We walked down the road to my Grandfather’s house. I kept looking over at Amy. She was utterly entranced with my world. She kept looking this way and that way trying to take it all in. I couldn’t really blame her for that reaction. I’m sure I would have the same reaction if I ever ended up in a new world. My eyes kept wondering down her body. The dress Lena gave her looked amazing on her in every way. The low cut back showed off the muscle that she was always hiding when we met and the front was cut low enough to be modest, but not prude modest. She was beautiful. The way she looked at me in the mirror as I approached her was… I’m not gonna lie… a huge turn on. And I couldn’t but smile as color stained her cheeks. I was extremely happy to see her color back to normal.
She kept looking up and all around and wasn’t really paying attention to her footing. She tripped and I caught her before she could fall flat on her face. She smiled at me with that beautiful color of red hinting at her cheeks. I smiled back and set her up again then offered her my arm. She took it without hesitation and we continued on the road.
“I just can’t believe I’m actually here and walking around.” She sounded so amazed. “And I can’t believe I’m actually here with you.”
I looked over at her, but she was looking straight ahead. “What do you mean? Of course I’m here with you. I’m the one you became connected to with this world so, naturally, I would want to stay by your side.”
She stopped walking. “Is that the only reason you’re here with me? Because of the connection? Do you feel it’s your fault I became connected to this world?”
I looked down at her. “That’s one reason, yes. I feel obligated to protect you and be here with you until your time comes to go back to your world.”
She tensed up and removed her hand from the crook of my arm. “I see. Please don’t feel obligated to take care of me. I have been on my own for the last 3 years and I’m pretty sure I can take care of myself.”
I stared after her as she marched onward to my Grandfather’s house. I sighed and mentally kicked myself. That didn’t come out right at all. But how am I supposed to tell her that I am also connected to her and that my feelings are more than friendship or obligation? Wouldn’t that be too forward? Judging by her response, I made a mistake in saying what I said. We were almost to my Grandfather’s house and I wanted to clear this up before we arrived.
I caught up with her and turned her towards me gently. “You mistake me, little flame. I am not here with you because of obligation. There is so much more to it than that.”
“Then why stay with me if not for obligation?” She challenged me, staring straight into my eyes.
I smiled down at her and stepped closer to her. I could feel the rise and fall of her chest increase against me. I could smell the perfume that reminded me strangely of lilacs but I don’t remember her applying any such scent. A piece of her hair blew in the wind, into her face. She didn’t break eye contact with me. I tucked the piece of hair behind her ear and let my fingers trace the side of her jaw. Her lips parted slightly as she inhaled quickly. She felt it too. The electricity of our touch. I cupped her face in my hand and began to lean down to her and she closed her eyes.
“Kyle! What a surprise to see you down this way!” I heard grandfather yell from up ahead of us.
Amy jumped and took a quick step back. I put my hand down and cursed the timing. But I was glad to see the old man. Emery, after my great grandmother Emerald, was walking towards us with his favorite walking stick. He stepped back from Amy reluctantly and turned to great my grandfather. His dark hair was peppered with white and his blue eyes turned gray. His element was water. Actually all of my family was mostly water or earth elementals. My father and I were the only fire elementals in the entire family.
“Granpa, how are you?” I took Amy’s hand and lead her towards him. She didn’t pull back or hesitate, but came with me willingly.
Grandpa looked at our entwined hands and smiled even more. “Better than ever now. My joints decided to give me a break, so I thought I would walk down and see my two favorite grandkids. And who might this beauty be?”
“Granpa, we are your only grandkids. And this is the girl I was telling you about.” I looked over at her and winked. She smiled back at me in return.
“Oh so this is your little flame?” Granpa came forward and took Amy’s other hand. He kissed the back of her hand to show his respect and patted her hand. “My boy has told me all about your meetings. Did he ever tell you that you’re a dream walker?”
Amy laughed and looked over at me. “No, he didn’t. I don’t think he actually found out until his sister, Lena, told him. And please, call me Amy.”
Granpa’s eyes lit up and he smiled even more. “Well, Kyle, you’re Amy is quite the intelligent woman. Don’t let her slip through your hands.” He winked at me and turned to start walking back to his house.
“Actually, Grandpa, she’s not ‘my Amy’. She and I are only friends.”
Granpa turned around and looked us both over. “Don’t lie to me boy and especially don’t lie to yourself. You and her made a connection and that makes her yours, just as much as it makes you hers. You don’t just make a connection with a dream walker for no reason. Haven’t you ever wondered why we don’t see them anymore? Or why she always came back to that exact spot when she was sleeping and only when you were there?” He looked at Amy. “Darlin’, have you ever been at the field when he wasn’t there?”
Amy thought his question over. “Come to think of it, no. I’ve never dreamed of the field unless he was there too. I had other dreams, but they were normal. But every time I would dream of the field, Kyle was always there.”
Granpa nodded and turned back towards his house. “Just as I thought. Fate has a bigger plan for you two. What it is, I don’t know. And where you’ll end up, I don’t know that either.”
