The Gift of Empathy (The Gifts Book 3)

by Jen Gentry

  For six months I got to live with a foster family. That family gave me my own room and they loved me like their own. If Lydia hadn’t come back into my life, they would’ve adopted me I’m sure of it. I had that one chance of a better life and Lydia ruined it for me. Just like she always did.

  You don’t know how lucky you are to have not been brought up by Lydia. She was crazy. I mean really crazy. She was always running from something or someone and now I know who.” Jewel paused to let what she’d just said sink in with Emily.

  Emily nodded her head so Jewel could continue. “One night about two years ago, Lydia and I were staying in a shelter and in the dead of the night she woke me and told me she’d been found. The dark ones had found her. She had to get out of the shelter or the dark ones would kill her.” Jewel took a sip of her coffee. She’d never shared this story with anyone besides Old Sam, but this just seemed like the right place and the right time with the right person.

  “At first I resisted. I was tired and I wanted to sleep, but Lydia insisted and then she started screaming like a banshee. She woke everyone up and wailed and wailed until finally the volunteers kicked us out. I remember I was so mad at her. I almost ditched her then and there, but I followed her as up and down the street. She knocked on doors and busted out car windows setting off alarms. Finally, I guess someone called the police.

  When Lydia heard the sirens she started running. I had to fight to keep up with her. She ran down a darkened street where there were no lights. I kept calling out to her as she ran down the middle of the street. I almost caught up to her on a street corner, but she ran into a group of drug dealers. She just ran right into them. I was so scared I stayed in the shadows and prayed they would let her go. They didn’t let her go. They started beating her and laughed at her. Lydia screamed for me, but I was so scared I didn’t know what to do. When they were done they tossed her into the middle of the street and walked away. The drug dealers just left her there. They walked away laughing as if nothing had happened. I ran to her side and she was bleeding so badly. The last thing she said before she died was for me to keep going. She told me to leave this place and never look back. I held her until her body was cold.”

  Jewel resigned herself as she looked over at Emily. There was no going back now. The rest of the story had to be told or Jewel would never be able to get away from it.

  “I stayed with her as long as I could. Then I took her pack and anything that would identify her from her body. I drug her body to a dumpster and shoved her in it. Then I walked away. I swore to myself that I would never tell another living soul about how Lydia died. I was so afraid that I would end up back in foster care or worse in an orphanage somewhere and I never wanted to go there again. So I stayed enrolled in school and kept living on the streets, just like I did when Lydia was alive. The first week was the hardest. But that’s when Old Sam found me. He spotted me in an alley. I was almost dead. Sam got me to a shelter and made me eat. Without him I’d probably be in a dumpster just like Lydia.”

  Emily let the tears fall down her cheeks. It was hard to think that her own mother had lived and died in such a horrible, violent way, but worse was thinking about how Jewel had suffered so badly. How could this terrible thing have happened? Dear Lord, What can I say? How can I help this poor child?

  “Jewel, I want you to know how very sorry I am that all this happened to you. I will never understand our mother. All I can do is pray the Lord has her now. I regret that I didn’t know her at all, but I can see that her illness caused you to suffer as much as she did, and for that I really am sorry.

  But you have to forgive yourself. You’ve done everything you could to survive. You’ve done what you had to do. I won’t say that it isn’t tragic what happened to Lydia, but I pray she’s at peace now.”

  “You’re not mad at me for leaving our mother in a dumpster? Really?” Jewel stuttered out in between sobs.

  “No, Jewel. I believe this earthly body will pass back to the earth no matter what we as people do to preserve it. Our mother is not on this earth as we know it anymore and her earthly body is gone. I am so sorry that you had to deal with that all on your own. Not that I think you need my forgiveness, but if it helps you forgive yourself then you have my forgiveness. I’ll have to pray about this as I work through my own issues with our mother and try to forgive her as well.”

  Jewel sat still in her chair and stared into the fire. She felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from her. Her secret was no longer a secret anymore. Maybe, just maybe, she could be safe here at Perry House, even if it was just for a little while.

