by L. Ann Marie
Throwing the shorts on I stuff the pillow under my head and pull the blanket on. It’s been a hell of a day. Holly is here, Jacob moved in, old ladies showed, Jeremy did his Jeremy thing, dinners are made for a while and my dad was here. I smile and doze.
***
It takes a second for me to register what I’m hearing. Jesus! I jump and run with my heart pounding. My boy doesn’t scream. In his room I lift him up, he’s crying and screams again. What the fuck? I look at him everything looks perfect when his little fingers grab my arm he lets out another scream and I hear Holly. I put him against me and get to her. She makes a weird scream sound as I get to the side of the bed and Mucimi screams with her. Fuck! Mucimi’s little fingers are pinching my arm.
I sit on the bed holding him with one arm tight against me and touch her shoulder. “Holly. It’s just a dream Holly.” They let out a scream that has all the hair on my body standing up. Fuckin’ hell!
Dakota walks through the door shocking the hell out of me and throwing a calm over me. “Let me hold him while you wake Holly. He is feeling what she is.”
I give him Mucimi and shake her awake. She’s not seeing me and screams that weird sound then Mucimi screams. “Holly, it’s Brantley. You’re safe here.” I move the hair from her face and look at Mucimi. My boy doesn’t cry. He doesn’t scream. What the fuck? She cries and I lift her up. “Just a dream Holly.”
She grabs on to me like Mucimi did. I keep talking to her, but I’m watching Mucimi. He’s calming down watching Holly. His breath hitches, but he’s not making crying or hurt sounds anymore. When she calms I put her down. She’s asleep. How the fuck can she sleep after all that? I reach for Mucimi; Dakota moves him like he’s glass. He holds my shoulder and the world rights itself throwing relief on me. My boy. I kiss his head and start to walk, but Dakota tells me he needs to stay here.
Like hell. “I don’t want him anywhere close to that again Dakota. He’s never cried before and I never want to hear that hurt noise again.”
“Then you will lay him beside her. He keeps the pain from her.”
“What?”
“She did not have terrors in the hospital because Mucimi kept her calm. Put him beside her Brother. I will explain once they are both peacefully asleep.”
I look in his eyes. He’s serious. “He’s not hurt?”
“No. He is anxious right now, but not hurt. Trust me Brantley. I would not ever put Mucimi in harm’s way.”
I put him on the side of Holly and her hand moves to him. I see his little body relax. Dakota touches his head over Holly. I can’t leave him on the bed like this so I get pillows and slide them under the blanket telling myself he’s good over and over. Once he’s blocked in, I’m out of things to keep my mind busy. My boy screaming in pain will be etched on my brain forever. Fuck. I stand at the door watching. My phone beeps and I swipe Jeremy on, not at all surprised he’s calling me this late. “Tell me he’s not in pain,” I say softly.
“No.”
“Je he screamed in pain. He doesn’t hurt does he? It’s just her feelings.” He doesn’t answer and I take a step in the room. He can’t feel her pain. He’s just a baby. I’m not leaving him to feel that again. Fuck that.
“Stop!” he yells. I know he’s crying. Fuck.
“Tell me. Tell me what I need to know Jeremy. I can’t leave my son to feel pain. I need to understand or he isn’t anywhere close to her.”
“Like Aubrey. He heals.”
Like Aubrey he heals. Aubrey does heal. So Mucimi will heal. That doesn’t have anything to do with him feeling pain.
Dakota walks toward me and puts his hand out for the phone. Since I can’t get whatever the fuck Jeremy is saying I give it to him. “You need to call with someone to talk for you. He does not understand and you are too upset to explain.” He listens then looks at me. “I can see there is a problem with Jacob here and Christian at the reservation. When I get home I will jump with you and see if the ancestors can help.”
He hands me the phone back and keeps walking. I stay in the doorway. “I’m not leaving him Dakota.”
He stops and smiles. “You are right Brother. If mine screamed in pain I would not leave him and want to know what is happening that hurt my son.”
