Chapter 12

The phone rang and scared me awake. I picked up the receiver and answered it, but I couldn’t hear anyone on the line.

A woman’s voice startled me. “She’s gone.”

“Excuse me? Who is this?”

The line went dead. I closed my eyes, feeling the tears coming. My mother’s gone. How can she be dead? It felt like a part of me was gone, ripped out. I finally understood the pain Nydia went through, when her mother died.

She was stabilized when we left, and the doctors said they would call if there was a change. Why did I listen to those idiots? I should’ve stayed. My sadness turned to anger, as I grabbed the keys to Lauren’s car and sped to the hospital.

I stormed in, ready to punch the doctor. Or at the least, verbally berate him. “What the hell?”

The receptionist pointed at me and laughed. “You’re too late.”

What kind of jerk laughs at someone’s death? I wanted to punch her, too, but instead I yelled, “They were supposed to call. Where is she?”

I followed her gaze to the doors on the left.

I burst through the doors, which led straight into my mother’s room. My gaze was drawn to my father at her bedside.

“I’m sorry, Emily.”

“You can heal her,” said a man behind me. I turned around and saw a man and a woman in business suits in the corner. “It’s your power.”

“No, I never could.” A few tears rolled down my cheeks. “This is all my fault.”

“Come with us,” the woman said, as she reached out for my hand. “We can help you.”

“Help me?” I grabbed hold of my mother’s hand, but it was cold and limp in mine. “She’s already dead.”

“Aren’t we all?” the man said, his voice closer, close enough to make the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. A needle punctured my arm.

Then darkness washed over me.

“Tommy!” I screamed, but the man and woman just laughed.

I fell into the darkness for what seemed like an eternity. Right before I hit the ground, I felt Tommy’s strong hands grabbing my shoulders.

“Em?”

I awoke to see what I had felt, Tommy’s hands on my shoulders. I scrambled upright, breathing as if I’d run a marathon.

“You called out my name,” he said, as he wrapped his arms around me. “Are you all right?”

I buried my face in his chest, feeling the warmth of his body as I slowly made my way back to reality. “It was so real. My mother was—”

The sound of the phone ringing interrupted me. I stared at it, afraid to answer.

“Are you going to get that?”

“This is how my nightmare began.” I looked around my room. Everything seemed real. I kissed Tommy and felt that delicious sensation I always felt with him. “Okay, this is real.”

He smiled at me as I answered the phone.

“Hello, this is the Cannondale Hospital calling. Can I please speak to Lauren Milford?”

“This is Emily, what’s going on?”

“It’s concerning your mother, Anne. Can I please speak to Lauren?”

What am I, chopped liver? “Is she okay? I’m her other daughter.”

“I’m sorry, I have to speak to—”

“Fine, hold on a minute.”

I let out a frustrated yell and stomped out of my bedroom, followed by Tommy. In the living room, we found Lauren spooned next to Demetri on the couch with his massive arm draped across her.

“What the…” I began. “Guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”

At the sound of my voice, Lauren bolted up. “This is not what it looks like.”

Demetri rubbed his eyes, yawning. “What’s going on?”

“The hospital’s on the phone, but they won’t talk to me.” I handed the phone to Lauren.

“This is Lauren,” she answered. It felt like forever before she spoke again. “Thank you for calling. We’ll be right there.”

“She’s okay, isn’t she?” Calls like that were usually bad news, and after the nightmare I’d had, my optimism was at an all-time low.

“She’s got a room. The doctor said she keeps going in and out of consciousness.”

I breathed a sigh of relief, thankful Roz was the only one with crazy dreams that come true.

“Is she going to be all right?” Demetri asked.

“They still don’t know yet.” Lauren’s gaze shifted down. “I should’ve been here. I could’ve stopped her…”

“You were trying to save me,” I said. “Which is what she wanted.”

“Yeah.” There was a change in her disposition, and I could sense her guilt, her sadness. Then her defenses sprang up, and I felt her sudden determination to control her emotions, to not feel anything.

As we left the house, I asked Demetri, “Will you drive?”

“Don’t be silly, Em,” Lauren said. “I’m sure they have to get back home by now.”

