“Well, thanks.”
“Of course I don't mean you're a liability. I just don't think mind reading is an asset.”
“Uh-huh.” I grinned when I heard his frustrated sigh. He was good at digging himself into holes, when he was nervous.
“You know what I mean, Kate. A Seer is valuable enough to a mission without stopping to read minds. And the resulting passing out sensation could be pretty problematic, if we were in a dangerous situation.”
“I guess my grandpa did say that it's more of an accidental thing. I mean, it's the first time it's happened to me, and he made it sound like it had only happened to him once, in his whole career.”
“And he did say that most Seers aren't susceptible.”
I nodded, not that he could see. “Should we tell Toni?” I asked.
Patrick's answer was immediate. “Only if you want to be teased about fainting.”
“Fair point. Let's not tell him.”
“Agreed. If you'd like, though, you could discuss it with Terence when he comes. As a supervisor, I'm sure he knows of it. He may be able to answer some of our questions.”
I blew out my breath. “Tell me something, Patrick. How much strange can you handle in a girlfriend? Because I just keep getting weirder and weirder.”
“I think as long as you're my girlfriend, I can handle anything—regardless of how strange.”
I was grateful for Friday morning to arrive. After the long week, and most recently yesterday's mind reading, I was more than ready for a weekend. Both my grandpa and Patrick had urged me not to worry about the experience, so I was trying to follow their advice. But it was hard not to. I'd seen my parents, after all. True, they hadn't looked quite right because they were so much younger than I remembered. But still. It hadn't been until I was lying in bed, trying to find sleep, when my eyes had filled with tears. I'd seen my parents, and they'd looked so happy.
I wondered if I'd ever get over their loss.
As soon as we'd dropped the twins off at school, I asked Lee how her night had gone. I'd noticed that her aura was still tinged with brown and gray, but the red that had become so common in her had mostly disappeared—a few thin wisps were all that remained. I hoped that meant good news.
Lee cast me a level look, and her tone was even. “Kate, I know you already know.”
“I can see some colors—I want you to tell me what happened.”
She sighed, then shrugged once. “He was really polite. He tried to be understanding… I don't know. It went better than I expected. There was only one sort of weird thing that happened…”
I waited, sending her a couple glances while I drove.
Finally she spoke, eyes focused out the front window. “Sometimes when I talk to you, your eyes don't quite reach mine. I know you're looking at my aura. Well… Peter Keegan would do the same thing. It made me feel really weird.” She turned to me, meeting my fast look. “I think maybe he's psychic too,” she admitted.
Patrick listened to every quick word I told him, and I kept glancing around to be sure we were still alone in the American Lit classroom.
When I finished, Patrick considered shortly before speaking. “Lee thinks he might be a Seer?”
“She used the term psychic.”
He shook his head slowly. “Kate, I don't think you have anything to fear. According to Lee, her mother has been dating this man for several months. Their relationship can't be connected to you because you haven't been a Seer for that long.”
I sighed and placed a hand over my eyes, rubbing wearily. “I know. You're right. I just… everything seems so complicated lately, and I feel like every stranger is working for the Demon Lord.”
Patrick reached out a hand to kindly massage my shoulder. “It's all right. You've been through a lot, Kate. You're entitled to some paranoia.”
I dropped my hand from my face to regard him. “I have an excuse to go crazy? Is that what you're telling me?”
His lips twisted into a small smile. “You're not crazy, Kate. You're being cautious. And I'm glad that you are. It makes my job easier.”
I blew out my breath while straightening, and his hand fell back to his desk. “You're right. I'm being irrational. This man is a Seer—and maybe he's not even that. Lee couldn't be sure.”
“Are you going to be all right at Lee's house tonight? If you want, I can come along—no one would see me.”
“Unless Peter Keegan is a Seer.”
“Then we'd know, I guess.” He shrugged. “I'll call Terence if you'd like—see if he knows anything about this man.”
