Enlightened. Part 7

The drive is approximately five minutes away, depending on the stop light pattern. Grandma is known for her lead foot and cheeky mouth. I love her the way she is, because she isn't like everyone else. We made it in four minutes flat.

We're barely in the store and here comes Thorne from the nutrition isle. "Hey Jess, fancy meeting you in such a common place."

Grandma nudges me, "Who's the hot tamale?"

"I'll tell you in a bit." I study Thorne's face for some sign he was here for himself and not stalking me. "Thorne, this is my grand....Miss Gayle. What are you getting on the nutrition isle?"

"I figure if we're gonna take the weight lifting cla.s.s, I might as well bulk up. They carry the protein powder; it'll make me get some guns like you're boyfriend."

Grandma takes the cart and heads over to the produce section.

"Did you follow me here?"

"I suppose I did." He smiles and runs his hand through his hair. "Although, I beat you into the store."

I bet his hair is soft and full. Aghhhhh! I did not just think that! "The bad guys are searching for me in here? Give me a break."

"They're searching for your kind everywhere. When they find out New Bern is crawling with them, all of you will be in danger. You have me, who do they have?"

I turn and head to electronics. I've been thinking about getting another e-reader, or possibly a tablet. My sixteenth birthday is coming up next week, and I'm sure I'll get some money from my dad. He hasn't called me all week. I hope he's okay. I'm probably the only kid my age who doesn't want a car. I'm afraid of being responsible for other people. My nerves get the better of me when I'm behind the wheel. My palms sweat, my heart pounds, my legs shake and I hyperventilate before I ever pull out of the parking spot. I'll leave the driving to the people that can handle the inner chaos.

"Tell me, what exactly will you do? I mean, do you shoot them or stab them? Won't you go to prison for killing someone?"

He leans in, I feel his breath on my ear, and he whispers to me, "I have a big sword."

"You're going to walk into school wielding a sword? Yeah, even Fate can't get you past school security."

"Want me to tell you a secret? I have it with me." He raises his eyebrows at me, so d.a.m.n cute and so d.a.m.n aggravating.

"You're carrying an invisible sword? Okay, I've taken in a lot of crazy lately, but I'm not that gullible."

Thorne pats me on the shoulder. "Sweets, you haven't seen crazy yet. If I have to pull this thing out, it means the s.h.i.+t has. .h.i.t the fan. I have the Fragarach, the sword of retaliation. One swipe and it sends flames burning its victim until life escapes them. The only thing that can heal them is the hands of healing."

"Why would you cut someone that you'd want healed?"

"You're not experienced in sword fights are you? Sometimes the innocent get in the way." He c.o.c.ks his head to the side. "Your grandma is ready to leave, she's by the bananas."

"Good-bye Thorne."

"Hasta la vista."

She may have been in the banana section at one time, but she had darted halfway across the store with lightning speed. I found her near the unmentionables.

"How do you feel about thongs? I spend all day trying not to get a wedgie, what's the point of a string up your b.u.m?" Grandma holds up a hot pink thong.

"It's so you don't have panty lines." I pick up a pack of thongs in wild colors. "Here, you can get a variety pack."

"Why not go commando if you want to keep the panty lines at bay?"

"Eww, that's gross."

She shakes her head back and forth. "You're grossed out by commando and not b.u.t.t floss? I hope you don't get into any accidents and, the hospital has to cut you out of your clothes. Your hiney will be exposed to the paramedics."

"If I'm in an accident and they're cutting me out of my clothes, I'm guessing being embarra.s.sed is not going to be an issue."

Grandma grabs the thongs and tosses them in the cart. We rounded the corner to look at the bras, my least liked section.

Grandma dangles a white generic bra. "You think they have one of those ladies who come and measure your b.o.o.bies? I'm not sure what size I am these days."

"Shhhh, no I don't think they have anyone here to measure you."

Without warning grandma is pulling the bra from the plastic hanger and putting it on over her clothes.

"Grandma, what on earth are you doing?" I put my hand to my forehead and say a silent prayer Thorne isn't lurking around the corner. "They have dressing rooms."

She isn't paying any attention to me. She's got the bra on over her red t-s.h.i.+rt and looks undoubtably crazy. "Where's a mirror, I need to see what I look like."

"Bonkers, you don't need a mirror to prove it either. Okay, the show is over, please take it off." In my attempt at being discreet I begin walking slowly to the socks.

