Easy Bake Coven (5 page)

“Has she been awake?” I asked.

“In and out—but that’s normal. She’s heavily medicated for the pain.” The nurse recorded something on Gram’s chart, then turned to me and smiled. “You must be Selene. She has asked for you.”

I walked over to Gram, my eyes filling with tears. “I’m here, Gram.” I took her frail, shriveled hand in mine. “Has the doctor been by yet?”

“Not yet,” the nurse replied, collecting her things. “He should make his rounds within the hour.”

I thanked her, then focused back on Grandma, lightly squeezing the hand I was holding. “Can you hear me, Gram? I’m here now. Everything will be okay. You will be okay, you will be okay, you will be okay,” I chanted, picturing my strength and energy flowing into her.

“Selene?” The weakness in her voice made me gasp.

“I’m here, right here.” I leaned over her, afraid she couldn’t see me.

“Selene, they’re looking . . . for you.” Gram’s breath was labored, and she seemed to be fighting against falling back asleep.

“It’s okay, Gram, I’m here.” I didn’t understand what she was talking about.

“Don’t. Let. Them. Get. You,” she said before her eyes closed again.

I rubbed my arms, fighting off goose bumps, and reminded myself she’d had a bad fall and probably hit her head. She had no idea what she was saying. There was a soft knock on the door, and it opened. A middle-aged, medium build man with wire-rimmed glasses and a white coat strolled in. The doctor I presumed.

“Hello, I’m Dr. Kennedy. Are you Mrs. Meriweather’s granddaughter, Selene?”

“I am.” Holy geez, grandma must’ve raised quite the fuss about my not being here last night. Everyone and their brother knew my name. I shook his cool, sterile hand. “How is she?”

Dr. Kennedy leaned against the window ledge, sat his clip board down, and crossed his arms over his chest. “It appears your grandma fell down the stairs in her home last night. Amazingly, she was able to get to a phone and dial 911. X-rays show several fractures in her leg–it seemed to have taken the brunt force of the trauma. Her arm has a couple fractures. She has severe bruising on her face, and several broken ribs, resulting in a simple pneumothorax. Right now, her condition needs to be monitored to make sure it doesn’t worsen.” He picked up her chart and flipped through it. “Her vitals are strong—which is great—and your grandmother’s stronger than she looks. Many people her age would not have done so well. We’re waiting to cast her leg and arm until the swelling goes down. Do you have any questions for me?”

Nothing came to my mind, though I was positive I had many, many questions somewhere in my head. “Not at the moment.”

“It was nice meeting you, Selene. I’m sure it’s a great comfort to your grandma to have you here.”

I sat in the chair next to her bed and waited for her to wake up again. Staring out the window into the bright sunlight, I longed for a piece of it rather than the cold fluorescent lighting in the room. My cell phone vibrated against my leg, waking me from my selfish longings.

“Hello,” I said, moving closer to the window in the hopes of getting better reception than the one bar the phone showed.

“Selene? I can barely hear you.”

“Michael, yeah it’s me. My reception is terrible here.” Oh crap, I completely forgot to call him. In fact, from the moment I shut my front door, he never once entered my thoughts. “I’m so sorry I forgot to call you last night.”

“I take it you made it safely. How’s your grandmother?”

“She’s pretty banged up, but I think she’ll be fine.”

“That’s wonderful. Do you know when you’ll be coming back?”

“No. It depends how she does.”

He was silent for a long while. I wasn’t sure if we were disconnected. I started to pull my phone away from my ear to check when he spoke again. “You didn’t take your ring.”

I dropped my head to my hand. I was a horrible person. “Oh. I’m so sorry. It completely slipped my mind.” I shook my head, struggling with the fact that everything I thought to say sounded like an excuse. “The ring is perfect,” I said softly.

“Have you told your grandma yet?” I could practically hear the smile in his voice.

“She hasn’t been awake long enough.”

He made a sympathetic noise. “So it is pretty bad, huh? What happened?”

“I guess she fell down some stairs. Lots of broken bones and a punctured lung.”

“A customer just came in, I have to go. Call me tonight. Or I’ll call you.”

“I will. Talk to you later.”

“I love you. Bye.”

I smiled to myself when I hung up the phone. He was just so sweet.

“Selene.”

At the sound of grandma’s voice, I popped up from my chair and was in her line of sight within a second. “How are you feeling, Gram? Do you need anything? Should I call the nurse?”

“What are you doing here?” she asked me as sharply as her weak voice could manage.

I looked around to make sure no one else was in the room. “Gram, it’s me,
Selene
. Where else would I be?”

“There’s nothing wrong with my eyes. I can see that it’s you,” she said crossly. “Get home and get the book. They’re after you, child.”

“What book? Who’s after me?”

