by Rushell Ann
*********
I woke up with a warm smelly breath in my face and a weight on my chest. I opened my eyes and saw Logan sleeping on my right side with his face about in inch away from mine.
"Nice, dog breath,” I said as I tried to look around.
"Logan, wake up, you’re squishing my chest,” I said as I rubbed his side. I love the feel of his fur against my hand it’s soft like feathers.
I'm sorry Jayden, I just wanted to sleep as close to you as I could. You were drugged last night and I was afraid to leave your side.
"That's sweet that you were worried about me, but could you please get off me, it's really starting to hurt my ribs. You are sure solid for a dog,” I said as he jumped off the couch.
"So, what happened last night, all I remember is drinking tea and starting to talk with Grandma and then I got really tired. Was there something in the tea that made me tired, and why would she do that,” I said as I rested on my elbow
Jayden, the powers that you posses are desired by many, and you are not to trust anyone. You have to remember that.
I looked over and saw Blake starring at me, great, now what I going to say to him.
"Good morning Blake, did you sleep ok, you don't look very comfortable,” I said as I waited for him to ask me why I was talking to myself.
"I didn't really sleep much, people kept coming in, but they would leave when your dog would start to get up and growl,” Blake said as he got up off the floor.
"What time is it? I'm hungry," Sully said as she sat up.
"It's still really early, almost 6am,” Blake said as he looked at his watch.
"What time did I pass out?" I asked.
"It was just around 6pm. Sully and I lay around talking for hours before we finally fell asleep,” Blake said as he turned on a light.
I sat all the way up and was about to stand up....
"So I see you are all awake and kicking, I think it's time for some breakfast,” Grandma Catherine said as she opened up the drapes to the library.
That was creepy, none of us heard her come in.
The windows were as tall as ceiling, and the curtains flung open with a wispy sound. The light felt so good on my face, the last few days have passed so fast that it's made me feel like I've been in the dark for days.
"Before we eat anything, I would like you to introduce me to your friend, Jayden,” Grandma Catherine said as she walked over to stand in front of me. Her presence made me uncomfortable.
"I did introduce you to my friends, last night,” I said as Logan came and sat at my feet. Did he know something that I didn't, did my Grandmother know about Logan.
"Now Jayden, don't be rude, I would hope that your Mother raised you better,” she said as she walked over to the chair across from me.
Jayden, be careful, she’s digging, don’t give into it.
“I introduced you to Sully and Blake and my dog Saska. I’m not sure who else you mean,” I said, as I got a little firmer in my tone.
“Fine! When we go into the dining room, could we please leave the dog outside. I am allergic to him and frankly it’s just not clean,” she said as she stared at me.
“Well thanks for taking the time to see me, we can come back another time,” I said as I brushed myself off and started making my way to the door.
“I had a wonderful breakfast made just for you and your friends, and you’re going to leave,” she said with disgust.
“I don’t want to make your allergies worse; my mother raised me better than that,” I said.
“Why can’t he just go outside, or stay in the study while we eat.” She asked with curiosity.
I had to think about this one for a minute.
“My dog isn’t comfortable in unfamiliar soundings and I would hate to see him get stressed out,” I said.
“Fine. I guess I know now how attached you are to him,” she said as she walked out of the study.
I looked at my friends and wondered what I got us all into.
“I didn’t even ask you guys if you were alright with staying for breakfast,” I said as I turned around.
“I’m ok with it, this is what this trip was about anyway, right,” Blake said.
“Yeah, I’m ok with it, but I am a little creped out. I think I know why your Mom didn’t talk to your grandmother, Jayden. She is a little weird,” Sully said as she followed us out of the study.
My grandmother was waiting for us outside of the study. She walked us through this enormous house and into a formal dining room.
“Your house is very beautiful, is this were Mom grew up?” I asked.
“Yes, this is the house that your Mother grew up, did she not talk about it?” Catherine said as she waited for someone to pull her chair out for her.
“Here, let me get that for you,” Blake said as he rushed over and pulled her seat out for her.
“Thank you, now everyone please sit and let’s eat.” Catherine said as we all sat down.
“You’re not going to poison us again, are you lady?” Sully said as she looked in her glass of milk.
“I beg your pardon, no one was poisoned,” she said as she glared at Sully.
“Well Jayden was given something that made her pass out like that. I’m not sure we should even be eating any of this stuff,” Sully said.
