Still holding the unicorn close, Dawn walked slowly around the area.
“Honey, don’t cry.”
“Mama, you’re driving fast. Daddy doesn’t like fast driving.”
“I know, honey, but I have to get to Grandma’s fast.”
“Mama, I’m scared.”
“It’s okay, honey. I love you, Mandy.” She felt a hand squeeze her knee.
Screams filled Dawn’s ears, followed by a car screeching and the loud crash of steel hitting steel.
Then darkness.
“Dawn…Dawn, wake up, hon.”
Dawn opened her eyes and for a moment didn’t know where she was. “I saw the accident. I s-saw Mandy’s mom fly into the windshield. Blood everywhere.” Dawn felt the dizziness overtake her again, and she fought to stay conscious.
Luca lifted her up and carried her back to the car. “You need to get some rest. This was too much.”
“We need to find her.”
“We will find her. But this is the third time you’ve fainted doing this, and I’m worried about you.”
“I didn’t faint.”
Luca buckled her back into the front passenger seat, then got into his side and drove her home.
“I don’t think my fainting is because of having visions. I only faint at the sight of blood. It’s always been that way. I just haven’t seen blood this often in a short amount of time—until hanging out with you.” She smiled, hoping he’d take that as a joke.
He was quiet the entire time, and she was too tired to carry on a conversation, still trying to process everything she’d seen.
As he was helping her out of the car, she began to get teary.
“I ruined our night, didn’t I?”
Luca wrapped her in his arms again. “Are you kidding? You’re the most amazing woman I have ever met. I’m the one who should be apologizing for pushing you too hard.”
“We did what we felt was right at the time. No apologies needed.”
Luca helped Dawn into the house and told her to lock the door after him. She didn’t even roll her eyes. She understood why he’d remind her. He gave her a quick, fierce kiss and told her he’d call her tomorrow.
Dawn dropped her purse and the unicorn in the closet by the front door. “I have to stop this fainting thing,” she mumbled to herself. Dawn remembered the name Lynda Carter had given her—Minerva. Maybe Minerva could help her stay focused long enough to see what she needed to see instead of fainting all the frickin’ time.
She would go tomorrow after work and hope Minerva could help her.
“Dawnie, is that you?” Annette’s voice floated down the stairs.
“Yes, Gran. I’ll be right up.” Dawn picked up the unicorn and placed it in a cloth grocery bag and hung it over a coat hanger. Then she draped her coat over it and scooted up to her room. Once she’d hidden the unicorn in the closet, she felt it was safe from Annette seeing the toy and asking questions. She popped into Annette’s bedroom and plopped down at the foot of her bed.
Annette was sitting propped up against a bunch of pillows with a book facedown on her lap.
“How did your date go?”
“Luca is amazing, and so is his family.” Dawn showed Annette the necklace that Gabriella had given her and recapped some funny highlights from the engagement dinner.
“Sounds like you had a wonderful time.”
