Enflame (Insight #6)(62)

Finally, she walked over to me with a small box in her hand, opening the top to reveal some kind of hard candy. “Felicity helped me make it. They’re lemon drops.” She giggled once. “That will help you, right?” she questioned. I didn’t want to bring her out of the innocence she was beaming with by asking her how she knew that was the flavor I counted on when I was losing balance.

“Very much,” I said quietly, stealing one from the box and letting the flavor linger on my tongue. “I’ll tell you what, why don’t we get you tucked in, and I’ll read you a story?”

I read her three books, then listened to her tell me all about her day, her little adventures, savoring every moment of it.

I caressed her hair as her dark eyes stared into mine. “Are you getting tired now?” I whispered.

She nodded against her pillow.

“What do you want to dream about tonight?” I asked, tracing her brow, encouraging her heavy lids to close.

“Dreams aren’t coming now. It’s all blank.”

“Blank?”

Her eyes closed softly. “I think I can almost see past it, though,” she whispered.

I kissed her temple and pulled her closer, hearing what I wanted to, that this was turning, that I was moving forward now, that my focus was back. I could only hope that would mean my images would come back, that everything Donalt had distracted me from would be undone now that I was moving forward.

When I finally left Libby, I found my parents drinking steaming cups of coffee on the front porch.

“I hope that is decaffeinated,” I joked.

My mother smiled a sleepy smile. “It is...can I get you something to eat? Anything?”

“I’m good,” I said as I walked closer to hug them. “I just wanted to stop by and tell you we were fine, that I think I’m already fixing what is wrong with Libby.”

“No doubt,” my father, said hugging me. He then pulled my mom closer so he could hold us both. Before I lost my balance, I pulled away, then waved my box of lemon drops behind me to tell them goodbye.

I drove around Chara forever, passing by the homes of each member of our family, feeling their peaceful emotions of rest. I don’t know what I was looking for as I drove. I guess I just needed time to let my mind wander, to let everything sink in. I halfway thought that I might see an image. They always appeared before when I was lost in thought, rambling around the streets of Franklin.

Eventually I gave in and drove back to my house. All the lights were out, meaning Landen was still out with his dad and brother. I put the Jeep in park and leaned back on the seat, dreading walking into an empty, dark house. I gently pulled my medallion out of my shirt and gazed down at the sun, the moon, the black glass; the mystery behind the gem that had followed me through time.

“What is it with you and cars?” I heard Phoenix say.

It scared the living daylights out of me. A rush of wind responded, knocking into the side of the Jeep.

“Lemon drop?” he said, handing me the box that was on the seat he was now in.

I stared at him like he was an idiot before snatching the box from him and walking in the house. When I opened the door, he was standing in the entranceway.

“Not too shabby...a little too modern for my taste,” he mused as he stepped in the living room and nodded at the fireplace. At that moment, a raging fire came to life.

“Landen is not here,” I muttered, putting my lemon drops down on the stairs before walking toward the kitchen.

“I know that. Where are you going, Sunshine?”

“To get something to eat, food. Do you remember what that is?” I threw over my shoulder in the most sarcastic tone I could manage. It was fun to tease him. To throw what he dished out right back at him. I liked that formalities were not needed with him.

When I turned on the lights in the kitchen, I saw him pulling out trays of food from my fridge. “Eating is done more so for pleasure or to be social. Of course I know what food is,” he rumbled as his energy flashed across the kitchen, opening cabinets, gathering dishes, and getting food. Within seconds, the table was set with warm leftovers.

He pulled out my chair. “Now, don’t make me eat alone, Sunshine.”

“Do you have nicknames for everyone?” I asked as I took my seat.

“Only the people I like,” he said under his breath, trying to hold in a smirk.

That made me smile.

“You’re going to eat for real?” I asked him.

“Exactly what do you think I am?” he asked as he cut up his food.

“I have no idea. You’re the one who said you were dead.”

“I did, didn’t I? Titles are overrated. Did you have fun driving around for no reason for hours on end?”

“Stalk much?”

He shrugged his shoulders as he took another bite of his food, seeming to enjoy it way more than he should.

“Really didn’t want to crash in on Guardian and those blokes.”

“He’s ‘Landen’ to them, and they are not blokes. They’re his family.”

He smirked. “What has it been, nineteen years or so here? That’s like meeting for a drink in comparison to the time we’ve been together.”

“You missed him, didn’t you?” I mused aloud.

He didn’t answer me for what seemed like forever as his eyes flamed and he stared forward. A ghostly smile echoed on his lips.