The Secret (33 page)

“After you seal it, use your powers to their fullest, Lanie. Make them part of your creation.” He pushed his way to the portal opening. “I love you, Tim! Be free!” He dove into the swirling vortex.

Tim began to scream. “Daddy!”

“No!” I cried out and ran to the opening.

“No!” Molly screeched beside me, and then I felt her being sucked into the portal as well. “No!”

Rob pulled me back from the opening and I watched it getting smaller. “You’ve got to seal it, Lanie.”

Sam was on my other side. “Alana said there wouldn’t be much time once it began to close. You have to seal it…now.”

I shook my head and felt tears rushing down my cheeks. My hand trembled and I pulled it to my chest. “No! No!”

Reed moved beside Rob, looking absolutely ruined. “Jake knew, Lanie. He knew…we thought he might be able to come back…but he knew.”

A sharp pain ripped through my chest. “No! No! No! Where did they go?”

Karen pulled the frantic Tim into her arms and held him. “He’s gone, Lanie. Someone had to shut the portal from the other side. They’re gone.”

I couldn’t do it. My trembling got worse. How could I shut them in? How could I kill them?

Marsha pointed to the portal, her eyes wild. “Shut it! Shut it now!”

“Daddy!”

I looked at little Tim clutching his Luke Skywalker. Mr. Drake had given him a chance to have a life…he’d given him freedom—something good.

I closed my eyes and began to imagine the portal closing. I felt rubble and rocks whizz by my head as they moved to close the opening.

“Wait!”

I opened my eyes and saw a hand gripping the side of the portal.

Rob moved closer. “It’s Jake.”

Sam and Reed moved beside Rob, holding their hands out to try to grab Jake.

Mentally I imagined Jake standing beside me…but nothing happened.

I saw Jake’s other hand grip the side of the portal and then his head appeared.

“Jake!” I moved next to the rest of them. “Jake!”

Jake’s arms shook as he pulled himself out and took hold of Reed’s hand.

“No!” Molly appeared behind him from the mouth of the portal. She took hold of Jake’s legs. “You’re staying with us.”

I tried to blast her with energy, but nothing happened.

The portal started to re-open. The winds began to turn and push against me.

Jake stared at me. “Seal it, Lanie.”

I reached my hand out, willing him to be next to me. Willing Molly to let go of him. “Jake…I love you!”

Rob, Reed, Sam, and Marsha all knelt, holding on to Jake’s arms. But I knew he couldn’t fight the pull from Molly.

Sam yanked his hand back and stood. He turned to me. “I guess destiny has a way of finding all of us. Have a good life, Lanie.” He turned back to the portal, and dove into Molly, pulling her free from Jake.

“No!” I scrambled after him.

“Sam!” Marsha held her hand out.

Rob and Reed hefted Jake completely out of the portal.

I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t believe…Sam was gone. There was nothing but a black hole.

The portal began to close, again.

Karen stepped next to me with Tim clutching her side. “You’ve got to seal it. You’ve got to.”

The gap was almost completely closed now.

Rob stood. “Lanie!”

I looked at Jake and then closed my eyes. I focused on creating a binding seal. I felt it meld into place. The rushing air stopped. I tried to do what Mr. Drake had said, to push my powers to their limit. I let them form a covering on the seal—a covering that would prevent anyone else from finding this doorway to the other side ever again.

Samuel Wells Turner

Son-Brother-Friend

August 27, 2012

Marsha stood in front of me. Her plain, black dress and simple, straight hairstyle were nothing like the girl I’d first met. She placed her hand on the gravestone.

“I’m so sorry, Marsha.” I’d told her this countless times before today…but I knew she never heard me—not really.

Marsha didn’t acknowledge me.

Silence hung in the air.

“We’ll meet you later, Lanie.” Rob touched my hand and squeezed it.

I nodded at Rob and Karen.

Karen’s eyes had dark circles under them and her lip quivered as they departed. “He was a good guy.”

