The Unexplained #1 Fatal Visions

She was the first thing that entered his mind when he woke up in the morning and the last thing on it when he went to bed at night. It had been that way since the Coburns had moved into the house next door. Sixteen-year-old Dakota Coburn still had no idea that Conner Peterson felt this way, because he hadn’t gathered up the courage to tell her yet. And it was getting harder and harder for him to act natural around her.

As the school bus pulled up in front of the Peterson house, Conner quickly grabbed his books and said goodbye to his parents and grandmother before dashing out of the door. He sighed as he sprinted onto the bus. The usual car discussion had once again not gone in his favor. He was seventeen, would turn eighteen on June 1. That was only six weeks away. Then there was graduation. Why did his parents have to be so stubborn about him having his own vehicle? He was not a child anymore, but they had always been so protective of him. And the older Conner got, the more frustrated about this he became.

Once Conner had made sure his seven-year-old sister, Charley, was in her seat on the bus, he settled beside his best friend, David Millhouse. He tried to remain casual as Dakota swayed beside him and her elbow grazed his side, but his knees weakened as they always did. “Oh, man, have you got it bad,” David remarked.

“Got what?”

“Don’t give me that. Anybody with half a brain can see how crazy you are about Dakota Coburn,” David pointed out.

“Would you shut up? She’ll hear you,” Conner snapped.

“So what if she does?” David asked. “You’ve been nuts over her for six months now. Why don’t you take a chance and tell her?”

Conner stared down at his hands, which were clammy in his lap. “Because I can’t.”

“But why?” David prodded. He was a science and computer whiz, a guy who was about as misunderstood at school as Conner was. Conner was a near-genius, with an IQ of 142, which made him a nerd in the eyes of his classmates. Conner was sure that Dakota thought of him the same way, though they had never actually spoken. But what he wanted most of all was to be thought of as normal. He wanted to date, drive his own car, and get invited to parties. But in the past four years of high school, that had not happened. And now it looked like it never would.

“Because I’m...different,” Conner insisted.

“Different?” David shook his head in annoyance. “Who cares if you’re different? You’ve got the whole world at your feet and you’ve already been accepted to ten different colleges. You’re gonna go far in this world. And you may never see Dakota again after you graduate. You really have nothing to lose by telling her you like her.”

Conner sighed, then suddenly smiled. “You’re right, Dave. I’ll do it.”

He handed his backpack to his friend, then slowly got to his feet. Dakota was three seats behind him, chatting with the person across from her. She looked up as Conner approached. “Hi,” he began nervously. “My name is–

Unfortunately, he didn’t get any farther, as the bus lurched to a sudden stop and Conner was knocked backwards. He lost his footing and fell to the grimy floor. He felt all eyes on him and even heard a few snickers. Embarrassed, he quickly rose to his feet. It was at least a comfort to see that Dakota wasn’t laughing at him. Quickly, he returned to his seat.

“Are you all right?” David asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine, but my pride is hurt,” Conner groaned. David smiled at him sympathetically, then patted his shoulder. “It’s all right, Man. After all, it’s just the beginning of the day. Things have to get better, right?”

“I hope so,” Conner muttered. “I really do hope so.”

He had no way of knowing that that particular day would bring about a series of events that would change his life forever. By the end of the day, he would be wishing he could go back.

***

That afternoon, as Conner and Charley got off the school bus, they saw their father, Tatum Peterson, loading the trunk of his car. “Uh oh,” Charley said somberly. “Looks like Mommy and Daddy are going away again.”

Conner sighed. “Looks like it.”

He knew he should be used to the constant separation by now, but the truth was, he still resented his parents for missing a large part of his childhood. Tatum was a singer in a band and Alexis sang backup. The duo was constantly on the road somewhere, leaving their son and daughter to be raised by others. Sometimes, Conner had to question if his folks loved their careers more than they loved their children. It seemed that way to him, had always seemed that way. But it never changed and Conner was sure it never would.

“Daddy!” Charley shouted, dropping her backpack on the ground and running to her father’s arms. He scooped her up, then commented, “Girl, you’re getting heavy. What have they been feeding you around here?”

Conner quietly walked up, then Tatum smiled at him. “Hi, Son. How was school?”

Conner shrugged. “It was all right. I’m up for the Science, History, and Math awards.”

“That’s great. You don’t sound too happy about it.”

