Accordance (13 page)

He nodded sadly.

“How are you holding up, Maggie?” Rachel asked as I turned to find her and Peter watching us over the rims of their coffee cups.

“I’m ok. It’s Bish I’m worried about.” Jen’s eyes shot up at his name. “He’s not just curious anymore. He’s mad. He knows. He doesn’t know what he knows but he knows there’s something I’m keeping from him.”

“Are you two being careful?” Peter said and I saw the worry in his eyes. “Kyle was complaining to his father on the phone that you were flaunting your abilities.”

“That rat,” Caleb muttered under his breath. “No, we’re not flaunting. Besides, you have to have abilities before you can flaunt them.” Everyone stared in stunned silence. I rubbed his arm. “It’s ok. I’m just saying, I haven’t felt any pull or anything. I don’t think it’s coming, Dad.”

Peter shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

“Well, son, I’ve never heard of this. It’s unprecedented but everything with you two has been so...I’m not sure where to start looking. I’m sorry but, I’m not giving up.”

“It’s ok, like I said, I read everything through Maggie anyway. Besides, we have more important things than my measly lack of abilities to worry about.”

“I’ll work in it, son. I promise.”

“Thanks. Now, I have some unrelated news.”

He told them all about his gig and how he’d been practicing. Then he said he was gonna buy tickets to the Mutemath concert in few days and Rachel gasped and squealed. Peter was laughing and Jen was shaking her head. Caleb just smiled. He had told me she loved them but I thought he was just giving his mom a few extra cool points.

“So, we’ll go, whoever wants to. There’s this great little band from Florida opening at the venue, Fusebox Funk. I can’t wait,” Caleb explained.

Rachel clapped her hands and leaned into Peter’s side looking at Caleb.

“Oh, thank you, baby. It’s been almost a year since I’ve seen them,” she crooned making me smile just as I heard the front door open.

“Honey, we’re home,” Kyle yelled loudly to announce to us to shut-up the Ace talk. “Steaks all around.”

“Thanks,” I said as I took them and dreaded cooking them all. But I started it so I’d finish it. “So, who wants theirs rare?”

“Let me do that, if you don’t mind. I’m sure you and your father have a lot of catching up to do,” Rachel assured and took the apron from me.

“Thanks, are you sure? I’m sure it was a long flight.”
“I’m sure. I live for the kitchen.”

“Ok.” I started to turn but she touched my arm.

“Your hair really does suit you. It’s very elegant that way.”

“Thank you,” I said sincerely as I absently touched my locks. “It’s growing on me, I guess.”

Caleb grabbed my hand from behind me.

“I’m going to go take a drive with Dad while you catch up with yours.”

“Ok. Hey, listen.” I felt a fuzzy and gnawing feeling in my belly. I pulled him closer to whisper in his ear. “Everything’s going to be fine. I don’t know why... but I feel like something’s going to happen. Something to do with you and it’s important. I don’t think you should worry about your abilities.”

He pulled back to look at me.

“Is this Maggie talking or the Visionary?”
“Does it matter?”

He laughed and shook his head.

“Nope.”

He kissed my forehead and headed to his father.

Dad, Bish and I sat out by the pool in the loungers, with Bella by my side as I scratched her head, and he told us about the police investigation being called off. The town was buzzing with gossip about me and he’d had tons of calls and people stopping by to check on me. I was floored, actually. I didn’t think anybody there really cared about me anymore.

He also asked Bish if he wanted to move back and told him he’d love to have him in the house again. I was grateful to him for that. Then, I could have smacked him when he brought up Jen. No one had explained to him about the no dating?

“So Bish, Caleb’s sister is a pretty sweet girl.”

Bish seemed taken aback that my dad would be so blunt but recovered quickly, crossing his ankle over his leg in that grown up, serious way he did.

“I’m sure she is.”

“Dad,” I butted in. “Um, how’s work?

“It’s good,” he answered and looked back to Bish. “So, what do you think of my offer?”

“I think I like it. It would really help me out if you’re sure you wouldn’t mind.”

“It would help me too actually. I don’t like to live alone.”

“Alone? But Maggie will be home soon and...”

He seemed to catch on and I saw his jaw harden.

“I’m leaving for school, Bish,” I defended.

“I’m sure Caleb just happens to go to the same school, right?” he said sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes at him, pulling my knees up to my chest and looked over to see Jen coming with drinks in her hands.

“Hey, Mom thought you might want something to drink before supper.”

Bish was forcing himself not to look at her and Jen was studiously doing the same as she gave an already sweating glass to me, then Dad, then Bish. I watched closely as their fingers avoided each other to exchange the glasses.

“Thanks,” he muttered.

“You’re welcome. Have ya’ll been having fun here? We always loved it here when we came during the summer.”

“Oh yeah,” Bish sneered. He leaned forward as Jen stood with her hands behind her back. “Caleb and Maggie have been all over each other. Maggie is acting like a freaking psycho, running off in the Jeep for hours, not caring about who’s worried about her and then lying to my face about it all. Kyle is the only sane one in the lot of them.”

I locked my gaze with the grass. Jen’s thoughts were sympathetic because she thought he had been too hard on me, but still understood where he was coming from. Dad was worrying because Bish and I have always been so close before all of this. I was just hurt. He called me a psycho. I was sure I deserved some form of that word but to me, knowing the truth of what was really going on, it hurt.

I got up, leaving my glass of tea behind and made my way out to the beach. Bella trailed behind me to catch up and then walked with me. Jen wanted to stop me but refrained and just went back inside. Bish felt sorry that he had said those things but didn’t think they were untrue so didn’t really regret them.

