by Amber Lynn
After the short ride to the park, Aine and Aidan get out of the car and run towards the swing set. They look like happy well-adjusted kids, even if one parent is missing from their life and the other seems to not be around much. They are only five, though, so there’s still plenty of time for things to go downhill.
“Daddy, is it okay if I go use the bathroom?” Aisling asks as she climbs out of the car.
“Of course, but I’m going to have to come with you and stand outside the door,” Nate answers.
What a good daddy he is. If I ever come out of this, I’m going to have to make sure to tell him that. I’ve told him that in previous lives, but in case I don’t get the chance to in the present one, it’s important that he knows.
“That’s okay,” she replies, and takes his hand to lead him to the bathroom. When they arrive, she stations him at the door and says, “I’ll be right back.”
She then heads into the girls bathroom and I follow behind. Something, beyond the fact that she’s the spitting image of me, makes her very intriguing to me. I really want to try to figure out what that something is. I don’t assume that will happen in the bathroom, but I want to keep an eye on her.
She takes care of her business in one of the bathroom stalls, and then goes to the sink to wash her hands. I stand behind her and am still shocked at how much she really looks like me. I see her glance in the mirror and it almost appears like she looks right at me.
“Mama, you do know it isn’t polite to stare at people, don’t you?” she asks, staring me straight in the eyes. “I may be a kid, but even I know that.”
I look around quickly to make sure there isn’t someone else in the room, not that she’d call anyone else Mama. Seeing we’re the only people there, I look back at her and she’s turned around to face me. She’s a little short thing, not even up to my waist and she’s craning her neck to look up at me.
“You can see me?” I ask.
“Of course,” she replies. She shrugs her shoulders like it isn’t a big deal.
“Why can’t anyone else see me?” I ask, not really sure what to expect for an answer from a five-year-old.
“Probably because they can’t see other planes like me. It’s one of my little gifts. No one else really understands it, but Aunt Eva has been helping me, since she’s used to traveling the other planes,” she replies.
“Aunt Eva?” I ask.
“Oh yeah, you wouldn’t know that her and Uncle Liam got married a few years back. All of the guys from your inner circle like us to call them our uncles. They say that you always said they were family and we should just pretend they were all your brothers,” she explains. “It’s really fun for us at birthday time having that many uncles. I guess we’re lucky they all have money stashed away, because we can be kind of expensive.”
“Are you sure you’re only five?” I ask.
She giggles. “Yes, Mama, but as Aunt Eva has explained to me, I’m the new oracle she told you about. Aine and Aidan can feed off of me and see the future as well, but we’ve kept it a secret from everyone that I’m the main part of it. Eva thinks it’s best that no one finds out in order to protect me. She thinks there will always be a threat out there that’s trying to find a way to get to us, and if no one knows I’m the powerhouse I’ll be safer.”
“Your Aunt Eva is one smart cookie. Even though I always called her crazy, I’m glad to see she’s looking out for you. Do you think if I was in a room with her, she’d be able to see me?” I ask.
She mentioned Eva traveling to other planes, so it seems like a logical question to me. Plus, chances are Eva can tell me what’s going on. I’d heard her voice right before I took my little trip, and it sounded like she knew something bad was getting ready to happen.
“Probably. She told me to keep a lookout for you. She’s been expecting you for a year now. She knew you’d be here when I was five and now that I’m almost six, she was starting to get worried. She’ll be at the house later and I’m sure she’ll be thrilled that you’ve finally arrived.”
I reach out to brush a stray strand of hair away from her face and am shocked to see that I can actually do it. No matter how many memories I get back, I will never understand the crazy world I live in. At every turn, there’s always something that surprises me.
She laughs at me. “Sorry, I forgot to mention that I can also interact with the other planes. So yes, you can actually touch me.”
That’s good enough for me. I pick her up and envelope her in a huge hug. “You, my little devil, remind me so much of myself. It’s more than just a little freaky to witness firsthand. Do you know why that is?” I ask, not letting her down. She seems to know a lot more than I ever did, so I expect her to have a logical answer.
“The looks are all just genetics, the way I act is probably me trying to emulate you. With my abilities I’m able to see how you lived your life, well at least your most recent life, and I like to pretend to be you from time to time. I know it bothers Daddy sometimes, but I can’t help it. You haven’t been here and I wanted to grow up to be just like you,” she tells me.
“Oh, sweetie, I don’t know how I’m going to do it, but I promise to somehow make this not become a reality. I’ll find a way to be there for you and your siblings. I hope it doesn’t involve me falling off the face of the earth for half a century again, but I’ll do that if it can fix this,” I say.
Nate was going to hate me for it, but he’d eventually get over it. He’d have to agree being there for our children was more important, plus if it prevented me from dying, I was sure he wouldn’t mind in the long run.