Just as she said that, people walked out from a door and had trays in their hands. They put platters of food on the table in front of us. Items from cold cereal to eggs, bacon, pancakes, crapes, biscuits and gravy, and a few other things that I didn’t recognize were spread across the table.
How many people were eating with us?
“I assure you that this food is not poisoned, that would just be a waste of food to do that,” Catherine said as she produced a sweet fake smile.
“Wow Jayden, someone in your family with a sense of humor, that’s different,” Sully said as she reached for the biscuits and gravy.
“Sully, I’m sure that my grandmother has a perfectly fine explanation as to why she would drug me,” I said as I looked at her and raised my eyebrow.
“Ladies, ladies, let’s enjoy our breakfast before it gets cold,” Blake said as he dished himself up some eggs and bacon. Blake seemed to be ok with eating, maybe I would watch him eat for a minute. Sully seemed to have the same thought. We both stared at him while he started to dig in. After a few minutes he seemed to be fine.
“Ok, but I definitely don’t want any tea anytime soon,” I said as I reached for some granola with yogurt.
I wanted to confront my grandmother about what she might have put in the tea, but I wanted to get some information first before I started a conversation that would lead to confrontation.
Remember, Jayden, she can notice things that you are thinking about. Try to not to focus so hard on your thoughts.
I looked down at Logan, who was lying next to my chair and I winked at him. I’m getting better about not talking aloud to him.
Blake was sitting across from me and Sully was on my right. Grandma Catherine had asked me to sit right next to her, which made me a little uncomfortable, but I felt better with Logan at my side.
“Saska are you hungry?” I asked him as I looked around for an additional plate.
“You are not going to fed that animal in my dining room are you?” Catherine asked.
“I was going to, I don’t see a reason not to, and do you have an extra plate so I can dish him up some food?” I asked as I grabbed a piece of bacon and handed it to him, he swallowed it with one bit.
“I will allow you to feed your dog, but I’m going to have to ask you not to feed him from the table,” Catherine asked as one of her staff showed up with an extra plate.
How does that happen, I don’t see a bell she rings. Whenever she needs something, one of her staff is always right there.
I dished up some food and put the plate on the floor for Logan to eat.
“So where’s your
husband?,” Sully said with her mouth full.
I looked at Sully with a slight glair.
“We don’t talk with our mouths full, dear,” Grandma Catherine said as she took a sip of her coffee.
Coffee, that’s what I really want. I’ve been so tired lately; the smell of Grandma Catherine’s coffee was driving me crazy.
“Did you want some coffee dear?” Catherine asked.
“Oh…yes, I would love some,” I said as I thought about not thinking so hard.
A woman brought me some coffee that smelled heavenly, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to drink it.
Jayden, let me smell your coffee, I can tell if there is something in it.
I took my coffee cup and sniffed it myself, but all I could smell was coffee. I took my cup, bent down to Logan, and let him smell the coffee. He just looked at me and went back to eating.
“Is there something wrong with your coffee?” Grandma Catherine asked.
“No, Saska loves the smell of coffee, it’s something that we do, sorry I know it looks weird,” I said as I realized that was a dumb answer.
“We all know by now that you are a little off, Jayden,” Sully said as she tried to hold back a giggle.
I took my right foot and gave Sully a little jab in the calf. Sully has always jabbed at my with words, but I didn’t need that kind of behavior right now.
“Jayden, so now that you have your grandmother in front of you, what kinds of things would you like to ask her?” Blake asked as she looked at me with those beautiful eyes.
“Yes Jayden, what would you like to know. You can ask me anything, but before we ask, I have one for you. How long have you and Blake been dating?” Catherine asked me with a questioned look on her face.
I was in the middle of swallowing at bite of yogurt, that question caught me off guard, and I choked….and I choked hard. I put my hand over my mouth because I was afraid I might spit yogurt at him.
“Jayden, are you ok?” Blake asked with concern as he stood up from his chair.
I put my hand up but couldn’t talk, I was still choking, trying to get the yogurt to go down the right tube.
“I’m ok…thanks for asking, I guess I swallowed wrong,” I said as I realized that I was going to have to answer her.
“Jayden, your grandmother is still waiting for an answer,” Sully said as I could tell that was getting a kick out of seeing me squirm.
“Grandma, I think you have miss understood something. Blake and I are just friends, actually we just meet not that long ago,” I said as I finally stopped choking.
“Well, I guess I just assumed that you were together,” she said as she drank her coffee.
