Page 39 of Cerulean Truth
Taken aback by his sudden distant tone, I stuttered. "Um…well... I was sort of hoping Stephen could maybe pick me up?"
He snorted at me in contempt. "Stephen is an international hero, and one of our foremost Specialists, you think he will make the trip solely to come pick you up? You are luckyIevenconsidered to come for you, usually we send a Defensive to go pick up the Humanborns."
Not knowing what a “Defensive” was but quickly realizing men with frail egos existed even outside the human race, I replied, "I’m sorry, I didn’t mean I wouldpreferStephen to you, it’s just… I sort of told my parents I was leaving for a year abroad to study with a ‘special professor’. And Stephen looks like a, well…very special professor, it would corroborate my story more if he were to pick me up, plus I think my parents would feel less worried if an older person were here to accompany me abroad…"
I was rambling. Again.Darn it, why does that happen around him?
"Okay… I understand. I will try to reach him; you might be in luck. He’s actually coming here next week for a meeting so he might be inclined to do so. There are no guarantees though."
"Okay, thank you," I said.
He hung up without another word. Apparently, a bruised ego and manners were but a wishful combination.
In the days preceding the impending migration, I dove headfirst into a whirlwind of shopping and meticulous packing. I ended up with an impressive trio of suitcases overflowing with clothes and toiletries—not knowing whether magi had any tampons to offer, I might’ve gone a little overboard in the feminine hygiene department.
James called me a few days before the big move, and clarified I wouldn’t be able to visit my dear parents during the upcoming year.
This delightful nugget of information also meant if it turned out I’d left some item behind I couldn’t live without, I wouldn’t even have the option of returning home and fetch it.
So, those three suitcases would have to do.
The night before my departure, I stayed over at my parents’ house, enjoying our last hours together. I’d been on edge eversince my initial meeting with Stephen, but on the night prior to the move, my nervousness had escalated to inhuman levels of anxiety. Stephen's arrival at six a.m., had me getting up at four a.m.—which by all reasonable accounts was still the middle of the night—didn’t help the matter.
I hadn't expected Stephen to arrive on a broomstick, of course, but I was still surprised to see him pull up in an unremarkable black SUV. As he approached the house, I noted the presence of someone still seated in the car. Perhaps a driver? Or was James accompanying him? My heart leapt at the thought.
My parents, being their usual amiable selves, invited Stephen in for coffee. It was evident they were rather taken with his appearance, though I could have sworn I saw a faint white haze surrounding him when he shook their hands. It occurred to me he might have been using his abilities to pacify them, much like the way I suspected he had done with me in the past. Had he been soothing me? Had he been creating a sense of trust? Did that mean the trust I felt toward him wasn't genuine?
I mulled over these thoughts briefly but quickly realized there wasn't enough time for me to question his intentions now. Whatever he had done, it had worked.
Stephen engaged in a conversation with my parents for over half an hour, but my anxiety was too overwhelming for me to retain anything.
When he finally rose—signaling it was time to leave—I gazed at my parents and tried to suppress the gut-wrenching pain from the thought of not seeing them for at least a year, possibly longer. Stephen, displaying great kindness, motioned for the driver—not James as it turned out—to gather my luggage and left me a few moments to bid my parents farewell privately.
My heart ached as I stood before them. The weight of my dishonesty bore down on me, threatening to crush the fragilefaçade I had built. I could barely meet their eyes, fearing the words I longed to say would escape before I could hold them back. My mom drew me into the tightest of hugs. I felt her crying against my cheek as she whispered, "Take care, my love. We'll miss you terribly." The lump in my throat grew, and I clung to her, unsure if I'd ever be able to return to the warmth of her embrace.
I finally pulled away from my mom's comforting hug, turning to face my dad, his eyes brimming with tears. His voice wavered as he said, "You're only going away for a year, but it feels like an eternity." I nodded, struggling to keep my own emotions at bay as I snuggled into him as firmly as I could.
As I stepped back, my emotions swirled into a turbulent sea of love, guilt, and uncertainty. I looked at my parents, the two people who had shaped me and guided me through life. With a heavy heart and a false smile, I said softly, "I swear, it won't be long. I'll come back before you know it."
The words lingered, a promise I hoped I could keep, but a promise also veiled in the unknown. With a final, lingering look, I turned away from them and walked toward Stephen, leaving behind the only life I had ever known, holding on to a truth I was not allowed to share.
TEN
JAMES
I was surprised by Stephen's decision to pick up Emma from the Human World in person. I knew he felt somewhat responsible for her, given he was the one who found her, but seriously, it was a simple drive from Boston to Nevada. What could possibly go wrong?
Besides, he interrupted his consensus touragainto pull this off, and it wasn't exactly the most opportune time, what with us being bombarded with briefings about Resistants and Radicals cropping up left and right.
Honestly, the year we found Emma was probably the worst year to do so, politically speaking. I hadn't clued her in on this yet because her head was already spinning from all the information we’d tried to give her in such a short period of time. Plus, without any proper education, I had no clue how to break it down for her in a way she'd understand.
But the sudden birth of Resistants and Radicals who so strongly opposed our carefully planned Great Exposure, had sent the whole Council into a wild frenzy. Toss in Emma's untraceable translation, and they morphed into a bunch of close-minded assholes.
The memory of the day after I saved Maria from the Radicals in Antwerp replayed in my mind.
I glanced at my Nexus,my fingers hovering over it, unsure whether to nex Emma and inform her about the meeting I had set up with Maria. I kept staring at the device, almost as if it held the answer I was seeking. Right on cue, I received an elaborate text from her:
Emma: Hi
