Dentelle (23 page)

He’d installed a secret room in our home even before we got
married, insisting that it was only a precautionary step in ensuring our
safety. At the time, I never thought that a day would come when it had to be
used. Nor did I realize that the safe room was meant only for me. Things
happened so fast that night. One minute I was curled up next to him; the next
he was kissing me fiercely and then shoving me into the secret room, making me
promise I wouldn’t come out no matter what I heard. His last words to me were,
“Ellen, life with you has been an adventure and a privilege. Please don’t stop
living. Not ever. You must live in all the moments of the present and the
future. Enjoy them as you know I would have enjoyed them with you. Promise me,”
he’d commanded.

“I promise,” I’d whispered back, tears flooding down my face.

He’d kissed me once more and said, “I love you, Ellen.” And
then he shut the door. I believe he already knew he was going to die that
night. He must have seen it in his premonition.

It’s okay to cry now, Lexi-girl. I’m bawling, too.

My eyes were so blurry, I couldn’t see the words
on the page anymore, and my nose was running like a sieve. I wadded up a bunch of
tissues and cried my eyes out. Eventually, with a shaky hand, I picked up the
last page of the letter.

Jonathan was the love of my life. The only reason I survived
that night was because he saved me. It wasn’t until after the fact I learned
how Guardians and Ray-pacs can detect each other’s presence because of their
links. Jonathan had kept that from me. He’d known I’d be safe in the secret
room because my presence was not discernible. After the loss of Jonathan and
most of my friends in the Paris Circle, I grieved for a long time. Then the war
came along, throwing the world into turmoil. It was a horrible time in my life
personally and all around me.

Eventually, I remembered my promise to Jonathan and decided to
start living again. I could only do that if I left Paris, though, so I packed
up and moved to the United States. All that pain I’d experienced led me on an
incredible journey through the healing process, and when I emerged from that
dark place, I was ready to laugh and feel again. I explored the states and
traveled the world. I never remarried, but I dated and, in time, had a long,
loving relationship with someone else who treated me well. As you know, I never
had children. But don’t feel sorry for me. I had a full life.

And that brings me to you, my dear. Another ray of sunshine in
my life. A few weeks after you started visiting me, I realized how much better
I felt after your touch. Now remember, I can’t feel Essence like my Jonathan
could, but I know the difference between feeling good and strong versus feeling
old, creaky, and exhausted. Believe me, within a few seconds of your touch, I
was ready to waltz down the hallways. Finally, I put it all together and
realized you were an Amethyst. I cannot tell you the joy I gained from that
knowledge. My sweet Jonathan and my sweet Lexi-girl were connected in ways I
never thought possible. Just knowing Guardians and Amethysts are roaming the
streets of little old Bellingham makes me want to learn hip hop and have a
party. Simply marvelous.

When you introduced me to Ash, I must say, I was baffled. I
wasn’t sure if he was an injured Guardian and you were trying to nurse him back
to health, or what? You see, his eyes were that glowing amber of someone who is
depleted of Essence. Jonathan once told me the Ray-pacs have eyes like that
most of the time. Over the years, I’ve been watchful but never encountered one.
I still haven’t figured out Ash’s story. Hopefully, I will soon. I do know that
I’m ready to discuss Guardians with you, so hopefully we will and then you’ll
never have to read this letter. But if you are, I want you to know I gave some
orchid pollen to Ash, just in case you should ever encounter the Ray-pacs. I
want you safe. (Then I got to thinking, maybe you don’t know about the pollen,
and here I’ve been rambling on about it in my letter. All you need to know is
that it has a short-time paralyzing effect on Ray-pacs or Guardians if inhaled.
That’s why I always kept my Paris Circle supplied with it. Use it if you are
ever in trouble. Just blow it in their face).

And finally, money issues. I never told you, dear, but I am a
very rich old lady! I have left tons of money to my favorite charities. And I
am leaving you a large sum of money as well, and I expect you to take it. This
is an order, not a request. Use it for your college tuition, use it to help
people, and use it to help support the Guardians. Nothing would make me
happier.

Thank you for being a part of my life. Remember to live in all
the moments of the present. I always knew you were an exceptional girl. Now I
understand why. You and my Jonathan, Guardians and Amethysts…who would have
guessed it? Life works in wonderful and mysterious ways. Know that I am at
peace, and I am with him again.

Love you always, Lexi-girl,

                
Ellen

Through my teary eyes, I smiled. “Love you too,
Ellen.”

