The Gifted Ones: A Reader by Maria Elizabeth Romana

It had been about ten years since he’d last seen her, but who would guess? She looked much the same as she had back then, which was quite different from her older sister. Lucy was tall and thin as a reed, with fair skin and strawberry-blonde hair, while Grace had a rosy complexion, dark, almost auburn hair, and a softer figure. But that’s where the softness ended—Grace’s whole demeanor smacked of a no-nonsense fifth-grade teacher, complete with eyes in the back of her head. Even when she was still in high school, it had seemed as though Grace was the mature elder sibling, and Lucy, the carefree wild child.
    As if reading his thoughts, Grace turned toward him. “Joe, I hope I don’t seem ungrateful. I truly appreciate everything you’re doing for Ellie and me.”
    “I know, Grace. We all just want what’s best for Ellie.”
    She sighed, and turned back toward the window. “I hope we’re doing the right thing. This is not what I wanted for Ellie. I wanted her to have a normal life. I didn’t want her to grow up feeling like she’s weird or different, or even special…just normal. Is that so wrong?”
    Joe held his tongue. He had never agreed with Grace’s approach to raising Ellie. Ellie was special, and why shouldn’t she know that? But it wasn’t his call. Much as he might have liked it to be, it wasn’t his call. “Gracie, I—”
    “Gracie?” She faced him again, allowing a smile to escape her lips. “No one’s called me Gracie in…well, since Lucy died.”
    “No one?” Joe grinned. “What kind of people you been hanging around with down there in Atlanta?”
    “The wrong sort, I suppose, or maybe I just never gave them a chance.” She shrugged. “I never really got close to anybody. I never felt like I knew who to trust.”
    His tone was more serious, “I’m sorry, Grace. I should’ve been there for you. I should’ve done a lot of things differently.”
    “Joe, don’t. You know I wouldn’t have let you. I wanted to do things my way. I wanted to give Ellie that safe, normal life. I would’ve pushed you away if you’d tried.”
    “And maybe I wouldn’t have let you. Maybe…” He softened his voice, “Maybe if I’d done things differently, I wouldn’t have lost all three of you.”
    Grace reached over and laid her hand on his. “You haven’t lost us, Joe. And you never lost my sister. You know she loved you. Always. Nothing that happened could ever change that.”
    He shifted his gaze out the window nearest him, pretending to study the mountain range they were passing over. He fought the gnawing ball of pain that rose in his throat, then finally grumbled a response, “Thanks for saying that, Grace.”
    Okay, he needed to change the subject. He reached down next to his seat, picked up his bag, and moved over to the the long couch that lined that side of the plane, bringing him close to Grace. He motioned toward the bruise on the side of her face. “Can I at least help you with that?”
    Grace glanced across the cabin to where Ellie was sleeping, then nodded at Joe. “Yeah, that’d be nice. I’d hate meeting everybody with a black and blue face.”
    He dug around in his bag and came up with a small rectangular package. He tore it open and removed a lumpy-looking blue cloth. He held it up, explaining, “New creation from that kid Spencer. Works like a charm. See, it helps to draw the energy—” He caught himself babbling. “Uh, never mind. Just relax, Grace. Lean back and close your eyes.” Once she was in a more comfortable position, he spread a white salve gently on her bruised face, then laid the lumpy cloth over it. He placed one of his hands on top of that, and the other along the side of her neck to keep her head steady. “Grace, you’re not relaxing.”
    She peeked out at him. “Sorry, Joe. It’s just…it’s been a long time…”
    “A long time since a man has tried to heal you?”
    “No. A long time since a man has touched me, period.” They both