  Emily decided to put this heavy conversation behind them and asked Jewel if she was looking forward to shopping in the morning. Emily was planning on spoiling her sister rotten.

  Jewel smiled through her tears. “Emily, I don’t know that I’ll ever to be able to repay you for your kindness, but, yes, I am looking forward to going shopping. I’ve only been to thrift stores all of my life and the only time I ever had any new clothes was when my foster mother bought them for me.”

  Emily forced back the hot tears. She refused to show Jewel any pity. It was apparent that Jewel didn’t want pity. Jewel was the most determined person Emily had ever met. Jewel had a plan to get herself off the streets by getting an education and the grit to survive while doing it. Speaking of determined women, Emily remembered she hadn’t spoken to her best friend, Marta, for the past several days and made a mental note to herself to give Marta a call in the morning.

  “So, Jewel, how do you like your new room? I was thinking when we go shopping tomorrow we could make an appointment with an interior decorator. You can decorate your room in any style you want.”

  “Emily, I am just dying to ask and I hope you don’t mind. Just how rich are you?”

  “Well, let’s just say that the Lord has blessed me abundantly. Remind me later to tell you all about Mr. Perry.” Emily stood and stretched as she yawned. “I’ve got to get to bed – how ‘bout you?”

  “Yes, I’m tired too.” Jewel didn’t pull away as Emily touched her face and kissed her forehead. “OK, let’s call it a night.”

  The Gift of Empathy

  Chapter Seven

  Romans 6:12-13

  Do not, then, allow sin to establish any POWER over your mortal bodies in making you give way to your lusts. Nor hand over your bodily parts to be, as it were, weapons of evil for the devil's purposes. But, like men rescued from certain death, put yourselves in God's hands as weapons of good for his own purposes.

  Jake dozed off and on. He hated sleeping in the shelters, but since he now had a temporary cash flow problem he didn’t have a choice. He needed to scout for more girls anyway. Maybe if he could deliver another young one to the Merchandizers they’d cut him some slack for the one that got away. For some reason they wanted Jewel bad enough that they’d asked for her specifically. His thoughts turned to Jewel and it made him furious all over again. She was responsible for the horrific beating he’d taken. The dark bruises and angry welts pained him even now days later. He drifted back to sleep with dreams of a tiny dark haired girl that he chased through the dark mist of his mind.

  The demon, Lucius, decided to leave his charge with that one nightmare as a gift. That’ll keep him on track and looking for the girl. Lucius had an appointment with The Great Ba al`. No demon in his right mind ever wanted to appear before the demon council. But, as the gang of Merchandizers had lost the empath, Lucius figured the Ba al` would want to use his charge, Jake, to locate her again.

  The demon lifted up with his fleshy bat-like wings flapping through the rafters and roof of the shelter. When he hit the night air he fully unfurled his wings and sped off into the night. His evil stench followed him with a reddish smoke trail.

  Lucius made good time across the Atlantic and into the Netherlands. His destination was the abandoned aged castle that sat on a lonely island off the Netherland coast. This was the demonic stronghold that hid The Great Ba al` council. L
ucius pushed through the writhing black mass of demon sentries that covered the air above the island to protect the demonic leaders and made his way to the main meeting place in the great castle.

  The Great Ba al` stood clothed in the red robes of their exalted station in a semi-circle. These were the largest and strongest of Lucifer’s warriors. They were also the darkest and most depraved of all demons. Only the saints of God could stand against them in the human realm and only the strongest of the archangels could battle with them directly. Any demon who found himself caught in the wrath of The Great Ba al` was quickly dispatched to the misery of the endless abyss.

  Lucius was confident he could deliver the empath girl to the council. Surely his reward would be great to deliver such a prize. He bowed low to the huge demons he was bound to serve.

  “Lucius, do you know why you have been summoned to appear before us?” The head of the council spoke in a great booming voice that shook the walls of the ancient castle.

  Lucius would play it cool, but not boastful. “I can only assume that you have an assignment for me and that it possibly involves the empath girl from the streets of New York.”

