Into the Light (The Light #1)(78)

“Raquel, what do you know about what happened today, with Jacob I mean? How’d he get you here?”

She shrugged. “I really don’t know. Benjamin was the one who told me I could come. I didn’t know about what’d happened, umm . . . with your hair . . . until Brother Jacob told me during the drive here.”

I bit my lip. “I’m afraid he’ll get in trouble if he pursues this, and I’m also afraid they’ll come back.”

She was looking at me and shaking her head.

My hand went to my hair. “Is it worse?”

“No!” Her worried expression morphed to one of glee. “Not at all. It really is cute. I remember this style, longer in front than in back. It fits your face very well.”

“Well, thank you for fixing it, but I want it to grow back.”

“It will.”

After a quick glance toward the door, I whispered, “You remember the dark?”

She nodded.

“What’s it . . . is it . . . ?” I sagged my shoulders. “I don’t remember. I wish I did. I wish I remembered anything.”

“It may all come back. I know I work with Dr. Newton, but I don’t know that much about memory things. I know what I’ve been taught.”

I contemplated the dark. It seemed like such a scary place.

Why would I take Jacob’s keys? Why would I want to leave people like Raquel?

“There!” she proclaimed. Removing the towel from my shoulders and looking to the floor, she said, “Oh, Sara, I’m sorry. We should have put towels on the ground. I’ve made a mess.”

I stood and brushed the hair from my lap. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll get it cleaned up. First I want to see.”

With a tight-lipped smile, Raquel looked as if she were about to burst. “I want you to, but I think we should wait—”

“Please, don’t say for Jacob. I want to see my own reflection.” I might have sounded like a three-year-old, but I wanted to see.

“I tell you what. Where’s the broom? Let’s get this cleaned, and if he’s not back, you can slip into the bathroom.”

I liked her. She didn’t tell me I was willful or prideful. She’d even offered to hold Lilith down while I cut her hair. I wrapped her in my arms for a quick hug. “Thank you, Raquel. I’ll miss you during the next week. I can’t wait to get back to the community.”

“Good. We all want you back.”

As we were putting the broom and dustpan away, the door to the garage opened. Deciding to err on the side of caution, I forgot about the mirror and hurried toward the door.

Despite his unfamiliar eyes, his smile melted me. In the eyes I didn’t remember I saw love and adoration that filled me with warmth like a flame to a candle.

Tenderly Jacob brushed my cheek and lifted the hair near my face. As he let it fall, his grin grew. “I like it. Turn around.”

I did. When our eyes met again he reached for my hand.

“Have you seen it?”

“No, I was waiting for you.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Raquel’s change in expression and had to consciously keep from rolling my eyes.

“Then let’s go.” Jacob tugged my hand. “Close your eyes,” he commanded, as we neared the bathroom.

I did as he said, and he led me to the vanity. The warmth of his body behind me filled me with strength. With his hands on my hips, he told me to open my eyes. There in the mirror were two strangers. I opened my eyes wider, watching the woman in the mirror do the same. When I lifted my hair, so did she. Jacob’s description of its color had been accurate, corn silk and sunshine—very blonde. Raquel was also right: the way the hair framed my cheeks worked with my oval face. I tilted my head from side to side. Though I hadn’t seen it before, my hair was now all even with layers toward the back. Soon the anxiety left my eyes, mellowing them, leaving behind a baby-blue sheen of contentment. Directly behind and above me in the mirror was Jacob watching my every move.

When I finally shrugged, I lifted a corner of my mouth in a half smile. “I guess it’s all right.”

Raquel squealed from the doorway and clapped her hands. I hadn’t realized she was standing there.

“Sara.” In one word he reprimanded me. “All right?” he asked, repeating my words.

Lowering my chin, I raised my eyes and met his gaze in the reflection. “No, it’s better than all right. It’s cute.”

His smile blossomed. “That’s better.”

While I retrieved everyone’s coats, Jacob said, “Sara, you’ll need your coat too.”

My lips snapped shut, holding back the questions that threatened to come forth. Finally I said, “All right.”

I hadn’t noticed it before—because I hadn’t been able to see—but the truck had a backseat. Raquel and I sat there while Jacob drove and Dr. Newton rode in front. For most of the ride, Jacob and Dr. Newton discussed things and people with names I didn’t recognize. Getting to the community wasn’t as easy as it had sounded. There were three different rows of fences with gates. The inside one was more of a wall. Codes were needed to open each gate. The whole setup seemed pretty elaborate for polar bears. With each new barrier I felt unfamiliarity and uneasiness.

No matter what, I was ready to be back inside the fences and walls; obviously it was much safer in there than out where we were. I stared at the unfamiliar buildings as we drove into the community.