“Don’t let them catch you.” Again her eyes closed and her breathing evened.

Obviously they had her on good stuff. She was downright loopy. Who would possibly be after me? I looked at my watch. It was just 9 a.m., though it felt like it should be afternoon by now. In my rush, I brought absolutely nothing to do. If Gram’s pattern held, she wouldn’t wake up again for a couple hours. I had more than enough time to run down to the gift shop and get a cup of tea.

The overstuffed shelves in the gift shop were filled with very little that interested me. I considered running back to Gram’s house to see if I could find a book when I came across
Little Dorrit
. I’d seen the miniseries but never read the book. Seeing as time was plentiful at the moment, it was as good a time as any to read Dickens. After checking out, I crossed the lobby to the coffee kiosk.

“Can I help you?”

“I’ll have a soy iced chai latte, nonfat, no whip.”

Minutes later, drink in hand, I was headed outside for a couple moments of fresh air before I went back upstairs. I sat on a bench as far away from the door and the smokers as I could get. The sunshine soaked into my skin, making me tingle. I took a sip of my tea and cracked open the book, deeply inhaling its scent. There was nothing like the smell of a new book to awaken my mind. Before I could finish the first paragraph, however, someone sat on the bench with me. I glanced over out of habit, then startled at the familiar face.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, not even trying to stop the sharpness in my voice.

“I told you I had to speak with you.”

My mouth fell open. “Mr. Hunt, did you follow me here? I’m not comfortable with that. You have to leave or I’m calling the police.” I pulled out my phone. Hunt snatched it from my hand so quickly it was nearly blur. I jumped off the bench and stumbled away, not wanting to turn my back to him.

He stood, moving towards me with purpose. “Selene, we need to talk.”

“Yeah, me to the cops, and you to a psychiatrist.”

“Stop being stupid. You’re in grave danger.”

“No shit.”

Hunt advanced faster than I could inch away. It was like a bad dream, where I was on a treadmill. I kept walking but got nowhere.

“Just stop,” Hunt said and lunged for me.

I covered my head and yelped, but his hands never touched me. I lifted my hands slowly. He stood too close, a little smile ticking his mouth. “So we’re playing that game?”

I stared at him. What game? I hadn’t done anything—except panic. “I’m going to scream at the top of my lungs if you don’t leave immediately.” I glanced pointedly at a cop car in front of the hospital.

Hunt chuckled, and the sound sent a cold shiver up my spine. “Be my guest, Selene—but first, look around. Has anyone noticed anything happening so far?”

He was right. Not one of the people nearby had glanced in our direction. What was wrong with everyone? I screamed at the top of my lungs until my throat was raw and my cheeks were hot. Not one person even looked my way. He looked at me like I was spoiled toddler. “Satisfied yet?”

“Is this a dream?”

Hunt ignored my words and reached toward me again. I flinched and stumbled—fell hard on my butt. A truly merry laugh erupted from Hunt now. It filled the air like thousands of bells chiming in perfect harmony and washed over my skin like a bucket of ice water. “I’d help you up, but alas I’m prevented from touching you.”

I scrambled to my feet. “It’s not funny, Mr. Hunt!” I snapped. “Oh, you’re a big tough guy following me around, trying to scare the bejeezus out of me. Well, I don’t appreciate it. I don’t know who you are or what you want, but stay away from me!”

“No,
Selene
. I don’t think this is funny. If you’d stop acting like a scared deer every time you see me and listen, maybe you wouldn’t be so utterly stupid. I have no choice but to be here. Had I any other option, I would have never come to you of all people.” His dark green eyes were almost black with rage, and he inched closer as he spat his words out.

“And damn it all, stop calling me
Mr. Hunt
! Do you have any idea how stupid that sounds?” He threw my anger back at me beat for beat, his eyes blazing as he tried to grab me again. Once again his hands were stopped three inches from my arms, apparently unable to get any closer.

I studied his hovering hands with curiosity that battled the fear and anger away. Why couldn’t he touch me? “What else am I supposed call you?” I asked.

He threw up his hands in exasperation. “Cheney. Just bloody well call me Cheney.”

“And not that I’m complaining, but why can’t you touch me?”

 “Because you aren’t allowing it,” he growled then strode away. After about five paces, he turned back. “I’m coming by tonight. Be ready. No more games, Selene.” And like that he disappeared into thin air.

Holy shit.

Cheney had absconded with my cell phone, so I had no way to call anyone and Grandma was in no state to talk. When visiting hours ended, I slowly walked out of the hospital, leery of everything and everyone I passed. The two of them had officially freaked me out. I stopped by a market on my way home to buy food for dinner—for me and Stewie. When I arrived home, I carefully surveyed the yard before getting out of my car.