The Weird Travels of Aimee Schmidt: The Curse of the Gifted (42 page)

It dawned on Aimee what topic was on Dad’s mind. Being one step ahead she interrupted, “Oh, Dad, you’re not gonna give me a birds and bees talk, are you?”

“Well…yes…I guess I am,” Dad answered with a serious tone. “I’m just not ready to become a grandfather yet.”

She guffawed lightly, then tried to alleviate his concerns. “Dad, don’t worry. I’m not stupid. Dylan and I aren’t gonna make you a grandpa…yet,” Aimee added, then giggled again. “Anyway, not that I want to discuss this with my dad, but I know about contraception, and STD’s, and all the other emotional baggage that goes with having sex. Aunt Lauren and I have talked a few dozen times about this, so don’t get so stressed out.”

Aimee heard her dad’s sigh of relief, then she said, “Besides, not that it’s any of your business, but you don’t have anything to worry about. When I’m ready, it’ll be the real thing, like you and Mom.”

They were sitting in the dark talking, but she could feel her dad tense up again. Finally after an awkward minute of silence Dad said, “Yeah, well, being in love is not the only prerequisite for having sex, but it does make it more special. I just want you to be careful. I know how much the two of you think you’re in love, but there’s more to making a relationship work than just love and sex.”

“Dad, I know. So tell me,” she began, feeling more like she was now being lectured instead of
advised, “did you give James the same talk, or did he get an ‘Atta Boy’ talk about being a
real
man?”

“Aimee, I’m serious. I admit it was easier talking about this with James, but I told him the same thing. Know what you're getting into before you get into it, all right? Sometimes you find out things about each other and it’s too late, and you might not get a second chance.”

“All right, sure Dad, I get it,” she replied, trying not to sound curt. “I know you’re just trying to make sure I know what I’m doing. I promise you, I do know what I’m doing now, and you’re
right, Dylan and I are close,
very
close, but like I promised, we won’t make you a grandpa.”

“Good. I’m glad. Well then…uh…hmm…speaking of your Aunt Lauren, I was gonna keep it a secret and let her surprise you, but I figured I outta say something because I heard you and Chelsea talking about an all-night party after graduation this weekend.”

“So?”

“Well, your Aunt Lauren is flying in Friday for your graduation. She wanted to surprise you.”

“For real?!”
exclaimed Aimee. She hadn’t seen Aunt Lauren in a couple years. The last time
was when she flew out to see James graduate from high school. They hadn’t been back to Texas since right after Aimee got out of the hospital. Dad sent her back to visit family for about a month hoping the change in scenery would cheer her up. Anyway, Aimee was ecstatic Aunt Lauren was coming. “So how long will she be here?”

“I think until Monday or Tuesday. She can’t stay long,” he answered.

Suddenly, Aimee realized she wasn’t going to be here this weekend. She and Dylan had just
planned on going away after graduation. “Oh, crap…” slid out of her mouth.

“What’s wrong?”

“Well, nothing I guess. It’s just that I was planning on going out all night after graduation,” she confessed hesitantly. Actually, she felt a little guilty now wanting to go away for the night with Aunt Lauren coming all the way from Texas to see her, but she so wanted to be with Dylan this weekend.

“Are you going to the all-night graduation party at the school? Hannah wants me to come with her. She has to pull a couple hours guard duty keeping the wild masses in line. Hell, Aunt Lauren can come, too.”

She hemmed and hawed a bit, not really wanting to divulge their plans, but finally she decided it didn’t matter. They would go even if Dad didn’t like the idea of them going away totally by themselves. Aimee knew how much Dad thought of Dylan, and she didn’t want him to think otherwise, but things were different now than they were when Dad was their age. Couples didn’t get married first before going away together.

“Dad, Dylan and I aren’t going to the after graduation party at the school.”

“You’re not?” Dad replied surprised. Aimee could tell he wasn’t going to drop it. He wanted to know details.

