Blooming Life (Fate's Intent Book 10) (27 page)

I even tried to down play the evening the next day at school. I never mentioned anything that happened and I tried not to look at her like I was seeing her in that dress again. It only helped that she went back to her typical in-her-face hairstyle. She didn’t sit with us at lunch so I mostly only saw her in our last class together. She talked about the night but I tried to talk about what we should do about tonight instead though it wouldn’t be much with her. Her father wanted her home right after school today so I had to make last minute plans and caught up to Janie after class before giving up completely and just going home.

“Hey, where are you off to?” I asked. “Want to go to the spring?”

Unlike her, she was being unusually nervous. “Ah, hey, Dirk. I can’t. I’m—ah—going to someone else’s house.”

“Oh, that’s okay. Maybe—”

“No. I don’t think so.” She sighed deeply and tried to keep from looking at me while we walked to the stables. “I can’t anymore.”

“Can’t? Why?”

“I’m going to be fifteen soon and I realized that I need to start focusing on my future. You’ve kind of beyond proven that we’re not going to go anywhere besides somewhere dark for sex but I need more than that, especially now.”

“Oh.” I didn’t know what else I should say.

“It was fun while it lasted though.”

I nodded and someone called to her ahead of us. “Janie! Come on! I got your horse!”

I looked and Brock was on his horse, holding steadily to hers.

“Brock? Really?” I asked, trying to keep from laughing.

“Yup. I’ve been physically with him a few times when you were off doing whatever with Lynn and things are starting to get serious. I’m going to meet his parents.”

It was everything she wanted and since she couldn’t get it from me, she went elsewhere. I wasn’t disappointed except for tonight since I didn’t have anyone else lined up.

“Good for you. I hope you get everything you’re after.”

“No hard feelings?”

“No. Of course not. Why would you ask that? We weren’t together or anything.”

“I hope we can still be friends but I’ll be more like one of the guys now.”

“Yeah. Sure. Not a problem.”

She skipped merrily away to her horse and she and Brock left the grounds.

Great. Now what?

“Hey, Dirk.” Seth called. “We’re going to the spring. Are you going with someone?”

That was an interesting question. Was I going with someone? How fast could I think of that answer?

“Nah. I’ll just go home. Cover for you.”

He smiled and turned away with Becca like he was in a rush to leave, Bryce too.

I got my horse and started a slow ride back to the palace. What was I going to do now? All I had was Lynn. Wait. All I had was Lynn? I stopped on my horse and turned abruptly with the horrid realization that her and I could be together now that I didn’t have anyone else. I couldn’t allow that to happen.

I raced back to the school and found someone else to meet the guys with. She was pretty, not blonde but she would do and opened me up to a whole other variety of girls I never would have thought of if Janie never split. Things started to get back on track and I was much less paranoid about getting attached to someone. In fact, I might have put my soul on vacation for a while and left every aspect of emotion out of the next several months. I was with who I wanted to be, when I wanted to be and never changed my schedule for someone else. I was in complete control.

Chapter 41

Seth

He was a complete narcissist. Dirk has been fifteen for a few months and yet ever since Janie started solely dating Brock, he thinks it necessary to try out every girl at our school before he has to leave it. I wasn’t really sure what his issue was and I didn’t care to ask.

Bryce and I would be fifteen soon and at some point here, unsure when, our mothers would be leaving for a year to train the new team of Assassins; Cadence. I knew she turns fifteen about a month after me but one of the other mystery two could turn before then and my mother would miss my birthday. I shouldn’t be so hard on her if she does. Yes, it would be the first one in my life but I knew what she would be doing. Thinking about it, I almost wanted her to so it could be over with and I could finally be with Cadence.

“I’m not telling you.” Mother said at another failed attempt to find out when she was leaving.

“Before our birthday?”

“Seth, we’ll let you know when we’re leaving. We won’t just leave. Now, hurry home after school today. We have all kinds of fun planned.”

“Fun?” Bryce wondered. “What kind of fun?”

We looked at our mothers and they were being very quiet, not making eye contact for very long.

“You’re leaving soon, aren’t you?”

“Now, Seth, would you just—”

“Mother, why can’t you just say so? Why does it matter if we know when you’re leaving in advance?”

“You know why.”

Cadence, of course. I missed her but I haven’t seen her since her mother moved her away. Bryce could never find her and it’s been nearly a year.

“It’s okay, mother. I don’t even know where she is or where it is you’ll be taking her and I won’t look.”

“He means I won’t look.” Bryce said.

“I hope not. This is the most important year to stay away from her.”