I don’t move or say a word. Years of Jeremy has trained me to be patient.
“Mucimi is similar to Aubrey in abilities. There was a time when Aubrey learned love and felt the pain of her mother. Do you remember when Marty needed surgery?”
“Oh fuck. I do now.” My thumb and finger go in my eyes. Jeremy was a fuckin’ mess that day. Aubrey passed out from the pain and I had to get Marty away from her. “Fuck!” I walk through the door and Dakota is in front of me. “Aubrey passed out from the pain. I need to get him away from her.”
“No Brantley. Aubrey did not know how to bridge the pain and heal. Mucimi feels Holly’s love and heals her. He will learn to project, but he cannot do that yet.”
I stop trying to get around him. “He heals her, but can’t project?”
He moves me back. “Right now he feels your anxiety. I will explain, but we need to let him focus on Holly.”
I lean against the wall outside the door and hold my fingers to my eyes. “Aubrey and Jeremy don’t feel the pain anymore.”
“They do, but it is more like a drain to Aubrey. Jeremy has learned to bridge the pain and heal without the drain he once felt. Very rarely does he need to send the energy through others.”
“Mucimi knows how to do that now? He’s not even four months old Dakota.”
“Justice and Aquyà taught Stella sign language. Stella played games on an iPad before she was one. Teller and Phoenix project to anyone they are around including the dogs. Yes, Mucimi will learn to project to heal and he will do it young. The abilities are stronger and we have a better understanding of them. We are not playing catch up anymore Brantley. We have the foresight to help them learn how to use what they are given.”
I wipe my hand down my face and look at him. “So for him not to feel her pain he has to be close enough to heal it?” All I’m looking for here is a way to keep that pain from my son.
He puts his hand on my shoulder. “Yes Brother. That is as simple as you can put it.” I feel his energy rolling through me. “You’re calming me so he can do that without feeling my nervousness?” He nods. “I need a fuckin’ drink.” I walk away trying to figure out how the fuck not to feel nervous when Mucimi screams in pain. I sit at the table with the bottle and two glasses. “What pain was she feeling?” It dawns on me she was making the weird sound because she can’t fully open her mouth.
“She has had night terrors since her mother died. Tonight they changed to the attack on her. Reliving moments in the car when the pussy told her he would carve her up and send her to the Princes piece by piece, then sliced her body as if to prove it.”
“Holy fuck.” Night terrors? “How did her mother die that she has night terrors?”
“When she was seven her mother was hit by a car during a police chase. The car went out of control and killed two people on the sidewalk. Holly watched her mother die still holding her hand.”
“Jesusfuckinchrist. I don’t know if she’s better off with the new nightmares or worse.”
“With Jeremy and Tess we tried to dull that memory. It is deeply ingrained in her because she has relived it for so long. Mucimi helped her in the hospital, but we did not think about when he was too far away from her. Our understanding makes this easier, but we do not see everything.”
That explains why Jeremy was upset when he was with her. I thought it was Jacob leaving.
“You are right. He is concerned that Mucimi is alone here to learn how to use his abilities. Tess pointed out that we cannot do this for him or he will not learn. I am close and will do what I can to help, but I agree with Tess. If he does not learn he will be open to pain longer.”
Sonofabitch. “That’s a fuck of a decision to make. He’s a fuckin’ baby!”
He
nods. “As a father I agree, but I would want my son to feel as little as possible. It is inevitable that he will feel pain. I would do anything I could to make that less.”
What the fuck can I do here? I down my shot and stand looking out the slider. He’s going to get it no matter what. I need to give him what he needs to deal as quickly as possible. “Can the kids help him?” I ask without looking at him.
“Yes. When they are together they are throwing pictures and thoughts back and forth.”
“I’ll make sure he’s at daycare every day. What else can I do here Dakota? How do I make it less for him?”