  “Yes, the girl must be handed over to us. An empath is a great danger to us all. Unless we can get her under our own control she must be taken out permanently.

  “What would you have me do, Great Lords?”

  “Use your charge to locate and deliver the girl here to us directly.”

  “It will be as you will it to be, Great Ones.” Lucius was on his way back across the Atlantic within a matter of minutes. There were no direct threats voiced against him, but the unspoken was more powerful than a sword to cut him in two. If he failed to deliver the girl he would be sent from this earth forever to live in the space of void, the dreaded abyss. Lucius shuddered at the thought. He must not fail.

  ****

  After all her trepidation of a day shopping, Jewel found it to be way more fun than she’d ever imagined. Emily took her to some exclusive boutiques and ordered a whole new wardrobe for her. Emily also let Jewel pick out a mountain of clothes off the rack to get her started. Then it was off to a salon. Jewel got her hair and nails done with a pedicure too. Never had Jewel felt so pampered and relaxed.

  Emily took the time to get her hair and nails done as well. There was something she wanted to talk to Jewel about, but there were just so many things happening so fast for both of them. Emily wasn’t sure how to broach the subject of her upcoming wedding. Not wanting to add more stress to Jewel she wandered if maybe she should talk to Ethan about postponing.

  Ethan was always generous and kind to a fault, but he made it clear that he wanted to be married as soon as possible. The wedding itself wasn’t such a big deal to either of them, but there were others to consider. Like her Aunt Gemma and best friend, Marta. Not to mention Ethan’s parents. All of these loved ones would be hurt to not be included in the actual ceremony. And if Emily was honest with herself then she had to admit that she looked forward to her big day and wanted to do it subdued but tasteful.

  With her feet soaking in the pedicure chair Emily pondered on these things until Jewel’s stylist brought Jewel out from the back of the salon to show her off. Emily gasped at the transformation. Gone was the jet black choppy haircut.

  The stylist had lightened the color just enough that the dark tint had a hint of auburn in it and the cut was now a flattering layered cut that fell gently around her pixie features. With the handiwork of a pro, the gauntness in Jewel’s face was barely noticeable with some cleverly applied make up. The girl was still rail thin, but Emily felt that within a few weeks Aunt Gemma would have that problem solved with her home cooking.

  Jewel spun around in her new royal blue baby doll dress with black leggings and matching leather ankle boots. She felt like princess.

  “Jewel, you look amazing.” Emily beamed.

  “I know it’s like I’m a whole new person. Emily….” Jewel couldn’t finish her sentence as she started to choke up.

  Emily grabbed a towel and dried off her feet then ran to Jewel and embraced her. Together they cried. So many emotions flooded the room as two sisters who’d never known each other bonded as the staff and other patrons in the salon all cried with them.

  The two of them finished their day at a little bakery that was Emily’s favorite. They dined on spinach quiche and the words between them flowed nonstop.

  “OK, Emily, when is your birthday?”

  “My birthday is the same day as yours. May fifteenth. I have a copy of your birth certificate. The P.I. I hired to find you got me a copy.”

  “Our birthdays are on the same day? What are the chances of that happening?” Jewel smiled. “So how did you find out about me anyway?”

  Emily wasn’t sure how to tell Jewel about her gift to see angels and demons just yet, but she felt the truth should be told. She decided to leave out a few details for now, but still tell the truth.

  “Jewel, I had a dream about you. I was in the Amazon with Ethan. We were looking for an ancient Incan burial site and we ran into some trouble. I got hurt and while the Lord was healing me, he sent me a dream of you. When Ethan and I got back to the states, I started looking for you right away.”

  “Wow, you had a dream about me. You know in last couple of years after Lydia passed away, I prayed to God to send me someone. I used to think he sent me Sam, but now I think maybe he sent me Old Sam to help me until you could come for me.”

  “So are you a Christian, Jewel? Do you know Christ as your personal savior?”

  “Well, it’s hard to think of myself as a Christian. But I’ve heard all about Jesus in all the shelters. Lydia used to make me listen to all the preachers and such. Sometimes we had to listen to the messages if we wanted to eat.