I felt my own lip quiver and I looked away. “I’ll see you in a little bit.”

Reed hugged Marsha to him and then released her. He stepped to me and wrapped his strong arms around me in a crushing embrace.

I felt myself relax and cry against him.

“Shh…” He pulled away. “I’m going to go wait over…there.” He pointed to the parking lot where Jake stood by himself. “You two need some chic time.”

Marsha didn’t respond as Reed walked away.

“I’m sorry,” I tried again.

Marsha didn’t look at me. “He loved you.” Her voice was soft, not angry. Not sarcastic, not…her usual.

Tears streamed down my face. I knew he loved me. I knew that and that’s why I knew his death was my fault. I hated myself for it. “I know.”

She turned around and looked as though she might punch me.

I prepared myself for the hit, willing to take it.

Her face softened and the side of her lip turned up. “I’m proud of him.”

I steadied myself. “What?”

Marsha touched my hand softly. “I know I’ve never seemed to…care that much for you. But—it fits.” She sniffed. “Sam died for someone he loved. And he died to protect all of us.” She pulled her hand away and moved past me. “Just remember that
I
loved him more than
you
did.”

I wiped another tear away and let myself gurgle out a cry/laugh.

I focused on Sam’s gravestone and couldn’t stop another round of tears.

“He told me it was fate.”

Jake’s voice surprised me and I wiped at my face. “What?”

He stepped next to me. He wore a suit and had his hair slicked away from his face. His eyes were puffy and I could see the moisture still hanging in them. “That jerk—it’s like he knew.”

I blinked back my own tears.

“Before we went in the cave, when I knew I had to shut the door to the portal from the inside, I told him to take care of you, and he told me that nothing would happen to me because…you loved me.”

I cried harder. I’d never felt more miserable.

Jake put his arm around me. “You loved him too, Lanie.”

I turned and saw him wince slightly at his own words.

“What?” I pulled away from him.

Jake squeezed me tighter against him and kissed my forehead. “You couldn’t see it…but I could. There was a connection between the two of you.” He sighed. “Turner—I guess he made the choice between us easy for you.” A stray tear went down Jake’s cheek and he wiped at it. “I wish he were here so I could beat the crap out of him.”

An unwilling laugh escaped me. I thought of them together, always brooding at one another.

I closed my eyes and pictured Sam’s face. Warmth filled me and I leaned against Jake. “He gave us back our lives. He gave us all a chance to have a normal life, even if we do have our powers again. I finally feel like I can handle that.”

Jake wiped his face and pulled away from me, taking my hand. “He gave me something more important than my life…he gave me you.”

My heart thudded inside my chest as Jake gently pressed his lips to mine.

“I love you, Lanie.”

I smiled back at Jake, staring into his eyes as I reached for the gravestone. The touch of it felt cold and rough against my hand. “I love you, too.”

Epilogue: Perfect

The Flat Irons reached up into the sky, the giant cliffs daring me to test them, again. My heart raced and I thought of that night; the flying rock, the rushing of power, the loss of Sam. Had that really been six years ago?

I took a quick, mind-clearing breath and focused on the mansion estate Rob and Karen had chosen for their venue—also the location of the school we were creating. A white tent stood in preparation to hedge against the unpredictable mountain weather. Staff bustled around the arranged chairs, with tuxedoes and chiffon, red dresses to match the color scheme. Two ice sculptures of doves towered next to the flowered arch at the end of the red carpet that lay spread from the house’s patio out to the edge of what seemed like the sky. I watched the guests trickling down the red carpet and taking their seats. A pianist was playing soft, classical music on a grand piano next to the ice sculptures. I’d been told Rob had come out here to mingle with the guests. Where was he?

“Mommy. Pretty!” Kira took my face between her pudgy two-year-old hands and leveled her blue gaze with mine. Those ocean blue eyes. Her father’s eyes, complete with every emotion that flitted in and out of her heart. They took my breath away.

