Gathering Water (19 page)

“Della, let me escort you back to your room.” Derek started to stand from the table, but was stopped by the arrival of Toby at my side.

“No need, Derek. I can take her back, at least as far as the entrance.” Toby put his hand on my shoulder in what probably looked like an affectionate manner. I fought the urge not to shake him off, nodded my head to Derek when he asked if I remembered the way to my room and walked side-by-side with Toby until we were out of sight from all observers.

“I’m sure I’ll be fine from here.” I remembered what Derek had said about my safety, but there was no one in sight and I was reluctant to spend more time with Toby.

“I’m sure you would be, but I need to talk to you first.” He didn’t turn to look at me as he spoke. “Your father isn’t a Clade, Della. But that doesn’t make your presence here any less dangerous.”

“I know, Derek told me all about it.” I was surprised that he was going to warn me.

“Derek told you?” Toby briefly stopped his walk, and raised his eyebrows in surprise, then continued. “Then you know why it was better for you to be raised with the humans. It’s far too dangerous here for you and Gabby knew that. I still can’t fathom what she was thinking, being with him, but what’s done is done. Now it’s too late for you to run. They already know about you and I suspect they’d track you down if you tried to leave-“

“Wait, you knew? Knew that my father was an Elfennol when my mother ran away? That’s why she left, to protect me?”

“Of course. Who do you think helped her leave? I was trying to save her. The council can be very severe. Derek must have done some very quick talking to grant as much leniency as you’ve had. That was probably his doing, convincing them to call forth your father in two weeks. Makes the fault lay with him instead of you.” We arrived at the entrance just then, and I turned to look at him, speechless. Sure there were tons of questions I wanted to ask him, but they were all jumbled in my mouth and before I could get my act together, Alexander came up from behind us.

“Derek asked me to make sure you didn’t lose your way. Toby, do you need assistance back to your quarters?” Alex asked in his stiff manner.

“No, I’m going to head back to the party. There is something I need to discuss with my son. Della, sleep well.” I watched as my grandfather walked away, finally turning to see Alex waiting for me inside the open door.

“Thanks, Alex, but I remember the way,” I told him as I walked into the door.

“I’m sure, Duxa.”

We walked with nothing but the sound of our padded footsteps filling the hallways. If he already knew that I could find my own way, why was Alexander following me? Did Derek really send him to help, or were his intentions less than honorable? To be cautious, I started to build up my Shield, wishing that I had eyes in the back of my head to see Alex behind me.

“Duxa,” he said “I’m not going to harm you.” I guess he noticed my Shield growing.

“Oh, uh, I know. I was just-“

“Shielding yourself so much I could hardly see your aura.” He said, cutting off my denial. “No one in the Leoht family will do you any harm. We are committed to our Lord, and he to his oath to your family. I don’t fault you for being careful, however I was merely following my own orders to ensure your safety.”

We reached my door, and to be honest I
was
glad that he had come since I walked right past it and would have spent several useless minutes trying to get into the room next to my own if he hadn’t stopped in front the correct one.

I let myself in, took another glorious shower, and slipped into the nightdress that was now on the dresser. I looked uneasily at the bed, wondering how I was supposed to get in since it was waist-high and hanging from the ceiling. Remembering the stool, chairs, and tables that the Elfennol seemed to grow from the ground, I took moment to try my hand and make a step-stool for myself and was pleased to find that it took the barest concentration to create the steps. They matched the table and chairs that Derek had made earlier, black with silver veining, and I wondered if you could specify the materials you wanted. I was too tired to play around though, and crawled into the oval shaped cocoon, amazed when the thinly laced vines closed themselves behind me.

It was the first night that I didn’t have Llewellyn’s diary to read myself to sleep, but it was just as well because the last few pages were torn out and I was almost at the end. My last memory was of the lights dimming down to darkness, and I slept peacefully until the morning.

August 1
st
, 1969

Dear Journal,

My visions are coming more frequently, without consciously using my powers to see. My subconscious knows that something huge is coming on the horizon, something that will change everything. So far the images are broken and senseless, but like a jigsaw puzzle I’m beginning to see how they fit together.

We left early the morning after the testing, staying only long enough to make a breakfast of some really crusty bread and delicious soft cheese. I continued to keep my distance from Toby that day, glad of our inability to speak on the trip back home. I wanted to hate him, but it took too much energy to do that, so I made a promise to myself to try and keep an open mind when it came to him. I wasn’t ready to forgive him, I’m not sure I’ll
ever
be ready to forgive him, but I’d be more civil in his presence. Maybe.

The morning of the memorial was also my last morning staying with Connor and Ellis. It was a strange feeling. All of my things were already at the new house, except for one small bag, and Ellis kept wiping her eyes with a tissue because her “baby boy” was moving out.

Cash had picked the room across from my own at the house, and we had spent the previous day unpacking and talking, telling Dove about the Testing. Luke had spent our day away by completing the floors and recruiting Dove to help move most of the furniture back in.

