A Vision of Green (Florence Vaine #2) (31 page)

“
It's the same with you and your dad Flo. You've lived with him so long that you wouldn't know how to be without him, even though he treats you so badly. You stay with him because somewhere inside you think you can fix him. The same way I thought I could win Markus over again, make up for the mistake I made. That's why I'm here for you honey, I understand how you feel. You need me to help pull you through. Help you to see that it's not your job to fix him.”

He's right. I know deep down in my gut that I need him if I'm ever going to stand on my own two feet. I can't get away from Dad alone. It's all psychological. I could have run away from him any number of times over the course of my life, but I never did. I'd been institutionalised. “S-s-so how did you get away from Markus in the end?” I ask. “I'm assuming you did or you never would have ended up living here with John.”

“
Well, the way it worked with Markus was we were given different orders on a particular day. On one of the days when we were told to go out stealing I had a bit of a revelation. I was walking around, looking for someone who looked like an easy mark when I saw two of the boys set their sights on this middle aged woman with a little girl in a buggy. When they grabbed her purse she struggled against it. One of them punched her in the face and they finally made off with her bag.

“
Her kid started crying and blood ran all down the woman's face. I just thought, we're dealing in fucking misery. We weren't Robin Hoods, stealing from the rich to give to the poor. We were stealing from every day people, mothers who had children to take care of. That was when I knew I couldn't be a part of it any more. I'd been blinded by Markus, by the idea of the life he could give me, when I'd be better off living in the gutter. At least that way I wouldn't be preying on innocent people.

“
I packed my bag and ran away in the middle of the night and never looked back. For a while I was so scared that Markus would come looking for me, but he didn't. And if he did then I was lucky enough that he never found me. It's not exactly the same as you and your dad, but I just wanted to show you that I know what it's like to feel like there's no way out. Because there's always a way out Flo, you get your shit and you leave, nobody owns you but you. Your dad isn't even as scary or powerful as Markus was, he's nothing. You need to see things the way I can, the way everyone else would be able to if they knew your story. Sometimes somebody else’s perspective is all it takes to open your eyes.”

I take a breath and slowly exhale. “I know that. I think my eyes are open now.”

Frank looks at me for a long moment, stroking hair away from my face. “Are you sure about that? Because I'm not letting you go back to him this time.”

“
I d-don't want to go back. I'm done with him. Really.”

He seems to believe that I'm telling the truth when he leans in and kisses me on the forehead. He tells me to get some sleep and that he'll see me in the morning. An unrecognisable feeling consumes me, as I switch off the lamp and crawl under the covers. Severance. Freedom. I feel like I've finally cut the cord between me and Dad. I might not be healed, emotionally or physically, but I can sense it in my bones that I'm starting a new chapter. A life where I put myself first. Once these bruises heal I'm going to do my best to ensure nobody ever touches me in violence again. And if they do, I'm going to fight back.

The next day Frank heads off for work with John early. Hayley's already left for the book shop by the time I get up and the rest of the boys have taken a trip to the city. I have the entire house to myself, and it feels weird that they trust me enough to be alone here. Although it's not like I'm the sort of person to go and rob the place. I don't want to spend the day by myself so I decide to call up Caroline and ask her if she wants to come over. She's curious as to why I'm staying at Frank's instead of my own house, but I tell her I'll fill her in on the whole story once she gets here. And I do.

Caroline and I sit in the living room and at first we talk about school and the new rumours going around about what happened to Ingrid. Apparently some students have started spreading a story that she faked her kidnapping and ran off with some older man who got her pregnant. Seeing as it's about Ingrid, it's not so far-fetched, but deep in my gut I know that's not what happened to her. For some reason I believe her kidnapper wasn't human.

Then everything just seems to spill out of me. I tell Caroline about my gran dying and my dad coming back to live in her house with me. Although I leave out the part about Diana having killed Gran. I also tell her about my old life with Dad and how he didn't really move to Australia, but that he ditched me at Gran's instead. Caroline holds onto my hand the entire time, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. Having grown up in a loving family, I can imagine how my life story might be a bit of a shock to her system.

It feels good to get the words out, to tell someone the things that I've always tried to hide because I was ashamed of them. Caroline doesn't judge me the way I thought people would judge me if they knew, she just listens and absorbs it all. Over lunch I get around to telling her what Alex said to Frank about red heads and clever girls. Her eyes light up at the information and she flushes a deep scarlet. I can see the pleasure at hearing he might like her in her aura. It makes me happy, sometimes it's nice to spread a little joy.

Just as we're finishing up with our food there's a knock at the door. I don't know who it could be, so I go and take a look through the peep-hole. A man is standing with his back to me, but he seems familiar. He's got thinning black hair and is wearing plain, everyday clothes. It's when he turns back around that I recognise him. It's Bill, the medium from Hayley's psychic night. He must have come to visit her.

I open the door. “Hi, um, Bill isn't it? Hayley's at work.”

A smile spreads across his face when he sees me, a warm and friendly smile, very different to the snotty way he regarded me the last time we met.

“
Ah Flo, the little Empath, I'm not looking for Hayley, I'm looking for you my dear,” he steps inside the house without waiting for me to invite him in.

“
Okay,” I say, glancing in the direction of the kitchen where Caroline's waiting.

“
Hayley told me you were staying at her house, I didn't ask why, although I do think it a small bit strange. Care to enlighten me? I love a bit of gossip.”

