Accordance (12 page)

“Dang it, Maggie,” he whined. “You couldn’t let me have my little secret? You are going to be impossible to buy presents for.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I-” he started but the doorbell rang.

He went to answer it and I heard Peter’s thoughts of happiness about seeing Caleb before I saw him turn the foyer corner to the living room where I was. And then Rachel, then my dad, then Jen...then Bella, Caleb’s Sheepdog, all walked in right behind him.

I gasped in happiness and dread both. What were they all doing here? Then I blushed in shame. They’d been worried about me running away? This seemed a little extreme.

Caleb petted and crooned to Bella for just a second as he ushered her to the backyard. He was anxious to be with me when we started all this. And it didn’t take long.

Peter made his way to me.

“Magnificent.”

I knew what he was going to do but I couldn’t muster up the gall to tell him no, though I wanted to. I didn’t want to be disrespectful as he kissed my fingers and then touched my hand to his head.

Then to my horror, Rachel did the same thing. I cringed and tried not to pull away but when Jen made her way to me I could no longer take it.

“I-”

“Maggie doesn’t want you to do that,” Caleb explained softly and came to stand in front of me like a guard. “Remember, Dad, on the phone we talked about this. Maggie wants none of the bowing or protocol, she wants to just be herself.”

“I’m sorry, my dear, but you have to understand that this has been foretold since I was a child. It’s just such an honor...”

“I know. And I’m not trying to muck up tradition or be disrespectful but I can’t have everyone bowing to me every time they see me. I’m still the same old me. Treat me like the same old me. Please?”

He nodded and smiled slightly.

“Whatever you wish, my dear.”

“Dad,” Caleb protested for me.

“I meant that as Maggie’s wish, not a Visionary’s wish,” he clarified. “Whatever makes Maggie happy.”

I nodded in gratitude.

Caleb went to hug his mom and I made my way to my dad. He was holding himself in check but wanted to grab me the second he saw me. As soon as I got close enough, he pulled me roughly to him.

“Ah, baby girl. I’ve missed you something fierce.”

“Me, too, Dad.”

I realized it was true. Then he looked at me and cocked his head. He put a hand up to rub the ends of my hair.

“Peter told me what happened with your hair. It’s looks really great this way though.”

“Thanks.”

Did Peter really bow to you?
I nodded.
Is that normal?

“Apparently.”

I hope you’re behaving…

He looked at me expectantly with a perfectly arched questioning brown eyebrow.

“Yes, Dad, of course,” I obliged.

He smiled and nodded his head to Caleb in hello, then looked around.

“Where’s Bish?”

“Playing a video game with Kyle.”

“Really? Bish? Strange.”

“Yeah, tell me about it. So...what are you doing here?”

“Well, I heard a little rumor that you were a goddess or something.”

“Dad, come on,” I said more forcefully than I had intended.

“Hey. It’s true isn’t it? You are this Visionary person? So I figured, it couldn’t hurt to have your old man here to keep you grounded. Don’t let all this go to your head.” He winked.

“Thanks,” I said through a smirk.

A sense of urgency came over me. I knew the time had come to show the Champion what I had seen. I could hear their awe and wonder as they looked at me and the mark. They were waiting for something spectacular to happen.

“Kyle, Bish!” I yelled, startling Jen.

“What’s up? Uncle Peter! Hey!” Kyle hugged them as Bish came in and he was more stunned than I had been about seeing Dad.

Jen’s thoughts slammed into me. She was still just as interested and taken in by Bish as she had been before. He had been on her mind every since that day and it was driving her crazy. She bit her lip and looked at me quickly before looking away, ashamed knowing that I’d heard her thoughts.

“Hey, Dad, what are you doing here?” Bish asked.

“Just checking in.”

“Hey, Kyle,” I called. “Can you take Bish to the store and get some steaks? I’m gonna make some for tonight but I need to talk to Dad about some stuff.” He looked around and knew he was being left out of something. He took a deep angry breath. I stopped him before he started. “Kyle, please do this for me? I need you to.”

He softened a bit.

“Fine, but you show me later,” he compromised and pointed at me.

“Absolutely.”

“Show what?” Bish said just as he noticed Jen standing there.

He got a bright look on his face for a few seconds before he fixed on a blank expression.

Oh, what is she doing here? Daggumit! How am I going to keep an eye on Maggie with all these people here? Especially her. Gah, look at those arms... She’s just so...

“Hi,” he said.

“
Hi,” she said softly and I felt Caleb tense. “How are you?”

“Good. How was your flight?”

“Good.”

“Good,” he answered and noticed us all watching so he cleared his throat and spoke to Kyle. “Steaks?” he said happily seeking an out.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

Once they were gone I turned to them. Caleb stood next to his father and watched along with the rest of them. He wasn’t thinking he shouldn’t be with me, just that he would be in the way.

I looked at Peter.

“Champion, I have a message for you.”

He sighed in wonder and started to kneel.

“No. No, kneeling either. I need you to stand. You’re going to need to stand up, literally, for the task we have to do. We all need to. Ready?”

“Yes.”

“Dad,” I waited for him to look at me eyes. “Don’t be alarmed.”

“Why would I be?”

“Just don’t. I’m fine. It’s all fine.”

He nodded warily.

I closed my eyes and felt completely in power and control. This was what I was meant for. I could feel it in my veins. I tried to open myself but then realized I was forgetting something.