I didn’t want to talk about this anymore. I didn’t want to think that it had to be another year.

“Come on.” I said to Bryce while I got up from my chair. “We’re going to be late.”

He got up without saying anything to follow.

“Have a good day.” Jaylyn said.

“Where’s Dirk?” Ruby asked.

I turned and walked backwards towards the doors. “Knowing him, he got an early start.”

I didn’t think it was a good idea to say why. I just turned around and headed out for another day.

“So, when do you think they’re leaving?” Bryce asked.

I shrugged. “Maybe soon. That’s why they want to spend time with us.”

“I guess. A year is a long time.”

“I know but we’ll be here, focusing on stepping into adulthood. Not having mothers around to baby us may actually help.”

“So—we should cancel our dates with the girls to spend time with them?”

I shrugged again. “Maybe. They’ve done a lot for us. It wouldn’t kill us to suffer through whatever they want to do.”

“If you say so.”

It made sense. Our mother’s deserved our attention sometimes. Why not now?

We told Dirk about it when we arrived and found him in the middle of a group of girls. He didn’t seem too excited about it but at least he understood. He may be on a complete one-track mind these days but something he’d never openly admit, he loves his mother and knowing she’d be gone for a year made him stressed.

We walked our horses home that evening, each of us wondering what it is we’d be walking into. Our mothers seemed happy to see us but sad at the same time.

“Why are we in here?” I asked when father had the entire family summoned to the conference room after dinner.

“So the staff doesn’t witness your outbursts when you hear the news.” He said.

Of course the three of us were going to be confused. I looked between my parents and they sat still but my mother still looked sad.

“Oh, no.” I said. “You’re not having another kid are you?!”

My father laughed. “What?! No!”

“Then what’s the news?” Dirk asked.

“We’re leaving in the morning.” Ruby said.

“Leaving? As in, leaving?” Bryce asked.

Jaylyn nodded.

“You mean for the year?” I asked.

My mother nodded too.

“So what about our outbursts? We knew this was going to happen.”

“Yes but there are speculations concerning the timing.” My father said.

“You mean missing our birthdays?” Bryce asked.

“Sort of.” Troy answered. “Leaving now will mean they will also not be here for your sixteenth.”

“So, wait.” Dirk said. “What does that mean?”

“It means your coming-of-age ceremonies will be put on hold until they can be here.” Darius said.

“What?!” Dirk stood up and his hair immediately caught fire.

“Dirk, please.” Ruby said.

“But you said a year! That’s longer than a year!”

My mother somehow expected all the protesting and tried explaining it to us. “Yes but here’s how things are going to work for us. We leave in the morning to travel to the undisclosed location in time for one of them to turn fifteen. We will be working with her until the other two reach the age and that’s when their year will start. Then when they begin to turn sixteen, your grandfather will send them somewhere in the world for their test mission. This helps decide if they are worthy of their teachings and it usually takes a couple of weeks depending on where they’re going. After each of them have succeeded that’s when we join them on the first mission as a team to see how they handle doing the job with each other.”

“But that would take even more weeks!” Dirk continued to rage. “Are you telling me that I’ll be almost seventeen before I can carry my weapon because you won’t be here?! Why?!”

“The day isn’t just your right.” My father said. “That day also belongs to your parents and they need to be there for it. Both of them.”

“But—”

“It’s okay.” I said, standing so I could get him to sit and calm himself.

“How can you not be pissed off about this?!”

“Because!” Raising my voice at least got him to listen. “I don’t care how long I have to wait if it means I’ll get Cadence and you’ll wait because you know you don’t need a weapon to define you.”

“It’s symbolic, Seth and an important one.”

“And it doesn’t matter how much you fight it, as long as your mother is gone, you won’t get it.”

He didn’t say another word. His eyes only faded enough for him to turn and storm out.

“I’m glad you’re taking this so well.” My mother said.

I turned from looking at the door and retook my seat. “I can be grown up. I understand what needs to be done. He could use some more work but we’ll get him there.”

“Allow me to talk to him for now.” Ruby got up from the table and walked out after Dirk, probably to say her good-bye her own way.

“He’ll get over it.” Darius said.

Bryce looked at me and laughed. “I’m sure he’ll be glad to distract himself.”

My eyes rolled but I laughed too because it was sadly true.

“How are you with this?” We looked up and Jaylyn was looking right at Bryce with sincere worry.

“I’m fine, mother. Are you waiting for me to cry about it?”

“Bryce!” Troy snatched.

