by C. J. Anaya
Chapter Seven
I walked over to the top of the examining bed and gently placed my hands on either side of his head. I needed to focus. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and then began humming a single note like some weird religious monk might.
“Hummm.” I was very proud of myself for not laughing.
“Seriously,” Tie muttered under his breath.
“I call on the spirits of superheroes past, present, and future. Give me focus and purity of heart, and wisdom to use my gift in a way that is pleasing to you all.”
“I get it, Hope. You’re mocking me. Your message is coming in loud and clear.” He sounded irritated, which made me smile.
“I would also like to take this time to give a shout out to my most favorite superhero of all. Wolverine, I always loved your cartoons, but you truly came to life for me when Hugh Jackman represented your iconic image in the unforgettable movie X-Men. May you live long and prosper, and may Hugh Jackman’s jeans always give you the best hind end a superhero could ever ask for.”
“You finished?”
“Hummmmmmm.”
I hesitated before connecting with Tie. I wasn’t sure how difficult it would be, but once I actually focused it didn’t take more than a few moments. I wasn’t prepared for the way he responded to me, though. I could feel him inviting me in, almost pulling me forward as if he wanted me to stay forever and never let him go. A person’s life force was always something I felt and never saw, but the minute I connected with Tie’s, bright images of gold and orange burst forth within my mind. I felt their warmth as they enveloped me in a joyful embrace.
It took me several precious seconds to overcome my surprise. Once I did, I was able to feel not only the warmth radiating from his life force, but also the pain Tie was experiencing due to his injury. I was surprised to feel an aching kind of pain emanating from his heart. I couldn’t pinpoint the cause, but sensed that it was an old kind of hurt, something intangible that couldn’t be fixed with a few instructions. It puzzled and intrigued me, but I couldn’t waste time on something I didn’t fully understand. I decided to ignore the injury and turned my attention to the pain brought on by
Tie’s broken nose.
I tentatively sent thoughts, impressions, and images of the pain gradually ebbing away, instructing his life force to imitate a diminishing of the pain in the same manner pain killers do. It always took time for pain killers to actually kick in.
I waited anxiously for some kind of response. To my surprise, I began receiving more images. I was astounded when it showed me the best way to accomplish the instructions it had received, and then waited for me to give it permission to proceed. I gave my permission as if I were in a daze, and waited as it began its slow methodical process.
My annoying hum continued in order to keep Tie distracted, and then I decided to communicate with his life force again by sending images of his nose gradually healing within a couple of days. Once again, his life force showed me step-by-step details of exactly how to accomplish such a task.
It was amazing. In all the years I’d been healing people I’d never come across someone whose life force was actually capable of healing itself. At the same time I was puzzled. If Tie’s body could heal itself why had it waited to do so? I was still connected to Tie, and I still hadn’t given permission for his life force to proceed. Instead, I posed my question. Why had it waited until now to heal itself? The answer I received shocked me to my very core. It showed me that it had begun the healing process, but Tie made it stop.
Why?
But somehow I already knew. He was waiting for me to do it. He wanted me to reveal my powers.
My head began throbbing again. I had no idea what to do. It was clear that Tie’s body could heal itself. The pain could be taken away in an instant or not at all. If I told his body to heal gradually, I’d give myself away because Tie’s body, under normal conditions, would always heal instantly, but if I healed him instantly he’d know it was me and not him who had accomplished the task.
After a few agonizing moments of indecision, I eventually concluded that I should do nothing. I no longer felt guilty for an injury that could easily be taken care of without my help. I’d simply instruct Tie’s life force to ignore the images I’d sent to it, and wait for instructions from Tie himself. That way his life force wouldn’t respond to me at all, and once I failed to heal him he’d be able to heal himself later.
I set my plan in motion, and then pulled my hands away and stepped back. I stopped my humming and peered down over Tie’s face, pretending to be curious.
“Did it work?” I asked with feigned excitement.
“What do you think?”
His annoyance was surprisingly satisfying.
“I think you look awful. My superhero ancestors must not have been impressed with my sincere and heartfelt supplications. I wonder if I should have also paid homage to the impressive size of Wolverine’s biceps.”
“All hail the modern woman. I’ll admit you were a tad bit stubborn and argumentative before, but this witty sarcasm is new.”
“Seriously, what the hell is that supposed to mean? You keep behaving as if we already know one another. As if we’ve shared some past history together.” I moved to the side of the examining table and gave him my best intimidating glare. “This mind game of yours is useless. You can’t trick me into anything by making me second guess my own memories.”
He sat up and opened his mouth to argue. I cut him off before he had the chance, feeling a bit reckless as I allowed myself one brief, terrifying moment of honesty. I locked gazes with him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Besides, you and I both know you’re just as capable of healing your injury as I am. Maybe next time you should allow your life force to do its job instead of waiting around for me to do it. It would save you some pain in the long run.”