I plopped myself down in the sand once I reached near the waves and looked at all the surfers and swimmers. I ran my fingers through Bella’s coat and said innocuous and random things that people croon to dogs to keep them happy. The wind was blowing especially hard and I picked up some sand and let it blow away through my fingers, like my life.

I kept my heart rate normal and tried not to feel too upset so Caleb wouldn’t come back early and not talk it all out with his father. I didn’t hear anyone come up behind me but I heard Rachel’s thoughts.

Oh, Maggie. I’m so sorry.

I looked up at her and shielded my eyes with my hand.

“It’s ok. I’ll just have to let him think what he wants. It’s not like I can tell everyone I know about us now can I? It won’t be too long before Beck is asking questions and not speaking to me either.”

I felt her sit down beside me in her expensive slacks and silk shirt as hot tears burned my eyelids.

“What bothers you more, Maggie? That Bish thinks you’re a silly girl or that you have to lie?”

“I hate lying. It doesn’t feel good and it makes everything harder.”

She nodded beside me.

“I understand that. I’m sorry you’re having a hard time.”

“It’s fine. I can deal with it, I just needed to get out of there.”

“Do you miss your mom?” she asked softly.

I started to lie again and say I didn’t but I’d had enough for today.

Poor girl, I wish I could do something for her.

“Yes,” I whispered.

“I understand. I miss my mom too.”

“Do you ever see your parents?”

“Sometimes, but for the most part, I only see them every few years or so. Caleb, Jen and Peter have only ever met them a few times. It felt very strange to me in the beginning but each clan is separate. It was just the way things were. You are so young...I can’t imagine leaving my parents when I was only seventeen.”

“Caleb is here,” I reasoned, “what else could I do?”

“Caleb is what you need now. You need to be dependent on him even though it is hard at times.”

I nodded and continued to pet Bella before she took off to chase a seagull.

“My dad really needs me, though he’d never admit it, and I still need him. It’s strange that you guys just split from your family.”

“I just want you to know that no matter what happens, no matter what anybody says, no matter what drama that’s going to plague us once the leaders learn of your being the Visionary; you are not without family. I know you have your father but...sometimes a girl just needs her mother. Although I’d never try to take her place, I’m here, if you ever need to talk or vent or whatever.”

“Thanks,” I wiped my cheeks with sandy fingers. “I appreciate that.”

“So, has Caleb talked to you about the ceremony yet?”

“What ceremony?” I groaned. “Don’t tell me there’s some kind of Visionary ritual I have to go through,” I said horrified.

“No, no. I’m talking about the dedication ceremony.”

“What’s that?”

“Caleb didn’t tell you?”

What is he thinking? Why would he not say anything about it? Maybe he just let it go because of everything that’s going on.

“Well,” she started and stretched her legs out, crossing them and then looked at me. “A dedication is our kind’s wedding ceremony.”

“What?”

I felt my heart speed up and took a deep breath.

“We don’t have traditional weddings. It’s similar in a lot of ways but it’s only for our families. Humans are generally not involved with it. It just lets everyone know that there’s no doubt about you being each other significant and that you are dedicating yourself to each other and to the clan. It’s really beautiful, actually. Some people get hung up on the whole imprint thing, about how our bodies need each other. Well this is to show that it’s not just our bodies, it’s our willing hearts too.”

I saw stills of Peter and her at their dedication ceremony in her mind. Rachel was so young, so very pretty and lively. Peter was dashing. They weren’t wearing tuxes and poufy dresses and there were no bridesmaids. Rachel was wearing a simple red silk slip dress that had a slight train and her feet were bare, a Malva flower tucked behind one ear. Peter was barefoot as well wearing a red button up shirt and black pants.

Everyone else wore red too as they made a circle around the two of them. Grandpa Ray was officiating. It was intriguing.

“What’s all the red for?” I asked and Rachel laughed.

“Oh,” she laughed again. “I forget about your ability. Red is for blood. I know,” she said when I made a ‘what the’ face. “It sounds terrible. We don’t use the traditional white for purity because we are binding ourselves together, body, soul, mind, and heart. Significants blood calls to one another, protects each other and completes one another. It’s the basis for a body and it’s the basis for an imprint, a bond. Remember back to your imprinting? The very first thing you feel is your blood freezing?”

I nodded remembering and realizing it made sense.

“So you just exchange rings in front of everyone and that’s it?”

“Oh, no, no, your rings are a very private thing. It used to be that your rings were for public display purposes, to show humans you were married, but over the years it’s grown into a very romantic and sweet thing. You won’t pick your own ring, you see. You’ll choose Caleb’s ring for him and he’ll pick yours for you.”

“Really? I like that. That
is
sweet.”

“It is. I was so nervous searching for Peter’s. Picking out a man’s piece of jewelry is nerve racking.”

“But, don’t most people have matching rings?”

“Most people aren’t us. Do you want matching rings?”

“No,” I answered truthfully. “I think the idea of picking the other person’s ring is a great leap of faith. Picking something like that for someone shows that you know them.”

“Exactly,” she smiled.

She’s so perfect for this life. I just wish she’d see what we see. Thank you, God, for bringing her to Caleb.

“You have to conduct the ceremony or the clan doesn’t recognize you as a couple?”

“No, you don’t
have
to, but I don’t see why you wouldn’t want to. You love him and want to spend your life with him and you accept his love, his family and protection for you.”

“I just...never thought I’d be married at seventeen,” I said in a small voice, almost ashamed of saying it.

She wrapped her small firm arm around me and pulled me to her side. I could feel her taking deep long breaths beside me. Her mind was filled with sympathy and kind thoughts but she also worried, like she always did. Caleb was her son and she didn’t want to see him hurt and though she didn’t think I’d ever intentionally hurt him, she didn’t want to see her son in pain the kind of pain that losing a significant would cause.