It took about ten minutes to turn off my faucet
of tears. I knew Ellen Zimmerman was a special lady, but I’d had no idea of the
experiences she’d lived through. She’d always refrained from talking about
herself, and instead, had questioned me incessantly about my life. How I wished
we’d connected earlier and been able to share our stories. After a bit, I put
my tennis shoes back on and paced the room for a couple minutes. When I felt
certain I was once again composed, I asked Mr. Crompton to come back in.

After he and I were alone in his office, he
smiled and said, “Tear-jerker?”

I chuckled. “You know Ellen, she sure knew how
to tell a story.”

He laughed. “She did indeed.” He opened the
folder and grabbed yet another envelope. Strolling purposefully around his
desk, he leaned against it and tapped the envelope against his hand. “This is a
check from Ellen’s estate. You may look at it now or later. Ellen wanted you to
have this money. She knew you would use it wisely. She loved you.” This time he
held out a plain white envelope.

“Thank you,” I said. Stepping forward, I took it
from his hands. “I think I’ll open it later, if you don’t mind?”

“Completely understandable.”

“Mr. Crompton, thank you for allowing me to
monopolize your office while I read Ellen’s letter.”

We shook hands. “You’re welcome, Lexi. If you
have any questions please contact me anytime.” After a few more parting words,
I excused myself.

When I stepped outside, I closed my eyes for a
minute and allowed the sunshine to engulf me in a warm embrace. The sun felt
good against my face, like life. Smiling, I opened my eyes and ambled towards
Jason’s truck.

Looking all sexy with his sun-bleached hair and
bright eyes, he was leaning casually against his truck with his arms crossed.
“Hey, pretty lady. Can I offer you a ride?”

“Even if I wasn’t dating you, I’d say yes,” I
said, stopping in front of him.

“I hope you wouldn’t say that to just any guy.”

“Only the cute ones,” I teased. Pulling his arms
apart, I leaned my head against his chest. His heartbeat was strong and his
Essence was even stronger. I couldn’t imagine losing him to a Ray-pac. Talk
about devastation. Lifting my head, I stood on my tip-toes and held his face.
His skin was soft and smooth under my fingers. Sizzling.

“Hey, what’s this all about?”

“Just following Ellen’s advice, baby.”

“What’s that?” He looked puzzled and his lashes
curled.

“Living in the moment.” And with that, I pressed
my lips against his and kissed him passionately. He trembled under my touch,
and his hands slapped against his truck. I flattened myself against him,
allowing my Essence to flow evenly from my every inch of my body into his.
Touching him provoked a storm of sensations. Helpless shivers swept through my
body. My heart raced. And my nerves flared to a scream. An intimate connection
that was powerful and, quite frankly, hot, hot, hot. Of course, the hot, hot,
hot turned into burn, burn, burn all too soon, and he squirmed away. His
absence and the letdown was immediate.

His eyes were wide open and he exhaled a deep
breath. “Oh, Alex! I wish I could live in the moment a little longer than
that.”

“It will happen…someday,” I said, fighting to
stop the sadness from cracking my voice. “I sure hope you’ll be ready when it
does.”

He looked at me, something between regret and
apology flashed in his eyes. “I’m past ready. I want us to be together. In
every way.”

“We will. Right now, though,” I said, fanning my
face, “I need to cool down. Your touch leaves me wanting more…”

“No, Alex. It’s your touch that does that to me.
And I can’t even begin to describe how badly I need to cool down.”

Laughing, we climbed into his truck, and he
immediately turned on the air conditioning. I told him about my meeting with
Mr. Crompton and about the letter, promising I’d read it to him later when I
was emotionally ready to experience it again. Then, I touched his nose with the
envelope and said, “Okay, I’m going to open this. Let’s see how much ‘helping
others’ Mrs. Zimmerman had in mind for me.”

My hand trembled as I opened the envelope. My
jaw dropped and my eyes nearly popped out of my head when I looked at the
amount.

One million dollars.

“Holy crap!” I exclaimed.

Leaning across the seat, Jason looked shocked as
well. “Well, that’s putting it mildly.”

“I’m going to help
a ton
of people with this,” I said, my hand still covering my open
mouth.

Suddenly, my cell phone rang, scaring the living
daylights out of me. I grabbed it out of my purse. “Hello.” I frowned and
listened to the frantic voice on the other end. Jason turned the radio down.

