Chapter 7

The days following Amelia's return to consciousness were filled with a festive mood.

The only 'fly in the ointment' was that the normal course of such an illness atrophies the musculature of the person afflicted. Amelia had been in a coma for many months and should have required a long term of physical therapy to return strength and flexibility to her body.

Such was not the case, though!

Dr. Jackson was baffled by the fact that Amelia was able to get up and move about as if she had never been in a coma.

Being a cautious man he made sure that the young woman rested as much as was possible, while he set up appointments for a battery of tests.

In the meantime Kate and Amelia were 'thick as thieves', talking as only teenage girls can.

One afternoon Kate got serious, and looked at her friend with troubled eyes.

"Um, Amelia? Back, right after the accident, I was in a really bad place. I just wanted to give up and die. Um ... the thing is ... I ... um ... I kept hearing your voice in my head, urging me to hang on..."

Amelia's eyes got big and she said, "I had dreams that you and I were talking all of the time and you were always crying, and in pain. You were so sad."

"Shit girl! They had just cut off my leg! Of course I was sad! Wait! You didn't know any of that! You couldn't have! You were in a coma!"

Both girls clutched each other's hands and stared, wide eyed, at each other.

"But how could I know?" Amelia asked fearfully.

Kate said, "Do you think all that ESP stuff Dr. Mark is talking about is ... is true?"

"Don't know," answered Amelia.

The two just looked at each other for some time.

Then Kate said with a growing smile, "That would be way cool!"

"I don't know, Kate. I mean, it kind of scares me, a lot!"

"Why?"

"It just does. I don't want to be the creepy girl that reads minds or anything like that."

Amelia was thinking back to all that her Gramps had told her about her parents gifts, and how those gifts had turned into a curse, big time! Though she had been very young, the deaths of her folks were etched into her mind.

As these thoughts were racing through Amelia's mind her best friend, oblivious of the consequences of such gifts, kept urging Amelia to try different ESP things. Some of the things that Kate suggested did work, in fact. However Amelia, out of fear, kept quiet about them.

Luckily, a reprieve in the form of Emma calling them to lunch, saved Amelia from the relentless coaxing of Kate.

That night as Flint sat on the side of Amelia's bed for their ritual goodnight talk, he heard of his Granddaughter's concerns.

"I don't want to end up running again, Gramps! I'm really scared that something turned on in my head, when I hit it," she said as she hugged her Grandfather and cried.

Flint saw immediately that the tests that the doctor wanted to do would mean trouble and would bring the General looking, again! The doctor's interest must be stopped or diverted, somehow.

The thing was that Flint had no idea how to achieve his goal. Mark seemed like a savvy guy. Would he be satisfied with lies? Also, there was Kate with her unflagging enthusiasm—as an Aleut she viewed ESP as a gift from the Spirits.

"I'll figure something out, Honey"

"You promise, Gramps?" asked the tearful girl.

"Yes, sweetheart, I promise."

"I'm so scared, Gramps!"

"I know, dear. Just don't add to the problem by giving Kate any more 'fuel for the fire', ok?"

"Ok," said Amelia as she slid down under the covers.

Flint rose turned out the light, kissed his girl on the forehead, and left the room with a heavy heart.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" he thought as he went to the kitchen—it had always been where he and his first wife had discussed things.

Emma had left the supper dishes so that she could watch her favorite TV shows and was now at the sink. She turned with a smile toward Flint when she heard him come in the room. Her smile quickly faded when she saw the worried look on his face.

"What's the matter, Flint? Is it one of the girls?" she asked as she hurriedly wiped her hands.

Being deep in thought and totally pissed off at the same time, it took the big man a minute, even to see Emma.

He finally realized that she was talking to him, "What?"

"What's the matter? Is something wrong? Are the Girls ok?"

Flint just stared at the woman that had come to mean a lot to him.

'Can I trust her? After all she's an Aleut, and believes in the old Sprits, too. Will there be a problem with ESP from her?' he thought.

"It is, isn't it? There's something the matter with one of the girls!" she muttered as she tried to push past Flint.

Instinctively he reached out and hugged her to him as he said, "NO, No the kids are ok!"

Emma looked up at him and asked, "You're sure?"

"Yes I'm quite sure."

She pushed away from him and held her heart. Then she got angry and hit his arm, hard, in aggravation.

"Don't do that again!"

"What? I didn't do anything!" he said as he picked the tiny woman up and spun around.

"Stop that! Stop that! Put me down, you big brute!" shrieked Emma as she playfully beat him about the head and shoulders.

Flint wondered at how good it felt to hold this force of nature in his arms. It was at that exact moment, that he realized that he was in love with Emma.

