Awakened (House of Night #8)(59)

"Did your super cool Spidey Senses tell you?" Stevie Rae asked as she stepped up and hugged Grandma hello.

"No," she said, turning her attention from Stevie Rae to Stark, who was gazing down at her.

"Something much more mundane." She smiled seraphically. "Or I suppose I should say someone much more mundane, although I am not at all sure mundane is a good word to use when referring to this valiant Warrior." "Stark? You called my grandma?"

He shot me his cocky grin and said, "Yeah, I like having an excuse to call another beautiful woman named Redbird."

"Come here, you charmer," Grandma said.

I shook my head as Stark hugged Grandma carefully, like he wasn't sure if she'd break or not. He'd called my grandma and told her when our plane was landing. Stark's eyes met mine over Grandma's shoulder. Thank you, I mouthed silently to him. His grin got bigger.

Then Grandma was there at my side again, taking my hand. "Hey, why don't Stevie Rae and I go get the car while you and your grandma talk?"

I barely had time to nod yes, and the two of them were gone, leaving Grandma and me to find a bench positioned conveniently close by. We sat for a second without saying anything. We just held hands and looked at each other. I didn't realize I was crying until Grandma delicately wiped the tears from my face.

"I knew you'd return to us," she said.

"I'm sorry I worried you. I'm sorry that I didn't--"

"Ssh," Grandma shushed me. "There is no need for apologies. You did your best, and your best has always been good enough for me."

"I was weak, Grandma. I'm still weak," I said honestly.

"No, u-we-tsi-a-ge-ya, you are young, that is all." She touched my face gently. "I am sorry about your Heath. I will miss that young man."

"I will, too," I said, blinking hard so I wouldn't start crying again.

"But I feel you two will know one another again. Perhaps in this lifetime, perhaps in the next."

I nodded. "That's what Heath said, too, before he moved on to the next realm of the Otherworld." Grandma's smile was serene. "The Otherworld--I know that it was under heartbreaking circumstances, but you were given a great gift when you were allowed to travel there and back."

Her words made me think--really think. Since I'd returned to the real world I'd been tired and sad and confused and then, finally, with Stark I'd been content and in love. "But I haven't been thankful," I said the words aloud as I realized them. "I haven't understood the gift I'd been given." I wanted to smack myself in the head. "I'm a crappy High Priestess, Grandma."

Grandma laughed. "Oh, Zoeybird, if that were true you would not question yourself or call yourself to task for your mistakes."

I snorted. "I don't think High Priestesses are supposed to make mistakes."

"Of course they are. How else would they learn and grow?"

I started to say that I'd made enough mistakes that I should have grown to be, like, a zillion feet tall, but I knew that wasn't what Grandma meant. I sighed and said, "I have a bunch of faults."

"It is a wise woman who recognizes that." Sadness made her smile fade. "It is one of the key differences between you and your mother."

"My mother." I sighed again. "I've been thinking about her lately."

"As have I. Linda has been close to my mind during the past several days."

I raised my brows at Grandma. Usually when someone was "close to her mind" it meant something was going on with that person. "Have you heard from her?"

"No, but I believe I soon will. Hold good thoughts for her, u-we-tsi-a-ge- ya."

"I will," I said.

My Bug puttered up then, looking familiar and cute with its shiny aqua blue paint and sparkly chrome. "Best be getting back to your school, Zoeybird. You'll be needed there tonight," she said in her nononsense-Grandma-voice.

We stood and hugged again. I had to make myself let go of her. "Are you staying in Tulsa tonight, Grandma?"

"Oh, no, honey. I have too much to do. There's a big powwow in Tahlequah tomorrow and I've made lovely new lavender sachets." She smiled at me. "I beaded redbirds into them."

I grinned and hugged her one last time. "Save one for me, okay?"

"Always," she said. "I love you, u-we-tsi-a-ge-ya."

"I love you, too," I said.

And then I watched as Stark jumped out of the Bug and took Grandma's arm, helping her cross the busy street between the airport arrivals terminal and short-term parking. He jogged back to me, dodging cars. When he opened the door of the car for me I paused, pressed my hand to his chest, and tugged at his shirt until he bent down so I could kiss him.

"You're the best Warrior in the world," I whispered against his lips.

"Aye," he said, eyes sparkling.

Scrunching myself into the back of my Bug I met Stevie Rae's eyes in the rearview mirror. "Thanks for giving me some alone time with my grandma."

"Not a problem, Z. I heart me your grandma."

"Yeah, me too," I said softly. Then I straightened my shoulders and, feeling totally empowered, continued, "Okay. So. Tell me about the bullpoopie I'm getting ready to step into back at school."