Fae Second Chance

Chapter 8 - Did I do That

Chapter 8

The days passes in a blur.  I go to work and deal with a pouty angry John when I stop coming home for lunch and he has to fend for himself.  After a while he even stops complaining about it and just accepts that this is our new normal.  He is working late now, meeting with a group of ‘his people’ that have come to Border City to do research.  He does not take me to meet any of them and I do not show any interest in those meeting.  After a week I get a call from Jordan to meet with her and Peter.  I leave the office to meet them for lunch.

As I get into the restaurant Jordan runs up and hugs me.  Peter approaches more slowly and shakes my hand and then pulling me into a hug.  We sit and order our food.  Once the waiter is done, Peter looks at me.

“I have been going over the information you sent me.”  He states.  He takes a sip of his water and then continues, “I have let the people know what was recorded about them and told them to keep it quiet for right now.”

“Do you know what any of this means?” I asked.  “Is the government planning an invasion?”

Peter shakes his head.  “I do not think so.  I am not sure why he is gathering this information, but an invasion is not practical, and it goes against the treaty.  I do not think the government wants to infuriate the entire magic population, but I will keep doing some research.”

“What about the group he brought here?”  I ask. 

Peter reaches over and takes my hand. “I am not worried about them.  The reason I wanted to meet with you has more to do with the information he has gathered on you.”

I nod, I know that the PI report was done when I was in college. “He has known this whole time,” I mutter.

Peter nods.  Jordan then says, “Remember when I told you are the reasons his speeches are so well received.”

I nod, “I am projecting.”

“I think he always knew he could channel your power.”  Jordan then stops as a thought comes to her and looks towards her husband.  “What if he is trying to channel these people’s power as well?  It’s not much different than the companies here are doing, except we choose to use our gifts for payment, while I do not think John is planning on paying them.”

“Could be,” Peter states.  “I will not know more until I do the research.  But back to you, dear.  I have had some trusted people go and dig around this file and from what they can tell, other than John’s family, no one else knows about it.”

I breathe a sigh of relief. “So, my parents are not in any danger?”

“I do not think so, but I do suggest you call them and tell them what is going on.”

“I haven’t yet, but I can’t call them from my cell phone, what if John has a way to listen in.”

Peter looks around and smiles. “Give their number to Jordan and she will call them. “

That makes me so much more relieved.  If she can tell my parents about this and explain everything maybe they can protect themselves somehow.

Jordan nods and I pull out the phone from my purse long enough to look up my parent’s number and write it on a napkin.  Once I am done, I turn off the phone again and put it back into my purse.

I walk back to my job.  The day is pretty enough with the sun shining down with a few fluffy clouds drifting through the sky.  The city itself is beautiful it is not all metal and glass.  There are small green areas everywhere.  Many of the cafés have a French feel with small patios set out with tables and umbrellas.  There are more walkers than car riders here, yet the streets don’t feel overly crowed.  As I stroll, I compare this city with DC, the center of the world according to John.  DC always feels like there are more people than space.  There are always cars clogging the street and you hear noise every second.  The few green spaces available are full of people.  The monuments of past were destroyed during the war, some of them have been rebuilt but many are still piles of rocks and weeds, shadows of their past glory.

I start to think about what Jordan said, she was concern John wants to control these people to his benefit.  One month ago, I would have thought that was far fetch since I always thought John to be an i***t.  Yet, after I found out he has known about me and my gift all along I start to wonder about him.  For the first time I truly look at my husband.  Could all of his innocent good boy routine be an act?  Does the government know about his folder?  Did they tell him to put it together or is this all his idea?  If it is his idea, what is he planning?  Can he be that good of an actor?  He would have to be to fool so many people.  The ideas run wild through my mind, and I do not know if I am more scared or furious with him.  As I walk back to the office, I decided I am going to find out as much as I can on the down low.   There has to be a way to figure out what he is up to.