"You're no fun. I figured you'd find it fun to try on the b.o.o.bie slings. I mean, for goodness sake, you have some serious knockers."

I'm shocked she said that out loud. "Oh, I'm not calling you Miss Gayle in front of anyone for an entire year. Leave my b.o.o.bs out of this," I huff. Between being mortified and finding it a little funny, I refrain from cracking a smile. I think of a payback, and it suddenly hits me. "Grandma! Do we need to get you those Depends so you stop leaking?" I say loud enough for anyone to hear.

"Playing dirty are you?" Grandma says and busts out laughing. "Let's get outta here. I'm hungry for a Gyro and sweet tea. How about Famous? You can get a sub or some pasta."

"I'm down with that. Can Amber go with us? The anniversary of her brother's death is this weekend. I'm sure it has been on her mind. Her sister and parents started family counseling, but she refuses to go. She said she'd rather go alone, but she doesn't want her parents to pay an extra co-pay for her. Did I tell you her dad won't let her get a job? I think the vibe in her house is heavy."

"I forgot about her brother. Of course, send her a message and tell her we will be at her house in twenty minutes. It's essential for you to listen to her if she needs to talk. Let's drop this stuff at home and go get her. You know you have to ride in the granny mobile." That's what we call her Escalade.

20 MINUTES LATER.

The Escalade glided over the dirt road to Amber's house. The house is a Cape Cod style home, and it looks like a magazine cover. The only difference is the secret ramp on the side of the giant porch. Her father is paralyzed from the waist down from a surfing accident last summer. The same one that took her brother's life.

I knock on the door and Delores the caregiver answers. "Hi Jessie, I'm taking dinner out of the oven, so you'll have to excuse me." She scurries off towards the kitchen.

Amber's dad wheels into the room. "Hi Jessie, how have you been? Are you feeling okay? Amber told me that you were pretty sick."

"Thank you, no, I'm fine."

"Oh, look who's here, Miss Perfect. Thank you for honoring us with your presence," Jasmine, Amber's little sister hatefully says.

"Jasmine Lee, get to your room!" He turns his chair to face me again. "I'm sorry, Lee's having a tough time this week. We all are if truth be told. Amb will be down in a minute, would you like some tea?"

"No thank you. My grandma is in the car, I'll let her know it will be a few minutes." He typically stayed in the study every time I'd been over to the house.

"Beeeeeeeee, I've been dying to go to Famous. Have you had their baklava?" Amber turns to her dad. "I'll be home later. Mom is at bookclub, and the little house of horror reject is up in her room having a tantrum." She makes a feeble attempt at putting her arm over my shoulder. My 5'9 to her 5'1 make us a pretty odd couple.

"Hold up, let me see!" I demand, and she gives me a quick smile and does a pirouette, then curtsied. Her green and black striped knee-highs match the black and green polka dot platforms she has on. Her little black skirt has black and pink bows all along the hem. I'd never be able to pull off the off the shoulder tee, a neon tank top like her. Amber is addicted to changing her hair color and wearing. Today isn't any different. "Blue extensions?"

"Electric blue, do you love it? I love love love them. Some of the blue hair on top is my hair." To be festive, she wore long eyelashes with one single swallow tail blue feather. "Do you love my eye make-up? I found a tutorial on Youtube to do the glam punk look."

"Totally. I totally love it...on you. Grandma is going to faint, she's in the car waiting."

My favorite part about the restaurant is the authentic food. All the way there, Amber chattered about the ridiculous notion that Nyx would bother with her. The one valid point was the only thing they did was kiss, why would a thousand year old relations.h.i.+p have friction now. I tend to agree with her, it is ridiculous.

After taking a seat in a semi-circle booth, we placed our order with a bouncy happy waitress. A group of police officers are right next to us, and a young family are in the booth behind us. When we're in public, we try to keep the Tamer talk to a minimum. It wouldn't be good for cops to overhear us talking about banis.h.i.+ng G.o.ds to the Underworld.

"Miss Gayle, do you ever date?" Amber asked.

I sigh, thinking about our earlier conversation about Mr Gabe.

"Is this a conspiracy? You two aren't planning on playing match maker are you? Believe me when I say, I don't blind date. As for your question Amber, yes, I've had a date or two with some mighty nice men."

"Do tell," Amber says.

I can tell grandma is thinking about the way she is going to answer nosey Amber.