“No, it’s cool. We’ve got it covered,” Demetri said, before he turned to Lauren. “Besides, you’re in no condition to drive.”

“I’m good.” She walked to the driver’s side of her car.

“I don’t think so. I’ll drive.”

She scowled at him. “It’s my car. I’ll drive. I’m fine.”

I touched her shoulder gently and was amazed at the intense heat her body gave off. “Lauren, I don’t think—”

“I didn’t ask you.” The words had a familiar coldness to them, an intonation I hadn’t heard since before the first time I healed her.

“Listen to your sister,” Demetri said. “’Too much is going on for you to—”

Lauren retorted with an acerbic reply, and as I listened to her bickering with Demetri, a familiar sensation of dread set in. I can’t believe she’s back to her old self. Not now, not after all that had happened…

“Not again,” I murmured, right before I broke down in tears. I covered my face in my hands, embarrassed. Tommy wrapped his arms around me, and I cried into his shoulder.

Lauren suddenly grew quiet. “Em, are you…”

“I can’t lose you,” I whispered, once I regained some composure. “I… I just got you back.”

Lauren folded her arms. “I’m right here, Em. There’s no reason to cry,” she said in a perfectly rational tone.

“Don’t do this,” Demetri said quietly.

“Do what?” she asked.

“Shut down. Like you did before. I know your father hurt you, but—”

“You don’t know anything about me,” she quipped, colder than ever. “Don’t act like you do.”

“I know you’re hurting right now, Lauren. But you can’t push people away.” He tried to touch her shoulder, but she jerked it away.

“Fine. Hell, I’m used to you pushing me away,” he said, and continued in a hushed tone. “But your sister needs you right now.”

At that comment, her face seemed to soften. I took her hand in mine and led her around to the passenger side. Settling in the back seat, I motioned for her to join me. She reluctantly did as I asked.

Demetri and Tommy got in the front, and we started the drive to the hospital.

My hands heated up considerably sitting next to her. I knew she needed a healing more than anything. I hugged her, letting the healing energy enter in through her back. She didn’t respond at first, but then she embraced me and relaxed forward on me.

“I wasn’t there for her,” she began, her voice cracking. Then the tears really fell. I wrapped my hands around her head, cradling it against my chest. “I couldn’t stop her from hurting herself.”

“You did last time, didn’t you?” I asked in a whisper.

“She almost died when you were taken the first time. I didn’t realize how close it was, I was only ten years old. But I knew she was drinking too much. I got her to stop before…” she trailed, sobbing audibly. “If I had been there, I could’ve stopped her.”

“Lauren, it’s not your fault.”

For the rest of the ride, no one said a word. Lauren stayed securely in my embrace, continuing to soak in the healing energy. The heat was less substantial by the time we arrived at the hospital.

Inside, the sterile air accosted my senses and the guilt resurged. Lauren and I left Tommy and Demetri in the empty waiting room while we went to see my mother.

I wasn’t sure how many hours it had been since she had been admitted. I hoped we were past the twenty-four hours the doctor mentioned. As I walked into the room, my mouth gaped. The woman in the bed in front of me didn’t remotely resemble my mother. It wasn’t the dark circles under her eyes or the pallid complexion of her skin. No, what struck me to the core was her utter lack of vitality. So motionless, detached. I ran to her and hugged her so intensely I had to ease up, for fear I would crush her.

“Mom, we’re here. I’m here.” The tears fell uncontrollably, streaming down my face in a constant flow. “I love you.”

“Emily?”

Her voice, though frail, was music to my ears. I pulled back from the embrace and held her hand. “Yes.”

Lauren joined me on the other side of her bed, holding my mother’s other hand in both of hers.

“Lauren?” A strange smile appeared on her face. “You’re both safe.”

“Yes, we’re safe,” I managed through sobs.

“Love you both,” she said, appearing to struggle. Her lips were dry, cracked. “So much.”

She looked and sounded completely broken. I touched her face, and it was colder than ever. I couldn’t feel my own heat once more.

“We love you, too, Mom,” Lauren said, her voice wavering.

“No, no, no…” I muttered. “It’s going to work this time. It has to work this time,” I whispered.

My mother smiled weakly once more. “I thought he won. I thought he took both of you. I’m sorry I let you down, Lauren.”

