by Kallysten
“Alicia?” he murmured just as she was drifting into sleep. “Will we be okay?”
She pressed her lips to his shoulder, caressing satin-like strength. “I think…” She frowned to herself. That wasn’t right. “No, I know we will be.”
* * * *
The kiss only lasted for a second, barely long enough for Daisy to take a sip of wine. Alicia’s eyes remained closed when Woods pulled away. She wavered for an instant before he gently took her elbow and guided her into the iron chair just a foot behind her. He placed the other chair across from her and sat, forearms resting on his thighs as he leaned intently toward her, watching her for a few seconds. He then closed his eyes too and bowed his head as though in prayer.
“Did they start?” Lydia asked, her voice very quiet behind Daisy.
Daisy didn’t take her eyes off Alicia and Woods, answering with a nod.
Lydia touched her arm. “Come on, let’s leave them to it.”
With reluctance, Daisy followed her back to the dining room where her friends were gathered around the table.
“You knew, didn’t you?” Mike asked. “About the kissing part?”
Daisy couldn’t quite tell if he was amused or annoyed. He had always been good at hiding behind masks. She shrugged.
“I knew. I didn’t think it’d stop anyone who truly wanted to do this.”
She let her questioning eyes glance around the group. They seemed to have settled down since the initial revelation.
“It’s just a kiss,” Rachel said. “We’re all adults here.”
Her words would have carried more weight if she had not blushed as she finished. Joan patted her back. They had been best friends since high school, and while Joan was the most daring of the two of them, Rachel was always at her side whenever they did something.
“Just a kiss? Easy for you to say!” Brett shook his head as he filled his glass, then two more when they were extended toward him. “He’s a guy. I don’t kiss guys!”
“Could be worse,” Jack said, tongue in cheek, and waited for Brett to look at him questioningly before he finished. “He could have been ugly.”
They all laughed at that, even Brett, who raised his glass to Jack before taking a long drink. “Even so, I think I’ll need a few more drinks if I’m going to do this.”
“What about you? Will you do it?” Lydia asked, looking at her boyfriend with some surprise. Jack only shrugged.
Across from them, Mike was teasing Brett, asking with the deepest serious if he wanted some practice before he stepped on that balcony. Brett groaned and covered his face with his free hand, causing the people around them to laugh. They all knew Mike was gay; he had come out to them three years earlier during a party very much like this one. The first person he had ever told, however, had been his childhood friend Brett. If that revelation had cost him Brett’s friendship, he had once confided to Daisy after a few too many drinks, he’d never have found the courage to tell anyone else.
Daisy surveyed the table as her friends continued to chat, now divided into two groups. In a moment, she would pull more food from the fridge, and maybe another bottle or two. For now, though…
She left her empty glass on the table and returned to the living room, unable to stop herself. As she stood in front of the French doors, looking out onto the balcony, she couldn’t help but wonder what Alicia was seeing. She and Woods hadn’t moved since Daisy had left them there. In the pool of light cast by the living room chandelier, however, she could see tear tracks on Alicia’s cheeks. Something tightened in her stomach, and her hand came to rest on the door handle before she knew what she was doing. She stopped when Alicia’s lips curled into a faint smile. With some difficulty, she let go of the handle. What was Alicia seeing, she wondered, that could make her both cry and smile? She doubted she’d ever find the courage to ask her friend.
She watched for a moment longer, as still as they were. Finally, Woods sat up, then stood, returning to his place against the railing with his back to Daisy. Seconds later, Alicia’s eyes opened and she took a deep breath. She remained sitting a few more seconds, then stood and briefly touched Woods’ shoulder. He turned his face to her, and nodded, smiling, when she said a few words to him. She was thanking him, Daisy supposed. Things must have gone well, then. She let out a relieved breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
Turning back to the house, Alicia took a few hesitant steps toward it. Daisy opened the window for her. Alicia thanked her with a smile as she walked back in, pausing for a second to rest her trembling hand on the doorjamb as though to stabilize herself.
“Are you all right?” Daisy asked.
Alicia nodded. “Fine.” The word came out as a croak. “But I could use a drink.”
Daisy walked ahead, pouring two glasses of the white wine. When she turned, Alicia was there, her hand already reaching for one of the glasses.
“How was it?” Joan asked, sliding closer to Alicia. “What did you see?”
The others had stopped talking and turned to Alicia, their faces showing various degrees of curiosity.
Having no desire to hear this, Daisy took the second glass out onto the balcony. Woods was still against the railing, looking out at the ocean as she had earlier. The sun had fully set, but the very edge of the horizon was still glowing, like the embers of a fire only waiting to be reawakened. She stood by his side and offered him the glass. He took it with a grateful nod. Like Alicia’s, his hand was shaking a little when he brought the glass to his lips.
Clutching the railway with both hands, Daisy observed him with a critical eye. The rough wood pressed into her palms when she tightened her grip. She had never seen him do his little trick before, and she had just realized something. Her lips twisted into a grimace.
“You didn’t tell them everything,” she said, almost accusing.
