Image (Insight #3)(61)

“No. I ate a little while ago. Thanks for asking,” I said, smiling up at her.

She leaned down and hugged me. “I’m going to take Libby home and give you your space. Be careful tonight,” she said to me.

“Do you have room for two more?” Rose asked, standing.

“We’d love to have you and Karsten over,” my mother said, smiling.

I watched as Libby hugged Preston goodbye, then ran to me. I tried to focus only on her emotion; she was blissful, carefree. I admired her so much. She came to my, side short of breath from her run. “I would think you’d be sad; I don’t think you and Preston have been apart since we brought him here,” I said, reaching my arms around her.

“He’ll be right back; he just wants to say hi and give his brother a hug,” Libby answered.

I looked in Preston’s direction; Marc had picked him up and was carrying him to the passage, and Chrispin and Beth were at his side. August and Nyla were a few feet behind them. I could feel the excitement coming from Preston, the fears coming from Chrispin and Marc, and the hope coming from Beth.

“He does love his big brother, doesn’t he?” I said, agreeing with her.

“We love everybody, Willow; that’s how it’s supposed to be,” she said, looking at me like I should already know that.

“You’re right,” I said, smiling at the wisdom of an innocent child.

“Tell Willow goodbye, Libby. You can help me and Rose make a really big cake for Willow,” my mother said, extending her arms out in each direction to demonstrate how big it could be.

Libby giggled and shook her from head side to side. “Her birthday was yesterday; she doesn’t want a party,” she looked up at me, “right, Willow?”

“Right,” I said, laughing. “But I love cake,” I said, encouraging her to go with my mother. She hugged me goodbye and went with Rose and my mother. As they walked away, the front door opened, and Clarissa and Felicity stepped out. Felicity was carrying Allie, and they sat down on either side of me.

“So, young lady, have you gotten caught up on your sleep?” I said, smiling at Allie. She smiled back and turned to hide her face in Felicity’s chest.

“She just now woke up,” Felicity said, relieved by Allie’s happy mood.

I looked at Clarissa. “So, did you burn the canvas?” I asked, amused.

“It's on the back porch; I’m going to get Dane to help me with it,” she answered

I nodded and let my gaze settle on Landen, who was surrounded by Brady, Dane, and our fathers. I found myself wishing I could freeze time on his behalf. I knew he wasn’t bothered by what they were saying; in fact, he seemed to have the same confidence he’d had throughout this whole experience.

“I didn’t mean to upset you earlier,” Clarissa said, feeling ashamed.

“Don’t worry about it; sometimes it gets to be too much,” I answered

“That’s what we want to help you with; we don’t want to add to it, just help you sort it out,” Clarissa said.

I leaned back and let my body rest on my elbows. Flashes of everything - from the day at the lake ‘til now - came to me. I heard the voices of my family, Drake, Landen, and my own arguments.

“Right now, there’s one thing I can’t get around in my mind; maybe the two of you can make sense of it,” I said to them.

I had Felicity and Clarissa’s full attention. They both turned halfway on the step they were sitting on to see me better.

“OK. I’ve said over and over that it’s always been Landen,” I said. They nodded in agreement. “We found that photo, Drake showed me our lives, and Aora justified my fears by telling me that I’d loved them. We all came to the conclusion that you could love someone and not be in love with them,” I said, looking between the two of them to make sure they were following me. They nodded, telling me to go on.

“Drake told Landen that he gained his strength by remembering when he was one with me. I argued that there was no way that I was one with him because I could only complete Landen, that his memories were of another who looked just like me, my twin...I’m losing that argument now, though, because I know that Jayda – myself - loved him, and that love was powerful enough to make the darkness leave Oba. So, explain to me how I can be ‘one’ with more than one person? Am I crazy to think that there’s another girl for Drake? Is his fate to wait his ‘turn,’ as he puts it?”

They looked at each other, then to me. I smiled as I felt them take on my confusion, knowing then that they understood were I was coming from.

“You’re looking for one answer...what if there are two?” Felicity said as an excitement came through her.

“Go on,” I said, amused by her energy.

“What if there’s another ‘you’ that makes him complete? What if his dreams are of the two of you – and he can’t tell the difference?” Felicity said.

“That makes sense,” Clarrissa said, sitting up straight. “He could have them crossed, mixing his passion with love.”

“Did Jayda show you images of you and Drake joining?” Felicity asked.

I reached for my charm and let the memories she gave me play again in my mind. “No,” I said quietly.

“But they found mediation; they left Analess through the string. They knew what you know about energy - yet she never showed you the most beautiful part about being aware of your energy?”