“I’ll figure out a way to pay for the damage. Maybe take on a few extra translations or something.”
“If I asked you to pay for it, you’d know.” He placed a plate of bacon, eggs, and raisin toast in front of me. “If you eat all of that, we’ll call it even.”
“Oh.” I gulped to keep the nausea at bay. Perhaps I wasn’t as hungry as I first thought. “No offense, but if I eat of all that, you’ll be scrubbing vomit off your floor.”
“You got something against my cooking?”
“No, but I have something against trying to force-feed me all of that food when my stomach isn’t into it.”
He sighed. “Tell you what. You eat a couple of pieces of bacon and make it look like you touched the eggs and we’ll call that even.”
“What about that?” I pointed at the raisin toast.
“I’ve never been a fan of raisins, so swallow that at your own risk.”
“That makes two of us.” Smirking, I pushed it closer to the edge of the plate.
He glanced over my shoulder. “Tear it up or something, then. Make it look like you tried, otherwise, she won’t leave either one of us alone. Better yet, hide some of it under your eggs. I always ask for an extra egg just for that.”
I giggled. This guy was a trip.
“Other than loss of appetite, how are you feeling?” Howard’s face turned serious.
“I’m okay.” I lowered my gaze and tapped the bacon with my fork. “It’s my fault, what happened to Kurt, you know.”
“Oh no.” He shook his head. “Don’t you start that again. I happen to really like this kitchen and want to keep it in one piece. It was a huge buying point for me because I like to cook.”
Again, I smiled.
“And stop blaming yourself for any of this.” Howard went to the fridge to fill up a glass of milk for me. “If the fire was really arson, then you need to focus all that power you have on whoever started it. They’re the ones who started this war. You kids are just that. Kids. The only thing you can control is how well you do in school.”
“My mom is still out there and crazy, you know.”
“I know. Kurt told me everything. I only wished he had called me sooner. Maybe I could’ve gotten to you guys before Shelley did and you wouldn’t have been held hostage, damaged, and sold to the highest bidder.” He leaned across the counter and kept his voice low. “Look, kiddo, I don’t care if she’s your aunt or not. If I ever get my hands on her for what she did to you two, I’ll forget I’m a gentleman and break her freaking neck. That’s how serious I am when it comes to protecting my own and making up for lost time. Nobody takes that from me. Nobody”
Good lord. He and I were more alike than I could’ve ever imagined.
“Hey, honey.” He pulled away like nothing had ever happened and grinned as he noticed Connie coming into the kitchen. Going back to the stove, he picked up a plate and placed it on the counter next to mine. “How’s my other little ladybug doing out there?”
Connie eyed him suspiciously before she sat down. “She’s going to be okay. Probably another day or two of bed rest wouldn’t be a bad idea. Oh, and I called Sean. He’s going to stop by later with his friend and make sure they’re okay, too.”
“Who’s Sean?” I bit into a piece of bacon.
“He’s my son. His friend, Lincoln, is on the verge of flunking out of his first year of medical school, but he was the best we could get on such short notice. I guess he should’ve stuck to veterinary medicine like Sean. But no worries, I made sure he wasn’t alone with either you or Nadia at any time.”
Well, that answered one question about who dressed us in clean clothes. Even though it was discomforting to have a stranger hovering over me while I was practically naked, it was in some ways better because I knew after we left Ohio, we’d never see this Lincoln person again.
“Speaking of alone time…” Howard grabbed himself a cup of coffee and started for the living room. “I need to spend some quality time with my other niece. Her bite is nowhere near as harsh as this hardened one here.”
Connie slapped him on his rear as he left. “Don’t pay him any attention. As you can see, he’s more talk than anything, even if it’s a little point-blank at times.”
It sounded like another savage person I knew. I turned my attention back to my uneaten plate and began covering my toast with the scrambled eggs.