I shook my head. “Don't worry about it. I overreacted. I'm going to treat tonight like it is—a chance to meet my best friend's mother's new boyfriend.”
“Because that makes it so much less complicated,” Patrick joked.
“I guess I could just try reading his mind… Kidding, of course,” I added when I caught his stern look.
I noticed his left hand on the desk, stretching out again, as if fighting numbness. He saw my stare and quickly shifted his hand beneath the desk. “I'm fine, Kate. Just stiff.”
Aaron walked in, and Patrick seemed grateful for the interruption. Normally, I don't think I would have been so concerned about his hand. But after hearing strange rumors and meeting a crazy Guardian, I was starting to feel the first twinges of worry. Not that Patrick was going to let me do anything about it, of course.
Lee is nothing like her mother, Jeanette Pearson. While Lee is somewhat eccentric—all right, really eccentric—her mother is probably the calmest, most easygoing person on the planet. She never wore anything too bright, and she always dressed with class. A tee shirt and sneakers? Never. Black dress shirts, white blouses, and dressy slacks made up her wardrobe. Maybe it was because she worked so hard at the office, so she'd just grown comfortable in the fancier clothes. In any case, seeing them on the street you wouldn't think they were mother and daughter by the way they acted and dressed.
Jeanette Pearson kept a clean house. Or maybe I was just used to living with two younger sisters. She also liked things to be planned and executed perfectly, so I was sure to arrive ten minutes early for dinner.
I parked on the street, since there was already a car in the driveway. A new-looking Mini Cooper, red with white stripes and a black top. It wasn't exactly what I'd pictured Peter Keegan driving, but I wasn't really sure what I'd expected. The Batmobile? I had no reason to think that he was anything special or anyone to be worried about. I needed to stop jumping to dramatic conclusions. Patrick was right—even if he was a Seer, Peter Keegan didn't know about me. There was nothing to be nervous about.
Lee opened the front door for me, looking relieved that I was here. I could hear the sound of muted laughter coming from the back of the house, but Lee's clothes were so bright I could hardly squint a look behind her. “Hey, thanks for coming,” she said, pulling the door wider.
I stepped into the small entryway and gave her a fast hug. “Happy to be here.”
She patted my back once, then pulled away to close the door. “He's already been here for a half hour. Came early to help her cook.”
“That's nice of him.”
She frowned, her orange lips stretching. “Or devious. What if he only wants to look like a nice person?” she grabbed my hand. “I need you. Check out his aura. When I excuse myself to go to the bathroom, follow me one minute later.”
“Yes, sir, major general,” I mocked, letting her pull me across the room. I dropped my purse onto one of the huge pillows as we walked by the couch.
Lee dragged me back to the kitchen, where she gave me a last warning look to pay attention before pushing the swinging door open and stepping inside. I followed her, my eyes sweeping over the room, trying to take in everything at once.
Mrs. Pearson was standing over the stove, stirring around the taco meat that was nearly done. She was wearing black pants and high heels—big surprise—with a white, loose-fitting blouse. Her hair was a long bob that curled under about
halfway down her long neck. It was dark blonde—similar to my own, only thicker.
Lee stepped to the side, and I got my first look at Peter Keegan.
He was human, as I'd established, the day I'd seen him at the school. The gold lining around his body was proof of that. There was no telling if he was a Seer or not. The colors around his body weren't threatening either, and I felt myself relaxing. Small yellow clouds surrounded him, connected with a thick strand of blue. I could see some gray depression—more than in the average person, but somehow that made sense. A middle-aged man, still single and alone. That could be explained. I saw no anger, nothing that screamed for me to confront him or run. A little green—the smallest hint of purple jealousy. (Maybe he was jealous of Lee? The attention she got? Who knew?)
In short, he looked like a completely normal person.
He was slicing olives on a white cutting board, and it looked like he'd just finished dicing some tomatoes. His back was to the room, and he was glancing out the back window while he worked. That didn't seem exactly safe, but stupidity wasn't exactly a crime.
