Seer
Chapter 6

Laura

I have to laugh about the kids and their games. Before I call up the stairs to tell them to come for lunch, I can hear that they are in the thick of things again, chattering excitedly about their experiments. Timothy has fallen in love with the concept of scientific experimentation, and they play this game all the time. Sometimes they are real experiments he’s obtained through some of the children’s science books I have given him. Sometimes, like today, the experiment seems based on sheer fantasy, something about angels. It’s adorable how they can mingle science with imaginative play.

“Thank you for lunch,” Natalie says politely as they sit down at the table to their plates of macaroni and cheese. She’s always such a sweet child.

“You are very welcome, kiddo. I’m glad you were able to come over and play today. I know Timmy really wanted to see you again.”

She smiles at me, with that knowing expression on her young face that I’ve never really gotten used to. She’s always been like this, ever since I met her when she was just two years old. Oddly wise for her years, like she is perceiving way more about her surroundings than normal children ever could. It’s one of the things that makes her such a great companion to my son, who has his own unique way of perceiving the world.

I’m also genuinely happy that she’s here. I’ve been feeling fairly lonely for the last month or two, since Brenda and Ron have gotten back together. I used to spend a lot of time with Brenda and her kids. Now, I don’t see her so much even on weeknights since Ron is over there. On weekends I used to just hang around with her all the time while her kids were away for visitation. But now she’s staying at Ron’s house with the kids on weekends. With Mike out on deployment for the past four months, it’s been awfully quiet around here. And of course Timothy mopes when he isn’t able to see Natalie as much as usual. This weekend has been great for him, to get to go over there yesterday, then have her show up today as well.

After lunch they head back upstairs, still excited about their peculiar little game.

I start cleaning the dishes. I wonder if Brenda can hang around for a while later after she’s done with her errands?

Brenda

I’ve had a busy day so far, after taking Natalie over to play with Timothy. I used to get everything done on weekends while the kids were with Ron, but now that I’ve been spending the weekends over there, I haven’t had much time to take care of my place. So there was a lot of deferred maintenance stuff, like vacuuming and changing sheets, that I had to take care of. Then I needed to go do the grocery shopping and run some other errands. When I get home and put everything away, I’m impressed with my level of productivity - I’ve somehow managed to get all of this done and it’s still just the middle of the afternoon.

I’ve got a couple of hours before Ron and Gabe get back, and decide it’d be nice to just hang around with Laura for a while. I miss spending time with her. I mean, I’m incredibly happy that Ron and I are back together, but I had gotten used to things the way they were. Ever since Laura moved in a few years ago, we’ve spent so much time together, with the kids off for visitation most weekends and her husband gone with his ship a lot of the time. Having a quiet afternoon for chatting and girl talk sounds really nice.

So I head over to her place, figuring that the kids will be keeping each other busy and we’ll be able to visit.

When she answers the door she has a huge smile on her face. “Brenda! I was hoping you’d be able to hang around for a while! Wait - you’re not just here to pick up Natalie, are you?”

“Nope, I’ve gotten everything done I had to do, and now I have a couple of free hours. OK for me to hang here?”

“Yes please!”

Ah, this is so nice. The kids are nowhere in sight so I know they are up in Timothy’s room, probably reading or conducting an experiment of some kind. Laura gets me a bottle of ice tea and we settle in on the couch.

“So,” she starts, “how’s it going with Ron?”

Right to it. “Good,” I say, with a wistful smile.

“What is that face? You miss him, don’t you? Gadzooks, girl, you’ve only been away from him for a few hours. You’ve got it bad!”

“I know,” I say, taking a swig from my bottle. “I still can’t believe how mushy I feel all the time. It’s so weird. I mean, we were in love while we were married, but this feels, I don’t know, more intense.”

She considers this. “Maybe it’s because you know now what it is to have lost it, and now that it’s back you understand better how special it is.”

