Chapter 38: So Much for the Truth

Zach caught up with Grace at the bottom of her steps. He pulled her into his embrace. “It’s okay. Dolores doesn’t have a lot of imagination.”
“You don’t believe me either.”
“I do. Or at least I’m trying.”
The colors green and gray danced in front of her eyes. Her heart skipped a beat and the world went a little cockeyed. “I need to sit.”
“Let’s get you inside.”
His voice floated past her ear. The back yard grew blurry. Her knees went weak. “Zach.”
He scooped her up before she could fall. She hated and liked the feeling of his strong arms around her. He held her as if he carried damsels all the time.
She cursed herself for her weakness, especially since it involved Zach. Without her wanting it he could have her on her knees.
He placed her on her sofa bed as if she were fine China. The visions disappeared, but his touch remained. She didn’t understand this. It made no sense. Why did he sometimes affect her, but not other times? She didn’t need this part of her life being off-balance. She only wanted to get through to her birthday.
All would be over then. Her power gone, but then so would Zach. He wouldn’t remember and that made her heart ache.
“Let me get you some water.”
She grabbed at him. “Don’t go.” She’d never clung to anyone, not even Mark. Her mother had warned her to go through life alone, at least until her power was gone.
Funny, her mother hadn’t and her father ended up being killed when neither of them could help. Exhaustion crept into her bones like a dog coming back to its master after it has been bad.
He sat next to her, studying her, as if memorizing her features. “The colors?”
“Yes, but they’re gone now.”
He smiled. “Good. Don’t let Dolores bother you.”
“She did, but I shouldn’t have said anything. What’s our next move?”
He snuggled her closer, the embrace of a lover. She knew if she just kissed him, he’d make love to her. That’s a memory she would hold in her heart forever.
“Well, she kicked me out so I can’t stay in her house. I guess I’ll camp in my car. Do you really think that it’ll happen tonight.”
She bit her lip. “I don’t know anything anymore.”
“Well, just in case.”
He stood.
“Stay.”
His gaze went molten. “I can sleep on a chair.”
Her heart leapt. The idea of a warm body next to hers appealed to her. Especially his warm body. “No. There’s room on the bed.”
His head shook, his lids half-closed. “I can’t sleep next to you and not want something.”
He reached out to her. She leaned into his hand. “I don’t expect you to. I’m a big girl, Zach. I can make these choices.”
His smile lit up the room. “I’m going to do a circuit of the property. I’ll be back. Don’t let anyone else in.”
Grace laughed. “Who else would be here?”
“The boogey man,” Zach said, then left.
***
Zach walked in the waning sunlight. No one stirred, but a dog barked in the next block. He missed the sounds of a neighborhood, barbecues, kids screaming. You only heard footsteps in an apartment building. Sometimes someone played their stereo too loud.
He had to buy a house. He nodded as if he’d just made a major decision. Maybe he had. A decision to finally let another woman into his heart.
He rounded the front porch and heard a shot. His heart pumped wildly as he let himself into Dolores’ front door. The back door slammed as he searched for his ex-wife.
She lay bleeding in the hallway. The nurse was unconscious in the kitchen.
“Grace.”
As if a spirit bidden by a spell, she appeared in the doorway. “I heard the shot.”
“Did you see anyone?”
“No.”
Grace grabbed the phone and dialed for an ambulance.
“Damn. You were right.”
Her face told him she thought he’d believed her. He bit his tongue. He’d revealed that he hadn’t actually believed her.
Wrenching the sheet off of Dolores’ bed, he bunched it up and put it over her gaping chest wound. He held it down as if his life depended on it. If Dolores lived, Grace wouldn’t have to leave. His pulsed beat double time as his muscles strained to hold down the sheet.
“They’re on the way,” said Grace. She felt for a pulse, but shook her head. Then she began CPR.
No pulse appeared on Dolores before the EMT's arrived.
***
Grace surveyed the emergency department’s waiting room thinking she’d been here too much lately not even counting when she worked. She knew the time would come soon to rewind.
She had less than an hour before her birthday. He heart raced at the idea she might not get to Dolores in time.
Dolores would ask that of her once again to help her. Her bones ached with weariness while her heart pumped with a newfound love.
Too bad he wouldn’t remember her. She would start from scratch with him. For once she didn’t want to leave anything behind. Usually it didn’t matter. Even though she’d been in a relationship last time the timing of it had been that she’d only lost a bit of the relationship. She didn’t start again.
Zach wandered in and sat down next to her. His shoulders slumped and a piece of hair stood up from running his hand through it. He still cared about Dolores, if only a little bit.
“They’re still working on her.”
“I can find out more, but it’s better to let them work.”
He nodded his breath coming out in noisy burst. “I’m not a patient person.”
She touched his arm, a wave of dizziness washed over her. Her eyes fell closed and she slowed her breathing. His arms went around her probably as much for himself as for her comfort.
“I should have believed you. I’m sorry.”