Gemini (Gemini Adler Book 1)

by TJ Hines

  "Yeah, I guess I am," Jesse giving a sad half-smile to Taura.

  "How?" Gemini finally asked.

  "I guess the same way Taura is. I really don't know. As far as I know, I was born with this gift, among others."

  Gem heard the end of the sentence, but she was still processing the beginning of it. "So, you are like Taura? You can heal people too?"

  "Yeah. I haven't done it in forever though. We have managed to keep it a secret until now. The only people who know about my gift is my granddad, Dani, Micah, and now you two," Jesse said yawning. Taura quickly followed suit.

  "This is just too much information to take in at one time," Gem said running her hands through her hair.

  "Does Dani…?" Gem started before Jesse stopped her. "No, it's just me. Do you?"

  "No," Gem said a little too quickly. "I mean no. Just Taura."

  Taura yawned again and her head bobbed a little. She was already worn out. "Taura, sweetie, go on to bed. I'll be in shortly to check on you."

  Taura didn't argue. She got up, wobbled a little bit, and then made her way slowly to the bedroom she and Gemini shared.

  "Why didn't you tell me about Taura?" Jesse asked Gem when the bedroom door had closed.

  "Why didn't you tell me about you?" Gem came back at him.

  "Wow this is just something else, isn't it?" Jesse said leaning back in his seat.

  "Yeah, it is."

  The sat there in a weird silence for a while before Gem stood up and started pacing the floor. Finally, she spoke again.

  "You can't tell anyone about Taura. Even your family. Please."

  "Okay but they wouldn't treat her any differently and they would protect her just like they protect me," Jesse said trying to reason with her.

  "I'm sure they wouldn't but I don't want to take the chance. Not with my little sister. Please understand," she said pleading with him.

  "I get it. I really do," he said around another yawn. He must get just as exhausted as Taura after using their ability. They had a lot of things to talk about, but she knew Jesse was tired, so she decided to end the conversation and get Jesse back to his house.

  "Come on, let's get you to bed," Gem said pulling Jesse to stand. He stumbled a little bit and finally got his balance.

  "Well, Miss Adler are you gonna take advantage of me?" he said smiling at her before yawning again.

  "No, you butthead. I am gonna make sure you get some rest."

  She started for the door when Jesse collapsed on the couch and snuggled up.

  "Well, shoot. I guess he's sleeping here." She pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and draped it over him. He surprised her by reaching out and pulling her to him. She had no other choice but to sit partially on him.

  "Hey, sweetheart."

  "Yeah?"

  "I love you." And with those three words that changed Gemini's life, he passed out.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Jesse didn't tell his family, as far as Gemini could tell. Things were the same between them all except for Jesse and Gemini. It was a little weird because Gem knew Jesse told her that he loved her, but she wasn't sure if he remembered saying it. So, she didn't tell him how she felt, which was causing a lot of unnecessary tension in their relationship.

  She was just happy he hadn't broken up with her yet seeing how she had been acting like a 'nervous Nelly' as Dani called it since Taura saved Bryant. But Jesse was just as patient as ever with her.

  August had come rolling around and school was about to start. Gemini still didn't have a plan for Taura when it came to attending school. She would have to have documentation to attend and proof that Gem was her guardian, which she did not have because legally she wasn't.

  She did her research and decided that homeschooling might be the best route for her and Taura in their situation. Taura wasn't too thrilled about it but she knew they didn't have any other options at the moment. When Dani questioned her about homeschooling, Jesse back her up on all the positives of not going to traditional school.

  Gemini hated that Jesse had started lying to his family for her. It really made her feel like a horrible person even though she had good reasons to keep the lies going.

  Even with all of that, things were going well for Gemini and Taura. That was until the last Saturday in September. The heat was starting to die down and Gemini could feel the beginnings of Fall. She loved Fall; it was her favorite time of year.

  They were getting ready to close the diner when they all heard a loud crash next door. From inside the diner, they didn't know if it came from the travel center or Mr. Johnson's shop. They all ran out the door looking at where the noise came from.

  The travel center and truck stop looked the same so they knew the sound must have come from the shop. They rushed over there, Jesse leading the way. They found the hydraulic car lift had failed and a car was crushing Mr. Johnson.

  Micah and Jesse immediately went to his side. Dani started searching for something, Gemini had no clue what though. Taura was crying and Gem didn't know what to do. Gem was about to call 911 when Dani stopped her.

  "It's okay. Don't bother with the call. Granddad will be just fine as soon as we get the car off of him."

  Gemini wasn't sure how that could be true until she realized that Jesse would heal him. She asked Dani what she was looking for and she told her a jack to lift the car. They continued to search until they realized Micah had already pulled Mr. Johnson out from under the wreckage. Jesse had lifted the car by himself so that Micah could get their granddad to safety.

  Gem knew he was strong but that was like superhero strong. She just stared at Jesse shocked by what he had done. She was still staring at him when Taura ran past her. Jesse was already on the ground with his hands on his granddad healing his broken and battered body when Taura joined him and helped to bathe him in a pool of warm glowing light.