  But I never knew God or Jesus. I would sometimes pray to them when I was really desperate. It just seems to me that if God or Jesus existed, they wouldn’t let so many people suffer, you know. But you and Ethan talk about God and Jesus as if you know them—as if they’re your best friends or something.”

  “Yes, it’s like that. Jesus is my very best friend. I know without a doubt that my Father in Heaven sent his son Jesus to die for me, just as I know that Jesus did die for me and for you as well.”

  “I’ll have to think about that” Jewel said before she took another mouthful of the delicious quiche. Emily decided to pray on this subject and let the Lord lead them back to this conversation as He saw fit.

  “So have you thought about school yet? Where do you think you want to go?”

  “Well, I think I’d like to try the public high school. You said it’s not far from Perry House, right?”

  “No, it’s not far. Ethan or I can drive you until you can get your driver’s license. We can go there tomorrow to get you enrolled.”

  “Great.” Jewel was a little apprehensive but she loved school so much and couldn’t wait to get back into it again. “Uh, did you say driver’s license?”

  Emily laughed hard as all the color drained from Jewel’s face. “Yes, I did say driver’s license. Wait till you see the beauty I have waiting for you in the garage.”

  Now it was Jewel’s turn to gasp.

  The first few days of school were filled with so much activity that at first Jewel didn’t notice anything was wrong. The dull headache combined with the telltale body pains snuck up on her slowly, until one afternoon in the lunchroom the pain hit her with a resounding roar that caused her to drop her food tray as she fell to her knees. She was very embarrassed and felt as if everyone was looking at her and laughing.

  She’d never experienced this mind numbing pain at school before and it confused her all the more. A boy came to her aid and tried to help her up, but Jewel held up her hand to stop him. She worked through the pain enough to pick herself and her tray up off the floor before she took the tray to the drop off point and ran from the area.

  With no place to hide and no place to run Jewel pulled out her new cell phone and sent a text. “E
mily, it’s me, Jewel. Please come and get me. I’m really sick.”

  After Emily got Jewel home and settled in her bed. Emily took some time to pray with Gemma. She’d not had any word from Liam since they’d been in New York, but she needed some guidance now. Something told her Jewel really needed her help. This was more than a simple headache. Jewel looked like she’d been hit by truck. She was fine this morning and now all the sudden she could hardly walk she was in so much pain.

  As Emily and Gemma prayed in the kitchen, a bright light surrounded both of them and the room filled with angels of all kinds. Staniel and Liam both appeared as well. Gemma and Emily were so pleased to see their friends. It had been a long while since all of them had been together like this making for a joyous reunion.

  Liam was the first to give the message the angels had been sent to deliver. “Emily you and Gemma are in for a fight, we all are. The girl is gifted as a powerful empath. With her gift, she will be able to pinpoint exactly where the enemy is attacking God’s children by feeling the pain and sorrow of others.

  With this knowledge, she will be able to help relieve pain and sorrow and bring about healing with effectual prayers—destroying the enemy’s hold on the humans they torture. That makes Jewel a powerful weapon against the dark ones. With her gift many suffering people will come to the Lord. This is why the Lord has hidden her here at Perry House. The dark ones have already learned of Jewel’s existence and that puts her in real danger. The lord has bid us to be extra vigilant in watching over Jewel and Perry House. The two of you will help Jewel to understand her gift and how to use it properly. As always the Holy spirit will guide you in how to help Jewel.”

  Gemma had tears of joy in her eyes. She knew something was going on with Jewel and she praised God that now they knew just how to help her. God was so good. Emily was glad for the Lord’s plan in Jewel’s life, but she as she understood it Jewel had a difficult path in front of her. It had to be almost maddening to feel the pain and sorrow of others. It was enough to feel one’s own pain and sorrow in this life. How awful it must feel to have that pain multiplied many times over at any given point. Emily prayed for wisdom. As Jewel’s only family, Emily had to find a way to protect her.