We lay there, warm and comfortable and I decided to share with him what had happened at the ice cream place. I didn’t want him completely out of the loop once I had to show everyone everything. I opened my mind and pushed my images to him, my forehead to his. My skin tingled and even though I was almost drifting asleep, my body knew just what to do. It was so easy now.
He gasped as we connected and he saw me buy ice cream and go sit in the stones. Then the guy, I showed him a vision about his mom, and I saw her and told him where to go. Then I showed him on the porch as he spoke to his father and called to me when he felt my presence. Then I came home.
“I knew you were there, on the porch with me. I felt you.”
“I remember. Sorry.”
“No more apologies.” He kissed my neck. “But you can’t run out on me like that, Maggie. I was in agony worrying about you.”
“I know. I’m sorry about that too. My chest hurt so bad,” I said pressing my hand to my heart, feeling the memory of pressure.
“I know. I could feel you, and me. It was...just please don’t do that again,” he begged softly. “Ok? You can slam the bathroom door in my face if it helps but you can’t leave. It hurts too much.”
I turned to him. I knew he was hurting, like me, but I almost forgot he felt all my pain too. And I felt like a double idiot.
“I’m so sorry-”
He cut off my apology with a kiss. He moved to hover over me, not pressing me but letting me feel his weight. His fingers slid down my cheeks and neck, caressing me. He nuzzled my nose with his.
“How does it feel? Our first real fight now out of the way?”
“It sucked.”
“Yeah,” he agreed with a small chuckle. “But do you feel better? Being able to stand up to me? Not feeling so trapped by our imprint?”
“I didn’t stand up to you. I ran away.”
“Yes, but you did it knowing that was exactly what I didn’t want you to do.”
“I’m sorry-”
“No, I’m not scolding you, Maggie,” he chuckled. “I’m just saying, I told you it’d get easier didn’t I, to fight? I want you to feel free. Not like you have to please me on everything just because your body rebels if you don’t.”
“I don’t like it anyway. I don’t ever want to fight, I want to talk. We should be able to talk through anything together. If you had gotten in the Jeep and ran off like that, I wouldn’t have been so worried. I’d have been angry. I’m sorry.”
“It’s ok. Even though it sucked, I was proud of you too.”
“What? Why?”
“Because,” he said. He nuzzled my nose once more and then rolled to be back on his side, facing me. “You felt the pain but fought through it for what you thought was right. I want you to be bound to me, Maggie, don’t misunderstand me on that. I want to feel everything in you and be connected, but I don’t want to control you. It feels sometimes like I’m controlling you, even though it’s really the imprint.”
“You’re not. I want to be bound to you, too,” I assured, wrapping his shirt front in my fist. “It makes me feel safe. Let’s just forget tonight ever happened. I’m safe, you’re safe. Let’s just go to sleep, ok?”
“Ok.”
“I love you, Caleb. You’re really good to me.”
“I love you.” He kissed me. “You’re the most important thing to me, Visionary or not.” He put his face to mine, noses touching, heads touching. “I love you so much it hurts,” he whispered.
And I kissed him and he kissed me until we eventually fell asleep.
When we woke late in the morning, Caleb said he needed to go for a swim so I went into the kitchen. I expected there to be tension and awkwardness in the house but to my surprise, Bish had cooked breakfast and Kyle greeted me with a small sideways hug and a smile.
“Morning, sunshine. Sleep well?” he asked.
“Yeah, I did. I’m sorry I kept you guys up so late. Bish, you too. I acted...childish. I’m sorry.”
“Forgotten already,” Kyle said and grabbed a piece of bacon that Bish had put on a plate to the side.Bish growled at him.
“If you snag one more piece of bacon, I swear...” Bish turned to look at me. “It’s ok, Maggie. I was a little harsh last night, but in my defense I was sleepy. I’m just glad you’re ok.”
“I’m fine. It was my fault, I take full responsibility. Sorry.”
“Accepted, now grab a plate and dig in before Kyle eats all yours too.”
