Absolution (13 page)

I’m too tired to argue that point with you now
. Back against the wall, I slid down next to Luke who didn’t stir when I plopped shoulder-to-shoulder next to him.

Matthias wrapped Abria in an orb of light, then he came to me and reached out his hand. Magnetic as a brilliant sunset, I couldn’t take my eyes from his, and I accepted his outstretched support.

He drew me to my feet and his comforting touch filled me to the core, settling me.

Thank you.

He nodded. His fingers skimmed my cheek. I closed my eyes, sighed, relieved and comforted beyond expression.

Luke cleared his throat and I opened my eyes. Mom, Dad and Luke all watched me with piqued curiosity.

Abria’s waking, Zoe.

Abria’s right foot twitched. Then she stirred. Mom leaned close to her, gazing at my little sister’s face in earnest. “Joe,” Mom whispered.

Dad rose, and so did Luke. We gathered around the bed.

Abria’s eyes opened, but remained heavy-lidded.

“Hello, sweet girl.” Mom stroked Abria’s face and Abria turned her head away from the sensation. “She’s back.” Mom smiled at Abria’s dislike of being touched. The gray clouds in Mom’s countenance shifted, replaced by a brightness that filled the room. She wrapped around Abria for a short embrace and when she sat upright, wiped tears from her eyes.

I looked at Matthias.
This could traumatize Abria.

Don’t worry.
Matthias leaned over and placed a kiss on her forehead.
She
won’t remember.

Some ten hours later after Abria was stable and the staff and doctors had kept a watchful eye on her, she was discharged. Dad carried her subdued little body in his arms, her head resting against his shoulder in atypical lethargy. I could hardly believe we’d spent nearly twenty-four hours in the hospital.

I went to the ER lobby, Luke dragging behind me, and was shocked to find Weston in one of the chairs, his legs stretched out, head back, eyes closed, mouth open in sleep. Two seats away Krissy was curled up like a kitten, her eyes closed, head tucked into her arms. The room was empty except for an older man sitting with his wife. I didn’t see any guardians or spirits.

“Oh, man,” Luke said. “I totally forgot about her.”

“I can’t believe she stayed,” I said. “Her dad’s probably got the whole PG police department out looking for her.”

Luke let out a snort and started toward Krissy. “Not likely.”

Curiosity piqued, I wanted him to elaborate, but I headed to Weston.

I lightly nudged his rock-hard shoulder. He blinked twice then sharpened as he arched his back in a stretch, forcing his tight sweater to pull taut against his lean, chiseled chest and abs. Something in my stomach fluttered.

“Hey.” His voice was low and rough. He stood. “Is she okay?”

“She’s going to be, yeah. I can’t believe you stayed.” I touched his arm.

His focus tightened on me and he stepped closer.

“And you?”

“I’m good.”

His lips lifted slightly. He glanced around the room. “Was Matthias here?”

“Yeah.”

“Is he still here?”

“No.”

“So, that means she’s okay, right?”

“Abria is fine.”

Weston scrubbed his face with his hands and let out a sigh. His gaze shot over my shoulder to Luke and Krissy. “That chick’s a trip.”

Luke and Krissy stood—close—talking. “Not sure what’s going on there,” I murmured.

“She’s into him, that’s what’s going on. Besides your sister, he’s all she talked about.”

“You talked to her?”

“We sat out here for, like, twelve hours. You’re not jealous are you?” he teased.

“Hardly.”

“She kind of reminds me of a kid. In a lot of ways she’s really young, you know?”

“With her dad, I’m not surprised. Did I tell you about how he banged on our front door the other night, threatening us?”

“Seriously?”

“He’s got some bolts loose upstairs. Something’s weird about him. The guy’s infested with black spirits.”

Weston’s face paled.

“Whatever’s going on, I’m sure it’s going on with Krissy, the way he controls her every move. It’s creepy.”

Weston looked at Krissy again, and his shock sharpened. “What do you think is going on?”

“Imagine the worst.”

Color drained from Weston’s cheeks. His gaze locked on Krissy, horror and disbelief widening his eyes. He swallowed. “It’s cool Luke’s her friend.”

“As long as she doesn’t use and dump him.”

“I don’t think she’s a player. She’s kind of backwards. Luke’s smart, anyway.”