I pulled her closer and smashed our cheeks together, winning myself a giggle. “I think
you’re
pretty!” I never would have guessed I would have loved being a mother so much. The passion. The joy. The fury.

“It’s not perfect, but it’ll do.” Rob brushed against my shoulder.

My heart lurched and I reached for him. “Rob!”

“Rob, Rob, Rob!” Kira chanted between us.

It had been a little over a year since Jake and I had been home. An emotional laugh caught in my throat. “I’ve missed you.”

He wore a tux and a trimmed goatee. The goatee covered his baby face nicely, giving him the look of the mature ‘almost’ professor. He had spent the last six years climbing the ranks of the Doctoral program in computer science at UC Boulder.

A satisfied smile spread across his lips and he gave a dismissive wave. “Karen finally let Marsha have her way and there’s been no turning back.”

I smiled at him because I knew if I tried to talk I would start the ugly cry, and it was way too early in the evening for that.

Rob let out a soft chuckle and pulled back, leaving one arm around my shoulders. “Didn’t know if you’d make it. I thought the latest line of Lanie Hart fine art might spoil my big day.”

“Whatever.” Happy emotion exploded inside my chest. “You’ve been able to evade the altar for six years. I’m not about to miss the death of Rob Hart’s bachelorhood.”

Rob paused and studied my face. “I’m proud of you, Lanie. Your art.” He nodded to Kira. “Your daughter.” A tear trickled down his cheek. “Mom and dad would be so proud too.”

At the mention of our parents, moisture filled my eyes. “They would be happy with you, too, Professor.”

Rob’s lips spread into a wide grin and he turned away, looking embarrassed. “Ya think?”

I laughed at his humility. “Yeah.”

We both stood there for a few moments, watching the staff run around, and drinking in the cool, mountain air.

“Karen and I thought it was crazy, at first, when Marsha suggested this place for the venue. But the more we thought about it, the more it felt right.”

I unconsciously reached for the silver mark behind my ear. “The beginning of all things that last.”

Rob gave a solemn nod. “We’re putting a whole new spin on it.”

I thought about the beginning of The Foundation. “Yes, a whole new spin is what it needs.”

Rob averted his eyes to the rows of chairs that people were filling. “Left corner pocket, take a peek.”

Warmth spread through me as I spotted Tim and Sheila. “I’m glad they came.”

“Of course they came. Tim’s been excited about the new school. He’s given me a list of supernatural books he wants you to read. He told me it would help to have you gain more of an education on the
other
world.”

“Oh.” I laughed. “Great.”

Rob scoffed. “He sounds like a talk show host, you should hear him.”

A nervous flutter went through me. “I’m still not one hundred percent sure we’re doing the right thing with the school.”

Rob frowned. “Why? It’s not like you won’t have help to run the place.”

I scrunched up my nose. “It’s just the whole history repeating itself thing, ya know? They started a school, we’re starting a school.”

“Lanie, after all we’ve been through, we can’t be controlled by the past. We make our
own
history, with the choices we make today.” He let out a breath. “And that has to be enough.”

The blinking spree started.

“Lanie.” Rob’s voice was low and reprimanding. “Why are you rabid-blinking?”

I shoved him. “You make it sound like I’m infected, Mr. Smartypants.”

Rob laughed.

A crushing strength wrapped around me and I was lifted into the air. “Do you want a bathroom joke now or later?”

I kicked my legs and heard Kira cry out. “Mommy!”

“Oh, she’s fine, Sassy Pants.” Reed fitted me back to the ground and yanked me into his arm pit. “I can see the French didn’t tame the red-locked goddess.” He swirled my head with his fist.

I couldn’t breathe for a second and pushed him back with my mind.

Reed flew a few feet away and landed with a thud on his back. He roared out a laugh as he kicked himself straight up and onto his feet. “That’s what I’m talkin’ bout! The Lane-ster’s back!”