He was wearing the brown suit he'd worn in the schoolyard, and I could just see the dark-purple tie he wore. It added a splash of color that marked him as someone who wanted to enjoy life, and I felt that my first instincts about him were right—he wasn't anyone to fear.
Lee's mom was just turning toward the door, and Mr. Keegan was only a second behind her. “Kate!” Jeanette cried happily, her mood still exuberant from whatever they'd been laughing at before Lee and I had intruded. “I'm so glad you could make it. Peter—” She threw him a glance and then waved toward me. “This is Kate Bennett—Lee's best friend. She's like a second daughter to me.”
Mr. Keegan set the knife aside and reached for a towel lying on the table. He dried off his fingers, a smile on his surprisingly handsome face. There were laugh lines around his eyes, but he was probably barely forty. His hair was still dark black and thick, and his eyes were bright with life. Still holding the towel, he stepped toward me, holding out his free hand in the same motion.
“It's a pleasure to meet you, Kate.”
I took his hand, shaking it firmly. “Mr. Keegan, it's good to meet you too.”
“None of that—just Peter, please.”
I nodded, and our hands fell apart mutually.
Jeanette was smiling widely, and the yellow of her aura was almost overwhelming. She was glowing as brightly as Lee's pants. “Would you girls mind setting the table? We'll have this ready by the time you're done.”
“Sure, Mom,” Lee said, and we both crossed the kitchen to the cabinets. Peter Keegan retook up the story he'd been telling, at Jeanette Pearson's insistence, and soon they were both laughing again.
Lee and I gathered the appropriate dishes and carried them out to the dining room. Once the kitchen door fell closed behind us, Lee sent me a look. “Change of plans—forget the bathroom break. What does he look like to you?”
“Well, I don't think he's a murderer. At least, he's not planning on it anytime soon.” I set down the stack of plates I carried, and Lee set down the glasses.
“You're saying he's perfectly harmless?”
I shrugged and started setting the plates around the table. “He looks fine, aura-wise. What did you expect me to find?”
“I don't know. I thought maybe… maybe he'd have a silver aura, like Patrick. Something different about him, you know?” I didn't say anything right away and finally Lee sighed. “He's pretty normal, huh?”
“I'm afraid so.”
She just shook her head. “I guess I just wanted something to be wrong with him. That's dumb, huh?”
“Not at all.”
She sighed. “I'm going to get some forks.”
“I'm sorry, Lee.”
“Don't be. I guess it's a good thing he's a good guy. Not a loser like everyone else she's dated. I'll be right back.” She returned to the kitchen, and I continued to set the table alone, wondering what on earth I could say to make her feel better.
Dinner was great. The food was excellent, and Peter Keegan was entertaining. He didn't hog the conversation, but he put a lot of energy into everything he said. I helped him make the connection between me and my sisters, and he seemed to warm up to me even more after that.
“They're both great girls,” he told me. “Josie can be a handful, but she's got spirit. And Jenna… she's easily the top of the class.”
“She's always been really smart,” I agreed.
Mrs. Pearson spoke from her side of the table. “Doesn't Josie have a soccer game tomorrow?”
I nodded. “A pretty big tournament, apparently. They're playing three different games—four if they win at least two of the first ones.”
Jeanette Pearson smiled sadly. “I would love to come watch, but I have to go into work tomorrow. Computer problems—can't live with ’em, can't live without ’em.”
“I'll cheer extra loud for you,” Lee told her mother.
“Do you think I could tag along?” Peter asked. “I'm not doing anything else.”
I wasn't sure who he was asking—me or Lee—but I answered for the both of us, hoping Lee wouldn't care. “If you don't mind sitting in the sun for a few hours, you're welcome to be there.”