“Well, after you win them a couple of times, it really isn’t that big of a deal anymore.”

Tatum’s slate blue eyes darkened as he regarded his son. “You have a gift, Conner. Don’t ever take it lightly. You’re going to do some amazing things.”

“Maybe,” Conner said lightly. “Where are you going this time?”

“Detroit, for a couple of shows,” Tatum admitted. “I’m hoping to be home by Sunday.”

“That’s good.”

At that moment, Alexis walked out, her suitcase in tow. “Hi, there,” she said, kissing her son and daughter.

“Mama, do you have to go again?” Charley asked. “I want you to stay home with me.”

“Oh, my Precious. Come here.” Alexis took Charley into her arms and smoothed her silky blonde hair away from her forehead. “We do have to go this time, but your dad and I have a big surprise for you.”

“What is it?” Conner asked curiously.

“We’re breaking up the band in May,” Tatum admitted. “Figured we’ve been doing this for nearly twenty years and it’s time to give it a rest. We know we haven’t spent a lot of time with you, but that’s going to change. We realized that our son’s going to be in college in September and maybe it was time we got our priorities in order.”

“Well, it’s nice that you’ve decided to do that now,” Conner said coldly. “At least you can still give your time to Charley. Have a good trip.”

Then he walked away. “Conner, wait,” his mother pleaded, putting Charley down and running after her son. “Don’t be so angry with us, ok? Music is all your father knows and the way he raised you kids, well, that’s the same way he was raised. I know I wasn’t a very good mother to you, but things are going to change soon. I swear.”

She embraced Conner, then admitted softly, “There’s something else we need to tell you, but your father insisted we wait until you turn eighteen.”

Conner frowned. “What’s a few more weeks going to matter? Why can’t you just tell me now, before you go?”

“Because I have to respect Tatum’s wishes,” Alexis admitted. “Please, Honey. I don’t want to leave with you angry with us.”

Conner sighed. “I’m sorry, Mom. You know I love you and Dad. I just wish...I wish that things could have been different, you know?”

“They will be.” Alexis leaned up to hug her son, who dwarfed her by nearly a whole foot. “And we love you, too. We’re so proud of you and the man you’re becoming.”

Conner smiled flatly. “I’ll say goodbye to Dad before you leave.”

He approached his father again, then reached out and offered his hand. “Take care of yourself, ok?”

Tatum blushed, then reached out to embrace his only son, something he hadn’t done since Conner was Charley’s age. Conner was momentarily stunned by the gesture, but he quickly recovered. Truth was, it felt good to be hugged. He held on for an extra few seconds before his dad released him. “I love you, Son,” Tatum said proudly. “I just hope someday you can forgive us.”

“Forgive you for what? Being gone all the time?”

“Yes...” Tatum looked down, then shoved his hands into his pockets. “Conner?”

“Yeah, Dad?”

“Take care of your sister,” Tatum said. Conner promised he would, then Tatum and Alexis got into the car. Alexis waved to her children and blew them a kiss before the car disappeared.

Conner placed an arm around Charley’s tiny shoulders and drew her close to his side. Because he had been caring for her all her life, he saw himself as more than just her big brother. He was her protector, her guardian, the one person who should always be there to keep her from getting hurt. But he had already learned from painful experience that no matter how well-intentioned you were, that you could not stop people from being hurt in some form or fashion. Pain and suffering were very much a natural part of life.

“Come on, Kid,” Conner said to Charley. “I’ll help you with your homework.”

After Charley finished her homework, Conner sent her outside to play while he did his own. As he sat at his desk, he caught a glimpse of Dakota in her room and his pulse automatically began to race. She was directly across from him, so if he yelled out to her, she could hear him. But Conner didn’t want her to think he was spying on her, so he said nothing. As usual.

A short time later, Conner wandered into the kitchen, where his grandmother was making supper. Lucy Peterson flashed a bright smile at him as he came in. “Hey, there. Wanna help me make the salad? I’d sure appreciate it.”

“Sure, Gram.”

Lucy noticed his listless expression, then prodded gently, “What’s the matter? You missing your parents? They won’t be gone too long, then they’ll be home for good. That will be wonderful, won’t it?”

“Yes, I guess so,” Conner said with a shrug.

“You guess so?”