“Wow.” Wow. She is so perceptive. “I think you’re exactly right. I guess I am appreciating it more this time.” I think back to when it all started, back when I was pregnant with Natalie. “I was so shocked when he left me, then I was so furious all the time about it. After a while I wasn’t mad any more, but I didn’t ever think we’d get back together. I really had moved on emotionally, I think. But now that it has happened, I can’t stop thinking about him. It’s like when you first fall in love, you know that obsession you get?”

She nods her blonde head, but I think she looks a little sad.

“You’re missing Mike, aren’t you?”

She sighs. “I guess. When he’s away, I worry about him and miss him, but I think it’s easier on Timothy. They’ve never really seen eye to eye.”

I know. I’ve seen over and over how Mike tries to be a good dad, but he can’t seem to be the kind of dad that Timothy needs. And Timothy doesn’t seem to be the kid that Mike needs. I think Mike wanted the kind of son that would be athletic and outgoing. More like Gabe. I don’t need to say anything to Laura, she knows that I understand. So I just reach over and hold her hand for a second.

She appreciates it, but soon brushes it off and shrugs her shoulders. “Well, what do you think is going to happen? With you and Ron?”

It’s my turn to sigh. “I don’t know. I love him so much, and I know he loves me too. But I can’t help but worry. You know, like, that it won’t last.”

“Well,” she comments, “you have good reason to be worried based on the history. But, I see you guys together now and you seem so strong. You are embarrassingly lovey-dovey with each other.”

“Yeah, I know,” I say, laughing a little. “But, I don’t know how long we can maintain this two houses thing. I think that’s part of the problem. I feel comfortable here. I like it. It’s my own place that I set up myself. I’d hate to just bail on it. But I think going back and forth every week is starting to get a little tiring for everybody. I just don’t know how to move forward.”

She nods, understanding. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out. The one thing that I know for sure is that you love each other. It’ll work out.”

I hope so.

Natalie

We’ve been back up in Timothy’s room since lunchtime. Angel tells me that my mom is here now, but she and Timothy’s mom are just downstairs talking, so we have more time to spend together this afternoon.

We’ve gone over more of the details of last night’s experiment, talking more about how Angel and Guardian learned how to speak to each other from far away, but without yelling so loud that it bothered all the other guardians nearby. Timothy has written a ton of notes in the notebook about it. I think I’ll need to get a new notebook to take to school tomorrow - this one seems like it is now an experiment notebook. “Angel,” I tell him in my head, “remind me later to ask my mom for a new notebook.”

“Very well, darling.”

Timothy is reading over his notes. After a few minutes, he says, “Ok, I think that we have done everything we can for the first part, the part about how they can talk to each other. Now I want to talk about the second part, about how they were changed by the experiment, and whether I can do more than just feel what Guardian is feeling now.”

“Oh, yeah, that’s right!” I say, “I had almost forgotten that you had a whole other part to the experiment!” Timothy always remembers everything. I’m lucky that I have Angel to remember stuff for me, like the notebook.

Angel is watching Timothy closely, ready for whatever comes next. I’m sure Guardian is too.

Timothy says “I want to start with what happened with Angel. I know that the power Guardian was using hit him hard. What I want to know more about is how he said he felt different afterwards. Natalie, does he still look different?”

I look at Angel again, and stare at him for a while. “It’s hard to tell. I know he looked brighter last night and this morning, but I think maybe he is starting to look more like normal?”

“Angel,” Timothy says, “how do you feel? Normal or still different?”

Angel says, “I believe I still feel that the increased power has heightened my senses, but I agree with Natalie, it seems to be receding somewhat. Perhaps since Guardian and I have returned to communicating normally while we are together, the power is no longer interacting with us in the same way.”

“What about Guardian?” Timothy asks. “Is he still feeling different?”

“He agrees with me, Timothy, that although there is a lingering difference, it appears to be fading as we have stopped using the additional power.”

“Well,” Timothy says, “that’s an easy experiment to do. Why don’t you guys just try yelling at each other again right now, and see if the power goes back to where it was making you brighter. But you don’t have to scream, you can do it the quieter way that you figured out how to do last night.”