A moment later, the million dollar check fell
from my hands. I turned in my seat and looked at Jason, all the blood draining
from my face. “What? What do you mean she’s missing? Have you called the
police?” I shook my head. “No, she would never just wander off. Tell me what
you know.” I listened, clutching my cell so tightly my knuckles turned pasty
white. “Okay. Got it. I’m going to gather all my friends, and we’ll be there
soon to help search for her.”

I snapped the phone shut as Jason’s concerned
voice said, “What’s going on?”

“You have to take us to Cornwall Park. Right
now. Tell Madison to call Max and Shelby and have everyone meet us there. Ava
Rose is m-missing.” My voice finally faltered. “She’s been missing for several
hours.”

With his foot heavy on the pedal, Jason
maneuvered through traffic as best as he could without being reckless.
Meanwhile, I frantically touched base with Ash and told him to gather Noa, the
band members, and anyone else they could think of to help search for Ava Rose.
Then I called Jessica and Ally but had to leave messages because neither of
them answered. Fear had my stomach in knots. My breaths, short and choppy, made
it difficult to fill Jason in on the few details I had received from Ava Rose’s
foster mother, Robyn. Namely, that the five kids had gone to the Sprinkler Park
at Cornwall around 10:30 a.m. About an hour later, Ava Rose went to the restroom
on her own but never came back. How long she’d been gone before the two older
kids, Sam and Chloe, became worried was still up for debate. They weren’t sure
if it was closer to10 or 20 minutes. Regardless, when they realized too much
time had elapsed, Chloe went looking for her, while Sam stayed and kept an eye
on the two younger ones. After finding no traces of Ava, Chloe called Robyn.

In a panic, Robyn rushed to the park and
conducted a quick search of her own before calling the police. While awaiting
their arrival, she and Chloe approached other park-goers and Sam took the
little kids home. Despite talking with a ton of people, Robyn could find no one
who’d noticed anything unusual or seen a girl fitting Ava Rose’s description.
Before long word had traveled through the playground of a missing girl, and
other concerned parents started rounding up their children. By the time the
police arrived, everyone was on edge and on alert.

I raised my feet to the glove compartment,
grabbed my knees, and bowed my head. “I can’t believe this is happening.” I
lifted my head, and turned towards Jason. “Ava Rose is a smart girl. She
wouldn’t wander off. No way. Something terrible must have happened.” My stomach
clenched and I pressed a hand to it. “I have a really bad feeling about this.”

“You can’t think the worst, Alex.” He stretched
a hand over, touched my cheek, but instantly flinched and withdrew. “It’s times
like this, when I want to touch you and can’t that I feel so…so inadequate.” He
glanced my way, a pained expression dominating his handsome face. “I’m sorry I
can’t be everything you need me to be. To comfort you when you need it most.”

Reaching out, I held my hand against the side of
his smooth face. “You are everything. I thank God you’re here right now, giving
me encouragement, because otherwise, I might be crumbling into a thousand
pieces. Either that, or going into hysterics,” I admitted.

“Your hands are ice cold, babe. You need to take
care of that.” He braked suddenly, and we both flew forward in our seats. I
looked out the window and frowned when I saw a black cat darting across the
road in front of us. We exchanged sidelong glances.

“This is so not good,” I muttered.

“We’ll find her,” he said, picking up speed
again. “How long did you say she’s been missing?”

I shrugged and noted the dashboard clock read,
3:18 p.m. “A little more than three hours I’d guess.” My voice sounded hollow.
Empty.

“Why didn’t they call sooner?”

“I don’t know. A million reasons. I’m not
family. They were tied up with the police. They’re just getting ready to expand
the search now and realize they need more help.”

“Shhh. You are family to Ava, Alex – like a big
sister. Forget I asked that dumb question. Let’s just focus. We’ll have a lot of
ground to cover, but we can do it.” He stopped talking abruptly, and even
though he was focused on driving, he was nodding like he was listening to a
bluetooth. Even if he hadn’t been nodding, I would have known Madison was in
his head. Every time they communicated, the creases in his forehead deepened,
his eyes glazed over, and his right eyebrow twitched. Eventually, he brushed
one hand against his temple and then took a deep breath. “Ok, Madison just
informed me that she, Ash, Trevon, Shelby, and Laci are already at the park.
Ash sent his band friends to the Columbia neighborhood to search. Max started
work about twenty minutes ago, and since he’s running the store right now, he
can’t leave. But he just found a replacement checker for Jessica, so she’s on
her way with Ben. I guess Max insisted Ben go with her, saying the produce
department could handle the load without him.”

