“No, you don’t. And I’m not mad at you.” He watched Rakel’s demeanor suddenly change, as if his words lifted a huge weight from her shoulders. Just minutes before he’d wanted her to walk away, to leave and never come back, but now . . .
He motioned to the chair beside his bed. “Would you like to—?”
“Sit?” She smiled. “Yes.” She scooted the chair closer, crossed her legs, and tucked a loose strand of blonde hair behind her ear. “I can’t stay, though. My dad is going to be home from work soon, and I didn’t tell him I was going anywhere.”
Zach had never been this close to her before, and even though her eyes were puffy from crying and her nose was running, he noticed just how beautiful she really was, behind the mask. He was seeing a completely different Rakel, and he liked what he saw.
“So, how much longer are you going to have to stay here?” Rakel asked.
“A while yet. They’re still running tests to make sure everything’s okay.”
“Everybody misses you at work. Ms. H was pretty upset at the whole thing, and Randy was, too. He thinks it was his fault because he asked you to go.” She looked down again. “Randy won’t even look at me anymore. He knows what I did.”
“If he stops by, I’ll talk to him, okay?” Zach said. Rakel nodded, but wouldn’t look at him. “Like I said,” he continued, “what’s done is done. It’s in the past, and all we can do is move forward. Right?”
Rakel leaned close and put her hand on his arm. Her fingers were long and delicate, her touch gentle. “Thank you for listening.”
He could smell her hair, clean and soft. The overhead lighting danced across each strand, shining like delicate threads of the purest gold. Zach suddenly had a little trouble catching his breath. The feelings were coming fast and furious, and he didn’t want them to stop. He smiled at her.
She smiled back. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
Zach didn’t expect what happened next. Rakel gently kissed him on the cheek.
He was speechless.
Rakel glanced down at her phone, checking the time. “I have to go.”
“Rakel?” Zach propped himself up on his elbows. He wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to say, but he felt he needed to say something before she left. “Can you, if it isn’t too much trouble, do you think you could—”
“Come see you again?” A broad smile crossed Rakel’s face. “Of course I can.”
*
In the weeks that followed as he recovered, Rakel’s hospital visits became regular, almost daily, and she stayed a little longer each time. They would talk for hours, and as time passed, their discussions became less and less about what had happened to Zach and more about the little things—favorite movies, funny moments, different likes and dislikes. They were getting to know one another.
For Zach, it seemed like a dream come true. All the years of being an outcast, of being ridiculed endlessly by his peers, trudging through life with little hope things would get better one day—all these things seemed, finally, to be coming to an end.
With each visit, parting became more and more difficult, for both of them. He looked forward to seeing her every day, and couldn’t wait to get out of the hospital so he could start spending more time with her outside of the confines of his hospital room. He was falling for her, and from what he could tell, the feeling was mutual.
Each night he dreamed of a lovely young woman. He would gaze longingly into her beautiful blue eyes, feeling as if he were looking through the windows to her soul. Behind those eyes, he saw a need, a want that only he could fill.
The woman was Rakel.
And Zach was falling in love.
He was also, for the first time since he was a little boy, completely alone.
16
“Peyton? Are you out there?”
“Yeah, I’m here, Justine.” Peyton sat on the wooden porch swing, her legs tucked underneath her, slowly swaying back and forth. The sky had taken on a purple hue as the last waning rays from the sun dissolved into twilight. The first stars were beginning to twinkle, barely visible in the east.
Justine stepped outside into the mild early evening air. To Peyton, her aunt still resembled the woman she remembered from her collection of pictures; only a few strands of gray and some wrinkles around her eyes marked the passage of time. She also bore a striking resemblance to Peyton’s mother, but life had been much kinder to Justine than to her older sister.
“It’s getting kind of chilly out here, don’t you think?” Justine asked, hugging herself and pretending to shiver.
“It’s so nice.”