“No, we’re not.” Aimee could feel her cheeks turning red. She didn’t know if she was more embarrassed having to tell Dad the truth about going away - alone - because he would get the gist of what it meant, or she was more ticked because she needed his permission to go, like she was twelve again. Regardless, Aimee defiantly blurted out, “We’re going to spend the weekend at his parents’ cabin. And not that it makes any difference…we’re gonna be there alone.” Aimee started to jump up. She no longer felt like discussing this with her father. Dad grabbed her arm and held it tight. Even though the room was pitch black, Aimee felt his eyes scrutinizing her. Finally, after an exasperated moment, Aimee decided it wasn’t helping her cause to be hardheaded about this. If she was an adult, she needed to act like one. She remained calm. She started again persuasively cool. “Dad, you need to trust me to do the
right thing, to make good choices. I know I’ll screw up once in a while, but you have been a totally
awesome
teacher. Dylan and I don’t drink. We don’t get high. And we’re responsible. Okay? Trust me.
I’m not the same person I was four years ago. I can handle what comes my way in our relationship. I’m not a naïve, little kid.” He finally released her arm. She leaned over and kissed him on his forehead. “Dad, I really appreciate your hovering. I really do. But I’ll be fine.”

“Humph
,”
Dad muttered under his breath. Aimee had won this round, but she could tell he
wasn’t going to give up easily losing his little girl to the big, scary adult world.

Aimee said sweetly, “I love you.”

Dad answered, resignation in his voice, “I love you, too. Just promise me you’ll be careful.”

“I promise.”

That night when she was getting ready for bed, Aimee noticed she still hadn’t flipped Mom and Dad’s photo upright on the bookcase. The last time she had looked at it, she got freaked out by the ghostly image of Joseph, the young Brit from her dreams, mystically appearing in the background. That was a few weeks back. Aimee figured she would take a peek. She felt sure she had been acting ridiculous avoiding it. She missed the daily ritual of looking at Mom and Dad, and touching Mom’s face, and she hadn’t had another dream with Joseph, or whatever that strange experience was a few weeks back. So, before that faded away into her rapidly growing repertoire of weird events, Aimee figured she better assure herself that it was just a figment of her overactive imagination. Before she got into bed, Aimee decided to get a grip and tiptoed over to the bookcase. She slowly reached towards the framed picture, trying to steady the shaking in her fingers. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and grabbed the photo. Aimee peeked with one eye. Her breath stuck in her throat. She opened the desk drawer and pitched the picture in and slammed it shut. This time she was positive she wasn’t seeing things. The ghostly stranger was still there, and without a doubt, it was Joseph Smith, the young man who somehow had wormed his way into her life.

Aimee jumped when her phone gently vibrated on the nightstand bringing her back into the present. She reached quickly for it so it wouldn’t roll to voice mail. She figured it was Dylan making his ritual ‘I love you’ call before going to sleep, so she steadied her voice so he couldn’t detect how rattled she was.

Aimee began, “Hey there.”

Silence.

“Hello?”

More silence.

Aimee's skin instantly crawled as the ominous reminder from the past suddenly resurfaced. The crank calls had stopped after her journey with Brandi, but she felt certain this time it had to be the same person...again. Aimee also knew it had to be the same person who vandalized Paul’s Lexus, and they
were serious -
dead
serious - about the message. What did they have to lose? One failed attempt had
already been made. The next time she knew they would get it right.

In all the seriousness Aimee could muster, she spit out in a deep growl, “I
know
who this is, and
you aren’t gonna get away with it! Leave Dylan alone. This is between you and me. You know I’m crazy, so bring it on, bitch. We’ll see who makes it out alive.”

Suddenly, there was a click on the other end. Aimee pitched the phone on the bed. It bounced off the pillow and hit Zonker. He instantly leaped from the bed with a frightened look and headed for the door.

Aimee felt a twinge of guilt letting
her
get to her like that. She patted the bed and pleaded
sweetly, “Z Boy, I’m sorry. Come back.” He studied her for a minute, then jumped back up on the bed, but curled up at the opposite end, his little, beady eyes watching warily. “Geez, I must be acting like
a real psycho. Even my dog is afraid of me.” She did feel edgy, like she did monthly right before
that
time of the month
.
“Oh man…no way!” Aimee muttered out loud. She picked up her phone and scrolled quickly through the menu to the calendar, then counted back four weeks. “Oh, crap!” she
snarled. Aimee pitched the phone again. Twenty-eight days would be this Saturday, and she was like
clockwork.
No wonder I’m so friggin’ moody.
She had thought it was her preoccupation with the most
recent journey, but this had slipped up on her without realizing it.

