The Wanderers Beginning: The Wanderers, Reborn, & Unforgiven (134 page)

             
I managed to slip back in without anyone stopping me. I sat down at the table with Dean who was already on his third glass of scotch and Cameron who seemed bored out of her mind. “You doing okay?” I asked her. I couldn’t imagine that this was any fun for her.

             
“Yeah,” she smiled genuinely. “Your family is…interesting.”

             
“To say the least,” I smiled back, nudging her with my elbow. Cameron gave me a small laugh, letting me know she was doing alright.

             
“Ella Alexandra McCallister,” called a familiar and warming voice.

             
I turned around and sure enough there she was. My smile grew as I jumped out of my chair. “Grandma Bea,” I shrieked, throwing my arms around her. She was my favorite grandmother. I didn’t see her much because she was always traveling. Saying she needed to see the world before her time was up. Knowing what I knew now, I was curious as to how old she really was.

             
“That I will never tell,” she winked. I was about to ask her how when I realized of course she could read minds. She was my father’s mother. “So you know,” she said, squeezing my shoulders and I nodded.

             
“How long are you here for?” I asked a little desperately. Seeing her made me not want to let her go. I missed her so much and needed her around, for little while at least.

             
“You know I don’t like to stay in one place for too long,” she smiled, but then her smile faded when she saw my expression.

             
“Right,” I said sighing.

             
She reached up and touched my cheek gently. “I might make an exception if a certain little bumble bee needs me.”

             
“I don’t want to ruin your plans.”

             
Her hand slipped down to my chin and she cupped it, lifting my head to meet her eyes. “Hush. Nothing is more important than my family. Especially my little bumble bee,” she said, kissing my cheek. I hugged her again before she turned her attention to Dean. “Dean Patrick, you better get up and give me a hug. I’m old you know, if I bend down I might not get back up.”

             
I laughed as Dean got up to give her a hug. “Hi Grandma Bea,” he said, smiling for the first time tonight. Grandma Bea kind of had that effect on everyone. She pinched his cheeks making him blush and then stole his drink. He opened his mouth to protest, but she gave him her always stern, don’t mess with grandma look. I tried to hide my smile as I pulled out a chair for her. Dean signaled for the waiter to bring him another drink and told him to make it a double.

             
“So what’s this fiancé like?” Grandma Bea asked.

             
“She’s nice,” I said.

             
“Just nice, what’s wrong with her?” she asked, knowing full well I was holding something back.

             
I shrugged. “I just don’t know her all that well,” I said.

             
“But?” she pushed.

             
“But I kind of have this weird feeling. It’s probably nothing. Just me being silly,” I smiled. I never told anyone about the strange feeling I got around Jasa. I just figured at first it was a natural instinct. Sort of like the protective sister coming out in me, but when the feeling slowly started to grow I decided to keep a cautious eye on her. I kept it to myself because I didn’t want to start trouble in case I was overreacting.

             
Grandma Bea slid her seat closer to mine and leaned in. “Always trust your gut. Even if you think it’s nothing, always trust your instincts,” she said, staring straight into my eyes. “Promise me Ella.” 

             
“I promise.” I smiled, feeling a slight twinge in my stomach.

             
“Great,” she said, finishing off her drink. “Now, who is this lovely lady?” she looked at Cameron.

             
“Oh, I’m sorry Gran. This is our friend Cameron from school.”

             
“Hello Cameron, it’s very nice to meet you.”

             
“It’s very nice to meet you too Mrs.?”

             
“Please, call me Grandma Bea, everyone else does.” They smiled politely at each other as Gran shook her hand. Gran eyed Cameron suspiciously and then her smile grew. I eyed her, prompting her to let me know what was going on. She just smiled back at me and told Dean to sit up straight.

             
Danni finally made her way back to our table and looked just about as happy as I did when she saw Gran. “Grandma Bea!” she cheered, throwing her arms around her. The smell of her breath and the flopping of her arms told me Danni was facing her demons with a fifth of alcohol. I sighed knowing it was going to be a long night.

             
“My precious Danni, how are you and that adorable little girl of yours?”

             
“I’m fine, she’s fine,” Danni said nonchalantly, taking another glass from a tray as one of the waiters walked by. I stood up and took the glass from her hand. She frowned but didn’t argue with me.

             
“You cannot lie to me dear,” Gran said, wagging her finger at Danni.

             
“I never could,” Danni smiled bashfully. “But now is not the time.”

             
“Well it looks like I made it back in the nick of time,” Gran said, looking between me, Dean, and Danni. I gave her a fishy look and she just patted my shoulder. “Well I guess I should go introduce myself. Ella, Dean, help me up, will you?” With a grunt, Dean helped her up and I walked over with her to meet Jasa.

             
Xander gave Gran a great big hug before he introduced her. Gran smiled politely at Jasa, but I knew Gran had her suspicions about her as just as much as I did. I nudged Gran and she just played it off with one her warming smiles, but Gran couldn’t fool me. She might be able to put on a poker face for everyone else, but I knew all her tell signs – after all she was the one who taught me. I made a mental note to grill her about it later.

             
Gran didn’t hang around Jasa too long and I couldn’t figure out why, but I did notice she had an uncomfortable look on her face that was very hard to disguise. “Gran, are you okay?” Xander asked and I thought the same thing.