Tie startled at my words for a moment then a slow smile of triumph lit his features.
“I’ve missed you, Hope.”
The truthfulness of that comment frightened me to death. He really believed he knew me. He was either completely certifiable or an absolute genius when it came to psychological warfare. He had definitely gotten under my skin.
The school bell rang startling both of us and signaling the end of yet another fantastic lunch hour.
I shook my head at him and headed toward the door.
“Hey, where are you going?” he asked in surprise.
“To class,” was my curt reply.
“You can’t leave me by myself. Victor and your friend haven’t come back with the nurse yet.”
He was actually whining.
“Since you’ve decided to pretend you can’t heal yourself, I would suggest you get to the doctor and have that nose set. We wouldn’t want that pretty little face of yours permanently disfigured.”
“I knew you thought I was hot,” he shouted after me.
I was anxious to get out of there. I may have behaved in a cool and collected manner—okay, semi-cool and collected— but connecting to Tie had brought with it a flood of emotions that I knew belonged solely to him, yet they clung tightly to me. The emotions were much stronger than I’d ever felt after breaking off a connection with someone. They barreled into me one right after the other. Confusion, anger, pain, guilt, longing and an astounding sense of betrayal, all of them merging together; forming strange patterns of words in my head.
The urge to emotionally expel everything from my system was much more pressing than I was used to. I needed my journal and an hour to myself to work it all out.
Plus, I’d completely outed myself. All of that careful planning to avoid healing him, and I just had to open my big mouth and have the last word. My father was going to kill me.
No. This is still salvageable. It’s not like he recorded our conversation.
As long as I didn’t actually use my powers in his presence there was no way he could prove that I had them.
I ran into Victor and
Angie instead, followed by a frazzled looking school nurse.
“Where are you going?” Angie asked. “You’re supposed to be looking after the patient.”
“Oh, believe me, the patient is doing just fine,” I said. I moved out of the nurse’s way as she bustled past me and into her office.
“Just fine?” Angie asked, doing her best to look stern and disbelieving. “His nose didn’t look ‘just fine’ to me.” She punctuated her response with air quotes.
“Well, there’s certainly nothing wrong with his mouth,” I said.
Victor and Angie looked at me in stunned silence. I didn’t realize the kind of conclusions they’d jumped to until Angie started doing a very obnoxious victory dance, and Victor’s face began to pale. He looked like he was going to throw up. They probably thought we’d been making out the entire time they’d been gone.
“Okay, that came out wrong.” I held up my hands to stop Angie’s excited bouncing. “I just meant the guy never shuts up, and everything he says is laced with sarcasm. It was getting on my nerves.”
Apparently, I was getting better at lying through my teeth since Angie was frowning in obvious disapproval, and Victor’s muscular frame nearly sagged with relief.
It was unbelievable how completely useless Angie had been this afternoon. She hadn’t helped me avoid anyone. Thanks to her, I’d spent almost my entire lunch hour with both cousins, and some unfortunate alone time with Tie.
“Let’s get to class,” I said to her. I turned to Victor and plastered a pleasant smile on my face. “We’ll see you later. Thanks for your help, by the way.”
He reached for my arm and pulled me over to his side.
“Would it be okay if we talk after school today? There are some things I need to discuss with you.”
I swallowed hard. After what I’d just discovered, there was absolutely no way I would ever allow myself to be alone with Victor or Tie again. I didn’t know what they were up to, but this cat and mouse game was far from over, and I had no intention of playing the mouse. Strategy. I needed a working strategy, starting with some sleuthing into their sordid backgrounds. Ange’s penchant for sniffing out intrigue and scandal was going to come in handy within the next few days.
Victor’s mouth was set in a firm line. He wasn’t going to take no for an answer so I plastered on a fake smile and nodded in agreement.
“I’ll meet you in front of the school,” I said and moved to walk away. He reluctantly released me and walked back into the nurse’s station. I assumed he was going to help his “cousin”, which I thought was strange considering how much he hated him. Maybe they were going to continue plotting and planning some new reveal tactic.
Angie grabbed my arm and pinched it mercilessly.
“Ouch! What was that for?”
“That was for completely sabotaging all of that sweet alone time I managed to give you and Tie,” she said in frustration.
“You were supposed to be helping me avoid Tie. You are so dead to me right now.”
“Well, at least you’ve got a hot little rendezvous with Victor after school.” She began her victory dance again before I could stop her. I decided not to squelch her matchmaking hopes and dreams by revealing to her I had no intention of meeting with Victor after school. In fact, I had no intention of finishing the rest of the school day.
“Hey, I gotta get to Biology, okay?” I pointed up toward the second floor.
“Right. Call me as soon as you get home or I’ll be pissed.”
Angie continued her dance all the way down the hall. I chuckled under my breath when she danced her way into a group of unsuspecting freshmen and refrained from having a hissy fit at the unexpected physical contact.