“It is pretty, isn’t it?” Justine put her hand on Peyton’s shoulder. “Wait until you hear it out here in the summertime, Peyton. The crickets are chirping, the frogs are croaking, it’s like a symphony.”
Peyton knew Justine wasn’t her real mother, but the loving touch on her shoulder was something she had yearned for, for so many years. Sadly, physical affection had died in Peyton’s house when she was still a child. The simple touch from her aunt was something to be cherished.
“How’s school going?” Justine asked.
“It’s fine,” Peyton answered. “I met with my guidance counselor this afternoon, and he helped me figure out what I’d need to do to make sure I graduated on time. He didn’t think it would be a problem, because almost all my credits transferred from my old school. He also said my grades were good enough to get into college if I wanted to go.”
“Peyton, that’s wonderful. Speaking of school, don’t you think it’s getting kind of late? Tomorrow morning is going to come earlier than you think. Let’s head in, kiddo.”
They went inside and Justine closed the door behind them. “Good night, Peyton,” she said. “See you in the morning, honey.”
“G’night, Justine.”
As Peyton walked up the stairs toward her room, she felt a slight rush of emotions, an overwhelming sense of familiarity, like a gentle buzz under the skin, never painful but definitely there. From the first moment she arrived in Twin Creek and stepped through the front door of this house, she had a strange feeling she had been here before. It, and the town, had instantly felt so much like home.
Justine and Rick’s house was small and well cared for. It was an older two-story Colonial, painted white with dark green trim and shutters. Oak hardwood floors ran throughout the house, buffed to a lustrous glow. The dining room, family room, and living room were all on the main floor, with three bedrooms upstairs. The house was clean and organized, but not insanely so. It felt comfortable, warm, and welcoming.
Along with the house, everywhere else she had gone in Twin Creek had felt like turning the pages in an old, favorite book that she had read many times before. It was an odd sensation, but she was happy here, and Peyton figured that was explanation enough.
She was lucky to have Rick and Justine Harmon in her life. Seeing two people so much in love, who were willing to share that love with someone they barely knew, filled her full of hope. It was heartening to know there really were good people in this world who knew that love, kisses, hugs and kind words were much more powerful than hate, a clenched fist, and a leather belt could ever be.
She turned off her light, and crawled into bed.
Peyton liked Twin Creek.
It would be a nice place to live.
*
The face in the mirror was getting older.
Thin lines etched his skin from the corners of his eyes and his mouth, and his hair was beginning to gray at the temples. He couldn’t do anything about the age lines, but he could change other things. He had kept this look for too long.
He had been on the run ever since that day in Twin Creek, always staying out of the reach of the authorities, just one—and sometimes two—steps ahead of them. Changing his appearance now and then was part of the routine. It had worked so far.
He shaved his mustache, and picked up a pair of electric clippers. In a matter of minutes, he had completely transformed his app
earance. Tomorrow, he would change his identity as well. He would find a job, preferably at a local gas station or car wash, a place that didn’t ask too many questions on a job application, and paid just enough to get by. He knew he could supplement his income by exploring some of the large houses dotting the outskirts of Lincoln—rich bastards making more money that they’d ever need, probably sitting behind some fancy desk tapping on a keyboard controlling other people’s lives. Like his.
He enjoyed stopping in college towns. It was always easy to get the things he needed. Drugs? False ID? No sweat. There was a whole industry in towns like this to feed the needs of college students playing with Mommy and Daddy’s money.
He wiped the hair from the sink with a handful of wet toilet paper, threw the mess in the rust-stained toilet, and stood back from the sink to admire his new appearance. He was pleased with the transformation. “Yeah, there you go, you are one mean-looking son of a bitch, aren’t you,” he said to himself.
He grabbed his shirt, slipped on his coat, and headed out the door to a bar down the street from his hotel. He knew he would find the right sort of people there. People willing to help him, for a price. He slammed the door behind him.
In the empty hotel room, the temperature began to drop.
Flies appeared from the darkness, small and black, the bearers of disease, the devourers of dead flesh. They signaled an arrival.
