Aurator, The (24 page)

28. Saturation
 

The girls seemed extra jovial for a Saturday as they hustled and bustled to get their swimming gear together. We headed out and everyone was excited… for different reasons. The girls were thrilled to be going swimming, although the day was a bit cooler than expected and they were concerned about being too cold. Luke seemed genuinely happy we were all together, but a little skeptical about meeting new people. And I was just happy to not be killing anyone today.

We drove through the gate to Max’s house, and as we continued up the driveway I could hear the girls in the backseat, oohing and aahing as we pulled up to the house. Little Abigail was the first to put her awe into words.

“Mom? I didn’t know we knew a rich person.”

We all laughed.

When we rang the bell, Vivian opened the door. She welcomed us with a warm smile, clearly happy to see us. Hugging me, she then introduced herself to the girls and Luke, shaking each one of their hands.

After all the hellos, Vivian took us to the backyard toward the pool.

Abigail asked, “Is it going to be cold?”

Vivian smiled, “I don’t think so dear. The pool is heated and we’re protected from the weather outside.” As she finished speaking, she led us through a set of large French doors and into a pool area that was completely enclosed with glass. We could see the steam rising off of the water.

“Well, I guess we won’t have to worry about the elements, will we?” Luke spoke up.

“No, now everyone please make yourself comfortable. Can everyone swim? Or does anyone need a life vest?”

“We’re good,” I replied. “All the girls know how to swim. Thank you.”

“Great. Aaron and his wife are here as well. Sofie, his wife, is inside changing, and I believe that Aaron is over with Max at the barbeque.”

Ugh, I thought. I didn’t know he’d be here.

Luke leaned in when he saw my face and whispered, “Who is Aaron?”

“Another of Max’s friends,” I answered without looking at him. This was not the time to let Luke jump to the wrong conclusions by reading my face.

I saw Luke nod out of the corner of my eye but did not turn to see the look of concern that I knew was on his face.

Just then I heard a hello from behind us and turned to see a tall woman exiting the house. She looked to be in her mid-fifties but with the figure of someone in her twenties considering how she looked in her bikini. Even Luke’s eyes widened slightly at the statuesque beauty. She had auburn hair that was graying around the front and soft, liquid brown eyes. Her face was very inviting as she approached, and we introduced ourselves.

Just then, Aaron stepped around the corner of the house, but his walk stuttered when he saw me. He approached us and attempted to put a smile on his face.

“Hello there, Megan.”

“Hi, Aaron.” I stood tall showing pride. “This is my family.” I looked around but my girls were in Max’s pool house changing. I turned awkwardly toward Luke and introduced him to Aaron.

Aaron extended his hand to Luke, who accepted it. As they exchanged greetings, I saw Aaron eyeing Luke’s aura, which was tinged with darkness today. Just then I heard the girls come out. I asked them to come over so that I could introduce them as well. One by one I introduced them and then turned to introduce Aaron to them. As he looked at the girls, Aaron’s expression changed to one of confusion. I realized that Max hadn’t explained their gold auras and this must seem strange to him. I told the girls to go get into the pool so that I could speak with Aaron.

The girls quickly jumped into the pool, and Luke wandered away chatting with Sofie. Once he was out of earshot, Aaron asked abruptly, “Why didn’t you say anything… about the aura?”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think it was that big of a deal, and I didn’t learn about them from Max until just the other day.”

Aaron stood straighter and glanced around, “Max knows?”

I paused, not sure why he was so confused by this. “Yes, Max and I have already spoken about their gold auras.”

Aaron’s eyes narrowed, “Gold?”

I was annoyed now, “Yes, what’s the matter?”

He held up a finger and walked around the side of the house. Max came around the corner but not with the welcoming smile that I was expecting. He had a worried expression that deepened every crease on his face. He was searching around for something. Then, just as he walked through the door to the pool area he stopped suddenly.

He wasn’t staring at me and I followed his gaze across the tables and chairs, past the diving board, and into the pool. My girls were in the water. I first saw Alex keeping an eye on Abigail in the water.

Then I saw Trina. My breath caught at what I saw. Trina was swimming in the deep end of the pool, diving down to the bottom to retrieve toys. I watched her go down to the bottom and back up to catch her breath.

My legs felt weak suddenly, and I needed to sit down. Luke had walked over to the pool to take towels over to the girls and did not see my reaction. I was grateful for this.

Then I watched as Trina came up to the surface, her aura pushing on the water, causing it to move and shape around her. The other girls’ auras did not have the same effect on the water around them.

Max walked over to where I stood with Aaron. “Megan?”

“I didn’t know. What?”

Max was shaking his head. “Not here.”