“Don’t talk like that, Mom. We got her back. That’s what matters.”

“I knew I could count on you,” Mom said. “Always could.” My mother winced. I couldn’t feel her pain, but her expression said she was hurting.

“Where? Where does it hurt?” I asked.

“Everywhere.” She attempted a smile, but her lips turned downward into more of a frown. “Don’t worry, Emily. You’re safe now. Everything will be all right.”

I placed my hands on her heart and on her stomach, only to be confronted by that coldness again.

Lauren asked, “Nothing?”

I didn’t respond but continued to try.

“You can’t heal her?” Lauren’s frightened voice cracked.

I avoided her eyes, unable to face her. My heart sank as my mother’s pulse slowed down. “No, Mom. No, you have to hold on.”

“Love you both,” my mother said, with some difficulty. “Remember that.”

Lauren embraced her. My mother whispered something in her ear.

The tears began again, as I yelled, “No!” I rubbed my hands together furiously and placed them down on her again. But there was nothing. “Please,” I pleaded. “I love you.”

Her eyes closed in such a peaceful fashion, and her body relaxed all at once.

“Mom, you have to wake up,” Lauren said between sobs, giving her a gentle nudge. “We need you.”

I was crying, my hands still on her abdomen, when I felt her body start to feed, a faint trickle of a pull. But it was something.

“Lauren… I think it’s…” I said, unable to get the words out.

It’s working. It’s actually working.

The monitors shrieked a cacophony of beeps. A team of nurses gathered near, pushing us away.

“No,” I screamed, trying to move closer to her. “You can’t—it…it’s working!”

“What?” Lauren said, as two nurses grabbed us and dragged us away.

“You don’t understand! Let me go!” I stomped the foot of the nurse who held me back. She yelped in pain and released me, muttering a curse. I shoved everyone out of my way to get to my mother.

I grasped her limp hand in mine. The shrill noises from the machines and the chaos of the doctors and nurses all around me was hard to ignore, but the energy flowed from my hands. The pull became stronger.

“Nurse, get this girl out of here,” the doctor commanded. The buzz of the defibrillator charging up was a faint threat. I knew I had seconds before someone grabbed me again.

An arm pulled at me, but I kept holding on to my mother. “It’s getting through!” the words more a delirious cry than an exclamation, intended solely for Lauren.

She nodded and stumbled into the nurse that held my arm, toppling both of them to the ground.

I willed myself to relax, to summon the energy to flow. With only seconds before the doctor took over, I knew I had a small window to heal her. The machine’s flatline buzz shattered my concentration. Still holding my mother’s hand, I placed my other hand on her chest. My shoulders relaxed and a tingle formed, starting in my toes and working itself upward.

The nurse stood and grabbed my upper arm, right as the tingling reached it. My whole body was abuzz, and then the heat kicked in. I shuddered at the sensation, a heat so intense I wanted to rip my clothes off and jump in a cold bath.

The nurse suddenly let go of me. “Uh, doctor…”

The defibrillator beeped, indicating it was ready. I was vaguely aware of someone holding the paddles nearby.

Just as I couldn’t stand the heat anymore, it exited my hands and flowed into my mother. Her body lurched upward, as if someone had used the paddles on her. What started as a small trickle became a river of healing energy, finally unobstructed.

I heard some whispering around me and felt the gentle touch of Lauren’s hand on my shoulder. Then I recognized the rhythmic beep of the heart monitor. Tears streamed down my cheeks, but I didn’t dare take my focus off my mother. The energy flowed through me to her, engulfing her in that wondrous heat.

“You did it, Em,” Lauren whispered.

“It’s a miracle,” one of the nurses said.

“We’re not out of the woods yet,” someone said, who I figured was the doctor. “You girls need to leave right now so we can stabilize her.”

I wanted to laugh, and I couldn’t stop a snicker from escaping my lips.

“She’s…helping,” Lauren said, with an uncertainty to her voice. I imagined she was trying to word it without giving away my power. “Can’t you see us being here is making her better?”

I gulped. As if this whole scene wasn’t suspect enough. I knew I’d have to answer some uncomfortable questions. But none of that mattered. I continued to heal her, feeling her body grow stronger.