I grabbed a plate of bacon and Bish’s western hash browns. He used to make these for us when he lived at home. Kyle grabbed a piece of bacon from my plate too, putting his finger to his lips to shh me when I started to protest. He grinned, winked and then kissed my cheek before heading out, to go play Halo; his mind said.
I sat at the table after pouring a glass of milk. Caleb was still swimming laps which I felt good about. He didn’t feel the need to be with me every second which meant he believed I was safe here.
“So,” Bish sang, coming to sit beside me with his own plate piled high. “What’s on the agenda for today?”
“No idea. Caleb’s father is gonna be here sometime, probably tonight.”
“Why?”
“Because Caleb called him after our fight and he jumped the first plane out,” I answered without thinking.
“Wait, what?” He looked at me sharply setting his fork down to the table with more force than necessary. “Why would Peter care if you and Caleb had a fight and you ran away? Why does that warrant a visit from your boyfriend’s father?”
“He’s just a really cautious guy,” I said through my glass as I took a sip.
Enough of this, it ends now.
“I’m not buying it, Maggie.” He stood up and banged his fist on the table making me jump in surprise but also a little frightened. He was glaring and leaning over me. “What the hell is going on? Tell me now. I don’t care what it is. Be pregnant, be married, be in a cult, whatever! But you better start giving me some answers that make sense!” he yelled loudly.
“Maggie!” Caleb called and I heard his footsteps as he ran, feeling my heart rate jump. “Maggie!” When he saw me he sighed and came forward but then saw Bish red faced, angry and towering over me with his fist bunched on the table. He came, his swim trunks and a towel around his neck still, and pulled me from my chair to put behind him. “What are you doing, man?”
“She’s my sister. I can yell at her if I want to. What are you doing?” He looked from me to him, and then narrowed his eyes. “You think I’d hurt her?”
“She’s terrified, dude. You tell me.”
My own sister? Can they see the monster in me?
“I’m fine,” I said softy and moved in front of Caleb, which he wasn’t too keen about. “Bish, why can’t you just accept that I’m in love with Caleb? Everyone knows it. His family is my family. I’m going to marry him and have little Calebs running around on day.” Caleb’s heart jumped so violently with joy from hearing me say it, I felt it, “You are the only one who hasn’t figured out yet that I don’t need saving. Not from him or his family.” Caleb’s hands went to my waist from behind and he squeezed affectionately. “I’m fine here, Bish. I want you to stop being so worried about me that you can’t even enjoy anything. We’re in California! Live a little.”
Bish shook his head.
They’ve got her so in deep with whatever this is that she can’t even see it anymore. Maybe I can take her one night. Take the Jeep and get away from them, from everyone, for a while.
“No,” Caleb and I both protested at the same time and Caleb pulled me to him as we read Bish.
Crap. There would be no way to cover that up. Crap. Crap.
Bish eyed us both. He shook his head and backed away.
I’m going crazy.
He went upstairs to his room and slammed the door.
I wanted to go after him and tell him everything. I was seconds away from following him. I’d had enough of watching him suffer and fight for me.
Caleb turned me to him and pressed my face into his neck with a hand in my hair.
“It’s ok. We’ll...I’ll tell my father. Maybe we can...I don’t know. I don’t want to lie to you and tell you it’ll work out when it might not, but I can’t stand to see you upset either.”
I pulled back to see his face.
“I’m not worth all this trouble.”
“Yes you are,” he said hotly. “Don’t ever say that. Bish wouldn’t care so much if you weren’t.”
“But I’m-”
I was about to say I had caused Caleb and his family a lot of grief too but he cut me off.
“Are you serious? After everything we’ve been through are we back to this? Do you really not know how I feel about you by now?”
I sighed as he put his hand on my cheek.
“You’re right. I’m sorry.”
“You apologize a lot lately,” he said through a small smile.
“I’m an idiot a lot lately.”
“No, you’re not. You’re just a silly girl,” he said and then laughed when I poked him in the stomach. “Ow.”
“I just feel so bad about Bish. I wish...” I said and heard the tears threatening.
“I know.”