We all looked back toward Trina, who was getting out of the water now. The edges of the water lifted out with her, clinging almost as if wanting to stay close to her. She grabbed her towel and came closer, approaching Max.

Max smiled warmly at her, and she reciprocated by holding out her hand to him.

“Hello, sir. My name is Trina. Thank you for letting us come over to swim today.”

Max shook her hand. “You can call me Max, and
you
are welcome any time.”

“Thank you. It’s nice to meet you Max.”

She then turned to jump back into the pool and as she did the water around her buckled and moved out of her way, creating space for her.

Vivian walked over and Max whispered something to her. Then he motioned for Aaron and me to follow as he turned toward Luke.

“Luke, can you and Vivian take care of the girls while I steal your wife to talk business?”

Luke nodded in agreement and then shot me a curious look.

Speechless, all I could do was nod.

Max interrupted, “We’ll be right back. I’m still trying to get your wife to come work with me.”

We walked through, and Aaron shut the doors behind us.

Everyone stood in anticipation, waiting for Max to speak. “Okay, so the water was moving strangely around her, but it was because her aura was pushing it that way.”

We all looked at each other more anxiously.

Aaron added, “Only in the water though. As soon as she got out of the water her aura turned gold again. But it was bright in the water, pushing and shoving the water around it. Why was her aura
pink
?”

My chest ached hearing it out loud. I had seen this pink hue in the past and had always attributed it to the red hair.

“Wait. I don’t understand. It can’t be.” I stopped as the reality was slowly setting in.

Max started pacing as Aaron spoke, “And therein lies the problem. Megan was supposed to be the one… the woman… who was to lead us. There is nothing about another one.”

“What does it mean?” I barely got out.

Max was mumbling to himself.

“Max?” I tried to interrupt again.

Max began quoting, “She will carry with her as the descendent the greatest gift of
rebirth,
who
will lead us to triumph over all.” Max seemed to run out of breath at the end of his statement.

“Oh God, Max—no!” I almost begged. But I knew the answer before he started speaking again.

“I’m sorry, Megan, I believe you are
not
the one to lead us. Trina is.”

“
Oh no Megan
 . . .
no, not Trina
,”
I heard Nicholai say.

My face fell into my hands as the tears began to fall. “She can’t. What have I done by dooming her to this life? Does she even have a choice? What happens to her?”

Aaron and Max looked at each other before Max turned back at me. “We don’t know if she knows anything yet, or if she sees anything.”

I thought about this for a moment. “I don’t think she does because she’s never mentioned it. Don’t you think she would say something?”

Max’s glanced at me to ask, “Did you tell your parents?”

My head dropped in sadness, “No.”

There was silence for a while as Max was thinking.

“It is done, Megan. She is to be the one to lead us. You have been given the position of Guardian to protect her and the other girls so that we may again have peace. Who better to protect her than her mother. There is no one more fierce than a mother.”

Nicholai’s words rang loudly through my thoughts, and I grabbed at the sides of my head to try and stop what felt like vibrations. I took several deep breaths and when I opened my eyes everyone was looking at me.

Max’s face showed he was the only one who knew what had happened.

I cleared my throat. “It is to be. It cannot be undone. Nicholai agrees that Trina is to be the one. I was given the place of Guardian to protect her. I’m assuming the book is helpful now but not nearly as important as Trina… and possibly the other girls now, although I’m not sure why yet.”

“There is
no one more fierce than a mother,” Max muttered.

My eyes widened. “What did you say?”

“It is written in Hippocrates’s journal after his entry about you… or what we thought was you. It didn’t make sense to me until now.”

Aaron broke in, “Okay, so it is Trina. When? It doesn’t make sense because she is so young.”

I asked, “So now that we know it’s Trina, do we know when?”

“No,” sighed Max, “we don’t.”

We all stood and looked at each other in silence until Max spoke again. “Well, since we are not going to resolve this today, I think we should rejoin our families and try to enjoy what’s left of the day. I’m making hamburgers.” His smile was infectious, and we laughed with the relief from the tension. We left the room and went back out to the pool.

Luke jumped in to swim with our girls as Aaron and Max stood over the barbecue discussing which hamburgers were rare and which were well done. I watched the girls swimming in the pool and worried for their futures. So carefree right now, laughing about who could swim the farthest holding their breath. What would their future hold? What was to be their destiny?

One thing for sure—I am crystal clear about my destiny. I will protect my daughters. There is no one on earth who I will ever let close enough to hurt them.

I took off my cover-up and joined my family in the pool. My purpose became clear to me as my head broke the water’s surface. I am to help each of my girls reach their destiny. Just not today.