Significance

by Shelly Crane

  Then I saw glimpses of my dad in Caleb’s face yelling. Then all that flew past and I saw Caleb on the couch at Kyle’s, sitting. Pulling at his hair with his fist as his dad tried to get him to try to sleep.

  “You’ll be no good to Maggie this way, son,” he said but Caleb just pushed off his hand and continued to rock and moan in agony.

  “I have to find her. I have to find her,” was all he would say.

  Then more flashes and glimpses of him sick and in pain, him rolling and groaning on the floor in the guestroom at Kyle’s where someone had taken him to rest. Him yelling my name over and over as his father and mother watched, Rachel burying her face in Peter’s shoulder to cry loudly for her son.

  It was too much to watch. I tried to yank away from it and soon, I was caught anyway.

  “Maggie, no!” Caleb said harshly. “You don’t need to see that.”

  “Caleb, oh,” I squeaked and took a deep steadying breath. “It wasn’t your fault.”

  “Well... It’ll never happen again, I can tell you that much,” he muttered angrily. He took a deep breath and smoothed my hair back. “Anyway, your dad called the cops and calmed down a little once they got there. He even apologized to me later for yelling at me but said he still didn’t forgive me.” He rubbed his chin and I saw in his mind he was upset by that. “My parents rushed right over and they have been at your dad’s everyday since then.”

  “How many days have I been gone?”

  “Four. Long. Days,”

  I swallowed. Four days.

  “Dad’s gonna make things so much harder for us now.”

  “I think you might be surprised.” He smiled sadly. “Just wait. You feeling better now? Dad looks like they’re ready to go.”

  “Yeah but I don’t like this. I don’t want your family going after them because of me. They’re dangerous. Someone could get hurt.”

  “My family is very powerful. I’m not bragging, I’m just telling the truth. Our family has the most powerful abilities, always has. We’ll be fine. Don’t worry about them they know what they’re doing. The Watson’s can’t get away with this. If we had taken care of them after the first time they tried to kidnap you, this wouldn’t have happened.”

  “Okay. Alright,” I conceded and tucked my brushed hair behind my ears.

  Caleb’s mom kept a brush in the SUV and I was so grateful.

  He took my face in his hands.

  “My family loves you. They’d do anything to keep you safe and I promise you they can handle themselves, they’ll be fine. Don’t feel guilty about us protecting you. That’s what family does.”

  “Okay.”

  I smiled weakly at him and he smirked at his victory, shaking his head. He leaned closer and kissed my forehead.

  “I love you, Maggie,” he whispered, his lips moved against my cheek.

  I smiled at hearing it, real and out loud for the first time without being pulled and yanked away from it.

  “I love you, too,” I said, my voice breathy with emotion.

  He grinned big and proud and happy.

  “Let’s go.”

  I climbed out, then Caleb and I saw about fifteen men and women waiting for us on ATV’s. Some had weapons. Some had smiles. I saw the guy who had found me there too. He was smiling bashfully. I smiled at him and that seemed to encourage him. He came forward to greet us.

  “Thank you,” I said sincerely.

  He was young, a lot younger than I had noticed before. Couldn’t be more than twenty two or so. He had light brown hair and a square chin than fit him. He had a large frame, as all the Jacobson’s seemed to have, and he had his hands in his pockets.

  “No problem.”

  “Yeah, thanks, man,” Caleb said and hugged him a bit awkwardly as he still held my hand tight. “I owe you.”

  “No, you don’t. You’d have done the same for me. I’m just glad I found her. I think I scared her pretty good,” he said and winked at me, making me smile and nod.

  “Yeah, I saw in her vision,” Caleb said and laughed. “This wasn’t a very well thought out plan was it?”

  “It all worked out. I’m happy for you guys.”

  “Thanks. Oh, I’m sorry. Maggie this is my cousin, Rodney. They live near the Watson’s so they were closer to you when I could finally reach you again, because we’d been with your dad all day.”

  I nodded in understanding.

  “It’s ok.” I turned back to Rodney and took a step forward to hug him. “Thank you. Really.”

