Auracle. Part 28

"What?" Rei pats the hammock beside him, so I climb on, kneeling in the empty spot. He looks so happy, I can only guess it's because Seth is a free man.

"Taylor's gone into the light."

He looks stunned for a second. "You're sure?"

"I'm positive. I just watched her go."

"Hallelujah!" He pulls me into a full-body hug and falls back into the hammock, taking me down with him. I let out a squeal, just because he's caught me by surprise, then we both realize we're lying in a rather intimate way.

"Um..." There's a lot of awkward s.h.i.+mmying on both our parts until I'm beside him and my head finds that sweet spot on his shoulder.

"Soooo," I say to break the silence, "she wanted you to know she's sorry she accidentally stabbed you."

Rei nods, then rests his chin on top of my head.

"Is Seth okay?"

"Seth is excellent! They let him out right after we left. He's coming over later this afternoon."

What must Seth think? Anna Rogan was ready to testify against him and send him to jail for a crime he didn't commit. "Is he mad at me?" I have to ask.

"No," Rei sounds surprised. "Why would he be mad at you? I told him you hit your head and your memory was a mess. Although he thinks he saw you in the woods the day we were caught in New York."

"Yeah, I figured he saw me."

"I didn't even think of it, there was so much going on. I'll have to figure out a way to talk us out of that one." Rei strums his fingers against my shoulder.

"Is it the worst thing if he knew? I mean maybe not the part about how I healed your back, but I don't want Seth to think he's crazy on top of everything else."

"I don't know. I think the worst thing would be if you left your body and someone else got in," Rei admits. "Or if you got sucked into a black hole."

I poke him in the stomach. "Why are you so paranoid about black holes?"

He laughs. "I just want you to be safe."

There cannot be a better place anywhere in the universe than right here, lying next to Rei. I rest my hand on his chest, just over his heart, and he weaves his fingers through mine. It's an almost perfect moment. But what would I do for this boy I have known my entire life? Would I give up the keys to the universe? I would. "I don't want you to worry, Rei. I can't guarantee I won't ever slip out during a dream, but if you'd feel better, I won't leave again intentionally."

He's just staring off into the trees. "I wouldn't ask you to do that, Anna. I know you love going places, and I wouldn't stick you in a box like that. It's no fun in a box. Just ... maybe can you stay on earth?"

"I can do that." I think. But as right as it feels to cuddle up in this hammock, something still feels wrong, and I realize what I can't do is sit here in Rei's box with him and worry about Yumi. "You know if your mom comes home and sees us lying on this hammock together, she'll have a fit."

"Then she has a fit."

"But what if she's right?" That thought is so painful, but I want him to know what's making me uncomfortable here. "What happens when you go off to college? You'll meet other girls who don't have alcoholic DNA and who actually have some common sense steering their train of thought."

"Anna," Rei begins, but I lean up on my elbow and put my fingers on his lips to shush him.

"And you are brilliant and you're going to do something amazing with your life, and what am I going to do?"

Rei sighs. "You don't have defective DNA. And you don't even know where I want to go to college or what I want to do with my life."

"Of course I don't. You've never told me."

"Because I was afraid to admit it. But the one good thing Taylor did while she was here was make me realize I don't have to follow the line my mother drew for me. Just because I'm good at math and science doesn't mean I want a career in either of them. I know what I want to do, and she's not going to like it, but she has to accept that it's my decision, not hers."

"What do you want to do?"

"I want to go to the University of Vermont," he says. "I want to take a double major in nutrition and business, then I want to get an MBA, open up a few stores like my parents' and franchise them." He looks at me hopefully. "What do you think?"

Wow. He's obviously given this some serious thought. There is just one problem. "So if you have a degree in nutrition, will you give me grief every time I eat a cookie?"

"No."

"Then I love it! Will you hire me to teach the little kids' yoga cla.s.s?"

"Is that what you really want to do?"

What do I really want to do? A week ago I would have said that I would love to teach little kids yoga, but now I feel like I've discovered this gift of healing for a reason. Maybe there is a way to channel that healing energy to do some good in a way that doesn't draw too much attention to myself.