I studied the two of them from across the room. Luke definitely was attentive to her. And she was to him.

I was ready to go home. I yawned. “I’m beat. I didn’t sleep at all in there.” I started toward Luke and Krissy and Weston followed.

“You don’t look tired,” Weston observed. “You look hot.”

I snorted. “I guess that’s something.”

Luke and Krissy looked over as we neared, but neither stepped back from the other. “We’re taking off,” I said. “Krissy, does your dad know where you are?”

Krissy lowered her eyes. “No.”

“Last time he was at our house, he threatened us,” I said, trying to keep my agitation under control. If her dad knew she’d been with our family for the last twenty-four hours, he’d shoot all of us dead with a sawed-off shotgun.

Luke tilted his head at me, his blue eyes sharp. “I’m going to take her home now, so it’s under control, Z.”

You can’t see the loathsome creeps her dad harbors
. “Just be sure you drop her off a block away so her dad doesn’t see your car,” I suggested.

I felt Weston’s hand wrap around my elbow. He tugged me toward the door.

“Luke’s taking care of it,” he said.

Frustration simmered in my blood, but I accompanied Weston out the glass double doors of the ER. Luke could take care of himself.

Weston kept walking in the direction of his silver truck and I remained in step with him. He studied me as though he was deciphering whether or not to say anything.

“Krissy’s not out to hurt anybody, not purposefully, anyway.” He unlocked the passenger side door and opened it for me.

I paused in the opening. I admired Weston for calling me on my behavior towards Krissy. No guy had ever done that.

A grin spread my lips wide and a tingle shot down my body. His gaze slipped to my mouth. He inched closer, and wrapped around me. He pressed a gentle kiss against my lips, and my arms wove around his neck. Weston’s hands explored my back, trailing my waist, dipping further and lower—

Suddenly, he jerked away and the morning air cooled my lips. His wide eyes darted around and he inched back. “You sure Matthias isn’t here?”

“Positive.”

My answer didn’t seem to ease his jitters. His gaze still swept the parking lot as if he didn’t believe me. “We’d better go.”

“I told you he was gone.”

“Yeah, but what if he shows up? You know, because we’re kissing?”

“He’s not going to do that.”

Weston eyed me but he didn’t make a move to return to kissing. I climbed up into the cab, sighed and inwardly smirked.
Is this how it’s going
to be from now on? Weston afraid to touch me for fear Matthias will poof and
appear?

Something had to change.

Chapter Eleven

____________________

We drove home in silence, the air between us sticky, a familiar thickness that crowded me and Weston whenever Matthias was around or was the subject of conversation. How could I assure Weston that Matthias was not going to interfere with my life unless under the calling of guardian? I could hardly blame him for being jumpy. Matthias had indeed stepped in once and stopped what had promised to be a seriously hot make out session between us.

That was when I’d admitted to Weston I saw spirits.

The news had taken some time for him to digest, but he believed. And I loved that about him. His faith in me bound us together more deeply than I’d been bound to any other person besides my family. And Matthias.

“This can’t come between us.” I wanted to clear the murky air.

He scrubbed his jaw. “It’s hard.”

I laid my hand on his thigh. His sharp gaze shot there, then to my face before returning to the road.

“Careful,” he said, voice gravelly.

Butterflies swarmed in my belly. “Just making myself clear.”

“Making me hot is more like it,” he said.

“That too.”

He took a deep breath and sighed. He turned onto my street and parked the truck at the curb. No sign of Luke’s Samurai. After shutting off the engine, he faced me. My pulse skittered, anticipating a continuation from where we left off in the hospital parking lot.

A minute ticked by.

He opened his door and got out, and my anticipation deflated. He rounded the hood of the truck, his dark gaze pinning me through the front windshield. I followed him until he reached my door and swung it open.

Seconds passed. He shifted. “I better get home.”

I climbed down, my ego a little bruised.

He shut the door and slowly walked with me up the pathway to the house. When we reached the porch he stopped a good five feet from the door, his hands stuffed into the front pocket of his jeans.

He leaned forward and placed a kiss on my cheek, pausing, his warm breath heated my skin. “Bye, Zoe.”

His tone was so cryptic. What did he mean?

I watched him return to his truck, get inside and drive off, my heart fumbling in my chest.

y y y

The front door shut behind me and I whipped out my cell phone.