Woods seemed startled by her words. He blinked as he looked at her. “What?”
“You didn’t tell them you see everything they do.”
His awkward smile assured her she was right. “I’m just trying to spare them embarrassment.”
She snorted. “You’re too kind.”
“Not really. I’m sparing myself the embarrassment, too.”
She tried not to let her eyes stray down to the bulging reason why Woods was facing away. “Right. And next you’re going to tell me you don’t enjoy what you see.”
He actually blushed at that, and took a sip of wine rather than answering.
“I knew it!” She shook a finger at him. “Pervert!”
Still looking embarrassed, he grinned. “Honestly, I like it much better when it stays PG. But whatever I see, it’s just…nice to know things work out for so many people in the end.”
Her curiosity piqued by his tone, Daisy peered at him more closely. As he continued to take slow sips from his glass, his grin faded, replaced by wistfulness. Her disbelief that he might like innocent visions more than explicit ones was shaken, and rather than mock him she said, “I guess I hadn’t thought about it that way. So…your visions…they always end well?”
“To this day.” He knocked twice on the wooden railway, the sound clear and sharp in the night.
“How many people did you…show their future to?”
“I’ve lost count. Too many, probably.”
The comment surprised Daisy, but before she could say anything, Woods looked at her sideways.
“Are you next?”
“You wish. Let me go get your next victim.”
She reached for his empty glass. He didn’t let go. “But you will let me show you?”
As she forced herself to meet his eyes, Daisy could only hope that she didn’t look as scared as she suddenly felt. “You mean, will I let you inside my life?” she said, pushing a sardonic smile to her lips. “Why would I let you see what I think I shouldn’t see?”
&
nbsp; He finally let go of the glass and turned back to the ocean. “Think about it, Daisy. It could change your life.”
Even though she wouldn’t admit it, at least not to him, she had thought about it. From the first time her sister had told her, beaming, that a seer had shown her a vision of her future husband to the moment she had met Woods at the wedding, she had wondered what it would be like to get a glimpse of her own future. She didn’t let herself wonder anymore.
“Giving you a hard on would change my life?” she said, her voice turning more teasing than she wanted. “Don’t flatter yourself. And try to calm down before I send you the next one. They were spooked enough by the kissing part. They don’t need to know you’re getting off on it.”
He was chuckling when she left. In spite of herself, Daisy smiled.
Second Vision of Destiny – Lydia
A half moon was rising over the northern coastline when Daisy left Sam Woods on the balcony. She glanced back as she passed the threshold of the French doors into the living room and almost tripped over her own feet when she realized he was looking at her.
There was something in his eyes, maybe hopeful, maybe wistful, and she had half a mind to turn back and talk with him a little longer. Surely, they could find other things to discuss than the future. What else did seers talk about? The TV show on which he regularly appeared? The book he had written about his experience? She hadn’t watched the show more than a couple of times and hadn’t read the book, so she wouldn’t have much to say there. And it wasn’t as though he didn’t know what she thought about what he did.
Feeling silly, she hurried back to her other guests.
She still thought it was ridiculous. Life was about making choices when confronted to unexpected situations. If a seer like Woods told you beforehand what you were supposed to do, where was your free will? She could have accepted it, maybe, if his visions, as he called them, showed people matters of life and death. Surely, they could all live without knowing in advance what man or woman they would end up with.
She should have found a way to refuse to host this party, she thought yet again as she stepped into the dining room where her friends were gathered around the refreshment table. She could have given Woods’ contact number to one of them and let them arrange the séance. Then, she wouldn’t have needed to witness any of it, or see Woods again. There had been enough conflict between them when they had first met at her sister’s wedding without adding oil to the fire by organizing this whole thing.
Lydia was the first to notice her return. “Is he ready for the next person?”
“He is. Did you all decide who’s going?”
Lydia smoothed her hands down the sides of her dress. A tense smile lit up her pretty face but did not reach her voice when she said, “I’ll go.”
She glanced at Jack as she said it. Daisy followed her eyes. Jack’s expression was inscrutable, but it wasn’t too much of a stretch to think he didn’t like the idea of his girlfriend kissing another man. He and Lydia had been together for a few years already and they were happy—but Lydia had confided to Daisy that he tended to get jealous about little things, seeing any man she talked to as a potential threat despite her reassurances that she loved him. He closed himself off when that happened, giving Lydia the cold shoulder until he realized he was being an idiot and apologized for it. Daisy had often wondered how long Lydia would put up with it.
Lydia started toward the living room, taking only two steps before she turned back toward Jack, holding out her hand to him. “Will you come with me?”
A chill fell on the room when Jack didn’t respond immediately. Daisy held her breath, scrambling to find something to say, something to break the tension and reassure Jack. Before she could, however, he raised his hand to take Lydia's. His shoulders were stiff, his face still blank, but he did accompany her.
Small talk started again as they stepped away. Hands reached toward the amuse-bouche and wine. Daisy looked critically at the table. There seemed to be more confetti than food, now. Maybe she ought to bring in the next tray.