  Gem didn't even try to stop her because she was just as worried about Mr. Johnson. They kept pouring the light into his body until Mr. Johnson finally began to move. It was a miracle. However, their joy was cut short when they heard a scream from behind them.

  Sharon had come out to check on what the loud noise was and saw the whole thing, including the radiating light pouring from Jesse and Gem's little sister's hands. They were in so much trouble now.

  "Uh oh," Micah said coming to stand in front of Jesse and Taura who were still on the ground behind Mr. Johnson.

  Gemini turned back around and ran for Jesse and Taura, she grabbed Taura up and put her behind her, shielding her from eyesight. She leaned down and grabbed Jesse’s arm and pulled him up so that he was standing. Mr. Johnson started to sit up before Jesse told him to stay on the ground.

  Dani started walking towards Sharon trying to soothe her with her voice.

  “Sharon. Sharon. Everything is okay. Granddad is just fine, and everyone will be okay. But you need to take a deep breath and calm down. Please, Sharon,” Dani said continuing to walk towards the middle-aged woman currently still in hysterics.

  “Sharon please calm down and let me explain. Jesse was shining a light on granddad to see if he had any injuries. That’s all that was. Nothing else. Granddad is fine. And so are you,” she said coming to stand near Sharon. She tried to reach out to take Sharon’s arm but when Dani touched her arm Sharon jerked it back like it had been scalded.

  “Don’t touch me. Get away from me. All of you,” Sharon yelled as she turned away and hobbled as best as she could back inside the diner.

  “Y’all need to go and go now. You know the plan,” Mr. Johnson said as he sat up. Micah turned around and helped the older man to his feet.

  “You don’t think she would tell, do you? I mean it’s Sharon. She has worked for us for years. She’s watched me and Jesse grow up for Pete’s sake,” Dani said coming to stand next to Micah.

  “I think money makes people do some pretty unforgivable things. We need to get to the house so y’all can pack up.”

  Gem couldn’t believe what she w
as hearing. They were so calm and collected while she felt like she was about to explode. She took Taura by the shoulder and helped her to the car while Micah helped Jesse. They were both going to need some major sleep after this.

  Gem followed the rest of the family back to the farmhouse where the pups met them, tails wagging, happy to see the family. She left Taura in the car with it running. She had passed out on the way to the house. She looked in the backseat of Micah's truck and Jesse was out too.

  "Thank you, guys, for everything but my sister and I have to go before the government finds her," Gem said.

  "Hold up there Dusty. You can't just go out there on your own. It's not safe," Mr. Johnson said taking a seat on the front porch swing.

  "I have to protect my sister."

  "I understand that youngin’ but you just can't go out their half-cocked on your own. You and your sister are family and we take care of our family."

  Mr. Johnson walked Micah, Dani, and Gemini through the plan. They would take the travel trailer and head south. Mr. Johnson would stay behind and try to throw the authorities off their trail. Dani didn't like leaving her granddad, but he reminded her of what happened to the Thompson twins when the authorities came for them.

  The Thompson twins were in Dani's class in school, they kept their secret well-hidden just like the Johnson's kept Jesse's until the day they were in a car wreck and they healed their father in front of paramedics. They were in their teens at the time and tried to resist arrest when the men in black tactical gear came for them. Dani told Gem that the whole situation was scary and, in the end, their classroom had looked like a war zone and the twins were still carted away with special cuffs on their wrists.

  Mr. Johnson had a small bit of property near Lake Martin in Coosa County. He gave Micah the directions and with a little more conversation, Gemini decided to stay with the family. In the end, Jesse made the decision for her when she thought about leaving him without saying goodbye. She just couldn't do it. So, she and Dani packed everything they needed, while Micah and Mr. Johnson hooked up the trailer.

  Once they got everything ready to go, they said their goodbyes to Mr. Johnson and the pups. Gem and Dani woke Taura and Jesse up so that they could say their goodbyes too. They were a little confused by what was going on, but they didn't ask too many questions, exhaustion still heavy in their eyes. Taura cried when she had to say goodbye to the dogs, but Mr. Johnson promised to take good care of them and that she would see them again real soon.

  Mr. Johnson had a plan to join the family as soon as the coast was clear and bring the dogs with him. He just needed to sell the livestock off slowly so as not to draw attention to himself.

  The group got settled in Micah's truck before saying goodbye to Mr. Johnson one more time. Dani was crying silently as was Taura. Gemini couldn't allow herself to cry because she was too worried about their future, but she did tear up when she looked back one last time as they pulled out of the driveway leading up to that beautiful farmhouse. That was her home, she thought. The only place that she had ever felt unconditional love and now she had to leave it.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  They made it to Lake Martin within 3 hours, stopping only once for gas and snacks. Dani and Micah decided that only they should get out since no one was looking for them, at least hopefully not yet. Jesse and Taura were still sleeping, they had been out shortly after they left Hope. Gemini was actually a little jealous of both of them because she wished she could be asleep and not have to deal with the real world.