“Well, it’s just that we’ll have so much lost time to make up for and I’m not sure if we can,” Conner explained. “I mean, I’m almost an adult now; I’m not a kid anymore. My childhood can’t be reversed, you know what I mean?”
“Yes.” She walked over to him and took his face in her hands. “You’re a very special person, Conner Peterson, and your parents had a lot to do with that. And you can’t worry about the past. All you have is right now. This very moment.”

Conner considered this. “You’re right,” he said. “When they get back, we’ll all work on rebuilding our relationship. All of us.”

“Good.” She smiled at him fondly. “I’m real proud of you and the man you’re turning out to be.” Her eyes misted over and she whispered, “It seems like only yesterday that you were born, and now you’re turning eighteen...”

Conner couldn’t help but smile in amusement. His grandmother had always been the sentimental type. As he pulled the salad dressing out of the refrigerator, he mentioned casually, “Mom mentioned that she and Dad had something they wanted to tell me the day I turned eighteen. You wouldn’t happen to know what that is, would you?”

Lucy paled. “Of course I know what it is.”

“Then why don’t you tell me?” Conner asked.

“Because they want it to be a surprise,” Lucy mumbled.

“If you tell me, I’ll act surprised.” Conner began munching on a celery stalk, hoping he could convince Lucy to spill the beans.

“Honey, I can’t.” Lucy turned to him. “This is all about timing, and your eighteenth birthday is the perfect time.”

Conner sighed. “I don’t get it. I wish somebody would explain this to me.”

“Don’t worry. We will.” Lucy washed her hands in the sink, then wiped them on a towel. “When you find out, it will change your entire life.”

Conner shook his head. “All right. Since you guys are so determined to keep me in suspense for the next six weeks, I guess I’ll have to go along with it.”

“Good. Now, go get your sister, would you, and tell her it’s about time to eat.”

As Conner went to retrieve his little sister, he paused to look at his grandmother’s face. She seemed so tense, so troubled, as if keeping this secret from him was literally breaking her heart. But he couldn’t continue to pressure her, so he quietly walked out of the house.

At dinner, Conner, Charley, and Lucy made small talk about school, then Conner took Charley to her room while Lucy cleared the table and loaded the dishwasher. As the siblings lay curled up on Charley’s pink and white canopy bed, Charley asked a bizarre question, “Do you think Mommy and Daddy will come back?”

“Of course they will. Why do you ask such a thing?”

Charley shrugged. “I don’t know.”

Conner felt a strange chill run through his body. “Uh...Charley, why don’t we skip the story tonight? I’m a little tired, ok?”

“Ok. I am, too.”

Conner covered her up, then kissed her rosy cheeks before turning off the lamp. He assured her that he would be right down the hall if she needed him, then he slowly plodded into his own room. He was so tired, it only took a matter of minutes before he fell asleep.

In his dreams, he saw a late model sedan that looked identical to his parents’ car. Then he caught a glimpse of the folks in the car and realized they were his parents. Tatum and Alexis were chatting happily, about their children and all the things they wanted to do with them. Then suddenly, Tatum lost control of the vehicle thanks to a blowout. It ran off the road, then flipped three times before sliding down a hill. Conner felt his parents’ fear as they were trapped inside the vehicle. At least they were alive. Then, suddenly, without warning, the vehicle burst into flames.

Conner immediately woke up, feeling his nightshirt clinging to his chest as the sweat poured down his face. He was breathing so hard, he was sure he would pass out. It had been so real...but it was only a dream. Wasn’t it? His parents were fine. They would call them in the morning and say they had made it to Detroit without any problems. They always called when they made it to their destinations.

While Conner was in the kitchen, Lucy walked up. Noticing his panicked expression, she demanded, “Honey, what’s wrong?”

“I’ve been trying to call Mom and Dad on their cell phones and I can’t get an answer from either one,” Conner admitted. “I’m worried, Gram. I think something’s wrong.”

Lucy looked concerned. “Well, why do you think that?”

“Because I had a dream. An awful dream.” Conner shuddered with the memory. “In it, they died. In a flaming car wreck.”

He was surprised when his grandmother clasped his hand tightly. “Honey, it can’t be true.”

“I know,” Conner whispered, but he had a sinking feeling it was.

Since neither one could sleep, the pair just sat in the kitchen until dawn, sipping coffee and making small talk. The next morning, Conner got Charley up and ready for school. “I think you should go to school, too,” Lucy said quietly. “I don’t want her worrying, if there’s nothing wrong.”

