EPILOGUE #3
Both Ben and Gabriel “stood,” because when Willa felt stressed or lost, she would sit on the swing and watch the wind tickle the trees.
She’d done it a lot after Ben died. It gave her more privacy than her shared bedroom afforded, which was why it’d also been Ben’s and her spot to hang out and hold hands.
Ben and Gabriel wanted to give her space, allowing her the slice of comfort if she needed it.
“If she’s acting off, it’s because of being questioned in that room where Dad… He…” Ben trailed off.
Gabriel frowned. “Do you think?”
Ben sounded the slightest bit annoyed. “Look, Gabe. I don’t know why you defer to my judgment. You’ve been hanging around her for years.”
Gabriel went to respond, but Willa spoke from where she’d leaned against a pillar, still twirling the flower in her grip. “Gabe.”
Gabriel’s entire being froze. He’d never, not once, shared his name in the few times they’d talked.
Picking up on his anxiety, Ben straightened, glancing between Willa and him.
If Gabriel had a heart, it’d be pounding a deafening roar.
Could she hear them outside of her headspace? Of course she could during high-stress situations, like her most recent mortal peril fight. Communicating during those scenarios was fuzzy and intermittent at best.
That was why he’d led them to his place of death. It was where he could help them most. The soul always grew stronger in places of personal connections.
The front porch of Willa’s house was neither a death site nor a stressful location.
But… could she hear them now?
Willa, very slowly, looked up, locking eyes on Gabriel and then Ben. “I can see you.”
Neither Gabriel nor Ben knew how to respond, still frozen as they were.
Willa’s eyes watered. “Am I going crazy?”
That spurred Ben into action. He advanced closer but stilled when she flinched. If she’d taken an ax to his chest, Ben might have shown less suffering. “No, you’re not going crazy, Willa.”
Her tears built, and her cheeks grew red, then she bit her lip and turned away. Her hand hovered at her throat, as if it had closed up. For a long minute, she said nothing, then she spun. “Why now? Why can I see and hear you now?”
Ben looked as torn as Willa did, both flaying themselves in this uncertain situation, so Gabriel took the reins. “Because we’re bound together now—first with Ben when you escaped Vedault, and now me after you mixed M—your friend’s blood with your own and forged a link.”
She nodded as if that made perfect sense.
Who knew? Maybe it did. Willa was as intelligent as she was resilient.
She spun the flower, brushing the petals as if she needed to keep her hands occupied. “You’re related to Manuel, aren’t you? That was your connection to the living. You said we didn’t share one before, so the tie broke.”
Gabriel paused, somehow still astonished at how many leaps she’d made. He’d mostly been laying low, regaining his strength because the fight had taken a lot out of him. Whatever spiritual thing held a grudge against her, it was bad.
And strong.
He’d also been allowing her as much space as he could. Today was the first actual day he’d tailed her, sensing her distress, so she’d blindsided him with the conclusions she’d drawn.
“You called him Manny,” she offered, as if that was enough to explain away her brilliant mind.
Ben laughed at the look on Gabriel’s face. “Yeah, he’s Manny’s cousin. I’d say small world, but I expect that it was more by design than by accident.”
Willa tilted her head, locking her chocolate orbs on Gabriel when she caught Ben’s implications. “Have you been doing things to get me closer to Manuel?”
“Yes, but… it didn’t change as much as you’re thinking,” Gabriel warned.
“Slammed a locker or two around him, might have” —he flickered— “might have started that episode, as you call them, in the office so he would feel more protective. I messed with your computer when I saw him get detention, hoping that teacher would put you in detention too.”
“Whoa, what?” Ben asked. “You sabotaged her computer?”
Willa huffed a laugh. “He might have done me a favor with that one. It got me out of Watkins’s class.”
“Ouch,” Ben sympathized at the name.
By contrast, Gabriel probably wouldn’t be able to identify the man from a lineup.
“You got her in trouble in Watkins’s class?”
Gabriel inflated in defense. “Honestly, most of the time, things didn’t work out.
I’ve been trying for years. It didn’t work, until it did, one hundred percent by accident.
” Guessing her train of thought, he rushed to clarify, “Don’t worry, Willa.
The feelings are real for both of you, so don’t start to question them. ”
Willa winced, looking away. “You know me so well, huh?”
