Gaia Dreams (Gaiaverse Book 1) (43 page)

"But, but, look at you! You're always so--so--"

"Yes? I'm so what, John?" she replied a bit
dangerously.

"You're telling me you're not only willing to
take this on, but that you would actually know what you're doing?"

"Well, yes, that's what I'm saying. I'm not up on
all the latest new techniques in farming, of course, but then I don't expect
some of those things would be much use anyway if our technology level is going
to be lowered." She reached out and took one of his hands in hers. "I want to
be useful here, John. And I think I can be. If you'll let me."

"Oh, my God. What will Rachel say?" John asked
as he started to grin.

"You just leave Rachel to me, dear. She'll be
all right." She let go of his hand and patted her hair. "Now today, of course,
I'll have to go shopping for proper clothes. Heels and Chanel suits just won't
do."

John stood up and grabbed her in a bear hug. "Thank
you, Mother! I don't even believe this!"

"Oof! You're welcome, dear," she replied a bit
breathlessly. "Now give me the keys to your car and I'll go to the mall in
Branson and make a dent in my unreasonably large credit limit at American
Express."

On the plane to San Juan Islands, Washington

Maria sat quietly watching Margaret talk rapidly
to Mayor Dubois. They'd only gotten the mayor and Alan Beakman on the plane by
lying. Margaret was now trying to convince the mayor that she didn't have a
city left, that Houston was, for all intents and purposes, gone. After watching
the pair for a few minutes, Maria decided that Margaret was winning the
argument, even though the mayor still looked dubious.

She glanced around behind her and spotted Zack
sitting next to Phoebe, trying to engage her in conversation to distract her
from the fact they were in an airplane. Maria didn't think that job was going
very well by the look of sheer terror on Phoebe's face.

Zack. Zack last night. And her. With Zack. Oh,
man, what have I gone and done now, she pondered. Last night had been...well, it
had been great, okay, it had been fantastic, to tell the truth. But this
morning...ah, now that was just plain awkward. Probably should have gone back to
my room last night afterwards. (Or before, her conscience bugged her.) But it
had been so wonderful to just lie in his arms and feel safe, to drop off to
sleep all warm and cozy, and, she thought ruefully, I was too damn worn out to
get up and leave! Zack was always such a solid presence, but last night he'd
been an anchor while she'd been drowning in emotion. A very handsome anchor.
His beard hadn't been scratchy like she'd thought it would. And he was in great
shape, great muscles. A naturally tanned skin tone, not quite an olive tone,
more a golden color. And those eyes. So changeable from blue to gray and
everything in between. So filled with longing, anticipation, and later,
satisfaction. And his voice, when he whispered in her ear, causing that
delicious tingle up and down her spine to her toes and back again.

She realized her mouth was shaped into a soft,
dreamy smile and Maria shook herself and sat up straighter. I have to get a
handle on this, she demanded of herself. I'm not some teenager to go all moony
and starry-eyed over a guy. I've been around Zack for years and we never even
came close to--to--to--what we did last night, her more rational mind reminded
her. It's not like we did anything wrong, she countered defensively. We're both
adults, both single. But you don't know why you did it, said the little voice
inside. Yeah, she thought glumly. That was the problem. Did she just turn to
him because she was scared? Did I just use him, she wondered. Or could this be
the beginning of something with them?

Of course, they'd been friends for so long,
partners at work, knowing each other's moods. It wasn't like starting something
with somebody new. But it was a change. A big change. She turned to stare out
the windows of the plane. Watching fluffy clouds that looked like a mass of
giant cotton balls beneath her, she realized that yes, she did have feelings
for him. And not just feelings of friendship. Something more. Maybe those
feelings had started growing as they ran from one disaster to another. From
scenes of death and destruction unlike anything they'd faced before. And as she'd
faced the fact she was now an orphan, feeling more alone in the world than ever
before, she'd come to rely on his being there, supporting her...putting one of
those big strong arms around her shoulders more, lately...cracking jokes with a straight
face to cheer her up, then smiling in his eyes at her, those gray eyes all
crinkled up with laughter...walking beside her always, with those long legs,
which--

"Maria?"