Ellis, the saint, had gone to the store and brought back a carload full of “necessities”, which were mostly groceries. I don’t know how she found the time to do it, what with all the last minute preparations for my mother’s memorial service, but I was thankful she did. My cash supply was dangerously low, and I intended on having a word with Luke about picking up more shifts at the store ASAP.

I borrowed Cash’s Jeep that morning to get to the bank. I would have gone the day before but had gotten caught up in all the unpacking and preparations. My key was around my neck, my armlet was easily visible, and I was already wearing the black wrap dress and ballerina shoes that I had bought for the memorial. When the bank teller brought me the box, it seemed to look different, as if the metal were shinier or glowing slightly. It was something that I’d noticed more and more often, as if I were Tempering Fire when I wasn’t. Maybe it had something to do with my Elfennol abilities coming through. I’d been too self-conscious to ask anyone while I was at their base, too afraid to bring up my mixed heritage the morning before we left.

I took my key from around my neck and unlocked the box. The faint glow seemed to flare for just a moment when the lock clicked, and my gaze immediately fell on the velvet bag that held the letter and picture of my possible father. I held it in my hands for a few minutes, rubbing my thumbs across the smooth texture of the velvet bag. I reached two fingers into the bag and grabbed hold of the paper inside, but I lost my nerve. After putting the small bag inside my purse with a promise to look at its contents later, I couldn’t resist the sparkle in the box and picked out a pair of ruby drop-earrings from the pile of jewelry to wear.

The bank teller took the deposit box to return it to its special slot, and I left the bank. I was meeting everyone at the restaurant where my mother’s memorial service was, and when I pulled into the parking lot of the Black Pelican a few minutes later I took a few deep, calming breaths. This day had crept up way too quickly for my liking, and I had to prepare myself for an onslaught of distant relatives, awkward questions, and sympathy hugs. Oh, dreaded hugs. I was just about to grab hold of the door handle and let myself out when I nearly had a heart attack.

“Della, you okay in there?” Dove’s eyes peered in at me, knuckles still against the window; it had been their rapping that had caused my cardiac arrest.

I let myself out of the Jeep before answering. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just, you know…” I took a shuddering breath “I’m just nervous, I think. What are you doing here?”

“Thought you might need the moral support. Mom’s already inside helping set up; being her ride gave me an excuse to come early.” A small-smile graced his lips. “Why are you nervous?”

“I don’t know. Because of all the people who are supposed to be here, I guess.” That was the most that I was willing to admit and I started walking towards the restaurant.

“Oh. Well, nothing to be nervous about. Everyone is here to pay respect to your mom, and to remember her. This is the perfect opportunity to get to know her. That’s what you’ve been planning to do, right? Find out who she was?” He was walking backwards in front of me so that we were facing each other while talking. It was distracting.

“You’re right. Though I think I’d feel weird asking people about my mother. I mean, I should already know her! She’s
my
mom, after all.”

“I have the feeling that people will be telling you about her, whether you ask them to or not. Don’t worry. I’ll come in and rescue you if you get too scared. You look amazing, by the way.” He winked at me.

With all the feelings running through my mind at that time, having my heart flutter at a wink and an offhand compliment was… ridiculous. Yes, ridiculous. As if flirting with an admittedly sexy boy was just as important to my emotional brain as my dead mother and my non-human father. Yeesh, hormones.

He turned around and we walked side-by-side up the wooden stairs and into the restaurant my uncle had reserved for the service. The décor seemed out of place for a memorial service, or perhaps the memorial service seemed out of place for the décor. Either way, the surfboards on the walls, and buoys hanging from the ceiling did not make for a somber setting for what was essentially a funeral.

Dove and I walked over to the corner where Cash was being scolded by his mother for not wearing a tie.

“Hey Della. How’s my baby?” Cash used our presence as an excuse to escape Ellis’ fussing. He was also referring to his car as his baby, like a crazy person.

“Oh, I wrecked it a mile back. Had to walk.” I left him with his mouth open and stood in front of Ellis to ask if there were anything I could do to help.

“No honey, not unless you brought something for my son to tie around his neck, we’re fine. You’ve come just in time, people are already starting to arrive,” she said, waving her hand in the direction to a door that led to a porch where the early arrivals were already.

“You didn’t really wreck my Jeep, did you?” Cash asked, trailing a step behind and to my left as I made my way to meet everyone.

“Why would I lie about something like that?” I answered blandly, focused on the feel of Dove’s hand brushing against mine as he walked beside me on my right. Mr. Clure was the only person I recognized, so I walked up to him to try my hand at small talk.

“Hi Mr. Clure. Uh, I’m glad you could make it.” That was about as much small talk as I knew how to speak, but luckily the old man didn’t notice.

“Della, my dear. I wouldn’t miss this. Your mother was a peach, dear, a real peach. So sad to hear that she passed away, though she’d been gone so long… I lived on their street when she was a little girl, you know. Before I had to move to a one story house, that is,” he said.

“No, I didn’t know that,” I answered politely, thankful that Dove and Cash were still close by, though both had entered conversations nearby.