In the shadows there came a presence, a presence that had been watching, listening. From the dark back alleys, it listened; from the mind’s eye of a stranger, it watched; from the shadowy, blurred edges of peripheral vision, it lurked.
A new game was afoot, another battle in the endless struggle between him and the one with whom he grappled. But it wasn’t endless, not anymore. There was an end to this game. He could feel it.
The walls of the hotel room shook with a dirty, unclean shudder, as the Traveler laughed.
For now, it was satisfied. Its pawn was in place, ready to move again, if needed.
The room grew quiet again as he slipped away.
The Traveler had other, more pressing matters to attend to.
17
The sunshine felt wonderful. It seemed like ages since he last stood in the sun, as he’d been stuck in the hospital for weeks on end recovering from his injury. The sun was bright and warm, one of those odd February days in Nebraska when the temperature would soar into the mid-seventies for a week or so before Old Man Winter would return. It was a beautiful day, not only because of the weather but because Zach was finally on his way home.
“We’re so glad to be getting you home again,” Zach’s mother said as they walked toward the car. “We’re having a big family dinner to celebrate.”
“That sounds great, Mom.” It really did sound great. There was a time when he truly hated family get-togethers. He always felt uncomfortable around his two sisters—they were successful in life, and he’d tried to end his. But now, things were different. The day had finally come when he could stop being the kid in the family with all the problems, and start living his life instead of fearing it.
*
As they drove out of the hospital’s parking lot, Zach’s mother said, “Cora Hastings has been calling the house. She said they’re all looking forward to seeing you back at work again. She wants you to give her a call, when you’re ready.”
Linda had definitely noticed a change in Zach over the past few weeks. He seemed much more confident, much more . . . well, normal. But she wasn’t ready to accept it, not just yet. She wasn’t sure he was ready to return to work, to be thrown back into the real world with people who did not know her son like she did. After all, she was his mother.
But now, she had a helper.
She met the girl in the hospital hallway and had taken an immediate liking to her. She could tell she cared for her son. Linda trusted Rakel Anders. She seemed like such a likable girl, and Linda thought she might be exactly what her son needed to finally, fully recover.
*
Zach stared out the car window, the sun warm on his face. The colors seemed brighter, more alive than ever. “I’ll call Ms. H tomorrow, Mom. I can’t wait to get back to work. I was getting sick and tired of sitting on my rear and not doing anything. I want to get back to school, too.”
“Well, don’t rush it. You’ve been through a lot.” Linda stared straight ahead, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. Zach could see the concern on her face.
“I know, Mom, but don’t worry.” He wasn’t sure how to convince his mother that he’d changed, but he did know she shouldn’t be afraid ever again on his account.
As they pulled into the driveway, Zach smiled when he saw a banner hanging from the front of the house. In big block letters it spelled, WELCOME HOME, ZACH!
“It was your dad’s idea,” Linda said. “He worked on it for days.” She turned off the car and patted Zach’s arm. “Let’s go in.”
As Zach stepped through the front door, his dad gave him a bear hug. Tom held his son tightly. “Welcome home, son,” he said. There were tears in his eyes.
“It feels great to be home, Dad.” The house hadn’t changed a bit since he’d been gone, but it felt more like home now than it ever had, especially with both of his sisters waiting just inside the door.
His sister Sammy was holding her arms out wide. “Hey, Zachy.” She planted a big kiss on his cheek, and hugged him tightly.
He hugged her back. “It’s good to see you, too, Sammy.”
Liz was next in line. “Come here, little brother.” She kissed him and gave him a hug, and then stood back to admire him. “You look great, Zach. You really do.”
“Thanks, Liz,” Zach said. His two older sisters were carbon copies of each other; both about five foot two, reddish-brown hair cut shoulder length, and large, bright green eyes. Even though they’d been born three years apart, they could still pass for twins. The only difference today was the red Nebraska Huskers sweatshirt Liz was wearing, and Sammy’s black and gold Iowa Hawkeyes sweatshirt, a little cross-state family rivalry.
