Take My Breath Away

by Lari Smythe

  * * *

  The car ride to church was silent, strained. I could tell Mom was still upset. She wanted to trust me, but truthfully I hadn't given her much of a reason. As we stood for the last hymn, Mom slipped out of the pew to go downstairs and help with the coffee hour. I glanced around the sanctuary for Cathy. She winked when we made eye contact. The congregation bowed our heads for the benediction and then the service was over. I turned, but Cathy and her mother were already headed down the aisle toward the stairs at the back. Alex didn't attend church, so this was going to be my best shot without him around. No need for another incident. Despite his apology, it was pretty clear he hadn't completely forgotten about what happened at my house. Like mom said, 'who could blame him?'

  The crowd at coffee hour made it difficult to find Cathy. I drifted over to one of the stairs on the side of the stage for a higher vantage point, still no Cathy.

  "Hey."

  I looked down and Cathy was standing at the bottom of the stairs.

  "Hey," I said, retreating down the steps, "how are you?"

  "I'm fine. What do you want?"

  I looked around; realizing how close people were to us. It would be impossible to have a private conversation.

  Her gaze followed mine. "Oh, I see. Come with me."

  I followed her through a side door that led to the Sunday school classrooms. We both looked down the long hallway. Except for two ladies talking in the nursery it was quiet.

  "Do you need to talk to Izzy again?" she asked.

  "Not exactly—we hooked up last night. I owe you for that, I don't think I could have found her without you."

  Cathy's smile passed quickly. "What then?"

  "Before I ask, I need to know something."

  Cathy looked apprehensive. We both flinched as the door to the nursery opened and then banged shut. We stepped away from each other as a woman pushing a stroller began a hurried walk toward us. She smiled when I held the door for her and then, when the door closed, we were alone again.

  "What do you want to know?" Cathy asked.

  "Are you afraid of Izzy?"

  "Why?"

  "Are you afraid or her or not?"

  She thought for a tortuous moment before answering. "Yes."

  I reached for the doorknob, but she put her hand against the door stopping me from opening it.

  "I answered your question, now you answer mine. What do you want?"

  "Izzy needs your help."

  "My help?" she responded incredulously. "Seriously?"

  "She—well what she is— she's not—"

  "I know what she is, just say what you came to say." She sounded annoyed.

  "Okay, here goes. Izzy's not the only one, she has a family and she's separated from them and she doesn't know how to find them. We were wondering—"

  "I don't know, with you, well I know both of you, I'm not sure I can find someone I don't know."

  "Her father has a similar ability, like Izzy, would that help?"

  "It might, I just don't know."

  "I'm sure he must be worried about her, so he has to be thinking about her, so maybe if you can boost Izzy's thoughts out into the vast cosmos, they could find each other."

  Cathy smirked. "Vast cosmos, really?"

  "I don't know." I shrugged.

  "When? Where?"

  "Then you'll try?"

  "If you're there."

  "Sure, no problem. Daytime probably won't work, with Alex and your mom and all, can you get out of the house at night?"

  "I think so."

  Where, I pondered. Izzy's was no good; Cathy didn't need to know anymore than necessary. The soccer fields behind school closed at dark and were patrolled. The school had security cameras, so it was out. "I've got no clue as to where."

  "There's an old playhouse behind my house. I think it's big enough we can all fit."

  "What about your mom?"

  "It's under the canopy of a willow tree, so we'll be secluded."

  "Okay, what time works for you?"

  "I usually go to bed around 9:30 and Mom's in bed shortly after."

  "So say, 10:00 or 10:30?"

  "Better make it 10:30 just to be safe, sometimes Mom stays up to read."

  "Okay, tomorrow night then, at 10:30." I forgot myself and gave her a hug in appreciation. Just then, the door opened.

  "There you are," Cathy's mom said with a judgmental stare toward me.

  I quickly let go and stepped away from Cathy.

  "Hey, Mom, we were just catching up on school stuff."

  "I see." She didn't look or sound convinced. "It's time to go."

  "Okay, see you Jason."

  "I'll tell Izzy you said hi."

  "Izzy Faulkner?" Cathy's mom inquired. "How is she?"

  "Um, well, better," I said.

  "She's missed an awful lot of school, is she ill?"

  "But better."

  "Oh, I'm glad to hear that. When you see her, would you tell her I have her makeup work in the office?"

  "Sure, no problem."

  "Bye, Jason." Cathy pulled her mom through the doorway.