star?”
Charlie nodded.
“That’s good luck,” he continued. “But to answer your question, there aren’t more stars. There’s less artificial light here than in the city, so the stars are more visible.” The tip of the moon broke over the distant hills and he pointed to it. “On nights when the moon is full it gives off more light and you can’t see the stars nearly as well.”
“That makes sense.” Charlie watched as the moon crept higher, spilling silver light across the surface of the lake. Another shooting star streaked across the sky and they watched it silently, each wondering what form their good luck would take.
After a few moments’ silence, Jason cleared his throat. “Back there in the dance hall…” His tone was slow and deliberate, and he seemed to be forming his thoughts as he spoke. “This is going to sound crazy, but for a moment there you seemed to be somewhere else.” He turned sideways on the bench. “Or did I imagine that?”
Charlie licked her fingers methodically, wiping each one with the paper napkin Jason had so thoughtfully provided. She was avoiding his gaze because she needed time to think. If she confided in him, would he think she was losing it? On the other hand, if he couldn’t understand, then maybe now was the time to find out. Another shooting star would come in handy right about now.
She sucked in a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “I wasn’t sure if you noticed,” she murmured. How could she explain this to him? He was watching her, and she sensed his desire to understand.
A cooling breeze skipped over the water and she shivered unconsciously.
“Are you getting cold?” he asked. “We can go if you like.”
She shook her head. “Thanks, but I’m fine. I’m just trying to find the right words.”
He remained silent and she smiled at him, liking that he wasn’t pushing her.
Chapter Five
She started slowly, trying not to stumble over her words. The last time she’d talked about her special abilities she’d been ridiculed; she didn’t think she could bear to have that happen again.
“When I was a little girl, I had imaginary friends.” She gave him a quick look. “Like most kids. But it didn’t take long for me to realize that my friends were different. Mine were all from the past.” She paused for a moment. “I don’t know how I knew that, I just did. It didn’t happen all the time, but every once in a while I’d go into an older building and it was as if I could hear the voices of the people who’d lived there before; feel their emotions. Some people say they walk into a house and can sense bad vibes. This was similar to that, only stronger. I tried to tell my mother about it, but she shushed me up. I can still see the look of horror on her face when I tried to articulate it, so I never mentioned it again.” She started to shred the paper napkin. “At least to her.”
“When I started writing fiction for children, I gave my heroine the same abilities. I suppose you could say she’s a modern day Nancy Drew, except that the mysteries usually have something to do with the past. It gives me lots of scope.”
He pulled back, surprised. “I didn’t know you were a writer.”
She nodded. “I don’t talk about it much. The last time was a real disaster.” She leaned back and looked up at the stars, reliving the moment.
“I was going out with a lawyer in Calgary. We were getting serious; at least I thought we were. We were planning to move in together.” She chanced a look at him to see his reaction. He motioned for her to continue. “We were at a function for his company. You know the kind…suits and cocktail dresses.”
“Not really.”
“Fair enough. Anyway, I had wandered away from Carson and was speaking to some of the other lawyers and their wives. One of the women was saying that her daughter enjoys my books and asked me where I got my inspiration.” She lifted her shoulders. “A common enough question, but I
Charlie nodded.
“That’s good luck,” he continued. “But to answer your question, there aren’t more stars. There’s less artificial light here than in the city, so the stars are more visible.” The tip of the moon broke over the distant hills and he pointed to it. “On nights when the moon is full it gives off more light and you can’t see the stars nearly as well.”
“That makes sense.” Charlie watched as the moon crept higher, spilling silver light across the surface of the lake. Another shooting star streaked across the sky and they watched it silently, each wondering what form their good luck would take.
After a few moments’ silence, Jason cleared his throat. “Back there in the dance hall…” His tone was slow and deliberate, and he seemed to be forming his thoughts as he spoke. “This is going to sound crazy, but for a moment there you seemed to be somewhere else.” He turned sideways on the bench. “Or did I imagine that?”
Charlie licked her fingers methodically, wiping each one with the paper napkin Jason had so thoughtfully provided. She was avoiding his gaze because she needed time to think. If she confided in him, would he think she was losing it? On the other hand, if he couldn’t understand, then maybe now was the time to find out. Another shooting star would come in handy right about now.
She sucked in a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “I wasn’t sure if you noticed,” she murmured. How could she explain this to him? He was watching her, and she sensed his desire to understand.
A cooling breeze skipped over the water and she shivered unconsciously.
“Are you getting cold?” he asked. “We can go if you like.”
She shook her head. “Thanks, but I’m fine. I’m just trying to find the right words.”
He remained silent and she smiled at him, liking that he wasn’t pushing her.
Chapter Five
She started slowly, trying not to stumble over her words. The last time she’d talked about her special abilities she’d been ridiculed; she didn’t think she could bear to have that happen again.
“When I was a little girl, I had imaginary friends.” She gave him a quick look. “Like most kids. But it didn’t take long for me to realize that my friends were different. Mine were all from the past.” She paused for a moment. “I don’t know how I knew that, I just did. It didn’t happen all the time, but every once in a while I’d go into an older building and it was as if I could hear the voices of the people who’d lived there before; feel their emotions. Some people say they walk into a house and can sense bad vibes. This was similar to that, only stronger. I tried to tell my mother about it, but she shushed me up. I can still see the look of horror on her face when I tried to articulate it, so I never mentioned it again.” She started to shred the paper napkin. “At least to her.”
“When I started writing fiction for children, I gave my heroine the same abilities. I suppose you could say she’s a modern day Nancy Drew, except that the mysteries usually have something to do with the past. It gives me lots of scope.”
He pulled back, surprised. “I didn’t know you were a writer.”
She nodded. “I don’t talk about it much. The last time was a real disaster.” She leaned back and looked up at the stars, reliving the moment.
“I was going out with a lawyer in Calgary. We were getting serious; at least I thought we were. We were planning to move in together.” She chanced a look at him to see his reaction. He motioned for her to continue. “We were at a function for his company. You know the kind…suits and cocktail dresses.”
“Not really.”
“Fair enough. Anyway, I had wandered away from Carson and was speaking to some of the other lawyers and their wives. One of the women was saying that her daughter enjoys my books and asked me where I got my inspiration.” She lifted her shoulders. “A common enough question, but I
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