Part 28 (1/2)
”Our family,” he corrected and I smiled.
”Don't worry about me...I think I'm falling in love with them.” I held my fingers thumb and index finger up an inch apart. ”Little bit,” I said and smiled wider.
He stepped up to be one step under me, our heights matched.
”You're amazing,” he said and lifted out entwined hands to kiss the back of my fingers and then led me down the last few steps to a kitchen full of watchful, weary and worried eyes all fixed on me.
Seventeen.
”Well, come on, pretty girl. Let's get this over with,” Gran insisted as soon as my foot hit the bottom step.
I looked around at the packed red brick kitchen. There were some faces I recognized and some I didn't but, there was a blast of t.i.tters and whispers at our arrival.
”Gran,” Kyle's mother protested and I couldn't help but think I needed to learn everyone's name. ”Let her eat some breakfast first. I made coffee and honey buns. Caleb told me it was her favorite.”
”I'm sure she's ready to not have that thing across her face anymore. Come on,” she beckoned me again and took my hand to pull me into the next room. Her skin was cold and soft but I could feel her bones as she gripped me. ”Caleb and Peter, you too, this isn't going to be fun.”
I felt my eyes bulge at her words and wondered what she meant by that. She pulled me to lay on the chaise lounge and propped a pillow under my head as I saw Peter and Caleb come into the den with us.
”Now, Caleb, come sit right here,” she instructed and pointed to the spot on the floor by my head.
”Is this going to hurt?” I asked unable to not ask. ”It didn't really hurt the last time you removed one.”
”Yes, I'm afraid it is.”
Caleb looked at her sharply and I realized he hadn't known that either.
”What do you mean?” he asked forcefully.
”Caleb, I'm sorry, sugar baby, but it was different last time. Yes his intent wasn't pure then either but, this time it was pure malice and deceit. She's gonna have to feel that when I take them back and she'll relive every attack.”
”No.” He started to get up and grabbed my hand to take me with him. ”No, she's not doing it then.”
”It has to be done.” She held him in place with a hand on his shoulder. ”She won't get her energy back until we take them off. Plus she doesn't want to walk around with those things forever.”
”No, I don't,” I answered softly.
”I didn't know it was going to hurt you,” Caleb said softly, squatting down in front of me, pus.h.i.+ng my hair back. ”We don't have to do this today. You've been through enough already.”
”I want to. I want it over with. It's ok.”
Caleb looked none too happy about that but nodded tersely to Gran and stroked my other cheek with his fingers before scooting over to my head as I laid back down.
She motioned Peter to sit by my feet so he pulled my legs up to sit under them, pulled them into his lap. He patted my leg and smiled weakly at me.
Then Kyle ran in.
”What are you guys doing in here?”
”Healing Maggie. Now get over here and make yourself useful or hit the road,” Gran said as she knelt beside me.
For an older woman, she sure got around really great.
”Help how?”
”Hold her hand and the rest of you...hold her down.” I heard Caleb sigh inwardly in aggravation. ”Alright,” Kyle moved to kneel on the floor on the other side of the chaise and grabbed my hand. He even laced our fingers and his other hand held my arm by my elbow. He and Caleb glared at each other. ”Let's get started. Maggie. You heard what I said. It'll be different than the last time I healed you because his intent was different. Before he was just trying to upset Kyle, this time, he was intentionally trying to hurt you. So it'll be worse but we'll get through it.”
I swallowed and nodded. Caleb bent down to kiss my forehead and whispered that he was there and I knew his intention had nothing to do with Kyle being there. In his mind, he was extremely upset, p.i.s.sed about the whole thing, and wanted to grab me and run upstairs. I wondered how he would react when he saw me in the pain from doing this. It was in his blood to protect me.
Gran didn't do my face first and I wondered why but didn't say anything. She did the one on my hand, placing her fingers and palm in exact alignment as the black handprint and as soon as she was in place the vision hit me and I felt his hatred for me as I watched and felt the scene as it's ran its course backwards of how I received that mark. It showed Marcus grabbing me to push me in the open car door but it was in reverse and disorienting.
It choked me, burned in my skin and I yelped. Then it ended. When I opened my eyes everyone was watching, looking ill and angry. All I could hear was my erratic breathing.
Caleb grunted and breathed hard through his nose.
”Are you ok?” he asked gruffly.
”Yeah,” I breathed.
He leaned his head on mine and I saw that he felt what I had felt, saw what I saw and was actually experiencing it for himself with me. It was killing him inside to see and feel what had happened to me before he got there to save me.
”Marcus better pray I don't ever see his sorry hide again,” he growled.
”Go,” I said to him as he lifted his head.
”No,” he said firmly, knowing exactly why I was trying to send him away.
”You don't need to be here. The others won't relive it with me like you. Just go.”
”Absolutely not.”
”Caleb,” I protested.
”Maggie.”
”Did you know it was going to be like that for him?” I asked Gran not unkindly.
”No.” She looked at him curiously. ”No, I most certainly did not. Caleb, maybe you should go wait in the kitchen.”
”Not gonna happen, Gran. She stays, I stay.”
”So n.o.ble,” Kyle muttered sarcastically under his breath but everyone ignored him.
”Caleb, I've never seen it where one significant feels another's removal of offense marks or anything else I've ever done. I'm not sure it's a good idea-”
”Gran, I'm not leaving.” He looked down at me. ”You still want to do this now?” he asked and I nodded. ”Then let's finish it but I'm not going anywhere.”