hands clasped together and elbows resting on his
knees. He was ready to dart out the door and back to his car, heading out for
the next safe location that he could find in a town far, far away. He realized
he sounded more menacing than quizzical, which he hadn’t meant to do.
“You know what I mean,” she said, settling
into the chair. “Your hands can’t change me. They can’t affect me.” She leaned
back, relishing in the moment. It had been a long time since she had met
someone like him. “Although to be honest, it scares me a little bit that you
may have seen a need to.”
The look of shock was now on his face. He
hadn’t met a mortal that could decipher what he was before, especially with
nothing more than a touch.
“How do you-”
He cut himself off. He wasn’t about to be the
first one to say it out loud in centuries.
“Relax, sweetheart, I know all about it.”
He stared at her with squinted eyes. She
couldn’t know who he was. He’d traveled far enough away to a place where people
barely owned televisions. There was no way someone knew who he was.
“How?”
“I used to be you,” she said, making his
heart race as she reached for his hand. He was scared and excited all at once,
unsure what she meant by used to.
No sooner had the words come out than the
visions started, beginning with Gram having a heart attack and in the hospital.
She wasn’t going to die, he noted. He wasn’t allowed to heal her either prior
to this. It was going to serve another purpose, although the visions didn’t
always tell him what. Then one more vision – Addie telling him she knew what he
was.
“What do you mean?” he asked, leaning closer.
His excitement was obvious, as was his anxiety. Could he trust her not to “out”
him? She hadn’t to Addie. Or had she? Was that what the whispering was before
they left?
“I mean, I used to be you. I was born a
Healer. Addie’s mom was too, although she gave up her gift after only a year.
It was too much for her and she lost her mind. Something we don’t talk about and
a topic you best not broach with Addie. And besides for the two of us, I don’t
think I’ve come across a Healer in Lee for decades.”
She spoke about it like it was everyday
conversation, as if it weren’t a huge revelation or big news. Her nonchalant attitude
made him even more uncomfortable if that were possible.
“Addie too?”
“Addie never inherited the gene because she just
isn’t cut out for the job. She is a beautiful person, however one that’s meant
to be a mother and settle down. She wasn’t meant for the life of a Healer.”
AJ was rattled. In all his life, he’d never
encountered a mortal who had known what he was. Or who had been a Healer
before, but wasn’t now.
“What do you mean by used to? Are you still a
Healer? You can’t be, if Addie is your granddaughter.”
He was stuttering, trying to piece the puzzle
together. It was so out-of-the-blue, so strange. And it was happening so fast,
as if this were everyday conversation for Gram. She was so calm.
“I mean, I was you, once upon a time. I spent
decades - or centuries even, I forget exactly what the time was after all these
years – helping others. Then, as some of us do, I met the love of my life. I
gave up everything to be with him.”
“How?” The question
was honest, almost accusatorial. He couldn’t fathom Healers walking away from
their gift. They were meant to help.
“It wasn’t easy. It was a big decision. I had
watched for a century as my friends fell in love, got married, and started
their lives. I hadn’t found someone I felt that way for so I continued with the
work I was doing until I met George. Everything changed. It took a lot of
thought and consideration. I ultimately gave it all up to be with him.”
“Why would you do that? He’s gone now and
you’re all alone.”
AJ
knees. He was ready to dart out the door and back to his car, heading out for
the next safe location that he could find in a town far, far away. He realized
he sounded more menacing than quizzical, which he hadn’t meant to do.
“You know what I mean,” she said, settling
into the chair. “Your hands can’t change me. They can’t affect me.” She leaned
back, relishing in the moment. It had been a long time since she had met
someone like him. “Although to be honest, it scares me a little bit that you
may have seen a need to.”
The look of shock was now on his face. He
hadn’t met a mortal that could decipher what he was before, especially with
nothing more than a touch.
“How do you-”
He cut himself off. He wasn’t about to be the
first one to say it out loud in centuries.
“Relax, sweetheart, I know all about it.”
He stared at her with squinted eyes. She
couldn’t know who he was. He’d traveled far enough away to a place where people
barely owned televisions. There was no way someone knew who he was.
“How?”
“I used to be you,” she said, making his
heart race as she reached for his hand. He was scared and excited all at once,
unsure what she meant by used to.
No sooner had the words come out than the
visions started, beginning with Gram having a heart attack and in the hospital.
She wasn’t going to die, he noted. He wasn’t allowed to heal her either prior
to this. It was going to serve another purpose, although the visions didn’t
always tell him what. Then one more vision – Addie telling him she knew what he
was.
“What do you mean?” he asked, leaning closer.
His excitement was obvious, as was his anxiety. Could he trust her not to “out”
him? She hadn’t to Addie. Or had she? Was that what the whispering was before
they left?
“I mean, I used to be you. I was born a
Healer. Addie’s mom was too, although she gave up her gift after only a year.
It was too much for her and she lost her mind. Something we don’t talk about and
a topic you best not broach with Addie. And besides for the two of us, I don’t
think I’ve come across a Healer in Lee for decades.”
She spoke about it like it was everyday
conversation, as if it weren’t a huge revelation or big news. Her nonchalant attitude
made him even more uncomfortable if that were possible.
“Addie too?”
“Addie never inherited the gene because she just
isn’t cut out for the job. She is a beautiful person, however one that’s meant
to be a mother and settle down. She wasn’t meant for the life of a Healer.”
AJ was rattled. In all his life, he’d never
encountered a mortal who had known what he was. Or who had been a Healer
before, but wasn’t now.
“What do you mean by used to? Are you still a
Healer? You can’t be, if Addie is your granddaughter.”
He was stuttering, trying to piece the puzzle
together. It was so out-of-the-blue, so strange. And it was happening so fast,
as if this were everyday conversation for Gram. She was so calm.
“I mean, I was you, once upon a time. I spent
decades - or centuries even, I forget exactly what the time was after all these
years – helping others. Then, as some of us do, I met the love of my life. I
gave up everything to be with him.”
“How?” The question
was honest, almost accusatorial. He couldn’t fathom Healers walking away from
their gift. They were meant to help.
“It wasn’t easy. It was a big decision. I had
watched for a century as my friends fell in love, got married, and started
their lives. I hadn’t found someone I felt that way for so I continued with the
work I was doing until I met George. Everything changed. It took a lot of
thought and consideration. I ultimately gave it all up to be with him.”
“Why would you do that? He’s gone now and
you’re all alone.”
AJ
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