He cast me a grateful smile, and that's when I noticed his eyes flicker to the top of my head. I instinctively knew what he was looking for—my aura. Lee was right—Peter Keegan was very possibly a Seer.
I just wasn't sure if I should be worried, relieved, or even care at all.
If nothing else, Lee looked a lot more at ease with Peter by the time I was ready to leave. I hoped that she was. Because as far as I could tell, Peter Keegan was a great guy.
On the drive back to my house, I called Patrick to let him know that everything had gone great. I told him that Peter was most likely a Seer, but whatever he was, he was super friendly. Patrick sounded pleased but distracted, and when I asked him about it, he said he just had a headache. I told him to get some rest, and I know he could hear the worry in my voice. I wasn't trying to hide it. He assured me that everything was fine, and then he promised to meet me at the soccer field at nine the next morning. Reluctantly, I said good-bye, wishing I could tell him to take some aspirin or something.
I rode in my grandparents’ van with them to the elementary school, where Josie would to be playing. I'd considered calling Patrick when I woke up, just to check in and make sure he was feeling better. But in the end, I'd decided against placing the call. I was overreacting, and I knew he didn't appreciate it. So I decided to be the cool girlfriend and just see him at the field.
Josie was wearing her soccer uniform, looking as serious as she always did before a game. Jenna wasn't a big sports fan, so she'd brought her backpack with books, a notebook, and other miscellaneous things to keep her entertained. Pure habit forced me to snatch up a novel I'd been trying to forge through for weeks now, but I had little intention of actually opening it. Ever since I'd met Demons and Guardians, fiction had lost a lot of its appeal.
Grandpa was driving, and Grandma kept ordering him to slow down because he was speeding. He made some random excuses, mostly to distract her so he didn't have to let up on the gas. It was the same thing that always seemed to happen when we drove anywhere together, and we were all pretty used to it by now.
As soon as we parked, Josie slid open the long door, and Grandma wished her luck. My sister usually had a red streak in her aura—her competitive edge—but in anticipation of the important tournament, red was her dominant color. I imagined that most people would be overwhelmed by such intense emotions, but the blue and yellow that swirled around her assured me that Josie thrived on days like these.
She was a mystery to me and the rest of my family.
Josie was already across the parking lot by the time the rest of us had unloaded ourselves from the van, but she didn't seem to mind being alone. She was focused on the game already, which wouldn't start for at least another fifteen minutes.
We sat on the home side, halfway up the bleachers. I sat on the end, and we spaced out to save spaces for Lee, Peter Keegan, and Patrick. I pushed on some sunglasses and opened my book, trying to keep from worrying about Patrick and failing horribly.
A few minutes before the game started, I glanced up to see Lee and Peter Keegan climbing up the bleachers toward us. Lee was laughing at something Peter had said, and he looked both pleased and relieved that she was beginning to warm up to him.
Jenna glanced up and grimaced. “Wow, she's bright. Good thing I've got my shades, or I'd be blind right now. Is orange week over after today?” I nodded, and my sister sighed. “Good. Orange is just… too orange.”
“She's going out with a bang,” I agreed. She'd worn some bright pants up to this point, but these shorts were neon all the way.
It wasn't until they were almost to us that Jenna finally realized who was walking behind her. She blinked rapidly, her mouth hanging open. Peter was wearing khaki shorts that reached his knees and a white polo shirt. He was also in flip-flops and wearing sunglasses. He looked very un-teacher-like, so I understood how she'd missed him at first.
“Mr. K,” she muttered, completely shocked and bordering on disturbed.
They were close enough to have heard that, and Lee laughed as they stepped up the last couple rows.
Peter Keegan just looked up at my sister and smiled kindly. “Hello, Jenna. How are you doing today?”
“Um, good,” she stumbled out, a little awkwardly.
Grandma and Grandpa were looking this way now, and Peter Keegan leaned over me and Jenna to shake Grandpa's hand. “Hello, I'm Peter Keegan—I teach here at the elementary school.”
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