After breakfast, I relaxed with Nadia on the couch. Howard had rearranged the furniture so that the ottoman sat next to the sofa, giving us some extra room. We watched TV until Nadia and I both nodded off. At some point, Howard woke us up and fed us whatever medicine had been prescribed or Connie would have skinned him alive. He also had enough bandages and antiseptic on hand to keep our wounds clean.
When lunch came around, I asked Howard if he still had a job at the university. He told his department head that he needed the rest of the week off for a family emergency and that his TA could fill in for him wherever needed. He gave the TA his lecture notes to carry on without him, but the quiz on Friday was still happening. I thought it was strangely nice of him to put us, his grandkids he had never met, above his work.
Later that afternoon, I called Kurt. He confirmed everything Howard had said. However, that wasn’t the reason why I wanted to talk to him. I wanted to know why he didn’t tell me the truth about his injuries.
“Because,” he said, over the speakerphone. “What good would it have done you? It’s not like you can heal people, you know.”
Jayden came to mind. Even if she could heal him, his injuries were out of her league. Even though her sister Vannessa was a better option, there was no way I was imposing on them like that.
“You should’ve told me. I’m not some kid, you know. After everything I’ve been through, over the last couple of years, I can handle you not being able to walk.” I slumped back in a leather chair and crossed my arms. I glanced out the window to my right which was more trees than anything else. Howard sure liked living in the woods or having them close by.
“I care. But I didn’t want you guys to lose hope that I wasn’t getting any better either. I’m still laid up, yes, but I’ve gotten some things done with the insurance, so that’s good. Plus, it’s just a hairline fracture. No big deal.”
“And mom?”
“That’s the other reason why I didn’t tell you anything. I can’t look for her. You can’t look for her. So what’s your natural thought progression?”
“Nobody is looking for her.”
“Exactly. We don’t have a choice. We have to rely on Mason and his people to find her. Speaking of which, your friend Jayden’s tip about the graveyard might have paid off. Some scraps of food and clothes were found in a ditch at the edge of the woods. It looked like someone might have been living there, though nobody could confirm whether it was our mom.”
“Are they sure it belonged to her?”
“I know what mom was wearing before the fire, so the colors matched.” He paused for a moment. “Mason is working with the Kendricks now. I'm hoping maybe they know something more that can help.”
“Like their mysterious contacts living in their mysterious town?”
“Mason did a background check on them before he ever planned to introduce them to Mom, remember? Knowing a little about how his business works, trust me when I say he was thorough. Anyway, they’re thinking about bringing in a psychic they trust and not that kid that you and Jayden relied on.”
“No hate here.” I glanced at the bookcase on my left filled with books about fluid mechanics and thermodynamics. “Has anyone thought about what happens when Nadia and I return? Are we still going to attend school at the hub or not?”
“Yes, and I’m not budging on that. But given everything that’s happened, you should decide on where you really want to go to school. Cornerstone U. or not, it doesn’t matter. You need to be in a place where you can feel safe. I’ll even talk to mom about it when she comes back.”
“Ohio State is a go
od school.” Howard appeared at the edge of the door to the office. “Sorry. I was walking by and overheard. I didn’t know you got early acceptance into college until yesterday after your brother and I talked. Congratulations. Do you want me to send you a card?”
I laughed. He was never going to let that one go.
“Can I get in on the joke?” Kurt asked.
“No.” I shook my head. “It’s just something between the two of us.”
“Great. I knew you two would get along. Not sure how, but I knew it. How’s Nadia holding up? Speaking of which, where is she?”
“She’s asleep in the other room,” Howard said. “It’s slow going, but she’s getting better. Also, I hear she’s quite the cook in the house. Can’t imagine where she might have gotten that.” He crossed his arms and grinned proudly.
“Please. Stop. You’re making me jealous.” Kurt’s bland voice wreaked annoyance.
“So…” All of the hilarity disappeared from my face. I drummed my broken fingernails on the polished surface of the mahogany desk. “Has anyone thought about how and when Nadia and I are going home?”
