The Enlightened (Mind Dimensions #3)(71)

My phone rings again. I look at Thomas apologetically.

“Take it,” Thomas says.

“Dude, how’d it go?” Bert asks from the other end of the phone.

“Good,” I say. “Meet me at the hospital. We’ll talk about it.”

“I’m already here. I suspected this was where you’d go afterwards.”

“You know me so well. Stay put.” I hang up.

“Darren,” Thomas says. “Can you tell me about her?”

“Of course. As you said, she’s a fighter.” And for the remainder of the trip to the hospital, I tell Thomas about Lucy and about her side of the family. I retell her stories of what it was like to immigrate to the US from China as a kid. I tell him about her career as a cop. How much of a pain she was from my perspective when I was growing up. How thrilled my adoptive grandparents on Lucy’s side will be to have another grandson. And how she and Sara met. Thomas absorbs it all with fascination.

In a way, I envy him. I would give anything to be on my way to meeting Margret, my biological mother. But more than that, I’m happy for him, and I’m happy for Lucy. You can’t choose family, they say, but if I could, Thomas would be on the short list of people I wouldn’t mind being related to.

As we park in the Staten Island University Hospital visitors’ parking lot, I use the moment to check my phone. According to the texts I received on the way, the late Miami arrivals are already here. They’re waiting for me in the cafeteria.

“Let’s go check how she’s doing,” I say to Thomas as we get out of the car. “I’ll introduce you.”





Chapter 26





“Mom, this is Thomas,” I say once we confirm she’s feeling better. “He’s a good friend of mine, and like you, he’s also in law enforcement. Sort of.”

“Nice to meet you, Thomas.” Lucy gives him a smile. “Are you from the Third Precinct by any chance?”

“No, ma'am,” he says.

“Maybe from the Fourth then? There’s something familiar about you.”

I say nothing, as tempting as it is. I need to consult Liz about the best course of action.

“I’m in the Secret Service,” Thomas says without blinking an eye. “So work is probably not where you know me from.”

I phase in and have Thomas and Liz join me in the Quiet.

“I’m going to tell you the craziest thing you’ve ever heard,” I say to Liz. In the silence that follows, I tell her about Thomas’s connection to Lucy, and how we need her help to reunite them. “Also, along the way, we’ll need to shield her from the news that Kyle is dead. If you agree that she shouldn’t be put under any extra stress, that is.”

“She should indeed be kept in the dark about Kyle for now,” Liz says and crosses her arms. The unspoken, ‘You shouldn’t have killed Kyle,’ is clearly implied. Though I was vague as to how Kyle died, I have a feeling Liz connected the dots.

“Hiding his death from Lucy will be easy. We can apply a few nudges here and there,” I say. “We can make Lucy lose her phone, and by the time she gets another one, she’ll be in a better place, mentally, to get the news.”

“That could work,” Liz says. “As to her learning about Thomas, you’re right on that count too. Slow and careful is the best approach. I’ll think of the best way to give her the news and run it by both of you.”

“Great. Now I need to chat with Mira and company in the cafeteria.” With that, I walk up to my body and phase out.

“Can I get anyone some food?” I ask. “I’m heading to the cafeteria.”

“I’d love a salad,” Sara says. “Or a light sandwich of some kind.”

“Nothing for me, thanks,” Lucy says. “I want to check out before dinner. I loathe hospital food.”

“Are you sure, Mom?” I ask. “Are you really feeling better?”

“I feel fine,” Lucy says. “And I hate hospitals.”

“Let me see what your doctor thinks about this,” I say. “Please don’t check out until I’m back.”

Lucy rolls her eyes, and I exit the room as Sara jumps into her anti-check-out tirade.

I Read a nearby nurse to learn the location of Dr. Jaint.

As I promised, I Read the good doctor to find out what he thinks about Mom checking out. In his medical opinion, it’s clear she’s fine and checking out would be better than staying; statistically speaking, she has a greater chance of catching some disease here, since hospitals are worse than subway cars when it comes to germs.

That errand done, I find my way to the cafeteria.

As soon as Mira sees me, she runs up to me and rises up to her tiptoes to give me a huge hug. Her unreserved display of affection surprises me. She holds the hug for a few beats and then kisses me. Trying to dispel my confusion, I kiss her back.

“How’s your arm?” I ask, pulling back after a moment.

“Much better,” she says and punches the air to demonstrate. “Eugene’s doing better also. Come say hello.”

“Great to see you,” Eugene says when we reach their table. The black eye Caleb gave him only got worse overnight, but he seems to be in good spirits.