Gabriel didn’t reply. If she’d been hearing them since interrogation, she’d have already put two and two together.
When exactly, or why, had the change happened? Because it was definitely the catalyst for her one-eighty in behavior during the questioning.
Was it during Ben’s arrival? Replaying the event, Gabriel realized he hadn’t said anything verbally until Ben showed up. Maybe the ability had been there since the connection, and he’d missed it while recovering.
She forced herself to meet Ben’s gaze, softening as if she’d decided it was safe enough to allow herself to be vulnerable. “I’ve missed you. Where were you?”
Ben closed the distance, unable to help himself. His hand passed through her, and she shivered. He didn’t try to touch her again, but he stayed close instead, a reassuring presence. “I lost a lot of energy when that thing attacked you.”
She frowned. “In my nightmare? When you hit it with your truck? That was really you?”
Ben laughed. “Is that what it looked like? Honestly, I just threw myself at the thing. Maybe your mind manifested the visual.”
“I must have a warped mind, because it wasn’t the nicest visual.” She reached out and ran a finger along Ben’s arm, following the contours of his form.
It was his turn to shiver, full-bodied ones. “I’m sorry.”
Gabriel drew closer, unable to help himself.
Willa radiated such warmth.
“It’s okay,” she murmured. She glanced between them both. After years of going mad, trying to get even the slightest amount of attention, the full weight of her gaze resting on him, even for a fraction of a second, hit him with devastating effect. “Will… Will you stay now? Or for a while?”
Ben grinned. “Yeah.” He glanced at Gabriel. “Don’t go getting attacked by any shadow creatures that we need to swoop in and save you from, and I think we’ll be good.”
“If you’ll have us,” Gabriel added.
Willa nodded, hearing something…
Gabriel tuned in.
Her dad. Her dad was calling her for dinner.
Technically the oldest of the trio, Gabriel decided to cut this short. “You should go eat. Keep your strength up.”
Willa nodded, heading for the door. She paused, gripping the handle with white-knuckle force, then she turned to soak in the sight of them. “After lunch… we can talk?”
Both Ben and Gabriel smiled. “Yes,” they said in tandem.
“Good, because I’m pretty sure you’ll be my only company for the foreseeable future.
I’ve been grounded indefinitely. They withdrew me from school.
Since the newspapers leaked the whole story about your death, and then what your dad did to me…
Well, anyway, my parents thought it would be best until the storm died down.
I’m sure the rumor mill is going crazy. They took my phone…
Hunter, Ralph, Kolton, and Manuel have all visited to talk, but so far, my parents have turned everyone away. ”
“I’m sorry, Willa,” Gabriel apologized. Half the mess had to be his fault.
She shrugged. “Who knows? It’s probably a good thing. I need some time to myself.” Willa pointed to her temple. “I need to sort my thoughts, but yeah, so I will welcome any and all conversation from someone outside my family.”
“Ouch.” Ben winced.
Gabriel had missed a lot during his recovery. He should check in on Manny.
Willa bobbed her head. “It is what it is. Anyway, bye, Ben. Bye, Gabe.”
“Gabriel,” Gabriel corrected on reflex, even as he wondered why. Why did it matter if she called him Gabe or Gabriel?
She didn’t question it, accepting the preference with an easy nod. “Gabriel, then. I’ll see you two soon.”
“Yeah,” he replied, because her calling him Gabriel hit just as hard as having her eyes on him. Although, hearing Gabe the first time after years of being around her, watching from the eaves, had still been a sucker punch to the soul.
Willa grinned.
His soul warmed.
Then, she disappeared inside the house, taking her magnetic presence with her. She’d always lit every room she entered. Willa was a person so full of life and kindness that one couldn’t help being drawn into her orbit, living or dead.
He realized he was in trouble. Attempting to recover from her devastating effect, he fell into quiet contemplation for a moment.
Then, he turned, noticing Ben’s amused stare. “What?”
Ben quirked an eyebrow. “Gabriel?”
Gabriel scowled, deciding now would be a good time to go check on Manny, and then his mom too. On second thought, maybe just Manny. He didn’t want to be late.
“Oh, shut it.” Gabriel rolled his eyes and dematerialized, catching Ben’s reminder to be back soon so they could talk with Willa.
As if he’d miss it.