“Not until you’re both well.” Howard shoved his hands in his khaki pockets and jingled some change. He stared at the phone and not so much at me. “I won’t bend on that, Kurt.”
“Easy, old man,” Kurt replied. “For once we’re in agreement. But that doesn’t clear up the question of how. Flying is the better option, but I want you guys accompanied by an adult. Even if it means one of Mason’s guys goes with you.”
“Excuse me, but I don’t know enough about this Mason character to know if I want him or his thugs with my grandchildren.”
“Oh my god. How many times do I have to tell you, he owns a securities firm. Their job is to escort expensive possessions throughout the world. What’s more expensive than my sister’s right now? They’ll be in the best hands ever.”
“Will they have guns?”
“Probably.”
“Then no.”
“Howard—”
“No, Kurt. Now you listen to me. You didn’t see the condition these kids were in when I got to them at that mall. I won’t see them hurt like that again, and I certainly don’t want them anywhere around guns.”
“This is our life, Howard. Get over it. We don’t live in the same world that you do where you can travel with little fear these days. Not if there are people out there who want my mom and my sisters. For all we know, mom might already be in their hands by now. I’ll be damned before I see that happen to what’s left of my family, again.”
“Can you both stop now, please? You’re giving me a headache.” I glanced between the phone and Howard. Between all of us, I was the calmest. It was nice to see they both cared enough to argue over what was best for our wellbeing. When they didn’t say anything, I continued. “Let’s just focus on one thing at a time, okay? I’m not taking Nadia anywhere until she’s better. Once she’s well, we’ll figure out the rest. In the meantime, I want both of you to come up with a plan before I come up with my own, and we all know that probably won’t end well for any of us. While I don’t have a problem staying here, mom is still missing. I won’t sit still while she's still out there.”
“Fair enough,” Howard said as though he grudgingly agreed to the cease-fire.
“Fine.” Something in Kurt’s tone made me wonder if he got his attitude from Howard.
Kurt and I talked for a little while longer. He promised to touch base with Jayden for me again, giving her the phone number of where she and her parents could contact Nadia and me. I wasn’t sure how much Kurt had told them, but I knew my brother enough to know he prepared them so we would only have to rehash as little of that nightmare as possible.
Aunt Shelley’s benefactors had information on Nadia and me that could have only come from the school. The Kendricks pressed to have the hub investigated and to find the person who leaked the information, since it indirectly involved Jayden, too. While I liked their tenaciousness, their tactics needed some work. I would’ve used my powers to blow the school to pieces until they gave up the culprits.
When I stepped out of the office and down the short hall, Howard was in the kitchen searing enough red and green peppers and onions for an army. On the counter next to him was a stack of tortillas. The house smelled like a combination of seasoned chicken and steak.
“How many people are coming for dinner?” I sat on a barstool as fatigue seeped into my joints, though I wasn’t ready to lay down, yet.
“Not many.” He stirred a pot of beans and lowered the temperature. “I told you I liked to cook.”
“I’m happy for you.” Cooking was fine, but entertainment wasn’t my specialty. This was where our similarities took a sharp turn in opposite directions.
“Sean and his friends are coming. Might as well feed them while they’re here. Besides, whenever I want something out of them a meal in return is usually a fair trade. I owe them a week’s worth of dinners for helping you and your sister. These guys, being college kids, will eat anything anyway.”
“I guess I’ll find out, huh.”
“Speaking of which…” He checked all of the temperatures across the stove before tossing his towel on the counter. “This school thing. Now, I know I have no right to interfere, but this college you’re going to, Cornerstone?”
“Yes.”
“Where is it? Is it any good? What are you studying?”
“Wow. You’re not too pushy, are you?” Weariness dug in deeper across my shoulders, up the back of my neck, and into my brain. I left the kitchen and headed into the living room where Nadia had set up shop with her stuffed animals, thick blankets and plenty of water, juice, and snacks in case she woke. I grabbed a throw and settled in next to her.