  “No sweat,” he said softly and patted my back. “Now, let’s go find these bastards and show them who they messed with.”

  “Let’s,” Caleb and I both said at the same time and we all laughed.

  “Come on,” Caleb said and tugged me to a four wheeler.

  He climbed on and I climbed on behind him.

  “Won’t this be loud? They’ll hear us coming a mile away.”

  He turned to grin at me.

  “You haven’t met all my family yet.” He kissed my bottom lip quickly and softy. “Hang on, gorgeous.”

  I grabbed him around the middle.

  “Not gorgeous right now,” I muttered

  Hush.

  He cranked the ATV, or so I thought. I could feel it rumble under us but couldn’t hear anything. I read in Caleb’s mind that one of his uncles had an ability to control technology. Basically anything with a motor or computer brain, he could control it. He had charmed the ATV’s so the motors would be quiet for our surprise attack. He’s called an Automator.

  “That’s awesome,” I said aloud in awe and Caleb chuckled.

  “Yeah, it is. Here we go.”

  I hung on as Caleb and his family roared on through the woods on silent four wheeled vehicles to go and hunt down the family who had kidnapped and planned to torture me. I could have laughed. Never in a million years would I have ever dreamed this would be happening to me. I have abilities! I have a new family full of people with abilities too who care about me. Never in a million years would I have believed I’d have found the love of my life at a stop light after I saved his life.

  Caleb, squeezed my knee.

  “Believe it.” I smiled and leaned my head to rest on his back. Within a minute I felt my eyelids begging to close. I could feel his next words vibrate through his back. “Sleep. We’re still about twenty minutes out. I’ve got you.”

  And the lulling of the ride along with the quiet calm of the woods, Caleb’s warm back under me put me right to sleep.

  I woke up to the sound of yelling. I gripped Caleb tightly in reflex and saw ahead of us that we’d found the Watson’s. We were on top of the same hill, the one with the well and the cliff and everyone was scattering, running.

  Running away I realized. They had been back in the bunker or basement or whatever it was and were now trying to flee but we’d caught up to them. A couple of ours and theirs started throwing punches. I saw one man holding his hand out towards one while the other man grabbed and clawed at his neck like he was choking.

  Then Caleb stopped the ATV abruptly and leaned forward to jump off but stopped and looked back at me. I could see in his mind that he had seen Marcus and wanted to go after him but couldn’t leave me alone. It physically hurt him to think about it right when he just got me back. He cursed in his head at the dilemma but as I looked up I saw Marcus coming to us. I pointed behind Caleb and screamed for him in my mind in just enough time for him to turn and evade being grabbed as he jumped off to shield me, slamming his fist to Marcus’s cheek.

  Marcus turned a 180 and punched Caleb’s chin. Caleb recovered quickly and pulled him back, slamming him over the front of the ATV bending him backwards before punching him in the jaw.

  I whimpered and bit my lip to stop from screaming. As much as I didn’t like Marcus and what he’d done to me, that didn’t mean I wanted to see this.

  Marcus laughed and spit blood off to the side.

  “You think you’ve won? This has just begun,” he sang and
laughed again.

  “If I catch you near her, ever again, I won’t hesitate to end you,” Caleb enunciated every word and banged Marcus’s head several times as he spoke.

  “You’re so weak. She makes you weak.”

  “Shut. Up,” Caleb growled.

  Then, we saw Peter jump off his still moving four wheeler and tackle Sikes. They were the champions of both families so, naturally, everyone stopped and watched as Peter punched Sikes in the jaw and gripped his shirt collar in his fist.

  I saw the fear on Sikes’s face, on all their faces. He didn’t even try to fight back. They were terrified of the Jacobson’s and I wondered why, if that were true, had they kidnapping me and risked getting the Jacobson’s even angrier at them? There had to be something I was missing. Some reason other than just jealousy and petty family squabbles that Sikes didn’t want Caleb and I to ascend.

