“Then why don’t we pass the time over lunch?” Eric suggested. “I know airport food isn’t all that great, but I don’t suppose they could ruin coffee and sandwiches.”
Rachel agreed, realizing she hadn’t eaten that day. She certainly wouldn’t be of any help to Steven if she fell over from hunger. She and Eric went to the restaurant and ordered lunch.
Eric sensed that Rachel really wasn’t in the mood to talk, so he respectfully refrained from idle chatter. Instead, he watched her as she watched people passing by, and wondered what was on her mind.
By now Rachel’s mind was too tired-out to think of much of anything. In those moments of blank thoughts, completely unexpected, she found Steven again.
She dropped her sandwich with such abruptness that Eric reached across the table and took her hand.
“Rachel, what’s wrong?”
Rachel didn’t answer him. She didn’t even see his arm on the table. Instead of plates and glasses, she saw a miniature view of a boardwalk. It curved along a beach until it was out of her “sight,” edging a cluster of large gaudy buildings. It was a daylight image, but she could see thousands of lightbulbs decorting their facades, and knew it would be a brilliant, lively place at night. There were hundreds of people walking along the boardwalk. As clearly as if he were alone, she found Steven sitting on a bench.
He had his eyes closed, and his face seemed troubled.
“Rachel!” There was more force in Eric’s voice, and this time she heard him.
“Steven’s lost,” Rachel said, her voice distant. “He’s gone there looking for someone, but he doesn’t know what to do next.”
“Gone where?” Eric asked.
Rachel pointed at the table. Eric saw only their lunch.
Rachel could hear Steven’s thoughts, and once again the name Marty came up.
I’m in Atlantic City now, Marty. I don’t know what to do, and I’m scared. Why won’t you answer me? Where are you?
Rachel tried to tell Steven that she was there, and coming for him, but he didn’t seem aware of her presence.
A voice came out of nowhere, not part of her vision.
“Would you like more coffee?”
The holographic image of the boardwalk in Atlantic City vanished in a nanosecond. Rachel looked up at Eric. His eyes were full of concern, and she knew he thought she’d gone over the edge. She quickly averted her gaze to the waitress.
“N-no,” she answered. “No more coffee for me.”
Eric waved the waitress away, then said, “What just happened?”
“I know where Steven is now,” Rachel said, staring into her water glass. “I saw an image of a place with casinos, and a boardwalk.”
“That has to be Atlantic City,” Eric said. “But, Rachel, how—?”
Her head snapped up.
“I don’t know how,” she said, tears in her eyes. “I can’t explain this. But would you please stop looking at me as if I’m crazy.”
“I don’t think you’re crazy,” Eric said.
“Yes, you do,” Rachel said. “You think something’s been happening to me ever since the night of the concert. Maybe you’re right. I know I’ve been horrible to live with . . .”
“You’ve just got a lot on your mind.”
“I’ve been a monster to the children,” Rachel said, “especially Tatiana. But this is something I can’t let go of, Eric. There is a reason we were chosen to take in Steven. I have to find him!”
“You will,” Eric promised. “We’ll be in Atlantic City by this evening, and we’ll find Steven.”
Rachel managed a smile for him, grateful for his optimism.
Neither one of them knew that Marty was already communicating with Steven, and moving him even farther away. When they finally arrived in Atlantic City, it was evening, and the bright lights Rachel had imagined were now real. Eric, although doubtful, asked if she felt anything.
“Not now,” Rachel said. “If Steven is here, he isn’t thinking strong enough thoughts for me to hear him.”
In truth, Steven was there. He was sleeping under the boardwalk some distance down the beach, his mind free of dreams.
A breeze blew off the ocean, and Rachel shivered. Eric put an arm around her shoulders.
“Then maybe we should try some old-fashioned detective work,” he said. “Let’s walk along and see if there are any places that might attract a young boy like Steven.”
“Fine,” Rachel said, only because she didn’t know what else to do. The boardwalk seemed endless, but she decided she could try to bring Steven back into her thoughts while they were walking along.