Excusing herself to her guests, she walked into the kitchen. She paused on the threshold when she realized Alicia was sitting at the breakfast table. Her face was turned to the window on her right, and Daisy wondered how much she could see of the ocean down below.
“Alicia? Are you okay, honey?”
Her quiet words startled Alicia, who jumped in her seat and whipped her head to look at Daisy. The glass she was rolling back and forth between her fingers tipped over and hit the woven placemat with a muted thud. Thankfully, it had been empty.
“Please don’t ask me about it.” Her wide eyes begged Daisy as much as her words did. “He said we’d forget faster if we tried to remember too much.”
With a calming gesture of her right hand, Daisy sat across from her. “I won’t, I promise. Just tell me if you’re okay. You look a little—”
“Ben.” Alicia covered her mouth with her fingers. She looked equally surprised and horrified to have blurted out their friend’s name. After the shock had registered, she hunched her shoulders and grinned. “I’ll end up with Ben.”
Daisy returned the smile earnestly and reached for Alicia’s fingers on the table. She squeezed them for a second. “I told you he liked you a lot.”
Color rose in Alicia’s cheeks, and she chuckled. “I guess he does. Did you tell him I like him, too?”
Rolling her eyes, Daisy snorted. “Is this high school? Are you two going to start exchanging notes beneath your desks?”
Alicia’s chuckle turned into full out laughter. It was nice to hear her laugh again, and for the first time, Daisy was glad she had caved in and asked Woods to see her friends.
“I think…” Alicia paused and looked through the window again, out into the night. Far in the distance, a single firework blossomed in the sky, the golden trails falling down to the ocean. “I think maybe I could…” She looked back at Daisy, her head tilted to one side, spots of color high on her cheeks. “You said Ben is at the hospital tonight?”
Daisy struggled not to grin. Getting to her feet, she went to the fridge and pulled out a large white box. She set it on the table in front of Alicia, who looked at her questioningly.
“He’s at the hospital, yes. What a way for the ER doctors and nurses to spend New Year’s Eve. I bet they could use some cheering up.”
Understanding dawning on her features and lighting them up brightly, Alicia slid the tip of her finger beneath the edge of the lid and pulled it up, revealing the large sheet cake, its white icing and the colorful fireworks drawn around the words “Happy New Year!”
“What about the party?” Alicia asked, a slight frown darkening her features. “I can’t just leave with your dessert!”
Daisy glanced back toward the living room, where laughter was rising like sparks of firecrackers. “We’ll be fine. There’s plenty in the fridge still. But before you leave…” She eyed the empty glass in front of Alicia. Was it the second glass she had had tonight, or the third? “Do me a favor and eat something, okay? And there’s juice in the fridge. I’m not letting you drive away and end up in the ER as patient.”
With a slight shake of her head, Alicia stood and enfolded her in a hug. “You’re the best friend ever, do you know that?”
Daisy returned the hug and laughed. “If I were such a good friend, I’d have found a way to push you and Ben together long ago. Come on, help me bring more food to the dining room.”
Alicia took a tray of appetizers while Daisy carried a bottle of orange juice in each hand, and they returned to their friends. Everyone cheered at their arrival, having apparently munched their way through most of the food on the table already.
“Whose turn is it?” Alicia asked, looking around the group as though trying to see who was missing. “Jack’s? I didn’t think he’d do it.”
“Lydia’s,” Cathleen said.
“Jack went for moral support. I doubt he’ll go through with it.”
There were a few nods around the group. Jack had only been second to Daisy in arguing that none of them needed Woods’ services.
“I don’t even think he wanted Lydia to do it,” Brad said. He raised a glass to his mouth but did little more than wet his lips. “He didn’t look happy at all when she said she’d do it.”
“He didn’t say anything, though,” his girlfriend Joan said with a slight frown at him. She seemed to be asking if he would keep quiet like Jack or ask her not to go through with it if he disagreed.
He shrugged. “Jack’s Jack.”
A murmur of assent rose through the group. They had all known Jack for years, but even now, he remained something of a mystery to most of them. Daisy turned toward the living room, and winced when, through the large archway that linked the two rooms, she saw Jack’s silhouette in front of the French windows. He had to be able to hear everything they were saying.
“So who’s next?” she asked, more to change the subject than because she really cared about the answer.
Joan quickly answered “Me,” but Mike said, a laugh on the edge of his words, “if I don’t go soon, I’m not sure I’ll go at all.”
Leaving them to decide the order in which they’d go, Daisy walked back to the living room. Jack stood in front of the closed balcony windows, hands in his jeans pockets, his feet apart in a solid stance. His gaze remained on what was happening on the balcony except to flit briefly toward Daisy as she came to stand next to him.
“It shouldn’t take long,” she said in what she hoped was a soothing tone.
Jack shrugged his shoulders. For a long moment, they remained quiet, their friends’ voices drifting from the living room with an occasional burst of laughter. Daisy wished she could have reassured him, but she doubted anything she could say would help.