“All right,” Conner muttered.

He was quiet and edgy most of the day. He didn’t even respond when David teased him about liking Dakota. Finally, David laid off, realizing his friend’s thoughts were a million miles away and he wasn’t in a joking mood. Conner mechanically went through the motions: classes, then lunch, then study hall. Right before the last bell rang to go home, the principal walked into the room and handed a note to the teacher. She glanced at it, then said, “Conner Peterson, you need to go home immediately. There’s a cab waiting outside for you.”

David looked at Conner with a concerned frown. “What’s wrong?” he demanded as Conner gathered his books together.

“I’ll tell you later,” Conner said simply before walking out of the room. Sweat was already dripping down his face and his heart was pounding relentlessly against his rib cage. He didn’t speak a word the entire way home.

When Conner and Charley walked into the house, Lucy was seated on the couch, weeping as she clutched a handerkerchief. Looking at Conner, she said tearfully, “You were right. How did you know?”

Conner felt his throat close up, but he had to remain calm for his little sister. “Come on, Charley,” he said simply. “Why don’t you go outside and play for a little while?”

“Before I do my homework?” she demanded. “What’s wrong with Gram?”

“Nothing, Honey. She’ll be fine,” Conner said as calmly as he could. “Now please go outside for a little while.”

Charley pouted, but did as her brother commanded. Once the door slammed shut behind her, Conner walked over to Lucy. Kneeling in front of her, he looked up at her. “If I had known beforehand, this would never have happened. It’s all my fault. I should have been able to do something.”

She looked at him wearily. “He was my only child. And your mother...she was like my daughter. This is like a nightmare.”

Conner sank into a chair. He wouldn’t allow himself to fall apart in front of Lucy; he would do that later, when he was all alone. Right now, he had to be a pillar of strength; as foreign as it sounded, he was the man of the house now.

“I’ll tell Charley,” Conner offered as he rose to his feet. Lucy didn’t respond, she just nodded.

Because his parents had been on the road for most of their son’s life, it didn’t seem real to Conner that Tatum and Alexis were really gone for good. Now he realized that the nightmare he’d had had been a strange sort of gift, one that could be used for good or evil. But he couldn’t focus on that now.

“You’re so strong,” Lucy commented. “Being brave for everyone else all the time. Your mother was just like that.”

Conner sighed. He wasn’t sure how long he could hold on before he fell apart, because the memories of his parents were invading his brain. “I’d better go talk to Charley,” he said simply before quickly walking out of the house.

His little sister was sitting on her tire swing, silently dragging her feet through the dry dirt. She looked up as Conner approached. “Why was Gram crying?” she asked.

Conner closed his eyes and reopened them, struggling to think of a proper way to tell Charley about the tragedy that had claimed her parents’ lives. She had barely known them. Conner fingered Charley’s white-blonde braid without realizing he was doing it. “Charley...do you remember hearing all the stories about God and the angels in heaven?”

She nodded solemnly. Conner took a deep breath, then explained gently, “Well, God decided that He wanted Mommy and Daddy to be with Him in Heaven. So He took them home. I’m sorry, Baby, but they’re not coming back.”

Charley’s dark blue eyes turned nearly as black as the threatening sky overhead. “Why can’t they come back?”

“Because when you die, you don’t come back,” Conner explained as patiently as he could.

“In Sunday school, they taught us that if you pray for something and you really believe it, it will come true,” Charley said vehemently as she jumped off the swing. “Well, I’m going to pray that they come back and God will answer it. Right?”

“No, Charley.” Conner lifted his struggling sister into his arms and held her close. “You can’t think like that. You have to accept it, as painful as that is. We don’t have a choice.”

“You never cared about them!” Charley shouted as she began pounding him with tiny fists. “You said you hated them and you wished they’d never come back. You made them go away!”

Conner paled as he recalled that conversation. He hadn’t meant it, of course, but none of that mattered now. In the end, his parents were still dead and he couldn’t take back his harsh words. “I’m sorry,” he said desperately to Charley as tears began streaking his face. “But I need you now, Charley. You’re all I have.” He hugged her closely as the sobs tore loose from his body.

She pulled away from him stiffly. “I want to go inside now,” she said flatly. Conner slowly put her down and she ran into the house, loudly slamming the door behind herself. As Conner stared after her, he realized that for the first time in his life, he was completely alone.

