The Enlightened (Mind Dimensions #3)(70)

I go on to tell him about waking up bodiless in the darkness of Level 2, and about my chat with Mimir. He stops me when I get to the part where I Read him.

“You Read me, like Leachers do?” Thomas gives me a wary look. “How far back did you go?”

“I didn’t learn anything particularly private,” I say. I probably should’ve dug a little deeper. Seems like he’s hiding something juicy, because he looks relieved when I tell him I only saw his pained walk through the Quiet.

When I reach the part where I entered Kyle’s mind, Thomas says, “I don’t want to hear any more. Given his strange behavior, I can guess the rest, but I’d rather not know exactly.”

“I’m grateful—”

“Don’t mention it,” he says, and the unspoken words are ‘ever again.’

My phone rings. I look at it.

“Do you mind?” I ask.

“Take it,” he says.

“Hello,” I say.

“Darren, what the f*ck?” says Mira’s voice from the other end. She says it so loudly I’m sure Thomas heard her.

“Hello to you too. You sound tense.”

“Tense? You leave me a ‘call me urgently‘ voicemail, and then proceed to ignore my calls and texts. How the f*ck should I sound?”

“I’m sorry,” I say. “I called you from the hospital. My mom nearly died.”

“Oh...” Mira sounds stunned. “I’m so sorry. Is she okay?”

“She’s fine now, and the person responsible... well, this isn’t a phone conversation.”

“Of course.” Mira sounds contrite now.

“Where are you?” I ask.

“Stuck in traffic on my way to Manhattan. I didn’t know where you were, but that seemed like a safe start. Plus, that’s where your aunt lives.”

“Have your driver turn around and take you to the Staten Island Hospital. That’s where I’ll be shortly.”

“I’ll see you there,” she says. “Hillary says she’s going too.”

“See you soon.” I hang up.

“I guess you want me to take you to the hospital,” Thomas says.

“Please. And do you mind if I make another phone call?”

“Of course not.”

I click on one of my ‘favorites’ in my phone.

“Darren,” Sara exclaims as soon as the call connects. “Thank God you called.”

“Hi, Mom. How’s she doing?”

“You need to get here as soon as possible and talk some sense into your mother,” Sara says.

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“She woke up after a nap and decided she wants to check out. I need you to remind that woman that she was just in critical condition.”

“I’ll see what I can do, Mom,” I say, trying to suppress a grin. “I should be there shortly.”

“Hurry, or else she might actually talk the doctor into it,” Sara says. “Love you, bye.”

“Same to you. Bye,” I say and end the call.

“So, she—Lucy—is feeling better?” Thomas asks.

“Sounds like it. She wants to check out.”

“She sounds like a fighter.” Thomas’s voice is unusually soft. I can hear him drawing in a breath, and then he says, “Darren, listen... there’s something I wanted to ask you. Do you think you could introduce me to her?”

It takes me a second to understand his discomfort. Once it sinks in, I can’t believe how dense I am.

“Of course,” I say. “I should have offered, especially since you just found out she’s your biological mother.”

“You’re sure it’s true?” he asks. “That she’s my mother?”

“Very. But I guess you can get a DNA test if you want to be one-hundred-percent certain.”

“What do you think she’ll think about this whole thing?” he asks.

“To be honest, I have no idea. You have to remember that Kyle prevented her from remembering you exist.”

“I understand.” Thomas’s jaw hardens. “If I told her I’m her son, she wouldn’t even believe me.”

“Maybe not today, but I can’t think of a more healing way to tell her she has a son than to say, ‘You have a son, and here he is.’ When she’s allowed to remember, she’ll want to know what happened to you. We just need to talk to Liz and figure out how to let Lucy remember as gently as possible. Once she remembers she had you, I know she’ll want to meet you.”

“You’re right,” he says. “I can be patient.”

“For now, though, I’ll tell her you’re my new best friend, and we’ll find every excuse for you guys to hang out. Her birthday is coming up...”

“Thank you, Darren. You don’t know how much—”

“Please don’t,” I say. “Not after you had my back, twice now.”

“Sure. I won’t mention it.”

“Plus, we’re sort of related. Isn’t that weird?”

“I think it’s wonderful,” he says. “I never had a sibling, but always wanted one.”

“I wanted one too.” I grin. “In fact, I could’ve used a tough older brother back in school.”