“What about everyone else in our Circle?” I
asked, referring to the remaining Guardians of the Bellingham Circle. All of
whom we saw and met up with often but didn’t hang out with socially. They were
their own tight-knit group like we were.

“Yes. Kathy and Collin are at work but will join
us later. Todd and Lara will be scouring North Bellingham, while Amy and Justin
focus on the south. They’ll be paying special attention to cars with kids in
them.” His eyes flashed in warning. “According to Madison, it’s pretty chaotic
at Cornwall right now. Police have it cordoned off and have closed all three
entrances. Anyone who was already parked inside, and now wants to leave, has to
have their car inspected first.”

Nearing the park, we found traffic on the main
street already backed up for at least a mile. Anxious to get there, Jason
pulled his truck into a nearby neighborhood, and even though we parked several
blocks away, he figured we’d make better time walking. We met up with our
friends, who were waiting at the south entrance. Gaining access to the park
wasn’t easy. Finally, I produced a picture of Ava Rose from my wallet,
convincing them we were close personal friends of the family and would be
instrumental in the search. During our solemn jaunt along the dirt path, we
passed the first tee of the disc golf course. Memories came flooding back. I
glanced towards the picnic tables and shivered. That’s where Ash had broken
down – told me the tragic story of how his whole family had died in that
horrible car accident. That’s also where I’d found out he was linked with a
Ray-pac. This was like the bad news park if ever there was one.

“I know
what you’re thinking. Don’t let yourself get carried away with all the bad
vibes. You know Ava Rose needs you to stay positive.”

I jerked and caught his eye.
“I know. Thanks for kickin’ my butt.”

When Robyn spotted me, she broke into a run. A
petite woman with a big heart, she always looked tired and frazzled. She
embraced children, offered them a safe and loving home until they could return
to their own homes, be adopted, or live independently. I knew she would take in
a hundred foster kids if the rules allowed for it, but five was all she had
room for in her Victorian house. Ava Rose had been with her a little over a
year. But truth be told, Ava Rose had probably spent more time at the Cancer
Care Center than at her foster house.

Today, Robyn herself looked hospital-bound. My
guess – she blamed herself for Ava Rose’s disappearance. Probably wished she
hadn’t sent the kids to the park without her, even though Sam and Chloe were 15
and 14, respectively. She nearly fainted in my arms when I hugged her, and she
started sobbing. My own floodgates opened, and for the umpteenth time that day,
my face was drenched with tears. I held Robyn tight and doused her with
Essence. Ash was right. I needed to be strong. Strong for Robyn. And strong for
Ava Rose. I’d already lost Ellen Zimmerman, the oldest of all my friends. I
wasn’t about to lose my youngest friend, too.

After Robyn calmed down long enough to speak in
coherent sentences, she thanked us all for coming. Then she proceeded to fill
us in on the latest developments. The police had talked with a woman who
thought she’d seen a little girl fitting Ava Rose’s description, walking hand
in hand with a man. They’d been in the parking lot by the big open field, but
according to the witness, Ava Rose had been smiling. She hadn’t appeared
threatened or scared in any way. The lady who’d seen them had even thought to
herself how nice it was to see little girl out with her father. She’d hadn’t
studied the man but remembered him having short brown hair and an athletic
build. She also thought he’d been wearing sunglasses and dark shorts. I
pondered this information and asked if that description fit any of their family
friends or neighbors, but Robyn said it didn’t.

“Can you tell us what Ava Rose was wearing?”
Jason asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Yes. She was wearing her purple swimsuit and
flip-flops, but Chloe said she’d thrown on a pink t-shirt before h-heading to
the b-bath-r-rooms.” Robyn burst into tears again. Luckily, her sister and
another lady arrived at that exact moment and took over with the moral support.
We told them we were going to join the search and would check-in with them
later.

As we discussed our best options, Jessica and
Ben came running up and joined us. They’d snuck in along a trail located at the
back of the park and had somehow avoided security altogether. In the end, we
decided to split up and spread out through the surrounding neighborhoods,
everybody on their own. Since Ben and Jessica couldn’t travel as fast as the
rest of us, their task was to thoroughly explore the park. Once we had our
designated areas figured out, I gave Jason a quick hug and we all scrambled off
in opposite directions.

