Grasping at Eternity (The Kindrily) (13 page)

“Damn, I didn’t want to be right.” We both sat in silence, watching the beautiful possibility vanish. Maryah’s reaction to me would remain a mystery.

“Come, Shiloh.” I reached for my door handle. “You’re late for your engagement with the bed bugs.”

“Wait! What about Maryah? You’re going to see her in a few hours. What do we do now?”

I tried to sound confident. “We assume it really was bad food, and we carry on as planned.”

“I liked the miracle scenario better.”

I sighed. “Me, too.”

∞

I left the hotel before five a.m. and made my way to the Dawn Patrol ceremony.

Only a few hot air balloons participated in Dawn Patrol, and we were honored that ours was one of them. The balloons’ lighting systems allowed us to fly through the dark, illuminating the sky until sunrise. Our crew consisted of six members, but only three would ride in the basket during the choreographed show flight.

Everything went perfectly and we landed just before seven. I tried to stay distracted by assisting the other crew members with preparations for the Mass Ascension launch. The total number of participating balloons neared seven hundred—a remarkable sight to behold. It wouldn’t be long before the kindrily made their way to our landing site to watch the event.

Surely, Maryah would be with them.

Maryah

I finished almost-calling Krista for the fifth time and put away my phone with a sigh. If I would have told her about my dreams
before
I met Nathan, she might believe all this madness. But what could I possibly say now?
Hey Kris, check this out. I saw this gorgeous guy I thought was my angel of death the night I almost died, and again during the fire. He keeps popping up in my dreams, and this weekend I found out he’s Louise’s son, Nathan
.
 

How do you spell mentally unstable? M-A-R-Y-A-H.

How could the person I’d been dreaming about be real? Much less, be the famous Nathan, whom everyone put on a pedestal? Did my head injury make me psychic?

We were leaving for the Balloon Fiesta any minute. Would Nathan make fun of me for passing out? Or would he think I was a spaz and never talk to me again? For weeks I believed he was a gorgeous angel with divine powers watching over me, or trying to reunite me with my family. It was absurd, but I’d developed a glorified crush on him. How could I go from
that
to trying to make normal conversation? His first impression of me was my embarrassing fainting spell.

Faith bounded through the hotel doors. “You ready?”

I gripped the bench I was sitting on. “I think I’ll hang out here.”

“Noooo! Watching hundreds of hot air balloons launch into the sky is spectacular. You can’t miss it.”

“I’m still not feeling well.”

“Is this because you passed out? Are you embarrassed to see Nathan?”

“It was humiliating.”

She sat beside me. “Look at it this way, nothing you do today could be more embarrassing than falling on top of him.”

I bolted upright. “Falling on top of him? I fell on him?”

She gave a sympathetic giggle. “More like you fell forward, and he caught you.”

“Oh my god. Even more humiliating.”

“It was cute. He’ll never forget you, that’s for sure. So there’s a silver lining you can cling to.”

My fingers were bleeding from grasping onto life’s silver linings. They felt more like silver bullets aimed directly at me.

Anthony, Louise, and the rest of the gang walked out of the hotel toward the parking lot. Faith yanked me up off the bench. “Time to go witness some magic.”

∞

I could barely see Nathan when we approached. I stayed behind Carson, and his oversized sweatshirt blocked my view.

“Our balloon looked beautiful, Nathan!” Louise exclaimed.

“Helen will be proud,” Anthony complimented.

“Nice flight,” Carson added before walking away to talk to one of the crew members.

Nathan’s eyes locked with mine. I’d never felt so exposed, yet I couldn’t look away from him. Mikey’s cap had gone missing last night so it quadrupled how vulnerable I felt. I prayed Nathan didn’t notice the shorter section of my hair.

“Good morning, Maryah. How are you?” he asked.

“Fine, thanks.” I wasn’t fine. I was still in shock that my movie-star angel man was a real live human being. To top it off, he was the son of my godmother. He was talking to me, and looking more amazing than ever. I wasn’t even close to fine. I was freaking out. “Sorry about last night. I think I caught a bug or something.”

“No apology necessary. I hope you’re feeling better.”

