Catherine smiled a little at that. It seemed she admired Lisa-Marie as much as I did. “She never said anything.”
“She wouldn’t.”
“So…this gift. How does it work?”
Sighing, I looked down at the bed, then met her eyes. “I have to touch someone’s hand to see their immediate future. I can’t tell you what will happen in five, ten years. But I can tell you something important that will happen in your near future. It’s kind of complicated.”
“So you saw Lisa-Marie getting on that train?” I nodded. “You never saw me?” She saw my smile and gasped. “You did?”
“Yes, right after. When she came around, she was so worried something would get her for not dying, it kind of freaked her out. I offered to touch her hand to see what was in store for her. I saw you straight away.”
Catherine blinked a few times and shook her head. “My goodness, you’re full of surprises. But what has this got to do with Lisa-Marie getting shot?”
Feeling Michael stiffen beside me told me this was going to be complicated. I wasn’t going to delve into the world of angels with Catherine. She already had a big shock. I didn’t need to add to it.
“See, Kali was a strong believer in what’s meant to be is meant to be. When she found out what had happened with Lisa-Marie, she didn’t like it. She kind of voiced as much when I told her. She was very aloof about it at the time, but I should have read the signs. There was obviously more there than I noticed. She thought that, maybe, it was her time to go.”
“Or maybe you were meant to save her.” Catherine’s face was defiant and it made me smile.
“Exactly. That’s what I told Lisa-Marie when she visited me.”
I felt Michael relax his grip. He probably wondered why I had to tell her more than what was necessary. I should imagine Lisa-Marie knows as much herself. I could picture Kali spouting off that same level of anger at her as she did at us. It made me shudder to think about it.
Catherine smiled and came in for a hug. I wasn’t sure why she was being so nice to me after telling her the love of her life was in the hospital because of me. I suppose she really didn’t blame me after all.
Chapter 2
Two days had passed since I woke up and I was getting antsy. I managed to visit Lisa-Marie once they moved her out of ICU. She looked frail and gaunt, which was very unlike her normal jovial self. It was kind of hard to take, but I’d take that over the alternative any day.
Michael hadn’t left my side the whole time. He was being my guardian right up until the end. We hadn’t spoken of that night. I knew I needed to speak with him, but now wasn’t the time. I was hoping he would come home with me when I got discharged so I could reveal to him what he so desperately was asking for.
“How are you feeling?”
Snapping out of my daydream, I looked up into Michael’s sincere eyes. “I just want to go home,” I whined.
Smiling, he gripped my hand. “I can understand that.”
“Good morning, Cassie,” the doctor said, walking up to my bed. Smiling brightly, I caught the mischievous grin on his face. “Eager to get home, I see.”
I nodded, feeling like an excitable dog waiting for her treat.
“Then I shall put you out of your misery. You can go home today, providing you’re not in any pain of which I should be aware.”
Vehemently shaking my head, the doctor smiled. “Okay. I shall write you a prescription, get your discharge papers together, and you can go home. Get ready and I’ll have the nurse bring it to you in a few minutes.”
“Thank you so much for everything, Doctor.”
“Don’t mention it, Cassie. You take care of yourself.”
I couldn’t keep the smile off my face as Michael helped me out of bed. I was still a little sore, but I chalked that up to being in bed for so long.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
Getting up, I stood in front of Michael. I grabbed him and pulled him in for a hug. It was an instant relief.
“Thank you, Michael. I don’t know how I would have handled everything without you by my side. You are my true guardian.”
Pulling away from our embrace, Michael’s smile grew wide. “It was my pleasure, Cassie. It’s always my pleasure.”
For the briefest of seconds, we stayed like that, our eyes locked in a tender moment. Looking at him in this way made me realise our talk needed to come sooner rather than later. He needed to know how I felt.
Michael’s gaze fell when he realised I needed to get changed. He closed the curtains so I could have some privacy, then pulled some clothes out of a bag. “I didn’t know what to bring, so I just got you some jeans and a jumper to go home in. I hope that’s okay.”