“Wait, are you saying that either she could remain here or I could return with her to her world?”
Amy looked over at me and I could see the concern. “I have friends that I consider family back home. And you actually have family here. What about Lena? And why in the world are we discussing that outcome? We aren’t even dating and, honestly, I find you very infuriating. No offense.”
I shrugged. “None taken. I find you infuriating at times as well. And, no, we aren’t dating, but we do have a connection. You can’t deny that.” I lowered my voice for only her to hear. “You felt what I felt just now before Granpa interrupted. Do you think we would have stopped if he hadn’t come along.”
Amy looked away from me and didn’t answer. That was all the answer I needed. She felt it. Her face slowly began to turn a light shade of red as I’m sure she remembered our almost kiss. I could understand her concern and I understand what she is saying. But I also understand what my Granpa was saying as well and I can’t lie, I was happy to hear it.
We arrived at my Granpa’s house and she just looked astonished. “He doesn’t live in a tree like you guys?”
“I never enjoyed climbing trees and all that. I prefer the sun, water, and being on flat ground. Plus, it’s easier on my joints as I get older.”
Granpa’s house was made of different stones and was all one level. He used to have a much bigger home, but he removed rooms and turned some into animal rooms once Gran died. Cally, she was named after Caroline and Allen – her parents, had died several years back due to complications. She went out to help other healers and it took too much of her energy. She never made it back home. Granpa got the message that she was in bad condition and rode all night to be by her side. His joints weren’t nearly as bad back then. She was holding on for him and only lasted long enough for him to hold her and then kiss her goodbye. She told him she loved him and then passed.
I took Amy’s hand and we walked up to his front porch area. Granpa sat down and sighed with relief. I offered Amy the rocker next to him, but she just walked to the other side of the porch and stared out at the gardens and fields. I leaned back against the railing and just watched her. I could see from the corner of my eye that granpa was watching me, then looking over at her. He looked back at me and made a small whistle sound only I could hear.
“Boy, have you even talked to her about your feelings yet?” He leaned forward and whispered to me so Amy couldn’t hear us. I just shook my eye and shrugged my shoulders. “Don’t you give me that nonsense. I can see the way you look at her and even the way she looks at you, although she tries to hide it a lot better. You have this time and opportunity. Take it. You may end up going with her or even better, she may want to stay.”
I looked away from granpa and over at Amy. “Granpa, she has friends that are like family back in her world. And I have you and Lena. We can’t just leave one to join another. It’s not realistic.”
Granpa grunted his displeasure, but said no more on the matter. He sat back and folded his hands over his chest while looking over at Amy again. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”
Amy looked over her shoulder then back out at the gardens and fields. “It absolutely is, sir. It absolutely is.”
“None of that ‘sir’ business child. You can either call me granpa or Emery if granpa is too uncomfortable for the time. But I expect you to call me granpa after a time.” He started rocking in his chair and humming one of Gran’s favorite melodies. He hasn’t hummed that tune in such a long time. I can’t help but wonder if Amy’s presence with me is making the old man feel a little love lost. “My Cally used to love it when I sang to her and especially that tune. She would always ask me to sing it while we watched the sunset and at lest twice a week when we went to bed. Sometimes I would just sing it without her asking.”
Amy turned around completely and smiled at granpa. “It’s a very beautiful tune, Emery.”
“The boy here knows it too. Maybe some night he can sing it to you!” Granpa’s eyes lit up and he smiled widely at us.
I cleared my throat and shuffled my feet. “I don’t think that tune is particularly appropriate for me to sing to her.”
“Why not? I didn’t even know you could sing, Kyle.” She crossed her arms and gave me a small smile.
“Well, little flame,” I pushed off the porch railing and walked slowly to her. “That song is actually a lover’s song. The ones that sing it are either bound to be married or already are.”
Her reaction was exactly what I expected. Her cheeks burned red and her eyes widened. I could tell she was at a loss for words and a bit shocked. Granpa began humming again, but I barely heard him. I reached out my hand for hers in an offer for a dance. She seemed to hesitate, but not long enough to discourage me from asking. I pulled her close and wrapped my right arm around her waist, then took her right hand in my left and placed it on my chest. She wrapped her left arm around my shoulders and looked into my eyes for a moment. Then she looked over to her left and leaned into the slow sway of our bodies. Thankfully Granpa taught me how to dance. She didn’t need to do anything except follow me. She leaned back a little and looked up into my eyes. For a moment, we were alone. There was no sounds except the wind blowing through the trees; even granpa couldn’t be heard anymore. I didn’t even try to keep dancing. I just stared into her beautiful hazel eyes and she stared right back into my own. I leaned down and she slowly closed her eyes.
Then granpa coughed and we jumped a part. Amy rushed to his side and pat him on the back. “Don’t mind me child. Get back over there and dance with the boy. I just got a small frog in my throat.”
Amy laughed lightly and when she looked up at me, her face was lit up with excitement.
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