“Of course, Timothy.” Angel looks over to where Guardian must be, and I hear him say loudly, “Guardian, let us participate in this additional experiment Timothy has devised, shall we?”

Timothy looks at me, ready to write more notes. I know he expects me to report on what is happening. “Well, I hear Angel louder than normal, but not screaming like he was at first last night. He asked Guardian to participate in the new experiment you have made.” I watch as Angel is listening to Guardian say something. And after a couple of seconds, I’m pretty sure I see him glow brighter, and look like he’s more solid.

“Yes!” I tell Timothy. “It is working! I swear he looks brighter again, and like there is more to him than usual, like his body is more solid!”

Timothy writes it down. “And is it the same for Guardian?”

Angel says, “Yes, Guardian is also feeling the effects of the enhanced power.”

“Great,” says Timothy, “this is what I want to do next. While Guardian is feeling the power, I want to see if I can tell what he is feeling. Guardian, can you try to send me a message or something?”

Angel waits for a minute, then says, “Guardian is very happy as he has been throughout this experiment, and is telling Timothy about this experience.”

I tell that to Timothy.

He looks frustrated. He says, “I think that I’m feeling the happiness again, but I don’t know how much of that is just me wanting to feel it and how much is it really happening.”

Angel says, “Guardian is praising Timothy for how astute he is for realizing that. It is difficult to know how to monitor whether he is genuinely sensing Guardian’s feelings, or is just hoping that he will and therefore believing that he does.”

Timothy looks down at the notebook, and chews the end of the pencil for a couple of minutes. We all wait for him while he is thinking about this. Finally, he says, “The only way I can think to do it is to try something clearer than feelings. Is there any way that Guardian can think of a number, like we did the first time we experimented on Angel? Then he can try to tell me the number and see if I can hear it?”

Angel looks sad. “Darling Timothy, feelings are the one thing that Guardians are able to sometimes transmit to their humans. However, a normal human is unable to actually hear the words of their Guardian. This experiment will not succeed.”

When I tell Timothy, he gets a stubborn look on his face. “That’s what you always say, but we’ve already changed things and learned a lot. I want to try it. If it takes a year, I want to keep practicing and trying. If Guardian is willing to try, I want to just keep at it.”

Angel looks sad, but nods.

Timothy says, “Ok Guardian, please think of a number, and just tell it to me. I’ll try to listen.”

We are all quiet while Timothy tries to hear Guardian. He scrunches up his face, then covers his eyes with his hands, then lays on his bed and covers his head with a pillow. After waiting a long time, he finally uncovers his head and sits up. “I don’t think I’m hearing anything. I keep thinking of numbers but it isn’t because I’m hearing Guardian, I don’t think.” He sighs sadly and shakes his head.

Angel says, sadly, “Yes, that is correct. Timothy was not hearing Guardian’s message. I would have known if it occurred.”

I’m worried that Timothy is going to be sad, but realize that he isn’t. “Well,” he says, “I didn’t expect it to work the first time. I want to keep trying, even after you guys leave, Natalie. And we will know if it works, because Guardian will be able to tell if I’m hearing his message. Now that you guys can talk long distance, Guardian, if you ever know that I’m hearing you, you can just tell Angel and he can tell Natalie. So we don’t have to only experiment while they are both here. Guardian and I can experiment while we are alone, too.”

“Oh my gosh, that’s right! We won’t even have to wait to see each other, since Guardian and Angel can talk all the time now!” I am so proud of Timothy for figuring this all out, and for wanting to keep trying even if it doesn’t seem to be working.

Angel is smiling at Timothy. “My boy, your determination and intelligence just might be enough to find a way to make this work. Guardian is very enthusiastic to participate in this ongoing effort. He will relay messages to you intermittently, and will inform me if you receive them.”

Timothy nods. “Ok. Um, Natalie, can I keep this notebook?”

“Of course, silly, I knew you’d want to. I’ll get another one from my mom.”

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