A knock brought her back to the task at hand. “We really need to get going.”
“I’m coming,” Reagan said. Thankful that somebody had laid out her toiletries, she brushed her teeth and ran a comb through her hair. Grabbing all her stuff, she opened the door. Dana was sitting on the bed, tapping her foot.
She hopped up as soon as she saw Reagan. “Great, let’s go.”
They rushed downstairs. Neither Carl nor Rafe were anywhere to be seen. Cindy already started the Jeep, and Dana crawled in the back, leaving Reagan to sit in the passenger’s seat.
“I really appreciate the ride,” Reagan said, “and last night.”
“Like I said, we want you to feel at home with us; so, no worries. I’m looking forward to meeting your family, especially your grandmother. I hear she’s quite the lady,” Cindy said.
Odd, Reagan thought, Rafe only met Nana once. “Yeah, she’s great. I’m so glad she’s staying with us.”
“How long will she be there?” Dana asked from the backseat. Reagan could barely hear over the sound of the wind. Jeeps were certainly not conducive to conversation.
“She’s staying with us… Well, until we get things back to normal. Or back to whatever they’ll be from now on. I’m not sure about normal anymore.” Reagan’s head was still burdened with a dull pain, the headache easing but not leaving.
Dana started talking about fashion and celebrities, keeping the conversation light and on track for the ride home.
An hour flew by, and they were almost back to Superior. Some Denver traffic bogged them down a bit, but soon they were pulling up to Reagan’s house. Cindy turned off the car and opened her door. Reagan and Dana got out, too.
Dana handed Reagan her phone. Funny, she hadn’t thought about it at all. “Just so you know, I texted your mom a couple of times last night from your phone. I didn’t want her to worry that you didn’t check in.”
Never had so many people used Reagan’s phone. Anger threatened to rear its head but she shoved it down and kept her tone even. “Oh, great, thanks.”
They trudged up to the front door and walked in.
“Hello?” Reagan had seen her mom’s car out front, but that didn’t mean she was home.
“Coming.” It was Nana. A few seconds later, she rounded the corner into the foyer. “Hello.”
“Nana, this is Cindy and Dana, Rafe’s mom and sister.”
Nana wrapped her arms around Reagan. “Glad you’re home, and glad to meet you folks.” Instead of offering a hand, Nana squeezed Reagan a little tighter. “I missed you last night.”
“Are Mom and Dad here?”
“No. Can’t remember where they were off to this morning, but I told them I’d wait around and make sure you got home okay. They said they got a couple of texts so they weren’t too worried.” Nana looked over to Cindy and said, “I hope my sweet Reagan wasn’t a bother.”
“No, not at all,” Cindy replied.
Loud barks echoed through the house. “What’s up with Nanook?” Reagan asked.
“He’s just so jumpy around new people lately that I put him outside until our guests leave.”
A few moments of awkward silence, punctuated by growls and barks from Nanook, filled the air.
Before the tension could be broken, Dana walked over and pulled Reagan into a hug. “I loved having you around. I’ve always wanted a sister.”
The words hung in the air. “Thanks for everything,” Reagan said.
“We hope to see you again soon. Don’t be a stranger,” Cindy said. “Come on, Dana, let’s get going. It was great to meet you, um…”
“Jackie,” Nana said. “You, too.”
Dana and Cindy left. Reagan closed the door and turned to Nana. “I’m glad Mom and Dad aren’t home. I really need to talk to you.”
“I figured you would. Come sit down with me.” Nana took Reagan’s hand and led her to the couch in the family room.
Now Nana was being cryptic. Reagan wanted some answers, something that made sense. She’d blame adults, but Rafe and Dana were as vague as everyone else. If only Serena and Aspen could help. Reagan longed to tell them about everything, but she couldn’t. They’d be supportive, of that she had no doubt, but she wasn’t sure they’d understand—or, be able to avoid her mom if she came snooping, promising them she was only looking out for Reagan’s best interest.
“Nana, I don’t know what’s going on. I’m having horrible dreams and blackouts. Or at least that’s what I think they’re called. There are chunks of time I just can’t remember.”