I waited until she rounded the corner before I turned and headed in the other direction. I needed to sort through my own game plan, but my mind was full of the day’s events, leaving me with all sorts of questions. I had to talk this out with someone who understood me completely.
It was time to go see Kirby, but Tie’s emotions were still silently pounding words and phrases within my head.
I ran through the high school doors toward the parking lot as fast as my feet would carry me. I didn’t have my journal with me, but the emotions I needed to unload wouldn’t keep. I jumped into my truck, ripped my back pack open, and grabbed a pen and a piece of paper. I had to get it out, write it all down now or I would never be able to focus on my visit with Kirby.
The words were never mine in these types of situations, but it usually took a little time for me to get the gist of what a person was feeling or experiencing. With Tie, the words flowed so easily it was as if I’d memorized them.
With my hand slightly cramping, I looked down at my shaky handwriting and read what Tie’s emotions had to say.
Your actions don’t match your words
One day you’re in love with me
And then it’s “we’ll wait and see”
It seems like you’re over me
And then we can’t be apart
You just won’t release my heart
I live for those moments in your arms
The way your eyes take me in
But I’m wondering as those moments start Will this happen again?
If you’re already leaving
Why don’t you get on with it
Just get on with it
Cause I’m already bleeding
Oh please just get on with it
Get on with it
Take me or leave me
Figure it out
If you’re gonna be gone anyhow
Go now
Holy crap! This guy had some major issues. I wondered if the girl he and Victor had fought over had something to do with this very jaded you-done-me-wrong song. There were more lyrics left to read, but I was feeling a sudden urgency to get to the hospital. I wondered if Kirby was okay. I hurriedly added the chord progression of the song at the top of the page and then I folded it up and stuck it in my back pocket. Feeling infinitely better after getting rid of all that negativity, I started my truck, threw the engine in reverse and pulled out of my parking space.
I was almost out of the parking lot when something black and hairy flew across the hood of my truck.
Chapter Eight
I slammed on my brakes and jumped out, certain I’d run over something or someone. I checked the front of my Chevy and even underneath it, but nothing was there. So strange.
I guess I should have been grateful I hadn’t killed any local persons or pets, but my elevated heart rate wasn’t registering the false alarm.
Standing alone in the parking lot made me feel vulnerable. I was easy prey for anyone interested. I shivered and jumped back in my truck, cursing my overactive imagination.
* * *
After arriving at the hospital, I made way to the elevator and pushed the neon green, up arrow button. It took its pretty little time answering my summons. Once it finally graced me with its presence it took forever for the doors to shut. I kept pressing the “close doors” button in rapid succession, but the elevator refused to obey my command until I stopped my frantic button pushing.
Typical.
As it slowly ascended I had to fight the urge to impatiently tap my foot.
Longest elevator ride ever.
I was so caught up in counting how many seconds it took for the elevator to get me to the third floor that I was totally unprepared to see my father waiting on the other side of its doors when they opened.
“Dad? What are you doing here?” I stepped out of the elevator before it got the chance to swallow me whole.
His eyebrows rose.
“I could ask you the same question. A little early for school to be out, don’t you think?”
I racked my brain for an excuse, but my thoughts became jumbled. If
I’d had any idea he was going to start feeling better I would’ve had an explanation rehearsed for him. Unfortunately, I was no good at improvising, and my deer-in-the-headligh
ts look was all it took for him to notice something was wrong.
“Come with me.”
He grabbed my arm and pulled me back into the waiting elevator. I swear I could hear the ancient machinery laughing at my predicament.
“But I’m going to see Kirby,” I protested.
“He’s fine.” His voice was curt. “I just finished checking up on him.”
The minute my dad said it he looked like he regretted it. I picked up on it immediately.
“What’s wrong with, Kirby? Why would you need to check up on him?” I didn’t want to hear any bad news, but a sense of foreboding was beginning to permeate the cramped little rectangle we were in.
“Wait until we get to my office. This conversation can’t happen here.”
I recognized the steel in my father’s voice and knew that pressing him at this point would be absolutely useless. The elevator ride dragged out even longer then the first one did. When we finally reached the second floor my father grabbed my arm and hurriedly walked me over to his spacious office, shutting the door behind him.
I sat down and waited impatiently for him to do the same.
“What’s going on with Kirby?” I asked.
He looked down at the table, not willing to meet my gaze. “There’s been a complication,” he finally offered.
I waited, almost hoping he wouldn’t get around to telling me even though I wanted and needed to know.
“His immune system is just so beaten down, Hope.”
“He has an infection?” I blinked a couple of times to clear up the moisture obscuring my vision. I was so ready to cry.
“This morning his nanny called in one of the nurses to check his temperature. It was one-hundred-four degrees.”
I leaned forward and rested my head on his large oak desk. Tears formed beneath my closed lids. As I thought through what he’d just told me, I realized something I hadn’t caught before. I lifted my head and met my father’s gaze.