She jumped. Zack was standing in the aisle next
to her row. Blushing, she glared up at him. "Don't do that! You startled me!"

Zack looked at her quizzically. "Maria, I've
said your name four times now. Didn't you hear me?"

"Oh. Sorry about that. I was daydr--um, I was
thinking about work. Research. Whales. Islands. The San Juan Islands. In
Washington. You know, thinking."

He just looked at her steadily. She wondered if
her cheeks could get any redder. Then he grinned at her and suddenly she didn't
care if she was blushing or if the world was ending. That smile. Those lips.
That--oh, my lord, she thought, disgusted at herself. I am totally hopeless! I
am a twenty-six year-old moony, starry-eyed teenager! And I'm falling for this
guy. With that decided, she patted the seat next to her, looked up at him and
said, "Join me?"

"I thought you'd never ask," he replied in a
deep soft voice that promised...everything.

She sighed happily.

Waterfall behind the Samuels' House

Sam was picking wildflowers while Harry rolled
around on the grass with Ruby. The puppy already looked more filled out, and
Clay had reassured Max earlier that his Irish Setter was going to be fine. Now
Max sat on a ledge at the edge of the creek watching the water flow down the
rocks.

"It's really beautiful, Sam," he said. "And it's
so cool you can come look at it whenever you want."

"Well, you can come look at it whenever you
want, too," she replied. "You live here now, just like me."

Max shook his head. "I don't know. The house is
filled up with people. I don't think there's room for me here."

Sam giggled. "Max, they're not all gonna stay
here!" He looked at her in surprise.

"No, silly, there's that farmhouse my Dad
bought, and I think Janine will live there with some grown-ups. And more people
are leaving town, so there will be plenty of places for everybody to stay. And--"
she stiffened suddenly. "Oh no!" she murmured, closing her eyes for a second.

Then, opening them wide, she called out, "Harry!
Go get Black! Now!"

Harry shot her one startled look. He'd never
heard her use that tone of command before. Then he took off for the house.

"Come on, Max!" Sam shouted as she started
running after the dog.

By the time they reached the patio at the back
of the house, Black was outside and the great white owl was flying around in
circles. Black was saying, "I don't quite get it--I mean, White doesn't get what
you mean--" when Sam and Max came running up.

"Black," Sam began, and then stopped to stare at
the owl. After a few seconds, the owl flew away, heading north.

"Hey! What did you tell her? Where did you send
her? And how can you do that?" Black blurted out.

Jessica and Abby were coming out the back door. "Sam,
what is it?" Jessica asked.

"It's Harmony," Sam told them. "Something's
wrong. They're at the cabins. Mr. Johnson. We gotta go there now!"

"Wait a minute," Abby began.

Sam turned to Black and said, "You got a gun in
your truck, right?" He nodded. "Okay, let's go."

"A gun!" Abby exclaimed.

Jessica looked from her daughter to Black to
Harry, who was wriggling with excitement. "Okay," she said, picking up Sam, "Let's
go. Mom, tell John we've gone to rescue Harmony. Max, go tell Mrs. Philpott and
get her back over here."

Max nodded and walked quickly down the lane
toward Mrs. Philpott's. Jessica followed Black to his truck. She could hear
Abby in the distance, "Jessica! What do you think you're doing?"

She groaned. There was something to be said for
having your mother live halfway across the country from you, she thought.

"Hurry up, Mom!" commanded Sam.

"Yes, honey," replied her very put-upon mother.

Mr. Johnson's Cabins-By-The-Lake

It had all been going so well, Harmony thought
ruefully. She'd come out here and paid the money to Mr. Johnson. He'd found the
papers and signed them over to her. She didn't know if it was totally legal
without a notary public and witnesses, but whatever. Like he said, the end was
coming, so it probably didn't matter anyway if she had the deed to the
property. Yes, it had all gone just fine--until he started staring at her and
muttering under his breath. And just about the time she'd thought that maybe
she should get out of there, he'd grabbed her in what felt like a vise-grip,
pushed her into a chair and tied her up.

