Second Chances (103 page)

“So now that you know,” her mother began, “what will you do?”

“I don’t know,” Sarah said honestly.  “I want to learn.  Brenda claims I am in danger.  Do you...sense that?”

Anna nodded sadly.  “I can’t tell you from whom.”  She changed the subject.  “I need to meet Brian.”

“Is he a threat?”  Sarah was suddenly stricken at the thought of having to give up their friendship.

“No.  Or at least I don’t believe so,” her mother responded.  “But I do want to meet him.”  She refused to elaborate any further.  And in an effort to demonstrate her good intentions and offer assistance, she lent Sarah several books with titles like
Wicca: A Solitary Practitioner’s Guide
, and
To Ride a Silver Broomstick
. 

Sarah shook her head in disbelief.  How might she have responded to works like this even yesterday?  Well, certainly not with the same level of interest and acceptance she felt today.  Of that she was certain.

Jamie glanced at the books quizzically when Sarah met them in the car.  “Don’t ask,” Sarah muttered as she put them in the car next to Chloe.  She was about to climb into the driver’s seat when a thought crossed her mind.  “I’ll be right back,” she said to Jamie.

Sarah dashed back to the house, flung open the door, and looked her mother in the eye.  “Chloe?”  She asked.

Her mother nodded.  “Yes.  She has a power that will one day equal yours.  And with training, both of yours will exceed mine.”

“Why?”  Sarah was surprised.

“Oh, it happens that way sometimes.  With you, you have been blessed with this light, this energy that surrounds you.  Tell me you haven’t noticed.”  Sarah thought for a moment.  “You are the light that draws all the moths, Sarah.  Be careful.”

And with that new information, she left her mother’s house and trudged back to her car. 
My life can never be the same
, she thought.  Naturally, she was right.

Brian was sitting on the floor of his living room, basking in the silence.  He was prepared, having carefully cleansed.  He had to reach out to Sarah now, had to know if she knew yet.  He had to watch out for her.  He was aching for her even now as he wondered whether her life was about to change forever.  What he wouldn’t give to hold her close tonight.  Maybe he would ask her, invite her over with Chloe and convince them to stay.  He let his mind wander.  She was in the car, driving.  She wasn’t alone.  That was good.  There was no protection like love, and Sarah was usually surrounded by it, though it was weaker at her residence.  She was close to her destination.  He would be hearing from her soon.  She would call and he would ask her to come be with him.

Ten minutes later his phone rang.  Brian waited for the second ring to answer.  “Sarah,” he breathed into the phone.

“How did you know?” She asked, the exhaustion evident in her voice.

“Caller ID,” he lied.  “How was it?”  He waited anxiously, unsure of how much she would admit to.

“Well,” she began.  “It was interesting.”  He could feel her closing off.  She was scared to share too much with him. 

“Why don’t you come over?”  He asked, soothingly.  “I made dinner, more than enough for the three of us.”

“Three?”  She asked.

“Chloe would come, too, right?”  He waited eagerly for a response.

“I guess,” she said hesitantly.  She thought for a moment.  The books sat on the counter, right where she left them, begging to be read.  She should stay home and do that.  The sooner she explored this new side of her, the better.  “I have some reading I need to do,” she said.

“Bring it with you,” Brian suggested.

“Um, I don’t think so,” she said, afraid of how he would react to her choice of reading material.

“I don’t want you and Chloe to be there alone,” he said nervously.  “And I’m not supposed to be there.”  He paused for a moment, knowing she would argue that they were just friends.  “I need to count, even though you claim I don’t.”  She was silent on the other end, thinking.  “Pack a bag, Sarah,” he urged. 
Come be with me.  Come be safe under my protection.
  He thought fiercely.

Sarah sighed.  “It’s very tempting.”

“I’ll give you fifteen minutes,” he said and hung up.  He sat down and let his mind wander.  What was she doing?  Where was she?  Then he felt her clearly.  She was taking his advice.  She would soon be leaving the house.  He felt something else too.  The danger was lurking nearby, watching and biding its time. 
Hurry, Sarah,
he urged. 

He set the table while he waited.  He changed the sheets on the bed.  He put on some soothing music, but nothing helped.  He wouldn’t relax until he knew she was safe, here, with him.

As the knock sounded on the door, Brian became the picture of relief.  It was all he could do to not smother her in his arms when they were at last face to face.  “I wasn’t sure you’d come,” he whispered into her hair as they hugged.

“Me neither,” she admitted.  “But, I was too tired to cook.  Hunger won out.”

He laughed.  “Oh, and I thought it was my charm.”