Jayden, she’s reading your thoughts again, you need to concentrate, or this could go bad.
“Could you all excuse me for a moment, I really need to take my dog outside, he needs to do his business,” I said as I got up from the table and patted my leg for Saska to follow me.
“Yes, please make sure that dog doesn’t pee in my house.” Catherine said as she sipped on her coffee.
The way she drinks her coffee reminds me of two old Betty’s sitting on their plastic lined sofa’s drinking tea at high noon.
I made my way to the front door, not sure exactly what I was doing, but I knew that I needed to talk to Logan about his hints here and there.
Why are we going outside Jayden?
“Because, I can’t have a conversation with you and I need to know why you are so leery about me talking to my grandmother,” I said with a quiet whisper.
This conversation can’t take place, so it’s pointless for you to even ask me this.
“You can’t keep making me feel like my grandmother is the enemy and not tell me why, and then you tell me that I can’t think about anything. Do you know how frustrating this is?” I whispered to him.
We were almost to the front door and I noticed how close I was while walking with Logan. Once I noticed that one of my grandmother’s staff was walking out of the study and he was staring at me.
“Oh…hi, my dog has to pee so I’m taking him outside,” I said, trying to cover up the fact that I was talking to a dog.
He just nodded at me with a blank look on his face.
“The people here giving me the creeps, none of them talk to me and they all look like they have no emotions,” I said as we walked out onto the porch.
They have been with your grandmother for many years; they are servants and are very loyal to her.
“Ok, ok, I don’t want to talk about my grandmother’s staff. Why can’t I think about anything, why are you so nervous around her?” I asked as I walked off the porch into the sand dunes.
Jayden, it’s against the rules to tell you anything, now if your mother was here that would be different, but I can’t break the rules. It could harm you if I did and I would never want anything to happen to you. Just make sure that you don’t think things like you were about Blake.
“It was no big deal it was only his eyes…..wait a minute, how did…Oh my, you heard what I said?” I said as I stopped in my tracks and didn’t know what to say.
No, not really, your power isn’t at full speed so I can only see a few things, you just need to limit your thoughts to what you want to talk to your grandmother about or things that are important to her.
“So you failed to mention that you could read my thoughts, do you know how that makes me feel, completely violated,” I said as I realized that I was angry.
It’s not like that Jayden, you do hide your mind well, but a few things leak out and it’s not like I’m searching for it.
“Why didn’t you tell me this before, I think I have the right to know this stuff,” I said as I turned away from him and starred out at the ocean.
I couldn’t tell you, like I said before, you have to figure these things out on your own, or I…
“Or you what? What you can’t tell me that either,” I said as I looked down at him.
No, I can’t tell you anymore about it, I’m on the line as it is.
“Great, I’m trying to figure out what’s going on with me and my best friend is a dog, and my grandmother is a mind reading prude,” I said.
Jayden, be mindful of your emotions, they are going to get you into trouble.
“Well you better go pee before someone watches us and notices that your just standing here,” I said as I didn’t know what to say anymore. I felt like my life was out of control and I didn’t know how to fix it.
Logan went over to some grass did his business and we went back into the house not saying anything to each other.
When I arrived back at the table, everyone was done eating which was fine with me because I wasn’t hungry anymore.
“So, did your dog at least not pee on the house?” Grandma Catherine asked.
“No, he didn’t pee on your house, he is well trained,” I said as I tried to keep my thoughts quiet.
“Sully, your Grandmother invited us to stay here at her house while we are in town,” Sully said to me as she gave me that grin.
“Oh, well that’s awfully nice, but I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I said.
“Well Blake has accepted my offer, so why can’t you,” Grandma Catherine said.
“Umm…” I was about to try and think of an excuse.
“Jayden is just being polite for my benefit, I have phobias that I can’t talk about and she knows that I would be more comfortable at our motel room. Right Jayden,” Sully said as she looked at me.
Love having such a great BFF.
“Right, plus my dog wouldn’t be the best for your house and he insists on sleeping with me every night, and I haven’t had a chance to give him any flea medicine,” I said as I sat down.
“Well the offer is open if you ladies change your mind. Blake, are you still going to stay?” Grandma Catherine asked.
“Yes mamma, I would love to stay. This old house is very interesting and I would love to ask you some historical questions about
it,” Blake said as Sully and I gave each other looks.
Why would Blake want to stay here, he seemed as suspicious of my grandmother as everyone else, why the change of heart.