Texted Weston:
r u ok?

yeah

u sure?

yeah just tired

k

Hadn’t we all just spent the last twenty-four hours in the hospital? I felt a little better believing he was simply tired.

Mom and Dad’s voices drifted down the stairs in low murmurs. I headed up.

The door to Abria’s bedroom was open, and I rounded the corner and peered in. Abria lay tucked in her bed. Mom sat on one side, Dad on the other. Mom hovered over my sister. Behind Mom stood Aunt Janis, her radiant glow spilling onto Mom’s body. Aunt Janis stroked Mom’s head as she would a child.

Aunt Janis smiled at me. “Zippy, how are ya, honey?”

I opened my mouth to reply, and stopped, stepping into the room.

“How is she?”

“Your mother’s a wreck but I’m workin’ on her.”

“She’s so docile,” Mom answered quietly, petting Abria’s hands. It was strange seeing Abria so passive. She never
let
anyone comfort her. I imagined the moment was bittersweet for my parents, wanting to savor the ironic experience.

Dad glanced at me. “Is Weston with you?”

I crossed to the foot of the bed, trying not to glance at Aunt Janis and not wanting to ignore her at the same time. “No. He dropped me off and went home.”

Dad nodded. “He seems like a nice young man.”

“He stayed at the hospital the whole time?” Mom looked up at me and I caught the red rimming her eyes.

“Um, yeah.”

“Was that Krissy I saw in the waiting room?” Dad asked.

“Yeah.”

Dad’s brows drew together. The late night and Abria’s hospital stay had already taken a toll on him, leaving him pale and shadowed beneath his green eyes. I hated that he looked concerned now—for Luke.

“I take it her dad knew where she was?” he asked.

“He probably did,” I said, though Krissy had said no. I glanced at Aunt Janis, gauging whether or not she knew anything about Krissy’s situation.

Aunt Janis didn’t react, only remained intent and focused on comforting Mom. “You have got to loosen up, Deb. Have some faith. Your little girl is gonna be just fine,” she cooed.

Mom let out a sigh, then leaned over and kissed Abria’s head. Abria didn’t resist, or push her away; she lay quietly and closed her eyes.

“Maybe I should rest in here with her,” Mom said, her voice weary.

“That’s my job,” Aunt Janis piped, placing her hands just over the top of Mom’s head. Aunt Janis closed her eyes and the light illuminating her intensified for a moment, seeming to rush into Mom, cocooning her like I’d seen the beings at the hospital administer to their charges.

“You need to rest,” Dad said.

“Yeah,” I added. “Abria’s out. Let her sleep.”

“What if she needs me?” Mom asked.

“I’ll be here for her.” Aunt Janis’ soothing voice seemed to transcend barriers. Mom’s countenance lightened and she took in a deep breath as she stared at her sleeping child.

Dad rose and came around the foot of the bed, then gently urged Mom to her feet. “She’s going to be fine. Time for you to take a nap.”

Aunt Janis smiled, nodded.

“Maybe I will lie down for a little bit,” Mom conceded, glancing at the window. The late morning sun creeped up the eastern sky, its orange rays spilling over the mountain peaks.

Dad wrapped his arm around her and ushered her to the door. “We all need to take naps,” he said with a glance at me.

“You’re right.” But I wanted to talk to Aunt Janis. “I’m gonna kiss Abria then take one of my own.”

Mom leaned her head on Dad’s shoulder as they walked down the hall toward their bedroom. Once they were behind their closed bedroom door, I returned to Abria’s room. Aunt Janis smiled.

“You wanted to talk, Zippy?”

“It’s Zoe,” I teased.

“I know.” She waved a hand at me. “Listen, your Mom needs a break.

I know you help her, and that’s wonderful. Encourage her to have more faith, Zoe. Like you.”

“I’ll do what I can,” I said. “Where’s Matthias?”

Her bright countenance softened to a marshmallowy glow and her eyes twinkled. “He really is special, isn’t he?”

“I didn’t see him after his… father showed up at the hospital. Is he all right?”

“You don’t have to worry about Matthias, honey.” Aunt Janis crossed to me, her nearness warming. “He’s one of the strongest souls I’ve ever met.”

Of course Matthias was all right. But had seeing his father hurt him? “I just—Albert is so awful… I didn’t want Matthias to be sad or hurt.”