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“Do you think you should just let her bullies win?” Gavin asked incredulously.
Gavin had told us earlier that he had talked to his parents to let them know he was staying here now. They had taken it surprisingly well. He had set up a schedule with them so that he could still do some hours in at the shelter. Jemmy and Rachel had volunteered to go with him.
Will chocked his head to the side as he took a sip of his wine. “We can look at it that way, or we can realize that she may have a larger target on her back now. By now, everyone knows that her gifts and connections make her powerful. Some people may look at that as a challenge.”
Gavin eyes widened as he nodded in understanding.
“We don’t have training until tomorrow afternoon,” Troy stated. “Maybe we can go to the clinic as well.”
“That’ll be great,” Will smiled with relief. ?
??I’m stretched thin,” he rubbed his eyes. “With Horatio’s activities increasing, ours has as well.”
“I can drop out of school too,” Drake said quietly from the end of the table. Everyone looked at him in stunned silence and he shrugged. “You all know I never felt passionate about being a psyche major. Maybe this is my sign to back out. Remy, are you still looking for an executive chef at your new We 7?”
“Can you cook?” Remy joked.
“I can throw together a dish or two,” Drake shrugged nonchalantly.
“You already put in a lot of time into school to just walk away from it,” Jemmy frowned. “I mean, I know your heart wasn’t completely in it before, but you’re not using this as an excuse to get away from Rose, are you?” she asked with narrowed eyes.
“Says the girl who still doesn’t know what she wants to be when she grows up,” Jaxson scoffed with a teasing grin. “If he wants to drop out of school and pursue his actual dream, I don’t see the issue.”
“Shut up!” Jemmy stuck her tongue out at him as she threw a piece of broccoli at him. “I do know, thank you very much. Gavin’s been showing me coding and other cool stuff on the computer, and I like it.”
“You can barely download music,” Jaxson continued to tease her. “I know you can manipulate electronics and all, but…”
“She’s actually really good at it,” Gavin finally spoke up with a smile. “Although I think she’s been cheating and using her gifts often.”
Jemmy smiled mischievously and shrugged. “It still gets done. Is he really allowed to drop out, Pops?” Jemmy asked.
Will smiled into his glass. “I don’t see why not. We go to school to get a career we want to pursue. Drake already has a talent with cooking and an excellent job waiting for him, and he’s an adult. So, I’ll support whatever decision he makes.”
“I’ve been eighteen for two months. I’m an adult. Can I finally get my nose, tongue, and belly button pierced?” Jemmy smiled hopefully.
“Nope,” several male voices chimed in at once.
I rushed through getting the kids down to sleep that night. I felt the piano calling me, and I felt relief at Will’s support in me dropping out of school. I was still going to go to school, but now I wasn’t forced to be around people that didn’t like me or know me.
I kissed Ella goodnight and went to close her door, when she called out to me. “Blake did you look at my drawing?”
I felt like hitting my forehead. “Not yet,” I didn’t feel like lying to her. “I’ll look at it soon. I love you. Goodnight, sleep tight.”
“Don’t let the bed bugs bite,” she chimed in quietly, her voice sounded disappointed.
I immediately felt guilty. I think I had stuffed it in my locker at school when I put my books in there. I would look at it tomorrow when I went to clean out my locker.
I went into my room, rinsed my body off, and slipped into a pair of boy shorts, a tank top, and a sweatshirt that naturally fell off one of my shoulders. I know almost everyone had retired for the night. We had a long night the night before, and today had been a physically and emotionally draining day. Drake and Remy had volunteered to put down the boys, and I had gladly accepted it.
I saw the under-cabinet lights and the blue glow of the pool in the back yard coming in through the living room as I made my way down the stairs. I ran my fingers along the walls of the hallway as I let myself into the music room. I sighed taking a deep breath in. It had been way too long. I turned the lamp beside the piano on. It was dim but I didn’t need much light. I wasn’t reading music and my fingers knew the keys all too well.
I warmed up my fingers before I got to the song that had been replaying itself in my head all day. It was hauntingly beautiful and perfect for the way I felt. I began to sing softly as my fingers found the right keys to The Sound of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel.
After the last key was played, and the last note sung, I felt somewhat at peace. I sighed, leaning against the piano, letting the silent tears fall. I thought finally finding out who I was, would make things easier, but it had only made things more complicated. I knew having my gifts were a blessing. Having the Bells walk into my life was a blessing. Meeting my connections was a blessing. I had a deep belief that everything happened for a reason, but I couldn’t see it right now. I was drowning in the silence.
Why did I have this ability to heal, if the first person I tried to heal died? I slammed my hands on the piano, raging in silence. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair that Collin was dead, and it wasn’t fair that my gift hadn’t helped me when I needed it most. Noah had reassured me several times that it was inevitable, but it didn’t make it any easier.
I felt long, lean, muscular arms wrap around me, and for a moment I resisted. I didn’t deserve to be comforted. Collin’s parents had lost their only son. They would never know the embrace of their son ever again.