  When they pulled up to the lake lot, Dani got out and opened the gate that protected the lot from trespassers. The sun had just set so Dani was using the headlights to help her with her task. From what Gem could make out the entire front was covered in trees and brush, hiding it for the most part from the road.

  The road went another mile or so before it branched, one road leading to the water from what they could tell and the other going into the woods. Mr. Johnson had told them to head for the woods so that's what they did. Micah drove the truck and trailer farther into the woods until there was a clearing. When Micah finally got the truck and trailer parked, Jesse and Dani got out to help him get it leveled.

  Gemini nearly screamed when Jesse opened the door to the truck right next to her.

  "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you. Taura still asleep?" he asked helping Gem down from the truck.

  "Yeah. I'll have to wake her up to get her inside."

  "Don't do that. I'll carry her," he said reaching in and pulling Taura out gently. Gem forgot how easy it was for him to lift the car off his granddad, so lifting Taura must have been a breeze. Jesse carried her to the trailer and then came back to help everyone with the bags and supplies.

  It was going to be cramped until they figured out the next part of their plan, but they'd make it work. Except for the sleeping arrangements which were gonna be a problem, at least for Gemini. Dani and Micah took the bedroom, which left Taura taking the dining room table that turned into a bed and an air mattress for Gem and Jesse. Taura was the only one short enough to fit in the dining room table area, as Dani explained. Which Gemini knew was true, but it still didn't mean she felt comfortable sharing a bed with Jesse so close to both of their sisters. It's not like she had a choice, she thought, unless she wanted to sleep outside on the ground. Which being a city girl, meant that it was a hard no for her.

  Jesse helped Micah make the little spot for Taura into a bed since she was still out like a light before the rest of them sat down in the living room to talk about the day's events. No one said anything for what felt like forever to Gemini. Everyone just kept looking at each other and their hands waiting for someone to talk.

  "Well it's been some kind of day, hasn't it?" Micah asked finally breaking the tension in the room.

  "You can say that again," Jesse replied.

  Micah was about to open his mouth when Dani stopped him. "Don't do it."

  Micah closed his mouth with a little pout on his face.

  "So, I am gonna take a wild guess here and say that you two knew about everything before today?" Dani questioned, looking at Gemini and Jesse.

  Jesse and Gem just nodded. "I just can't believe you would lie to me, Jesse. I mean I'm your sister. Your own flesh and blood."

  Gem couldn't let Jesse take all the blame, so she jumped in to protect him.

  "I'm the reason he didn't tell. I made him promise not to tell you about my sister…," Gem said. She figured she might as well tell the whole truth because they were all in this together now. "and about who we really are."

  "What do you mean who you really are?" Micah asked.

  "Our names are not Dusty and Destiny Smith and our parents did not die in a car wreck last year," Gem started. She told them the whole truth; Jesse held her hand the entire time lending her his strength when she needed it. When she was finished, Micah just sat there with a shocked look on his face and all Dani could say was "Wow". They all sat in silence for a while before, Gemini finally got the courage to speak.

  "Please say something. I hated lying to you guys, but I had to protect Taura. I hope you can understand and forgive me. You guys are like the only family I have ever had besides my little sister." She kept rambling about how much she loved them all and how she didn't want this to come between them. When she finally finished, Dani had tears in her eyes, as did Gem.

  Dani sat down on the floor next to Gem and held her while they both cried, solidifying that everything was going to be okay between them and that they were all still a family.

  The weeks went by. Halloween was approaching and everyone was getting antsier by the minute. Dani and Micah were the only ones able to get out and make supply runs. Thankfully, they had brought enough cash to get by for a while, but the money was starting to dwindle, and they hadn't heard anything from Mr. Johnson. Which had all of them, especially Dani, worried.

  Dani and Jesse argued almost every day about Mr. Johnson. Dani wanted to go back and check on him. Jesse told her
it would endanger all of them, mostly her if she left. But Dani wouldn't let it go. Finally, after much arguing, some yelling, and even a few tears, Jesse reluctantly agreed with Dani that their granddad needed to be checked on.

  They came up with a plan to split up, Dani and Micah going to check on Mr. Johnson and Gem, Taura, and Jesse continuing their adventure in the woods. The girls and Jesse would drive Micah and Dani to Birmingham and then they would catch a taxi home. It wasn't ideal but with only one vehicle they had to make it work.

  The next morning, they set out for Birmingham. They took backroads and stayed under the speed limit to not draw attention to themselves. The tension in the truck was so thick you could cut it. But they made it without any incident. Dani promised Jesse that they would stay with their granddad until they had the farm and diner took care of and then they would all meet up again. They said their goodbyes and then Micah and Dani took off to find a cab to take them back to Hope. And Jesse and the girls headed back to their trailer in the woods.