“I wasn’t expecting a lesson in genetics this morning,” I noted as I rubbed my forehead, mildly dazed.
“I know it can be a little convoluted, but that’s why you’re different from the rest of the Magical world.”
“What does he mean though, that Soothsayers have the strength to harness their ability?” I asked, reading from the journal again.
“You’ve seen things already in the past and future, correct?”
“Yeah, and?”
“And what did you do with what you saw?"
“Nothing.” I shrugged. What was I supposed to do with what I saw?
“Exactly,” he said, taking a sip of coffee and leaning against the counter. “Your gift comes with the ability to know but not let that knowledge rule you. Any other person, Magical or not, would either try to prevent it or drive themselves crazy waiting for the vision to come to pass.”
I thought about all of the things I’d seen so far, including the electric kiss between Robert and myself. I started to blush. Robert, consumed by his coffee, didn’t notice and I quickly pushed my thoughts in a different direction. Would William have been able to handle knowing his future? Could he have been able to know he would end up with Constance but still be able to wait? I yearned for that kiss, but knowing it was somewhere in my future comforted me instead of making me anxious.
“What are you thinking?” Robert asked, letting his fingers trace the cover of the journal.
“Nothing,” I said, taking a sip of my coffee and propping myself against the counter next to him.
“Still feel the need to keep secrets from me?” There was a playfulness to Robert’s voice that made me smile.
“No, it’s just… I was thinking about some of the things I’ve seen,” I said, staring down at the toffee colored liquid in my cup.
“What about them?” Robert asked, sipping his coffee.
“I was just thinking about how it makes me feel, knowing the future.”
“And how does it make you feel?"
“Calm,” I said with certainty.
“Really?" His eyes opened wide and he pursed his lips together.
“Yeah, it’s weird. It’s like I don’t have to worry about that particular event because it’s out there somewhere in time, waiting to happen.”
“That doesn’t drive you crazy though, waiting for something you know is going to happen?”
I blushed again and this time I couldn’t hide it from him.
“What is it?” Robert asked.
“I do get a little anxious sometimes,” I said and took a sip of coffee in an attempt to hide my embarrassment.
“About anything in particular?”
“No,” I blurted out too quickly.
I saw Robert smile out of the corner of my eye and hoped he wouldn’t push to learn more.
“What’s it feel like for you, when you see something?” he asked, thankfully changing the subject as he cradled his steaming cup.
“Depends on what I’m seeing. Like when I saw William and Constance just now I felt comforted. It was warm and loving there,” I explained. I looked up and smiled, remembering the feel of the tall grass and the smell of the crisp, cool air in my vision.
“And other times?”
I grimaced. “Well, when I go back to the night I was stabbed, there is some comfort because I know how it all turns out, but I can also feel everything I was feeling that night. It's suffocating.” I set my coffee down and wrapped my arms around my shoulders.
“Do you see that night often?”
“Not so much anymore. I used to dream about it. Well, I thought they were dreams. And then that day when we were on the pier, your touch took me back to that night, but nothing since then.”
“I'm sorry you were hurt.”
“Robert, don’t. It all turned out fine,” I said, waving off his concern.
He looked up at me and our eyes caught for just a second. Warmth spread through me like wildfire and I let my hair fall across my face to hide my uncontrollable emotions. It frustrated me that just one look from him made me feel like a schoolgirl with a crush. I wished I could get my feelings in check but somehow he always managed to get my guard down.
“I should probably get ready,” I said, taking one last sip of my coffee before placing the cup in the sink.
“Do you mind if I tag along with you again today?” Robert asked.
“Do I have a choice?” I gave him a playful grin.
“Not really.” Robert smiled with all his charm and pushed himself off the counter. “But it’s polite to ask,” he whispered into my ear as he leaned around me to put his cup in the sink.
My hand started reaching up to cradle his cheek but I made myself take a step around him and head out of the kitchen.
“Be ready to go in an hour,” I said without looking back. I took a deep breath as I closed my bedroom door behind me and proceeded to get ready for the day.
>>>><<<<
An hour later we were out the door and I had pushed any lingering attraction between us to the back of my mind. On the way to the studio, I stopped by the framing shop I frequented to pick up what I needed for the Caltome project.
“Your phone went off while you were inside,” Robert said as I got back in the car.
I dug through my purse and pulled out my cell. Becky had sent me a text. 6pm call time. See you tonight!
“Everything okay?” Robert asked as I threw my phone back in my purse.
“Yeah, it was just Becky letting me know they’re going to pick me up around six tonight.”
“Do you think you can get everything done in time?” Something sounded off about Robert’s voice just then. I looked over at him and he seemed to be perfectly fine so I shrugged off the odd feeling.
“Of course. Plus I have someone to help me just in case it comes down to the wire,” I said nudging him with my elbow.
“I'm better at supervising.” He grinned and shrugged his shoulders.
I rolled my eyes at him. “Of course you are.”
Pulling up to the studio, I parked right in front. Robert grabbed the box of frames from the backseat while I unlocked the front door, flipping on the lights and holding the door open for him.
“Where would you like me to put this?” he asked.
“Umm… there’s a table in the back you can set it on,” I pointed toward the backdoor as I walked over to my desk.
Turning on my computer I followed Robert into the back room to warm up the printing equipment. I still needed to print all of the larger portraits and each one took a good amount of time. As I flipped each machine on, they groaned to life and cycled through their components to prepare for printing. It always reminded me of someone getting out of bed, yawning, stretching and cracking in various places. I pulled the smaller-sized pictures I’d printed yesterday from the filing cabinet and put them on the table next to the box of frames. Turning to walk back into the main office I saw Robert leaning against the wall, watching me.
“You don’t have to watch over me like I’m a prisoner,” I said and walked back to my desk.
“Maybe if my prisoner wasn’t so easy on the eyes, I wouldn’t,” he replied. I could hear the smile in his voice and refused to look at him, not wanting to be distracted for even a moment.
I sat down in front of my computer and double-clicked on the printing software. Robert had followed me back to my desk and I looked up at him while I waited for the program to open.