Chapter 3
Marlene was still a little under the weather when Devyn showed up, book in hand, ready to share the novel with her friend.
It was clear from the moment she walked in that something serious was on Marlene’s mind, though she wasn’t ready to share. She bustled about, dabbing at her runny nose as she welcomed Devyn.
There were fresh flowers in the pitcher on the kitchen table and another colorful arrangement on the dresser in the guest room.
Devyn let Marlene fuss, recognizing her friend needed to procrastinate. There was no reason to push. If Marlene had taught her anything, it was that rushing often led to the wrong assumptions.
Whatever was bothering her friend couldn’t be too urgent or she wouldn’t have waited for the in-person visit. And Devyn trusted Marlene’s psychic gift of prophecy and foresight to let them know if something pressing needed their attention.
Devyn took stock of the tidy house, not needing any of her gifts to see how worn out Marlene felt. “You should lay down,” she suggested. “I’ll run to the grocery store and put together some chicken soup and dumplings for tonight.”
Marlene’s quick laugh ended in a dry, hacking cough. She waved off Devyn’s concern. “You’ll find all the ingredients here,” she said. “I had a craving, but hadn’t managed to put it together yet.”
Devyn grinned, hoping to hide her growing concern. “How about you make tea for us while I get the soup going?”
Something about their combined effort in the kitchen shifted the energy, bringing a light and ease that Devyn sensed her friend needed most. Within the hour, the herbed chicken soup was simmering.
The earlier tension faded from Marlene’s face as she sliced up some fresh fruit to go along with a second pot of tea.
Devyn added crackers, cheese, and some fig jam to the platter.
“Let’s take this into the sunroom,” Marlene suggested. “It’s a good afternoon for it.”
Devyn agreed. Outside, heavy clouds had gathered and the soft patter of rain against the glass was one of Marlene’s favorite sounds.
Tea tray in hand, Marlene led the way and Devyn followed with the snacks. Suddenly, Marlene froze and the tea tray crashed to the floor. Shattered china and hot tea spilled across the hardwood floor in a messy abstract.
“Marlene? You okay?”
No response. Though tempting, she didn’t go looking for the telepathic connection. Not yet.
“Don’t move.” Devyn quickly set the snack tray aside and rushed around, tiptoeing through the broken pot and cups. One glance convinced her Marlene was having a vision.
The older woman’s face was pinched and her eyebrows knitted into a frown. Her gaze was elsewhere, her mouth firmly set. Breath shallow, her hands curled into fists, emphasizing the early stages of arthritis in her knuckles.
Though she wanted to soothe with words and a guiding touch, Devyn resisted. For Marlene to be caught off guard like this was a rarity. The woman’s control bordered on legendary.
“I’m here, Marlene,” she murmured. Waiting it out tested her patience, but interfering could cause all kinds of trouble. Doing nothing was the best solution.
Until Marlene started quaking.
Devyn raced back to the kitchen for a chair, tucking it close behind Marlene’s legs. Just in time too, as Marlene dropped hard on the seat. Still, another ten minutes passed before Marlene’s eyes cleared.
“Oh, my goodness.” Marlene blinked rapidly and cleared her throat. “Wh-what happened?” Her gaze fell to the mess on the floor. “What did I do?”
“A vision stopped you cold,” Devyn said gently. “You rest a minute while I clean this up.” She pulled a crocheted throw from the couch and draped it over Marlene’s shoulders. “Sit tight.”
“This is silly. I’m fine.” But she wobbled when she tried to stand.
“Please, humor me?” Devyn pressed the snack tray into her hands. “Eat something.”
When she came back with supplies to clean up the mess, Marlene was dipping a cracker into the ramekin filled with fig jam. A good sign, in Devyn’s opinion. She smothered a smile. “Hits the spot?”
“Yes. Delicious and satisfying.” Marlene shook her head. “Give me a moment and I can clean this up.”
“Not a chance,” Devyn said. She swept the broken china into a dustpan and mopped up all the tea and scattered lemon wedges.
As she worked, she caught fleeting glimpses of a dark gooey substance sticking to Marlene’s feet.
But every time she looked directly, the strange images dissolved against reality.
Visions weren’t her strength. Her talents manifested most effectively when she could meet the abyss in quiet solitude. She wondered if this was some strange tangling of her gifts with Marlene’s. Nothing about it felt right and she sensed her own source shying away from it.
She wondered if the cold that Marlene couldn’t shake off was a sign of something more serious.
That discussion needed to wait. Marlene’s focus would be on the vision.