“Grandma, I was wondering if grandpa was still alive. I would have asked sooner but I’ve been so overwhelmed that I hadn’t thought about it,” I said as I realized that someone had refilled my coffee.
“Oh yes dear, he’s away on a fishing trip but should be returning in a few days. You are staying for a few days aren’t you?” Grandma asked.
“Yes, I had planned on staying for a few weeks,” I said.
“That’s wonderful, your Grandpa will be so excited to see you. He will love to show you around, he’s a nature lover,” Grandma said.
“Grandma I would love to stay longer, I have so many questions, but I really need to take a shower and change my clothes. Do you mind if we continue this conversation later?” I asked thinking about a warm shower made me feel warm all over.
“Are you sure you are feeling alright dear, your face looks a little flush,” Grandma Catherine asked.
Jayden, we need to leave, your drawing on your power and your Grandmother can feel it.
“Yes I’m alright, it’s just been a long couple of weeks and I think my bodies fighting a cold. I think I might need to rest for the rest of the day, but maybe we can meet for lunch tomorrow?” I asked.
“Of course, I’ll have lunch ready at 1:00pm sharp. Is there anything special you would like to eat?” She asked.
“Umm no, but thanks for offering?” I asked as I got up from the table.
“Ok, well I’ll have a variety of things and I’ll make sure that I have cheese burgers and fries too,” she said as she got up from the table.
“That’s totally awesome granny, which is one of my favorite foods,” Sully said as she got up from the table.
“The name is Catherine or Mrs. McCormick if you don’t mind,” she said as she starting to walk away.
“Right, sorry,” Sully said as she looked at me and shrugged her shoulders.
“Well dears, I shall see you both in the morning, then,” Catherine said as she turned around to see our acknowledgment.
“Yes, we will be here. Blake are you staying tonight?” I asked.
“Yeah, if you could just bring my things tomorrow, I’ll just get comfortable tonight. If you need me, I wrote my cell phone number down on a piece of paper in your room. Oh and here’s my key if you could check me out as well,” he said as he followed Grandma Catherine.
I took Blake’s key.
Sully, Logan and I all left the house and got into my car without really saying much. I think we were all very tired, sleeping on sofa’s and floors does wonders for your back.
“So are you as exhausted as I am?” Sully asked.
“Absolutely, I feel like it’s late when it’s really just mid morning. That seems to be happening a lot lately,” I said as I started the car.
Jayden, let’s not talk until we are down the driveway.
“Ok, I’m really not in the mood to talk to you right now anyway,” I said as I looked over at him.
“I really hope that you are talking to Logan,” Sully said as she sat forward.
“Oh Sully, I’m sorry, yes of course, I was answering Logan. You not being able to hear Logan is driving me crazy, if you could only just hear our conversation it would make it easier,” I said as I turned towards Logan.
Don’t look at me, there isn’t anything that I can do about that.
“Well what are you doing here if it isn’t to guide me?” I asked him.
Jayden, I am here to protect you. hat is my main job, and the other things are second to that.
“I really need some fresh air, how about we go freshened up at our motel room and then go down to the beach,” I said as I relaxed a little bit.
“Would you mind if we took a nap, I know that we slept a lot yesterday, but I’m still really sleepy?” Sully asked as she sat back.
That’s not a bad idea Jayden, we don’t have to sleep all day, but you really need to make sure that you are well rested and have clear thoughts in your head.
I really didn’t want to sleep, but my eyes were getting tired and sleep was always an option especially with my body lately. I haven’t felt like myself, sometimes drained of energy. Maybe I’m coming down with a cold; I hope that it doesn’t affect my trip.
We got back to the motel and Sully and I took turns taking showers. When I got out of the shower, Sully was already asleep on her bed, and Logan was on my bed all stretched out.
“Don’t think that you can take up the whole bed, I am bigger than you,” I said as I dried my hair with a towel.
You might be bigger than me, but my teeth are sharper.
“Ok, ok, you can sleep on the bed too, but if I get flea bites, it’s on the floor with you,” I said as I laughed. Just thinking about the fact that my best friend is a dog and I have to sleep in the same bed as him was making me laugh.
I crawled under the covers and Logan crawled up towards my head and cuddled into my side with his head in my armpit.
I know this has been hard on you Jayden, but I had no choice and my form might be hairy and I might walk on four legs, but it’s still me and I am here for you always.
“I know Logan, I am glad that your alive, I’ll take you alive even if you’re breath is terrible,” I said as I stroked his fur.