“When did these blackouts occur?”
“The first was the night of the attack. Then again at Brent’s party, and then… Well, last night.” Reagan hesitated on the last admission, knowing she was opening a can of worms. At this point, she cared more about answers than worrying about what Nana thought.
“So two of the nights you were with Rafe?”
“Yes.” Reagan knew that didn’t look good for him.
“Where is Rafe, by the way? Why didn’t he bring you home?” Nana asked.
“I’m not sure. His mom said he had family business to attend to.” Reagan was glad she was answering Nana’s questions and not Mom’s.
“Interesting,” Nana said, reaching over to rub Reagan’s necklace.
Reagan stood up, anger starting to boil to the surface of her emotions. “Stop! I’m done with everybody talking like that. What aren’t you telling me? Do you know something about what I’m going through?” Please, please know something, Reagan thought about yelling, but she didn’t want to seem too desperate.
“Reagan, calm yourself.” Nana reached up to lay a hand on Reagan’s arm. “Sit back down. All I can tell you right now, because I expect your Mom and Dad home any minute, is that I sense something about Rafe and his family that I don’t like.” Nana took both of Reagan’s hands. “I’m also sensing some things about you lately that have me unsettled.”
“Says the Wiccan.” Reagan knew it was rude and catty, but the woman saying how concerned she was did call herself a Wiccan.
“Don’t get smart with me,” Nana said, letting go and stiffening up in her chair. “I’ve seen a lot of things in this world you haven’t.”
Reagan didn’t want to make Nana angry. The whole Wiccan thing was a bit freaky, but she was the only one taking Reagan seriously and trying to help. “I’m sorry, Nana. I’m just so confused about everything. I have so many questions. I want to know what really happened to Sam that night. What happened to me. And I also need to know why you and Mom haven’t talked in so long.”
“I know, and you deserve to know. I’m not sure what happened to you and your brother that night, but I have a theory. As far as your mom, she fights what she really is. But you can only fight that for so long.”
Rafe had said almost the same thing. Reagan was about to ask more questions when she heard the garage door open. “Guess Mom and Dad are home.”
“Guess so,” Nana said. “Don’t worry; we’ll have a whole weekend to talk soon.”
“I just have to get through the next week at school first.” For the first time, Reagan wished she was a witch and had the ability to manipulate time. Or at least put a spell on the kids at school so they’d stop staring at her and talking behind her back. Of course, if she knew a spell for that, she’d be a multi-millionaire. What teenager wouldn’t find a way to pay for that kind of magic?
ↄↄↄↄↄ
“How was your big date?” Serena asked Monday morning when she picked Reagan up for school. The high-pitched squeal accompanying the question indicated the need for juicy details.
“It was a bit strange, but nice. When he kisses me—”
“He kissed you!” Aspen yelled from the backseat. “Tell us more.”
“Well, I was trying to,” Reagan said, shooting a playfully angry look back at her friend, “before I was so rudely interrupted.”
“Sorry, do tell,” Aspen said.
“We drove up to Silverthorne and we
nt on this amazing hike—”
“Hike? Who cares? Go back to the kissing part.” This time it was Serena trying to get Reagan to spill the good stuff.
“When he kisses me, I just want to give in to him.”
Both Serena and Aspen let out an exaggerated, “Ahhh.”
“But then the night got a little strange,” Reagan said, not sure how much to share about the evening.
“Strange? How do you go from hot kisses to strange?” Aspen asked, pulling her eyebrows together.
“Long story short, we went on a hike, and I got a little spooked.” Reagan noticed Serena and Aspen exchange worried looks. “It all turned out okay. I spent the night at his house with his sister and parents. They were nice.” But kind of strange, too, she thought, but didn’t share that part. “What about you guys? What did you do this weekend?” Reagan was curious, but more than anything she just wanted the attention off her.
“You missed a great party Friday night,” Serena said. “Although Dex was there with Abby.”