Besides, Marlene didn’t have a great rapport with doctors.
She had too many opinions and far too much curiosity to be a good patient.
Devyn vigorously scrubbed the floor and dried it thoroughly while Marlene snacked. Satisfied nothing sticky or sharp remained, she gathered up the cleaning supplies. “Be right back.”
On her return, she took the snack tray and offered her arm to Marlene. Gingerly, they finished the short walk to the sunroom. “Have a seat,” Devyn urged. “I’ll get a pot of tea going.”
“Devyn, stop.” Marlene pointed to the closest chair. “Just sit down.”
“You’re ready to talk about it?”
“Not really.” Exhaustion dragged at Marlene’s voice. “But it’s been bothering me for days. Clearly, the issue won’t be ignored any longer.”
A shiver danced down Devyn’s spine. “Does the issue have anything to do with why your cold isn’t going away?”
Marlene rolled her eyes. “Probably. But you know what? I’m not looking for that connection right now. Sometimes I just get tired of all of it.”
Devyn had never heard her mentor so waspish. Marlene rarely showed frustration with her gifts. She exaggerated her shock. “Aren’t you the same woman who scolded me for not appreciating my talents?”
Marlene scoffed, spreading her arms wide. “Guess the veil is gone. You’re finally seeing the real me.”
Devyn disagreed wholeheartedly. They’d known each other for too long. Her friend wasn’t naturally grumpy or short tempered. But she chose not to argue the point. Marlene was annoyed and frustrated. “I’m getting the chocolate,” she said, rising. “Then we’ll talk as much or as little as you like.”
Marlene’s normal chuckle turned brittle around the edges as Devyn hurried toward the kitchen. Something was wrong and she hoped she could sort it out and support her dear friend before things upset her further.
Pulling a small plate from the cabinet, she loaded it with several chocolates from Marlene’s special stash. Her favorites were the dark truffles dusted with espresso powder. After adding a couple of sweeter truffles for herself, Devyn poured two glasses of water as well.
Back in the sunroom, she set the plate close to Marlene and hoped the treats lifted her mood.
Several minutes ticked by in silence. Marlene’s brow furrowed and Devyn did her best not to push. “Whatever it is, we’ll get through it together,” she reminded her mentor.
“We always do, don’t we?”
Devyn smiled. It was very true. Year by year, whatever life threw at them they managed to handle with tenacity, patience, and humor. Nearly always landing on their feet. “Ready to tell me about the vision?”
“A possible future,” Marlene grumbled. Her gaze lifted and locked with Devyn. “It’s terrible wondering if I’ve ever been useful.”
“Of course you have. For me, and countless others.”
Marlene sniffed. “Well, this time around, I’m not sure seeing the future is helpful. It’s been gray around the edges lately.” She sipped her water. “And then moments like that.” She flicked a hand toward the hallway. “It’s a wonder I haven’t broken all of my teapots at this rate.”
“This has happened often?” Devyn queried cautiously. Worry, unproductive as it was, swirled low in her gut.
“That’s the wrong thing to focus on,” Marlene assured her. “I’m fine.” She bit into another truffle. “Let me start over.”
“Okay.”
Marlene finished the candy as she gathered her thoughts. “I saw something a few weeks ago. It didn’t make sense. Wasn’t clear. No flashes or anything abrupt or harsh. Soft as a dream, like a wisp of fog floated right through the room as I watered plants.”
Marlene’s visions ranged from immediate to long range. “Something a ways off,” Devyn supplied.
“Yes. Exactly.” She massaged her hands. “The vision was clear enough from the start. It was just too soon to call the police.” She frowned. “You know, I’m still not sure the crime has happened.”
“But it will?”
“Yes. I feel pressure.” Marlene touched a spot at the base of her throat. “Pressure that tells me time is running out.”
Though Marlene focused her talents on clients seeking information about their future, sometimes other information came to her completely unbidden.
Usually about people close to her, but not always.
On those occasions she took copious notes, and if necessary, she called in anonymous tips to the police or the appropriate agencies.
Was this a personal connection presenting differently, or a random situation intent on using Marlene as the conduit? Clearly, her friend was battling a physical illness, but was there a bigger problem affecting her psychic gifts?
It was hard for Devyn to stay quiet with so many questions rolling through her mind. She quickly tamped down her concerns before Marlene noticed. “Together we can sort it out,” Devyn said. “Have another chocolate.”
“Good idea. Thank you.” Marlene bit into the confection. The sigh that followed was pure contentment. Gradually, she relaxed, from her face to her toes.