I can’t do anything about that, but I can try to keep you alive until you come into your full power.
I started to get tired my eyes were burning. My power, what does that even mean?
“I still don’t understand about this power stuff, but I have a feeling I’ll figure it out soon,” I said.
“Would you two stop talking, you’re making me sick to my stomach with all that sappy talk,” Sully said as she rolled over away from us.
“Sorry Sully,” I said.
It’s not like she can hear me too, tell her that I will turn her into a dog too if she wants.
“Tell him if he doesn’t be quiet I will tell the motel manager that we have a rabid dog on the loose,” she said.
My mouth dropped open because I just realized that she understood what Logan had just said.
“Sully, when did you start to hear Logan too?” I asked all excited.
“I don’t know, it was right before we got back to the motel, but I’m not sure that I want that pleasure anymore,” Sully said.
Jayden, this is wonderful, that means that your drawing on your power and not even knowing it, remember on the way here you said that you wished that she could hear you, well it happened. his is a big step, you really do need to get some sleep, it seems your powers are growing faster than I thought.
“Ok, then stop talking to her and maybe she can get some sleep,” Sully said as she grumbled.
I’m not sure how long I was sleeping, I tried to focus on the clock but it was blurry. I woke up before Logan and Sully and just laid in bed thinking about my Mother. I think I dreamed about her again, but I couldn’t fully remember. I decided to get my mother’s letters out of my beg and read some of them. It might help me understand my grandmother better.
I sorted through the letters and decided to read them in chronological order, which looked like the first one was several years before I was born. I hadn’t realized how long they hadn’t been talking.
Dear Grace,
I beg you to reconsider your choice, I’m not sure that you really understand the consequences of what you are doing. This is what you were born for; it is your destiny to fulfill your role in our society. If you walk away I cannot control what happens to you, nor can I protect you from others that might harm you. I know that I have not been the affectionate mother that you had hope for when you were a child but in our lives there is not room for love only loyalty and devotion. If you were to come back now, I know that the punishment would be insignificant and you could return to your rightful place as princess. Please don’t ma
ke this about me, listen to your mother this one time, I fear for your safety and do not want to say good bye to you before your time. I will wait for a response from you.
Sincerely,
Your Mother
It’s hard for me to think that my Mother didn’t receive all the love that she showed me. I was my Mother’s universe; she lived to teach me especially about love and compassion. Just from meeting my grandmother I can’t believe that she was raised by that woman and turned out to be such a wonderful person.
“Jayden, is that one of your grandmothers letters to your Mom?” Sully asked me as she sat up from her nap.
“Yes, but it doesn’t say much, here you read it,” I said.
I got up and handed Sully the letter and went and sat back down and grabbed another letter.
While Sully read the letter I handed her I started to read the second letter which really wasn’t any different from the first.
“Not to be mean Jayden, but your grandmother didn’t sound like a very nice person and from what we’ve seen already, I’m not sure that you can trust her,” Sully said.
“I’m starting to think that myself, but I still need to find out what’s happening to me and there’s still my grandfather to consider,” I said as I put the letter away.
“So Logan can’t tell you anything else, which sucks, what use is he then,” Sully said.
I can hear you Sully.
“Oh, sorry Logan, I just mean that it’s stupid that you can’t tell us more about what’s going on,” Sully said.
I got up from the table and went and sat next to Logan on the bed. He rolled over onto his back, I guess so I cold rub his belly, he has the softest fur.
“So why do you think that Blake stayed at my grandmother's house? I found that sort of strange,” I asked.
“Well I don’t trust him, so it doesn’t surprise me,” Sully said as she flung her legs off the side of the bed.
Sully’s right in not trusting Blake, Jayden.
I decided to call my Dad to check in, he didn’t really have much to say but wished me well and to make sure I called him if I needed anything.
“How does everyone feel about going down to the beach, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen the ocean and I would really like to go?” I asked Logan and Sully.
“Sounds groovy to me, but after that maybe we could go into town, I really need some entertainment.” Sully said as she got up and started to layer up. The beach can be a chilly place.
Laughing.
“Ok, Sully we can go into town later, I know you’re getting bored.
I think there’s a place to rent horses, I know how much you love horses.
“Oh that would be fun, Sully what you think?” I asked her.
“Fine, but then you really owe me, me and horses don’t like each other, but I’ll try,” she said as she put her iPod in her pocket.