Wanting to retrace Ava Rose’s steps, I started
at the Sprinkler Park. Despite the temperatures hovering around 80 degrees and
the water tubes shooting at full blast, the area was noticeably empty of
children. In the neighboring playground, a police officer jotted down notes
while talking with a group of adults. I hurried along, passing the undercover
picnic area and finally reaching the bathrooms. I turned around. Yep. Too far
away to see the Sprinkler Park from here. I shook my head. Was it safe for an
eight year old to make a solo trip to the bathroom? No, I thought. I decided
there were always dangers lurking around every corner, whether the threat was
posed by nature I thought, glancing at the noisy creek running under the
footbridge, or by man. Parents needed to take precautions. In my mind, the
buddy system should be utilized through the middle school years.

After inspecting the wet, messy bathroom, I hit
the trail running. Jogging along the shady walkways, I hoped to release a
little tension. I ran for a good mile, calling out Ava Rose’s name while
scoping the brushy areas for any possible signs of foul play. I passed other
people who were also out, sweeping the trails and forest. The park was huge,
fitting the very definition of “multi-use” with its playfields, tennis courts,
open fields, horse shoe pits, and disc golf course. Pretty soon I was sweating,
and the further I went, the more frustrated and scared I became.

Nature trails weaved through the rolling woods.
But off the beaten path, the dense forest held pockets of secluded, unexplored
areas. Traveling along my current path, even the long, dark shadows intimidated
me. My mind started playing tricks, and I imagined someone hiding behind a
tree, waiting to jump out and claim a victim. Of course, I had an unfair
advantage – a Flair that allowed me to anticipate an attack. If only Ava Rose,
or any other child who’d ever been snatched, had that same ability.

My stomach recoiled at the idea of someone
grabbing Ava Rose. Was she okay? Was she hurt? Had she been kidnapped?
Kidnapping was the only explanation that made sense. She would never run away
or wander off. She loved her foster family, her school, and her friends. Maybe
the eye-witness was wrong, and it wasn’t Ava Rose she’d seen. But if it was,
and Ava Rose really had been with a stranger and she’d been smiling, then she’d
been tricked.

I clenched my fists and swore. My God, if she
had been kidnapped, what would they do to her? Unable to handle the morbid
thoughts any longer, I flew off the trail and vomited. Mostly dry heaves,
because I hadn’t eaten much all day. They were painful. Felt like someone was
pumping out my stomach. Bending over, I grabbed the nearest cedar tree for
support, but my hand got caught up in the rough bark. I took deep, faltering
breaths and wept. This was too much to take.

Ava Rose had already survived the horrors of
cancer – the chemotherapy, blood transfusions, and even the hair loss that went
along with that. All things no child should ever have to experience. Then, of
course, there would always be abandonment issues because of her loser mother.
And now this? She’d just recently finished the last phase of her leukemia
treatment – the maintenance stage. She was finally cancer-free and ready to
start living again. Not that she had ever stopped living. She was like a mini
version of Ellen Zimmerman. With a spunky spirit and contagious smile, her
infectious and inspiring nature had always been prominent – even through the
pokes and prods of countless treatments. I wiped my mouth on my sleeve and
stood up. She deserved to be carefree for once.

 
Anger
took over, welling up inside me, and I sprang back onto the trail. Running
faster, I tasted salty tears with every step. At one point, I lost my footing
and stumbled. Slamming my fist into the ground, I bounced back to my feet and
kicked the gravel. Bits and pieces flew outwards like shrapnel, but I gained
minimal satisfaction. Then I bolted forward. Not caring if someone witnessed me
running through the sun-streaked forest at supernatural speeds. Guardians. Oh
yes, all us Guardians living in Bellingham with these incredible abilities and
none of us had a premonition when it mattered most. Why? When it was personal
and would have saved one very important and special little girl. Unbelievable.

And me. A Dentelle, who’d spent hours with her –
supplying her with Essence as she’d fought to beat cancer – and I’d had no
insight whatsoever? Why? My premonitions only triggered when someone was about
to die, so did that man Ava Rose was still alive and well?

Suddenly, I emerged into a neighborhood and had
to slow my pace, because people were out in their yards, doing trivial everyday
tasks like weeding or mowing the lawn. Children were running through sprinklers
and riding their bikes. Life went on around me like nothing had happened. Like
a little girl hadn’t just disappeared in the park next to their homes. I wanted
to scream and shout at them. I wanted them to stop and help. I wanted them to
feel my pain, my heartache.