Harmony listened to him talking to himself as he
loaded things into boxes and carried them outside to his pick-up truck. "It's
the end, that's what it is. Nobody'll miss her. And I deserve to have a woman
before the end comes. That's only right. Besides, I'll need someone to cook and
clean. That's right. I can take good care of her, keep her safe from the evil
that's coming."

And on it went, just more of the same. Harmony
tried to work at the ropes around her wrists, but they wouldn't budge. This guy
knew how to tie someone up, she thought indignantly. And all this time, all
these years she'd known him, seen him around town, he'd always been so nice and
pleasant. What in the world was going on with him?

He walked back into the room, looking for any
last items to load. "Well, young lady, I think we're about done here. Now do
you think you can behave if I untie you?" He started toward her, only to find
himself under attack by a large white owl that flew in through the front door.

"White! Thank God!" Harmony cried.

As Mr. Johnson turned for his shotgun, Harmony
watched the bird fly back out the door. Oh dear, she thought. If I end up
getting that owl killed--but then she heard a racing engine and gravel flying as
someone pulled up outside.

Mr. Johnson stepped out the door with his
shotgun in his hands to be met by Black shoving a very large pistol in his
face.

"I'll take that," Black said firmly, yanking the
gun out of the other man's hands.

"Yoo-hoo! I'm in here!" Harmony called from
inside the cabin.

The Samuels' House

"What do you mean? Jessica just took Sam and
went with Black? To help Harmony?" John was asking for the third time in a half
an hour. "Harmony was in danger?"

"I know it sounds crazy, but she said to tell
you they were rescuing Harmony!" Abby replied, wringing her hands. "Which one
was Harmony? And, John, I don't understand all this about animals talking to
people and my daughter just running off with little Samantha. I don't
understand at all."

John was pacing across the den. "Didn't they say
where they were going?"

"No, they took off. I think Sam sent that owl
somewhere. At least that's what Mr. Black was saying when we came out the door.
And they mentioned a gun that Mr. Black had."

"Black, Abby, just call him Black," John said,
distractedly. "I can't believe Jess would just--"

Mrs. Philpott marched through the back door. "Are
they okay?" she asked.

"How do you--"

"Max came and got me. Jessica sent him. Then
Perceval tuned in--"

John stopped pacing to stare at Mrs. Philpott. "Is
this why she wasn't at the meeting this morning?"

"I'm not sure, John," Mrs. Philpott said in a
frustrated voice.

John took a deep breath and tried to quell the
shaking he felt inside. "Okay, okay. Abby, would you make us some tea? I'm sure
they'll be back soon and we'll find out all the details."

Waiting until the other woman left the room, he
motioned Mrs. Philpott to a chair. "She seems to be having trouble with all
this new stuff. I think it's best to just keep her busy."

Mrs. Philpott nodded. "Yes, Perceval mentioned
it to me. That of all the new people, Jessica's mother seems to be the most
disturbed by it. Which, when you think of it, is pretty amazing. All these
disasters, all the deaths, then to hear about people and animals communicating,
dreams that foretell the future...we're really lucky everyone seems to be
adjusting so quickly." She paused. "Which makes me wonder if something else isn't
at work at here, helping us to adjust, and if so--"

John interrupted. "Mrs. P! Focus! Harmony? Do
you have any other information?"

She shook her head.

John said, "Okay, I'm telling you right now, so
you can help me make sure the others know, that we're having a meeting tonight
of
everyone
, animals and people. We've got to come up with some basic
common sense rules for the near future about how to protect ourselves. And
Jessica and I need to have a major talk about how to protect Samantha."

On the road back to the Samuels' House

"John is probably going to kill me," Jessica
said to Harmony. She looked out the window and saw dogwoods in bloom and
daffodils in a riot of bright yellow along the edge of someone's yard as they
drove by. Sam was humming in the backseat with Harry curled up next to her.

"Why would he want to kill you?" Harmony asked. "You
guys saved me from that crazy Mr. Johnson. You didn't do anything wrong."

"That's not how John is going to look at it,"
Jessica replied. "And I won't be able to blame him for how he feels because he'll
be right! It was just happening so fast, and--I really can't explain it, even to
myself!"