A Healer's Touch (3 page)

“Out of my way boy, I
want to touch the healing witch.  They told me about her my first day here.  I hear she takes away the pain.  Wheel me out to her now.”

Fabian knew his grandfather was
suffering, the cancer was past the point of treatment and at his very advanced age, there was nothing to do but make him comfortable until the end.  He loved the fierce old man dearly. 

Glancing
at the beautiful and ethereal Ms. Penn again, watching the people, he knew she had some real effect over them.  Mass hysteria or the power of suggestion or whatever it was seemed to be causing a riot.  He watched her stumble; she looked terrible, even worse than she had after the accident.  He had to do something to make her see reason and go home.  It wasn’t good for her solemn little boy to see such a hoax perpetrated by his mother.  Fabian was just about to go to the woman and physically remove her.  His grandfather pushed past him with more force than he would’ve suspected the man had left.

“Get out of my way boy
.” 

She was passing, just then, and his grandfather knocked an elderly woman out of the way so he could grab her arm.  Fabian watched as his grandfather clutched her arm desperately.  She had been looking away
, but the moment his grandfather touched her with such desperate force it made her cry out, falling to her knees.  Her little boy dropped her hand as if it was fire and began to cry.  Elderly people began to pull at his grandfather’s arm and the rabble demanded he release the girl.  One of the nurse’s aides arrived and pulled the man away.  Fabian saw the difference in his grandfather immediately; he looked far healthier than a man in his condition should look.  It was as if the old man had somehow drained the vitality out of the young woman. 

Without thinking about what he was doing
, he picked her up into his arms.  When he looked into her almond shaped light blue eyes his breath caught.  Had he ever seen such perfect features on a woman before?  Full small lips and an adorable upturned freckled nose were set on a face with high cheekbones and a strong stubborn chin.  She was as light as air in his arms and he felt an instant need to protect her.  He thought about kissing those soft red lips and then his mind came to a screeching halt.  What was he doing thinking about kissing this woman?  He gazed into her angelic face feeling a longing he’d never experienced before.  He was drawn to her, just as the people who wanted her strength and help seemed to be.  He wanted something much different and he felt himself growing hard just looking at the woman in his arms.  Quickly and with embarrassment, he set her on her feet and managed to regain his control.

Fabian began to help her leave, but she stopped and reach
ed for the few people who she’d not yet touched.  He saw the gratefulness in their eyes and saw the added impact to the woman.  This was no act.  When he looked at his grandfather, he noticed the man had far more color in his face than he’d seen earlier.  Getting up out of his chair and standing, the old man looked almost healthy. Fabian was shocked.  Had his grandfather been faking the severity of his illness or had the woman really restored him so greatly?  Wobbling she led her child through the crowd parted respectfully as she passed.  He heard murmurs of thanks and murmurs of encouragement as she passed.  Even so very weakened, he saw her smile kindly and uttering her small thanks for the words.  He felt torn between wanting to believe she was a fraud and believing what he was seeing.

He followed her out and took her by the arm.  When she looked up, he spoke with all the authority he could muster.

“I’m taking you home, Ms. Penn, or if you will allow to the hospital.  You are not fit to drive.”

To his surprise, she nodded her agreement.
He’d seen her fire and spunk earlier.  Her quick acceptance did not bode well at all.  Worried now, he directed her to his shiny new car and opened the door so she and the boy could get in.  He suspected she was in a far worse condition than she was showing him.  When her knees buckled, it confirmed his suspicion.  Catching her, he swept her up into his arms.  He was going to put her in his car and drive her to the hospital.  She came to and when she saw he was heading to his own car she struggled a bit, he stopped and looked down at her.

“No please
, Fabian, my car please.”

“I am taking to the hospital
, Ms. Penn, you are not well.”

“No hospital, no insurance, they can’t fix this…I need to sleep…just sleep.”

Her head lulled back and he knew she was unconscious.  He felt torn, take her home or take her to the hospital.  He could certainly pay for the bill if that was her worry, but she was obviously different, what if the hospital hindered her recovery?  He looked down at the boy and his big blue eyes looked scared, Fabian sighed and gave into her request.  He had no idea what the hospital would do with the boy and he hated the idea of her waking up fearful for her child.  Sighing, he put her in her junker and he buckled the little boy up.  Her keys were dangling from the ignition, this was definitely not a car likely stolen, even in desperation, and as it was a small town, he was not surprised to see she’d just left them there.  It was a very cold day, and when he realized the car had no heater, he became angry.  She had such power she should have more to show for it.  She could make money with whatever it was, she’d used in the nursing home. 

Driving the short distance to her apartment
, he unbuckled the child and left the woman in the passenger seat. Seeing the door key on her keychain, he hurried to the door and tested it.  Fabian was glad to see she at least had the good sense to lock her apartment.  Unlocking the door, he urged the little boy to go inside and he hurried back to the car and got the woman out.  When he picked her up and carried her inside, she moaned and gave no indication she was going to be waking up anytime soon.  What was he going to do about the child?  Leaving such a young child with an unconscious woman was not a good idea, did she have family in the area that could come and help her, he wondered.  When he got into the apartment, he took her immediately to her bedroom, all the units were of the same floor plan and it was obvious which room was hers.  He lay her down on the bed, removed her tiny shoes and left the room.  Looking up at him, the little boy’s sad wide eyes tore at his heart. 

Gruffly he spoke to the child,
“It will be alright, buddy.  Do you have a grandma or an aunt I can call to look out for your mommy?”

“No
, I never had a grandma or an aunt.  I have a friend named Ivory who takes care of me.”

