Isaac led me into the house.

Nearly an hour had passed since our conversation about psychics. The two of us had sat by the creek, laughing and talking, since then. Then, about five minutes earlier, Isaac had announced that he was starving. I had laughed slightly and the two of us had started back to civilization.

We walked into the house, hand in hand, to find all of the Hanson kids plus Evie and Lynn surrounding the kitchen table, shoveling their faces with breakfast.

Ike released my hand and made his way to the stove. “Mm, french toast,” he observed, smiling. He reached up for a plate and looked at me. “You want some?” he asked.

“What? You incapable of getting your own breakfast now?” Evie snapped under her breath.

I looked at her, eyebrow cocked. She kept her eyes on her plate. I turned to Isaac. “No, thanks,” I told him politely. He shrugged, getting a plate down for himself.

I walked over to Evie and stood behind her. I leaned over and whispered into her ear, “What’s wrong?”

She shrugged me off, refusing to reply.

I stood up, still behind her. “Evie?” I asked carefully.

“Leave me alone!” she yelled, shoving her chair back onto my toes. She stood up and ran for down the hallway leading to the bedrooms.

“Evette!” I screamed, crouching down to inspect the damage done to my feet.

“Oh, shove off!” she yelled from down the hall. “Have Ike take care of it!” A door slammed.

I looked up. Everybody at the kitchen table was looking back. Isaac crouched down next to me. “You all right?” he asked, placing his hand over mine.

I shook it away and stood up. “Where’s your mom?” I asked of Tay and Zac.

“She had to go to the store,” Taylor replied, blue eyes worried. “Jackie, what’s going on -”

“I don’t know,” I said quickly, shaking my head. “I’ve never seen her like this before!” I took a deep breath and looked at the faces around the table. One caught my eye. “Lynnie?” I asked softly. “Do you know what’s wrong with her?”

Lynnie looked up at me. She cast a quick glance to my side and then looked back to me. “No,” she said quietly. She’d gone shy again.

I looked over at where Lynnie had glanced. Isaac was standing there. A cold flash shot through me. “Oh, god,” I breathed. “Awe, man -” I ran down the hallway after Evie.

chapter twenty-one
The "ASW" Index