“I’m a college professor, so what do you expect? I want to make sure my grandchild is making the right decision. Going to college is a huge, life-changing step in anyone’s life whether you’re psychokinetic or not.”
“Fine.” I spread the blanket over my tired, achy body. “Cornerstone University is a real school, but it’s extremely private.”
“That would explain why there isn’t a lot of information out there about it.”
“They’re also prepared to take on kids with special powers like mine. One of their goals is to make sure we fit in with the rest of society, too. In fact, I’ve already started taking some of my classes there.”
“Languages.” His grin enlarged as he sat across from me on the ottoman and leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees. “Kurt told me you were a prodigy when it came to that stuff. It's all self-taught, too. How many do you have under your belt now?”
“Four and a half. Half being Latin. I’m taking Chinese and Navajo, too, which will round it out to seven total.”
He nodded, obviously impressed. “French?”
“Oui.”
“Spanish?”
“Si.”
“Italian?”
“Nope. Russian.”
“Really?”
“Da.” I was particularly proud of that one since it wasn’t taught in high school.
“Let me guess. The last one is German.”
“No. Korean.” Another thing to be proud of. I had a little trouble with that one until I consulted some YouTube videos.
He chuckled. “Are you insane? Well if nothing else, Connie will love you for the Chinese alone.” Grinning, Howard shook his head. “I’ll tell you what. If you learn Italian, I’ll take all of you on a ski trip to the Italian Alps. Your mother, Kurt, Nadia. Connie and Sean, too, of course. I’ve always wanted to go skiing there, but never found the time.”
“You’re on. Is there a time limit on this challenge?”
He gasped. “Are you serious?”
“Yes. I still have school work and everything to do on top of all that. Plus, I want the timing to be just right, especially if mom goes, too.” I wanted to tell him Mason would have to come to keep my mom’s psychosis in check, but that wo
uld only open another can of questions I wasn’t ready to stomp down. While Howard knew things about me, I wasn’t so sure how much he knew about the supernatural underworld.
“Always thinking. I like that. But you still haven’t told me what you’re majoring in. Let me guess. Linguistics.”
“Wrong again. Biochemistry. I want to find a cure for this genetic madness that runs through our genes.”
He hesitated. “Biochemistry is an excellent major. But, there are always things going on in our lives at a particular moment that shape our decisions forever. Just make sure you’re studying biochemistry for the right one or you’re going to feel like you’ve dug yourself into a hole that you can never escape from.”
“You think I should give up on mom and Kurt? There’s still no guarantee that I won’t go schizo someday, too.”
“That’s not what I’m saying. What you’re doing is commendable. I just want to make sure you don’t fall into the same trap that your father did by doing what he thought was expected of him and not what he really wanted. If he had gone into forensic science like he wanted to do since he was a kid, he would’ve been happier in life. Maybe even happy enough to tell his family. You’re a lot like him in that respect. You make it your mission to carry the world on your shoulders when you don’t have to.” He patted my knee before heading back into the kitchen to finish dinner.
If that was the grandfather-standing-in-for-dad talk, I missed something. If there were going to be more of those talks, Nadia and I would be heading back to Raleigh tonight.
Chapter Twenty
Right before Connie’s son and his friends were about to arrive for dinner, Howard moved Nadia and me upstairs to my room where we camped out. It wasn’t long before we heard voices downstairs and wanted to see. Nadia was more eager than me.
“Don’t you want to see what they look like?” Nadia asked.
I touched her forehead. “You’re still warm.”
“But I’m better.” She lifted a string of cutouts that Connie had taught her how to do earlier.
“If you’re so much better, then why aren’t you in any hurry to catch up on our school work remotely?”
Silent Scream (Bittersweet Series, Book 2) Page 16