“Alright little guy, I guess I’ll just stick around until your mom wakes up.”  He had no idea what to do; he had no experience with children or unconscious women.

Walking around the small apartment, he was amazed at how tidy it was.  He smelled natural herbs and flowers and it just felt so fresh, as if a spring breeze had just passed by, and as it was December that was quite an accomplishment.  He turned on the small television and sighed, no cable, he should have guessed.  Noticing a stack of books, he was delighted to see many of his favorite classics, she had a vast range of taste in literature and he was quickly seeing she was full of surprises.  Fabian almost missed seeing the child looking up at him with quiet expectation, but the little boy tugged on his hand, desperately.  Looking down at the boy, he had no idea what the child wanted.

“I’m hungry,”
wailed the boy. It was the most words he had heard him speak.

Looking at the clock, he realized
just how late it had gotten. She was bound to have something he could cook for them.

When he opened the pantry
, his heart sank. She was not living well at all.  A mouse would starve on the pathetic amount of food.  When he opened the refrigerator, it was empty except for a half of gallon of milk and the freezer was empty.  How could she raise a child like this?  She should be selling her talent to provide for her child.  He found a can of shaped spaghetti and opened it and as she had no microwave, he grumbled to himself, forced to heat it on the stove barbarically.  Fabian shook his head; she had a very simple life style.

Somehow, the pixie was getting to him.  He had never really associate
d with someone of her class and he was realizing he’d never considered how someone like her lived.  While he cooked, the little boy watched him with fascination.  Fabian realized the boy must have a father; perhaps he could come and watch over them, the man must surely care for them.

“Simon where is your dad?  Does he come around?  Do you know where your mommy keeps his phone number?”

“My daddy doesn’t come here.  I don’t know where he is.”

Fabian
felt torn between despair he wasn’t getting off the hook and a strange happy flip of his heart. The idea of a man in her life bothered him for some unexplainable reason.

He dished the boy up the meal and Simon greedily began to gobble up the canned pasta. 
While he ate, Fabian began to look around for an address book, or phone list, or anything providing a contact that would come and care for her.  After an exhausting search, he had found nothing.  She did have a photo album and he saw pictures of a little girl he assumed was Phoebe with a happy couple and then nothing until she appeared pictured with Simon.  It was obvious something tragic had taken place in her life.

A loud frantic knocking on her door startled him.  He went to the door and when he opened it
, a tall dark haired woman looked at him with wide-eyed surprise.  Simon rushed past and out into the cold shouting, “Ivory.”

The woman ran in pushing past Fabian as she ran
into the bedroom.  Her gasp of alarm made him wonder if he had made the wrong choice, should he have taken Phoebe to the hospital.

He popped his head into the room.  Phoebe’s eyes remained closed.  The strange
woman looked at him with curiosity and annoyance. “When Lavern called and told me what happened today I didn’t believe it, she knows better than to do this.  This is how she lost her father; he died trying to heal her mother—in vain, they died together when he couldn’t hold the magic.  I can’t believe she would risk herself when she has Simon to think about, too.”  She moved closer to the bed, shaking Phoebe.  “Wake up now, honey, Ivory is here.”

Moaning
, Phoebe stirred and opened her eyes.  Gasping when she saw Fabian, she sat up too quickly and he watched her grab her head in pain.  She mumbled for her son.

“Where is Simon?  What happened?”

Fabian spoke up.  “He’s fine.  I brought you home and don’t worry I used your car.  I will call my assistant, he can come and get me and take me to my car.  I’ll be going, as it seems you’re safe.

Weakly
, he heard her call after him, “Thank you, Mr. Sterling, I’m grateful.”

He just grunted roughly in response.

****

Phoebe was delighted to see her son bounce happily up on her bed
, obviously fine.  Fabian had done a good thing for her and she vowed to repay his kindness.  Ivory got up and returned with a glass of water.  Water seemed to energize her after she had used her healing magic.  Ivory sat down on the bed and handed the glass to her friend and when she spoke, it was with humor and surprise.

“I know you don’t leave dirty dishes around.  Did you happen to make Simon a can of spagettios today?”

“No, why do you ask?”

“I see a pan is half full of spagettios and a bowl your son obviously emptied; your “awful” landlor
d made the kid a meal.”

“Oh, I am so embarrassed; I can
’t believe I let this happen.”

Clucking her tongue
, Ivory just patted her arm reassuringly.

Phoebe lay in her bed pondering why Fabian cared what happened to them.

Phoebe rested all of Sunday morning and when it was finally time for her to go to work, she got out of bed sore and exhau
sted.  Ivory voiced her concern. “You should just call into work Hun.”

Phoebe needed the tips.
“I have to work.  I don’t have a choice.”

  Simon hugged his mother tightly.  As Ivory closed on Sundays, she had stayed the night with them to make sure her friend was going to recover; she told Phoebe she was just going to watch Simon at the apartment so she could be sure Phoebe
arrived home in one piece.  Rolling her eyes, she loved how much her friend cared but knew how the woman could be as bad as a mother hen.

During
her drive to work, her mind was still obsessing over the fact Fabian came to her rescue.  He was so good-looking, cultured, and so out of her league.
Why would someone like him be interested in someone like me?

Seeing b
right cheerful Christmas lights lining the streets reminded her, she needed to give Simon a good holiday.  His father was way behind on her child support and the man had never purchased a single gift for his son, so she knew better than to count on anything she couldn’t pay for.

Pulling up to
Margie’s she was surprised, it much busier than the typical Sunday in December.  Then she remembered Jana telling her about having hired some live music.  Sighing, she had been hoping to take it a little easier, but she did need the money and a crowd like this one, meant tips.