Over the next few days, I start going through the apartment looking for hiding places.  I figured John wouldn’t use any spot in the office Peter assigned him.  So, I started to search the apartment.  I am looking in the extra bedroom John uses for his office when I finally find his lock box.  I am not a master thief, so I do not know how to pick a lock.  I turn the box a few more time before deciding it is best to put it back and ask Jordan if she know anyone who can pick locks.

An hour or so later John comes strolling into the apartment.  He tosses his briefcase down and starts telling me about some offense Peter has done to him.  He is complaining about the city and how the magic people here are so rude to him and not understanding that he is better than them.  On and on he went.  I am in the kitchen prepping for dinner and the constant drone of his voice is getting annoying.  As he keeps going, I can’t help but think I wished that his diarrhea of the mouth would come out the correct end.    After a few more minutes of complaint John suddenly stops and runs to the bathroom. 

I am sitting in the kitchen chuckling; did I do that?  I finish dinner in blessed quiet.  When he is still not out of the bathroom I eat and put everything up.  He ends up spending most of the night in the bathroom.  When he finally does appear, he is pale and sweaty and moves gently towards the bed before collapsing on it.  He curls up into a tight ball and groans in pain or discomfort I am not sure which. 

“Everything alright?”  I ask trying to keep the humor off my face and out of my voice.

“It must have been something I ate at lunch.”  He groans and pulls the sheet tighter to his chest.

As he groans and whimper, I start to feel guilty.  I do feel slightly bad for what I have probably done to him. “Do you need anything?”

“Ugh, No.  Just sleep.”  With that I turn off the bedroom light and settle to sleep.

The next morning John is up and dress for work.  He is still pale and looks like death warmed over, but he is in an upright position.  He looks in the fridge before groaning and settling for only a cup of coffee.  He picks up his briefcase and nods to me before leaving the apartment.  No love you or picky complaint, just a quiet exit.  He must still be feeling really bad.  I just shake my head and finish my breakfast and head out to work.

Jordan calls about mid-morning and asks if I want to join her for lunch.  I tell her that great minds must think alike and agree.  We decide on a time and place and then hang up.  At lunch I tell Jordan about the diarrhea episode, and she starts laughing uncontrollably.  I am looking at her annoyed.

“How could I have done that I did not do a spell or anything?” I ask her.

She brings her laughter under control and wipes her eyes.  “The words in spell are just a way to channel your desires.  If you have strong enough emotions, then any words will work.”

“I did not say anything, I thought it.”

  “Well, I am guessing your emotions are very strong right now, especially directed at John.”

Jordan is still chuckling under her breath.  I am staring daggers at her.  Why is she not upset about this?  Apparently, I can do things to people by just thinking about it.  I am a danger to society, to the world.  Okay that is a bit Dramatic, but I can really harm someone with this. 

“What can I do?”  I am almost in tears as my mind runs through every possibility with them all ending in the world will come to an end.

Jordan finally finishes laughing at my problem, “Nothing.”

“Nothing! I could think I want someone dead and then boom they are dead!”

She shakes her head. “It doesn’t work that way, if it did the war would have been over sooner than it was.  You thought something very specific, not just they will die, but a certain action in relation to him.   In your mind you created a ‘spell’ and put power to it.”  She fingers quotes the word spell. “If you wanted to kill someone you would have to think of something like stop their heart and relate it to the person.  They also have to be there next to you and you would have to have very strong emotions connected to them.  I am not sure if other people will affect your emotions the way he does.”  She takes a deep breath and continues, “If you want to do anything magical outside your natural ability, you need either an existing spell or find the right words to channel the power to create a new one.  I know that you do not know the words for death, so I think we are all safe.”

I take a deep breath and relax.  “Okay, so don’t think of stopping his heart, got it.”  The problem is now that was all I was thinking about.  Jordan giggles at that and nods.

“There is more to it that just that, but basically yes.”

We finish our lunch and I head back to the office.  Once I am back at the office, I recall I did not ask her about the lock picking.  I will need to do that later.  For the time being I just keep looking for any secret hiding places.