“Of all the friggin’ times,” Aimee hissed through her teeth. She suddenly remembered
their
plans for this Saturday night after graduation
. Boy, Dylan’s gonna be pissed when I tell him once again our plan to be together could get sidetracked, and as usual, it’s my fault.
Aimee whipped a t-shirt
from the drawer and angrily headed off for the bathroom to wash up. When she passed Dad’s bedroom on the way back, Dad hollered for her.

“Hey, Aimee,” he began.

She stopped outside his door and waited. “Yeah?”

“Well, don’t stand in the hallway. Come in so I can see you.”

Aimee reluctantly pushed opened the door and stepped over to the end of his bed. He was reading a magazine. He set it down and took off his readers, then patted the bed. “Why don’t you have a seat?”

“Thanks, but I think I’ll stand.” Her mood was getting blacker by the minute.

Dad stared at her for a few seconds, then cleared his voice before continuing, “Well, then…I just wanted to let you know I appreciate you sharing with me how you feel. I’m your dad, you know. Letting go isn’t very easy, especially when it’s my little girl…”

“Dad…” Aimee started to interrupt, but he wasn’t finished.

“No, listen. I may not like you going off this weekend with Dylan, alone, but you’re right. I shouldn’t worry. You have a good head on your shoulders and I know you try to think things through and make the best decisions for yourself before you do something. I trust you to do the right thing, the best thing for you,” then he added hesitantly, “…and Dylan. Don’t worry about Aunt Lauren being here. Hell, James didn’t stick around the night of graduation. I think Hannah and I can entertain her just fine. Matter-of-fact, I’m sure the two of them will get along as well as two hens in a hen house.”

“Dad!”
Aimee chortled, then tried to stifle her outburst.

Dad chuckled under his breath, then his laughing gradually died and his voice changed to a sincere tone. “Aimee, I love you. You have been my lifesaver all these years. I’m really gonna miss you when you go off to school.”

Aimee stood, still at the foot of the bed, staring at him for only a few seconds. She could feel the river of tears welling up behind her eyelids, and she couldn’t hold back the floodgate. With tears ready to pour down her cheeks, Aimee quickly scooted over to the side of the bed and threw her arms around her dad’s neck.

“I love you so much, Dad, and, well, I’m gonna miss you, too.” Her dad hugged her and squeezed before they both let go at the same time. Aimee kissed his forehead, grabbed a
tissue, and hastily left before she started to boohoo.
Damn PMS! It would have to raise its wicked head now, of all the friggin’ times.
Aimee was positive the stress of the changes about to happen, especially this weekend, would have her mood swinging between
I could kill you if you look at me wrong
and
Please don’t look at me wrong or I’ll start crying.
Right now, she felt the later of the two coming on so she swiftly headed to her room and shut the door before she let the tears
run down her cheeks.

As she was crawling into bed, Aimee noticed she missed a call from Dylan, and one from Chels. Right now she wasn’t in any mood to talk to either so she turned off the light, buried herself under her quilt, turned over into her favorite sleeping position, and took a whiff of Dylan from my pillowcase.
His sweet scent brought the tears again. Her weekend was
so
not going to be what they had planned.
Aimee decided to wait until tomorrow to let him know.

After a brief spell, she felt Zonker ease his body behind her knees and settle down into a warm, furry ball, then sigh. All of her psycho emotions suddenly vanished feeling him snuggle and she drifted off into slumber.

Aimee's dark mood resurfaced the next morning. She entered the kitchen to get some water before leaving on her run, and Dad greeted her a little too cheerfully, “Hey, sweetheart, beautiful day outside. Going for a run?”

She growled back trying terribly to keep her crabby mood in check, “Humph, probably be too stinking hot.”

“Wow, what side of the bed did you wake up on?” Dad asked as he put the paper down and peered up at Aimee.

Aimee frowned. “Grrrrr.
Soo
funny, Dad, I forgot to laugh.”