***

The loss of their loved ones hit the remaining Petersons in different ways; after her initial anger at her brother, Charley suddenly became very possessive of him, never wanting to leave his side and trying to follow him everywhere he went. She wouldn’t even sleep unless he was right there next to her. Conner became concerned for her emotional health and tried to get her to talk about what was on her mind, but she would inevitably clam up, refuse to speak. Conner tried to speak to his grandmother about possibly taking Charley to a psychotherapist to help her deal with her traumatic loss, but Lucy seemed too wrapped up in her own grief to help anyone else try to cope with theirs. Conner knew that for a long time, the pain would be unbearable and he would have to be a rock for everyone else. He would grieve and try to deal with his own feelings behind closed doors. It was something his father would have done and expected from his son in turn. “Men always have to be strong,” Tatum had once said. “No matter what happens, you stay strong and take care of your family. That’s the a real man has to be.”

That evening, after Charley had fallen asleep, Conner wandered into his parents’ bedroom. Curling up on the bed, he hugged his mother’s pillow, the way he had done when he was small and they were away from home. It had offered some comfort. Conner smelled the scent of Alexis’ perfume and stared at a picture of the entire family that was on the night stand. They were all smiling, but it appeared forced. That was the Petersons, Conner thought glumly. Always trying to keep up the facade of being a happy family.

As Conner was lying on the bed, Lucy walked in. “What are you doing in here?” she asked with surprise. “You know your parents don’t like you being in here.”

“Well, under the circumstances, I don’t think they’ll mind,” Conner said flatly.

“Conner Peterson, you take that back!” Lucy commanded sharply.

“Sorry. It’s just been a long day.”

Lucy’s face began somber as she said, “Don’t be angry with your parents, please. Forgive them. That’s all you can do for them now.”

Conner sighed and held the pillow closer as a tear fell from his eyes. Silently, Lucy entered the walk-in closet and came out with a book. “I know you feel alone, Honey, but you’re really not. You have me and Charley and...”

Conner looked up at her. “What’s going on? Does this have anything to do with that secret I’m not supposed to know for six weeks?”

“Yes.” Lucy sat on the edge of the bed, the book pressed closely against her heart. “I know your parents wanted you to wait before you were told, but I think now it won’t hurt anything.” She pulled out a slip of paper and handed it Conner. “It’s your birth certificate.”

“Really?” Conner sat up with sudden interest. “I was never allowed to look at it before. I always wondered why.”
Lucy smiled at him nervously as he read the paper. Conner didn’t looked totally worried until he got to the line that read This Birth: Single, Twin, Triplet, etc...suddenly, the paper fell from his hands. “It says twin,” he gasped.

“I know.”

“Well, it’s gotta be a mistake, right?” Conner demanded in disbelief. “They made a mistake when they printed this thing?”

“No, it’s not a mistake,” Lucy insisted, pulling out another slip of paper.

“Christian Peterson,” Conner muttered. “He was my twin?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Well, what happened to him? Did he die at birth?” Conner asked.

“No, he didn’t.” Lucy took a deep breath, then explained. “Your parents were only sixteen when you were born. Your dad was working two dead-end jobs and your mom was trying to take care of you all by herself. They were arguing all the time. There just wasn’t enough money and the food was scarce. So when you and Christian were two weeks old, Tatum and Alexis made the toughest decision they’ve ever made: they decided to give one of you up for adoption.”

Conner was stunned. “I don’t believe it.”

“I was against it, from the start. I believed that they should keep both of you, but they just couldn’t make ends meet. I even offered to give them some money, but your dad was so proud, he wouldn’t hear of it. He got that from his father. So they gave the younger away. It broke their hearts, but they really thought it was the best thing to do.”

“Oh, my god.” Conner wiped his eyes with the palm of his hand. “Why didn’t they just give both of us away?”

“Because your mom couldn’t have stood that,” Lucy admitted. “She was devastated. She had to have at least one of you with her. And she was assured that Christian would go to a good home.”

“Did they know where he went?” Conner asked.

“No, it was a private adoption. All the information was confidential.”

“I still can’t believe it,” Conner whispered. “I have a twin brother.”