             
“Yes, yes honey, I’m fine. Where’s your father?”

             
“He’s around here somewhere?” Xander said, craning his neck.

             
“I believe I saw him over by the bar talking to the Hendricks,” Jasa said, making Gran shiver.

             
“I’ll help you find him,” I said, gripping her arm. Once we were out of earshot, I leaned down close. “Gran, what’s really going on? You don’t look so good.”

             
“Nonsense bumble bee. Don’t worry your pretty little head. It’s nothing a stiff drink can’t fix,” she said, trying to make me feel better, but it didn’t lessen my concern.

             
When we found my dad she pulled him aside to talk to him in private. They snuck behind a curtain where they felt no one could see or hear them. Curiosity piqued, I tried to slyly sneak over and get close enough so I could eavesdrop. Unfortunately they were speaking Gaelic and the little I knew was not enough to decipher their conversation, but I still tried. I didn’t need to know what they were saying to know this conversation was getting very heated very quickly.

             
Gran was shaking her fist at dad, growing hot with rage. I’d never seen her so angry before and the seriousness of her tone was startling. Dad was not one to keep his temper which was surprising to see how calm he was. His shoulders tensed and I knew I spoke too soon. He grabbed Gran’s wrist, leaned down close to her face and growled. I was about to interrupt, but then I would expose myself and it was not wise to piss off my dad more than he already was.

             
Gran ripped her hand away from dad and slapped him across the face showing she did not appreciate him acting that way. I gasped and quickly covered my mouth, hiding deeper inside the curtain. I heard a slight shift in my dad’s feet. Silence fell and I wondered what happened. A breeze blew the curtain and I froze in place. I thought for sure I was busted. I counted to ten before I peered back out from behind the curtain. My dad was gone, but Gran was still there with her back to me. I waited a few minutes to see if she would rejoin the party, but when she didn’t move I got a little worried. 

             
I bit my nails, waiting for the right moment to approach her. She gripped the wall and clenched her heart with her hand. “Grandma Bea!” I shouted, running to her. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

             
“Nothing sweetheart,” she padded her chest. “Just my old ticker,” she smiled. “Sometimes takes a bit to keep up with the rest of me,” she winked.

             
“Gran, sit down,” I insisted.

             
“No need to make such a fuss.”

             
“Sit,” I said, moving a chair over to her with the wiggle of my finger.

             
She smirked at me and had a seat. “I see you get your stubbornness from your father.”

             
“Give me your hand,” I said, holding out mine. I placed her hand over my heart and then mine over hers. I closed my eyes and concentrated on healing her; all her aches and pains, her ailments, and everything else that might be bothering her.

             
As soon as I felt it start to work she pulled away from me. “Ella dear, no,” she said, shaking her head. “I appreciate it, but this isn’t something you can fix with magic.”

             
“Sure it is, watch.” I put my hand back over her heart.

             
She pulled my hand away and held it in hers. “Thank you, but this is a part of life. You need to understand that. You need to know your magic is a gift and is not to be used recklessly.”

             
“But I’m not. I’m helping you.”

             
“You would be helping me more if you didn’t try to heal me.” I looked at her confused. “Ella, I’m past the time of magical healing. If Death sees fit for it to be my time to go then it’s my time to go. No amount of magic is going to keep me here. Maybe for a little while, but it would just prolong the inevitable. Do you understand sweetie?”

             
I nodded. “But Gran you’re talking as if you’ll be gone tomorrow or like I’m about to heal a terminal illness. I just want to make you feel a little better not cure cancer.”

             
“I know honey, but I promise I’ll be fine. Nothing a stiff drink can’t fix,” she said, smacking my hand.

             
“Gran, you say that about everything.” I rolled my eyes as I helped her up.

             
“Well it’s the truth. Now let’s hurry up before Dean finishes off the good scotch.”

             
No wonder this family has a drinking problem.
She pinched my side and I squealed. “Ow, what was that for,” I whined, trying not to cry.
That really hurt.

             
“I heard that,” she said, narrowing her eyes at me. I just shook my head and walked her back into the party.

             
I spent the rest of the night listening to stories about Gran’s adventures and entertaining guests by telling them about the prestigious college I was accepted to in January. Well that’s what my dad was telling everyone. I just went along with it to please him. Before the night was up my mom insisted on getting a group picture of the family. She had already snapped a million pictures during the night. I was exhausted and no longer in the mood to smile. My face was hurting from the fake smile I had plastered on my face the whole night. I didn’t think I had the strength left to keep it up. “Just a little bit longer,” my mom said, sensing my unease.

             
She then asked me to go find Dean for the photos. I sighed and walked back to the table where Cameron was sitting and asked her if she had seen him. She told me last she checked he was at the bar. I knew I should have checked there first.

             
Dean wasn’t at the bar like we thought, so I decided the next best place would be the bathroom. I figured might as well check and use the facilities while I was there.

             
The ladies room door was locked, which I thought was odd. I was about to search for another bathroom when I overheard someone inside. Being the nosy person I was, I pressed my ear to the door and tried to listen carefully. “You said you would take care of it,” the person said. There was a pause, indicating they were talking on the phone. “Well obviously you aren’t doing a good job.” I couldn’t tell who the voice belonged to. It was too muffled by the thick wooden door, but still clear enough that I could understand what they were saying.