I wrapped my sweater around me. I wanted to thank him for catching me when I fainted, but I didn’t want to remind him what a mess I was.

Faith broke the tension by punching his shoulder. She danced around, modeling her bright attire. “Notice I match the balloon?”

“Yes, so you do.” He returned her look of amusement.

Her clothes coordinated with the balloon’s shades of red, yellow, and orange. “We watched the Dawn Patrol from the hotel. Your balloon looked extra majestic against the sunrise.”

Nathan put on his sunglasses. “All compliments should be addressed to Jesse and Gina. They did all the work.”

A pretty brunette strutted up behind Nathan and squeezed his shoulders. “It’s not work when your crew chief makes it so fun.”

She wasn’t the girl I’d seen in the picture on his nightstand, but she sure was touchy feely with him.

“Did you enjoy the show?” Nathan asked me.

Dakota and Harmony had been standing on either side of me, but as if on cue they both stepped away. My cheeks warmed as I stammered a reply. “Yes—um—it was amazing.”

“This is Maryah’s first time seeing hot air balloons,” Faith said.

“Is that so?” Nathan stepped closer to me.

“I’ve seen them on TV before, but never in person.”

“Colorful, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is.” My voice trailed off as I looked around at all the balloons. “I like the two kissing bumble bees.”

“Joey and Lilly Little Bee. They hold hands and dance through the skies.” Being so close to him was electrifying. My fingers and toes tingled.

“What’s the name of your balloon?”

“That depends who you ask. I fancied the name Aftermath, but Helen wouldn’t allow it. So its official title is Eternal Flame.” He didn’t have an accent, but I had to ask.

“Have you ever lived in England?”

For a second he looked shocked, but then he kind of laughed. “Not in this lifetime, no. Why do you ask?”

“You said you ‘fancied the name.’ My father was from England, and he said that a lot. You don’t talk like a normal American teenager.”

He seemed at a loss for words. I nervously back pedaled. “Aftermath sounds kind of dreary. Eternal Flame is much better.”

“Yes, the Aftermath leaves a qualm of distaste for most people I know.” His words had angry bite. Great, I probably insulted him. First, I criticize the way he speaks then I tell him his taste in names sucks. Would I ever stop alienating this guy?

Everyone else was chatting with each other. Their sunglasses hid their gazes, but I sensed them all watching us. Most likely they were waiting to see if I’d pass out again.

I jumped when Nathan pushed my hair away from my face.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Fire burned in my cheeks. I mumbled something resembling “it’s okay.”

Gina glared at me like we were kids on a playground and I had just stolen her swing. “Nathan, everything is taken care of. You ready to eat?”

He didn’t take his eyes off of me. “Where are my manners? Gina, this is Maryah. Maryah, allow me to introduce Gina, my
friend
, and fellow crew member.”

“Nice to meet you.” I offered a handshake.

She stuck her hands in her back pockets. “Hi.”

What a snob. Nathan glared at her then returned his attention to me. “Have you had breakfast?”

Gina let out a frustrated sigh. Part of me wanted to say no just to annoy her, but I chickened out. “We ate before the balloon launch.”

She gloated. “Looks like it’s just the two of us! We better get going.”

“I am famished, and we have a full schedule today.” Nathan leaned in close enough to make me tremble. He smelled like a mixture of mountain air, honey, and pears. The gods must have bottled up nectar from heaven and sent it to Earth for Nathan to wear. “I look forward to seeing you at dinner.”

“Sure.” I nodded skittishly, but didn’t back away from him. The tingling had spread to every inch of my skin. I’d never felt anything like it, and I didn’t want it to end.

“Enjoy the rest of your day.” He bowed, grinning one last time. His smile put the glow of the sun to shame. As he walked off with Gina, he glanced at me over his shoulder then stopped. “Jesse! Will you be joining us for breakfast?”

“Yeah! I’m starving!” Jesse jogged over to them. Gina’s body language oozed disappointment.

Good
, I thought. What kind of girl throws herself at someone who has a girlfriend? But a pang of guilt filled my chest. Just standing close to Nathan left me all warmer than toast. If he made every girl feel that way then I couldn’t blame Gina for flirting with him.