“An identical twin brother,” Lucy said with pride. “We couldn’t tell the two of you apart. I remember the day the adoption people took Christian out of the house. You just started screaming and you wouldn’t stop. It took days before you calmed down. You always seemed to be searching for him. And you never really seemed to trust your parents after that. I wanted to tell you, but Tatum and Alexis said no, that it would only hurt you more, knowing that he wasn’t there. They figured when you turned eighteen, you could look for him and maybe you could start over.”

Conner shook his head. It didn’t seem possible. He had always felt growing up that someone was right there next to him, though he couldn’t explain why. And sudden, sharp pains that would come and go without warning...the doctors had said there was nothing physically wrong with him. “This is creepy,” he muttered. “What am I supposed to say to something like this?”

Lucy shook her head. “I’m sorry, Honey. I know it doesn’t mean anything, but I am. But you are blessed: you have something that not everyone else has. A special connection with another person.”

“A connection?” Conner shook his head as bitterness caused his eyes to darken. “With a total stranger? Sorry, Gram, but I don’t have that.”

Lucy sighed. “I know you’re upset and you have every right to be. I just thought it was time you knew the truth.”

Conner didn’t reply. After his grandmother left the room, he threw a pillow at the wall in frustration. “How could you do it?” He shouted, as if he expected an answer. If his parents were alive at the moment, he felt he probably would have strangled both of them. But the most he could do was fume in silence and question their motives.

***

Conner spent the remainder of the night going through his parents’ items. He found baby books for himself, his brother, and sister, as well as baby pictures of them. But there weren’t very many reminders of Christian. It seemed that Conner that he only been there a short time, then his memory was quickly and unceremoniously wiped out. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Maybe his parents had believed they were doing the right thing, but Conner didn’t believe it. Now there was a heavy ache in the pit of his stomach that hasn’t been there before. He wasn’t sure it would ever go away.
The following morning, when Lucy came into the living room/dining room area, she saw her grandson seated at the table, his handsome features wrought with tension. “Hi,” she said softly as she went through the archway that led to the kitchen to pour herself a cup of coffee. “How long have you been up?”

Conner shrugged. “Seems like forever.”

Lucy returned and sat down at the table, her fingers clasped tightly around the coffee mug. Her face was tear stained from a night of crying and her eyes were swollen and puffy. She smiled briefly as she caught a glimpse of a picture of the newborn twins, cradled in their parents’ arms. “I wonder where he is,” she admitted. “I wonder if he’s happy, if he’s going to college, what kind of interests he has. I’ve thought about him every day.”

Conner didn’t reply. “Are you going to search for Christian?” Lucy asked.

“I haven’t decided.”

“But he’s your brother!” Lucy pointed out. “And family is so important...especially when you’ve lost someone. We need to know how he is and what he’s doing. We need to complete the puzzle.”

“And what if he hates us?” Conner demanded.

“I guess that’s a chance we’ll have to take,” Lucy said wearily. “Anyway, we can’t do anything about it until the day you turn eighteen.”

The two paused when they heard footsteps. “Charley’s up,” Lucy said as she rose. “I’ll go make her some breakfast. You just think on what I said, ok?”

“I will.”

The next few days passed with agonizing slowness. There were funeral arrangements to be made and relatives to contact, plus the arrangements had to be made to bring the remains home. Conner was torn between his intense love for his parents and his resentment towards them for keeping a very vital part of his past hidden for all these years. And he couldn’t find a proper way to express his feelings, short of getting angry and throwing things. He needed an outlet, but he wasn’t sure what that was.

After a couple nights of restless tossing and turning, Landon dressed and went outside. He had always loved the early morning, when the air was clean and all was quiet. It was a perfect opportunity to think, to sort out his feelings.

He was sitting on the porch swing, his head in his hands when he heard someone calling out to him. Lifting his head, he was stunned to see Dakota Coburn approaching, dressed in a tank top, shorts, and red sandals. Her honey-blonde hair barely touched the tips of her shoulders. “Hi,” she began as she stepped onto the porch. “I know we’ve never spoken, but I wanted to tell you how sorry I am about your folks.”

“Thanks.”

Conner thought it was ironic that his dream girl was standing right in front of him and he barely noticed. His thoughts were a million miles away. Dakota looked down as she admitted, “I lost my parents when I was five so I know how you’re feeling.”

“Do you?”

“Yes,” she said firmly. “You blame yourself, thinking if you had done more or said more, it wouldn’t have happened. I used to think if I had been a good little girl that mine wouldn’t have left me. But that’s just not the way the world works, I’m afraid.”

