You Can't Go Home Again (3 page)

She was so glad Nina had been available for lunch today. She
desperately needed the company of her friend to keep her sane. How had three
months gone by so quickly? She was leaving for Austin tomorrow morning at six
a.m. And she was staying there for almost three weeks!

She was still trying to figure out how she had let Jenn talk
her into this. She should have flown in for the rehearsal dinner and wedding,
and flown out the next day. Instead she was coming twelve days early, and then
staying to doggie sit their new Golden Retriever puppy for the week of their
honeymoon. Why was she doing this? Guilt. Jenn was a master of the guilt trip.

As they finally found a table, Nina sat down, took one look
at her terrified expression and laughed out loud, grabbing her tray and setting
it on the table before she dumped the whole thing.

“Wow, Dan, I have never seen you like this. I’m starting to
see why you’ve avoided going back for so long. You’re really worried about
this, aren’t you?”

“I don’t know, you tell me… You’re the psychic.”

Nina rolled her eyes, shooting Dani one of her famous “Don’t
give me that crap” looks. The ones that usually made Dani laugh, but not today.

“I don’t have to be psychic to know you’re petrified. It’s
written all over your face, hun. Look, just sit down, and we can talk about
this. It might make you feel better.”

Dani sat, plopping down because her knees had suddenly given
out. “Talk about what, exactly?”

“About whatever it is that happened back there that has kept
you away for five years. And don’t tell me it’s just your parents’ death.
That’s sad and tragic, but you were back after that, during college, and you
were fine. Sad, but fine. This…this mess you’ve got going on inside, this is
not fine.”

Dani grimaced a little. Nina saw too much, but that should
be expected

Dani had met Nina when she’d first come to L.A. She had been
told to find a “real psychic” to interview and to consult on the movie she was
working on. Since she was the newbie, the first-time intern, she had been
assigned to visit every psychic in the Los Angeles area and find one who rang
true to her. She had found Nina. Nina’s predictions had always been eerily
accurate, and she saw things, felt things that no one else had ever known
about. Things Dani had never spoken out loud.

She had also believed in Dani without question, without
doubt. A new girl in a new city, and Dani had found a friend and confidante
within the first two weeks. They’d been friends ever since.

“So, spit it out…what happened that you’re afraid to face.”

“Are you just guessing now, or can you see something?”

Nina shrugged. “A little of both. You know I don’t really
get pictures, just impressions, thoughts. I can sense pain, fear…and…love?” She
paused a beat, looking over at Dani, understanding written all over her face.
“This is the heartbreak. I always thought the pain was from losing your
parents, but it’s not, is it? There’s more. This is the heartbreak I’ve seen.”

She looked over at Nina; long, curly red hair, warm brown eyes
and fair skin with almost no makeup. She was wearing retro bell-bottom jeans,
sandals, and a loose peasant blouse. Her nails were manicured, but short and
unpolished, except for the crazy green on her toes. She had on a loose-fitting
silver belt, a million bracelets and a necklace with all her favorite stones.
Lapis lazuli, for protection, aquamarine for peace and to enhance psychic
ability, along with amethyst. She also had malachite, and black and white
agate. Dani knew that most people thought all psychics were fake, but personal
experience had taught her that some were real. She also knew that Nina was
waiting for an answer.

“This one’s not a guess, Dani—this one I can sense. Tell me
about it. You’ll feel better if you do.”

Dani shook her head. “I really don’t want to talk about it,
Nina. Yes, you’re right, there’s something there, but it’s my demon to face.
And I’ll be fine. There is the possibility I won’t even see him.” That was a
blatant lie. There was no way she could avoid him.

Nina looked at her expression, watching all the conflict
play across her face. “You’re lying.” She paused a beat. “But, I’ll let you.”
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a necklace. All the same stones she
wore on a strong silver chain. “I got this for you. Wear it while you’re there.
It will help. It’ll bring you peace.”

Dani took the gift, fingering the stones, stopping at the
amethyst and the aquamarine. “I don’t want those gifts enhanced, Nina. You know
that, we’ve talked about it.” She started to take off those two stones.

