Chapter 151: Fates
*Luck never gives, it only lends. – Scottish Proverb*
Church was going on downstairs. Nessie was curled up on her bed crying. He was leaving her. It was what she wanted, what needed to happen. He would be safe.
She didn’t want him to go.
The secured land line phone on her bedside table rang. There were only a few in her family that had the phone number. Her mum, Grams and Papa Dean. And it would be early morning in Scotland.
She reached over and picked it up. “’Allo.”
“Nach. None of that, lass.” Grams Stewart said. “Tell me why yer upset.”
“Yeh know why.” Nessie sniffled.
“Aye, I do. But you need to say the words. Words have power, lass, yeh know this.”
“He’s gonna leave me.” She whispered.
“Only if yeh let him."
“Yer vision-"
“Acht. Visions change. That’s the thing about shadows. It’s not until it happens that it becomes clear.”
“Grams, I can’t be the reason he dies.”
“But can you be the reason he lives?” came the counter argument from a half dozen time zones away.
“What do yeh mean?”
“There are many ways to die. Are yeh not dying right now? Heart breaking? Why are yeh not living?”
“Bradley-"
“Acht. Enough about him. Yeh can’t stop living because of fear. He wins. He’s won enough. Take back yer life.”
“But Grams-"
“Nacht. I’m going back to bed. Go figure out what yer doing.”
A dial tone filled her ear after Grams Stewart hung up. Nessie hung up the phone and considered her mother’s great grandmother’s words. She felt the presence before she heard the voice telling her not to waste her opportunity.
With resolve she rolled off the bed and headed downstairs. She leaned against the wall opposite the church door to wait. It wasn’t long before the doors opened and the brothers all started filing out.
“Knuckles?” She said softly as he walked out. He looked at her and froze before stepping over to her and brushing tears off her cheeks.
“Why are you crying?” he asked her quietly.
“Please don’t leave me.” She whispered as more tears fell.
Knuckles smiled at her. “That’s all you ever had to say."
She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest as more tears fell. He engulfed her in his own arms and rested his chin on her head. Closing his eyes, he savored the feel of her, ignoring the fact that his brothers would be giving him hell soon enough.
Toad walked out last and clapped Knuckles on the shoulder as he passed. He then headed for his room one floor up. As was her usual church night event, Siobhan was soaking in a bubble bath.
“Knuckles asked to go to the mother house.” Toad said sitting on the toilet lid.
“Told you that he would.” She grinned. “But you look happy.”
“Nessie was waiting for him in the hall. And when I walked by them, they were literally wrapped up in each other.”
“How literally?”
“They weren’t fucking, but they weren’t far from it either.” He said as he leaned over and pulled the plug out of the bathtub.
“What are you doing?” Siobhan objected as the water began to drain.
“Going to show you what they were doing. And then show you what I plan on doing to you later.”
“You’re going to show me and then what do it again?” She asked accepting his hand to help get out.
“With some recovery time in between. Woman, I’m not as young as I used to be.”