“Caleb,” I called and looked at him. “I need you.”

He looked surprised as he came forward.

“What do you need?”
“You.”

“Does this require a human sacrifice?” he said joking.

“No,” I laughed and heard Jen laugh too. “You remember I told you how I needed you at my side? I do, always. I can’t do any of this without you. Your touch is the trigger.”

“It is?” he said in surprise.

“You are just as important as I am. In the vision, I saw that you and I will be the key, not just me. Everything we’ll accomplish, we’ll do it together or not at all.”

He looked at me with an elated and humble expression. Peter and Rachel’s thoughts were so proud and happy for their son and daughter-in-law.

I looked back at him and put my hands on his upper arms as they went around my waist. I pulled him down to lay my head against his.

A
t my side, not at my feet, remember? Always, every time I show a vision, every time I have to speak to the our kind, every time I breath, even, I need you, right here. Ok?

He nodded.

I understand. I’m with you all the way.

I grinned.

Good.

I pushed up to kiss him quickly. Then I smiled at him as I laid my head against his again. I saw the energy ribbons before I felt them. It was a little different this time now that I’d had my first vision. As the blue ribbons floated and danced in a circle all around us, I heard a gasp from Jen and Rachel. Peter and Caleb had seen them before and weren’t surprised. I focused on Dad to make sure he was ok. He was thinking about some Star Trek episode as he let the ribbons go through his hand, so I assumed he was taking it in stride.

I began to replay the vision I’d seen in the library as they all watched it play out above us in a hazy glow.

I showed them the greed of our kind, the pride seeping in and corrupting us, the ignorance whittling away at our potential, the complacency of our leaders, and finally, the redemption that could be ours if we’d only try. I showed the book, how the words came to me and how they tasted as I looked on the people of our past. As this happened I could smell the taste I’d tasted in the vision on the air around us and from their thoughts I knew they did too.

I showed them me helping the guy from the ice cream place.

I then smiled as the vision I’d seen of Caleb and I fighting side by side and then old and gray together played across my eyes, Caleb saying he still loved me.

Caleb laughed happily and quietly into my ear as he pulled me closer to him.

There, written in stone in your very own vision that we’ll be together to the end. Do you believe me now?

I always did. I just didn’t want to see what was right in front of my face. You love me, I know that now without a shadow of a doubt. And I love you more than I ever thought was possible to love someone.

I smiled at him as he gazed at me in unabashed adoration. His lips turned up slightly and then he put a hand on my cheek, brushing my hair back just like he did that first day, the day I met the love of my life.

The love poured out of him. It was like, for the first time, we both were completely sure of each other, ourselves and our destinies. It didn’t matter what was thrown at us, we would weather it together.

He pulled my face up to his, his fingers sending warm calm through me as he kissed me softly. I could hear the thoughts of the others as they watched the energy ribbons dance around us. They were happy, so happy and so proud and rejoicing with us. Even my father was in a complete trance of happiness and humbleness.

I pulled back slightly and we laughed a happy breath with each other before turning to face our family. I knew Peter had questions but so did everyone else. Rachel was crying, tears streaming down her face as she watched her son love his significant. And the fact that I was the Visionary was just the cherry on the sundae.

I turned to look at Peter and waited. He had to understand. He had to see the truth. Our clan was chosen for this task for a reason. And it was up to us to see that it was carried out.

“I’m still kind of in shock, actually,” Peter continued on. “All those horrible things you showed us, all the terrible things our ancestors did to others. It makes sense why our abilities were taken but why our family to be the beacon of reason? Why now? Why us? Our imprints were taken like everyone else’s.”

He’d been talking and going over everything we’d seen together at the dining room table for about twenty minutes. I expected Bish and Kyle anytime and wondered how long they all planned to stay. Bish was already so suspicious. I tried to bring up that subject but Peter was stuck on the vision.

“The visions were so precise in purpose. I don’t know what I expected but it wasn’t that,” he continued. “Maggie, what were you doing when you got the vision?”

“I was just sitting in the library, looking at photos and books. I ran across Grandpa Ray’s record book and when I opened it I saw the picture of him and Gran on his birthday.” I looked at Caleb. “The one you told me about, where she got the tattoo for him.” I ran my fingers over his wrist tattoo with envy. He laced my fingers with his as I sat on his lap where he’d pulled me when we first came to sit down. “Then I opened the book and read it to the end. Then the vision came.”

“What tattoo?” My dad asked.

As Peter explained it to him I talked to Caleb, taking the break in conversation.

What are we gonna do about Bish and Jen?

I don’t know.
He sighed and rubbed his chin.
I’m not sure we should do anything. Maybe better to just leave it alone. Jen would never break the rule.

Yeah, I know. But I don’t want them to start to like each other even more and be stuck with no where to take it. You know? Bish has had a...hard enough life without all this.

I started to choke up just thinking about it. He was such a good man and he deserved better than what he got. Caleb put a hand on my cheek to calm me.

I don’t know what we’re gonna do. We’ll keep them busy, keep them apart as much as we can. Don’t worry. He’s my family now too which means he’s my family’s family. He’ll be taken care of and it’ll all work out.

I hope so.
I ran a finger down his wrist again as I studied his tattoo.
I hate that Bish will never feel what I feel for you for himself, or Jen for that matter.