Nina was shaking her head and reached over to stay Dani’s
hands. “They won’t bring out something you don’t want. Like everything else, to
see by choice takes practice, not stones. But they will help you see anything
you need to see. They’ll simply make you more open to it.”

Dani debated, but she trusted Nina, especially in this area.
Finally, at length, she hooked the necklace on as it was, leaving everything in
place.

“Good.” Nina nodded once. “Now, promise me you’ll leave it
on the whole trip.”

Dani nodded, and Nina continued, grabbing her hands across
the table and breathing in deeply. “Okay, now, let’s take a quick look and see
how this trip will go for you.”

Dani sat silently, closing her eyes and tuning everything
else out. After several minutes—or several hours, Dani was never sure—she
opened her eyes as Nina pulled her hands away.

She was smiling, a happy, peaceful smile. “Dani, I know
you’re afraid, but don’t be. This trip will be wonderful. Not without its
problems, mind you, but it is necessary and right for you to go right now. And,
when it’s done, you will have peace and happiness. So, go with an open mind.
Okay?” At Dani’s silent nod, Nina clapped her hands together. “Okay, let’s talk
about something else. Like this dress you have to wear. Have you seen it yet?
Is it horrible? Every bridesmaid dress I’ve ever seen has been atrocious.”

Dani laughed at the abrupt change in subject. They spent the
next two hours talking about nothing, laughing about everything and watching
the people walking by. By the time Dani left the lunch, she felt almost ready
to go. Almost.

When Dani got off the plane, she took a deep breath,
mentally preparing herself for the coming weeks. She also felt the first twinge
of excitement. She was here to spend time with friends and stand beside her
best friend while she married the man of her dreams. She wasn’t going to let
anything spoil it.

She was also going to spend some time checking on her home.
Luckily, her tenants had moved out a couple of months ago, and rather than
renting it right away, Dani had told the property management company to leave
it sit. Now, she had a place to stay while she was here, and she could make
some necessary repairs and changes while she was at it. She had always rented
the place furnished, at least with the necessities, but she was thinking that,
after the wedding, she would pack it up and empty the house out. Most of the
furniture was old and outdated at this point anyway. It would rent easier
unfurnished. So…since she was here…

She turned around, finally remembering where the rental car
desks were, and started walking that direction. She waited in line, thankfully
only behind two people, and signed the needed paperwork to get her car. She had
called and made a reservation weeks ago. Instead of getting a little subcompact
that was sensible, she had rented a Land Rover like she drove at home. It was a
silly expense, but she lived frugally even though she made decent money. She
would rather drive something she was comfortable in.

She pocketed the keys and turned to go to the baggage claim.
Just as she rounded the corner, checking the boards for her flight information
to get her luggage, she heard a familiar squeal. She spun her head around to
see Jenn running toward her in full hug mode. Dani quickly dropped her carry-on
at her feet and braced herself. Jenn was nothing if not enthusiastic. More than
once, Dani was awed that they had remained friends.

After her warm welcome, Jenn stepped back and looked at her
friend. “You look amazing. You always do, but I know you were nervous about
coming back here, plus you’ve been so busy at work. At some point, you have to
look tired, right? I mean, it’s so not fair that you always look amazing!”

Dani laughed and gave her standard answer to this little
rant. “Vitamins and clean living. You should try it some time.”

Jenn rolled her eyes, laughing as she did. “Yeah, genetics
have nothing to do with it.” Dani’s mom had looked to be in her late twenties
even when she’d died at forty-five. Dani had gotten good genes, and she knew
it.

“Okay, let’s grab your bags. We can catch up on the way
home.” It was a twenty-minute drive, without traffic, from the airport to their
neighborhood.

“Jenn, I would have told you if you’d asked, but I rented a
car. You didn’t need to pick me up.” Dani looked a little chagrined.

“Well, conveniently, I knew you would, so I had Brian drop
me off here so I could ride back with you. I knew there was no way you would
come to town without your own escape route.”

Dani shook her head. Jenn was right, she knew Dani well, but
then why would she come here?