“Right now, out!” the doctor yelled.

A hand tentatively touched my arm, then grabbed it and yanked me away from my mother. Lauren protested, but I nodded to her. My mother wasn’t totally healed, but I was fairly certain I’d given her enough for now.

My sole concern was whether or not I would be able to heal her later, knowing my history with her. And then all at once, I understood. Why I was never able to heal my mother before and why I couldn’t feel her emotions. Why Lauren couldn’t teleport to her. Why the evil psychiatrist had no effect on her. Why my father was able to be with her without killing her. She isn’t affected by other powers. My mother had some kind of invisible force field that protected her from all the crazy powers in this crazy little Texas town.

“She’s immune,” I said, as the nurse escorted Lauren and me out of the room.

“Immune?” Lauren said.

“I beg your pardon?” The nurse said.

“Oh nothing,” I said. “Just an old allergy.”

The lie was unconvincing, I knew, but I couldn’t come up with anything better. The nurse raised an eyebrow but didn’t press.

We approached the doors to the lobby. “Please wait out there,” she said.

Tommy and Demetri embraced us the moment we stepped out.

“She’s going to be okay?” Tommy asked.

“I think so,” I said. “I guess it depends on when I can get back in there. And what happens when I do.”

“You said something about her being immune?” Tommy said, taking my hands into his.

His touch was warm and comforting, a needed familiar sensation.

“Yeah, what did you mean by that?” Lauren said. I noticed Demetri’s fingers intertwined through hers.

“Her power. It’s immunity to other powers.”

Tommy’s confusion lasted only a second. “That makes sense. It explains everything.”

“Except for one thing. If that’s true, how were you able to heal her?” Lauren asked.

“She flatlined,” I brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. “Once she was dead, her power was gone. The energy was able to make it through.”

“Wow, you brought her back from the dead?” Demetri blurted out. Lauren shushed him, placing her finger over his mouth. I didn’t think anyone overheard, but she was right to be cautious.

“That’s amazing,” he added quietly.

“Thanks.” I turned to Lauren. “Well, I guess you can take them home now.”

Tommy squeezed my hands. “Are you sure? We can wait out here if you want.”

“The two of you did so much for us already. Go home. I’m sure your parents are worried about you.”

His strong arms embraced me, and the warmth I felt earlier amplified into a soothing heat. He rocked me gently. “I love you,” he whispered in my ear.

“I love you, too,” I whispered back. I gave him a quick kiss. “I’ll call you tonight.”

The nurse allowed me back into my mother’s room shortly thereafter. I took a deep breath as I entered. Will I be able to get through again?

I approached my mother and instantly knew the answer, seeing her faint smile. Feeling the love she had for me. We were connected, after all.

I sat by her bed and treated her for hours. The healing energy surrounded us both, returning her color and vitality, leaving me with a feeling of gratitude and relief.

I knew the hospital would insist on keeping her there, to “monitor” her. As if they had anything to do with the miracle that happened. I was okay with it, because I knew she was healed.

****

Lauren picked me up and by the time we returned home, it was already dark outside. In the shower, an odd pain shot in my arm and disappeared as soon as I felt it. I nearly fainted, either from feeling too relaxed or fatigued, I couldn’t tell which. But I shook it off, overjoyed to be in my own shower and clean.

I thought about the doubts I had had, about whether or not I would become evil. Judy was right, nothing was simply black or white. My father turned out to be not as evil as he appeared. And even though it was still a possibility I could become evil, I knew the secret to preventing it. Healing. Healing my sister, my father, and my mother filled me with such love and gratitude. Evil can’t exist where love and gratitude thrive.

Anxious to see Roz again, I grabbed my purse and headed over to her house.

Dad answered the door. “Em, it’s so good to see you back. I was getting worried.” He gave me a great big hug. “Roz is in her room. Go on in.”

Seeing Dad and, of course, Roz felt like a little slice of normal. Her door was cracked open, so I entered without knocking. She was lying on her bed in a fitful sleep. Not wanting to disturb her, I turned around to leave when she gasped and sat upright, her chest heaving.

“Em!” She threw her arms around me in a fierce hug. “I’m so happy you’re back!”