  “I have never been more ashamed of being an Ace until I saw the things you did to my daughter-in-law,” Peter growled and it was so intense I couldn’t even be excited about the daughter-in-law part. “You are not a man. You’re a monster. And you know what? It was all for nothing. Even with all your meddling and torture, they ascended anyway.”

  Every Watson eye turned on us and Sikes looked devastated.

  “No,” he muttered and closed his eyes. “No.”

  “Yes,” Peter spat. “Now you take your family and go with your tail stuck between your legs somewhere where I can’t find you. Our family has never attacked yours and I resent this juvenile and idiotic behavior of something that happened between our family’s years ago that has absolutely nothing to do with us. I am not a murderer but I will not stand by and watch you try to destroy my family again. The next time, and you better be smart enough for there not to be one, I. Will. Kill. You. Now, go.”

  I was floored. I never knew that amount of venom could come out of the sweet man who’d done nothing but comfort and help me. I was floored because all this upset was over me. I didn’t know whether to be flattered or frightened.

  He leapt off Sikes and we all watched as he turned his back on him and got on his ATV again. Sikes sat up and looked directly at me. His face was so distraught and forlorn I almost felt sorry for him.

  “Don’t you dare,” Caleb hissed under his breath to me and then threw Marcus towards his uncle.

  He tripped backwards and fell in the grass. Sikes was helped up by his wife, who wouldn’t look at me at all. Marcus got up and went to stand by them, looking murderous.

  Everyone let go of whoever they were holding mentally or physically and made their way back to their own ATV’s. I held on tight as this time, our ATV’s cranked to life loudly and rumbling. I looked back to see Marcus smiling at us as we left. I shivered.

  “He’s just grandstanding for his ego. He better know not to mess with you again,” Caleb assured me and I sighed as I leaned on him. “Just hold on, baby. We’ll have you back home in no time.”

  Home. Dad.

  I don’t remember a time I’d ever seen my dad move so fast.

  I had ridden the whole long ride there with my head in Caleb’s lap in the backseat while Peter drove way above the speed limit. I had been so anxious, so worried about dad and though I very much wanted to see him, I was worried that he’d forbid me to see Caleb or never let me leave the house again because of what happened.

  And now, with my dad rushing to meet me at the SUV side, I couldn’t think about anything but the red eyes and dark circles on my father’s pale and sleep deprived face.

  “Oh, baby girl.” He grabbed me up from the ground and held me too tightly but I didn’t complain. Caleb looked like he wanted to, feeling what I was feeling but I smiled at him to show I was ok. Dad needed this. “I’m so glad you’re ok.” He placed my feet to the ground and looked angrily over at Peter. I was just about to jump in and defend him but dad spoke first. “Who was it? Who took my daughter and why? If I ever get my hands on him-”

  “We took care of it,” Peter said coolly. “You don’t have to worry about anything.”

  “Thank you, Peter. I’m in your debt,” he said and looked back at me.

  “No, I’m afraid you’re in Caleb’s debt, Jim,” Peter said, slapped my dad on the back and smiled. “He found her, not me.”

  My dad’s gaze shifted over to Caleb and Caleb shrugged his shoulders, his side of his mouth curling up in a little sad smile.

  “Caleb,” my dad started but stopped. He looked on the verge of tears. He released me and went to Caleb, grabbing him in a rough hug. “Thank you son.” I could read all the thoughts my dad had about Caleb and Caleb could read them through me. My dad was grateful and regretful for the things he’d said to Caleb. He was also worried that this was going to increase the intensity of Caleb and my relationship even further and he thought I wasn’t ready for that. If only he knew. “I don’t know how I can repay you for this.”

  “You don’t have to.” My dad pulled back from Caleb but didn’t move away. “I love her, sir.” Caleb’s voice was rough with emotion. “I will always do whatever it takes to keep her safe.”

  “I know that, now. I mean it. You are always welcome in my house.” Then Dad cocked his head a little. “Will he try this again? Taking her? Who is this guy? What does he want with her?”

  “No. We’ll keep an eye out, she’ll be safe,” Peter assured. “We took care of it but, Maggie is the one who got away from them. We found her in the woods after she escaped from them the day before. She survived over night out there. She’s quite a capable young lady.”