Nathaniel

When everyone finished singing Happy Birthday, I glanced to my right where Maryah sat. She had participated, but seemed distracted.

“Thank you.” I closed my eyes, making a wish as I blew out the candles.

Faith knowingly smiled at me from a few seats down. I’d been wishing for the same miracle since I found out I had lost Maryah.

“It’s so great to be spending time with you, Nathan! We miss you.” Faith’s sweet sentiments always brought a smile to my face.

Louise sliced and handed out cake as the table stirred with conversation, but the only voice I longed to hear was—.

“Will Mary be here this weekend?” Maryah asked. The others didn’t hear her question. If they had, shock would have silenced them.

“
Mary?
” I drew out the name, feeling its recent foreignness on my tongue.

“Your girlfriend.”

Her conversation with Carson flooded back to me. “Right. Carson mentioned you saw her photograph.”

Her eyes widened. “I wasn’t snooping through your room or anything. Carson asked me to help him find a DVD.”

“No one suspects you of being a snoop.” Little did she know that I—and everything I possessed—was hers for the taking.

She probed her cake with her fork. “You must miss her.”

“More than words can say.” I looked at my own plate, trying to make sense of the fact that we were having this conversation. “Yet as much as I loved her, she chose to leave me.”

“What?” Maryah gasped. “She broke up with you?”

I tilted my head, raising my eyes to meet hers. “That’s one way to summarize what transpired between us.”

“Are you okay?”

The genuineness of her concern allayed my pain. “Let’s just say I am enduring the pain, in hopes that someday…I may find love again.”

She nodded like she understood, but she couldn’t begin to grasp the gravity of my words.

“Nathan, what time do you have to leave us?” Louise asked.

I cleared my throat. “I planned on attending this evening’s events with you.”

Maryah sat up straight.

“Yay!” Faith cheered, throwing her arms over her head. “
Now
it’s a party!”

Almost everyone seemed pleased, except Maryah. She continued to absentmindedly push her cake around her plate. She was where she belonged, by my side, but not in the way I wanted and needed.

Sitting at the head of a table made me uncomfortable. I looked at Anthony who sat quiet but confident at the opposite end. He disfavored rectangular tables as well. We all did. Regardless of the order we were initiated into our kindrily, no ruler or chief sat in higher regard than the rest of us. Even Carson, young and inexperienced as he was, we considered an equal.

As painful as this life had been without my soul mate, it had also been an amazing bonding experience for our kindrily. Our union was never stronger throughout our existence. In the past, small groups of us lived near each other and we’d gather for special events. Our get-togethers became more frequent as technology and transportation evolved, but this life was exceptional. Never before had every member of our kindrily lived in America.

It had been Mary’s plan. In our last life, she had an overwhelming worry that something tragic would happen. She made everyone agree that if it did, we would all gather in Sedona. She referred to it as her Hail Mary play. And here we all were, hailing Maryah.

“The Night Glow will be starting soon,” Louise said. “Should we freshen up and head over to the park?”

“Sounds good.” Anthony rose from his seat. “Everyone ready?”

We designated a time to gather before driving to the park then we dispersed to our rooms. Maryah’s hair bounced against her shoulders as she walked down the hallway. I relished watching her every move, until she disappeared into her room.

“Big step for you my man!” Shiloh sang, closing our door behind him.

“Hardly a big step. I only want to see her reaction to the lights in the sky.” I tried to sound nonchalant, but Shiloh continued grinning.

He pushed Carson toward me. “That’s your cue.”

“I told you they don’t work,” Carson mumbled to Shiloh.

“Maybe not for you,” Shiloh argued. “You’re a newbie, but they might work for Nate.”

I knew they were referring to the stargazing glasses Carson had been creating, but I let the two of them squabble.

“I may be a newbie,” Carson said, “but I’m the only Scion in this kindrily.”

Dakota rolled his eyes. “Don’t get cocky, Car.”

“Stay out of it, epic-wannabe. You’re just jealous that I have three abilities and you have none.” He shoved Dakota.

Dakota stumbled backward onto the bed, but recovered quickly and didn’t back down. “I can’t argue with your speed and strength, but you couldn’t even make those glasses work. Maybe you aren’t as smart as you think.”