Jenn saw the confusion, laughed a little and answered the
unspoken question. “There was no way I was giving up thirty minutes of alone
time to catch up on girl talk before we get back to the chaos!”

Dani laughed, grabbing her bag off the track and loading it
onto the luggage cart. “Well, good…maybe we’ll stretch that out and stop for
coffee. I actually got on the plane without any caffeine this morning, so it is
almost a necessity. Do you have anything planned we need to get back for right
away?”

“Nope, I cleared the entire afternoon. We’re going to meet
everyone tonight at the bar—you remember Hooligan’s, right? Well, we’re meeting
everyone there tonight at seven p.m. That gives us…,” she glanced down at her
watch, “over six hours of freedom before I deposit you into the fray.”

Dani mentally breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn’t quite
ready for what a five-year absence would bring. Questions, hugs, stories of
what she’d missed as well as filling everyone in on her life. She knew she
should have come back sooner, but it had been so much easier to just stay away.
Now, she would suffer the consequences.

But not for another six hours. “So, other than coffee,
obviously, what do you want to do to fill those hours?” She knew Jenn had a
plan already in place. It was almost a guarantee. Jenn planned everything.

She squinched up her face, which in Jenn language meant
there was something Dani wasn’t going to like. “Well, would you mind if we
stopped and tried on your dress? I know you just got here, and we can come back
tomorrow or the next day, but since we’re here, I was thinking maybe…”

Dani was smiling before she’d even finished. “Absolutely!
Let’s go.”

They loaded the luggage into the car and hopped in. “So,
you’re really a creature of habit, aren’t you? Or was this just your way of
bringing a little bit of L.A. with you?”

“What do you mean?”

“A Land Rover? The same car you drive at home. I would have
rented a Mustang, or one of those new Camaros. Something different.” Jenn
shrugged, pressing buttons on the dash while she spoke.

“And you’re still the same as you were as a kid. Pushing all
the buttons before you have any idea what they do. What if one of those was a
missile launcher or something?”

Jenn just laughed. “That would make things more
interesting.” Dani saw Jenn glancing over at her, saw her staring at her
fingers on the steering wheel. When she realized just how tight her grip was,
she made an effort to relax her muscles. At Jenn’s next comment, she knew it
was too little, too late.

“So, do you want to tell me what’s got you so tied in knots?
Or, we could just get to the bar early and drink it out.”

Dani laughed, a little jittery, but at least it was a real
laugh. Jenn knew her too well for her to blatantly lie, so she decided on a
half truth. “I’m just nervous.” That was true enough. “I haven’t seen any of
these people since the graduation party. Sara and Beth are going to give me
crap, I’m sure.” These were the other two bridesmaids and friends of Jenn’s
from college. “Not to mention Brian and the guys. I guess I’m just wondering
how they’re going to react.”

Brian’s groomsmen were all friends from college as well.
Sean and Zack, Dani had known only a little. But she and Jenn, Brian and Jason
had spent a lot of time together. In fact, they’d been their own little Mickey
Mouse Club for the last three years of college. Where you found one, you found
the other three.

As they parked in front of the local Starbucks, she looked
over at Jenn, silently asking what she should expect.

Jenn caught the look, seeing the question behind the nerves.
“Dani, they’ll all be thrilled to see you. No one has any hurt feelings over
you staying away. We all understand. You’ve been busy. You’ve made a life for
yourself in L.A.”

Dani cringed inwardly, knowing that was only partially true.

“Plus, everyone knows it was hard for you to be here after
your parents died. I know my family loves you, but it’s not the same thing, and
we all understand that. Besides, you’re here now. It’ll be fine tonight.”

They ordered their coffees, making idle chitchat while they
waited. One of the best things about their friendship was that it was always
solid. When they saw each other, no matter how long it had been, they fell
right back into their normal patterns. There was never any awkwardness. Dani
sincerely hoped Jenn was right and tonight went even half as well.

They grabbed their drinks, walking back outside. “So, the
shop is right around the corner. We can just walk. Let’s go try on your dress.
I can’t wait to see it on you! It’s going to look great! I didn’t even make it
horrible or anything.”