The Price of Power (The Price of Secrets Series Book 2) (3 page)

    “What’s taking them so long?” It was the first words Mom had spoken since we were led into the waiting room.

    I didn’t know what to say to her. Not because I felt helpless, but because when I looked at her I didn’t see my take charge, solve every problem, mother. I saw, and felt, a woman full of pain and fear. It wasn’t hard to
see,
heck I wasn’t even trying, the memories of her life together with Dad filling her head. Unlike my memories of the good times with my dad, her’s were of regret. She regretted all the over time she had put in at work when the real estate market was doing well. The many times she brought home takeout instead of cooking. The petty arguments they’ve had. I didn’t see anything that she should feel guilty about, but moms are forever kicking themselves for being human. So I didn’t say anything, I didn’t need to. I just wrapped her in my arms and gave her all my love and support.

    The hug was short lived when Mom pulled back. “Hannah, what are you doing?”

    I know that I’m not the most affectionate person in the world, but I hug my parents all the time. “What are you talking about?”

    “You were giving me your feelings, or trying to make me feel better. It’s hard to explain. It was like I could feel it vibrating off of you, then I felt it.” She could tell by my expression that I hadn’t realized what I had done. “Your empathic gift is evolving.”

    Taking in what she had said, I tried to take stock of my mind and body to see if I could feel a change. That’s when it hit me. “Dad’s okay! He is feeling much better.”

    Within seconds a nurse made an announcement. “Price family to the front desk.”

    “Go, we will wait here.” Daniel said after I had turned to him and Jaycee.

    “Tell him I said he owes me a lobster dinner for giving me worry lines.” Jaycee tried to be typical Jaycee, but I saw the tears that were still swelled up in her eyes.

    I caught up with Mom just in time to walk with her through the double doors leading to the E.R. examining rooms. There were rooms lined all the way down a hallway on both sides, with curtains as the only veil of privacy. There was a large round nurse’s station right in the middle of everything. Men and women dressed in scrubs were going in and out.

    The nurse stopped at the sixth room and pulled back the curtain half way for us to enter. “Mr. Price, you have visitors. I will be back shortly with your discharge papers.”

    “Discharge papers?” Mom went to Dad’s bedside and gave him a long kiss. “Avery, what happened? We were afraid you had a heart attack.”

    “I did have an attack, but it was stress related.” He pushed himself up in the bed. “Hello, Hannah Banana. How’s my girl?”

    “ Kinda bored actually. Just felt my dad having chest pains and thought I was gonna lose him. Ya know, the usual.”

    “You felt me having chest pains?”

    “Yes, by the timing of it all, she felt it right before it happened to you. There was also something that she just did in the waiting room, but we can go over all that later.” Mom added.

    “Premonition? Sounds like your gift is shifting and growing stronger. You got a handle on this, Han?”

    I bent over and hugged my daddy. Something that, for a short period of time, I worried I wouldn’t ever get to do again.

    “I’m good, really. It’s not important right now. What did the doctor say?”

    “That I was working too much, stressing too much, and exercising too little. He was close. The truth is that I have been working with a few patients that are emotional vampires. They unconsciously suck all of your positive energy right out of you. It’s strange really, I have ran into patients like that from time to time before, but never three at once. I knew I was being drained and that I needed to take time to recharge, but I guess I thought I was twenty again and could handle it. I was wrong.

    “So, I have decided to shorten my work week down to four days, just until I am back to one hundred percent. Plus, the doctor wants me to make an appointment with my family doctor to keep an eye on my blood pressure. Other than that, I’m good to go.”

    Mom brushed his hair back, and kissed his forehead. “After I’m sure you are back to normal, I am going to think of ways to punish you for scaring me.”

    Dad took her hand, kissed it and wiggled his eyebrows. “Can I give you some suggestions?”

    Eww, that’s just gross.

    “So, Mom freaked out when I hugged her. She said I was giving her my feelings, my emotions. That’s when she said my gift was evolving.”

     We had brought Dad home and tucked him into bed. While Mom was in the kitchen making him something to eat, I sat with him and was updating him on the new things I have been experiencing with my gift.

    “She’s right. One of your gifts is the ability to see into someone’s thoughts and feelings. I would think that it would be a natural progression to be able to send yours back to them. This is new to all of us, kid. Here,” he held out his arm, “try to send something to me.”

    I tried to think of something happy so I could send him good thoughts and feelings, hoping that maybe I could mask my true feelings that still lingered from today. I finally decided on being truthful. I laid my hand on his arm and just let everything I felt from today filter through to my dad.

    Dad just sat there, staring at the blanket that was tucked around him, until I was finished. 

     “I put you and your mom through hell today. I’m sorry, Hannah Banana, I will take better care of myself. It’s kind of cool to know, and be able to feel, how much you love and care about me. At sixteen, I figured you would be well on your way to hating your mom and me.”

    “I couldn’t hate you guys. Who would put gas in my car?”

    “That’s my girl.” He laughed and held out his arms. “Love you.”

    “To the moon.” I said as I hugged him.

    “So, school was pretty bad today too, huh?”

    “I didn’t know I gave that to you too.”

    “What’s up with Megan?”

    “Oh, Dad, that’s a long story. I’m not even sure I know what’s going on.”

    “Hannah, are you making sure he is resting?” Mom asked as she walked into the room carrying a tray of food for Dad.

    “I’m trying, but you know what they say about doctors sucking at being patients. Even if he’s not a real doctor.”

    “Hey! That hurt. No gas money for you.”

    ‘I didn’t mean it. Shrinks can be doctors.” I laughed and kissed them both. “Good night, love you guys.”  