He stopped spinning so suddenly that he almost dropped the diminutive woman. He carefully set her down, and looked deeply into her eyes.

"What brought that on?" she asked shakily as she looked up at him, knowing full well the answer.

"I just realized how much you mean to me, that's what! Emma, I LOVE YOU!"

The poor woman went weak in the knees!

It took quick action on Flint's part to prevent her from falling to the floor and hurting herself. He caught her and set her down gently in a chair.

"Are you ok?" he asked with concern and alarm. He had not expected that kind of reaction. Then he realized he didn't know just what he expected, either.

"Oh my!" said Emma as she fanned herself with both hands.

She was flushed from the roots of her hair to the collar of her housedress, and beyond.

"Are you serious?" she asked softly as tears began to well in her eyes.

"ABSOLUTELY!"

With a screech the little woman suddenly launched herself at Flint with such force that she bowled him over! He lay flat on his back, stunned, with Emma straddling his torso. She took his face in both of her hands and delivered a steaming kiss.

"WHAT THE HELL TOOK YOU SO LONG, YOU BIG BRUTE?" she squealed between kisses.

"MOTHER!" exclaimed a shocked Kate as she stood just inside the door.

Amelia moved in behind her friend and smiled and said, "I was wondering if you were ever going to ask her, Gramps."

Kate rounded on Amelia with a storm brewing in her eyes, "What do you mean? Ask her what?"

"To marry him, silly. It's obvious that they love each other, all you have to do is look at them."

"Nooooooo! Noooooooo!" screamed Kate as she ran from the room.

Amelia looked at Flint and asked, "What's the matter with her?"

Emma said "Oh dear!"

Flint, in one smooth motion, wrapped Emma in his arms and rose from the floor as if Emma were not there. It was a tremendous example of strength and flexibility!

As Flint started to move toward the door, Emma put a hand gently on his cheek and said so softly that it was almost a whisper, "I think you had better stay here. She was extremely close to Sam, this is going to be hard on her for a bit."

Flint blinked, nodded in understanding and set Emma on her feet. She ran from the room in search of her daughter. Flint motioned for his Granddaughter to come and sit with him at the kitchen table.

"What's going on Gramps? Why did she ... Ohhhhhhhh! I get it! It's her father isn't it?"

Flint nodded.

"Oh, Gramps! I'm sorry! I shouldn't have said anything. Oh Maaaaannn!"

"Especially since I didn't ask her to marry me."

"You didn't? Well, why the hell not?"

"Because I just realized that I love her ... and you watch your mouth, kid!"

"Yes, Sir."

"I think that you may have trouble with Kate. She feels betrayed and will be angry until she works things out. She will think that I'm trying to usurp her father's place and because you're my Granddaughter you will be a target, too."

"Oh maaaann! Do you think she will tell people about me like Donnie did my parents?"

"It's a possibility, I'm afraid, Honey," said flint sadly.

"Damn it, Gramps! I don't want to move!"

"I know. Neither do I, but that is a good reason not to get Emma and Kate involved. I mean, the General could come looking again ... oh shit! He killed all of the family he could get to. They already are involved and in a big way, and so are Sara, Mark and the Burgstrums. Shit! SHIT! SHIT!"

"What are we going to do, Gramps?"

"Ok! The first thing that has to be done is to have a meeting of all those involved and tell them the truth. You use your cell and get a hold of Sara while I call Mark and..."

"Don't bother, they live together now. Why don't you call the Bergstrums and I'll call Dr. Mark and Sara."

"Sounds like a plan."

The two got busy and arranged a meeting for early the next morning, it was late Saturday night, and no one was happy about having their sleep disturbed. Though the next day was not a workday, it was very difficult to convince all that the meeting was in their best interest. After all, what normal person believes that killers might be coming for them?

As the phone calls were being made Emma walked into the kitchen with a long face. In a minute the kettle was bubbling away as she set out mugs, tea bags, milk and sugar.

"I don't drink tea," said Flint as he covered the mouthpiece of the phone.

Emma turned and gave him such a look that his blood ran cold. Flint had never felt more intimidated in his entire life!

"Never mind, I'll have the tea."

Understanding a few of the sensibilities of women, due to his marriage to Helen, Flint knew he had to tell the whole story to Emma. His story would have to take a back seat to the pressing problem of Kate. Her problem would be discussed first, and then he would tell his story.

Over many cups of tea, Emma related her concerns. The two talked for most of the night, covering both problems.

Unknown to them Amelia was sitting on the back stairs listening and becoming more frightened by the minute. As the fear grew, it turned into an unconscious desire for self-preservation.