“I’ve got a surprise in the kitchen for you,” Linda said, a definite twinkle in her eyes.
“What is it?” Zach asked.
“Go see for yourself.”
Zach figured it was probably one of his mother’s famous chocolate fudge swirl cakes—his favorite. He thought he’d smelled it when he first came in the house. He walked back to the kitchen, and he was right; there was a cake, but that wasn’t the surprise.
Rakel was waiting for him. In her hands she held a single red rose. “Hi, Zach.”
“Rakel? How did you—?”
She held one finger up to her lips and whispered, “Shh.” She put her arms around his shoulders, and kissed him on the lips. “Welcome home, Zach.”
She was wearing a knee-length black dress with matching black pumps, and had a small gold chain around her neck. “Rakel, you look beautiful,” Zach said.
Her smile was radiant. “Thanks.” She looked down at her feet, shyly, and then looked up again. “I wanted to look nice for you.”
Zach’s heart felt like it was ready to beat its way out of his chest. He’d fallen for Rakel. Fallen hard. “Nothing could make this day any more perfect than having you here,” he said. He hugged her, and then kissed her. She kissed him back.
Linda entered the kitchen. “Well, aren’t you going to say anything about the surprise?”
“Mom, how did you know about Rakel?” He hadn’t told either of his parents about her.
Linda feigned a look of confusion, and said, “Rakel? Is that her name? I don’t know who this girl is. I was talking about the cake.”
“Oh, the cake. It was a great surprise, Mom.” He winked at his mother.
“Now, as far as she is concerned,” Linda said, “she happens to be the person who made that cake.”
“You did?” Zach asked.
“Yeah, your mom said it was one of your favorites,” Rakel said.
“Okay, now,” Zac
h said, curious as to how Rakel and his mother had met. “How did you meet each other?”
“At the hospital. Did you actually think I wouldn’t notice a girl coming to visit you all the time, Zachy?”
Rakel giggled. “Zachy? That’s cute.”
Zach felt heat flush his face. “No, it isn’t cute,” he said, smiling at Rakel. He turned to his mom and said, “Thanks a lot, Mom.”
“It’s one of the duties of a mother to embarrass her children. Rakel, hon, could you help me get dinner up?”
“Sure, Mrs. Regan.” Rakel handed the rose to Zach and stepped to the stove to help.
“Go talk to your sisters for a minute while we get dinner done,” Linda said.
Rakel looked over her shoulder and grinned as she carried a stack of dinner plates to the dining room.
Zach was awestruck. Everything about Rakel made his heart sing. She belongs here, Zach thought. Rakel had become part of his family, and she fit in perfectly. He walked out to the living room and joined his sisters, who were sitting together on the couch.
“So, Zach, do you like the surprise Mom set up for you?” Sammy asked. Both she and Liz looked extremely pleased with themselves for being able to keep the secret.
“You guys knew about it too, huh? Thanks for the warning.” The way his sisters were both smiling, Zach knew they’d accepted Rakel, too.
“Mom’s been talking about her for weeks,” Liz said. “She really is something, Zach. How did you meet her?”
“We both work at Kayman’s. We’ve known each other for a while, but I guess we really didn’t start to really get to know each other until the last month or so.”
“We met her at the hospital,” Sammy said. “She seems so nice.” She paused to wink at her brother. “She’s quite a looker, Zachy boy.”
“Dinner’s ready,” Linda called from the dining room.
Zach sat next to Rakel, who looked perfectly at home sitting with his family. He was right—she did belong here.
“Time for grace,” Tom said. “I’m hungry, let’s eat. Amen. Pass the grub.”
Zach couldn’t believe how happy he felt. He was back in his home, surrounded by his family, and beside him was a girl he was hopelessly in love with. He looked at Rakel, and she turned to meet his gaze. They stared into each other’s eyes, and Zach knew something bigger than the both of them had brought them together.
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