“What? I won’t. Yeah, I’ll miss her but I’ll be fine. I don’t need my hand to be held.”

“I just wanted to make sure.” Jaylyn said. “This will be the first time—”

“I know, mother but if you’re that worried about how I’ll be then let me come with you.”

My eyes opened widely and my plan just came out with no thought to its end. I leaned on the table, acting emotionally fractured. “Please don’t leave me, mommy! I’ll miss you too much!”

She leaned on the table like I was but smiled. “Nice try.”

I leaned away with a sigh. “It was worth a shot but I will miss you.”

“I know, sweetie but even if it was only one of us, it would still have to be me.”

“The leader.”

“Yes but we felt things would be more productive if we were all included so the girls could have the individual attention best suited for them.”

“I understand. Then I can’t wait to see both of you.”

She smiled.

“So, who are these other girls?” Bryce asked. Then his eyes got wide and his voice excited. “Do I get one?!”

“Not Lana.” Darius said. “She’s for Dirk.”

“Darius!” Jaylyn cut in. “We are not pushing them on them!”

“It’s all right. It won’t be. I’ve taken care of it.”

“You didn’t.” Troy said.

“Everything’s fine.”

“So, who do I get?” Bryce asked. “What’s her name?”

“She’s no one.” Jaylyn said.

“It’s Naomi.” Troy said.

“Troy! How can you not take my side here?!”

“It’s not that I’m not. He just wanted to know her name.”

“You don’t have to be with her, Bryce.” Jaylyn said. “I’m not going to force you into anything.”

“I know, mother but she was chosen for a reason and if that reason has anything to do with being downright gorgeous then I’m in.”

I laughed while nudging him. “He means that both figuratively and literally.”

“Thank you.” Jaylyn said.

“Now what does she look like?” Bryce asked.

“Don’t ask us.” My father said. “We’ve never seen her.”

“And I’m not saying a thing.” Jaylyn said.

That made us look immediately to my mother. I was curious too. I didn’t know anything about these other members either.

“Please tell me she’s pretty.” Bryce begged. “And dark hair.”

“Why dark hair?” It was an odd request that I’ve never really heard from him before.

“I don’t want to be with anyone that reminds me of my mother, no offense.”

“None taken.” She said.

“Well—” My mother began. “I suppose some would call it Fate that she does have dark hair. Black even.”

“Yes! The darkest!”

“Adele! Don’t help push it!”

“I’m not but look how excited he is. Don’t you like to see him happy?”

“Yeah, mother. Don’t you want to see me happy?”

“Of course, I do sweetheart but these reasons still make me uncomfortable.”

Troy leaned in and rubbed her back. “You know you can’t stop him from growing up. He’s going to be one in just over a year.”

“I know and I still can’t believe it.”

“I won’t be going away or anything, mother. We’ll still see each other.”

“Except I leave in the morning and when I come back my little baby will be a man.”

She started to cry and I couldn’t explain it but it always affected everyone in the room.

“Oh, mother, please don’t.” Bryce got up from his chair to go around the table and hug her. “Growing up won’t affect us. I would never let it.”

“Really?”

“Really. You’ll always be my mother and you can see me however you want.”

She hugged him for the longest time and I noticed my mother was looking across the table at me the whole time.

“What?”

“Don’t talk.” My father said. “Just do.”

I guess I should have known and I got up to give my mother a hug too. I knew she was going to miss me. She just wasn’t really one for the mushy kind of emotions to ask for a hug but she needed one.

When morning came, our mother’s left and we sat at a very quiet table for breakfast before school.

“Is it going to be like this every day?” Bryce asked.

“I imagine it will start out easy.” Troy said. “Like when they leave for missions for a few weeks.”

“Until those weeks turn into months.” I said.

“And those into a year.” Dirk added.

“But it’ll all be worth it, won’t it?” Darius asked.

Dirk sighed and rolled out of his chair. “I’m going to ready my horse.”

I wasn’t sure if he was showing signs that he’d miss Ruby or if Darius told him about the Lana girl he said was for him but Dirk was in a mood and that was never really a good thing for anyone.

“Why don’t you boys go do the same?” My father suggested. “We’ll get used to it a day at a time.”

I hated that phrase but we obeyed and followed Dirk out.

“Don’t say a thing to me.” Dirk said.

“We weren’t going to. At least about this.”

“We going to the spring today?” Bryce asked.

Of course Dirk replied with an encouraging yes. “Fuck yeah. I need it after this. It’s going to be a long year and I for one intend to enjoy it.”

“Then count us in.” I said. “We could use it too.”