Reagan knew she didn’t have a right to care who Dex was there with. But did it have to be Abby? Of all the girls! Still, Reagan wasn’t shocked. “We all knew Abby would move in for the kill as soon as she knew we broke up. I don’t have any claim on what Dex does. I’m sure Abby already has her Homecoming Queen tiara picked out.”
Aspen and Serena laughed. “I’m so glad you’re joking about it. We weren’t sure what you’d think,” Serena said.
“So, you said it was a great party, tell me more.” Reagan needed to divert the conversation from Dex and Abby.
“Guess who asked me out?” Serena asked.
Now the conversation was looking up. Reagan could tell Serena was bursting with the news. How had that gone unnoticed before? “Who?”
“Do you remember Brace from a couple of years ago?”
“Who forgets a name like Brace? Don’t his parents live over in Louisville, somewhere near the Rec Center?”
“That’s him. He stopped by the party, we got to talking, and…” Serena said, letting her story trail off as if hoping for dramatic effect.
Aspen jumped forward to put her face between Reagan and Serena. “You should’ve seen them, Reagan. Serena was working him for a date.” Serena slapped at Aspen, who returned to the backseat faster than a lightning bolt strike.
Reagan was enjoying every minute of the normalcy. Too bad they were pulling into the school lot. This was going to be the longest week of her life. She wished she could fast forward to her weekend with Nana and Aunt Sarah.
They all got out of the car, Aspen still laughing and giving Serena grief about her tactics Friday night. “He asked me out, didn’t he?” Serena asked, giving Aspen a playful shove.
Reagan grabbed her backpack and headed into school with her friends. They hadn’t walked far when Reagan noticed Dex and Abby standing to the side of the entrance. A sudden urge to hug Serena and Aspen for letting Reagan know about Dex took over; now she could control her reaction.
“Hi, Reagan,” Abby said. She then made a point to wrap herself around Dex before continuing, “Hi, Serena, Aspen. Great party Friday night.”
To Abby, Reagan gave her best bitch stare, and then landed a two-punch. “Sorry I missed it. I was up in Silverthorne with Rafe.” She waited for a look from Dex, and she got it. Abby didn’t seem too pleased, but Reagan sure was. “Come on guys, we should get to class.”
“Actually, they need to accompany me to a quick meeting with Coach Amethyst. Since you aren’t on the team anymore, you can head on to class,” Abby said.
It took all Reagan had not to jump across the space between them and start punching the smug smile off Abby’s face. Serena’s voice broke through the rampant emotions. “We’ll see you there in a minute, Abby. Come on, Reagan, let’s go.”
The three of them walked away. Reagan wished Rafe was around so she could wrap herself around him and stick it to Dex and Abby. There’d been no word from Rafe since Friday night; which was damned irritating.
“Thanks, guys. I wanted to kill her.” Reagan stopped mid-stride, letting the words sink in. She knew it was a figure of speech, but she meant it. What the hell is wrong with me? I’ve never thought about killing someone, never even said those words. How many times had she lectured her father about hunting and killing innocent animals? Yet, there she was imagining wrapped her hands around Abby’s neck and snapping it without a second thought. The images made Reagan want to puke.
Aspen leaned in to whisper, “Are you okay?”
“Go ahead to your meeting. I know you need to,” Reagan said. The girls looked at each other and then at Reagan. “Go, I’m fine.” The bell rang right on cue.
Reagan opened her locker and shoved her stuff inside. She checked her phone. No messages. Damn you, Rafe.
After an excruciating couple of days watching constant PDA from Abby and Dex, Reagan was now sitting in Dr. Ableman’s office with her mom. Session two. Reagan didn’t know what to expect, because she and her mom had barely spoken since the last session. She’d asked a few questions about Reagan’s date Friday night, but not near as many as Reagan feared.
“Mrs. Cooper, Reagan, please come in,” Dr. Ableman said when they entered.
At least Reagan didn’t have to see that pitiful girl walk out again.
“How was your week?” Dr. Ableman asked after they sat down. “Reagan do you want to go first?”
What she wanted never seemed to matter with her mom or the doctor, so why fight it? “It sucked, actually. My former boyfriend is now dating this horrible bitch —”
“Reagan!”