“It’s okay, Mama, we’ll turn out well either way. You have to do what you believe in and that will always be protecting those you love. You did that when you saved Uncle Rick and no one blames you for that, especially not his soulmate,” she replies.
“Rick found his soulmate?” I ask.
That’s great news. He’d seemed so sad with Nate that I wouldn’t have guessed he found his other half. I know he’d been lonely hanging around with me and Nate all the time. Lonely probably isn’t the right word, but protecting me kept him from finding his soulmate, and he’d been stuck watching Nate and me hopelessly in love.
“He did, which I probably shouldn’t have let you know. Aunt Lucy came in for that final battle and ended up nursing him back to health. It took them a while to realize that the shocks they were feeling weren’t just weird aftershocks from his injury, but they finally got their acts together and made it official.”
“So this Lucy existed when I was still around?” I ask.
“Yup. She’s just about one thousand. As Uncle Rick always teased, he had spent so much time being your protector they just never found each other. Now that they have, you really don’t want to be in a room with them. They’re pretty gross sometimes when they start kissing. Sometimes I swear they’re gnawing on each other,” she says, making a funny face.
“I think that was the face I made at Frannie’s wedding, which seems like only yesterday, but I guess it’s been a few years now.”
“Yeah, that was before my time. Uncle Gary and Aunt Frannie are away a lot. They have a house in Venice, where they spend most of their time. Aunt Frannie still gets sad that you aren’t around, so she only visits once or twice a year. She likes to call me Mini Peaches, even though her eyes fill with tears when she does.”
I laugh sadly. “It seems like everyone is having a really hard time, even after quite a few years.”
“It’s mainly because no one listens to Aunt Eva. She always tells them that the past, present and future are way more fluid than we think. She tried to remind everyone that you weren’t the first phoenix, but you are the one who exemplifies rising from the fire more than any of the rest of us.
“Most of them saw your body disintegrate, though, and can’t imagine there being a way for you to come back. If it was a fire, they’d have a little more hope, but dust seems a little permanent to them. Uncle Vinnie has locked himself away, trying to fi
nd a scientific way to bring you back. I think I’ve seen him once in my whole life, and that was just because I stumbled into his lab when I was two,” she says.
“I’m guessing he hasn’t had any breakthroughs. Unless he managed to harness my consciousness somehow and grow me a new body, I don’t think he’s going to have a lot of luck.”
Vinnie could do a lot of things, but without a warning about something happening, he wouldn’t have been able to make a lab rat out of me. I wouldn’t have allowed him that kind of access anyway, so it’s surprising he’s still trying to figure something out.
“No, he won’t, but while he’s in there, he will find a lot of cures for human illnesses, so I leave him alone. You really did pick a great team to fight with you, Mama. Everyone has gone on to help better human and unique relationships.
“In fact, in the five years since the war, we’ve been able to put a stop to most of the human wars that were plaguing the planet. We’ve helped them realize new, efficient ways to live, to try to counteract all the pollution and damage that has been done to the Earth. It really is a better place than the one you remember,” she informs me.
It’s easy to see that she speaks the truth. For one, it’s lucky enough to have her and her brother and sister. That simple fact makes it better in my mind.
“That’s great news. I think that’s how I always envisioned our path going after we came out to the world. I wanted to see it a better place for you to grow up. I kind of hoped I’d be able to share it with you, but if I died to protect others, I have no problems with that choice, especially since it was Rick. Is there anything else you can tell me about my friends?” I ask.
“Why don’t you just follow along today? I imagine we’ll see most of them, so you can find out firsthand how their lives ended up. Keep in mind, no future is set in stone. What you see may never happen, but it will give you peace of mind that no matter what choices you make, things will work out,” she replies.
“Has anyone ever told you your mother isn’t a very patient person? I really hate to have to wait for anything.”
“I know, that just makes it more fun for me to watch you. I’m going to enjoy getting to study you without it being a memory,” the little devil says.
If I do end up keeping myself alive, I’ll have to keep a close eye on her. I have a feeling she likes to cause mischief, which will serve me right for the way I acted as a child.
“Aisling, it’s been five minutes, are you done in here yet?” Nate says, opening the door and walking in.
His eyes widen at the scene before him. To him, I’m sure it looks like his daughter is floating in the air, wrapped around an invisible object. I guess I should’ve put her down before now.
“Yes, Daddy, I’m done,” she says, climbing down and walking towards him like nothing strange is going on. I’m sure she’s a good actress, but Nate isn’t stupid.
“Care to explain that?” Nate asks, pointing in my general direction.
“It might upset you and I really don’t want to do that, Daddy,” she tells him.
“I have a feeling not knowing will upset me more, so you better start explaining.” he replies.
She gives a little sigh, probably trying to think of how to explain things. “Fine, but I warned you,” she finally says. “I was just giving Mama a hug.”
CHAPTER 13
Let's just stick this apple back on that tree