Torn From the Shadows by Yolanda Sfetsos

grandmother?”
    I nodded, remembering something else. “You also said Sally and Jacinta were friends, right?”
    “Yes. The three of them were friends.” Oren’s eyes were shiny, as if a bunch of memories were flashing before him. “Best of friends, almost inseparable…”
    For the first time, since he’d made me see a snippet of his intimate past with my grandmother, I wished I could see it for myself. “Can you show me?”
    Unshed tears glistened in his eyes for several quiet moments. I stood and made my way to the chair beside his, extending my hand as I approached.
    He finally nodded, wrapped his cold fingers around mine and pressed them against his chest. I spread my palm over his heart, letting each beat help me relax and open up to receive the vision…
    Oren stood across the room chatting to a short man with a red beard and green suit. He was half listening, and his gaze kept returning to the woman across the room. The beautiful woman with dark eyes and long curly hair that fell halfway down her back. She stole glances his way, even flashed a smile, but continued a conversation with her two friends. One had straight shoulder-length ebony hair and bright blue eyes. She was taller than the other two and was glaring at Oren. The third woman had red, frizzy hair.
    “Excuse me a moment,” Oren said to the man, and didn’t wait for an answer. He strode across the wood-paneled room with confidence. When he reached the three women, they stopped chatting and turned all eyes his way. “Sorry to interrupt, ladies, but I need a minute with Pepita.”
    “Of course you do,” the redhead scoffed with a giggle.
    “Sal…” Pepita playfully slapped Sally’s arm.
    “We’re busy,” the ebony-haired woman said with a frown.
    “Jacinta!” Pepita glowered.
    “I’m sure you can spare her for just a moment.” He placed a tentative hand on Pepita’s elbow and she nodded.
    “I’ll be right back,” she said to her friends.
    Oren led her away and out of the packed room, until they stood in the shadows of the corridor just outside.
    “What’s wrong, Oren?”
    “Nothing’s wrong now that I’ve finally got you to myself, my love.”
    She smiled at him. “Is that the only reason you pulled me away from my friends?”
    “No, there are many reasons, but one of them was certainly to annoy Jacinta.”
    “I don’t know why you two hate each other so much.”
    “We don’t hate each other,” he whispered, leaning closer. “At least, I don’t hate her. Some people just hate what they can’t have.”
    Pepita stroked Oren’s face. “And she’ll never have you.” She kissed him softly. “I’d rather you end up with Sally than Jacinta.”
    “What happened with Jacinta was a long time ago—”
    Pepita stopped him by pressing her fingers to his lips. “I know, Oren. You don’t have to explain. The past belongs in the past. There’s just something going on with her.”
    He kissed her fingertips. “What do you mean?”
    “You know I love her like a sister, but Jacinta’s changing.” Pepita sighed. “I think she’s up to something.”
    “She’s always up to something.”
    “No, this is different.”
    Oren wrapped his arms around her small waist and pulled her against his body. “Don’t worry, my love.” He kissed her hair. “We’ll get to the bottom of it, together…”
    The connection stopped abruptly when Oren removed my hand from his chest and let it drop completely. The last time we’d done this, I’d been the one who wanted the vision to end, but this time I’d been curious and their intimacy hadn’t bothered me.
    I licked my lips and cleared my throat. “Did you ever find out what she was up to?”
    “No.” He paused for a moment. “After that conversation, Pepita claimed things started feeling normal with Jacinta.”
    I nodded, but didn’t say anything else. By the looks of things, there’d been some rivalry between them—mainly to do with Oren.
    “That particular memory was