“It’s okay. We want Reagan to feel like she can be honest with us in here. This is a safe place without judgment.” Dr. Ableman leaned forward.
Reagan almost burst out laughing. All they ever seemed to do was judge her. But she realized she’d hit on something. Talking about typical teenage issues would make her appear normal. Not that she should have to prove her mental stability. Her mom needed counseling way more.
“I’m sorry, Mom, I’ll watch my language,” Reagan said. Score two points for the teenager, she thought. Teenager two, adults zero. “I broke up with him, but it still hurt. Plus, Abby is spreading rumors about me.”
“What kind of rumors?” Dr. Ableman asked, pulling out his notepad and pen.
Reagan knew she was giving them both what they wanted. No more talk about wolves or real fear. Instead, she would own her teenage issues—the same ones Dr. Ableman probably heard all day long. “She’s saying I couldn’t keep up with Dex’s needs.” Reagan could sense her mom squirming. This was fun.
“I see,” Dr. Ableman said. “How did that make you feel?”
It was official; they were in the middle of a classic television scene. Town whore steals angst-ridden teenager’s boyfriend and the poor girl starts crying to the shrink she was forced to go to. Classic. “Not good.” It was the simple truth. She turned to her mom and added, “Do you remember when I told you Dex always wanted it?”
Mom squirmed some more. “Yes.”
“That’s all he cares about. So he can get it from Abby now.” Reagan was amused at this point. She really didn’t appreciate Abby spreading rumors, but also wasn’t missing Dex’s constant groping. Reagan considered throwing in about how Dex sucked in bed anyway, but thought that might be pushing it a bit too far.
They talked about some techniques for dealing with mean girls for a bit, and then Dr. Ableman turned his attention to Mom. “How are things going with you this week, Mrs. Cooper? Last week you mentioned your mom. Are things better there?”
Reagan didn’t want the conversation to turn that way, but she’d lost control of the appointment. “No, we just don’t talk. It’s too painful.” Mom took a moment before turning to Reagan. “I’m glad she’s here for you, Reagan, really I am. But there’s so much you don’t know.”
It took every ounce of control Reagan had not to ask what she didn’t know. Something had been telling her for weeks she nee
ded Nana’s side of the story first. Dr. Ableman had different plans. “Maybe this is a good time to share with your daughter, Mrs. Cooper.”
Mom, tears streaming down her cheeks, turned to Reagan. She braced herself. “I know how much you’re looking forward to this weekend, but I’m worried sick. Sarah and Mom truly believe their ways are best, but I still blame them for . . .” Mom trailed off, taken over by a fit of tears. She grabbed some tissues from the doctor’s desk and blew her nose.
Reagan fought the urge to protest. She glanced at the clock and saw the session was scheduled to go another fifteen minutes. There was no way to avoid her mom’s revelations. The second hand seemed to get louder with each tick.
“I blame them for the death of my father.” Mom dropped the bombshell and looked over to Reagan, seemingly for her reaction.
Caught off guard, Reagan sat there speechless and numb.
Dr. Ableman also seemed taken aback, because it took him several seconds to recover. Reagan heard the loud thud of each of those seconds from the clock on the wall. She couldn’t rewind time and erase her mother’s words, but it might be possible to stop the details. Panic took over as time slipped away, and no solution presented itself.
“You asked her to come here when Sam died.” Reagan grasped at understanding.
“I lost my son. I needed my mother. But I can’t forget.”
“Tell them about me.” Sam’s voice gave Reagan exactly what she needed. She stood up.
“Mom, I’ve been keeping something from you.”
“Reagan, your mom was speaking, so maybe we should let her finish and then come back to you,” Dr. Ableman said.
Mom looked up and cocked her head. “No, let her say what she has to.”
“Sam’s been talking to me for weeks now.”
Reagan’s announcement had the desired effect, throwing everyone in the room a curveball. As soon as the words escaped her lips, she wished she could bring them back. They were too close, her secrets. But she had to trust Sam. And pray to God it was really Sam’s voice in her head.
Tala Prophecy: The Complete Series Page 11