I returned the hug but was afraid to ask about her dream. I held on to a quixotic hope it was a simple nightmare. Serial killer clowns chasing her down a dark alleyway. Zombie Teletubbies. Hell, even lawn gnomes coming to life would’ve been fine with me.

“Are you okay?” I asked, feeling a bit apprehensive. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you just had a vision.”

She half-smiled. “Maybe. It was a scary one. I don’t know what it is about people in business suits that freaks me out...”

I remembered the nightmare I had. “I know what you mean. We must’ve seen The Matrix one too many times.”

She looked beyond me, her brow wrinkled, and I could tell she was trying to recall the dream.

“Have you heard from Judy?” I asked.

“No, I haven’t. I tried to call her cell phone, but it goes straight to voice mail. I’m hoping she’s just off somewhere with Adam again.”

“Maybe. They were stupid in love the last time I saw them.” Still I had a bad feeling about it. I made a mental note to call Adam tomorrow.

“Oh, what about Nydia and Angel?” I asked. “Has Wes figured out anything?”

Roz frowned. “They were both reported missing.”

“Missing? As in picture on the milk carton in old movies missing?”

“Yeah, it’s crazy, right?” She was about to say something else, when her eyes lit up in sudden recognition.

“Oh no.” She grabbed hold of my hands. “Em, when’s the last time you saw Tommy?”

“Earlier today. I was about to call him.” I dug through my purse until I found my cell phone. It took a couple of tries before I retrieved Tommy’s phone number.

It rang three times, and then his father answered.

“Mr. Smith, hi, this is Emily. Can I please speak to Tommy?”

“Oh, hi, Emily. He’s at the station with Demetri. They’re working tonight. I’ll tell him you called.”

“Thanks, Mr. Smith. Bye.”

I put my cell phone back in my pocket. “He’s working, Roz. That’s all. Everything is fine.”

The feeling of dread I sensed from her provided no solace whatsoever. “Are you sure? Can you call the station?”

I didn’t want to get him in trouble, but I knew better than to question Roz’s visions. I nodded and dialed the number.

It rang. And rang. And rang.

“Well, he could be assisting a customer,” I rationalized. “Or working on a car and can’t hear the phone.”

It dawned on me what his father said. Both he and Demetri were working. One of them should’ve picked up the phone. “Oh shit.”

Without even saying goodbye, I dashed out of Roz’s house and ran back home.

“Lauren!”

“In here!” she yelled from her room. Her hair was still damp from a shower, and she pulled a shirt over her head to finish getting dressed. “What’s going on?”

“The boys may be in trouble,” I said. “Have you ever teleported with someone before?”

“No. I don’t know how that would work.”

I took her hands into mine and looked into her eyes. “We have to try. The station.”

She nodded, seeming to comprehend the urgency.

I closed my eyes, afraid of what would happen. There was a feeling of motion sickness, but it only lasted for a second. When I opened my eyes again, we were at the station.

“Thank God,” I said, and ran inside the store. “Tommy! Are you here?”

Lauren investigated the service area, calling out for Demetri.

The store was deserted. I opened the adjoining door to the service area. Lauren shook her head.

The eerie quiet was deafening. I scanned the entire area, calling out both their names. Both of their cars were parked nearby, so I knew they couldn’t have gone anywhere far. Even if they did go somewhere on foot, there’s no way they’d have left the station open and unmanned.

Yoki barked in the distance. She trotted up to me and hugged me with her paws like she always did.

“Do you know what happened, girl?” I asked, my voice cracking toward the end.

A black cat emerged from the shadows and rubbed its face on my jeans. Yoki sniffed it but didn’t engage. She instead walked over to her bed and plopped down on it, whimpering, as if she could sense something was wrong.

I reached down to pet the cat, and to my amazement, it jumped in my arms and purred.

“Uh, Em…take a look at this.”

Lauren pointed to a large pipe that was bent at an impossible angle. My gaze followed it up and past it to an indentation in the nearby wall. The hole looked a lot like an imprint of someone slamming up against it with considerable force. My heart sank to my stomach, as I remembered the odd pain and fatigue in the shower. I felt what Tommy had experienced.

Somebody took them. And I had no clue why or who it could possibly be.