpture, she nervously placed her lips on the smooth glass for a moment as Terra rose to stand next to her.
“Use the email and numbers to reach out if you need us. I will be available on short notice if you feel scared or need a shoulder to lean on, okay?”
“As fantasies go, this was a rather good one. I really don’t want you to go just yet.”
“I appreciate that,” Terra grinned, “You can text me in…” she looked at her phone, “in about fifteen minutes, just to tell me you’re doing well. It will take me that long to bring Shannon up to speed.”
“You’re going to see her? She’s here?” There was a sudden burst of enthusiasm, “but you said she’s flying out on Friday. Now I’m confused.”
“For now, it will be a bit complicated. I will share more when I can. Now, I want you to close your eyes for a moment, when you open them, I will be gone.”
Terra smiled as Chloe’s eyes went from wide to narrow and back again, “The cemetery, I couldn’t see you because you weren’t able to be seen, right?”
“Something like that, Chloe. I just don’t want you to be afraid or to feel alone anymore. Can you do that for me…more importantly, for yourself?”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Sounds good. What we do is to be kept a secret, an important beautiful secret. I want to trust you, alright? I'll never lie to you.”
Nodding, the young woman closed her eyes. “l know that. You never lie to anyone,” she whispered, “even if it’s at your own expense. I know that I can trust you.” Chloe smiled softly but avoided looking at Terra directly, “sorry…I get a little carried away sometimes.”
Terra just stared at Chloe, “I uh, it’s like you got inside my head for a minute. That was…interesting. She looked up at the ceiling tiles, “and frighteningly accurate.”
Again, Chloe apologized, “I’ll try not to do that again.” Terra was quick to disagree, “that’s a skill worth nurturing. I wait to see Shannon to tell her. Time for me to go. Have a wonderful day.”
As Terra released her hand, she vanished from the room. Chloe was left alone, holding the orb in her hand.
On her way home from the school, Chloe held the orb tightly in her hand as if setting it down somewhere would allow it to disappear. Walking into her apartment, she found a note on her tiny dining room table. It was from Terra.
Chloe, it was wonderful to meet you. Your kitchen window will be perfect to catch the morning sun. Put your talisman on the sill and enjoy the sunrise. Talk to you later, Terra
That early morning, her alarm set before sunrise, Chloe sat at her table staring at the glass orb as the first rays of light came over the Eastern horizon. The colors from the rare earth crystals exploded across her kitchen and as they jumped and danced across her kitchen.
Having already loaded the odd phone numbers and emails into her phone, through teary eyes, she sent out her first text: Thank you Thank you so much. It was a beautiful as you said it would be.
Seconds later, a text arrived. It seemed both Terra and Shannon were waiting.
From Terra, it was a happy greeting, Have a fun day and try not to overthink stuff. See you soon.
A moment later, one from Shannon, I fly in on Friday. I will meet you at the library. You are welcome.
Later that afternoon, Shannon received a text from Chloe, Sorry to bug you but I thought you should know, your Dad just asked me to search for two books for him. They are a little on the weird side.
Chapter 12
Terra stepped out of the void in front of Shannon. “Jeez, woman, you’re getting pinpoint. If you hadn’t texted me first, you’da scared the crap out of me.”
Terra grinned and shrugged, her eyes got big, “I have some good, ehem, calming news for you.”
“So, it went well?”
Terra went right to the most personal matter, “Chloe was horrified at the thought of being involved with your father. I think we can definitely cross that off the list.” Terra snickered, plus, she turned about nine shades of red at the thought of it.”
“Nine,” Shannon grinned, “you counted.”
“Well, not nine, but she’s so not the slinky co-ed type anyway.” Terra frowned, “you don’t seem surprised.” I
“I had quite the conversation with Maggie. She knows a little about Chloe, it seems, plus she’s watched Dad when she comes to the restaurant on a book delivery. They talk once in a while. Maggie says she’s…um, shy-er than most. Were I to guess…” Terra held up her fingers in a peace sign, nodding her head.
“V-card, really?” Shannon smirked at the digital reference, “There was that level of girl talk. Look at you go.”
“Not that it matters, but I’d put money on it regardless of what Maggie said. Very innocent in my book.”
Snickering, Shannon reached up to hug Terra, “Your book could be a best seller, just sayin. Thanks though, it takes a load off my mind.”
“Good one,” Terra grinned as she kissed Shannon, “There is something about her that makes me want to help her. Something that says she�
��s right for our group.”
“Slow though,” Shannon counseled gently, “I see the parallels with you and frankly she’s lucky to have you.”
“You, too. I told her you’d stop by the library after you land.”
“And not have to play the outraged family member by confronting her publicly where she works?”
“Ooohh, that fantasy thankfully crashes and burns. Probably a good thing.” Terra suddenly turned serious, “It might be the end of her. I’d also describe her as extremely fragile. She’s a great candidate for Issac.”
Shannon was hesitant, “If she is that fragile, we should go looking for someone that’s board certified. If something happened, Issac would…struggle. I hate to put him in that position.”
“That is a great idea. He brings an extra level to the table, but I’m sure he’d appreciate help from an experienced doctor. Chloe’s associate at the library had an interesting observation about her this afternoon. She said that Chloe seems to know how people feel before they do, themselves.”
“Interesting. Empath maybe?”
“To quote the other librarian, to the point of being creepy. She had the same feelings when she was watching us.”
Shannon sighed, “What is it about people, can’t they just accept that some folks are…more in tune with the world?”
“Intuitive, for sure. Though I didn’t see that other than she seemed to sense me at the cemetery. I’d like to have Marcus keep digging, just in case.” Terra shrugged, “Does her aunt have a background we would find interesting…that sort of stuff.”
“But we go slow with her,” Shannon asked, “especially if she’s not involved other than to drop a book off occasionally. You make it sound like you want her to come for the weekend.”
“Not so much that, but she strikes me as a fledgling historian or something. You may need back up as you climb the ranks.”
“Is that what I’m doing?” Shannon half-smiled, “I glad you know, cuz I have no idea some days. My grimoire is beginning to take on a life of its own. There may be a day when we wish we’d just grabbed Ollie and headed for the hills.”