Now that is never to be.
— Aoibheann
"Sorry it's so late," I said sheepishly when I called Hunter. "You weren't in bed, were you?"
"No, not for hours yet," Hunter said. "How was the circle tonight?"
I'd arrived back at Sam's just moments before, and I had immediately picked up the phone. Not only did I owe Hunter a call, but I figured that once I told Hunter I was coming home, I couldn't back out. I had to move quickly before I lost my nerve.
"It was good," I said. "Different. My grandmother, she gave me my mother's tools. The athame… it has a mermaid handle."
Hunter gave a low whistle. He'd heard about my dream from Morgan.
"Oh," he said. "I see."
"At least I know I wasn't crazy," I said.
"I never thought you were crazy," he said matter-of-factly.
"I did," I said with a laugh. "Plenty of times. But Hunter… I…"
"Yes?"
"I know I need to come home, as soon as possible."
"That would probably be for the best," Hunter said, his voice immediately getting very calm. "The longer you wait, the more problems you may have."
"Maybe there's a bus leaving tonight," I replied, looking around the room as if Sam would have a huge bus schedule on the wall.
"No, not the bus. I'll come get you," he said, in a tone that didn't suggest I had an option.
I thought of what was probably an four-hour trip each way. "Hunter, it's far. You don't have to…"
"I know I don't have to. I want to. I'll leave soon. Tell me exactly where you are."
After listening to me making rambling guesses about the driving directions for about five minutes, Hunter cleared his throat and politely interrupted. "That's all right," he said. "I'll find the best route to Gloucester on a map. The sigil will guide me from there."
"How will I know when you're coming?" I said. "Should I set an alarm?"
"No need," he said. "You'll know. The sigil will warn you."
"Hunter… um, thanks. For everything. For what you did the other night—for this. There was a lot I needed to deal with."
He didn't reply for a second.
"I'm pleased to help," he said, his voice softening. "And Alisa, I'm glad you found what you were looking for."
We got off soon after. Where would be plenty of time for me to tell him everything on the long car ride home. I readied myself for a second call. Sam had Charlie's number in his little phone book on the counter. When he answered, I could hear music in the background. He seemed excited that I had called so soon after he dropped me off. But then he seemed to pick up on something, maybe the tone of my voice.
"Something's up," he said.
"Yeah," I said sadly.
"It's not great news," he said, "is it?"
"I have to go home. I need to go back to my family."
"When?"
"Tomorrow morning."
I heard the springs as he sat down quickly on his bed.
"Do smell or something?" he said, trying to make his voice sound light. "Because I'll shower…"
"I'm sorry. I'd really like to stay, but I have to go before the situation at home gets worse than it already is. My dad is really upset."
"A runaway." He sighed. "A fugitive. I fell for a dangerous type."
Fell for. Charlie had fallen for me. No one fell for me. I fell—into things, over things. I caused things to gall over. But no one had fallen for me, until now. I sank into one of the kitchen chairs, fighting the urge to call Hunter back and tell him not to come.
"But," Charlie went on, "it makes sense. You don't want to mess up your life. As much as I hate the thought of your leaving, it's better that you should go. I don't want you to end up locked up in your house till your ninety-five."
"If that happens," I replied, "you'll come and bust me out, right?"
"Of course!" he said. "But for now, I'll drive you home. I could get the day off, no problem."
I'd always thought it was a cliché, but I actually got butterflies in my stomach at the idea of being alone with Charlie on a car for four hours. But my head knew that it wasn't a great idea. "Um, well, my coven leader is going to pick me up," I said reluctantly. "Believe me, it's better that way. It'll be difficult when I get home. That's not the way I'd like you to meet my dad."
The music in the background was the only noise I heard for a minute.
"You'll be in touch," he said, "right?"
"I'll annoy you with e-mail," I said. "I promise. You'll be so sick of me."
"I'd better be," he said. I could hear that he had smiled as he said that. "I want full reports on the whole Hilary situation."
"Oh," I said, "don't worry about that. You'll get those. The big wedding is coming up all to soon."
Neither if us could figure out how to get of the phone, so we talked for a few more minutes, both of us trying to sound casual. Being Charlie, he had to crack a few jokes about how he had chased me away. Being me, I had to sniffle a lot. He promised to come and visit New York as soon as he could.
Just one more gut-wrenching conversation to go.
Sam was sitting up in his bed, reading, when I knocked. He welcomed me in. His bedroom was gorgeous. Very Sam. The furniture was huge and antique, with dragonfly-patterned stained glass lamps on either side of the bed. The cats were contently nuzzling each other. I sat down on his down comforter near the foot of the bed.
"I have to go home," I said, stroking Mandu as he came up and stood on my lap. "My coven leader is coming for me. He'll be here in the morning, probably pretty early."
Sam set down his book and took off his glasses.
"Tomorrow morning?" he repeated.
I nodded.
"Good luck, Alisa," he said gently, reaching over to take my hand. "I'm not going to say good-bye, because I know you'll be back. The door is always open here."
"Thanks," I said, going all misty once again. These good-byes were rough. I could see that his eyes were getting red as well. I sat there for a few moments, petting the cats, just taking in the moment with Sam.
"You're tired," he finally said, looking me in the eye. "It's time you got some sleep."
He was right, I was exhausted, but I was also too edgy to rest. Sam got up and walked me back downstairs, his arm over my shoulders. After he had securely tucked me into my bed on the coach, he put his hand on my forehead, and I felt a slow, blissful relaxation take me over. It felt like I was lying on a raft in a pool, the lulling bump of water pushing me along inch by inch. I was asleep within seconds. I don't even remember Sam turning out the light or going upstairs, so I have no idea how long he sat there.
I had another dream that night, but it wasn't like the one about the mermaid. I was back in the yard with my mother, walking towards the pot of flowers. Once again I looked up, but this time I could see her clearly. I saw the almond shape of her eyes, so much like mine. Her pale skin was flushed by the Texas sun.
"You did it," she said again.
Then I realized—I wasn't a toddler. It was just me, just as I am now, standing across from her and holding her hands.
"You showed me," I managed to say.
She shook her head and said no more. But her smile told me everything.