Chloe watched them with a smile.  “So, you guys are all better,” she said with relief. 

They nodded and she set her bag down on the floor.  Together they walked over to the table to begin eating.

Once dinner was done and they had cleaned up together, Chloe began to unpack her bag.  “I need a bath,” she complained to her mother.  “You know this is my bath night.”  She was standing with hands on hips, waiting for a response.

Sarah looked at Brian with raised eyebrows.  “What do you think?”  She asked.

He was silent a moment, walked out onto the deck, glanced over the railing, and smiled.  “Well, the river is high enough.  She can probably bathe there.”  He leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Sounds good to me.  Chloe?”  Sarah glanced at where her daughter had stood only moments before.

Chloe wasn’t there.  She had marched down the hall and brought her clothes and supplies into the bathroom.  Sarah followed her in to help her get the water drawn.  “Why do you do that?”  She asked her mother seriously.

“What do you mean?”  Sarah asked curiously.

“You know.  You two play with me like that,” she said indignantly.

Sarah shrugged.  “I thought kids liked to play.  I always did.”

“Oh, mother,” she complained.  “You know I’m not like other children.”

“Really?” her mother asked, eyes narrowed, “How so?”

“I don’t know what to call it exactly.  I just know I’m different.  We’re different.”  Her face scrunched up as she searched for the words to explain what she understood intrinsically.

Sarah sat heavily on the lid of the toilet.  She had thought it was the sex talk she was going to dread.  Somehow, this seemed infinitely worse.  She swallowed and asked, “And when did you make this discovery?”

“Well,” Chloe said slowly, sinking into the tub.  “I guess I’ve been finding that out all year in kindergarten.  Don’t worry, mom.  I know there are kids like me, too.”

“Yeah, like who?”  Sarah was surprised by the direction the conversation had taken. 

“Well, Brian’s nieces and nephews are like me.”  She smiled happily.

Sarah glanced out the doorway and saw Brian frozen in the living room.  She wasn’t sure he had heard the conversation.  How could he?  But it was apparent something had him spooked.  “Why don’t you take your bath?  I need to talk to Brian.”

She shut the door behind her after blowing Chloe a kiss.  Then she turned on her heels and marched out to the living room.  Brian was sitting on the coffee table, hunched over, with his hands clasped together.  Sarah chose a seat on the couch opposite him.

“I’ve had a strange day,” she said quietly.  “And it shows no signs of letting up.”  Brian said nothing.  He hadn’t even moved.  “In fact, I just had a most intriguing conversation with Chloe.”  Still, no sound or movement emitted from Brian.  She sighed.  “Is there anything you would like to tell me?”

He glanced at her while picking at a
hang nail.  He shrugged.  “Like what?”  He couldn’t hold her gaze.  She was angry and annoyed.

“Well, I didn’t know how to tell you before, but suddenly I doubt you’ll be surprised to find I’m a...”  Her voice trailed off.  She was scared to say the word aloud.  She tried again.  “I’m a...”  She had no better luck this attempt.

“Witch.”  Brian was watching her now.  They stared at each other, neither speaking.  He was the first to break off the stale mate.  “I know.  I knew before you, even.”

“Is that what...?”  Her eyes widened nervously.

But Brian interrupted.  “That is not what attracted me to you.  I liked you as a person.  Only later did I realize what you were, and that you didn’t know.”  Slowly, afraid to scare her, he reached over and laced his fingers through hers.

“You are the reason I do know now, aren’t you?”  She looked at him in surprise.  She was putting all the pieces together.  He set her up with Bob.  Bob set her up with Brenda.  No wonder her mother wanted to meet him.

“Yes,” he said quietly.  “I had only your best interests at heart.  You know this, right?”  He needed her to understand.  With all his heart and in his touch he urged her to relax, to remain calm, to give him a chance.

She looked at his hand holding hers.  It was warm, but not sweaty.  There was a heat traveling through him into her.  It soothed her anger, settled her fears.  She gazed deeply into his eyes and saw it for the first time.  They shone with love.  She gasped.

Brian knew why she had reacted as she did.  She was learning.  She was a bright witch.  Inexperienced though she was, she would catch on quickly with training.

“I’ll be satisfied with just being your friend,” Brian murmured into her hair as he pulled her into his arms, though the words hurt his throat even as he uttered them.  “Don’t take that away.”

With a heart full of questions, Sarah melted into his arms.  She had experienced what it was like to not have him in her life.  It was a terribly empty couple of days.  And while she wasn’t ready for them to explore other possibilities in their relationship, she couldn’t imagine being without him all together. 
I need you, Brian.
  The words came from her heart.