"If I could afford to go to school to learn more about alternative medicine," I say tentatively, "maybe you would need someone to do Reiki in your stores."

"You're hired," he says immediately.

"Wait a minute." I laugh and roll onto my stomach, leaning up on my elbows so I can look at him, lying there so adorably. "Shouldn't we discuss stuff like salary, vacation time, a benefit package?"

"What kind of benefits are we talking about here?" he asks.

"Well, medical insurance..."

"Okay." His smile is irresistible.

"... and dental..." I did brush my teeth recently, didn't I?

He leans up to meet me halfway, and the connection between us is audible, like a seat belt clicking together. Like a key opening a lock. Like the first bite of a warm cinnamon roll with melted icing, his kiss is warm and sweet and tender. I can't help it, "Mmmmm" just slips out, and I feel his lips smile against mine. He moves his hand down my back and rolls us over so I'm on the bottom, and deep inside my stomach, there's an insatiable feeling that I could just stay right here kissing Rei until ...

... the bottom of the world drops out.

Okay, I admit I screamed as I fell. One of those surprised little shrieks, and the word that popped out of Rei's mouth was definitely in English. Fortunately, it wasn't too far down to the ground.

"Sorry! Are you okay?"

I start to laugh because I landed on top of him, so of course I'm fine. "Yes. Are you?" I push up on my arms to look down at him, and he looks just as amused by our tumble. "What happened?"

"Gravity happened. I guess I didn't pay enough attention to where the edge of the hammock was. Hey," he says as he slowly tilts his head back and looks around, "what's up with the willow tree?"

I look around and sure enough, everything is perfectly still except the willow's branches, which are swaying like a gale force wind is blowing through.

"That's really strange," Rei observes.

"No, it's not. And that's not a weeping willow," I inform. "It's a peeping willow."

He laughs. I let the sun fill me up with its light until I feel it glow within me, then I run my fingers from Rei's temple down his cheek to his chin.

He feels the familiar tingle, and turns his head to kiss my fingertips.

"Do you know what's even better than a supernova?" I ask him.

"What's that?"

I lean down so our foreheads are touching, so when I talk my lips barely brush against his.

"This..."

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

Infinite thanks to the two people who made publis.h.i.+ng Auracle possible: My agent, Andrea Somberg from Harvey Klinger, Inc. for rescuing me from the slush pile, for patiently going above and beyond the call of duty, and for finding Auracle the perfect home. And my editor, Katherine Jacobs from Roaring Brook Press, for saying "Yes!" for loving my characters as much as I do, and for paving a smooth and joyful road to publication for me.

Thanks also to the entire team at Roaring Brook Press, especially to Sarah DeCapua and Jill Freshney for copyediting with such sharp eyes, Roberta Pressel for her special design work, and Mike Yuen for the gorgeous cover.

To my early readers-Dee Avery, Victoria Cetrone, Marissa Duckworth, Becca and Deborah Mathis, Jill Mulholland, Gale and Tatiana Taylor, Ariel, Ca.s.sie and Dorothy Weithman-to my critique group, the Nashua Area Children's Authors-and to the talented authors from the Cla.s.s of 2k12 and the Apocalypsies debut author groups.

To Barb Aeschliman for my webpage, Marc Nozell for my photos, Sensei Verne for martial arts advice, Holly Robinson for that first boost of confidence, Joe Annutto for answering a desperate legal question (any errors are mine), and special thanks to Peggy Annutto for sharing her thoughts about the power of positive energy.

To Marcia McNulty, Wendy Thomas, Laura Denehy, Carol Figueroa, Diane Fitzgerald, Cindy Hann, Rosemarie Rung, Paula Super, my Broadway Bound friends and everyone who cheered Auracle on.

To my sister, Cathy Cabral, my brother, John Cetrone, Joe Turco, Jerry and Mary Rosati, Art, Linda, Brad and Scott Everly.

Endless love and grat.i.tude to my husband, Jerry, and my children, Jerry and Laynie-you are my suns.h.i.+ne!

Special thanks to my Marys, especially my mom, Mary Hurley, who is smiling down.

And to you, wonderful readers. Writing is much more fun when I'm not just talking to myself.

end.