Conner sighed and didn’t respond. Dakota took the opportunity to study his face. He was cute, she thought. Strange she hadn’t noticed that before. His light blonde hair was a shade lighter than hers, but his eyes were a darker blue. They shone like freshly-polished sapphires. And he was tall, standing nearly six feet. Sensing he didn’t want company, Dakota said awkwardly, “I guess I’ll go now.”

She turned to walk away, but Conner stopped her. “Wait. You don’t have to go. Would you like to sit down?”

She nodded, then sat beside him, pulling her hair back with her right hand. Conner caught a whiff of her jasmine-scented perfume. After a brief pause, Dakota said, “It’s kind of chilly for April, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, it is.”

“Well, it will warm up soon,” she said with confidence, tugging at the bottoms of her shorts. “I’ve lived all over the United States, practically, but I like being here in Alabama the best.”

“Why is that?” Conner asked.

She smiled, revealing gleaming white teeth. “Because of the people.”

Conner blushed, not sure how to respond to that. Finally, he said, “People will always let you down, no matter how well-intentioned they are. It’s just human nature.”

“You just have to accept it,” she admitted.

Conner felt strange being so open with a stranger, but he felt comfortable around Dakota. There was something about her that was worth getting to know, he thought. He said, “My parents’ funeral is today. It’s going to be tough, especially on my little sister, Charley.”

“Are you and she very close?”

“Extremely,” Conner said. “Our parents were gone so much that after a while, I looked at myself as more of a father to her than an older brother. I really feel like she’s all I have now.”

“She isn’t,” Dakota assured him, smiling briefly. “If you ever need a friend...I’m right next door.”

Normally, being this close to Dakota, let alone having her offer her friendship, would have had Conner jumping for joy, but these were far from normal circumstances. “Thanks,” he said softly. “I appreciate that.”

Dakota looked away, then inquired timidly, “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” Conner assured her.

“The other kids at school say I have a reputation,” she admitted. “I like the boys. I always have. Do you think...we could be friends, in spite of that?”

Conner chuckled. “I think I could be your friend. I’m not here to judge you, after all.”

“You’re the first person who isn’t,” Dakota said bitterly.

Their eyes met and Dakota smiled when she saw the genuine warmth in Conner’s. “That’s just because they don’t know you,” he insisted. “I think there’s something really special inside you waiting to get out.”

She blushed. “You really think so?”

“Absolutely.”

He thought she was ravishing when she performed an action as simple as a smile. “I have to go,” she admitted, rising. “Can I call you or come over sometime?”

He nodded. “Sure. I’d like that.”

He watched her walk away and a faint smile crossed his lips. He felt it was ironic that one of the saddest days of the life seemed to have a more positive side.

***

Conner sat in the church, Charley clutching his hand so tightly that he was afraid she would break it, but he didn’t ask her to release her hold. Numbly, the siblings listened as their parents were eulogized by family and friends. It was the culmination of what had been a very difficult week.

The preacher, who had known Alexis and Tatum for a long time, stepped up to the podium and smiled warmly. “Everyone here has been talking about the accomplishments that Tatum and Lexi made in the music world, but I prefer to think of their accomplishments in their personal lives,” he said. “They loved each other and produced two beautiful, healthy children, Conner and Charlene...”

“Two,” Conner muttered as his lips twisted. Charley looked up at him in bewilderment, but he didn’t respond. “I know they were very proud of their son and daughter,” the preacher went on. “They talked about them all the time. They knew that having a loving family meant much more than performing in front of hundreds of people. And their legacy will live on in these two beautiful children.”

Conner sighed. He realized at that moment that the time for bitterness was over; it was pointless. It was time to begin the healing process, however long that might take.

Before he left the cemetery that afternoon, Conner stood at his parents’ graves and wiped a tear away. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “But I will make you proud of me. I promise you that.”

He sighed heavily, then walked over to Charley and grabbed her hand before they left the cemetery. He hadn’t told her she had another brother yet; soon, he vowed he would. But right now, it was time to shed the past and move on. After all, he had an incredible gift, one that was sure to bring him both joy and grief. He had to learn to use it wisely, to help others. And that was exactly what he intended to do.

The End

Be sure to read the next story in the Unexplained series--Song of Elijah. Coming soon!