His hand is on my shoulder. “Understanding the process and your quick thinking will be enough to get him through. Do not try to shield him or this will take longer.”
“Yeah.” Fuck.
“I will see him every day at the daycare. I am charting the kids to help us all have a clearer picture of what their abilities are. I will keep you informed if things change or step in if I am needed.”
I nod. “Thanks Brother. I need all the fuckin’ help I can get.”
“You are doing fine Brantley.” His hand moves and I hear the door close.
It hits me he just walked in when I needed him again. Thank fuck for the Brotherhood. I don’t know how this would play without it.
I call Jeremy. “I think Dakota and Tess are right Je. We need to let him learn so it passes quickly. I never want him in pain, but if it has to be, I want it as little as possible.”
“Yeah.”
“I need your help to keep my shit together while that happens.”
“Mucimi Brantley. I will help.”
“Love ya Jeremy.”
“Kuwômôyush.”
I swipe him off and pace. I can do this. When I feel like I’m going to drop, I put the bottle away and climb in the bed on the other side of Mucimi. His hand finds my arm making me smile. He knows even in sleep. I move and hold his hand. I don’t want him feeling it, but I hope he can help Holly. What a fuckin’ nightmare her life has been. Since she was seven. Shit.
Chapter Seven
Holly
I open my eyes and jump then grab my stomach and hold my breath. Holy crap that hurts.
Mucimi touches my face. He’s watching me and I try to smile. That hurts too so I just lean on his hand. “Morning happy boy,” I whisper, getting a smile. I love this kid.
“Morning,” Brantley says with his voice full of sleep and his eyes only halfway open. Oh my God he’s sexy in the morning. My breath catches and I cough feeling it pull on my stomach, back and face. I moan. He sits up fast and I see his chest and stomach and cough again. Crap, crap, crap. Holy hell I want to die. I’m glad I got to see his body before I do. Mucimi cries and Brantley puts him closer to me then turns away. What the heck? I catch my breath and try to relax telling myself people don’t die from seeing hot guys.
When he stands up I see his back and try to hold my breath. He has tattoos on his back and arm. I watch him move and see the open skin tattoo on his chest with Mucimi’s name on the heart inside of it and I’m coughing again. Tattoos can kill, I tell myself.
I close my eyes and try to breathe and relax without looking at anymore of his body. Mucimi’s cries stop and Brantley turns me putting Mucimi on me then lifts us both up. Oh my God! I’m against his perfect, sexy, naked body. I don’t open my eyes and keep breathing putting my arm around Mucimi.
“I have some water if you need it,” he says softly.
The sexy is out of his voice so I chance opening my eyes. Damn he’s still sexy and I’m in his arms with my face so close to his chest. I need to get off him before I do something ridiculous like lick him. I try to move and his arms tighten around me.
“Stay still and relax.”
Has he not looked in the mirror lately? Relax. I snort and don’t know whether to hold my stomach or cover my face. My stomach wins, but I look away from him embarrassed. “Sorry.” I have got to be the most pathetic woman he has ever met. I take a breath and relax.
“I’m going to explain this the best that I can. We don’t talk about abilities to anyone. You need to keep this between us, but understand that I’m telling you just so my son doesn’t feel pain.”
My eyes find his and it pulls on my face, but I keep my mouth shut and listen. He tells me about Jeremy and Aubrey, but I already know about them. Then he tells me about Mucimi. I look down at the happy boy and smile, getting one back. When he tells me about my terrors – I’m embarrassed,but riveted. Holy crap mylittle happy boy hurts when I do. I feel the tears building in my eyes and look at him. He’s so small. This is crazy, but he was crying when I hurt the most and I feel better when he’s on me. When Brantley tells me about my mom, I know what he says is true. I’ve never told a single person about her holding my hand even after she died. I look at Mucimi again. He’s just a baby and feels my pain?
“I need the pain pills that I refused,” I interrupt his story. “I can’t make him feel more because I’m a stubborn ass.”