“
Um, no,” I answer deadpan, folding my arms across my chest. “What d-did you want to see me about?”

He glances around the hallway. “I'm absolutely parched, you couldn't get me a glass of water could you? A cup of tea would be even better actually.”

I raise an eyebrow. What is his game? Deciding I should be hospitable since he's a friend of Hayley's, if nothing else, I lead him into the kitchen.

“
Well, well, who's this?” he asks, noting Caroline's presence.

“
This is my f-friend Caroline,” I say. “Caroline, this is Bill. He's a medium, I met him at that psychic night I told you about.”

“
Oh yeah,” Caroline replies, turning enthusiastically to greet Bill. She wouldn't be so enthusiastic if she knew what a snob he can be. “I've never met a medium before, wow. So do you like talk to dead people and stuff?”

Bill nods his head solemnly. “I do. It's a calling for me darling, I help people come to terms with the deaths of their loved ones. Not an easy job, but a fulfilling one.”

“
I'll bet.” Caroline shoots me an amused look. You don't need to be able to see Bill's aura to know that he's partial to a bit of bragging. I'm surprised that she doesn't tell him about her cousin Lauren, maybe ask him if he could make contact with her. Still, I'm glad that she doesn't. If Bill is a fake like Frank says he is then I don't want him playing around with the emotions of my friend.

I hand Bill his mug of tea and sit down opposite him on a stool at the counter. He takes his time blowing away the steam and sipping on it. Finally he puts the mug down and turns to look at me. “I'm here to discuss a sensitive matter Flo, perhaps we should speak privately,” he says, glancing at Caroline.

“
Whatever you need to say you can say in front of Caroline,” I tell him, thinking it will probably just be something about me stealing his thunder at the psychic night. Perhaps he came to give me a piece of his mind, warn me off showing up at the book shop again.

“
Very well then. I assume you've heard of the disappearance of a young girl from the town recently.”

“
Ingrid, yes, we go to school w-with her,” I answer, suddenly regretting allowing Caroline to stay. I've no clue where he's going with this.

“
Such a sad state of affairs. I've been contracted by her mother to hold a séance tonight in an effort to discover where she might be, or if she's passed on to the afterlife. I'm hand picking a small group to be involved, and since you were able to demonstrate you've got a certain affinity for the psychic, I was wondering if you'd like to be a part of it.”

Okay, so I wasn't expecting that, but I am a little suspicious. Why would Bill think to involve me in something where he clearly would want to be the star of the show? I look at his colours as he regards me, waiting for a response. That's when it hits me, the shades of his eager anticipation say it all. He's not asking me to do this out of the kindness of his heart, he needs me. He knows I'm the real deal and he wants to exploit that. He thinks that having a real Empath with real power involved in this séance will heighten his chances of success.

My first instinct is to tell him no, that I don't want any part in it. But then I start to think about the whole thing, and how it might actually work. I mean, I seem to be learning I can do new things every week now, since I'm somehow related to elves. We could discover something that will lead the police to Ingrid's whereabouts. So even though Bill is basically trying to exploit me, I sort of want to do it. I want to know what's happened to Ingrid, put the whole mystery to rest.

“
Okay, I'll do it, but only if Caroline can come with me,” I tell him, looking at Caroline to see if she's all right with that. She shrugs and nods to let me know she doesn't mind tagging along.

Bill considers it for a long moment, before putting out his hand. “Fine, you've got yourself a deal. You'll both need to come to Ingrid's house tonight at eight. Myself, Lucinda and her mother will be the only others taking part. Make sure to wear clean, darkly coloured clothing, it helps with making contact with the spirit world,” he stops then, not bothering to explain why it helps. I'm guessing it's another one of those stupid rules he has, like how he tells people to turn off their mobile phones when he's working because the devices can interfere with contacting the dead. Bill takes one last gulp of his tea and bids us goodbye, reminding us not to be late.

“
Do you know where Ingrid lives?” I ask Caroline once he's gone, realising I forgot to get her address from Bill.

“
Yeah, her house isn't too far from mine. We should go to my house and walk from there. My mum just texted me, she said to invite you to dinner.”

“
That sounds good,” I reply, smiling at the prospect of sampling Vivian Caulfield's cooking again.

I call Frank to let him know I'll be going over to Caroline's for a while, and that I'll be back later that night. I forget to mention Bill's séance, but more than likely it will be a big waste of time so I don't think it's too important to tell him.

My jeans feel substantially tighter by the time I'm finished eating dinner at Caroline's. She runs up to her room to change into a clean black blouse, since she'd been wearing a bright red one and that wouldn't bode well for Bill's “dark clothes only” séance rule. Once she's done we head out of the house. The night time weather is moderate, with a slightly cool breeze.

“
So that man, Bill, he really thinks you're psychic Flo,” Caroline mentions casually on our walk. I'd been waiting for her to bring this up, hoping she wouldn't.

“
Yeah, I already told you. I work with auras.” I state, giving her as little information as possible.

“
But, I mean, can you actually do that, or are you just pretending?”

I laugh softly. “I really wish I was p-pretending Caroline. I'm not though, it's difficult to describe to people what I can do, maybe you could just believe me on good faith?”

She squeezes my arm. “Of course I will. So tell me, what does my aura look like?”

“
It's mostly bright yellow, it shows how smart you are, that you're loyal and t-t-trustworthy.”

Her cheeks go a little red. “You can see that? That's so cool. Are you sure you're not just telling me the good bits?”