"Well, I went out with one fool man that runs a local company. He only wanted one thing, and you know what that is."

Sheesh, if she starts talking about her s.e.x life, I'm going to run out of here screaming.

"He was just looking for a booty-call? How old was he?" Amber asked.

"Booty-call, what on earth is that?"

"You know, bow-chica-wow-wow." She said as danced in her seat.

"Amber, you did not just go there!" I say with my mouth full of gyro meat trying to hide my rudeness with my hand.

"Oh, I went there."

Grandma Gayle laughed at the two of us. "He wanted my money, dirty minded little girl."

"Who me?" Amber asked and played shy. "Okay, who else?"

Grandma glances at me, before she answers the question. "Don't turn around, but I dated one of the men at that table. It's a small town, not a lot to pick from."

Both of us practically broke our necks as we snapped them towards the cop filled table.

"Ewww, was it the old one with the jar head hair cut?" I whisper. Grandma smiles mischievously.

"Was it the blonde?" Amber asks.

"Nope, both of you're wrong. See the guy at the end of the table? He has that fifties movie star look."

"What? The guy that looks like he's twenty-five?" He's handsome and young, dark hair and light-colored eyes. I couldn't tell what color they are from my vantage point though. I think he looks like Channing Tatum, I'm not familiar with too many fifties hunks.

She smiled smugly at us. "He is not in his twenties. I know this, because we met at his thirtieth birthday party at the Woods Country Club."

"Now that's a cougar. Me ow," Amber whispers loudly.

"He's easy on the eyes, but not much of a conversationalist. Too bad. He comes from a wealthy family."

I check around the room for our waitress and wouldn't you know...Thorne is at a table alone. I thought I saw someone at the table when we arrived; the customer had the menu up covering his face. He must feel me staring at him, he looks up and winks at me. He is inescapable.

A minute later, I have Amber grabbing my wrist, digging her nails in with her excitement. "He's here."

Knowing exactly who she's talking about, I play dumb. "Who?"

"Thorne...he's over there. He looks hot, don't you think. No, of course you don't. Agh, did you see him? He saw me talking about him. He is too delicious for this town. He makes me want to slap someone," Amber rambles uncontrollably.

"I've no idea what you're talking about. You want to randomly hit people because you think he's cute? I'm so confused."

She smacks her hands on the table and yelps like a dog with rabies. "You'll survive. I'm inviting him to sit with us. You don't mind do you Miss Gayle?" She holds her hands up in prayer.

Grandma looks at her like she has lost her marbles all over the floor. "Go," she says.

"I'm gonna do it," she says and gets up from the table.

He walks over and sits down. Of course he does. I wish Caleb was here. If I concentrate real hard, I can send him a direct message. That's a perk to having our bond. The good part is we can talk secretly, the bad part, he can hear my thoughts when we're together. I've been practicing keeping him out of my head. When he first told me about us being Light Tamers, he told me he has my memories too. At first, I was only able to hear him when we kissed. If he concentrates, we can communicate. It can be embarra.s.sing when you know that he knows every single thing about you. That's why I can't understand how I'll keep Thorne from showing up in my memories. I still only get Caleb's memories when we kiss.

"Jess, are you with us?" Amber shakes my arm to get my attention.

I move closer to grandma as Amber and Thorne scooted in.

"Miss Gayle, this is Thorne. Thorne, this is Miss Gayle, Jessie's mother's mother."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Thorne. I heard you had an eventful first day at Parca Academy."

"Yes, it was. I've never had a girl throw herself at me."

"I did not throw myself at you. I simply marked my territory."

What are you a dog? "You didn't just say that?" I shake my head.

She tucks her blue extension behind her ear and flashes her best innocent smile. "Clearly it was the most dramatic thing I could come up with. I can't help it if I'm a trend setter."

Grandma chokes on her coffee. "My goodness, someone is feisty tonight. Anyone up for milk with your baklava?"

I'm sure if he sticks around, Amber will make sure to keep him entertained. I wonder how it works, if he's a guardian, can he date a Tamer? It would suck if he was in the middle of making out with Amber, and his guardian bell goes off. Talk about awkward moments.

"What school did you come from?"

"Yeah, where did you come from?" Amber repeats.

"I'm from Idaho, it was a small town with a smaller school." Thorne says, using the Idaho comment I gave him the other night.

"You're the boy that was talking to Jessie at the Wal Marts aren't you?"