His arms tighten around me. “Thank you. I’ll call Nick and get them here this morning.”
Jacob walks in and I’m embarrassed. “Jeremy sent me over.” He stands by the bed and puts his hand on my shoulder then starts chanting. Brantley says it too, but softer. I relax and close my eyes.
***
Brantley
Jacob takes Mucimi and I lay Holly down in the center of the bed. “Thanks Brother. I’m fuckin’ clueless here.” I follow him out.
“It looks like you had it covered. You do realize we just supported your baby?”
I laugh. Nothing surprises me after last night. “Yeah. I need to call Nick and get her something for pain so he isn’t feeling everything she is without them.”
He looks at me with concern and nods. I talk to Nick and explain everything while I’m making cereal and a bottle and hand it to Jacob. He feeds Mucimi alternating watching me explain and getting the cereal in my boy’s mouth. I hang up and wipe where he missed. “Could freaky get any fuckin’ freakier?”
I laugh and start the coffee. “I don’t know Jay. It’s about as freaky as I can stand right now.”
“How do we block for him?”
I smile, he doesn’t want the pain to hit him either. “We don’t. He needs to learn so it happens fast. If we block we prolong him feeling it.”
He drops the spoon and picks Mucimi up hugging him. “He’s not fuckin’ grown like Aubrey was, he’s a baby Brant. Dakota can help. Let’s call Dakota.” Aubrey was five, but I don’t point that out.
He’s panicking. Not something I’ve ever seen from Jacob. “He won’t help, neither will Tess. I agree with them. He’s going to get it no matter what we do so we need to make it as easy and quick as we can.”
“They won’t help? He’s a baby.” He has tears in his eyes, but doesn’t look away from me.
I hug him. “I know Jay, but he’s stronger than what we have known before. We do what we can to make this happen fast. I need you and everyone that touches him to help with that. Shielding him will hurt him for longer. I can’t let that happen Brother.”
Dakota comes in and Jacob steps back glaring at him. I take Mucimi and Dakota takes Jacob out to the deck. Again, he just walked in. I love the fuckin’ Brotherhood.
I finish feeding Mucimi and make a cup of coffee then give him his bottle. They’re still outside and I see Jacob’s hands moving, but they’re not talking. If anyone else were watching they would wonder what the fuck is wrong with Jacob. I smile and take my boy to get changed.
Holly comes in while I’m getting him dressed. “Nick will be here in a few minutes. He’s a doctor that lives right here, but he had to send a Prospect to get your prescription.”
“Thank you. Is he better now?” Her voice is soft and I look back, she’s reading the letter from Trina. Fuck. I pick up Mucimi and walk to her pulling his shirt down not wanting him in anymore pain.
“I wanted him to know he was always loved by his mother.”
Shit. Could this get any more complicated? “I loved her for giving me my son. We didn’t have long enough for me to feel what she did. I’m a guy, we take longer I guess. She was sweet and gave me the best present anyone could. I have to love that.” I kiss my boy and her eyes don’t look so sad.
She touches my arm. “You’re a good dad Brantley.”
“Thanks. I’m trying. My dad was so good at all this. I want to be that for him.” She nods with smiling eyes. “I made coffee and I could use some right now. It’s been a rough night.” I get concerned eyes. “Freaky kid shit is a lot to deal with when you’re tired.” We’re back to smiling eyes and she follows me out. Jacob and Dakota are done with the arguing. They have their foreheads touching in a way I’ve seen Jeremy do with Christian and Aubrey do with everyone.
I get a cup down for her and she makes mine then hers. I’m surprised she knows what I take. I pull open Mucimi’s drawer and put him in front of it pulling some toys out for him. He likes wooden spoons so I put one in each hand for him. He beats the drawer like a drum making me laugh. I make us eggs and ham and Holly makes English muffins. She gets sandwiches made and on the table. I didn’t see her set it. I just throw the napkins and forks toward the middle. I smile at the settings, thinking women do it better.