“Oh, yes. We left our kitchen door open especially for her. Kept those ice-pops for the children. The wife and I didn’t have any of our own, but the neighborhood kids were always welcome. Didn’t have to worry about stranger danger so much back then. The wife would always save a red one for her, and she’d come by and have a chat while eating her sweet. Not like the other kids who usually left afterwards. She did that, oh, until she was about thirteen or so and we had to move since my wife’s knees couldn’t handle the stairs anymore.” He spoke fondly, and was the first of many people to take a moment to share a memory with me about my mom.

Dove was right, and I was able to learn so much about her in the next few hours. I discovered that we were at her favorite restaurant, and she always ordered a pizza with spinach and pepperoni. She loved to dance, but was terrible at it. A friend of hers from high school, Sheryl, told me that she’d given my mom a hand-knitted hat for Christmas one year, and that she had insisted on wearing it constantly even though it was badly stitched and a terrible mustard yellow. I found out that my mother was funny and loved practical jokes. That she would pick up any stray animal she found, which drove my grandparents crazy.

Soon it was time for Uncle Connor to speak, I guessed for the eulogy, and we were all ushered into the bar area where dozens of pictures of my mother were laid out. I pushed my way to the front to stand next to Aunt Ellis, glad that I hadn’t lost Dove in the crowd, even though Cash was goodness knew where.

“I’d like to start out by thanking everyone for coming.” My uncle addressed the crowd while a few servers started passing out plastic shot glasses of something I was too young to drink, though they handed me one anyway. “As you all know, we’re here to celebrate the life of my baby sister. A woman who always had a smile on her face, and a joke in her heart. I’ll be honest with you, my sister drove me crazy. I didn’t always understand her, she went at life full throttle. She was stubborn and opinionated, and so smart. That’s what would drive me so crazy about her, her brilliance. Her ability to always be right.” He cleared his throat. “I remember giving her my best big brother advice several times: don’t do this, act this way. She never listened, not once. But she didn’t have to. She knew her path, and while some people might have thought she was reckless, I always knew better. My sister was aware of everything she did. She was my best friend, and I don’t think I’ll ever stop missing her.

“The past few months I’ve been lucky enough to get to know her daughter, Della.” He pointed his small glass in my direction. “I see so much of Gabby in my niece, especially her strength. Gabby’s death was a true tragedy, not only because she was too young but also because she was robbed of a chance to see her most incredible accomplishment, to see the amazing young woman who is her child. I’m comforted by the thought that Gabby is somewhere watching us, that she can see the love in this room today, and smile with us as we remember her.

“So, let us all raise our glass,” the crowd followed his lead and we all held our shot glasses up “and toast Gabby with her favorite drink. Cheers!” My uncle tossed his head back, draining the small cup in one go. I did the same, bleching at the taste of vodka, limejuice, and orange liqueur assaulting my tongue.

After everyone had done the same, champagne was passed around and anyone who wanted to go to the front and say some words, did.

Every story that I heard, every joke and memory that was shared, made me miss her. It made me wish she were the one sharing these things with me, made me really think about all the things that I’d never had with her, and never would. It was devastating to think that we both missed out on my childhood together. Finally, with my throat clogged with unshed tears, I excused myself for a few minutes. The closest place that could give me guaranteed privacy was the gift shop off to one side of the entrance.

I sat down next to the shelves of t-shirts with my legs bent and to one side since my dress wouldn’t allow for another position without flashing my undies. Fighting to get control of my emotions, I rifled through my purse for my chapstick, really to give myself something to do, and went still as my hand brushed across the velvet bag I had put in there at the bank. I pulled it out and wiped away the single tear that trailed down my cheek.

This was my first time really missing my mother, missing both my parents, really. I was so used to being alone, to being an orphan. It was my norm and I didn’t think too often about what I didn’t have. I’d already seen the photo and letter before, but for some reason I was reluctant to take a second look at them. Chances were that it wouldn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know… except… except now I had other people who could take a look and see if they recognized the man in the picture.

Holding my breath, I pulled out the folded letter and picture. I reread the letter first, finally understanding what their romance meant and why he broke things off. The picture was next and I took a moment just looking at my mom. Smiling, content. Was she already pregnant in this photo? Did she know? My eyes were drawn to the face beside hers, my hand rushing to my face in surprise.

“Hey Della, you down here?” Dove didn’t wait to come down the few steps before I answered.

“Uh, yeah. Yes, I am.” I threw the photo, letter, and bag back into my purse. A shock of adrenaline made my pulse race, and there was no way I would be able to go back to the party and pretend my world wasn’t still spiraling out of control.

“You don’t look okay,” he said while squatting down in front of me.

“There’s just a lot happening right now. Too much.” Another tear leaked out, and I tried casually to wipe it away.

“I’m going to sit down next to you and put my arm around you, is that okay?” Dove asked, understanding my need to be warned before doing something like that. I nodded my head in approval, and let him hold me for a minute. A few more tears let loose, but since he couldn’t see my face I made no attempt to clear them away.

“Can you take me home? I don’t think I can go back in there,” I asked him, knowing that he would say yes.