  That was it. The dam broke. My dad burst with silent sobs, shaking, and pulled me to him again. Once I calmed him down with small murmurs and pats to his back he spoke gruffly as he pulled back, holding my upper arms to look at me.

  “You slept in the woods? How- How did you get away? What did they do to you? What did you- Did they hurt you?”

  He looked me over and saw no bruises, but that’s only because Caleb had already healed me of them.

  “Dad. I’m-” I hadn’t really thought of a way to explain yet. “I’m really tired. I don’t want to relive it yet.”

  “But, we’ve got to call the police and tell them to stop looking for you.”

  “We will. Tomorrow ok? I can’t talk to them tonight.”

  “Ok. Yeah. Yeah, of course.”

  His mind was still raging with unanswered questions about what had happened. He was wondering if they had done something to me and I just was down-playing it all.

  “I’m ok, dad.”

  “I’m so glad your home and safe, kiddo.”

  “Me too.”

  He turned to Caleb and his dad.

  “Thank you again. I don’t know what I can do but if there’s every anything-”

  “No need,” Peter insisted. “Maggie is like family to us. We take care of our family.”

  My dad nodded.

  “Ok. Well, I’ll take her to bed then. Good night.”

  My heart gave me the most violent clinching it ever had at his words and the thought behind them. Putting me to bed alone, he’d be checking on me every five minutes because he was scared to death now that something would happen to me again. He might even sleep in the chair in my room for who knows how long.

  Caleb grunted and grabbed my arm as if to halt my dad’s progress.

  “Mr. Masters, please.”

  “I told you, it’s Jim.” He looked at Caleb’s hand on my arm and gave him a sympathetic look. “I know you missed Maggie too, but after everything she’s been through, I think it’s best if she goes on to bed for tonight. You can come over, first thing in the morning.”

  I started to panic. I didn’t think Sikes would attack in an echoling dream again but we’d learned that Marcus could channel his uncle because they’d done it so many times. I wasn’t so sure about him. Plus the thought of being without Caleb after four days was excruciating.

  I heard Peter’s thoughts and looked at him. He knew I heard and was waiting for the ok
from me. Tell him? Tell dad everything about us, about the Aces. About my abilities and Caleb being my soul mate. Caleb read his father’s thoughts through me.

  Up to you. And just so you know, your dad will be the first human to know about us. My dad is making a huge leap of faith with this. We never, ever tell humans. What do you want to do? Can he handle it?

  I don’t know.

  My dad was a lot of things but gullible wasn’t one of them. As bad as I didn’t want to lie to him anymore and it would be so much easier for him to know, I hoped he would be able to believe me but I wasn’t sure. What if he didn’t give us a chance to explain and tried to drag me inside? That wouldn’t go over well on either side.

  Baby. I looked up at Caleb. Whatever you want I’ll do it. But you read his thoughts. He’s gonna be a little nuts about you if we don’t tell him. I’ll go home if you think it’s best...well, I won’t go home but I won’t come to your room if you don’t want me to. Whatever you want. Just tell me.

  “Maggie?” Dad said and looked at me curiously.

  I looked at him as he stood on the curb, the uncut grass long and curling up around his ankles as he stood in his bare feet, in his wrinkled striped short sleeve button up shirt and jeans. His hair needed to be cut something awful. The signs on his face that showed just how much he’d aged this past year. This wasn’t fair to do this to him. But the alternative- just running away or fighting with him constantly- wasn’t an option either. My dad deserved the truth, even if he resented me for it in the end.

  “Dad. Can we go inside and talk for a minute? With Peter and Caleb? We need to explain something to you.”

  He looked between us all and then grabbed his head.

  “Oh no. You’re pregnant!”

  “No, of course not.” I rolled my eyes as he sighed long and loud. “We just need to talk to you.”

  “Are you getting married?” he said and cut his eyes at Caleb.

  I blushed at the idea and hurriedly shut my mind, focusing on dad, so I didn’t hear Caleb nor Peter’s thoughts on that one.