    I had planned on taking a shower but once I got into my room I changed my mind and laid across my bed. I couldn’t shake the feeling that Dad having those ‘vampire’ patients draining him had something to do with the dreams that were haunting Daniel’s, Jaycee’s and my dreams. Wasn’t that a form of draining? I mean Jaycee even said that she woke up drained.

    I rolled over and grabbed my diary off my nightstand, I wanted to get everything written down. There’s a connection somehow, and I’m gonna find out just what it is.

    I was determined to make today a great day. I was off to a good start by waking up before my alarm clock went off. I took great satisfaction in smugly turning it off when it started beeping after I had already taken a shower. I wanted to make sure everything goes smoothly today for Jaycee. We talked last night and decided that we needed to get ahead of whatever this thing is that’s messing with us and start being proactive. So, instead of this weekend, we are going after school today to see Jaycee’s Aunt Lucy. She is the sister of Jaycee’s mom’s mom. Confusing I know.

   I put on a pair of black jeggings with a red sweater, finished my makeup, left my hair loose and was ready to walk out the door twenty minutes earlier than usual. After giving myself a once over in the mirror, I got my books and my purse and headed for the door. Taking a detour, I tiptoed into Mom and Dad’s room just to watch my dad’s chest rise and fall. He really gave me a scare yesterday. I will not let my parents get drug into this supernatural chess match. Hey! That was a metaphor, see I listen in school.

    I lucked up and found a parking spot right beside Daniel’s. He was leaning against the trunk of his car. Waiting on me I hope. Just look at him. Six feet something tall, black hair that he keeps just long enough to look a little dangerous, but not too long to look hippish, and those dimples that could melt icebergs. Plus the extra bonus of the natural tan, thanks to being half Cherokee Indian, all added up to be the hottest guy I have ever seen. I must admit that his looks caught my attention, but it was his heart that I fell in love with. Really, I’m serious, no lie.  

    “Hello gorgeous.” Daniel opened my car door and gave me a PG-13 greeting. I’m no expert on kissing, but I think he is great at it.

    “If you said hello like that every morning I wouldn’t be so sad to tell you good night.” I hooked my arm into Daniel’s and let him lead us through the double doors.

    “How’s your dad?”

     “He was asleep when I left, but he is doing good. Are you still going to be able to go with Jaycee and me today?”

    “Yeah, I switched schedules with another volunteer at the shelter. You really should go with me one day. I know you would enjoy it.” Daniel wants to be a veterinarian, and volunteering at the shelter will look good on his college application. But that’s not why he does it, he really loves animals. His supernatural ability to communicate with them makes it a natural career choice. I tell him all the time that he is going to be a real life Dr. Doolittle.

    “I will go with you one day soon. I promise.”   

    It took us awhile to get to our lockers, since we got to school earlier than usual, we took time catching up with a few classmates along the way.

    “Hey you two, you’re early.” Phoebe beamed at us. She was leaning against the locker talking with Kayla.

    “Hey, you are too. And can I just say that you look great, what’s the occasion?”

    Phebs was wearing a skin tight white sweater dress with gray trim, matching the gray leggings and dark gray suede boots. Her straight, jet black hair and green eyes always had her standing out, but today it was more than usual.

    “Thank you darling.” Trying to act like a model, she flipped her hair back and placed her hands on her hips, then proceeded to laugh. “I woke up this morning, looked in the mirror and told myself to get over it. It’s been almost three months since that ass...well ya know, and it’s time to move on. So I am officially on the prowl.”

    Kayla, who’s always ready to be encouraging, spoke up. “You go girl. These guys don’t stand a chance.”

    You go girl
is not a phrase that Kayla can pull of, bless her heart, but she tries.

    “So, Daniel, if you can think of any hot single guys, hook a sister up.”

    Phebs does it so much better than Kayla.

    “I will definitely keep my eyes open. Kayla, where’s Jacob?”

    “He’s back there with Luke going over homework.” Kayla pointed toward the end of the hallway.

    Daniel leaned over and kissed my cheek. “I’ll meet you in class. I need to be around guys and talk guy stuff before I start producing estrogen.”

    “Wait up, I’m going with you.” It was Mike. We turned around to watch him and Jaycee walk down the hall toward us.

    Jaycee waited until Mike and Daniel was out of earshot before saying anything. “Aren't they cute, having a little play date. Okay, on to more important things. If I just heard right, Phebs is back on the market. So, who can we fix her up with?”

    The rest of our free time was spent on going over the guys names in Jaycee’s mental
Little Black Book.

    Mrs. Bumgarner didn’t waste anytime starting class as soon as the bell rung. “We are going to change things up a bit. I have everyone’s name in this bucket and I am going to draw two names at a time. Whoever your name is drawn with will be your partner. You will be given a list of Edgar Allan Poe’s work. You will chose a story or a poem, and write a report on it. I want you to dissect it and find the underlying meaning and your interpretations.”

    She handed paper to everyone on the front row. “Please take one and pass the rest back. On the front side is instructions, and the list for you to choose from is on the back. Now for the fun part.” She pulled a name out of the bucket. “Max you will be paired up with…” she pulled out the second name, “Chris.”

    I totally zoned out until I heard her call out Daniel’s name. I crossed my fingers, hoping she would draw my name with his.

    “Daniel you will be paired up with Jonathan.”

    Jonathan! That was the guys name that Daniel switched seats with. I will have to try to remember that.

    Mrs. Bumgarner pulled out another name. “Megan you will be paired up with….Hannah.”

    Wait, what? That’s not even fair! I saw Megan do a side glance my way, so I tried to keep any and all expressions hid.